Özet:

This article presents the results of an experimental study designed to impact early adolescent wellness, success skills and academic performance. Middle school physical education (PE) teachers delivered the Student Success Skills classroom program, an evidence-based school-counseling curriculum. All middle school students in the state where the study occurred are required to complete one credit of PE in middle school. Students in the participating study were randomly assigned, at the school level, to a complete the required PE class in the fall or spring semester of their seventh grade year. The students in the treatment group (n=66) participated in five, 45- minute SSS lessons, spaced one week apart while students in the control group (n=69) receive their standard physical education curriculum. The volunteer seventh grade students’ (N=135) pre- and post-test total scores on the Five Factor Wellness Inventory Form-T, Student Engagement in School Success Skills survey, and nine-week grades were used to determine if a statistical difference existed between groups post intervention. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) of the pre- and post-test student wellness scores on the Five Factor Wellness Inventory Form- T resulted in statistically significant differences for students who participated in the SSS intervention [F (1,133) = 4.701, p = .032, d=+0.37] and their peers who did not. No statistically significant differences were found between groups on their engagement in school success skills or nine-week grades reported in core academic subject areas (Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies). Recommendations for future studies are discussed.

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