Changes in Students’ Social and Emotional Competences Following the Implementation of a School-Based Intervention Program

Maria S. Poulou; Ilaria Grazzani; Valeria Cavioni; Veronica Maria Ornaghi; Elisabetta Conte; Carmel Cefai; Liberato Camilerri; Paul Bartolo

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ajap.20221105.11

| Peer-Reviewed |

Changes in Students’ Social and Emotional Competences Following the Implementation of a School-Based Intervention Program

Maria S. Poulou, Ilaria Grazzani, Valeria Cavioni, Veronica Maria Ornaghi, Elisabetta Conte, Carmel Cefai, Liberato Camilerri, Paul Bartolo

Received: 3 August 2022 Accepted: 9 September 2022 Published: 21 September 2022

Views: Downloads:

Download PDF

Share This Article

Twitter
Linked In
Facebook

Abstract

Schools have been identified globally by policy makers as an ideal universal context to promote mental health for all students, to identify students with emerging mental health difficulties, and to target students with emotional and behavioral difficulties. However, studies on multi-informant perceptions of students’ social and emotional competences following the implementation of mental health programs at schools are limited. Current study examined teachers, students and parents’ perceptions of change in students’ social and emotional competences, following the implementation of a school-based intervention program Promoting Mental Health at Schools (PROMEHS). PROMEHS goal was to provide a systematic framework for the development and implementation of an evidence-based universal mental health curriculum at schools, to increase students’, teachers’ and families’ mental health and to support teachers, school leaders and policy makers to integrate mental health promotion into national educational policies effectively. Hundred fifty-two Greek teachers from kindergarten to secondary schools completed the SSIS SEL Brief Scales – Teacher K-12 Form for their 1558 students’ social and emotional competences and 458 students completed the SSIS SEL Brief Scales – Student Form for their own social and emotional competences. In addition, 492 parents completed the SSIS SEL Brief Scales – Parent Form for their children. Teachers reported moderate changes for their students’ social and emotional competences, which were further confirmed by students’ reports, but not by parents. Findings are discussed in terms of plans of action based on multi-informant data.

DOI	10.11648/j.ajap.20221105.11
Published in	American Journal of Applied Psychology (Volume 11, Issue 5, September 2022)
Page(s)	122-132
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Social and Emotional Competences, Teachers, Students, Parents, Mental Health Program at Schools

References

[1]	Anthony, C. J., Elliott, S. N., DiPerna, J. C., & Lei, P. (2020a.). Initial Development and Validation of the SSIS SEL Brief Scales - Teacher Form (SSIS SELb-Teacher) Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment 39 (3), http://10.1177/0734282920953240
[2]	Anthony, C. J., Elliott, S. N., DiPerna, J. C., & Lei, P.-W. (2020b). The SSIS SEL Brief Scales–Student Form: Initial development and validation. School Psychology, 35 (4), 277–283. https://doi.org/10.1037/spq0000390
[3]	Anthony, C. J., Elliott, S. N., Yost, M., Lei, P-W., DiPerna, J. C., Cefai, C., Camilleri, L., Bartolo, P. A., Grazzani, I., Cavioni, V., Ornaghi, V., Conte, E., Vorkapić, S. T., Poulou, M., Martinsone, B., Simoes, C., & Colomeischi, A. (in press). Multi-Informant Validity Evidence for the SSIS SEL Brief Scales across Six European Countries. Frontiers in Psychology.
[4]	Anthony, C. J., Elliott, S. N., DiPerna, J. C., & Lei, P.-W. (2020c). Multirater Assessment of Young Children’s Social and Emotional Learning via the SSIS SEL Brief Scales – Preschool Forms. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 53, 625-637. 10.1016/j.ecresq.2020.07.006.
[5]	Ashdown, D. M., & Bernard, M. E. (2012). Can explicit instruction in social and emotional learning skills benefit the social-emotional development, well-being, and academic achievement of young children? Early Childhood Education Journal, 39, 397-405. http://10.1007/s10643-011-0481-x
[6]	Beebe-Frankenberger M., Lane K. L., Bocian K. M., Gresham F. M., MacMillan D. L. (2005). Students With or At Risk for Problem Behavior: Betwixt and Between Teacher and Parent Expectations. Preventing School Failure, 49, 10–17. https://10.3200/PSFL.49.2.10-17.
[7]	Brinkworth, M. E., McIntyre, J., Juraschek, A. D., & Gehlbach, H. (2018). Teacher-student relationships: The positives and negatives of assessing both perspectives, Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 55, 24-38, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appdev.2017.09.002.
[8]	CASEL (2009). SEL: What is it and how does it contribute to students’ academic success? http://casel.org/wp-content/uploads/Tool2_2009.pdf
[9]	CASEL (2020). CASEL evidence-based social and emotional learning programs: CASEL criteria updates and rationale. http:casel.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/11_CASEL_Program-Criteria-Rationale.pdf
[10]	Chen Y. Y., Ho S. Y., Lee P. C., Wu C. K., Gau S. S. (2017). Parent-child discrepancies in the report of adolescent emotional and behavioral problems in Taiwan. PLoS ONE. 12, 6. https://10.1371/journal.pone.0178863.
[11]	Denham, S. A. (2015). Assessment of SEL in educational contexts. In J. Durlak, C. Domitrovich, R. Weissberg, & T. Gullotta (Eds.), Handbook of social and emotional learning: Research & practice (pp.285-300). Guilford.
[12]	DiPerna, J. C., Lei, P., Cheng, W., Hart, S. C., & Bellinger, J. (2018). A cluster randomized trial of the social skills improvement system-classwide intervention program (SSIS-CIP) in first grade. Journal of Educational Psychology, 110 (1), 1-16. http://10.1037/edu0000191
[13]	De Los Reyes A., Kazdin A. E. (2005). Informant discrepancies in the assessment of childhood psychopathology: A critical review, theoretical framework, and recommendations for further study. Psychological Bulletin, 131, 483–509. https://10.1037/0033-2909.131.4.483.
[14]	Durlak, J. A., Weissberg, R., Dymnicki, A. B., & Schellinger, K. B. (2011). The impact of enhancing students’ social and emotional learning: a meta-analysis of school-based universal intervention. Child Development, 82 (1), 405-432. http://10.1111/j.1467-8624.2010.01564x
[15]	Dusenbury, L., Yoder, N., Dermody, C., & Weissberg, R. (2019). An examination of framework for social and emotional learning (SEL) reflected in state K-12 learning standards. Measuring SEL: Using Data to Inspire Practice. CASEL.
[16]	Elliott, S., Anthony, C., Lei, P-W., & DiPerna, J. (2021b). Parents' assessment of students' social emotional learning competencies: The SSIS SEL brief scales-parent version. Family Relations. https://10.1111/fare.12615.
[17]	Elliott, S. N., Anthony, C. J., DiPerna, J. C., Lei, P. W., & Gresham, F. M. (2020). SSIS SEL Brief + Mental Health Scales - Student. Scottsdale, AZ: SAIL Collaborative.
[18]	Elliot, S. N., & Gresham, F. M. (2017). SSIS SEL edition screening/progress monitoring scales. Bloomington. Pearson Assessments.
[19]	Elliott S. N., Lei P.-W., Anthony C. J., & Di Perna J. C. (2021a). Screening the whole social-emotional child: Expanding a brief SEL assessment to include emotional behavior concerns. School Psychology Review, http://10.1080/2372966x.2020.1857659
