Interventions In Educational Settings Research Articles

Impact of Growth, Purpose, and Sense of Belonging (GPS) Mindset Intervention on Student Retention Rates in Asynchronous Mathematics Courses

This study aims to study the effects of incorporating a Growth, Purpose, and Sense of Belonging (GPS) mindset intervention on student retention rates within asynchronous mathematics courses. Specifically, the research hypothesis suggests that integrating the GPS mindset intervention into these courses will yield a statistically significant improvement in student retention rates. Data were collected from Calculus III, Differential Equations, and Linear Algebra courses across multiple semesters—Fall 2018, Spring 2019, Fall 2022, and Spring 2023 to evaluate the impact. Comparative analysis was performed to explore the effectiveness of the intervention. Preliminary findings from the study indicate that the GPS mindset intervention plays a pivotal role in elevating student retention rates in asynchronous mathematics courses. These results contribute to the ongoing discourse on academic retention strategies and underscore the potential benefits of mindset interventions in educational settings.

The effectiveness of a positive psychological intervention for promoting preschool teachers' well-being and professional competence: EASP intervention program.

The present study investigated the effectiveness of the Early Advancement in Social-Emotional Health and Positivity (EASP) program, a positive psychological intervention promoting preschool teachers' well-being and the motivational aspect of professional competence. Participants were 273 in-service preschool teachers (Mage = 34.56 years, SD = 9.52, range = 22-58; female = 98.90%) who participated in a 2-month randomized controlled trial. Participants were randomly assigned to the intervention group (n = 143) receiving 1) four online workshops, 2) a smartphone app, and 3) an online activity, or to the wait-list control group (n = 130), which received the intervention materials after all the data collection. Participants reported their well-being dimensions, teaching self-efficacy, and autonomous motivation for teaching before and after the intervention. Results from a path analytic model exhibited excellent fit with the data, χ2 = 37.62, df = 33, CFI = .99, TLI = .98, RMSEA = .02 [90% CI = 0.00, 0.05], SRMR = .02. The intervention had direct effects on changes in well-being dimensions, including positivity, outcome, strength, engagement, and resilience (β = .14 to .26, ps = .00 to .04), and indirect intervention effects on changes in teaching self-efficacy and autonomous motivation for teaching (β = .14 to .15, ps = .00 to .01). These findings highlighted the potential value of implementing positive psychological interventions in educational settings to promote the well-being and professional competence among preschool teachers.

Assessment of Class Room Anxiety Among Nursing Students at Private Nursing Institute, Karachi, Pakistan

Class room anxiety, stemming from academic pressure and fear of evaluation, impacts students' well-being and academic performance, underscoring the necessity for supportive learning environments. Objective: To assess the Class room anxiety level among nursing students. Methods: This cross-sectional study was undertaken at a private nursing institute in Karachi, Pakistan, from November 2023 to January 2024. Utilizing a convenient sampling technique, the study comprised one hundred twenty student participants. Results: The study's demographics reveal that 91.7% (n=110) of participants are aged 18-24, with a male majority of 83.3% (n=100). In terms of education year, 26.7% (n=32) are in the first year, 37.5% (n=45) in the third year, and 30.8% (n=37) in the fourth year. Regarding Class room anxiety, 7.5% (n=8) exhibited normal levels, 26.7% (n=32) showed mild to moderate anxiety, 55.0% (n=66) experienced severe anxiety, and 10.8% (n=13) reported extreme anxiety. Conclusions: This underscores the urgent need for targeted interventions in educational settings and emphasizes the ongoing importance of researching contributing factors for effective strategies to promote a healthier learning experience.

