SCHOOL COUNSELING
INTERVENTIONS
Adrienne Watkins
Ball State University
Student Data

Current trend:
 According
to the State of Alaska, Department of
Education standardized writing scores for Alaskan
Native/Native American students has decreased 12%
in the past 3 years.
 2009-2010 scores were 88.46 proficiency
 2011-2012 scores decreased to 76.47 proficiency
Goal

Increase standardized test writing scores for
Alaskan Native/Native American students by 4%
by the end of the school year.
Intervention 1: HOPS


Langberg, J., Epstein, J., & Becker, S. (2012).
Evaluation of the homework, organization, and
planning skills (hops) intervention for middle school
students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
as implemented by school mental health providers.
School Psychology Review, 41:3, 342-264
HOPS is an 8 week intervention focused on the
development of homework, organizational and
planning skills.
Summary



17 SMH providers (7 psychologists and 10 school
counselors) from 5 school districts and 12 distinct
schools participated in the study.
School districts were diverse with urban, suburban,
and rural districts represented.
All 47 student participants were in grades 6-8 with
an age range of 11-14.
7 Domains

Measurement
Strong evidence was found using pre- and post test,
homework problem checklist, the children’s organizational
skills scale (validated through factor analysis).
 The COSS generated raw scores for each subscale
converted to T scores, internal consistency was high for the
parent version (.98) and teacher version (.97). Test-retest
reliability was high for parent (.94-0.99) and teacher (.88.93).
 Utilized Parent and SMH provider satisfaction questionnaire,
parent skills implementation questionnaire

7 Domains continued…

Comparison Group
 Strong
Evidence was found between the control and
waitlist comparison groups showing the control group
benefited from the program

Statistical Analyses of Outcome Variables
 Showed
strong evidence of statistically significant
findings using appropriate test
7 Domains continued…

Implementation Fidelity
 Strong
evidence that the intervention can be delivered
with fidelity across contexts. Fidelity was examined
with 2 measures; organizational skills checklist and the
HOPS component checklist. Fidelity was high.

Replication
 Strong
evidence of replication based on checklists and
guidelines for implementing of program. Program has
already been implemented in other studies.
7 Domains continued…

Ecological Validity


Strong evidence as the study was broad and diverse.
Persistent Effect

Promising evidence. Intervention participants demonstrated
significant improvements relative to the comparison group
across several domains including the parent-rated
organization and planning skills, life interference from
organizational skills problems, and homework problem
outcomes. The effects were maintained at a 3 month followup assessment. Participants had significantly higher GPA’s
than the comparison group during the intervention period
and the GPA’s did not decline during post-intervention
period. Parent ratings were significant for organizational
skills but not for teachers.
Intervention 2: KiVa Anti-bullying
Program


Williford, A., Boulton, A., Noland, B., Little, T., Karna,
A., & Salmivalli, C. ( 2012). Effects of the kiva antibullying program on adolescents’ depression,
anxiety, and perception of peers. Journal of
Abnormal Child Psychology, 40: 289-300.
KiVa is an anti-bullying program designed to
educate students on the importance of peer
involvement in stopping bullying as well as specific
behavioral strategies to defend victims.
Summary



The KiVa Program focuses on bullying as a group
process in which the bully behaves aggressively to get
higher peer-group status and is reinforced by onlookers.
Comprised of 20 hours of curriculum designed to
increase anti-bullying attitudes in schools, increase
defending behaviors and self-efficacy among
bystanders.
Lessons are comprised of class discussions, group work,
short films, role-playing exercises, and a 5 level
interactive computer game.
7 Domains

Domain 1. Measurement
Peer-Reported Victimization Scale (adequate internal
consistency)
 Generalized Perception of Peers Questionnaire
 Beck Depression Inventory
 2 Anxiety Scales- Fear of Negative Evaluation and Social
Avoidance and Distress Scales
 Strong Evidence was shown for the measures used


Domain 2. Comparison Groups

Participants were children in elementary schools in Finland.
7,741 participants (3,685 in the control group and 4,056 in
intervention group) Average age was 11.2. years old.
7 Domains continued…

Domain 3. Statistical Analyses of Outcome
Variables
 Strong
evidence demonstrated. Small effect size
 Adequate N

Domain 4. Implementation Fidelity
 Promising
evidence of Fidelity.
7 Domains continued…

Domain 5. Replication


Domain 6. Ecological Validity


Strong evidence for replication as KiVa has already been
used with equivalent populations with similar outcomes.
Strong evidence as the study was conducted in a diverse
public school and outcomes are assessed across different
subgroups of students.
Domain 7. Persistence of Effect

Lasting effects were not measured, however, this would be a
good direction for future research.
Results




KiVa is affective in reducing victimization in designated
classrooms. Rates of victimization remained stable in the
control groups and declined significantly among
intervention participants.
KiVa may also positively influence students’ levels of
anxiety/perceptions of peer climate. Social anxiety
may be reduced once victimization has been reduced.
Students involved in KiVa reported less depression but
the difference from the control group was not
statistically significant.
Peer perceptions became more negative in both groups.
HOPS Intervention



Students in this particular school are struggling with
homework skills.
School already utilizes the PATHS curriculum, which
focuses on SES skills.
HOPS can be used for all ages.
HOPS Pre/Post Test