Institution: University of Illinois at Chicago

Program: Positive Action

http://www.positiveaction.net/ 

Principal Investigators: Brian Flay, David DuBois

Key Staff: Peter Ji, Vanessa Brechling

Program Description and Site-Specific Research: The Positive Action program seeks to promote students' social skills and self-concept, and reduce anti-social behavior, by providing a comprehensive approach that includes grade-specific curricula, school-wide climate change, and parental involvement. Classroom curricula for every grade, a principal's school climate kit, a family kit, teacher and staff training, and a community involvement program are integral components of the Positive Action program. Researchers are evaluating the program in Chicago public schools located in high poverty neighborhoods.

In their complementary study, the researchers are examining the process by which the Positive Action program impacts student outcomes. Opportunities provided by the program for children and adults to learn social and emotional skills and develop character at school, at home, and in the community are predicted to improve administrator-staff relations, school-wide reinforcement of positive behavior, parent-school relations, parent-child relations, family involvement, classroom management, teacher-student relations, students' peer relations, student engagement with the community, and the community's involvement with the school. These effects are predicted to, in turn, relate to improvements in students' self-efficacy, attitudes toward antisocial and prosocial behavior, problem behavior, and academic achievement. The researchers are also studying the impact of the Positive Action program on a second cohort of students starting in the 2nd grade at the beginning of the study.