Skip to main content

The Group-Centered Approach

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
After-School Prevention Programs for At-Risk Students
  • 1412 Accesses

Abstract

Even though prevention programs measure success in terms of the degree of change that a program produces (Kulic et al. 2004), change will not always be the same for every student. This is still true for a group-centered prevention program, and it does not mean that your program is a failure. One of the major advantages of the group-centered approach is that it enables you to individualize instruction in a group setting. We must remember that students are individuals. They bring to the after-school program their own individual needs, problems, and learning styles. Some children will need more time than others to learn the same material. The group-centered approach enables you to design an after-school program which gives students the time and support that they need in order to learn and change their behavior. The key is to make sure that every child is indeed improving, even if that improvement is sometimes much slower than others in the group.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

eBook
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Blaunstein, P., & Lyon, R. (2006). Why kids can’t read: Challenging the status quo in education. Lanham, MD: Rowman and Littlefield Education.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bryant, A., Schulenberg, J., O’Malley, P., Bachman, J., & Johnston, L. (2003). How academic achievement, attitudes, and behaviors relate to the course of substance use during adolescence: A 6-year, multinational longitudinal study. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 13, 361–397.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bryck, R. L., & Fisher, P. A. (2012). Training the brain: Practical applications of neural plasticity from the intersection of cognitive neuroscience, developmental psychology, and prevention science. American Psychologist, 67, 87–100. doi:10.1037/a0024657.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Castle, L., Aubert, R. E., Verbrugge, R. R., Khalid, M., & Epstein, R. S. (2007). Trends in medication treatment for ADHD. Journal of Attention Disorders, 10, 335–342.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Catalano, R. F., Mazza, J. J., Harachi, T. W., Abbott, R. D., Haggerty, K. P., & Fleming, C. B. (2003). Raising healthy children through enhancing social development in elementary school: Results after 1.5 years. Journal of School Psychology, 41, 143–164.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chard, D. J., Vaughn, S., & Tyler, B. J. (2002). A synthesis of research on effective interventions for building reading fluency with elementary students with learning disabilities. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 35, 386–406.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Clanton Harpine, E. (2010b). Erasing failure in the classroom, vol. 2: Vowel clustering, a ready-to-use classroom style group-centered intervention for teaching irregular vowel sounds to at-risk children and youth. Aiken, SC: Group-Centered Learning.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clanton Harpine, E. (2011a). Group-centered prevention programs for at-risk students. New York: Springer.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Clanton Harpine, E. (2011b, August). Developing group-centered prevention programs for community-based settings. Paper presented at the annual convention of the American Psychological Association, Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clanton Harpine, E. (2013a). Erasing failure in the classroom, vol.3: The Reading Orienteering Club, using vowel clustering in an after-school program. Aiken, SC: Group-Centered Learning.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clanton Harpine, E. (2013b). Prevention groups. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coie, J. D., Watt, N. F., West, S. G., Hawkins, J. D., Asarnow, J. R., Markham, H. J., et al. (1993). The science of prevention: A conceptual framework and some directions for a national research program. American Psychologist, 48, 1013–1022.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cornelius, M. D., Goldschmidt, L., Day, N. L., & Larkby, C. (2002). Alcohol, tobacco and marijuana use among pregnant teenagers: 6-year follow-up of off-spring growth effects. Neurotoxicology & Teratology, 24, 703–710.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Draganski, B., Gaser, C., Kempermann, G., Kuhm, H. G., Winkler, J., Buchel, C., et al. (2006). Temporal and spatial dynamics of brain structure changes during extensive learning. Journal of Neuroscience, 26, 6314–6317.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Duckworth, A. L., Peterson, C., Matthews, M. D., & Kelly, D. R. (2007). Grit: Perseverance and passion for long-term goals. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 92, 1087–1101.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • DuPaul, G. J., & Stoner, G. D. (2004). ADHD in the schools: Assessment and intervention strategies (2nd ed.). New York: Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • DuPaul, G. J., & Weyandt, L. L. (2006). School-based intervention for children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Effects on academic, social, and behavioural functioning. International Journal of Disability, Development and Education, 53, 161–176. doi:10.1080/10349120600716141.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Durlak, J. A., & Dupre, E. P. (2008). Implementation matters: A review of research on the influence of implementation on program outcomes and the factors affecting implementation. American Journal of Community Psychology, 41, 327–350.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Finn, J. D., Gerber, S. B., & Boyd-Zaharias, J. (2005). Small classes in the early grades, academic achievement, and graduating from high school. Journal of Educational Psychology, 97, 214–223.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gersten, R., & Baker, S. (2001). Teaching expressive writing to students with learning disabilities: A meta-analysis. Elementary School Journal, 97, 475–500.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldschmidt, L., Richardson, G. A., Cornelius, M. D., & Day, N. L. (2004). Prenatal marijuana and alcohol exposure and academic achievement at age 10. Neurotoxicology & Teratology, 26, 521–532.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goldschmidt, L., Richardson, G. A., Willford, J., & Day, N. L. (2008). Prenatal marijuana exposure and intelligence test performance at age 6. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 47, 254–263.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Graham, S., & Harris, K. R. (2003). Students with learning disabilities and the process of writing: A meta-analysis of SRSD studies. In H. L. Swanson, K. R. Harris, & S. Graham (Eds.), Handbook of Learning disabilities (pp. 323–344). New York: Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Granger, R. C. (2010). Understanding and improving the effectiveness of after-school practice. American Journal of Community Psychology, 45, 441–446. doi:10.1007/s10464-010-9301-5.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Greenberg, M., Domitrovich, C., & Bumbarger, B. (2001). The prevention of mental disorders in school-aged children: Current state of the field. Prevention and Treatment, 4, Article 0001a. Retrieved May 9, 2005, from http://journals.apa.org/prevention/volume 4/pre0040001a.html

