Positive Action Program

Positive Action Program

OVERVIEW

The Positive Action Program is a school-based program that focuses on social and character development, supporting skills, and the attitudes of children and adolescence from grade K - 12. The program’s goal is to promote positive action (intellectual, physical, emotional development), prevent substance abuse and problematic behavior, and enhance school performance through teachers’ and parents’ reinforcement of children in their communities. Results from two evaluations showed significant reductions in violent behavior, substance use, and bullying. An evaluation also reported significant increases in math and reading standardized test scores and a reduction in suspensions and absenteeism.

DESCRIPTION OF PROGRAM

Targeted Population: Students in grades K – 12.

Lesson Content: Positive Action Program (PA) consists of K-12 classroom curriculum, drug education and conflict resolution supplements, self-training kits for school preparation and teacher training, school-wide climate development, counselors for students, and family classes for parents. The content is taught through six units: self-concept, positive action for body and mind, social/emotional positive actions for managing yourself responsibly, and social/emotional positive actions for getting along with others by treating them the way one would like to be treated. Lessons are taught by classroom teachers in 15 to 20 minute sessions. The total time students are exposed to the program during the academic year is approximately 35 hours.

Materials: Teachers and students are both given the “Thought-Action-Feelings about self” poster to help them understand theory of self concept; that thoughts lead to actions, actions lead to feeling, and feelings lead to thought. Teachers are also given a kit to plan their 15-minute activities and lessons for their students for four days of the week. The kit includes scripted lessons, suggested activities (e.g. role-playing, plays, games, music stories, questions/answer, etc.), and teaching methods (e.g. role-modeling positive behaviors, activities and reinforcement of positive behaviors).

School principals are given the Climate Development Kit to learn about promoting a positive school climate and are responsible for appointing the school’s PA Committee, coordinating training, and monitoring the progress of each grade level to make sure the rate of teaching and learning concepts are the same.

A counselor and family component is also included. The family and counselor both receive lesson kits, consisting of 36 lessons to correspond the number of weeks in a school year; the family’s kit for parents is parallel to those used at by teachers at school, whereas the counselor’s kit primarily focusing is education and for mentoring and peer tutoring.

The PA program is administered for three years by a program developer, who trains teachers/staff for three to four hours before the first year, and then one to two hours each of the subsequent years. They also visit schools at least once per year to provide an in-service training session, and hold a mini-conference each February to train a small representative group of teachers from each school. Training costs $1,500 for one day, plus $700 per travel day, plus expenses. Workshops are available and cost $125 per person plus the cost of materials. Self-training is available and the materials start at a cost of $200. Training is available through internet or phone for a cost of $150 per hour.

Information about ordering materials:

http://www.positiveaction.net/catalog/index.asp?ID1=4&ID2=400

EVALUATION OF PROGRAM

Li, K., Washburn, I., DuBois, D. L., Vuchinich, S., P., J., Brechling, V., Day, J., Beets, M. W., Acock, A. C., Berbaum, M., Snyder, F., & Flay, B. (2009). Effects of the Positive Action program on problem behaviors in elementary school students: A matched-pair randomized control trial in Chicago. Unpublished Manuscript, Oregon State University.

Evaluated population: Approximately 510 third grade students from 14 Chicago Public Schools elementary schools participated in this evaluation. Approximately 46 percent of the students identified themselves as African American, 27 percent identified as Hispanic, 17 percent identified as other or mixed, 7 percent identified as White and 3 percent as Asian.

Approach: Schools were randomly assigned to receive the PA program (n = 7) or a control condition (n = 7). Schools in the PA group received K-8 curriculum, training, and materials. Through survey questions, students were assessed on lifetime substance use and serious violence. Bullying and disruptive behavior was measured using the Aggression Scale and Frequency of Delinquency Scale. Students were assessed at baseline, end of year 1 (end of 3^rd grade), beginning of year 2, end of year 2 (end of 4^th grade), and end of year 3 (5^th grade).

