The Preschool PATHS Curriculum: Integrating theories of emotion and cognition in the preschool classroom Rebecca C. Cortes, Ph.D The University of Washington The Conference on Early Learning at the UW June, 2009

Overview Define Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) frameworkDefine Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) framework Describe the Preschool PATHS CurriculumDescribe the Preschool PATHS Curriculum Review RCT effects on social behavior and learning engagementReview RCT effects on social behavior and learning engagement Wrap up with implications for kindergarten school adjustmentWrap up with implications for kindergarten school adjustment

© 2006, Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL). What is SEL? The process of developing social and emotional skills in the context of safe, caring, well-managed, and engaging learning environments. These skills include the ability to: Recognize and manage emotions Care about and respect others Develop positive relationships Make good decisions Behave responsibly and ethically

Making friends Engaging in learning tasks Engaging in learning tasks Following rules Managing strong emotions Managing strong emotions Resolving conflicts Preschool Social-Emotional Competencies Self-awareness

Making friends Engaging in learning tasks Engaging in learning tasks Following rules Managing strong emotions Managing strong emotions Resolving conflicts Preschool Social-Emotional Competencies Self-awareness

Making friends Engaging in learning tasks Engaging in learning tasks Following rules Managing strong emotions Managing strong emotions Resolving conflicts Preschool Social-Emotional Competencies Self-awareness

Making friends Engaging in learning tasks Engaging in learning tasks Following rules Managing strong emotions Managing strong emotions Resolving conflicts Preschool Social-Emotional Competencies Self-awareness

Making friends Engaging in learning tasks Engaging in learning tasks Following rules Managing strong emotions Managing strong emotions Resolving conflicts Preschool Social-Emotional Competencies Self-awareness

Making friends Engaging in learning tasks Engaging in learning tasks Following rules Managing strong emotions Managing strong emotions Resolving conflicts Preschool Social-Emotional Competencies Self-awareness

Making friends Engaging in learning tasks Engaging in learning tasks Following rules Managing strong emotions Managing strong emotions Resolving conflicts Preschool Social-Emotional Competencies Self-regulation & Social Competence Self-regulation & Social Competence Self-awareness Language

How Self-Regulation and Social Competence Work Impulse Behavior Language Reflection Effortful Control

Parent’s goals & plans Child’s goals & plans Social and Emotional Competence Goal-corrected Partnership How Self-Regulation and Social Competence Develop

Sensitive to others’ feelings Sensitive to others’ feelings Curious, enthusiastic and engaged in learning tasks Curious, enthusiastic and engaged in learning tasks Follows directions Manages strong emotions Manages strong emotions Self-regulation & Social Competence Self-regulation & Social Competence 76% 60% 58% Takes turns and shares Takes turns and shares 55% Pays attention Pays attention 42% Knows letters of alphabet 10% Can count to 20 or more Can count to 20 or more National Center for Educational Statistics: KTSSR % Opinions of Kindergarten Teachers

First-Ever Statewide Kindergarten Teacher Survey on School Readiness Sneak Preview November 2004 Sponsored by: Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction Debra Williams-Appleton Conducted by: Washington State University Social & Economic Sciences Research Center Dave Pavelchek Olympia, WA

Rated Most Important Physical health Non-Disruptive Self control/impulse control Peer interaction Following Directions Top Five – The five items which teachers gave highest average ratings for importance of readiness All rated ‘Very” or ‘Extremely’ important in 93%+ of responses Self-regulation & Social Competence Self-regulation & Social Competence

Rated Least Important Complex Sentences Produces rhyming words Order and group objects Form explanations Classify and compare The five items which teachers gave lowest average ratings for importance of readiness All rated ‘Very” or ‘Extremely’ important in less than 55%+ of responses

The PATHS Curriculum Five Central Goals Awareness of emotional states in oneself and others Awareness of emotional states in oneself and others Ability to put these feelings into words Ability to put these feelings into words Ability to calm oneself down when emotionally aroused Ability to calm oneself down when emotionally aroused Ability to plan ahead and consider the effects of your behavior on others Ability to plan ahead and consider the effects of your behavior on others Feelings of empathy and compassion for others Feelings of empathy and compassion for others

PATHS: Theoretical Models Developmental theory on the integration of affect, cognition, language and behavior Neuro-cognitive model of regulatory function of language and emotional awareness for frontal lobe control of behavior Ecological model focused on building a caring school environment