Effectiveness of Lib-Rungog: Audiobook on the Listening Comprehension Skills of Grade 7 Learners: Basis for Intervention Program

This study investigates the impact of the Lib-RUNGOG Audiobook intervention on the listening comprehension skills of Grade 7 students. Employing a randomized pre-test post-test control group design, the study compares the performance of an experimental group exposed to the audiobook intervention with a control group utilizing traditional listening strategies. The research instruments include a Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE)-integrated audiobook, pre-test, and post-test items. Data analysis involves t-tests for independent and correlated samples, with a significance level of 0.05. The findings reveal a significant improvement in the experimental group's post-test scores, emphasizing the efficacy of the Lib-RUNGOG Audiobook intervention. In contrast, the control group employing conventional strategies shows no significant improvement. A comparison between the two groups suggests that, on average, the Lib-RUNGOG audiobook intervention yields higher post-test scores. However, the intervention group exhibits a greater variability in scores, emphasizing the need for nuanced understanding of individual responses. In conclusion, the Lib-RUNGOG Audiobook intervention demonstrates a substantial positive impact on reading comprehension skills. While both approaches were effective, the innovative audiobook intervention stands out in enhancing academic performance. The study recommends the integration of such interventions in educational settings, with a focus on individualized learning plans. Future research should explore the long-term effects and establish collaborations among teachers, parents, and researchers to optimize educational strategies, especially in the context of listening skills.

Understanding Academic Procrastination: Causes, Correlates, and Gender Nuances for Enhanced Self-regulated Learning

The study investigates academic procrastination, analyzing 50 participants using the Procrastination Assessment Scale (PASS). It identifies significant correlations (p < 0.05) between procrastination domains, causes, and self-efficacy, highlighting gender-related nuances. Procrastination affects multiple academic aspects concurrently, with intertwined causes like task aversion and distractions. Strong self-efficacy mitigates procrastination's impact, empowering students in their academic pursuits. The research emphasizes holistic approaches targeting procrastination's core triggers and underscores the importance of bolstering self-efficacy to foster self-regulated learning. Gender-specific differences in procrastination patterns suggest tailored interventions in educational settings. Beyond academia, findings have implications for workplace productivity. The study prompts further exploration of procrastination's long-term effects on careers. It urges proactive measures to combat procrastination's pervasive influence, enabling individuals to seize educational opportunities and confront challenges resiliently.

Effectiveness of Self-Affirmation Interventions in Educational Settings: A Meta-Analysis.

School and university can be stressful contexts that can become an important source of identity threats when social prejudices or stereotypes come into play. Self-affirmation interventions are key strategies for mitigating the negative consequences of identity threat. This meta-analysis aims to provide an overview of the effectiveness of self-affirmation interventions in educational settings. A peer-reviewed article search was conducted in January 2023. A total of 144 experimental studies that tested the effect of self-affirmation interventions in educational contexts among high school and university students from different social and cultural backgrounds were considered. The average effect of self-affirmation interventions was of low magnitude (dIG+ = 0.41, z = 16.01, p < 0.00), with a 95% confidence interval whose values tended to lie between 0.36 and 0.45 (SE = 0.0253). In addition, moderators such as identity threat, participants' age, and intervention procedure were found. Through a meta-analysis of the impact of self-affirmation interventions in educational contexts, this study suggests that interventions are effective, resulting in a small mean effect size. Thus, self-affirmation interventions can be considered useful, brief, and inexpensive strategies to improve general well-being and performance in educational settings.

Scaling up early language intervention in educational settings: First steps matter

ABSTRACT Objective To report how improvements on a Brazilian language intervention for early childhood education settings (PROLIN) were madeand evaluated. Study Design In the first phase, the programme layout and materials were improved. This involved redesigning the guidelines for the programme, adding videos (using a learning management system) and creating an observation checklist to monitor the fidelity of implementation. The second phase was a two-week pilot study (a seven-session intervention) involving two teachers and 22 students. Checklists and video footage were analysed to investigate implementation. Results Quality of implementation was generally good, but we identified additional areas for improvement. Teachers had some difficulties with aspects related to session dynamics, implementation of activities and use of techniques that reinforce learning. Conclusions The pilot study was instrumental in identifying obstacles for a scaled-up, high-quality implementation. The design of these materials took into consideration ways of guiding and supporting teachers to: (1) offer students adequate participation time; (2) help include children who are shy or have behaviour problems; (3) use teaching strategies properly; (4) bring sessions to a close; and (5) reach the objectives of each session. Further modification is still needed, especially in the manual, videos and supplementary materials.

