Gender and Ethnicity: Are they Associated with Differential Outcomes of a Biopsychosocial Social-Emotional Learning Program?

Using hair biomarkers to examine social-emotional resilience in adolescence: A feasibility study

Background

The SKY Schools Program combines breath-based techniques and a social-emotional learning curriculum. We examined its effects on objective physiological biomarkers, including hair cortisol (HCC, chronic stress measure) and hair oxytocin (HOC, social affiliation measure), as well as behavioral (youth risk behaviors) and mental health outcomes (anxiety, depression).

Methods

The SKY Schools program was adapted for post-pandemic restrictions (i.e., staff shortages, no lessons requiring writing, limited weekly follow-ups) and implemented among 7th grade students (daily in-person 40-min sessions for three weeks during physical education classes). Longitudinal assessments were obtained at baseline (T1, February 2022, N = 21), post-intervention (T2, June 2022, N = 20), and follow-up (T3, December 2022, N = 18).

Results

Most of our sample was male (67 %), Hispanic (62 %), and lived in low-income (<$100K) households (75 %). Students reported fewer poor mental health days at follow-up (Friedman test p < 0.01). Log-normal (Ln)-HCC (p < 0.01) were higher post-intervention vs. baseline (median 1.81 (IQR 1.63-2.46) vs. 1.60 (0.91-1.85)) and lower at follow-up (1.23; IQR: 0.64-1.50), with HCC in more students moving into the adaptive range (25th-75th percentile). Ln-HOC (p = 0.04) were higher post-intervention vs. baseline (1.78 (1.54-2.26) vs. 1.50 (0.81-1.70)).

Conclusions

This study uniquely evaluated the impact of the SKY intervention on hair cortisol (HCC) and hair oxytocin concentrations (HOC), which are objective, physiological measures of chronic stress and social affiliation. Results suggest that SKY may improve social affiliation and possibly HPA-axis regulation.

Relationship of Social-Emotional Learning, Resilience, Psychological Well-Being, and Depressive Symptoms with Physical Activity in School-Aged Children

BACKGROUND

This study investigated the association of psychological well-being (PWB), resilience, depressive symptoms, and social-emotional learning (SEL) with physical activity (PA) in school-aged children. The objective was to understand how these psychosocial factors influence PA levels and identify gender-specific differences in these relationships.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study involved 534 fourth grade and sixth grade students from eight schools in the Midwest region of the United States, with data collected through a Qualtrics survey. Multiple linear regression models were used to analyze the data, with gender-specific analyses conducted to identify differences between boys and girls.

RESULTS

The models indicated that all psychosocial factors taken together are significantly associated with PA (F = 26.937, p < 0.001). Of the factors, PWB and resilience were associated with higher PA individually for the total sample (β = 0.383, p = 0.001; β = 0.146, p = 0.005). A gender-specific analysis revealed that all factors collectively were significantly associated with PA in boys and girls (F = 15.846, p < 0.001; F = 6.869, p < 0.001). Individually, PWB and resilience were significantly associated with PA in boys (β = 0.358, p = 0.001; β = 0.171, p = 0.013), while only PWB was significantly associated with PA in girls (β = -0.355, p = 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

This study highlights the necessity of promoting resilience and psychological well-being through structured physical activities, aiming to reduce the risk of obesity and improve mental health among children. Future research should consider longitudinal designs and objective measures to further elucidate these relationships and inform effective educational strategies.

Breathing life into social emotional learning programs: A Bio-Psycho-Social approach to risk reduction and positive youth development

INTRODUCTION

Over one-third of US adolescents engage in health risk and problem behaviors. Additionally, significant percentages of problem-free youth aren't flourishing. Left unaddressed, the lifetime mental/physical health and financial burdens may be substantial. Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) and Positive Youth Development (PYD) programs have proliferated to address the drivers of adaptive versus risk behaviors. Research suggests SEL/PYD program outcomes can be improved by adding techniques that physiologically induce calmness, yet few studies exist.

