This program is for students who are in 1st to 5th grade.

PATHS® (Promoting Alternative THinking Strategies), a comprehensive school-based program, is designed to encourage social and emotional competencies and prevent violence, aggression, and behavior problems among children. PATHS also strives to strengthen children's critical thinking skills and improve the classroom climate.

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have demonstrated significant improvements in students' social problem-solving skills, emotion-recognition skills, teacher- and parent-rated social competence, and psychological well-being. Reductions in teacher-rated conduct problems and improvements in student aggression, hyperactivity, and peer problems have been found. While some research has shown greater benefit of PATHS among higher-risk children, posttest results from one RCT in Croatia demonstrated that children who were deemed to be t lower risk had significantly greater results for outcomes of prosocial behavior, emotion regulation, learning behavior, inattention, hyperactivity, oppositional behavior, and physical aggression than children who were deemed to be at higher risk. However, it should be noted that results from one RCT conducted in England found only very small improvements in one outcome, children’s psychological well-being, at a posttest conducted 2 years from the beginning of the intervention. There were no significant differences between intervention and control groups on any outcome at 12- or 24-month follow-ups after program completion. Studies that have examined the impact of implementation quality and intervention compliance on outcomes have demonstrated that higher implementation quality and participant responsiveness and greater compliance were associated with better outcomes. The generalizability of findings and the sustainability of results may need to be further examined.

The PATHS curriculum is developed for use in the classroom setting and should be introduced at the entrance of schooling and continue through 5th grade. It contains over 250 lessons and is designed to be used as a classroom module, and 40 to 52 lessons are delivered each year. PATHS offers separate curricula for each grade level that center around the following four units:

• Emotional understanding;
• Self-control;
• Social problem-solving; and
• Peer relations and self-esteem.

The curriculum also covers self-awareness skills and nonverbal and verbal communication skills and discusses how to develop a positive outlook on life. Family communication materials are incorporated into all of the units that include activities for parents/guardians to complete with their children.

PATHS was developed in the early 1980s and has been field-tested and researched in the United States and abroad with children in regular education classrooms. In addition, this program has been used with children who have deafness, hearing-impairment, learning disabilities, emotional disturbances, mild mental delay, and giftedness.

This program is delivered by classroom teachers, and a self-paced, online, introductory training and a follow-up training are bundled with each package. Additional training for new teachers and support staff or a refresher training may be purchased for $150. A 3-hour, online training for administrators may be purchased for $275. Please visit https://pathsprogram.com/paths-training for more information.

Considerations for implementing this program include acquiring teacher buy-in; understanding that strong principal, administrative, and parental support of the PATHS program will assist in successful implementation of the program; and incorporating the lessons into an existing curriculum.

The Clearinghouse can help address these considerations. Please call 1-877-382-9185 or email Clearinghouse@psu.edu

If you are interested in implementing PATHS, the Clearinghouse is interested in helping you!
Please call 1-877-382-9185 or email Clearinghouse@psu.edu

The PATHS curriculum is taught two to three times a week for a minimum of 20 to 30 minutes for 5 years. However, lesson times vary depending on the needs of the participants.

Classroom modules range from $449 to $679 each. Please use details in the Contact section for more information on ordering and costs.

The Clearinghouse can help you develop an evaluation plan to ensure the program components are meeting your goals.
Please call 1-877-382-9185 or email Clearinghouse@psu.edu

Contact the Clearinghouse with any questions regarding this program.
Phone: 1-877-382-9185 Email: Clearinghouse@psu.edu

You may also contact PATHS Program LLC by phone 1-877-717-2847, email info@pathsprogram.com, or visit https://pathsprogram.com/contact

https://pathsprogram.com/, https://www.episcenter.psu.edu/ebp/paths, and https://www.blueprintsprograms.org/programs/33999999/promoting-alternative-thinking-strategies-paths/print/