Direct behavioral consultation methods for improving teacher praise and student behavior

Behavioral Consultation in the School Setting: Annotated Bibliography

Dufrene, B. A., Lestremau, L., & Zoder-Martell, K. (2014). DIRECT BEHAVIORAL CONSULTATION: EFFECTS ON TEACHERS' PRAISE AND STUDENT DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR. Psychology in The Schools, 51(6), 567-580.

This study was conducted to examine the direct behavioral consultation being offering in two classes, following a study that found that teachers were not giving expected behavior-specific commendation, this study involved an examination of the success of utilizing DBC (Direct Behavioral Consultation) methods in classes that had students with different behavioral and emotional disorders. Data was collected using bug-in-the-ear devices. To evaluate the effectiveness of increasing behavior specific praise among the teachers, the researchers utilized a multiple baseline design using both direct and indirect training methods. The participants in this study were two elementary school teachers and their students in a school based on the southeastern part of the U.S. The two instructors were chosen after an initial study revealed that the desired level of behavior specific praise / commendation was not being given. The current study found that, on one hand indirect training did not bring about significant improvement in the utilization of behavior specific praise, while on the other, direct training methods brought about substantial improvements in the use of praise by the two teachers. The researchers also found that students with behavioral and emotional disorders present a lot of challenges for their instructors. Still, the instructors could easily get the learners under control by deploying behavior specific commendation or praise and other management approaches. Furthermore, the authors of this study provide evidence that shows the effectiveness of methods such as Direct Behavioral Consultation in increasing behavior specific improvement over the longer periods.

Mueller, M. M., & Nkosi, A. (2007). State of the Science in the Assessment and Management of Severe Behavior Problems in School Settings: Behavior Analytic Consultation to Schools. International Journal of Behavioral Consultation and Therapy, 3(2), 176-202.

This study examines the BACS (Behavior Analytic Consultation to Schools) model and its utilization in the management of behavioral disorders and provides two ways in which the model could be utilized in real-life settings. This study was carried out to find out the effectiveness of behavior specific problems through consultative approaches. The study uses two cases used to explain the use of BACS approach. The first and second case examples involved participants named Bruce and Meredith who were aged 10 and 15 years respectively. The former participant is a male who has been diagnosed with autism, while the second is female and is suffering from autism and profound mental retardation. Behavioral consultants used Classroom observations, functional assessment scales, parents and teacher interviews, and record reviews to find out ways of managing both case examples behavioral problems. For the boy, it was found that his aggression was particularly high when he was put in certain environmental settings in the school. Teacher and parent interviews confirmed this hypothesis revealing a trend in which Bruce tended to be particularly aggressive in situations that demanded higher mental function. For the female, Meredith, indirect evaluations revealed that she was aggressive across various situational settings and that her aggression also increased in situations where certain things were demanded from her. Some of the settings that increased aggression in Meredith were found to be toileting and the boarding and alighting from the school bus. The two researchers conclude that Behavior Analytic Consultation to Schools approach prescribes functional analysis, treatment evaluation, treatment selection, and instructor training to help in the management of severe behavioral problems.

SHERIDAN, S. M., WARNES, E. D., WOODS, K. E., BLEVINS, C. A., MAGEE, K. L., & ELLIS, C. (2009). An Exploratory Evaluation of Conjoint Behavioral Consultation to Promote Collaboration Among Family, School, and Pediatric Systems: A Role for Pediatric School Psychologists. Journal of Educational & Psychological Consultation, 19(2), 106-129.

