Preventing childhood anxiety and depression: Testing the effectiveness of a schoolbased program in Mexico

A growing number of school-aged children experience or are at risk for a myriad of psychological and behavioral problems such as anxiety and depression that interfere with their interpersonal relationships, school performance, and potential to become productive citizens –hence the importance of school prevention. This study assessed the effectiveness of the Spanish version of the FRIENDS for Life program [AMISTAD para siempre], a social and emotional program that uses cognitive-behavioral techniques to prevent anxiety and depression. Eight schools from a northern city in Mexico were randomly selected and assigned to either an intervention or standard curriculum instruction. Fifteen teachers implemented the intervention, and 16 served as control. Participants were 1,030 fourth and fifth grade students (ages 8-13). The impact of the program was evaluated immediately after the intervention and after 6 months. The program showed a positive effect by reducing symptoms and risk for depression and increasing the proactive coping skills of the overall sample. Suggestions for further research and implications for practice are offered (AU)

Un número elevado de niños de edad escolar experimentan o corren el riesgo de experimentar una serie de problemas psicológicos y de comportamiento tales como la ansiedad y la depresión, las cuales interfieren en sus relaciones interpersonales, el desempeño académico y el potencial para convertirse en personas productivas. El presente estudio evalúa la eficacia de la versión en español del programa FRIENDS for Life [AMISTAD para siempre], que enseña habilidades sociales y emocionales utilizando técnicas cognitivas-conductuales para prevenir ansiedad y depresión. Ocho escuelas de una ciudad al norte de México fueron aleatoriamente seleccionadas y asignadas a un grupo de intervención o al grupo de currículo estándar. Quince educadoras implementaron el programa y 16 maestras siguieron con el currículo estándar. Los participantes fueron 1.030 niños, de 8 a 13 años de edad, de cuarto y quinto grado de primaria. El impacto del programa se evaluó inmediatamente después de la intervención, y a los seis meses. Los resultados muestran que el programa tuvo efectos positivos al reducir los síntomas y el riesgo de depresión e incrementar las estrategias de afrontamiento proactivas de aquellos que lo recibieron. Se ofrecen sugerencias sobre futuras investigaciones así como sobre sus implicaciones para la práctica (AU)

Psychosocial Interventions to Prevent Anxiety Disorders in School Settings from 1985-2007: A Meta-Anaysis

Childhood anxiety disorders are a salient concern because they are associated with deviant conduct, substance abuse, and depression later in life. This meta-analysis focuses on the efficacy of psychosocial interventions in preventing anxiety disorders in children. A search of several databases covering 1985- 2007 identified 19 peer-reviewed studies. Most of the studies were judged with "Low Risk of Bias". Results showed CBT to be the most effective psychosocial intervention (95% CI, 0.19 a 0.43), particularly when implemented at a selective prevention level (95% CI, 0.20 a 0.97). The protective factors to improve the most were positive future outlook (95% CI, 0.87 to 1.51) and self-esteem (95% CI, 0.87 a 1.51). Suggestions for further research and implications for practice are offered (AU)

Los trastornos de ansiedad en la infancia han sido un tema de preocupación ya que están asociados con la conducta desafiante, el abuso de sustancias y la depresión en edad adulta. El presente metaanálisis se enfoca en la eficacia de las intervenciones psicosociales para la prevención de los trastornos de ansiedad en la infancia. Se realizó una búsqueda en diferentes bases de datos cubriendo de 1985 al 2007 y se identificaron 19 estudios de investigación publicados en revistas con arbitraje. La mayoría de los estudios fueron juzgados con "bajo riesgo de sesgo". Los resultados del presente estudio muestran que la mejor intervención psicosocial es la cognitivo-conductual (95% IC, 0.19 a 0.43), particularmente cuando se implementa en el nivel de prevención selectivo (95% IC, 0.20 a 0.97). Los factores de protección que mostraron mayor mejora fueron el optimismo (95% IC, 0.87 a 1.51) y la autoestima (95% IC, 0.87 a 1.51). Se ofrecen sugerencias tanto para futuras investigaciones como para implicaciones en la práctica (AU)

Response to instruction, English language learners and disproportionate representation: the role of assessment.

