Examining the Effects of Teacher Qualifications and Program Implementation on Improving Social Skills Among Students in K-3rd Grade

Le résumé fourni par la source

This study is a longitudinal subgroup analysis of two intervention groups (N = 188 teacher-student dyads in K-3rd grade) from a larger randomized controlled trial of First Step Next, an SEL program delivered over 30 consecutive school days. We tested how teachers’ education and years of experience impacted program dosage and students’ social skills and how teachers’ program satisfaction, working alliance, and dosage influenced social skills. Teachers’ education was associated with more dosage but not with social skills. Years of experience did not influence dosage or social skills. More dosage was linked with improved social skills. The effect of program satisfaction on social skills significantly differed between levels of working alliance. Our results contribute to understanding the interconnection between teachers’ characteristics and implementation with program outcomes. Findings highlight the need to conduct process research to investigate program satisfaction and working relationship in relation to program effectiveness.Impact StatementThis study found that teachers’ academic attainment, not years of experience, was associated with successfully delivering an SEL program for K-3rd grade students, First Step Next (FSN). The analyses also revealed that students who received FSN were more likely to improve their social skills when their teachers were highly satisfied with FSN and had very strong working relationships with FSN coaches. The findings extend the evidence for teachers effectively delivering SEL programs and underscore the importance of investing in program satisfaction and working alliance to optimize the effectiveness of FSN on children’s social skills improvement.

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