The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness and acceptability of Conjoint Behavioral Consultation for children with mental concerns across school and home environments. The cases presented in this study were conducted in real-life settings in order to increase the practical applicability of the findings. The participants in this study included: consultants, instructors, parents, and 29 children. To address the concerns of the children who were medically referred, a cross-system consultation approach was utilized. Using this structured service-delivery model, psychology pediatric consultants, teachers and parents worked together using an multidisciplinary decision-making model with a lot of input with regards to medical issues from a pediatrician (developmental). Child functioning at both school and home settings were used as outcome measures. These measures were obtained through social validity indices and interventions provided by consultants. These measures helped the researchers determine the acceptability and effectiveness of the prescribed interventions. The authors concluded that Conjoint Behavioral Consultation is a socially acceptable procedure for addressing the concerns of referred children across school and home settings. Both instructors and parents found the consultation approach quite acceptable. Effect size evaluations suggested positive effects across school and home settings. However, methodology limitations prevent assertive conclusions regarding the issue. Instructors and parents showed high satisfaction and acceptability of Conjoint Behavioral Consultation (CBC), when it was done by a school psychology consultant, meaning that they found the consultation to be an important and helpful approach in dealing with children's needs. The researchers found parents to have high acceptability of the approach compared to instructors, showing that they possibly found certain parts of the model to be more helpful and satisfying that the instructors did.

McDougal, J. L., Nastasi, B. K., & Chafouleas, S. M. (2005). Bringing research into practice to intervene with young behaviorally challenging students in public school settings: Evaluation of the behavior consultation team (BCT) project. Psychology in The Schools, 42(5), 537-551.

This study was conducted to help determine the acceptability of behavior consultation projects in schools and whether such projects were effective in managing behaviorally challenging and aggressive learners in the school settings. Both effective and ineffective case examples were used to help inform and enhance future projects. A study design was developed and a school district (with about twenty-three thousand students) in upstate New York was chosen for the study. Several personnel were in involved in the study. The development, evaluation, and implementation, of the program was designed by a team consisting of a doctoral intern in school psychology, a behavioral consultation team coordinator, and fifteen school staff (ten school psychologists, three social workers and two teachers). The participants in the project were primarily children in pre-kindergarten to 3rd grade that showed aggressive behaviors; had not shown improvement after even several behavioral intervention attempts; were at a risk of being removed from school due to behavioral problems. The authors found that effective and ineffective case examples varied in various elements, determined in percepts of integrity and acceptability. The authors also found that qualitative data helped to inform project implementation and determine various practical approaches in the identification and selection of interventions for aggressive students. This project utilized a model that brought research into practice. This Behavioral Consultation Team Project was based on behavioral evaluation and consultation, positive interventions, together with evaluations of effectiveness, integrity, and acceptability. The findings of this project suggest that research-derived pre-referral interventions made to fit the public school environment could result in success and could be effective in managing behaviorally challenged learners in public schools.

Hart, K. C., Graziano, P. A., Kent, K. M., Kuriyan, A., Garcia, A., Rodriguez, M., & Pelham, W. E. (2016). Early Intervention for Children with Behavior Problems in Summer Settings. Journal of Early Intervention, 38(2), 92-117 26p. doi:10.1177/1053815116645923

The aim of this particular research was to assess two early intervention packages deployed to help in successful kindergarten transitions for the preschoolers having behavior issues enrolled from Head Start preschools. A random trial design having end-, post-, and pre-school year follow-up evaluations was utilized in obtaining preliminary proof for the premise of the two programs of intervention in enhancing the transition to kindergarten for kids with early behavior issues that are also in socio-economic danger. Fifty kids referred by educators because of early externalizing behavioral issues were randomly allocated to the two groups. The first group (HI; high intensity) got a four-week thorough summer program prior to the commencement of kindergarten, parent workshops held weekly, and school consultations and parent workshops conducted monthly. The second group (LI; low intensity) only received parent workshops. Parental satisfaction, child improvement, as well as program feasibility data were gathered together with teacher and parent reports and school readiness measures. Findings reveal that kids assigned to the HI group displayed faster improvement in their conduct between preschool's conclusion and kindergarten's fall as determined by teacher ratings on child behavior issues. Additionally, such kids also had fewer disagreements with their teachers according to the teacher reports compared to the kids in the LI group. This particular study did not discover any major differences amid groups on parented- and teacher-social functioning. Concerning measures of academic and behavioral outcomes, findings revealed that kids belonging to the HI group had slightly less out-of-school suspensions and disciplinary actions through the kindergarten year compared to the kids in the LI group. Early summer programs before kindergarten were also found to be a promising way of promoting successful transitions to kindergarten for kids from Head Start preschools having behavior issues. On the subject of parent involvement and program assessment in intervention activities, regarding program satisfaction measures, parents of kids in the HI group reported remarkable improvement in the academics and behavior of their kids. The parent workshops were also very helpful and the parents reported that they would definitely refer more parents to this program.

