Effects of a Play-Based Prevention Program on School Outcomes in Early Childhood

• In Event: Wholistic Aspects of Early Childhood: Language, Music, Play and Health

Abstract

Background: Primary Project (PP) is a nationally-recognized evidence-based prevention program for children in preschool through third grade, which is targeted towards students who have had trouble academically or with social-emotional skills (Perryman & Bowers, 2018). The program uses a play-based approach to instill social and emotional skills and has been found in prior studies to increase social-emotional adjustment (Perryman et al., 2020). However, research is needed to determine the effect of PP on academic outcomes, including school attendance and math and reading abilities.
Aims and Hypothesis: The present study investigated the effect of Primary Project, a school-based prevention program, on (a) average school attendance, (b) math scores in grades K-3, and (c) reading scores in grades K-3, among students in kindergarten through second grade (N = 249). We hypothesized that participation in Primary Project would improve outcomes in all three domains.
Method: Participants: Participants were children in Kindergarten through 2nd grade from a large urban school district in the northeast U.S. The percentage of economically-disadvantaged students enrolled in study schools ranged from 94% to 98%.
Procedures: Students were screened for PP in accordance with normal procedures (i.e., social-emotional screening using the Teacher-Child Rating Scale [T-CRS 2.1], a teacher-completed instrument; Hightower & Perkins, 2010). Students were also screened for chronic absence from school in the prior year. After screening, students were selected for PP based on a randomized list. See Figure 1 for a flow diagram of study enrollment and randomization.
Measures: Outcome variables included attendance and math and reading scores. Each student’s yearly attendance percentage was obtained from schools’ records. Prospective, standardized math and reading scores on a state-mandated exam were obtained from school records. Students’ grade level and sex (male or female) were examined as potential moderators of treatment effects.
Results: At the end of the academic year, the annual attendance percentage for the treatment group (mean = .87, SD = .07) was significantly higher than that of the control group (mean = .84, SD = .09, F (1, 247) = 5.59, p = .019). This effect was not moderated by grade level nor by sex.
Results examining math and reading outcomes are forthcoming and will be available by the time of the presentation.
Implications: Results show that Primary Project is a useful intervention for schools to improve student engagement via attendance. This is important, as chronic absenteeism is a critical problem in our schools that can lead to adverse outcomes throughout childhood (Chang & Romero, 2008). Overall, Primary Project is a potential intervention tool to improve school climate, promote children’s social and emotional wellbeing, and increase capacity for school mental health services, which is a particularly important goal in the aftermath of COVID-19.

Authors

• Erinn B Duprey, University of Rochester
  Presenting Author

• Renae A. Whittington

• Lynn Smith

• Shelley Sanyshyn

• Marjorie Allan

• Joseph P. McFall

• Ann Marie White