PATHS: Focus on Emotion Knowledge Basic Feelings  Comfortable/Uncomfortable  Happy  Sad  Mad  Scared Intermediate Feelings  Frustrated  Proud  Excited  Tired Advanced Feelings  Love  Worried  Disappointed  Jealous  Furious  Guilty

Language and Emotion Verbalizing our feelings makes our sadness, anger and pain less intense by altering brain activity Increased activity in the amygdala Labeling the emotion “Angry” Decreased amygdala activity Increased right ventro- lateral pre-frontal brain Lieberman, M. D., Eisenberger, N. I., Crockett, M. J., Tom, S. M., Pfeifer, J. H., & Way, B. M. (2007). Putting feelings into words: Affect labeling disrupts amygdala activity in response to affective stimuli. Psychological Science

PATHS: Focus on Intentional Inhibitory Control

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PATHS: Focus on Sharing, Caring, Friendships, and Social problem-solving

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3 things you can do for your student or child to enhance SEL Develop emotional literacy Do turtle! Give and model appropriate compliments

Study 1: Head Start-University Partnership RCT 248 children in 20 classrooms: 248 children in 20 classrooms:  10 classrooms used PATHS  10 comparison Head Start classrooms Effects of Receiving PATHS Effects of Receiving PATHS  Teachers reported higher levels of social-emotional competence & lower levels of social withdrawal  Parents reported higher levels of social-emotional competence  Children were better at identifying emotions, showed less anger bias Domitrovich, C. E., Cortes, R. C. & Greenberg, M.T. (2007). Improving young children’s social and emotional competence: A randomized trial of the preschool PATHS curriculum. Journal of Primary Prevention, 28,

K. Bierman, C. Domitrovich, R. Nix, S. Gest, J. Welsh, M. Greenberg, C. Blair, K. Nelson, S. Gill Funded by NICHD grants HD & HD43763 Study 2: Preschool PATHS with Integrated Emergent Literacy Focus: The Head Start REDI Program

Head Start REDI RCT Participants were year-old children in 44 Head Start classrooms Participants were year-old children in 44 Head Start classrooms Classrooms were stratified on county location, student demographics & length of program day, and then randomized to intervention or “usual practice” comparison Classrooms were stratified on county location, student demographics & length of program day, and then randomized to intervention or “usual practice” comparison Assessments were conducted at the beginning and end of the Head Start pre-kindergarten year. Intervention continued throughout that year. Assessments were conducted at the beginning and end of the Head Start pre-kindergarten year. Intervention continued throughout that year. Children transitioned into 204 kindergarten classrooms, where 94% completed follow-up assessments. Children transitioned into 204 kindergarten classrooms, where 94% completed follow-up assessments.

Intervention Components Social-Emotional Competencies PATHS Curriculum Pro-social skills Pro-social skills Emotional competence Emotional competence Self control Self control Social problem solving Social problem solving Language/Literacy Skills Interactive Reading Sound Games Print Center Vocabulary Syntax Phonological sensitivity Print awareness Major Emphasis on Hands-On, Proactive Teacher Coaching

Impact on Pre-Kindergarten Teaching Practices Compared with teachers in “usual practice” control classrooms, teachers with REDI support: Compared with teachers in “usual practice” control classrooms, teachers with REDI support:  Did more emotion coaching  Provided more emotional support  Used more positive behavior management strategies  Had richer conversations with students Domitrovich, C.D., Gest, S.D., Gill, S., Bierman, K.L., Welsh. J. & Jones, D. (in press) Fostering High Quality Teaching with an Enriched Curriculum and Professional Development Support: The Head Start REDI Program. American Educational Research Journal

Mediated Intervention Effects: Social Emotional Competence Intervention (YES or NO) Social Competence Teacher Practice Mediators: More Statements More Sensitive-Responsive Talk More Rich Talk Better Instructional Support Better Emotional Support.26+ (.07) Teacher practice accounts for 77% of intervention effect

Impact on Pre-Kindergarten Social-Emotional Learning Higher scores on: Higher scores on:  Emotion recognition & understanding  Competent solutions to social problems  Teacher ratings of social-emotional competence  Observer ratings of social-emotional competence Lower scores on: Lower scores on:  Teacher ratings of aggression  Parent ratings of ADHD behaviors & aggression Bierman, K. L., Domitrovich, C. E., Nix, R., Gest, S. D., Welsh, J. A., Greenberg, M. T., Blair, C., et al. (2008). Promoting academic and social-emotional school readiness: The Head Start REDI program. Child Development, 79,