Smith, H. M., Evans-McCleon, T. N., Urbanski, B., & Justice, C. (2015). Check-In/Check-Out Intervention with Peer Monitoring for a Student with Emotional-Behavioral Difficulties. Journal of Counseling & Development, 93(4), 451-459.

The objective of this research was to assess the efficiency of check-in-check-out (CICO) with the help of a student having EBD (emotional-behavioral difficulties) as a peer monitor for a learner with the same struggles as part of a joint approach with school guidance employees. This study specifically concentrated on minimizing problem behaviors (for instance vocalizations which are inappropriate) and increasing proper classroom behavior. Additionally, this study looked at the increase in improper social conduct of a high school pupil acting as the mentor to the elementary-aged mentee. A-B single-case study design was used by its authors to assess the efficacy of a CICO intervention with peer supervision on the behavior on an elementary-aged student having EBD when having a student in high school as a peer monitor. The study comprised two students (assigned pseudonyms) that acted as the mentor-mentee dyad. The study was carried out on a rural school district situated at the southeastern region of the U.S. Data were visually studied by variability, trend, level, and mean comparisons across phases to establish the level of treatment related with a CICO intervention founded on direct observations and DBRC (daily behavior report card) points. The results revealed that both students actually gained from the intervention. Findings indicate that CICO with peer supervision was helpful for a student having EBD. This particular study expounds initial research outcomes by revealing that CICO is not just effective for kids having EBD in a residential setting, but that CICO could be effective when utilizing a peer supervisor in the school surroundings. This particular study illustrated how school counselors together with related experts could work together to develop and supervise interventions for learners with EBD and at-risk learners in the school environment. More research is required in exploring the benefits of using peer motoring with CICO, particularly in monitoring the impacts for both the peer monitors and learners across different age groups.

Ruiz, M. I., Smith, T. N., Naquin, G. M., Morgan-D'atrio, C., & Dellinger, A. B. (2014). Assessing the Implementation Fidelity of Check-In Check-Out Behavioral Interventions in Elementary and Middle Schools. Preventing School Failure, 58(1), 42. doi:10.1080/1045988X.2012.755667

Authors of this particular study investigated the extent to which school employees in urban district applied CICO behavioral interventions after obtaining the training organized by the school system. The study gives a description of the fidelity indicators utilized in the examination, reflects on the issues that may have had an impact on the fidelity of CICO implementation across the district, and gives recommendations for school administrators and teachers for enhancing the fidelity of the implementation of CICO at their respective schools. CICO cards obtained from 252 middle and elementary school students were examined to measure the presence of five indicators of fidelity implementation: daily implementation, established point goal, score completion, subject consistency, and consistency in behavioral goal. Information for these indicators of fidelity implementation was gathered from permanent products. These implementation fidelity indicators were chosen because they represent major aspects in the CICO process and are important in the intervention's success. Findings suggest that schools actually struggled in the implementation of CICO with fidelity. Even though schools steadily maintained behavior goals for several days, the majority of schools had trouble with daily implementation. Another finding of this examination was the absence of adherence in schools to CICO protocol. Though every school had difficulty in maintaining implementation fidelity in various parts of the program, middle schools particularly seemed to have more difficulty observing the five elements of the CICO protocol. This study concluded that schools should make sure that teachers obtain ample training and are able to implement behavioral interventions with fidelity. School employees ought to obtain ample direct training that concentrates on implementing CICO with fidelity.