School-Based Intervention to Reduce Aggressive Behavior

in Maladjusted Adolescents

OVERVIEW

A school-based intervention to reduce aggressive behavior in maladjusted adolescents was implemented in three Israeli vocational and special education schools. Emotionally disturbed, behaviorally disordered, or socially maladjusted adolescent male students were randomly assigned to either the treatment or control groups in two consecutive years. Students in the treatment group participated in sessions led by a trained graduate student, teacher, or school counselor who introduced a film, poem, or story with themes of aggression and led group discussions on adolescents’ feelings about the behaviors. In the first year, teachers reported significant decreases in withdrawal behavior of students in the experimental group compared with students in the control group.  In the second year, post-intervention teacher observations of students’ negative behavior had significantly decreased compared with students in the control group. Additionally, students’ in the control group reported significant increases in their endorsement of beliefs supporting aggression, as where there was no significant change among students in the experimental groups.

DESCRIPTION OF PROGRAM

Target population: Adolescent males considered to be emotionally disturbed, behaviorally disordered, or socially maladjusted.

Shechtman and Nachshol’s school-based intervention to reduce aggressive behavior in maladjusted adolescents consists of 15 one-hour sessions for groups of six to eight maladjusted adolescents.  These sessions are led by a graduate student, teacher, or school counselor trained for 60 hours in the intervention methods and techniques. Teachers introduced films, poems, or stories with themes of aggression and led group discussions on adolescents’ feelings about the behaviors.

 EVALUATION(S) OF PROGRAM

Schechtman, Z., and Nachshol, R. (1996). A School-Based Intervention to Reduce Aggressive Behavior in Maladjusted Adolescents. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 17, 535-552.

Evaluated population: Intervention group I consisted of 56 students from one Israeli vocational school, and intervention group II consisted of 85 students from two Israeli schools.

Approach: Participants were recruited through vocational and special education programs for adolescents considered to be emotionally disturbed, behaviorally disordered, or socially maladjusted. The intervention took place over two years with two separate groups.  In the first group, 18 students were randomly assigned to the experimental condition, and 38 students from the school were assigned to the control group. The second group was comprised of students from two schools; 42 were randomly assigned to intervention group a, 24 to intervention group b (the year one wait-list control group) and 19 to the control group.

Employing group therapy principles, students in the treatment groups participated in 15 teacher or counselor-led one-hour sessions in groups of 6-8.  The intervention uses bibliotherapy, which employs literature, and clarifying processes to help participants become committed to change.  Teachers used the provided intervention curriculum to lead students in group discussion of a story, poem or film related to motives or outcomes of aggressive behavior.  Students were then asked to share their own feelings related to the presented material with the group and possible alternative behaviors were discussed. The control group participated in normally scheduled mandatory social class sessions. These classes dealt with social themes, but not directly with aggressive behavior.

Peer assessment of aggressive behavior, self-reported attitudes towards aggression, and teacher-report of aggression and behavioral problems were measured pre-intervention and four-weeks after the completion of the intervention for all groups.

Results: In intervention group I, students in the control group increased aggression and acting-out behavior significantly while there were no significant changes in aggressive behavior in the experimental group. Students in the experimental group did experience significant decrease in withdrawal behavior as evaluated by teachers compare with students in the control group.

In the second intervention group, there were significant differences between groups in the changes in aggressive behavior and attitudes toward aggression. Students in the control group experienced a significant increase in their endorsement of beliefs supporting aggression as where there was no significant change among students in the experimental groups. Additionally, both experimental groups in year two (the wait-list group from year one and the year two treatment group) had significant decreases in teacher-evaluated negative behavior.

Random assignment was by class while analyses were among individuals.  The authors did not adjust for this.

SOURCES FOR MORE INFORMATION

References:

Schechtman, Z., and Nachshol, R. (1996). A School-Based Intervention to Reduce Aggressive Behavior in Maladjusted Adolescents. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 17, 535-552.

Program categorized in this guide according to the following:

Evaluated participant ages: 13-16

Program age ranges in the guide: Adolescence, Youth

Program components: School-based

Measured outcomes: Education and Cognitive, Social and Emotional

Program information last updated on 6/23/08.