Meta-análisis multinivel de los programas escolares de intervención basados en mindfulness en España

There are numerous studies whose results support the benefits of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) in children and adolescents. Recent meta-analyses on the efficacy of these interventions in educational settings find significant improvements in cognitive and behavioral measures with effect sizes ranging from small to moderate. However, there are no meta-analyses evaluating the efficacy of MBIs in the Spanish educational setting. In this study, a systematic search of published articles and doctoral theses up to March 2022 was performed, including randomized controlled trials (RCTs) as an eligibility criterion. Eighteen studies with a total of 1471 participants were included in the three-level meta-analysis. The overall average effect size was significant (g=0.62), and significant effect sizes were obtained for all dimensions except for the mindfulness skills dimension: personal and social development (g=0.84); mood states (g=0.44); cognitive functions (g=0.67); emotional intelligence (g=0.61); emotional and behavioral adjustment (g=0.54); mindfulness skills (g=0.51). The analysis of moderating variables has shown that all types of MBIs analyzed have significant effects, especially among older participants, and that doing home practice and increasing the duration in minutes of the sessions improves their effectiveness. The results are relevant for research and for the implementation of mindfulness-based intervention programs in educational centers.

Multilevel meta-analysis of school mindfulness-based intervention programs in Spain

Numerous studies support the benefits of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) in children and adolescents. Recent meta-analyses on the efficacy of these interventions in educational settings have found significant improvements in cognitive and behavioral measures with effect sizes ranging from small to moderate. However, no meta-analyses have evaluated the efficacy of MBIs in the Spanish educational setting. In this study, a systematic search of published articles and doctoral theses was performed through March 2022, with randomized controlled trials (RCTs) as an eligibility criterion. Eighteen studies with 1471 participants were included in the three-level meta-analysis. The overall average effect size was significant (g = 0.62), and significant effect sizes were obtained for all dimensions except for the mindfulness skills dimension, which included the following variables: personal and social development (g = 0.84), mood states (g = 0.44), cognitive functions (g = 0.67), emotional intelligence (g = 0.61), emotional and behavioral adjustment (g = 0.54), and mindfulness skills (g = 0.51). The analysis of the moderating variables showed that all the MBI types analyzed have significant effects, especially among the older participants, and that engaging in home practice and increasing the session duration in minutes improves their effectiveness. The results are relevant for research and for the implementation of mindfulness-based intervention programs in educational centers.

Understanding Healthcare Students' Experiences of Racial Bias: A Narrative Review of the Role of Implicit Bias and Potential Interventions in Educational Settings.

Implicit racial bias is a persistent and pervasive challenge within healthcare education and training settings. A recent systematic review reported that 84% of included studies (31 out of 37) showed evidence of slight to strong pro-white or light skin tone bias amongst healthcare students and professionals. However, there remains a need to improve understanding about its impact on healthcare students and how they can be better supported. This narrative review provides an overview of current evidence regarding the role of implicit racial bias within healthcare education, considering trends, factors that contribute to bias, and possible interventions. Current evidence suggests that biases held by students remain consistent and may increase during healthcare education. Sources that contribute to the formation and maintenance of implicit racial bias include peers, educators, the curriculum, and placements within healthcare settings. Experiences of implicit racial bias can lead to psychosomatic symptoms, high attrition rates, and reduced diversity within the healthcare workforce. Interventions to address implicit racial bias include an organizational commitment to reducing bias in hiring, retention, and promotion processes, and by addressing misrepresentation of race in the curriculum. We conclude that future research should identify, discuss, and critically reflect on how implicit racial biases are enacted and sustained through the hidden curriculum and can have detrimental consequences for racial and ethnic minority healthcare students.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in Group Format for College Students

We randomly assigned 71 student participants to an acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) group training or to a wait list. All participants completed measures at preintervention, 1‐month postintervention, and 2‐month follow‐up. Students receiving ACT exhibited significantly reduced levels of general psychological distress and negative emotional symptoms at follow‐up. Mental health outcomes for ACT were mediated by increases in psychological flexibility and mindfulness. Results suggest that ACT group training could be an effective mental health intervention in educational settings.

