The Effects of Consultation-based Family-school Engagement on Student and Parent Outcomes: A Meta-analysis

ABSTRACT

Given that consultation has consistently yielded benefits for clients and consultees, it is likely an effective method of promoting family-school engagement. Thus, this meta-analysis examined the effects of consultation-based family-school engagement on child and parent outcomes, and complementary intervention methods used in conjunction with consultation. This study also sought to advance consultation research via a contemporary meta-analytic technique, robust variance estimation (RVE). Analyses yielded significant effects of consultation-based family-school engagement on children’s social-behavioral competence (δ = 0.34), mental health (δ = 0.37), and academic achievement (δ = 0.27). Significant effects for parent practices (δ = 0.53), parent attitudes (δ = 0.49), and relational outcomes (δ = 0.37) were also found. Complementary intervention methods revealed significant effects across various child, parent, and relational outcomes. Results indicate benefits of consultation-based family-school engagement for key outcomes and have implications for utilizing complementary methods to augment the net effects of consultation for valuable stakeholders.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This research reported here was supported by the Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education, through Grant R305A120144 awarded to the University of Nebraska. The opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not represent views of the Institute or the U.S. Department of Education.

Notes on contributors

Tyler E. Smith

Tyler E. Smith, PhD, is a Senior Research Associate with the Missouri Prevention Science Institute and the Department of Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology at the University of Missouri.

Shannon R. Holmes

Shannon R. Holmes, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Educational, School and Counseling Psychology at the University of Missouri.

Susan M. Sheridan

Susan M. Sheridan, PhD, is a George Holmes University Professor and Willa Cather Emeritus Professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Nebraska, where she is also the director of the Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families, and Schools.

Jennifer M. Cooper

Jennifer M. Cooper, PhD, is a faculty member in the School Psychology program, Department of Student Development, at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

Bradley S. Bloomfield

Bradley S. Bloomfield, Ph.D., BCBA-D, NCSP, LBA is an Assistant Professor and Program Coordinator in School Psychology at the University of Alabama.

June L. Preast

June L. Preast, PhD, NCSP, is an Assistant Professor in the School Psychology at the University of Alabama.