This action research study (ARS) describes the effectiveness of small group social skills lessons with elementary students, using "Too Good for Violence: A Curriculum for Non-violent Living" by the Mendez Foundation. The school counselor and school social worker taught the curriculum in a structured small group of 4th grade students in 8…

In this study we bring together Argyris and Schön's theories of interpersonal effectiveness and research on negotiation to develop a model of effective leadership behavior in conversations involving actual or anticipated disagreement. A concurrent mixed-methods design was used to assess shifts in how 18 Australian superintendents responded to…

Communicative self-efficacy serves as an important link between discussing controversial issues and civic engagement because confidence in one's discourse skills is important to managing conflicting perspectives and developing solutions to community-based problems. Freely available to schools, "Word Generation" is a cross-content…

Research on the influence of relationship education on marital satisfaction over the last decade has demonstrated positive outcomes for both high school and premarital programs within the general American population. Yet few studies have examined relationship education as a factor of marital satisfaction specifically within the North American…

A psychoeducational model for improving couple communication is proposed. An important goal in couples counseling is to assist couples in resolving communication conflicts. The proposed communication model helps to establish a therapeutic environment that encourages insight, therapeutic alliance formation, catharsis, self-disclosure, symptom…

As defined on the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) website, "the Common Core State Standards provide a consistent, clear understanding of what students are expected to learn... reflecting the "knowledge" and "skills" that our young people need for success in college and careers." While the "knowledge" defined within the CCSS is apparent--the…

The author shares her experience in working with a small group of teachers and the director of an alternative high school program who were experiencing significant conflict during team meetings. Every member, including the director, agreed that the group suffered from serious breakdowns in communication. As the facilitator of the group, the author…

Despite progress, women are still disproportionally underrepresented in leadership positions in higher education. Women must contend with a glass ceiling, which we argue is constituted by discourses of impossibility and femininity. These discourses discourage women from recognizing their qualifications, continuing to develop skills, and making a…

Milwaukee's gay-friendly Alliance High School was conceived to be a welcoming and confirming school for kids who have been teased and bullied and had their interests marginalized in traditional schools. The result is a group of teens who feel they have found a safe place as they explore who they will be and how they will live the rest of their…

The study examined the joint and relative influence of three psychosocial factors: Emotional intelligence, communication skill and interpersonal skill on conflict-handling behaviour of oil workers in Nigeria. Survey research design was adopted and a sample of 610 workers was randomly selected from oil companies across the country. Data were…

Understanding the institutional context of financial issues and related communication enhances the effectiveness of student affairs administrators within their areas of responsibility and as leaders of change on campus. This chapter focuses on key aspects of developing a comprehensive communication strategy.

This research evaluated the impact of the Within My Reach healthy relationship education program on intimate partner violence for 419 high-risk adults in an urban area. Key outcomes such as relationship knowledge, communication/conflict resolution skills, relationship quality, and physical and emotional abuse were evaluated through survey research…

Wyoming principals were surveyed regarding their perceptions of the strengths and deficits of their preparation program, their professional development needs as beginning principals, and the areas in which their districts offer professional development. Findings indicated much variation in perceptions of preparation program strengths and deficits.…

The "Life Skills and Leadership Manual" is designed to be used by Peace Corps Volunteers and their counterparts who work with youth worldwide to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes integral to three Youth in Development sector competencies: (1) Support healthy lifestyles and prepare youth for family life; (2) Prepare youth for…

Federal and professional mandates call for increased family involvement in education, yet most teacher preparation programs do not teach skills necessary to engage families in a thorough or systematic manner. The current project addressed this training deficit by offering a program that included a sequence of three graduate courses to a cohort of…