The impact of gratitude letters and visits on relationships, happiness, well-being, and meaning of graduate students

In this mixed-methods research, we examined the practice of writing and delivering letters of gratitude (gratitude visits) and its impact on well-being, happiness, meaning and relationships for students in an online graduate program in psychology. Participants completed assessments and inventories relating to happiness, well-being and meaning in life, including the Satisfaction with Life Scale, Meaning in Life Questionnaire, Approaches to Happiness Questionnaire and open-ended qualitative questions before and after they wrote and delivered gratitude letters. Quantitative analyses found significant increases in meaning in life, satisfaction with life, and approaches to happiness after the gratitude visit intervention. Using a grounded theory qualitative analysis of the data, eight primary themes emerged related to the impact and meaning of gratitude letters on graduate students: (1) the impact on the relationship; (2) positive emotions experienced; (3) experiencing a reciprocal expression of gratitude from the receiver; (4) overcoming uncomfortable emotions; (5) relief, release or liberation after sharing; (6) impact on spiritual growth; (7) unexpected responses; and (8) greater reflection on the meaning of life and a changed perspective. Overall, providing graduate students with the opportunity to engage in gratitude visit interventions was related to greater meaning and well-being. This study suggests implications and recommendations related to the use of positive psychology interventions in educational settings.

P10 A systematic review of current literature on interventions among first-year university students and how this may influence current policy on child obesity strategies within the UK

BackgroundWith the steady rise of obesity within the UK, the Government has been increasingly developing policy to curb these figures. Great focus has been put on early implementation of a wide range of interventions in educational settings, but results show little improvement.AimTo evaluate health interventions amongst first-year university students with the intention of influencing current policy on obesity prevention amongst children.MethodsA literature search, utilising PRISMA reporting guidelines, was carried out on health intervention studies that focus on first-year university students. To formulate the search strategy, UK obesity policy was input into a PICO Framework.ResultsEight studies met the inclusion/exclusion criteria. Results showed that when measuring weight-related outcomes, no significant improvement was found; secondary outcomes, especially those regarding physical activity demonstrated greater benefit but the link to obesity prevention proved to be relatively weak.DiscussionDue to differing demographics between where the studies were based as well as cultural differences regarding views on leisure and diet led to lack of applicability to UK students.Environmental factors between compulsory and higher education must also be considered as it may be a case of creating new strategies rather than re-applying a pre-established policy.Ultimately, the lack of comparable studies reflects on the lack of understanding of the overall issue of childhood obesity and thusly its prevention.ConclusionWith evidence-based policy increasing in popularity, it is questionable as to whether the target population for child obesity strategies could widen to include first-year university students.

REVIEWS

In this month's lead review, Tails from the Classroom, find out how animal-assisted interventions in educational settings can inspire and support children's all-round learning and development.

Development of the Usage Rating Profile-Web Resource (URP-WR): Using Assessment to Inform Web Resource Selection

As technology use continues to rapidly increase, so too does consumer use of web-based resources. While important, accessibility is often overemphasized by users when consuming and evaluating web resources. This prioritization may have particularly negative consequences for the selection of supports or interventions in educational settings. This study outlines the development of Usage Rating Profile-Web Resource (UPR-WR), an assessment designed to support the identification, evaluation, and use of web resources. Additionally, preliminary validity evidence supporting the URP-WR interpretation and use argument (IUA) is presented. Content validation and exploratory factor analyses results yielded an URP-WR comprised of 31 items across four identified factors: plausibility, accessibility, appearance, and systems support. Extracted factors demonstrated acceptable reliability estimates (α = 0.82–0.93) and levels of social validity. This resulting URP-WR stands to provide assessment data that will aid educators in selecting web resources of quality for use in a practical setting.

