EFFECTIVENESS OF PRESCHOOL PATHS (PROMOTING ALTERNATIVE THINKING STRATEGIES) CURRICULUM TO ENHANCE SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL COMPETENCE

Abstract

Evidence on growing trend of mental health issues in children in the context of socio-political instability in Pakistani society calls for remedial efforts at early childhood stage. The present study is conceptualized to evaluate the effectiveness of Preschool PATHS Curriculum to enhance social-emotional competence of children. The curriculum was culturally adapted in the context of urban Pakistani community using heuristic framework of program adaptation. A quasi-experimental nonequivalent waitlist control group design was used for the effectiveness trial. The sample consisted of 101, 4 years old preschool children from seven classrooms of different private sector school in Rawalpindi and Islamabad, which were selected on the basis of teacher’s perception of frequency of behavioral problems. The classrooms were further divided into control and intervention groups. Pre and post assessments were collected on revised version of Kusche Emotion Inventory-Receptive Subtest (Kusche, 1984), Child Behavior Checklist (1.5-5)-CTRF (Achenbach & Rescorla, 2000), and Social Competence Scale-Teacher Version (Conduct Problems Prevention Research Group, 1990). Intention To Treat (ITT) analysis was used to assess effectiveness of intervention on outcome measures using last observation carry forward (LOCF) technique for sample attrition. Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was used to adjust the effects of intervention for scores on outcome measures at baseline. Gender effects on intervention status were calculated by Repeated Measures Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). Effect sizes were calculated for significant intervention effects. Results showed a significant intervention effect on socialemotional competence and behavioral problems of preschool children. However, viii there were non-significant differences between control and intervention group on accuracy scores of emotion recognition, prosocial/communication skills and academic skills at posttest. Recognition of emotions variable was no more significant after controlling for classroom strength. Significant gender effects were found for impact of intervention on behavioral problems where boys showed decrease in total behavioral problems and externalizing problems. The study provides preliminary evidence of effectiveness of Preschool PATHS curriculum for Pakistani children. With all the limitations of the study, the present investigation can be taken as a critical first step towards understanding the area of prevention science in indigenous context.