title: Effects on school outcomes in low-income minority youth: preliminary findings from a community-partnered study of a school-based trauma intervention.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine academic outcomes of a community-partnered school mental health intervention for students exposed to community violence.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomized controlled trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixth-grade students (N = 123) from 2 middle schools in Los Angeles during the 2001-2002 academic year who had exposure to violence and posttraumatic stress symptoms in the clinical range.
  
  
  METHODS
  Students were randomized to either receive a 10-session standardized school trauma intervention (Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools) soon after screening (early intervention) or after a delay following screening (delayed intervention), but within the same school year.
  
  
  METHODS
  59 students in the early intervention group vs. 64 students in the delayed intervention group (screened in September or December) were compared on spring semester grades in math and language arts, controlling for the students' standardized state test scores from the previous academic year and other covariates.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Students in the early intervention group had a significantly higher spring semester mean grade in math (2.0 vs 1.6) but not language arts (2.2 vs 1.9). Students in the early intervention group were more likely than students in the delayed intervention group to have a passing grade (C or higher) in language arts (80% vs 61%; P < .033) by spring semester; we also found a substantial difference in the number of students receiving a passing math grade (70% vs 55%; P = .053).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Through a collaborative partnership between school staff and researchers, preliminary evidence suggests that receiving a school trauma intervention soon after screening compared to delaying treatment can result in better school grades.
authors.affiliation: University of California, Los Angeles 90024, USA. skataoka@ucla.edu
authors.forename: Sheryl
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kataoka
authors.forename: Lisa H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Jaycox
authors.forename: Marleen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Erum
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nadeem
authors.forename: Audra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Langley
authors.forename: Lingqi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Bradley D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Stein
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; D055812:Community-Based Participatory Research; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D011203:Poverty; D013334:Students; D014754:Violence