Building Capacity in Military-Connected Schools

Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies (PATHS)

http://www.colorado.edu/cspv/blueprints/modelprograms.html
http://nrepp.samhsa.gov

Goals: To promote emotional and social competencies and reducing aggressive and behavior problems in students.

Target Outcomes: For children to be able to react in productive and competent ways to changes, school work, social situations and behavioral issues.

Populations: All elementary age students in regular or special needs classrooms should be initiated at entrance to school and continued through 5th grade.

Problem: Childhood aggression and behavioral problems and a lack of knowledge of how to deal with these issues.

Intervention:

• Program taught 3x a week
  
  • provides teachers with curriculum for the prevention of violence and the promotion of self control and positive peer relations
  • lessons include learning about and identifying feelings
  • teachers receive 2-3 days of training and weekly meeting with the program coordinator
• Resources:
  • $15-$45 per student per year
  • Higher cost involves an on site coordinator, and lower involves using current staff

Results:

• Improved self control
• Improved understanding and recognition of emotions
• Increased ability to tolerate frustration
• Use of effective conflict resolution strategies
• Increased thinking and planning skills
• Decreased anxiety/depression symptoms, behavioral problems
• Decreased sadness/depression and aggression