Small-group Intervention Research Articles

Direct Skills Teaching of Work-Related Conversational Skills for Individuals With Disabilities

Work-related soft skills such as cultural awareness and effective communication, along with cognitive factors, influence success in school and in the workplace. This pilot study evaluated the feasibility of a small group intervention using the direct skills teaching (DST) approach to teach basic conversational skills in a work setting. A four-session group intervention using the “Conversing With Others” curriculum based on the DST approach was delivered to 146 participants in 22 groups by graduate counseling students. Participants reported greater confidence with engaging a coworker in conversation as well as high satisfaction with the group intervention in general. This pilot study provided data on the feasibility of this intervention and supported its use as a pedagogical tool for counselors-in-training.

The Effects of a Paraphrasing and Text Structure Intervention on the Main Idea Generation and Reading Comprehension of Students with Reading Disabilities in Grades 4 and 5

ABSTRACT This study examined the effects of a small group intervention targeting paraphrasing and text structure instruction on the main idea generation and reading comprehension of students with reading disabilities in Grades 4 and 5. Students (N = 62) were randomly assigned to receive the Tier 2-type intervention or business-as-usual instruction. Students in the intervention received 25, 40-minute lessons focused on paraphrasing sections of text by identifying the main topic and the most important idea about that topic. Students utilized the text structure organization to inform their main idea generation. Results yielded statistically significant, positive effects in favor of the intervention group on near-transfer and mid-transfer measures of text structure identification (g = 0.75) and main idea generation (g = 0.70), but no statistically significant effect on a far-transfer measure of reading comprehension. These findings provide initial support for utilizing this instruction to improve students’ main idea generation on taught and untaught structures.

Do Motivational Strategies Improve the Effects of a Small-Group Math Intervention Program?

Overall mathematics proficiency of fourth graders in the U.S. continues to be poor and students falling at or below the 25th percentile display declining performance (NCES, 2017), which suggests the need for schools to provide supplemental intervention supports as soon as skill gaps are observed. Unfortunately, there is a paucity of small group intervention programs that address whole number knowledge for elementary-aged children. Moreover, the contribution of motivational aspects of small group academic interventions is understudied and may be important for enhancing persistence and effort in mathematics. The purpose of this study was to examine the relative impact of two forms of intervention on mixed addition and subtraction fact fluency with second grade students: (a) evidence-based instructional components alone, and (b) a combination of instructional and motivational components. A multiple baseline design across three groups of second grade students was employed. Across groups, students benefitted from the combined intervention of both instructional and motivational components. Individual performance suggested variability in responsiveness to treatment. Participants rated the combined treatment package more favorably than the instructional components in isolation.

STRONGer Together: A Small Group Intervention for Children With Asthma and Anxiety/Depression

STRONGer Together: A Small Group Intervention for Children With Asthma and Anxiety/Depression

Assessing the Impact of a Small-Group Behavioral Intervention on Sexual Behaviors Among Adolescent Girls and Young Women in Lilongwe Malawi: A Quasi-Experimental Cohort Study.

Adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in sub-Saharan Africa are at high risk of many adverse sexual and reproductive health outcomes. Small-group interventions addressing underlying vulnerabilities may influence risky sexual behaviors associated with these adverse outcomes. Girl Power-Malawi assessed whether a facilitator-led, curriculum-driven small-group behavioral intervention impacted risky sexual behaviors among AGYW in Lilongwe, Malawi. Four Health Centers were selected; two were randomly assigned to provide the intervention. Two-hundred fifty AGYW 15-24years old were enrolled in each clinic (N = 1000 total), followed for 1 year, and interviewed at baseline and endline. At both time points participants reported on two behaviors in the last month (vaginal sex and ≥ 2 sexual partners) and two behaviors in the last year (age-disparate relationships and transactional relationships). In intervention clinics, there were no declines in risk behaviors between baseline and endline. Endline behaviors were not less risky in intervention clinics than control clinics. This intervention did not have a positive effect on four risk behaviors over a 1-year period.