Results: At the end of year 3 (at the completion of the program), students in the PA group had significantly fewer endorsements of items for substance use (31 percent reduction), serious violence (36 percent reduction), and bullying behaviors (41 percent reduction) when compared with the control group. There was no significant difference between groups on engagement in disruptive behavior.

Analyses were performed to control for clustering of students within schools and schools within pairs.

Beets, M. W., Flay, B., Vuchinich, R. A., Snyder, F., Acock, A. C., Li, K., Burns, K., Washburn, I., & Durlak, J. A. (2009). Use of a social and character development program to prevent substance use, violent behaviors, and sexual activity among elementary-school students in Hawaii. American Journal of Public Health, 99(8), 1438-1445.

Snyder, F., Vuchinich, R. A., Acock, A. C., Beets, M. W., Li, K., Washburn, I., & Flay, B. (2010). Impact of the Positive Action program on school-level indicators of academic achievement, absenteeism, and disciplinary outcomes: A matched-pair, cluster randomized, controlled trial. Journal of Reseach on Educational Effectiveness, 3(1).

Evaluated population: First and second grade students from 20 elementary schools on three Hawaiian islands (n = 1,714), participated in the study. Fifty percent of the population was female. The self-identified ethnicities of the population were approximately 26 percent Hawaiian or part Hawaiian, 25 percent Asian, 23 percent multiple ethnic backgrounds, 9 percent White, 5 percent other Pacific Islander, and 2 percent African American. Approximately 50 percent of the students were eligible for free or reduced lunch.

Approach: Schools were randomly assigned to receive the PA program (n = 10) or a control condition (n = 10). During fifth grade, students were assessed on self reported substance abuse, violent behaviors and voluntary sexual activity. Teacher reports were also used to assess substance use and violent behavior. Students were also assessed on Grade 5 math and reading standardized tests, Grade 4 math and reading Hawaii Content and Performance Standards (HCPS II), absenteeism, suspensions, and retentions.

Results: Students in the PA program had significantly lower rates of self-reported substance use (a large effect size of 1.23), violent behavior (a large effect size of 2.22) and sexual activity (a medium effect size of 0.76) when compared with control group students. Teacher-reported violent behavior (a medium effect size of 0.71) was also significantly lower for PA program students when compared with control group students. At post-test, the PA group had a significant increase in grade 4 math (medium effect size of 0.69) and reading (medium effect size of 0.72) HCPS II and a significant decrease in absenteeism (medium effect size of 0.63) when compared with the control group. There were no significant impacts at post-test on grade 5 math and reading standardized tests, suspensions, or retentions. There was no significant different between the groups for teacher-reported student substance use.

At the one-year follow-up, the PA group had significant increases in grade 4 math (large effect size of 1.1) and reading (medium effect size of 0.65) HCPS II and grade 5 reading standardized test (medium effect size of 0.54) when compared with the control group. There were also significant reductions in absenteeism (medium effect size of 0.65) and suspensions (medium effect size of 0.87) for the PA group when compared with the control group. There were no significant impacts at follow-up on the grade 5 math standardized test or retentions.

Analyses were performed to control for clustering of students within schools and schools within pairs.

SOURCES FOR MORE INFORMATION

Website: http://www.positiveaction.net/

http://www.positiveaction.net/catalog/index.asp?ID1=4&ID2=400

Flay, B., Dubois, D., Ji, P. (2007). Progress report of the randomized trial of positive action in Chicago: End of third year of intervention (Grade 5, Spring, 2007). Institute for Educational Sciences (IES), U.S. Department of education.

SUMMARY & CATERGORIZATION

Program categorized in this guide according to the following:

Evaluated participant ages: 6-11

Program Components: School based

Measured Outcomes: Education and cognitive development, behavioral problems, reproductive health

KEYWORDS: Children, Elementary, Males and Females (co-ed), Urban, School-based, Parent/Family Component, Cost information is available, Manual is available, Sexual Activity, Aggression/Violence/Bullying, Tobacco Use, Alcohol Use, Marijuana/Illicit/Prescription Drugs, Reading/Literacy, Mathematics, Attendance, Other Education.

Program information last updated on 4/19/10

		© Child Trends 2003