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Research Experience:
2008-2009 Developed Collection Tools for the Dudley-Charlton School District in Massachusetts surrounding Student Psychosocial Health/MCAS Academic Performance Research Study. Assisted the statistician in generating evaluation reports, which rendered significant results.
2006-2007 Developed/Implemented/Facilitated a quantitative District-wide Student BMI/MCAS Academic Performance Research Study, Principal Investigator - Kate Angilly
2006-2007 Developed/Implemented/Facilitated a quantitative District-wide Student Asthma/MCAS Academic Performance Research Study, Principal Investigator - Kate Angilly
2005 - 2007 Collaborated with WPI Professor Balgobin Nandram PhD (ASA Fellow) on the State-wide
Student Health / Academic Performance statistical report and NIH RFA proposal (volunteered services)
2005-2006 Developed/Implemented/Facilitated a quantitative State-wide Student Health/MCAS Academic Performance Research Study, Principal Investigator - Kate Angilly
2004-2005 Developed/Implemented/Facilitated a quantitative District-wide Student Health/MCAS Academic Performance Research Study, Principal Investigator - Kate Angilly
2002-2003 Developed/Implemented & Facilitated a qualitative research study, “Parenting Experiences of HIV/AIDS Women”
- Principal Investigator - Kate Angilly - Advisor: Christine King PhD, UMASS/Amherst
2001-2002 Participated in a qualitative research study, “Hepatitis C Treatment Adherence in Women”, - Principal Investigator: Donna Zucker PhD., UMASS/Amherst
1998-1999 Participated in qualitative and quantitative research study, “Brimfield, Holland & Wales Community Lyme Disease”,
- Principal Investigators: Dr. Peter Krause/University of Connecticut Dr. Richard Pollack/Harvard School of Public Health
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RESEARCH STUDY EXAMPLE:
2006 Student Health/MCAS Academic Performance Study Stakeholders Report
Kate Angilly RN, MSN - Principal Investigator
Abstract
Results from a Massachusetts state-wide 2005-2006 quantitative correlation research study noted a strong correlation between psychosocial variables and student academic performance. In recent years, schools have voiced concern about the mental health and psychosocial wellbeing of their students who are unable to fully participate in the learning process. Students who experience psychological, emotional or behavioral difficulties face many challenges which have the potential to interfere with their family life, their ability to learn, and their ability to form friendships. These mental health problems can seriously impede a student’s ability to acquire educational skills and social competence, thereby impairing their ability to learn. If these difficulties persist throughout a child's development it could lead to lifelong disability. School-based prevention, early identification and management interventions and community-based partnerships surrounding a student’s psychosocial status are key to supporting improved mental health outcomes and academic achievement.
Despite awareness of the many barriers to learning, school reformers tend to concentrate on improving instruction and school management, ignoring the programs and services needed to address barriers to student learning. Effective mental health education, counseling, psychological, and social services for children, youth, their families, and school personnel benefit not only schools but also society as a whole. It is important to consider that children spend many of their waking hours at school and under the supervision of highly qualified school personnel. This situation can be viewed as an ideal opportunity to organize and optimize resources that place the students’ overall well-being at the heart of the academic program. Schools have the ability to be the initial point of contact. They can and should serve as a primary site for prevention activities, early identification and management of unhealthy psychosocial indicators. Without additional opportunities, supports and services, many of today’s youth will not necessarily acquire the knowledge and skills that enable them to become responsible, successful and productive adults.
Funding will allow us to establish plausible causal effect by using analysis appropriate for observational studies to prove that school-based prevention activities, early identification and management surrounding student psychosocial status will improve academic achievement and their total level of wellness. The study has the potential to change the face of health care services provided in a school settings, which could greatly improve student mental health outcomes. Also, study results could educate educational reformers, national policy makers and allocates of federal funding regarding the significant impact of student mental health and its relationship to academic performance in their decision-making process for increased school-based health funding.
Historical Perspective
In 2004-2005 the Tantasqua Regional & Union 61 school nurses implemented a “district-wide” pilot research study entitled, “MCAS Standardized Test Results as They Relate to Student Health” with Kate Angilly as the Principal Investigator. The purpose of this quantitative study was to identify common themes among MCAS (Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment Scores) standardized test results within the Tantasqua Regional & Union 61school district and assess how they may relate to student health through identified health indicators. The research question asked was, “Are there any common themes that can be identified between the MCAS results within the district and student health?” The study encouraged one to look beyond teacher instruction and curriculum development to the student as a holistic individual.
The MCAS pilot study sample came from all fourth, eighth and tenth grade students within the district who took the MCAS test in the spring of 2004. There were a total of 871 students from 5 towns, which encompassed seven individual schools. The psychosocial profile of this 2004 -2005 study showed that almost five times the number of the students in the Needs Improvement/ Warning category had a psychosocial diagnosis, with 3.4X more students on medication. Also, students in the Needs Improvement/Warning category averaged 3.6X the amount of in-school counseling and 12X the amount of out-of-school counseling than the students in the Advanced/ Proficient category, which again often causes them to miss class and teaching time.
