Everything and the Kitchen Sink: A Meta-Analytic Review of Interventions for Academically Underachieving Students

• In Event: Acceleration and Underachievement in Giftedness, Creativity, and Talent

Abstract

Despite decades of research on interventions for underachieving students, no clear answers have emerged. Our meta-analysis examines the effectiveness of interventions for achievement and psychological outcomes, including individual-level and intervention-level moderators. Overall, findings from 38 studies (46 interventions, N=2176) revealed that interventions are modestly effective in improving achievement (d=0.33) and psychological outcomes (d=0.27). Interventions involving curricular adjustments or fostering motivation significantly improved achievement, whereas training programs were more effective for psychological outcomes. Interventions in elementary through high school were slightly more effective than in college. Interestingly, a curvilinear relationship was observed between intervention dosage (length of program) and effect size on achievement, suggesting a “sweet spot” of medium dosage (10 to 18 hours) may exist for attaining optimal achievement-related outcomes.

Authors

• Carlton Jing Fong, The University of Texas - Austin

• Kate E. Snyder, University of Louisville

• Sebastian M. Barr, University of Louisville

• Erika Alisha Patall, University of Southern California