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. 2021 Nov 17;15(1):156-170.
doi: 10.1007/s40617-021-00569-5. eCollection 2022 Mar.

A Large-Scale Naturalistic Evaluation of the AIM Curriculum in a Public-School Setting

Mark R Dixon  1 , Dana Paliliunas  2 , Jennifer Weber  3 , Ayla M Schmick  4
Affiliations

A Large-Scale Naturalistic Evaluation of the AIM Curriculum in a Public-School Setting

Mark R Dixon et al. Behav Anal Pract. .

Erratum in

Abstract

This study evaluated the effectiveness of the AIM curriculum when implemented in a public-school setting by schoolteachers and direct care staff. Three hundred eighteen students took part in this quasiexperimental design where all received the AIM curriculum every day for an entire school year. The participants completed a series of self-assessments (the Avoidance and Fusion Questionnaire for Youth, the Child and Adolescent Mindfulness Measure, and the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire) at the onset of the study and at the end of the school year to assess psychological flexibility, mindfulness, and emotional behavioral skills. Results suggest that at the end of the school year, participants increased psychological flexibility and mindfulness. State standardized testing scores also showed increases school-wide as compared to the previous 2 years. These results suggest that the AIM curriculum may be effective in large school settings, appeared easy to implement by school staff to address the needs of both the individual student and the entire student body, and likely participated in improving school-wide academic success.

Keywords: ACT Therapy; AIM; Mindfulness; Psychological flexibility; Public education; State testing.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interestMark R. Dixon and Dana Paliliunas receive small royalties from the sales of the AIM curriculum.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Example of the AIM curriculum
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Scatter dot plot of participant avoidance and fusion questionnaire for youth (AFQY) total score. Note. Markers represent scores for each participant, bars represent the mean, and whiskers represent the standard deviation
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Scatter dot plot of participant child and adolescent mindfulness measure (CAMM) total score. Note. Markers represent scores for each participant, bars represent the mean, and whiskers represent the standard deviation
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Scatter dot plot of participant strength and difficulties questionnaire–difficulties (SDQ-Difficulties) total score. Note. Markers represent scores for each participant, bars represent the mean, and whiskers represent the standard deviation
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Scatter dot plot of participant strength and difficulties questionnaire–prosocial (SDQ-Prosocial) total score. Note. Markers represent scores for each participant, bars represent the mean, and whiskers represent the standard deviation
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
State, district, and school state math testing results depicted from the publicly available data. Note. The AIM intervention occurred in 2017
Fig. 7
Fig. 7
State, district, and school state English language arts testing results depicted from the publicly available data. Note. The AIM intervention occurred in 2017
Fig. 8
Fig. 8
Individual grade level state math testing results for the AIM school depicted from the publicly available data. Note. The AIM intervention occurred in 2017
Fig. 9
Fig. 9
Individual grade level state English language arts testing results for the AIM school depicted from the publicly available data. Note. The AIM intervention occurred in 2017
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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