Date Approved

5-6-2009

Embargo Period

3-16-2016

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

M.A. in School Psychology

Department

Educational Services and Leadership

College

College of Education

Advisor

Dihoff, Roberta

Committee Member 1

Klanderman, John

Subject(s)

Art--Study and teaching--New Jersey; Social skills in adolescence--New Jersey

Disciplines

Educational Psychology

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness of an after-school art program for at risk adolescents. The RATE Program is designed to give at-risk students a place where they can express their emotions in a positive way. Through various art activities, such as working together to design and paint a mural for the school, the students will learn problem solving and social skills. All of the adolescents who participated in the RATE Program were students at a rural regional high school in Southern New Jersey. Five students total attended the RATE Program regularly, ranging in age from fourteen to sixteen. It is hypothesized that when students behave better in their classes, the students' grades will increase and their rates of discipline referrals will decrease. This was analyzed by taking a student's grade point average and number of discipline referrals at the end of the second and third marking periods. While there is no statistical significance to any of the data found in the study, there can be value in implementing a program such as RATE in the high school setting.

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