METHODS

This randomized controlled trial of 79 urban eighth-graders examined a standardized bio-psycho-social program, SKY Schools, which incorporates a physiologically calming component: controlled yogic breathing.

RESULTS

Repeated-measures ANOVAs demonstrated that compared to controls, SKY graduates exhibited significant improvements in emotion regulation, planning and concentration, and distractibility. After 3 months, significant improvements were evidenced in emotion regulation, planning and concentration, identity formation, and aggressive normative beliefs.

CONCLUSION

SEL/PYD programs may benefit by incorporating biologically-calming techniques to enhance well-being and prevent risk/problem behaviors.

A feasibility (pilot) mixed methods study of an innovative non-pharmacological breath-based yoga and social-emotional intervention program in an at-risk youth sample in London, Canada

BACKGROUND

Various service provision models for youth at risk of homelessness have been researched and implemented, including access to housing and physical and mental health resources. However, even with these interventions, we remain unaware of how best to manage symptoms of depression and anxiety and the rate of drug use in these populations primarily because of a lack of feasibility data.

METHODS

This paper presents the results of a mixed-methods study in London, Canada, that examined the feasibility of implementing a biopsychosocial intervention, SKY Schools, in at-risk youth aged between 16 and 25 (n = 49). The study also recorded qualitative responses about the program's usefulness from the perspective of the service users. The SKY Schools intervention consisted of social-emotional learning combined with Sudarshan Kriya Yoga, a standardized yoga-based breathing exercise routine. The intervention program was divided into two phases: an active learning phase and a reinforcement phase. The following feasibility outcome measures were collected: (1) the number of potential participants approached per month, (2) number (proportion) who were successfully screened, (3) the proportion of screened participants who enrolled, (4) the rate of retention in the study, (5) rate of adherence to study protocol, (6) proportion of planned ratings that were completed, (7) intervention cost per case, (8) completeness of final data for analysis, (9) length of time to collect all data, (10) quality of all collected data, (11) determining if partnering community organizations were willing to conduct the study as per study protocol, (12) determining if there were any capacity issues with partners providing intervention and investigators being able to perform the tasks that they were committed to doing, (13) determining if there were any problems of entering the data into a computer, (14) preliminary data about the safety of the intervention, and (15) preliminary estimate of treatment effects.

RESULTS

All feasibility outcome measures were collectible. In the city of London, Canada it was feasible to conduct a pilot study in this population of youth at risk of homelessness. Foremost among the findings was a high retention rate (61.2%) and overall positive qualitative feedback with a number of potential suggestions to improve the delivery and quality of the intervention. However, we had a significantly low recruitment rate (0.27 participants per week) suggesting that multiple sites will be needed to achieve an adequate sample size for a subsequent definitive trial.

CONCLUSIONS

Future researchers may consider the findings of this feasibility study when designing a randomized control trial to further assess the efficacy and tolerability of SKY Schools.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Trial registration: Clinicaltrials.gov, identifier NCT02749240. Registered April 22, 2016, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02749240 .

A study on effect of yoga on emotional regulation, self-esteem, and feelings of adolescents

Background:

The present study has investigated the effect of yoga on the emotional regulation, self-esteem, and feelings of the adolescents.

Methods:

The participants of the study are 110 students aged 13–18 years and studying in the senior secondary schools of Mandi district (Himachal Pradesh). The sample consisted of 52 adolescents practicing yoga and 58 adolescents who have never practiced yoga. The primary data has been collected through standardized instruments.

Results:

The adolescents practicing yoga were noted to significantly differ from the non-yoga group on emotional regulation, self-esteem, and feeling components.

Conclusions:

The significant effect of yoga on emotional regulation, self-esteem, and feelings of the adolescents calls for attention of the policy makers for initiating yoga at the school levels through standardized yoga curricula and training teachers to motivate and inspire the students to learn and practice yoga at an early age.