[20]	Garcia-Salguero B. I., & Mudarra M. J. (2020). Importance of Social Skills in the Prevention of Risk Situations and Academic Achievement in Secondary Education in Spain: What Do Teachers Expect from Their Students? How Can Coexistence and Well-Being Be Improved? In: Malik-Liébano B., Álvarez-González B., Sánchez-García M. F., editors. International Perspectives on Research in Educational and Career Guidance. Springer; Cham, Switzerland. pp. 153–161.
[21]	Green, A. L., Ferrante, S., Boaz, T. L., Kutash, K., & Wheeldon-Reece, B. (2021). Social and emotional learning during early adolescence: Effectiveness of a classroom-based SEL program for middle school students. Psychology in the Schools, 58 (6), 1056-1069. https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.22487
[22]	Gresham, F. M., & Elliot, S. N. (2017). Social skills improvement system. Social emotional learning edition rating forms. Pearson Assessments.
[23]	Gresham, F. M., Elliot, S. N., Metallo, S., Byrd, S., Wilson, E., & Cassidy, K. (2018). Cross-informant agreement of children’s social-emotional skills: An investigation of ratings by teachers, parents, and students from a nationally representative sample. Psychology in the Schools, 55, 208-223. https://10.1002/pits.22101
[24]	Hauser-Cram P., Sirin S. R., Stipek D. (2003). When teachers’ and parents’ values differ: Teachers’ ratings of academic competence in children from low-income families. Journal of Educational Psychology, 95, 813–820. https://10.1037/0022-0663.95.4.813.
[25]	Kraemer H., Measelle J., Ablow J., Essex M., Boyce W., Kupfer D. (2003). A new approach to integrating data from multiple informants in psychiatric assessment and research: Mixing and matching contexts and perspectives. American Journal of Psychiatry, 160, 1566–1577. https://10.1176/appi.ajp.160.9.1566
[26]	Los Reyes A., Talbott E., Power T. J., Michel J. J., Cook C. R., Racz S. J., Fitzpatrick O. (2022). The Needs-to-Goals Gap: How informant discrepancies in youth mental health assessments impact service delivery. Clinical Psychology Review, 92. 102114. http://10.1016/j.cpr.2021.102114.
[27]	Mudarra, M. J., Álvarez-González, B., García-Salguero, B., Elliott, S. N. (2022). Multi-Informant Assessment of Adolescents’ Social–Emotional Skills: Patterns of Agreement and Discrepancy among Teachers, Parents, and Students. Behavioral Science, 12, 62. https://i.org/10.3390/bs12030062
[28]	Poulou, M. (2017). An examination of the relationship among teachers’ perceptions of social-emotional learning, teaching efficacy, teacher-students interactions and students’ behavioral difficulties. International Journal of School and Educational Psychology, 5 (2), 126-136. http://10.1080/21683603.2016.1203851.
[29]	Poulou, M. (2020). “I want Greeks to be Odysseus…”. In Cefai, C., Regester, D., & Dirani, L. (Eds.). Social and Emotional Learning in the Mediterranean. Cross cultural perspectives and approaches, (pp. 13-24).
[30]	Poulou, M. & Denham, S. A. (2022). Teachers’ Emotional Expressiveness and Coping Reactions to Students’ Emotions: Associations with Students’ Social-Emotional Competences and School Adjustment. Early Education and Development, https://doi.org/10.1080/10409289.2022.2053486
[31]	Reynolds, C. R., & Kamphaus, R. W. (2007). Behavior assessment system for children (2nd ed.). Circle Pines, MN: American Guidance Service. Assessment for Effective Intervention, 32 (2), 121–124.
[32]	Schiepe-Tiska, A., Dzhaparkulova, A., & Ziernwald, L. (2021). A mixed-methods approach to investigating social and emotional learning at schools: Teachers’ familiarity, beliefs, training and perceived school culture. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 518634. http://10.3389/fpsyg.2021.518634
[33]	Stillman, S. B., Stillman, P., Martinez, L., Freedman, J., Jensen, A. L., & Leet, C. (2018). Strengthening social emotional learning with student, teacher and schoolwide assessments. Journal of Applied Psychology, 55, 71-92. http://10.1016/j.appdev.2017.07,010
[34]	Ungar, M. (2018). Systemic resilience: principles and processes for a science of change in contexts of adversity. Ecology and Society, 23, 1-17. http://10.5751/ES-10385-230434
[35]	Van de Sande, M. C., Fekkes, M., Kocken, P. L., Diekstra, R. F. W., Reis, R., & Gravestejin, C. (2019). Do universal social and emotional learning programs for secondary school students enhance the competencies they address? A systematic review. Psychology in the Schools, 56 (10), 1545–1567. https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.22
[36]	Weare, K. (2020). Promoting Mental, Emotional and Social Health: A Whole School Approach. Routledge.
[37]	World Health Organization (WHO). (2005). Promoting mental health: Concepts, emerging evidence, practice. World Health Organization.

