Assessing the Feasibility of Peer Coach Training for Disruptive Middle School Youth: A Mixed Methods Pilot Study.

Autor: Galbraith K; University of Southern California, Department of Psychology, 3620 McClintock Avenue, Suite 501, Los Angeles, CA 90089 US., Tarbox J; University of Southern California, Department of Psychology, 3620 McClintock Avenue, Suite 501, Los Angeles, CA 90089 US., Huey SJ Jr; University of Southern California, Department of Psychology, 3620 McClintock Avenue, Suite 501, Los Angeles, CA 90089 US.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: Journal of child and family studies [J Child Fam Stud] 2023; Vol. 32 (6), pp. 1753-1764. Date of Electronic Publication: 2022 Dec 14.
DOI: 10.1007/s10826-022-02504-w
Abstrakt: In U.S. schools, disruptive behavior is by far the primary reason for disciplinary referrals, including suspensions and expulsions. School-based interventions targeting disruptive behavior usually position struggling youth as treatment recipients and neglect the psychosocial benefits of helping others. In this mixed methods pilot study, we evaluate the preliminary feasibility and acceptability of Peer Coach Training (PCT), a novel, school-based intervention for youth referred for disruptive behavior that deemphasizes the youth's existing problems and focuses instead on training youth to help their peers. We used quantitative and qualitative methods to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of PCT on two cohorts of disruptive youth ( N  = 9) in an urban middle school in Southern California. Youth and teachers completed assessments at baseline, post-treatment, and three-month follow-up. At posttreatment and follow-up, youth reported significant reductions in externalizing problems, as well as reductions in conduct problems, attention problems, and aggressive behavior; in contrast, teacher ratings yielded null findings. Qualitative interviews revealed that youth and teachers observed positive changes in peer interactions, self-confidence, and classroom participation efforts. Youth satisfaction data indicated that youth enjoyed participating in PCT and would highly recommend it to their friends. Results from this pilot evaluation suggest that training youth to help their peers is an appealing, feasible, and promising strategy for reducing disruptive behavior, however, controlled trials are needed to provide evidence for treatment efficacy.
Competing Interests: Conflict of InterestThe authors declare no competing interests.
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Databáze: MEDLINE
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