Alternative High School Longitudinal Field Study

Our first major project, begun in the Spring of 1988, was to determine what effects the introduction of cooperative learning and training in constructive conflict resolution would have upon students undergoing the difficult circumstances typically found in attending an alternative high school in New York City. The results of the study showed that as students improved in managing their conflicts, they experienced increased social support and less victimization from others. This improvement in relations with others led to an increase in self-esteem, a decrease in feelings of anxiety and depression and more frequent positive feelings of well-being. Higher self-esteem, in turn, produced a greater sense of personal control over their own fates. These changes were positively associated with higher academic performances.