Student Health/MCAS Academic Performance State-wide Study Results
With encouragement from national and state-wide representatives from the political field a 2005 -2006 Quasi-Experimental Design Study was implemented with Kate Angilly as the Principal Investigator. Findings showed significant associations between student psychosocial health and academic performance (Table 1). Seventy schools participated from around the state consisting of a total student population (grades K through 12) of 49,448. This study encompassed the participation of 9,774 students from 4th, 8th and 10th grade, although twenty-eight were not used due to missing data for the logistic regression study. These specific grade levels were chosen to correspond with the 2005 MCAS (Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System) scores.
The findings showed significant associations/correlations between academic performance and student health. A logistic regression study was performed on a volunteer basis by Professor Balgobin Nandram PhD., ASA Fellow of WPI, MA. Text preparation of all collection tools for final report was completed by Kate Angilly RN, MSN and Lisa Meunier RN, M.Ed. (Program Coordinator). The model used was binary logit and the optimization technique used was Fisher's Scoring. Proc Logistic on SAS calculates the p-value of each test; the p-value of the test is (Pr > ChiSq), and a value of .05% or lower shows a significant association. The sign of the regression coefficient correlates with these findings.
Responsible Variables used were Math, English and Science MCAS test scores. Explanatory variables used were days absent, days tardy, early dismissals, school suspensions, health office visits/yr, visual/hearing impaired, medical diagnosis, psychological diagnosis, IEP, 504, title 1 services, behavioral/collaborative class, resource/inclusion room, ELS, free/reduced lunch program, skilled nursing care treatments, medication administration, OT-PT-Speech therapy, and Staffing Variables: social worker, school nurse, health educator, physical education teacher, school psychologist, and school counselor via (FTE indicator). We combined the MCAS subjects - Math, English and Science into two levels: 1 for either a Proficient/Advanced test score and 0 for a Warning/Needs Improvement test score; these are denoted by qmat, qeng and qsci. The explanatory variables are similarly coded with a 1 indicating the presence of a specific trait/treatment.
Table: 1 - 2006 Academic Performance/Student Health & Staffing Psychosocial Profile
(The p-value for tests of the null hypothesis of zero regression coefficient in a two–sided test)
(C) 2008, Kate Angilly - Box 801 Wet Brookfield, MA
The above psychosocial variables show significant correlation between academic performance and student psychosocial health. The explanatory student variables that have a significant association regarding academic performance (p-value of .05 or lower) across the fourth, eighth and tenth grades were: days absent, student suspensions, health office visits, psychological diagnosis, free and reduced lunch program (economic status). The explanatory staffing variable that had a significant association regarding academic performance across the fourth, eighth and tenth grades was the School Nurse.
Future Recommendations
The next step is to establish plausible causal effect showing that school-based mental health initiatives regarding prevention, early identification and management activities surrounding a student’s psychosocial status will not only improve student academic achievement but more importantly, student health outcomes utilizing longitudinal experiments, statistical tests and analysis of responsible variables and measurable newly researched psychosocial explanatory variables.
Recommended Explanatory Variables:
- Psychological Diagnosis
- Student In & Out of School Counseling Visits
- Student School-based Mental Health Referrals
- Psychosocial Health Office visits
- School Suspensions
- Classroom Disruptions
- Family Disruption/Divorce/Separated
- Single Parent Family
- DSS Involvement/Foster Care Program
- Discipline Incidents
.> Intentional Injury to self
> Intentional injury to others
- School Attendance (Absent-Tardy-Dismissed)
- Free & Reduced Lunch (Economic Indicator)
A 2008-2009 MCAS pilot study was conducted using researched psychosocial variables, which rendered significant results. More studies procuring evidence-based data, that could influence stakeholders at the state and national level, need to be conducted for increased funding of comprehensive school-based mental health services in a school setting.
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Letters of Recognition
06’ Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney (Recognition)
Letters of Support for NIH (National Institute of Health) Proposal
Massachusetts Senator Edward Kennedy
Massachusetts Senator John Kerry
Massachusetts Senator Stephen Brewer
HHS MMHA – Commissioner Elizabeth Childs requested by 07’ Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick
Massachusetts Department of Public Health Commissioner Paul Cote
Massachusetts Department of Education Commissioner David Driscoll
Massachusetts Representative Anne Gobi
Massachusetts Representative Todd Smola
* We would like to recognize the Nurse Leaders and school nurses from the school districts: Ashburnham-Westminster, Bridgewater-Raynham, Canton, Clinton, Cohasset, Dudley, Freetown-Lakeville, Hampton-Wilbraham, Milford, Mohawk Trail, Northbridge, Palmer, Pathfinder, Somerset, Tantasqua Region & Union 61, Walpole and Ware for their assistance in the data collection process.
I, Kate Angilly, give permission to those who would like to use this data in future research. All I ask is that
you give credit to the rightful owner of this research document. Thank you.
If you are interested in a study of this magnitude please contact Kate Angilly at kate@angilly.com