Small-Group, Community-Member Intervention for Urinary and Bowel Incontinence: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

To evaluate the effects of Mind Over Matter: Healthy Bowels, Healthy Bladder, a small-group intervention, on urinary and bowel incontinence symptoms among older women with incontinence. In this individually randomized group treatment trial, women aged 50 years and older with urinary, bowel incontinence, or both, were randomly allocated at baseline to participate in Mind Over Matter: Healthy Bowels, Healthy Bladder immediately (treatment group) or after final data collection (waitlist control group). The primary outcome was urinary incontinence (UI) improvement on the Patient Global Impression of Improvement at 4 months. Validated instruments assessed incontinence, self-efficacy, depression, and barriers to care-seeking. Intent-to-treat analyses compared differences between groups. Target sample size, based on an anticipated improvement rate of 45% in treated women vs 11% in the control group, 90% power, type I error of 0.05, with anticipated attrition of 25%, was 110. Among 121 women randomized (62 treatment group; 59 control group), 116 (95%) completed the 4-month assessment. Most participants were non-Hispanic white (97%), with a mean age of 75 years (SD 9.2, range 51-98); 66% had attended some college. There were no significant between-group differences at baseline. At 4 months, 71% of treated women vs 23% of women in the control group reported improved UI on Patient Global Impression of Improvement (P<.001); 39% vs 5% were much improved (P<.001). Regarding bowel incontinence, 55% of treated women vs 27% of women in the control group improved on Patient Global Impression of Improvement (P<.005), with 35% vs 11% reporting much improvement (P<.005). Treated women improved significantly more than women in the control group on all validated instruments of incontinence severity, quality of life, and self-efficacy. Care-seeking rates were similar between groups. Participation in a small-group intervention improves symptoms of both urinary and bowel incontinence in older women. Mind Over Matter is a feasible model with potential to bring effective behavioral solutions to the community. ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03140852.

Evaluation of an HIV prevention intervention for women living with HIV

ABSTRACT It is estimated that 23% of the adults and adolescents living with HIV in the United States are female. The Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) funds evidence-based interventions (EBIs) to reduce HIV risk behaviors, including HIV prevention programs for people living with HIV and their partners. While EBIs have been shown to be effective in controlled research environments, there are limited data on intervention implementation in real-world settings. Women Involved in Life Learning from Other Women (WILLOW) is a four-session small-group intervention that targets heterosexual women aged 18–50 who are living with HIV. This evaluation assessed changes in participants’ HIV knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and risk behaviors. A repeated measures design was used to collect participant risk behaviors at baseline, and again at three and six months post-intervention. Changes in attitudes, beliefs, and risk behaviors were assessed using generalized estimating equations. After participation in WILLOW, participants reported increased HIV knowledge, attitudes and beliefs, being more supportive of condom use, and reduced prevalence of HIV risk behaviors. Findings suggest that the WILLOW intervention can be successfully delivered by community-based organizations to reduce HIV risk behaviors among members of this high-risk population.

Evaluating Universal Screening with Community-Oriented Collaboration on Students’ Receipt of Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Intervention

ABSTRACTTiered response models encourage a proactive approach to identification of social-emotional needs and intervention. However, schools experience barriers to adopting and implementing such models that use data to allocate interventions. The current study examines the utility of a universal social-emotional learning (SEL) screening system embedded in an empowerment evaluation framework to improve intervention receipt. Teachers at two primary elementary schools rated all students with an SEL screening system in a tiered response model. The intervention school received screening results with empowerment evaluation supports while the comparison school did not receive screening results and proceeded with intervention decision-making as usual. Intervention receipt results were analyzed with chi-square tests and descriptive comparisons. The intervention school served a greater number of students with interventions, was more likely to intervene for students with SEL need, and implemented a greater number of small-group interventions than the comparison school. Limitations and future directions are discussed.

Supplemental Material for Honest, Open, Proud–College: Effectiveness of a Peer-Led Small-Group Intervention for Reducing the Stigma of Mental Illness

Supplemental Material for Honest, Open, Proud–College: Effectiveness of a Peer-Led Small-Group Intervention for Reducing the Stigma of Mental Illness

Evaluation of the True Goals School Counseling Curriculum: A Pilot Study

ABSTRACTThis 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 gains in motivation, self-knowledge, self-direction, and positive relationships as scored on the Protective Factors Index (PFI). Results indicated that students that participated in the TG curriculum experienced significant gains (p = .01) in motivation, self-knowledge, self-direction, and positive relationships over time, with a large effect size (d = .83).

