Seattle Social Development Project

The Seattle Social Development Project (SSDP) was a multi-year, school-based intervention that used a risk-reduction and skill-development strategy to improve outcomes for participating children and youths. The SSDP was first implemented in 1981. It combined teacher, child, and parent components with the goal of enhancing children’s bonding with their families and schools. Teachers were trained in proactive classroom management, interactive teaching, and cooperative learning, while the students themselves were provided with direct instruction in interpersonal problem-solving skills and refusal skills to avoid problem behaviors. Parents were offered courses in child behavior management skills, academic support skills, and skills to reduce their children’s risk of drug use.

The mission of SSDP is to understand and promote healthy behaviors and positive social development among children, adolescents, and young adults.

The impact of this program was evaluated at multiple time periods, including evaluations while the intervention was ongoing (at ages 7, 8, and 10), soon after the end of the intervention (age 13), and at six- nine- twelve- and fifteen-year follow-ups (ages 18, 21, 24 and 27). Each evaluation period yielded significantly positive results, although the findings were not always consistent among time periods, nor were they significant for all measures. Significant findings were, however, developmentally appropriate for the age period of follow-up. Findings sometimes differed by gender or race, typically showing stronger intervention effects for the African American participants. There is suggestive evidence that the "full intervention," which treated children from first through sixth grade, may be more effective than the "late intervention," which takes place only in fifth and sixth grade.