Cite This Article

Plain Text BibTeX RIS

APA Style

Maria S. Poulou, Ilaria Grazzani, Valeria Cavioni, Veronica Maria Ornaghi, Elisabetta Conte, et al. (2022). Changes in Students’ Social and Emotional Competences Following the Implementation of a School-Based Intervention Program. American Journal of Applied Psychology, 11(5), 122-132. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajap.20221105.11

Copy | Download

ACS Style

Maria S. Poulou; Ilaria Grazzani; Valeria Cavioni; Veronica Maria Ornaghi; Elisabetta Conte, et al. Changes in Students’ Social and Emotional Competences Following the Implementation of a School-Based Intervention Program. Am. J. Appl. Psychol. 2022, 11(5), 122-132. doi: 10.11648/j.ajap.20221105.11

Copy | Download

AMA Style

Maria S. Poulou, Ilaria Grazzani, Valeria Cavioni, Veronica Maria Ornaghi, Elisabetta Conte, et al. Changes in Students’ Social and Emotional Competences Following the Implementation of a School-Based Intervention Program. Am J Appl Psychol. 2022;11(5):122-132. doi: 10.11648/j.ajap.20221105.11

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.ajap.20221105.11,
  author = {Maria S. Poulou and Ilaria Grazzani and Valeria Cavioni and Veronica Maria Ornaghi and Elisabetta Conte and Carmel Cefai and Liberato Camilerri and Paul Bartolo},
  title = {Changes in Students’ Social and Emotional Competences Following the Implementation of a School-Based Intervention Program},
  journal = {American Journal of Applied Psychology},
  volume = {11},
  number = {5},
  pages = {122-132},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ajap.20221105.11},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajap.20221105.11},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajap.20221105.11},
  abstract = {Schools have been identified globally by policy makers as an ideal universal context to promote mental health for all students, to identify students with emerging mental health difficulties, and to target students with emotional and behavioral difficulties. However, studies on multi-informant perceptions of students’ social and emotional competences following the implementation of mental health programs at schools are limited. Current study examined teachers, students and parents’ perceptions of change in students’ social and emotional competences, following the implementation of a school-based intervention program Promoting Mental Health at Schools (PROMEHS). PROMEHS goal was to provide a systematic framework for the development and implementation of an evidence-based universal mental health curriculum at schools, to increase students’, teachers’ and families’ mental health and to support teachers, school leaders and policy makers to integrate mental health promotion into national educational policies effectively. Hundred fifty-two Greek teachers from kindergarten to secondary schools completed the SSIS SEL Brief Scales – Teacher K-12 Form for their 1558 students’ social and emotional competences and 458 students completed the SSIS SEL Brief Scales – Student Form for their own social and emotional competences. In addition, 492 parents completed the SSIS SEL Brief Scales – Parent Form for their children. Teachers reported moderate changes for their students’ social and emotional competences, which were further confirmed by students’ reports, but not by parents. Findings are discussed in terms of plans of action based on multi-informant data.},
 year = {2022}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - Changes in Students’ Social and Emotional Competences Following the Implementation of a School-Based Intervention Program
AU  - Maria S. Poulou
AU  - Ilaria Grazzani
AU  - Valeria Cavioni
AU  - Veronica Maria Ornaghi
AU  - Elisabetta Conte
AU  - Carmel Cefai
AU  - Liberato Camilerri
AU  - Paul Bartolo
Y1  - 2022/09/21
PY  - 2022
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajap.20221105.11
DO  - 10.11648/j.ajap.20221105.11
T2  - American Journal of Applied Psychology
JF  - American Journal of Applied Psychology
JO  - American Journal of Applied Psychology
SP  - 122
EP  - 132
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2328-5672
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajap.20221105.11
AB  - Schools have been identified globally by policy makers as an ideal universal context to promote mental health for all students, to identify students with emerging mental health difficulties, and to target students with emotional and behavioral difficulties. However, studies on multi-informant perceptions of students’ social and emotional competences following the implementation of mental health programs at schools are limited. Current study examined teachers, students and parents’ perceptions of change in students’ social and emotional competences, following the implementation of a school-based intervention program Promoting Mental Health at Schools (PROMEHS). PROMEHS goal was to provide a systematic framework for the development and implementation of an evidence-based universal mental health curriculum at schools, to increase students’, teachers’ and families’ mental health and to support teachers, school leaders and policy makers to integrate mental health promotion into national educational policies effectively. Hundred fifty-two Greek teachers from kindergarten to secondary schools completed the SSIS SEL Brief Scales – Teacher K-12 Form for their 1558 students’ social and emotional competences and 458 students completed the SSIS SEL Brief Scales – Student Form for their own social and emotional competences. In addition, 492 parents completed the SSIS SEL Brief Scales – Parent Form for their children. Teachers reported moderate changes for their students’ social and emotional competences, which were further confirmed by students’ reports, but not by parents. Findings are discussed in terms of plans of action based on multi-informant data.
VL  - 11
IS  - 5
ER  -

Copy | Download

Author Information

Maria S. Poulou

Department of Educational Sciences and Early Childhood Education, University of Patras, Patras, Greece
Ilaria Grazzani

Department of Human Sciences for Education, University of Milano, Bicocca, Italy
Valeria Cavioni

Department of Human Sciences for Education, University of Milano, Bicocca, Italy
Veronica Maria Ornaghi

Department of Human Sciences for Education, University of Milano, Bicocca, Italy
Elisabetta Conte

Department of Human Sciences for Education, University of Milano, Bicocca, Italy
Carmel Cefai

Department of Psychology, University of Malta, Msida, Malta
Liberato Camilerri

Department of Psychology, University of Malta, Msida, Malta
Paul Bartolo

Department of Psychology, University of Malta, Msida, Malta

Download PDF

Sections

Plain Text BibTeX RIS

APA Style

Maria S. Poulou, Ilaria Grazzani, Valeria Cavioni, Veronica Maria Ornaghi, Elisabetta Conte, et al. (2022). Changes in Students’ Social and Emotional Competences Following the Implementation of a School-Based Intervention Program. American Journal of Applied Psychology, 11(5), 122-132. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajap.20221105.11

Copy | Download

ACS Style

Maria S. Poulou; Ilaria Grazzani; Valeria Cavioni; Veronica Maria Ornaghi; Elisabetta Conte, et al. Changes in Students’ Social and Emotional Competences Following the Implementation of a School-Based Intervention Program. Am. J. Appl. Psychol. 2022, 11(5), 122-132. doi: 10.11648/j.ajap.20221105.11

Copy | Download

AMA Style

Maria S. Poulou, Ilaria Grazzani, Valeria Cavioni, Veronica Maria Ornaghi, Elisabetta Conte, et al. Changes in Students’ Social and Emotional Competences Following the Implementation of a School-Based Intervention Program. Am J Appl Psychol. 2022;11(5):122-132. doi: 10.11648/j.ajap.20221105.11

