TY - JOUR
T1 - The efficacy of a relationship building intervention in 5th grade
AU - Miller, Cindy Faith
AU - Kochel, Karen P.
AU - Wheeler, Lorey A.
AU - Updegraff, Kimberly A.
AU - Fabes, Richard A.
AU - Martin, Carol Lynn
AU - Hanish, Laura D.
N1 - Funding Information:
Funding for this research was provided by Arizona State University. Additional funding was provided by the Cowden Endowment at Arizona State University. Special appreciation is expressed to the graduate students and research staff who contributed to this project and the fifth-grade students and teachers who made this project possible.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 Society for the Study of School Psychology
PY - 2017/4/1
Y1 - 2017/4/1
N2 - The present study reports initial efficacy data for a new school-based intervention – the Relationship Building Intervention (RBI) – that includes a series of teacher-facilitated, structured activities designed to promote positive peer relationships and inclusive classroom communities. The RBI was evaluated in fifth-grade classrooms by estimating multilevel model (MLM) analyses of covariance (ANCOVA) comparing 368 fifth-grade students in intervention classrooms with 259 fifth-graders in control classrooms on social behaviors, perceptions of classroom connectedness, and academic performance. Controlling for pretest scores, cohort, and demographic variables, findings revealed that students who participated in the RBI liked school more, felt a greater sense of classroom identification and inclusion, were perceived by teachers to be less aggressive, and performed better academically than students who were in control classrooms. Further, implementation data showed that students and teachers responded positively to the activities. These results suggest that the RBI is a promising approach for improving the social and learning environment in fifth-grade classrooms.
AB - The present study reports initial efficacy data for a new school-based intervention – the Relationship Building Intervention (RBI) – that includes a series of teacher-facilitated, structured activities designed to promote positive peer relationships and inclusive classroom communities. The RBI was evaluated in fifth-grade classrooms by estimating multilevel model (MLM) analyses of covariance (ANCOVA) comparing 368 fifth-grade students in intervention classrooms with 259 fifth-graders in control classrooms on social behaviors, perceptions of classroom connectedness, and academic performance. Controlling for pretest scores, cohort, and demographic variables, findings revealed that students who participated in the RBI liked school more, felt a greater sense of classroom identification and inclusion, were perceived by teachers to be less aggressive, and performed better academically than students who were in control classrooms. Further, implementation data showed that students and teachers responded positively to the activities. These results suggest that the RBI is a promising approach for improving the social and learning environment in fifth-grade classrooms.
KW - Academic achievement
KW - Classroom climate
KW - Peer relationships
KW - School-based intervention
KW - Social skills development
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U2 - 10.1016/j.jsp.2017.01.002
DO - 10.1016/j.jsp.2017.01.002
M3 - Article
C2 - 28259245
AN - SCOPUS:85011706638
SN - 0022-4405
VL - 61
SP - 75
EP - 88
JO - Journal of School Psychology
JF - Journal of School Psychology
ER -