Empirical Studies & Research
This section reviews existing empirical research on the Student Assistance Program (SAP). It summarizes both implementation studies, which examine how SAP is carried out in schools, and evaluation studies, which assess the program’s effectiveness and student outcomes.
PubMed: Student Assistance Program Outcomes for Students at Risk for Suicide
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24643756/
Summary
This evaluation study examines how Pennsylvania’s Student Assistance Program (SAP) supports students who are identified as being at risk for suicide. The researchers used logistic regression to examine substance-related behaviors and school suspensions among suicidal students who participated in SAP. Logistic regression is a statistical method used to determine the likelihood of specific outcomes, such as continued substance use, school suspensions, or suicide.
Using SAP referral data, the study compared outcomes between students identified as suicidal who participated in SAP and those who were identified as suicidal but did not participate. Logistic regression was used to assess whether participation in SAP was associated with better student outcomes while accounting for student demographics, reasons for referral, and prior behaviors. The study focused on measurable outcomes, including substance-related behaviors, school suspensions, and suicide deaths.
Results
Results showed that students who did not engage in SAP were twice as likely to die by suicide compared to students who participated in the program.
PubMed: Evaluating The Effectiveness of Student Assistance Programs in Pennsylvania
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11957391/
Summary
This study serves as both an implementation and an evaluation study, examining how the Student Assistance Program (SAP) is implemented across Pennsylvania and assessing whether it is functioning effectively. The researchers used multiple data collection methods, including statewide surveys of SAP team members and county administrators, focus groups, site visits, and data from the Pennsylvania Department of Education SAP database. A total of 1204 SAP team members from 154 school buildings completed the team member survey. Additionally, fifty-three county administrators completed the county administrator survey.
The data was used to evaluate how SAP teams operate, how training and procedures are implemented, and whether the program is being carried out as designed. At the same time, the study evaluated SAP’s overall effectiveness by examining statewide data and stakeholder perceptions of the program’s impact.
Results
According to the study and program evaluation, “SAP in Pennsylvania is being implemented as designed.”
An Evaluation of Student Assistance Programs in Pennsylvania
https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED326820&utm
Summary
This implementation study examines the Student Assistance Program (SAP) in Pennsylvania and focuses on how SAP teams were trained and how the program functioned at the school level. The evaluation examined the first 69 SAP teams trained between 1986 and 1988 and used survey data collected from SAP coordinators, core team members, and non-core team members. These surveys assessed perceptions of SAP training, team roles, program implementation, and the program’s overall impact on student behavior at the school-wide level, rather than measuring individual student outcomes.
The findings showed that SAP teams most often addressed issues related to substance abuse, academic struggles, depression, and discipline. Teachers were the primary source of student referrals, highlighting the important role they played in identifying students who needed support. Core team members rated their SAP training very highly, and respondents reported that SAP implementation generally ran smoothly across most schools.
Results
Participants of the study perceived SAP as having a positive impact on students, suggesting that the program was being implemented effectively.