  • Gullotta, T. P., Bloom, M., Gullotta, C., & Messina, J. C. (2009). A blueprint for promoting academic and social competence in afterschool programs. New York: Springer.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Hirsch, J., Mekinda, M. A., & Stawicki, J. (2010). More than attendance: The importance of after-school program quality. American Journal of Community Psychology, 45, 447–452. doi:10.1007/s10464-010-9310-4.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jensen, P. S., Arnold, L. E., Swanson, J. M., Vitiello, B., Abikoff, H. B., Greenhill, L. L., et al. (2007). 3-year follow-up of the NIMH MTA study. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 46, 989–1002. doi:10.1097/CHI.0b013e3180886d48.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Keller, T. A., & Just, M. A. (2009). Altering cortical connectivity: Remediation-induced changes in the white matter of poor readers. Neuron, 64, 624–631. doi:10.1016/j.neuron.2009.10.018.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Koegel, L. K., Kuriakose, S., Singh, A. K., & Koegel, R. L. (2012). Improving generalization of peer socialization gains in inclusive school settings using initiatives training. Behavior Modification, 20(10), 1–17. doi:10.1177/0145445512445609.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kulic, K. R., Horne, A. M., & Dagley, J. C. (2004). A comprehensive review of prevention groups for children and adolescents. Group Dynamics: Theory, Research, and Practice, 8, 139–151.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lewis, B. A., Singer, L. T., Short, E., Minnes, S., Arendt, R., Weishampel, P., et al. (2004). Four-year language outcomes of children exposed to cocaine in utereo. Neurotoxicology & Teratology, 26, 617–628.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lyon, G. R. (1998, April 28). Overview of reading and literacy initiatives. Testimony before the Committee on Labor and Human Resources, Senate Dirkson Building. Retrieved November 27, 2006, from http://www.cdl.org/resourcelibrary/pdf/lyon_testimonies.pdf

  • Lyon, G. R. (2002). Reading development, reading difficulties, and reading instruction educational and public health issues. Journal of School Psychology, 40, 3–6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Merzenich, M. M. (2001). Cortical plasticity contributing to child development. In J. L. McClelland & R. S. Siegler (Eds.), Mechanisms of cognitive development: Behavioral and neural perspectives (pp. 67–95). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Meyler, A., Keller, T. A., Cherkassky, V. L., Gabrieli, J. D., & Just, M. A. (2008). Modifying the brain activation of poor readers during sentence comprehension with extended remedial instruction: A longitudinal study of neuroplasticity. Neuropsychologia, 46, 2580–2592.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Nastasi, B. K., Moore, R. B., & Varjas, K. M. (2004). School-based mental health services: Creating comprehensive and culturally specific programs. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • National Assessment of Educational Progress. (2009). Nation's Report Card: Reading 2009. Retrieved from http://nces.ed.gov/nations report card/pdf/main2009/2010458.pdf

