Tier 1 school mental health programs for middle school youth often focus on healthy relationships promotion. However, the vast majority of these programs take a gender- and race-neutral approach (i.e., content that does not focus on the way that gender, race, and ethnicity intersect to shape relationships and mental health). Embedding these…

Background and aims: Caregiver-delivered programs are a recommended best practice to support young autistic children. While research has extensively explored children's outcomes quantitatively, minimal qualitative research has been conducted to understand caregivers' perspectives of program outcomes for themselves and their children. Hearing…

Although anecdotal evidence and research alike espouse the benefits of service learning, some researchers have suggested that more rigorous testing is required in order to determine its true effect on students. This is particularly true in the case of academic development, which has been inconsistently linked to service learning. It has been…

In the spring of 2015, the Centre for Academic Communication (CAC) at the University of Victoria began a series of projects aimed at understanding the needs of undergraduate and graduate students with English as additional language (EAL), with the goal of increasing the effectiveness of the Centre's programming. The first project, detailed in this…

To answer the question of whether teaching social and emotional skills to foster social-emotional development can help schools extend their role beyond the transfer of knowledge, the authors conducted a meta-analytical review of 75 recently published studies that reported the effects of universal, school-based social, emotional, and/or behavioral…

This evaluation examines the effectiveness of the Saltspring Women Opposed to Violence and Abuse (SWOVA) Community Development and Research Society's "Respectful Relationships" (R+R) program. R+R is a school-community partnership program that focuses on youth development of social competencies that underlie social justice. Youth in…

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is prevalent among school-aged children. An associated feature of the disorder is a deficit in social functioning, which can be detrimental in terms of long-term outcomes. Therefore, it is crucial to identify evidence-based interventions which can improve the social skills of children with ADHD. The…

Given the number of negative influences on youth and the resultant potential for adverse outcomes, it is crucial to support their positive development. Leadership training programs can promote the development of adaptive intrapersonal qualities. The Teen Leadership Breakthrough (TLB) program claims to create sustainable changes in youth using…

Evaluated three approaches to teaching social skill training (SST). All three conditions showed equivalent improvement in familiarity with SST; however, only the structured learning format and conference workshop format improved evaluative skills significantly. A measure of therapist behavior during a simulated SST session showed roughly…

Defines peer counseling as a process where students are trained in helping skills to offer, under supervision, listening, support, and alternatives to other students. Discusses the implementation procedures of identifying needs, setting goals, marketing the program, training and supervising, establishing peer counseling services, and evaluating…

Three action research projects were conducted with the intention of creating peaceful learning environments in Canadian schools from kindergarten to twelfth grade. The first project focused on social skills development, especially conflict management, for elementary school students in a rural New Brunswick school. Staff used Washington state's…

To determine if the content in a sexual health fair was appropriate, a survey of 45 Ontario students in grades 9-10 assessed their knowledge of sexual health. Findings indicate that students had basic knowledge about sexually transmitted diseases, anatomy, and pregnancy prevention, but not about behavior in relationships. The health fair provided…

Describes design and development of work skills simulation intended to help youth acquire skills, attitudes, behaviors, and effective competencies necessary for making the transition to work. Discusses the degree to which the simulation met its objectives in recent field tests, and briefly reviews student learning outcomes. (Author/LKS)

Teachers often spend more time in the classroom dealing with disruptions and conflict than they do teaching. This report describes a study (n=18) that was conducted to assess the effects of a school-based group treatment program on social skills development and anger management for students with behavior problems in an urban Saskatchewan (Canada)…

Five of the project teams of the Educational Quality Indicators (EQI) initiative of Alberta (Canada) came together to provide their perspectives on the initiative and to report their progress in developing local indicator systems that have the involvement and support of their respective communities. The conceptual framework of the EQI initiative,…