13.B. Round table: Beyond Health in All Policies: How the health sector contributes to the attainment of non-health SDGs

Abstract The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), adopted by the entire UN System, the European Commission and many countries provide an unprecedented platform for intersectoral action on the social and commercial determinants of health. The 17 sectoral goals come with numerous specific targets that lend themselves to propose suitable action for goal achievement. Working with other sectors, however, has often proven cumbersome, marred by indifference, skepticism, missing political mandates or sheer resistance. All too often, health sector battle cries for healthy public policies or Health in All Policies have been badly received, treated as impositions or as irrelevant to the policy goals of other sectors. An alternative strategy, as proposed in this workshop, is to focus on the so-called co-benefits. Co-benefits are substantial specific benefits to the other sectors that can be gained by investing in health-related actions. In other words, 'don't ask what other sectors can do for health, ask what health can do for other sectors and their achievement of policy goals '. For many of the SDGs complex chains of causality for the co-benefits are well established. For example, health literacy interventions have, via a complex causal chain, proven positive effects on educational attainment, academic performance and labour market participation. Adopting health literacy interventions in educational settings would therefore produce substantial and specific benefits contributing to the achievement of 'SDG4 quality education'. To give policymakers the analysis that they require for intersectoral decision making we would need to estimate the magnitude of these effects. Co-benefits that produce only negligible effects can be left aside. We would also need to understand the return on investment. Small or negative return on investment would not be desirable. Making the case for co-benefits, however is not enough. We would also need to focus on the governance structures for intersectoral dialogue and decision making. They need to facilitate greater degrees of collaboration and cooperation while at the same time fostering accountability. This includes: cabinet committees; parliamentary committees; inter-departmental units and committees; mergers and mega-ministries; joint budgeting; delegated financing; involvement of civil society, stakeholders and industry. Governance instruments for intersectoral implementation can include, just to name a few from a potentially very long list, e.g. Standards of good practice, conflict of interest policies, competitive bidding, contracts. This workshop is based on the preliminary results from a comprehensive study. The panelists will address five key issues Co-benefits and SDGs: scope for joint action (Schmitt)Co-benefits and SDG5 Gender Equality (Falkenbach)Co-benefits and SDG13 Climate Action (Valentine)Co-benefits and SDG11 Sustainable Cities and Communities (Mehdipanah)Co-benefits and SDG17 Partnerships: Aid and trade (Jarman) Key messages The health sector can and should be a vital contributor to achieving all the SDGs. Focusing on co-benefits and shared goals allows us to overcome the limitations of Health in All Policies. Panelists: Tugce Schmitt EUPHA, Utrecht, Netherlands Contact: info@schmitt-t.com Michelle Falkenbach University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA Contact: michfalk@umich.edu Nicole Valentine WHO, Geneva, Switzerland Contact: valentinen@who.int Roshanak Mehdipanah University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA Contact: rmehdipa@umich.edu Holly Jarman University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA Contact: hjarman@umich.edu

IMPLEMENTATION OF EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT FOR A PUPIL WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDER IN INDIVIDUAL EDUCATION PLAN

The paper aims to propose a process of development of individual educational support based on the analysis of selected items taken from the individual education plans designed for students individually integrated within mainstream primary schools. We analyzed personal files of 18 students diagnosed with developmental learning disorders and ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). The results indicate the general formulation of interventions in educational settings.&#x0D;

Effects of a Brief Mindfulness Curriculum on Self-reported Executive Functioning and Emotion Regulation in Hong Kong Adolescents

Social and emotional skills training is important for adolescents, whose stress vulnerability may be exacerbated during academic and social transitions. The present study investigated whether a mindfulness curriculum was an effective school-based universal SEL program when conducted in regular classrooms. In this controlled trial, we recruited from seventh-grade classrooms in a lowest academic tier Hong Kong public school. One hundred fifteen youth with a mean age of 12.4 years were randomized by class to an adapted version of a mindfulness-based SEL program, Learning to BREATHE (L2B; N = 53), consisting of six 70-min sessions, or instruction as usual (IAU; N = 62) during their religion/social studies class. Pre- to posttest change scores in complete and imputed datasets revealed significant between-group differences favoring the L2B group with (1) medium effect sizes for the executive functioning components of emotional control and self-monitoring; and a small effect size for working memory; (2) a small effect size for the internalizing problem component of anxiety/depression; and (3) a small effect size for the rumination component of brooding. There was a pattern of improvement in the L2B group and deterioration in the IAU group on emotional control, working memory, self-monitoring and anxiety/depression, and more of an increase in brooding among IAU than among L2B participants. The intervention served a primarily preventive function during this year of academic transition, promoting resilience among students who learned mindfulness skills. The findings lend support for the benefits of mindfulness-based training as a multitier model for intervention in educational settings.