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.ajap.20221105.11,
  author = {Maria S. Poulou and Ilaria Grazzani and Valeria Cavioni and Veronica Maria Ornaghi and Elisabetta Conte and Carmel Cefai and Liberato Camilerri and Paul Bartolo},
  title = {Changes in Students’ Social and Emotional Competences Following the Implementation of a School-Based Intervention Program},
  journal = {American Journal of Applied Psychology},
  volume = {11},
  number = {5},
  pages = {122-132},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ajap.20221105.11},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajap.20221105.11},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajap.20221105.11},
  abstract = {Schools have been identified globally by policy makers as an ideal universal context to promote mental health for all students, to identify students with emerging mental health difficulties, and to target students with emotional and behavioral difficulties. However, studies on multi-informant perceptions of students’ social and emotional competences following the implementation of mental health programs at schools are limited. Current study examined teachers, students and parents’ perceptions of change in students’ social and emotional competences, following the implementation of a school-based intervention program Promoting Mental Health at Schools (PROMEHS). PROMEHS goal was to provide a systematic framework for the development and implementation of an evidence-based universal mental health curriculum at schools, to increase students’, teachers’ and families’ mental health and to support teachers, school leaders and policy makers to integrate mental health promotion into national educational policies effectively. Hundred fifty-two Greek teachers from kindergarten to secondary schools completed the SSIS SEL Brief Scales – Teacher K-12 Form for their 1558 students’ social and emotional competences and 458 students completed the SSIS SEL Brief Scales – Student Form for their own social and emotional competences. In addition, 492 parents completed the SSIS SEL Brief Scales – Parent Form for their children. Teachers reported moderate changes for their students’ social and emotional competences, which were further confirmed by students’ reports, but not by parents. Findings are discussed in terms of plans of action based on multi-informant data.},
 year = {2022}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - Changes in Students’ Social and Emotional Competences Following the Implementation of a School-Based Intervention Program
AU  - Maria S. Poulou
AU  - Ilaria Grazzani
AU  - Valeria Cavioni
AU  - Veronica Maria Ornaghi
AU  - Elisabetta Conte
AU  - Carmel Cefai
AU  - Liberato Camilerri
AU  - Paul Bartolo
Y1  - 2022/09/21
PY  - 2022
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajap.20221105.11
DO  - 10.11648/j.ajap.20221105.11
T2  - American Journal of Applied Psychology
JF  - American Journal of Applied Psychology
JO  - American Journal of Applied Psychology
SP  - 122
EP  - 132
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2328-5672
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajap.20221105.11
AB  - Schools have been identified globally by policy makers as an ideal universal context to promote mental health for all students, to identify students with emerging mental health difficulties, and to target students with emotional and behavioral difficulties. However, studies on multi-informant perceptions of students’ social and emotional competences following the implementation of mental health programs at schools are limited. Current study examined teachers, students and parents’ perceptions of change in students’ social and emotional competences, following the implementation of a school-based intervention program Promoting Mental Health at Schools (PROMEHS). PROMEHS goal was to provide a systematic framework for the development and implementation of an evidence-based universal mental health curriculum at schools, to increase students’, teachers’ and families’ mental health and to support teachers, school leaders and policy makers to integrate mental health promotion into national educational policies effectively. Hundred fifty-two Greek teachers from kindergarten to secondary schools completed the SSIS SEL Brief Scales – Teacher K-12 Form for their 1558 students’ social and emotional competences and 458 students completed the SSIS SEL Brief Scales – Student Form for their own social and emotional competences. In addition, 492 parents completed the SSIS SEL Brief Scales – Parent Form for their children. Teachers reported moderate changes for their students’ social and emotional competences, which were further confirmed by students’ reports, but not by parents. Findings are discussed in terms of plans of action based on multi-informant data.
VL  - 11
IS  - 5
ER  -

Copy | Download