Response to Intervention (RtI), a cyclical process that incorporates assessment and instruction, is both an approach to prevent learning difficulties and to establish student eligibility for special education. Assessment results are used to determine students' initial knowledge and skill, their need for successively more intensive levels of instruction, and to gauge their response to the intervention provided. Although this process is preferable to the IQ/achievement discrepancy model for determining the presence of specific learning disabilities, there are still a number of unresolved issues related to the assessment procedures in use. A pressing issue is the identification of measures and procedures that identify students with the greatest precision thus reducing inappropriate identification.

Differences in the Relationship of Oral Reading Fluency and High-Stakes Measures of Reading Comprehension.

The current study examined the predictive validity of oral reading fluency measures across first, second, and third grades for two reading achievement measures at the end of third grade. Oral reading fluency measures were administered to students from first grade to third. The Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills and the Stanford Achievement Test were also administered in the third grade. Oral reading fluency was a reliable predictor of student success on both measures. Data suggest that greater student growth in oral reading fluency is needed through the grade levels to ensure high probabilities of success on the nationally normed measure, as compared to what is needed for the state-normed measure. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.

Response to instruction, English language learners and disproportionate representation: the role of assessment / Respuesta a la intervención, aprendices del idioma inglés como segunda lengua, y representación desproporcionada: el rol de la evaluación

Response to Intervention (RtI), a cyclical process that incorporates assessment and instruction, is both an approach to prevent learning difficulties and to establish student eligibility for special education. Assessment results are used to determine students’ initial knowledge and skill, their need for successively more intensive levels of instruction, and to gauge their response to the intervention provided. Although this process is preferable to the IQ/achievement discrepancy model for determining the presence of specific learning disabilities, there are still a number of unresolved issues related to the assessment procedures in use. A pressing issue is the identification of measures and procedures that identify students with the greatest precision thus reducing inappropriate identification(AU)

Respuesta a la Intervención (RtI), proceso cíclico que incorpora la evaluación y la instrucción, es al mismo tiempo un enfoque para prevenir dificultades de aprendizaje y determinar la selección del estudiante para educación especial. Los resultados de las evaluaciones se utilizan para determinar los conocimientos iniciales de los estudiantes y sus habilidades, así como para implementar si son necesarios otros niveles más intensivos de instrucción, y para calibrar la respuesta del estudiante a la intervención prevista. Aunque este proceso es preferible al modelo de diagnóstico de las dificultades de aprendizaje basado en la discrepancia CI-rendimiento, todavía hay una serie de cuestiones pendientes de resolver como sería el tema relativo a los procedimientos de evaluación en uso. Un problema urgente es la identificación de medidas y procedimientos que identifiquen a los estudiantes con la mayor precisión lo que reduciría una identificación inadecuada(AU)

Response to intervention and English-language learners: instructional and assessment considerations.

This article presents issues associated with the implementation of a three-tier response to intervention (RTI) approach with English-language learners (ELLs). Instructional and assessment considerations are discussed particularly as they pertain to issues of language and literacy development. Opportunities for collaboration among bilingual education, English as a second language, and general education teachers, and speech-language pathologists are identified. In addition to effective Tier 1 and Tier 2 interventions, prerequisites to the success of RTI approaches for ELLs are discussed, including school climate and effective instruction.

Intensifying instruction: Does additional instructional time make a difference for the most at-risk first graders?

Research is clear on the benefit of early intervention efforts and the importance of intensive instructional supports; however, understanding which features to intensify is less clear. General intervention features of group size, instructional delivery, and time are areas schools can consider manipulating to intensify instruction. Also, each of these features can vary along a continuum making them easier or more challenging for schools to implement. What is unclear is if implementing very intensive interventions early in school (first grade), which require significantly more school resources, provides accordingly accelerated student learning. This article investigates the role of intensifying instructional time for the most at-risk first graders in schools implementing research-based instructional and assessment practices within multitiered instructional support systems. Results indicate that students receiving more intensive intervention made significantly more progress across a range of early reading measures. Intervention features, limitations, recommendations for practice, and implications for treatment resisters are discussed.

