Institution: Children’s Institute www.childrensinstitute.net

Program: Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies

http://www.channing-bete.com/positiveyouth/pages/PATHS/PATHS.html 

Principal Investigators: Deborah Johnson, Hugh Crean

Key Staff: Arlene Bobin, Greg Sicheneder

Program Description and Site-Specific Research:

The Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies (PATHS) program is designed to strengthen all kindergarten through 5th grade students' emotional literacy, positive peer relations, and social problem-solving. It consists of volumes of lessons on self-control, emotional understanding, self-esteem, healthy relationships, and interpersonal problem-solving skills. The program also includes training for all school staff on social and character development. The researchers are evaluating the effects of the randomly assigned PATHS program in schools already implementing an indicated K-3 program designed to enhance school adjustment and build social and emotional competencies (the Primary Mental Health Project; PMHP). The schools are in both suburban and urban districts in two states: New York and Minnesota.

In the complementary research study, the research team is examining if the PATHS curriculum is differentially effective for certain subgroups of students.  The researchers are also testing whether changes in social-problem solving abilities and hostile attribution biases mediate the PATHS’ relationship to outcomes.  Additionally, the researchers are comparing changes in behavior for at-risk students who participated in the PMHP program in grades K-3 and who also received the PATHS intervention with changes in behavior for similar at-risk students who participated in the PMHP program in grades K-3 but did not later receive the PATHS intervention.

For more information on this project, please contact:

Deborah Johnson
Director
Children's Institute
274 N. Goodman Street, Suite D103
Rochester, NY  14607
Phone:   585-295-1000 x224
Fax:       585-295-1090
E-mail:   djohnson@childrensinstitute.net