Developing Social-Emotional Competence Interventions that Facilitate Emotional and Behavioral Self-Regulation
Abstract
The literature on childhood learning has shown that numerous factors lead to student
achievement. A student must access personal resources to successfully navigate their educational and
social world. This study sought to determine if intervention promotes students’ social, emotional, and
behavioral self-regulation, as well as implications for readiness to learn. The study’s sample was
comprised of 75 kindergarten students in a general education public school setting that received 90
minutes of intervention weekly in their natural classroom environment. The 10-week intervention
consisted of direct instruction within the classroom for 30 minutes twice weekly by the teacher and
researcher, with three 10-minute ‘check-in’ periods throughout the week to provide feedback and
reinforcement. Several qualitative and quantitative tools were used to analyze the impact of the
intervention, including the Social, Academic, and Emotional Behavior Risk Screener (SAEBRS), teacher
surveys, a post-intervention teacher focus group, home program, researcher’s observations, and parent
reports. The major findings included a statistically significant difference between pre- and post-test results
following intervention. Consistency and teacher support were reported as contributing factors. Teachers,
parents, and students indicated that the researcher’s lessons and intermittent reinforcement made a
significant impact on the positive outcome of the intervention program. The results showed that students
demonstrated the use of tools and terminology related to self-regulation in their school and home
environments. Additional analysis suggested that three quantitatively identified “at risk” students, who
consistently participated in the home program, were no longer in the at risk range, following intervention.
Based on the Grounded Theory Framework, unique components of an effective self-regulation program
emerged to provide implications for practice and further research recommendations.
Description
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Thesis
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Keywords
Self-Regulation, Intervention, Behavioral, Emotional, Learning