The Fourth R

Get info and pricing on the provider’s website

Go to Provider Site
Designated
Promising
Indicates that a program demonstrates evidence of effectiveness at improving student or teacher outcomes, as well as supporting students’ social and emotional growth through at least two competencies. May offer multi-year programming. For a full list of Promising student outcomes see Promising designation.
Program description

The Fourth R, offered by the Western Centre for School Mental Health, provides a lesson-based apporach to SEL. It includes programming for grades 6-12 and demonstrates evidence of effectiveness in grades 7-9. Translated materials for The Fourth R are available in French and Spanish.

/
      • SEL lessons
      • Instructional practices
      • Relationship building
      • SEL generalization
      • Shared agreements
      • Student voice
      • Community partnerships
      • Activities and Resources for Home
    • Onsite in-person training
    • Virtual training
    • Offsite training
    • Train the trainer model
    • Administrator support
    • Coaching
    • Technical assistance
    • Professional Learning Communities (PLCs)
    • Online resource library
    • Self-report tools for monitoring implementation
    • Observational tools
    • Tools for measuring student success

Evidence of effectiveness

Results of a randomized controlled trial (RCT) evaluation published in 2009 supported the effectiveness of Fourth R for high school students. This evaluation was conducted on a sample of 1,722 adolescents in grade 9 in Canada (predominantly white). It found that participants who received the intervention reported lower rates of physical dating violence at post-test (30 months after baseline while controlling for outcome pre-test) compared to students from the control group, controlling for baseline differences in rate of dating violence.

Results from an RCT published in 2015 support the effectiveness of The Fourth R for middle school students. The evaluation included 1,012 grade 7 and 8 students in Canada (~74% white, ~17% Indigenous). This evaluation found that students who participated in the program demonstrated greater critical thinking and awareness of the impact of violence on victims, as well as greater positive stress coping strategies compared to students in the comparison group (while controlling for outcome post-test). These findings were especially true for female students compared to male students.

/
  • Evidence shown in grades
    7, 8, 9
    School characteristics
      • Non-US location
    Student characteristics
    • Indigenous
    • White
    Percentage Low Income
    • Not Specified
    Study design type
    • RCT
    Greater than 350 students included in study design type
    • Yes
    Multiple school districts included at study design type
    • Yes
    • Improved academic performance
    • Reduced emotional distress
    • Improved identity development and agency
    • Reduced problem behaviors
    • Improved school climate
    • Improved school connectedness
    • Improved social behaviors
    • Improved teaching practices
    • Improved other SEL skills and attitudes

How does The Fourth R support SEL implementation across multiple settings?

“The Fourth R program supports SEL implementation through lessons about stress management techniques, how to establish healthy relationships, reflective listening, rights and responsibilities in relationships, how to support a friend, assertive communication, and how to make a proper apology. Collaborative, engaging teaching learning strategies are utilized throughout the program.”

Get info and pricing on the provider’s website

Go to Provider Site

References

Access the latest, most trusted information on SEL
Sign up for our newsletters