Intergroup Dialogue: A Review of Recent Empirical Research and Its Implications for Research and Practice

Intergroup dialogue (IGD) is a small group intervention that allows for sustained communication between people across social identity groups. It aims to foster intergroup relationships, develop critical consciousness, and increase capacities for promoting social justice. A decade after Dessel and Rogge published their review of the empirical research on IGD from 1997 to 2006, we reviewed the empirical IGD research from 2006 to 2017. We explore research that has examined IGD outcomes, processes, and facilitation, seeking to understand the current state of the research and practice of IGD. We discuss advances and new approaches to IGD, assess growth since Dessel and Rogge’s review, and discuss future directions. We provide five key recommendations for future research on IGD, and five key recommendations for future practice of IGD.

Effets d’un dispositif d’aide à la résolution de problèmes géométriques : un exemple avec les programmes de construction

Working with a small group of pupils on a problem-solving task before it is presented to the whole class is not a common way of dealing with mathematical difficulties. We conducted an experiment in a French primary school in order to study the impact of a small group intervention on the student’s learning, and on their topos i.e. their capacity to play the role as any other student during the whole class lesson. We have observed positive effects on both, under certain conditions.

Avaliação de uma intervenção em grupo baseada na terapia de aceitação e compromisso para indivíduos diagnosticados com transtorno bipolar

Bipolar Affective Disorder (BD) is a serious chronic condition, defined by the occurrence of manic, hypomanic, and depressive episodes that increase probability of emotional, physical, and social complications. Researches have been focusing on interventions that result in better therapeutic outcomes, such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), which aims at increasing psychological flexibility. This study presents a case study on an ACT-based intervention and its outcomes on psychological flexibility, manic, hypomanic and depressive symptoms, and quality of life in three participants diagnosed with BD. Intervention was group-based with five sessions, performed in a Psychological Clinic. Results were obtained via Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, Young Mania Rating Scale, and WHOQOL- bref , as well as video and audio recordings for qualitative data. Results demonstrated symptoms reduction, improvement in physical and social domains of the quality of life inventory and increase in psychological flexibility. Considering the limitations of the study, such as the small sample and single group intervention, we concluded that ACT was successful on improving BD diagnosed participants’ repertoire. Keywords: bipolar disorder; acceptance and commitment therapy; group intervention.

From the Editors

From the Editors

Mobile App-Based Small-Group Physical Activity Intervention for Young African American Women: a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.

A lack of adequate physical activity among young African American women remains a serious public health challenge. Few evidence-based interventions are available to increase physical activity in this population, and none has leveraged mobile technologies, even though African Americans are among the most avid users of mobile applications (apps). We conducted a pilot randomized controlled trial to test the efficacy of a mobile app-based small-group intervention in increasing physical activity among African American women aged 18 to 35years (N = 91) in Philadelphia, PA. Cohorts of eight participants were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to a 4-women small-group intervention or an individual control condition. Control participants used the app to track their own activities. Small-group participants could track their own activities and those of the other three women in their group and could message the other women using a chatting tool. The primary outcome was meeting the goal of engaging in at least 90min/day of light physical activity during the 3-month study period objectively assessed by a Fitbit device. Data were collected in 2016 and analyzed in 2017. Group participants had higher odds of meeting the goal (OR = 1.48, p = .048) than did control participants, an effect that did not wane during the 3-month study period. Irrespective of condition, participants had lower body-mass index (p = .01) and performed more push-ups (p < .0001) at the 1-month and 3-month assessments compared with the baseline measures. Mobile apps facilitating small online groups can contribute to efforts to increase physical activity among young African American women.This study is registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov NCT02736903.

Understanding the Effectiveness of Psychosocial Services for Anxiety and Depression in Chinese Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Controlled Trials.

