Large-scale and long-term evaluation of a whole-of-school self-regulation and planning skills intervention

WOOP (Wish, Outcome, Obstacle, Plan) is a low-cost behavior change intervention with a track record of improving short-term student outcomes in the US. WOOP fosters metacognitive skills of planning and self-regulation: goal setting (imagining a desired future); mental contrasting (reflecting on obstacles that prevent goal realization); and implementation intention (planning how to overcome obstacles). The researchers propose to study WOOP on a large scale in Medellin, with a whole-of-school approach. Previous research has evaluated brief in-class teaching units, typically to a single grade or selection of classrooms. A whole-of-school approach allows a more social and out-of-classroom experience, integrated into the curriculum of the school. Colombia’s rich administrative data allows us to assess long-term educational, economic, and criminal outcomes. The pilot will develop an implementation model in Medellin, finalize administrative data access, and develop a full-scale randomized research design.