Modifying Harmful Beliefs About Academic Setbacks: An Attribution Retraining Intervention for African-American Middle School Students at Risk for Academic Failure

Ongoing reports of the achievement gap suggest the need for effective interventions that can increase motivation and academic outcomes for African-American youth. This study describes a 3-week evidence-based attribution retraining intervention designed to alter harmful beliefs associated with academic failure among African-American middle school students. Guided by attribution theory, the lessons in the intervention were designed to help students modify maladaptive attributions for academic failure and understand that positive academic outcomes could be obtained through increased preparation and effort. Participants included 64 6th graders identified as low achieving who were randomly assigned to either a treatment or wait-list control group. Results showed significant increases in adaptive attributions and decreases in maladaptive attributions for the treatment group compared to the control group. Implications for policy and practice are discussed.

The Influence of Evidence-Based Exercise and Age Reattribution on Physical Function in Hispanic Older Adults: Results From the ¡Caminemos! Randomized Controlled Trial

Older Hispanics routinely exhibit unhealthy beliefs about “normal” aging trajectories, particularly related to exercise and physical function. We evaluated the prospective effects of age reattribution on physical function in older Hispanics. Participants ( n = 565, ≥60 years) were randomly assigned into (a) treatment group—attribution-retraining, or (b) control group—health education. Each group separately engaged in four weekly 1-hr group discussions and 1-hr exercise classes, followed by monthly maintenance sessions. The Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) measured physical function throughout the 24-month intervention. No significant difference in physical function between intervention arms was evident over time. However, both groups experienced significant improvements in physical function at 24 months (β = 0.43, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [0.16, 0.70]). Participating in the exercise intervention was associated with improvements in physical function, although no additional gains were apparent for age attribution-retraining. Future research should consider strengthening or modifying intervention content for age reattribution or dosage received.