  • National Center for Education Statistics. (2011). The Nation’s Report Card: Reading 2011 (NCES 2012–457). National Center for educational statistics, Institute of education sciences, US Department of Education, Washington DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nelson, C. A., & Bosquet, M. (2000). Neurobiology of fetal and infant development: Implications for infant mental health. In C. H. Zeanah Jr. (Ed.), Handbook of infant mental health (2nd ed.). New York: Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nelson, G., Westhues, A., & MacLeod, J. (2003). A meta-analysis of longitudinal research on preschool prevention programs for children. Prevention and Treatment, 6, Article 0031a. Retrieved May 9, 2005, from http://journals.apa.org/prevention/volume 6/preoo60031a.html

  • Obiakor, F. E. (2001). It even happens in “good” schools: Responding to cultural diversity in today’s classrooms. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ogrodniczuk, J. S., & Piper, W. E. (2003). The effect of group climate on outcome in two forms of short-term group therapy. Group Dynamics: Theory Research and Practice, 7, 64–76.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ozsivadjian, A., & Knott, F. (2011). Anxiety problems in young people with autism spectrum disorder: A case series. Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 16, 203–214. doi:10. 117711359104511404 749.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Riggs, N. R., & Greenberg, M. T. (2004). After-school youth development programs can be effective for solving academic failure and reducing crime. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 7, 177–190.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Segal, N. L. (2000). Entwined lives: Twins and what they tell us about human behavior. New York: Plume.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sheldon, J., Arbreton, A., Hopkins, L., & Grossman, J. B. (2010). Investing in success: Key strategies for building quality in after-school programs. American Journal of Community Psychology, 45, 394–404. doi:10.1007/s10464-010-9296-y.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Simonsen, B., Shaw, S. F., Sugai, G., Coyne, M. D., Rhein, B., Madaus, J. W., et al. (2010). A schoolwide model for service delivery: Redefining special educators as interventionists. Remedial and Special Education, 31(1), 17–23. doi:10.1177/0241932508324396.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Slavin, R. L. (2002). Operative group dynamics in school settings: Structuring to enhance educational, social, and emotional progress. Group, 26, 297–308.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith, C., Peck, S. C., Denault, A.-S., Blazevski, J., & Akiva, T. (2010). Quality at the point of service: Profiles of practice in after-school settings. American Journal of Community Psychology, 45, 358–369. doi:10.1007/s10464-010-9315-z.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Snowden, L. R. (2005). Racial, cultural and ethnic disparities in health and mental health: Toward theory and research at community levels. American Journal of Community Psychology, 35, 1–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sternberg, R. J., Wagner, R. K., Williams, W. M., & Horvath, J. A. (1997). Testing common sense. In D. Russ-Eft, H. Preskill, & C. Sleezer (Eds.), Human resource development review: Research and implications (pp. 102–132). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Strayhorn, J. (2002). Self-control: Toward systematic training programs. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 41, 17–27.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Torgesen, J. K., Alexander, A. W., Wagner, R. K., Rashotte, C. A., Voeller, K. S., & Conway, T. (2001). Intensive remedial instruction for children with severe reading disabilities: Immediate and long-term outcomes from two instructional approaches. Journal of Learning disabilities, 34, 133–158. doi:10.1177/002221940103400104.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Trout, A. L., Lienemann, T. O., Reid, R., & Epstein, M. H. (2007). A review of non-medication interventions to improve the academic performance of children and youth with ADHD. Remedial and Special Education, 28, 207–226.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vacha-Haase, T., & Thompson, B. (2004). How to estimate and interpret effect sizes. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 51, 473–481.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2013 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Harpine, E.C. (2013). The Group-Centered Approach. In: After-School Prevention Programs for At-Risk Students. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-7416-6_2

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics