This quantitative, nonexperimental study addressed the gap between research-established benefits and outcomes of social/emotional learning (SEL) implementation as compared to actual instances of implementation. Focusing on SEL and the specificity of use of CASEL SELect programs, the research questions of this study explored differences between…

Twenty-first-century schools serve socio-culturally diverse students with varied abilities and motivations for learning (Learning First Alliance, 2001). Preparing students for life success requires a broad, balanced education that ensures their mastery of essential academic skills and prepares them to become responsible adults (Association for…

Despite the pervasiveness of bullying, less is known about the protective factors that could mitigate the effect of victimization on life satisfaction. We investigated the role of school connectedness as a mediator in the association between victimization and life satisfaction. Participants included 1284 elementary school students. The results…

Children throughout the United States often experience negative emotions that stem from childhood trauma in the home environment. Does trauma affect the development of the brain resulting in misbehavior and academic underachievement? The study will examine behavior and academic achievement in grades 4-6 for students experiencing childhood trauma.…

The researchers examined the effectiveness of a mindfulness-based attention group with elementary school students struggling with attention problems. The results revealed that students in the intervention group were more likely to improve their on-task behavior and decrease their attention problems during the group compared to students in the…

This pilot study involved fourth and fifth-grade students (N = 25) from two elementary schools that receive the True Goals (TG) small group intervention during an after-school program in one school district in the Midwest region of the United States. A one-group pre-post design was used to assess classroom teachers' perceptions of student learning…

According to the 2010 United States Census, one out of every five children live in an immigrant family with either one or both parents being immigrants. This paper will explore the unique needs of children of immigrants who come to school as immigrant students. A discussion of the use of Reality Therapy as a counseling approach with this…

A significant number of elementary school-aged children participate in some form of athletic activity. As they become pre-teens, the percentage of these children involved in sports lessens, especially as children begin to recognize differences in athletic abilities. Research assessing youth sports suggests that adults and peers can increase…

Divorce is an increasingly prevalent occurrence in society that has the potential to result in many adverse short- and long-term consequences for children and their parents. Social skills, such as those with peers, are one of the problems that may emerge for children of divorce. Despite this growing problem, there is a paucity of research…

School counselors (SCs) have a wide range of responsibilities in schools, such as administrative, disciplinary, and counseling duties (Dahir & Stone, 2009). Due to the large number of responsibilities, SCs sometime struggle with developing programs to meet relational needs of at-risk students. The purpose of this article was to provide SCs with a…

A comparison between Child-Centered Group Play Counseling (CCGPC), a psychoeducational group and a non-therapeutic control group resulted in three of four hypotheses being supported. Participants included 79 second and third graders, with one fourth grader, from seven elementary schools. The children had behavioral and social skills difficulties…

The authors evaluated a small-group counseling intervention, Student Success Skills, provided to 53 inner-city, 4th- and 5th-grade African American students. Compared with the control group, students who received the treatment reported significant changes in metacognitive skill and feelings of connectedness to school. Furthermore, treatment-group…

The purpose of the study in this article was to replicate past findings showing the effectiveness of a cognitive, behavioral resilience-building/anxiety-prevention program, "FRIENDS for Life." The results of the controlled study of two Grade 4 classrooms in Canada (N = 52) indicate that all children reported reduced levels of anxiety…

Achievement outcomes for students participating in a school counselor-led Student Success Skills intervention were investigated. Students in Grades 4 and 5 in a single school participated in the action research. Achievement outcomes were measured using the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test. Students who participated in the intervention showed…

This phenomenological study of students' online responses to the Succeeding in School program offers rare insight into how Native American and other minority students perceived and experienced their school environment. Students' strategies regarding behavior and attitude changes they would use to improve their success and counseling implications…