A school-based social competency promotion demonstration

A comprehensive, school-based, instructional and social competency promotio n program to prevent problem behavior was attempted in a troubled middle sc hool. The program included components aimed at increasing social competenci es as well as components to increase social bonding and school success. The evaluation of the 5-year effort showed that it was ineffective. The progra m never reached the expected levels of implementation, and no dependable ef fects on youth behaviors or attitudes were observed. The results are interp reted within the context of what is known about the quality of implementati on and the organizational climate within which the demonstration was attemp ted.