Project Activities
This project will use a longitudinal, cluster randomized controlled trial to evaluate the K–5 Second Step Social-Emotional Learning Program plus the Bully Prevention Unit across elementary schools in three states to evaluate the bullying program, assess outcomes associated with bullying involvement and peer aggression, attend to outcomes specific to students with or at risk for disabilities, and determine cost effectiveness.
Structured Abstract
Setting
The research will take place in elementary schools in Wisconsin, North Carolina, and Louisiana, including schools in rural, urban, and suburban areas.
Sample
Approximately 36 elementary schools (12 per state) will participate, with an estimated 2 classrooms per grade level per year, resulting in a sample of approximately 288 teachers. Approximately 20 students per classroom will participate each year, leading to a total sample of 5760 students, including an estimated 1152 students with or at risk for disabilities.
Intervention
The K–5 Second Step Social-Emotional Learning Program is a comprehensive, teacher-implemented, whole-class SEL program with a developmentally appropriate, sequential curriculum that seeks to promote school and life success and prevent problem behaviors. Curricular materials are specific to each grade level and include manualized lessons, printable materials, accompanying resources (such as puppets for the younger grades), visual aids, and daily practice activities. Each of the 22 weekly lessons includes a warm-up, brain builder, story, discussion, skill practice, and wrap-up. Depending on the grade level, weekly lessons range from 20 to 40 minutes. Intervention schools will also receive the Bullying Prevention Unit, which is a supplement to the Second Step Social-Emotional Learning Program, consisting of a review of classroom rules and four independent lessons. The Bullying Prevention Unit is sequential and scaffolded based on age and grade. Lessons average 30 minutes and include follow-up classroom climate games and class meeting templates following the same structure as lessons in the Second Step Social-Emotional Learning Program.
Research design and methods
In the first phase of the study, researchers will identify and select participating schools, and recruit a baseline cohort of students in grades K–2 to improve matching and random assignment of schools in the second phase of the study. In the second phase, researchers will implement the intervention, in which grade-level cohorts of students will receive SEL instruction for 3 years (in grades K–3, 1–4, and 2–5). Researchers will randomly assign half of the schools to the K–5 Second Step Social-Emotional Learning Program plus the Bully Prevention Unit and the other half to the Second Step program only. Researchers will examine proximal student outcomes, including SEL and social skill acquisition, empathy development, and reductions in bullying involvement and fighting. They will also examine distal student outcomes, including academic achievement, belonging, and social supports.
Control condition
Students in the control condition classrooms will receive the K–5 Second Step Social-Emotional Learning Program without the supplement.
Key measures
: Primary outcome measures include student self-report of bullying, victimization, and aggression using the University of Illinois Aggression Scale and the Relational Aggression and Victimization Scales. Primary outcome measures also include child-focused teacher reports using the Social and Communication Skills Assessment: Brief Teacher Questionnaire, Teacher Assessment of Student Behavior, and Adapted University of Illinois Aggression Scale. Researchers will also examine skill acquisition, school belonging, and social supports as mediators, using the Colorado Trust Bully Prevention Study: Student Survey and Delaware School Climate Survey-Student SEL Scale. Researchers will assess fidelity using teacher report and direct observations.
Data analytic strategy
Researchers will fit a series of multiple group, multilevel longitudinal models, with students nested within classrooms and schools. Models will include covariates to control for student baseline characteristics such as gender, race/ethnicity, and disability category. Researchers will also examine mediation effects of intervention fidelity and school environment factors (such as climate) on the primary outcomes.
Cost analysis strategy
Researchers will conduct a cost analysis following the ingredients method. They will derive the average classroom-level unit cost to deliver the intervention (relative to the cost of the control condition) and estimate the average student cost to deliver both programs. A cost-effectiveness analysis will estimate the incremental monetary cost of effect size improvements on each primary dependent measure.
Products and publications
Products: Products will include information of about the impact of K-5 Second Step Social- Emotional Learning Program plus the Bully Prevention Unit, relative to the Second Step SEL program alone, on student outcomes. Products will also include a publicly shared dataset and dissemination to variety of stakeholders, including peer-reviewed journal publications, research briefs, policy briefs, a website, infographics, webinars, press releases, practitioner resources, parental resources, and presentations at local, regional, state, and national conferences.
ERIC Citations: Find available citations in ERIC for this award here.
Related projects
Supplemental information
Co-Principal Investigators: Espelage, Dorothy; Long, Anna; Nickodem, Kyle
Questions about this project?
To answer additional questions about this project or provide feedback, please contact the program officer.