Measuring Psychosocial Outcomes in the Step by Step Program

Measuring Psychosocial Outcomes in the Step by Step Program: A Longitudinal Study in the Czech Republic

by Miluse Havlinova, PhD, CSc, Researcher, National Institute of Public Health, Prague, and E. Hejduk, N. Kozova, E. Sulcova, L. Tomasek and E. Weinholdova

Published in Educating Children for Democracy, Issue Number 6, Winter/Spring 2004

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Strengths and Limitations of the Study
This research project is the first and, so far, the only study in the Czech Republic to evaluate the effectiveness of a non-traditional curriculum. The large number of children in the study, the use of a control group, and the use of a longitudinal methodology contributed to the scientific rigor of the research. In addition, the use of multiple standardized psychological tests at repeated intervals, with data collected by independent evaluators who remained constant during the period of the study, further strengthened the validity and statistical integrity of the data. It should be noted, however, that the on-site assessments were not “blind”; Step by Step classrooms are distinctive and easily recognizable and the psychologists knew whether the child being evaluated attended a Step by Step kindergarten or a mainstream kindergarten.

Expected Results

Before launching the project, the researchers posited the following hypotheses:

I. The intellectual performance of children from Step by Step kindergartens—both at the beginning and end of the monitoring—would not differ from that of children from non-Step by Step kindergartens.

Both the Step by Step and control groups of children were stratified so that there were no differences in the intellectual level between the groups; the children would start on the same “baseline.” It was assumed that the Step by Step methodology does not affect the children’s intellectual development any more than the well-tried, traditional procedures applied in other kindergartens.

II. Children from Step by Step kindergartens would perform better in terms of all of the remaining characteristics, whose development is the primary focus of the Step by Step Program.

The areas that are the focal point of the Step by Step Program and where children from Step by Step kindergartens were expected to show better results than children from non-Step by Step kindergartens included: accepting and actively coping with change, ability to make choices and bear responsibility for one’s decisions, recognizing problems and solving them, creative thinking, using one’s imagination, ability to handle difficult situations, active and effective learning, ability to apply acquired knowledge in practice, and tolerance of individual and ethnic differences.

III. Children from Step by Step kindergartens would not be any different from children from non-Step by Step kindergartens in terms of school readiness.

Although the Step by Step Program has priorities in areas other than preparation for school, it was expected that children from Step by Step kindergartens would be as well-prepared, academically, as children from other kindergartens. They would have the background knowledge required of children attending mainstream elementary schools.

Significant Findings
I. The first assumption-that children from Step by Step kindergartens, both at the beginning and end of the monitoring, would not differ from children from non-Step by Step kindergartens in intellectual performance-was not fully confirmed. The intellectual performance of children from both groups on the Human Figure Drawing Test (HFD) and the Raven Progressive Matrices (RAVEN) was the same at the beginning; however, in some of the subsequent examinations the children in the Step by Step Program performed better on both. As shown by Figure 1: Trends of Intellectual Development by HFD (I.Q. ranges), there is a significant difference between the trends of both samples in favor of Step by Step children. As values used in this case are assessed by the HFD, we have to take into consideration that the level of a child’s HFD is dependent on the culture and background of her/his family and affected by general school education.

The outcomes related to the development of non-verbal, or so-called “general intelligence,” examined by the RAVEN were particularly surprising (see Figure 2: Trends of Intellectual Development by RAVEN) because this type of intelligence should not be as easily influenced by the social environment as is verbal intelligence. Despite this, the Step by Step Program seems to stimulate even non-verbal, general intelligence. This suggests that children’s independent learning in activity centers and the specific teaching methods used by teachers in the program may be more effective in stimulating the development of the child’s full intellectual capacity than the common didactic procedures used in most kindergartens.

II. The second assumption-that children from Step by Step kindergartens would do better than children from non-Step by Step kindergartens in all other characteristics which are the focus of the Step by Step Program was confirmed. Children from the Step by Step group are more creative than non-Step by Step children in most of the characteristics examined. There is a significant difference between both samples in the trends of their total test score: the trend of creativity development is significantly higher in the Step by Step sample (see Figure 3). Although the non-Step by Step children also improved with time, this trend did not exceed the significantly higher increase in the Step by Step group. The better achievement of the Step by Step group is manifested by the fact that children from this group solve problems at a more complex level (see Figure 4); they have more ideas leading towards results (see Figure 5); they suggest a higher number of original solutions; they propose more challenging solutions; and their solutions’ visual aspect and verbal description are more intelligible.

The groups differed in numerous personal traits as measured qualitatively by the Rorschach test. The Step by Step children tend to have less inner tension, to be more confident and independent, to feel safer at school, and to be less afraid of failure. In addition, they act more autonomously, are less conformist, and less submissive towards authority, i.e. more resistant to social pressure. At the same time, their creative fluency is moderated by their ability to perceive reality more adequately, think practically, and respond sensitively to other people’s behavior-- all this to a greater extent than in the non-Step by Step children. In addition, the Step by Step children have a better ability to grasp the whole, while perceiving details at the same time. In general, they are faster to advance from the developmental stage of a non-differentiated attitude to a higher stage of development in which the ability to analyze and make logical judgments emerges. The development of their thinking results in a progressive increase in self-control without, however, a suppression of the children’s spontaneity and emotionality. Step by Step children have better communication skills. They reach a more positive self-image and also view other people positively; they show a higher degree of openness and affinity to people.

In contrast, non-Step by Step children are less self-assured and compensate for their insecurity by increased caution and meticulousness. They are more anxious. There is a higher tendency to conformist behaviors and dependence on social norms and expectations as a defense against anxiety. The increased tension stemming from these pressures can lead to a stronger need to release emotional energy in inappropriate ways.

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