Wise Feedback as a Timely Intervention for At-Risk Students Transitioning Into High School

Abstract

A promising development in school-based prevention and intervention science is the use of applied social–psychological concepts to improve students’ experiences and outcomes in school. Mounting evidence from rigorous studies supports the efficacy of theoretically informed interventions grounded in social psychology, including growth mindset and values affirmation. One of particular utility for educators and school psychologists is wise feedback, which is a relational technique for providing skillful, constructive feedback. The overarching purpose of this study was to further explore the potential efficacy of wise feedback as a targeted intervention for students exhibiting social problem behaviors resulting in negative outcomes. Wise feedback was implemented using a multiple-baseline design with six students exhibiting signs of dropout (i.e., lack of trust and sense of belonging in a school) in ninth grade. Visual and statistical analysis indicated improvement in the students’ sense of belonging and trust in their schools. Implications, limitations, and future directions are discussed.

Notes

1 Readers interested in greater detail, particularly concerning the study designs, are highly encouraged to read the Yeager et al. (2014) article. The authors provide a very accessible description of their methods.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Andrew J. Thayer

Andrew J. Thayer, MA, is a school psychology doctoral student attending the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. His research interests include the measurement of and intervention upon the knowledge, skills, and beliefs of students and staff that facilitate positive student development; system-level implementation mechanisms and barriers and their intersection with policy; and the embedding of health technology in schools to improve both research and practice.

Clayton R. Cook

Clayton R. Cook, PhD, is the John W. and Nancy E. Peyton faculty fellow in child and adolescent well-being and an associate professor in the school psychology program at the University of Minnesota. He is also a core faculty member at the Institute of Translational Research in Children's Mental Health at the University of Minnesota and one of the founding members of the School Mental Health Assessment, Research, and Training (SMART) Center at the University of Washington. His research interests focus on the development, evaluation, and implementation of evidence-based practices that promote student social, emotional, and behavioral outcomes.

Aria E. Fiat

Aria E. Fiat, MA, is a graduate student in the school psychology program at the University of Minnesota. She researches the design and implementation of school-based interventions to promote well-being and resilience through the lens of positive psychology and integrative mental health care.

Meghanne N. Bartlett-Chase

Meghanne N. Bartlett-Chase, BS, is a school-based advocate and educator for Cornerstone Advocacy Services, a Twin Cities–based sexual violence nonprofit. She is beginning graduate work this fall at The University of Iowa's educational policy and leadership studies program. Her research interests include the connection of social and emotional well-being to academic success, and K–12 education systems and policy regarding mental health and gender.

Jessie M. Kember

Jessie Kember, PhD, recently served as a school psychologist in the Madison Metropolitan School District in Madison, Wisconsin, and will be transitioning to a lecturer position with the school psychology graduate program at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities in the fall of 2018. Her research interests include how society defines sexual-minority youth, how these definitions influence how and what is learned about the experiences of sexual-minority youth, and the characteristics and experiences that shape their resilience.