There exists an imperative need to comprehensively evaluate the effectiveness of psychosocial interventions for Chinese geriatric populations' mental wellbeing. This study conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of psychosocial services for Chinese older adults' depression and anxiety. A search of nine electronic databases, five geriatric mental health journals, and reference lists was conducted for studies published between 1980 and April. 2018. Thirty-three studies (including totally 3,478 participants, 107 effect sizes) of true and quasiexperimental controlled trials were eligible and included for meta-analysis using robust variance estimation in meta-regression. Outcome indicators were geriatric depression and anxiety. An overall significant treatment effect was identified for geriatric depression and anxiety (d = 0.577, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.288, 0.867, p < .001). Outcomes, geographic area, participants' marriage, service setting, and types of control group were moderators for treatment effects. Subgroup analysis observed statistically significant effect size among studies in Taiwan, used innovative service methods and small group interventions. Both in-person, home-based interventions and interventions provided by nurse practitioners and specially trained providers were statistically significant. Psychosocial services can benefit Chinese geriatric populations. Innovative and culturally relevant programs received strongest research supports. Future research should incorporate social interaction as an important component for serving Chinese older adults' mental wellbeing.

Retention of Reading Intervention Effects From Fourth to Fifth Grade for Students With Reading Difficulties

This study examined and quantified the maintenance of reading comprehension effects from a 4th-grade intervention for students with reading difficulties across the summer into the fall of 5th grade. We randomly assigned 4th-grade students with reading comprehension difficulties to a multicomponent reading intervention (Passport) or to typical school services. Students in the treatment received daily intervention in small groups of 4–7 students across the 4th-grade school year. We followed students (n = 269) into their 5th-grade year. Groups were equivalent at baseline, and the treatment group significantly outperformed the comparison group at posttest. Students in the treatment continued to grow in reading comprehension over the summer at a rate of approximately 25% of the original growth, which suggests partially fleeting effects of the intervention. Treatment students maintained the higher levels of reading comprehension from the end of the 4th-grade intervention to the beginning of 5th grade.

Music, Health and Wellbeing: Exploring Music for Health Equity and Social JusticeNaomiSunderlandNatalieLewandowskiDanBendrupsBrydie‐LeighBartleet Published by Palgrave Macmillan, London, 2018. ISBN 978‐1‐349‐95283‐0. RRP $244.95. Hardcover, 290 pages with index.

This book explores whether music can contribute to health equity and social justice, by enhancing positive social determinants of health (SDOH), and alleviating negatives ones. Twenty‐six authors consider this question from a range of angles, including micro‐level (small group) interventions, meso‐level (community) initiatives and macro‐level (societal) approaches. Readers are invited to review the evidence, re‐imagine a more equal way of seeing and being, and temper idealism with critical reflexivity; acknowledging that music can help to improve humanity, or negate it.

Cultivating morphological awareness improves reading skills in fifth-grade Hebrew readers

The effectiveness of an intervention program aimed at improving morphological awareness was evaluated in Hebrew-speaking poor readers in Grade 5. The 12-week intervention in small groups focused on learning morphological structure of words by identifying, decomposing, and constructing morphologically complex words. Results were compared with a comparison group of similarly poor readers that participated in the school’s reading support program focused on reading comprehension strategies. The intervention group improved morphological awareness to a greater extent than the comparison group and also showed a clear advantage in their reading accuracy and reading comprehension. The results suggest that morphological instruction develops awareness of the morphemic structure of words that contributes to extracting meaning from texts.

A randomized controlled trial of an oral inferential comprehension intervention for young children with developmental language disorder

Although children with developmental language disorder demonstrate poor inferential comprehension, few studies have evaluated the effect of interventions to improve inferencing. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of a small-group intervention designed to improve oral inferential comprehension of narrative discourse. Thirty-seven 5- to 6-year-old children with developmental language disorder participated. The participants were randomly allocated to the oral inferential comprehension (IC) intervention or a control phonological awareness (PA) intervention. Small-group sessions took place twice a week over 8 weeks. Participants were assessed on narrative comprehension and phonological awareness skills pre- and post-intervention, and after a maintenance period of 8 weeks. Compared to the control PA group, the participants in the IC group demonstrated a significant increase in inferential comprehension scores from pre- to post-intervention, which was maintained over time. In addition, the IC group scored significantly higher than the PA group for inferential comprehension on a post-intervention generalization measure. There was no significant difference between the two groups for literal comprehension scores at any assessment point. The results demonstrate that the small-group intervention was effective at improving inferential comprehension of narratives in 5- to 6-year-old children with developmental language disorder. Additionally, generalized improvement was shown across the narrative context, and improvements were maintained two months following the intervention.