Teacher training in mindfulness practices Garrison Institute Initiative on Contemplation and Education, Cultivating Awareness and Resilience in Education (CARE) Training, Second Annual Retreat for Teachers p?act=event&date=

Emotional Understanding and Social Problem-Solving Skills P<.06 P<.03P<.04 P<.01

Direct Effects on Executive Functions Dimension Change Card Sort (WM, Inhibitory Control, Set Shifting ) – Intervention Effect p.=06 Dimension Change Card Sort (WM, Inhibitory Control, Set Shifting ) – Intervention Effect p.=06 Peg-Tapping (Inhibitory Control) – no effect Peg-Tapping (Inhibitory Control) – no effect Backward Digits (Working Memory) – no effect Backward Digits (Working Memory) – no effect Observed Sustained Learning Engagement – p<.02 Observed Sustained Learning Engagement – p<.02 Moderation of Outcomes by EF Skills Students with lower initial EF Skills showed the most gains in intervention on Social-Emotional Outcomes Students with lower initial EF Skills showed the most gains in intervention on Social-Emotional Outcomes Bierman, K.L., Nix, R.L., Greenberg, M.T., Blair, C. & Domitrovich, C.E. (2008) Executive functions and school readiness intervention: Impact, moderation, and mediation in the Head Start REDI Program. Development and Psychopathology, 20, Impact on Pre-Kindergarten Executive Function Skills

Path Models of Indirect Effects Residualized gain scores were computed to represent growth in social competence and learning engagement skills during the pre-kindergarten year (with site, cohort, race & gender controlled) Residualized gain scores were computed to represent growth in social competence and learning engagement skills during the pre-kindergarten year (with site, cohort, race & gender controlled) Path analyses evaluated the degree to which prekindergarten growth in these targeted skills predicted kindergarten school adjustment. Path analyses evaluated the degree to which prekindergarten growth in these targeted skills predicted kindergarten school adjustment. Tests of joint significance with asymmetric confidence intervals evaluated the significance of the indirect, developmental pathways (MacKinnon et al., 2002). Tests of joint significance with asymmetric confidence intervals evaluated the significance of the indirect, developmental pathways (MacKinnon et al., 2002). 38

Study 3: Preschool PATHS as part of Head Start CARES (Head Start Classroom-based Approaches and Resources for Emotion and Social skill promotion),

PATHS Abroad New Translations: Spanish Chinese – Hong Kong German Korean Croatian Greek New Studies Korea Croatia N. Ireland Future Projects France Bosnia Italy-Switzerland Chile

Summary As a social-emotional learning program, and guided by a social-cognitive neuroscience model of developing self- regulation, Preschool PATHS emphasizes emotion knowledge, intentional inhibitory control, and social problem-solving dialogue. As a social-emotional learning program, and guided by a social-cognitive neuroscience model of developing self- regulation, Preschool PATHS emphasizes emotion knowledge, intentional inhibitory control, and social problem-solving dialogue. Two RCTs document a positive impact of Preschool PATHS on children’s developing social competencies, aggression control, and learning engagement. Two RCTs document a positive impact of Preschool PATHS on children’s developing social competencies, aggression control, and learning engagement. One year follow-up data suggests that Preschool PATHS can be effectively integrated with language/emergent literacy curricula, producing facilitated growth in social competence and positive approaches to learning that support child school success as they make the transition into kindergarten. One year follow-up data suggests that Preschool PATHS can be effectively integrated with language/emergent literacy curricula, producing facilitated growth in social competence and positive approaches to learning that support child school success as they make the transition into kindergarten.

The Big Picture: Supporting Effective Social and Emotional Development Teacher Well- Being and Awareness Social and Emotional Skill Development Effective Conditions for Learning

Acknowledgments Research funding for the studies described here was provided by a Head Start/University Partnership Grant (PI: Mark Greenberg) and by a grant awarded by the federal Interagency School Readiness Consortium, which includes the NICHD, the Administration for Children and Families, the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation within the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation (PI: Karen Bierman). Appreciation is expressed to the participating teachers, children, and parents and our Head Start partners in Pennsylvania -- Blair County, Capital Area, Huntingdon Area, Lycoming-Clinton, and York County.

THANK YOU! and thanks to: Mark Greenberg Celene Domitrovich Karen Bierman The Davis Family St. Anne School

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