TitleTeachers' Perceptions of School Organizational Climate as Predictors of Dosage and Quality of Implementation of a Social-Emotional and Character Development Program.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2015
AuthorsMalloy, M, Acock, A, Dubois, DL, Vuchinich, S, Silverthorn, N, Ji, P, Flay, BR
JournalPrev Sci
Volume16
Issue8
Pagination1086-95
Date Published11/2015
ISSN1573-6695
KeywordsAdolescent, Adolescent Development, Chicago, Child, Child Development, Emotions, Faculty, Female, Humans, Interpersonal Relations, Male, Organizational Culture, Poverty Areas, Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic, Schools, Statistics as Topic
Abstract

Organizational climate has been proposed as a factor that might influence a school's readiness to successfully implement school-wide prevention programs. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of teachers' perceptions of three dimensions of school organizational climate on the dosage and quality of teacher implementation of Positive Action, a social-emotional and character development (SECD) program. The dimensions measured were teachers' perceptions of (a) the school's openness to innovation, (b) the extent to which schools utilize participatory decision-making practices, and (c) the existence of supportive relationships among teachers (teacher-teacher affiliation). Data from 46 teachers in seven schools enrolled in the treatment arm of a longitudinal, cluster-randomized, controlled trial were analyzed. Teacher perceptions of a school's tendency to be innovative was associated with a greater number of lessons taught and self-reported quality of delivery, and teacher-teacher affiliation was associated with a higher use of supplementary activities. The findings suggest that perceptions of a school's organizational climate impact teachers' implementation of SECD programs and have implications for school administrators and technical assistance providers as they work to implement and sustain prevention programs in schools.

DOI10.1007/s11121-014-0534-7
Alternate JournalPrev Sci
PubMed ID25468408
Grant ListT32 AA014125 / AA / NIAAA NIH HHS / United States