School-Based Early Mental Health Intervention with At-Risk Students

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of a school-based early mental health intervention program on school adjustment of first-to fourth-grade at-risk children, using a wait-control design. Subjects participated in individual play sessions conducted by carefully selected, trained, and supervised nonprofessional child aides. A MANOVA assessed changes in teachers' ratings of school adjustment over time using the Teacher-Child Rating Scale. The intervention significantly lessened teachers' perception of student shyness, anxiety, and learning problems. It also increased perceived assertive social skills, task orientation, and peer social skills (p <.05). Improvement placed children as a group within the range of functioning exhibited by nonreferred peers.