Interventions for academically underachieving students: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Publication date: November 2019Source: Educational Research Review, Volume 28Author(s): Kate E. Snyder, Carlton J. Fong, Jackson Kai Painter, Caroline M. Pittard, Sebastian M. Barr, Erika A. PatallAbstractDespite decades of research on interventions for academically underachieving students, no clear answers have emerged. Synthesizing across existing intervention efforts can help in understanding not only the overall effectiveness for these interventions, but also the factors that may moderate such effectiveness. In the current study, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to examine the effectiveness of interventions for academically underachieving students, exploring effects on achievement and psychosocial outcomes. Overall, findings from 53 studies revealed that interventions are moderately effective in improving achievement and psychosocial outcomes. Moderator analyses revealed that intervention effectiveness varied by grade level. Implications for research and practice are discussed, particularly the need for rigorous evaluations of well-designed interventions that consider the fit between students’ unique reasons for underachievement and the makeup of the intervention.
Source: Educational Research Review - Category: Child Development Source Type: research