Predicting reading success in a multilevel schoolwide reading model: a retrospective analysis.

Despite recent research findings that implicate a long list of student variables that predict reading success or failure, these predictor variables have not been considered in the context of contemporary models of multitiered schoolwide reading intervention. This longitudinal, retrospective study follows 668 kindergarten and first-grade students identified as at risk for later reading difficulties through third grade. Key predictor variables were examined to determine their validity for predicting initial status and growth on oral reading fluency, third-grade oral reading fluency, and third-grade performance on a standardized test of reading. Results are provided in light of the instructional model provided. Implications for instruction and assessment are discussed.

Teaching struggling readers who are native Spanish speakers: what do we know?

PURPOSE: The purpose of this article is to share what we have learned from a series of 4 scientific studies about preventing reading failure through early intervention with native Spanish-speaking students who are struggling readers. The goal is to provide guidance to practitioners about effective practices for working with native Spanish-speaking children who are struggling to become readers using evidence rather than conjecture and opinion. METHOD: First, the method and findings are summarized from each of 4 scientific studies (2 English, 2 Spanish) examining supplemental reading intervention that was provided in addition to core reading instruction in first grade. Second, the supplemental interventions are detailed. Next, aspects of instruction that appear to generalize from what we know about preventing reading failure among native English speakers are discussed. Last, the types of adjustments made to this instruction in order to accommodate the needs of English language learners are examined. IMPLICATIONS: Outcomes confirm that native Spanish-speaking children benefited from explicit, systematic instruction that shared many of the same elements that have been proven to be effective with native English speakers. Further, English as a second language teaching techniques (i.e., use of concrete gestures and visual aids, consistent and repeated routines, and use of repeated phrases and consistent language) benefited native Spanish speakers who were struggling to learn to read in English. However, little transfer of knowledge from one language to another was detected.

The response to intervention of English language learners at risk for reading problems.

The response to intervention (RTI) of English language learners identified as at risk for reading difficulties in the fall of first grade was examined at the end of first grade and at the end of second grade. Students at risk for reading problems were randomly assigned to intervention or control groups. Intervention students received supplemental reading intervention daily for 50 minutes in small groups from October to April. Students in the comparison condition received the school's existing instructional program for struggling readers. Criteria were established to determine adequate RTI at the end of first grade and at the end of second grade. The results indicated that more students who participated in the first-grade intervention in either Spanish or English met the established RTI standards than students who did not, and this finding was maintained through the end of second grade.

Effectiveness of Spanish intervention for first-grade English language learners at risk for reading difficulties.

The effectiveness of an explicit, systematic reading intervention for first-grade students whose home language was Spanish and who were at risk for reading difficulties was examined. Participants were 69 students in 20 classrooms in 7 schools from 3 districts who initially did not pass the screening in Spanish and were randomly assigned within schools to a treatment or comparison group; after 7 months, 64 students remained in the study. The intervention matched the language of instruction of their core reading program (Spanish). Treatment groups of 3 to 5 students met daily for 50 min and were provided systematic and explicit instruction in oral language and reading by trained bilingual intervention teachers. Comparison students received the school's standard intervention for struggling readers. Observations during core reading instruction provided information about the reading instruction and language use of the teachers. There were no differences between the treatment and comparison groups in either Spanish or English on any measures at pretest, but there were significant posttest differences in favor of the treatment group for the following outcomes in Spanish: Letter-Sound Identification (d = 0.72), Phonological Awareness composite (d = 0.73), Woodcock Language Proficiency Battery-Revised Oral Language composite (d = 0.35), Word Attack (d = 0.85), Passage Comprehension (d = 0.55), and two measures of reading fluency (d = 0.58-0.75).