Friday, October 10, 2014 at 12:00 p.m.
Neville Scarfe, Room 308A
Research Supervisor: Dr. Sterett Mercer
Committee Members: Dr. Kent McIntosh and Dr. Lynn Miller
Departmental Examiner: Dr. Allison Cloth
Title: The Effects of a Play-Based Social Emotional Learning Program on Problem Behaviour and Social Responsibility
ABSTRACT
A growing realization of the importance of addressing social–emotional, in addition to academic, development in schools highlights the importance of establishing an evidence base for SEL initiatives. The current study is an evaluation of one SEL initiative, Play Is The WayTM (McCaskill, 2011) which uses physically interactive games to promote social-emotional competencies and positive school climates. Play Is The WayTM was implemented in 5 classrooms of one elementary school. Five additional classrooms delayed implementation and served as comparison classrooms. Across the 10 Kindergarten through Grade 7 classrooms, 79 students were randomly selected and outcome measures were completed by teachers for those students before and after the intervention was implemented. Outcome measures included the Social Responsibility Quick Scale (British Columbia Ministry of Education, 2001), a measure of social responsibility, and the Behavior Assessment Scale for Children – Second Edition (Reynolds & Kamphaus, 2004), a measure of problem behaviour. A mixed-effects analysis of variance was used to determine if there were increases in social responsibility and decreases in problem behaviour in implementing classrooms. Gender and grade were included as predictors. Significant interactions were found on the externalizing outcome variable, between treatment group and gender, and on both the externalizing and internalizing outcome variables, between treatment group and grade. Effect sizes for the treatment group were calculated and indicated medium reductions in externalizing behaviours for upper elementary students and for male students; medium reductions in internalizing behaviours for upper elementary; and medium increases in social responsibility in the treatment group overall. Effect sizes also indicated medium increases in externalizing behaviours for female and upper elementary students, and large increases in internalizing behaviours for lower elementary students. Limitations of the current study include that classrooms were not randomly assigned to conditions, measures were completed by classroom teachers who also implemented the program, fidelity information was not available, and baseline ratings on the BASC-2 indicated a lack significant challenges in the areas measured by outcome variables. Results are discussed in light of these limitations, and the implications for future research and practice.