Mindfulness-Based Program Embedded Within the Existing Curriculum Improves Executive Functioning and Behavior in Young Children: A Waitlist Controlled Trial.

There is a growing evidence base for mindfulness-based interventions in educational settings. Notably, there has been little investigation of the potential benefits of classroom-based mindfulness programs in children in the early school years (Preparatory/Kindergarten, Grades 1 and 2) despite early childhood being a period characterized by the development of self-regulation and executive functions. The present study investigated the effects of a mindfulness program that was embedded within a school curriculum. This waitlist controlled trial investigated the effects of a mindfulness program, CalmSpace, delivered by classroom teachers across two school terms. A total of 55 students, Mage = 76.4 months, SD = 8.62, were allocated to participate in CalmSpace in Terms 3 and 4. Thirty-six students in the waitlist control condition, Mage = 80.53 months, SD = 13.04, participated in the intervention in Term 4. The start of Term 3 served as baseline (Time 1), and measures were obtained at the end of Term 3 (Time 2) and the end of Term 4 (Time 3). Direct measures of executive functioning using the Flanker Inhibitory Control and Attention Test (Flanker Task) and Dimensional Change Card Sort Task (DCCS) from the National Institute of Health Toolkit were obtained. Teachers’ report of children’s behavior was also obtained using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (Teacher version) at the beginning and at the end of Term 3, and at the end of Term 4. Children who received the CalmSpace program showed improvements on the DCCS relative to waitlist control at Time 2 (Cohen’s d = 0.48) and Time 3 (Cohen’s d = 1.10). Similar results were found on the Flanker Task with greater improvements found at Time 2 (Cohen’s d = 0.77) and Time 3 (Cohen’s d = 1.33). Teachers reported improvements for those receiving CalmSpace at Time 2 on total SDQ scores, Emotional Symptoms, Conduct Problems, Hyperactivity/Attention (Cohen’s d = 0.32, 0.14, 0.46, 0.30, 0.33, and 0.53, respectively) compared to waitlist control and at Time 3 (Cohen’s d = 0.85, 0.37, 0.48, and 0.90, respectively). The findings demonstrate that implementing the CalmSpace program can lead to improvements in EF and attention for young children. Despite limitations, this study provides promising evidence that the inclusion of focused, targeted mindfulness activities throughout the day may represent a value-added component to the regular school curriculum that can result in benefits for the students.

Assessments and Interventions to Address Challenging Behavior in Individuals with Intellectual Disability and Autism Spectrum Disorder in Japan: A Consolidated Review.

Intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorder are neurodevelopmental disorders that emerge during the developmental period. A significant barrier that impedes the social adaptation of individuals with these disorders is the exhibition of problem behaviors, such as self-injurious, stereotyped, and aggressive/destructive behaviors. In recent years, these problem behaviors have been collectively referred to as "challenging behavior," in accordance with the contention that they result from an interaction between the individual and his or her social environment. Evidence-based psychosocial interventions that adopt the functional approach to treating challenging behavior are increasing. However, in order to effectively implement such interventions in educational settings and welfare facilities, it is essential to develop staff training programs and usable psychometric assessments. Accordingly, a brief overview of research studies on challenging behavior that have been conducted in Japan, as well as the various support systems that are available to individuals who exhibit challenging behavior, are presented in this article. The discussion makes it apparent that, in order to improve treatment systems in Japan that are aimed at addressing challenging behavior, it is necessary to establish not only better staff training programs, but also reliable and valid assessments measuring challenging behavior that can be readily used by teachers and parents. On the basis of this discussion, it is proposed that technological advancements must be applied to psychosocial approaches in the study of problem behaviors, in order to develop assessment system using software applications and automatic measurement system of target behaviors using sensing technology.