Which methods, contents and implementation factors are appropriate and effective for school-based peer relationship programmes for 9 to 12-year-olds?

Pollak, Isabella ORCID: 0000-0001-9842-0385 (2023). Which methods, contents and implementation factors are appropriate and effective for school-based peer relationship programmes for 9 to 12-year-olds? University of Birmingham. Ph.D.

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Abstract

Peer relationships are crucial for children’s social-emotional development, and mental wellbeing, especially in the context of the school transition, around the age of 9 to 12. However, few programmes focus on positive peer relationships during this period. Therefore, the aims of this research concerned the exploration of (a) intervention strategies to promote peer relationships in the context of the primary-secondary school transition and (b) methodological approaches to engage children in intervention development. In the context of this research, a novel peer relationship programme was developed. This thesis presents all stages of the development process, including a review of existing peer relationship programmes (Chapter 2), a participatory development process to engage children in the development (Chapter 3, and 4) and an evaluation and implementation of the novel programme in the school context (Chapter 5). The presented findings demonstrate the importance of adapting participatory methodology to context factors and the stakeholders’ needs to achieve involvement in important decisions. Based on this participatory development process, the novel peer relationship programme focused on social-emotional skills and classroom climate. While the evaluation partly supported the proposed effect mechanisms of social-emotional skills increases on peer relationship increases, these effect mechanisms seemed to apply particularly to children with skills deficits. The need to explore other effect mechanisms on peer relationships and consider challenges of participatory research are discussed in Chapter 6. Overall, however, this research provides a strong rationale for implementing universal, school-based programmes during the period of school transition to facilitate peer relationships.

Type of Work:

Thesis (Doctorates > Ph.D.)

Award Type:

Doctorates > Ph.D.

Supervisor(s):

Supervisor(s)	Email	ORCID
Woodcock, Kate Anne	UNSPECIFIED	orcid.org/0000-0002-8884-2020
Birchwood, James	UNSPECIFIED	orcid.org/0000-0002-0505-3457
Rogers, Jack	UNSPECIFIED	UNSPECIFIED
Soan, Colette	UNSPECIFIED	UNSPECIFIED