Blake D. Hansen

The Classwide Function-Based Intervention Team Program

ABSTRACT The authors present an overview of how to implement the classwide function-based intervention team (CW-FIT) program. The CW-FIT program is a multilevel group contingency intervention that broadly addresses common functions of problem behavior. The CW-FIT is considered a classroom-level primary intervention because it is used with all students in a class. For students not responding to the primary-level intervention-group contingency, secondary-level or targeted interventions of self-management and help-card procedures are implemented. Students that do not respond to either primary or secondary intervention are candidates for a functional behavior assessment (tertiary level). The authors focus on describing the primary and secondary levels of CW-FIT. Results show that this intervention increases classwide time on on-task behavior during instruction and reduces disruptive behavior of students who are at risk for school failure.

The Effects of Function-Based Self-Management Interventions on Student Behavior

Children with emotional and behavioral disorders (E/BD) struggle to achieve social and academic outcomes. Many studies have demonstrated self-management interventions to be effective at reducing problem behavior and increasing positive social and academic behaviors. Functional behavior assessment (FBA) information may be used in designing effective self-management interventions. The purpose of this study was to link self-management procedures to hypothesized behavior function in three children with E/BD. Results demonstrated that self-monitoring (SM) alone could be enhanced using information derived from FBA and that consequences delivered by teachers were less effective than a self-management treatment package.

Class-Wide Function-Related Intervention Teams “CW-FIT” Efficacy Trial Outcomes

The purpose of the study was to determine the efficacy of the Class-Wide Function-Related Intervention Teams (CW-FIT) program for improving students’ on-task behavior, and increasing teacher recognition of appropriate behavior. The intervention is a group contingency classroom management program consisting of teaching and reinforcing appropriate behaviors (i.e., getting the teacher’s attention, following directions, and ignoring inappropriate behaviors of peers). Seventeen elementary schools, the majority in urban and culturally diverse communities, participated in a randomized trial with 86 teachers (classrooms) assigned to CW-FIT, and 73 teachers (classrooms) assigned to the comparison group. Class-wide student on-task behavior improved over baseline levels in the intervention classes. Teachers were able to implement the intervention with high fidelity overall, as observed in adherence to 96% of the fidelity criteria on average. Teacher praise and attention to appropriate behaviors increased, and reprimands decreased. These effects were replicated in new classrooms each of the 4 years of the study, and for all years combined.

Teaching multi-step math skills to adults with disabilities via video prompting

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of teaching multi-step math skills to nine adults with disabilities in an 18-21 post-high school transition program using a video prompting intervention package. The dependent variable was the percentage of steps completed correctly. The independent variable was the video prompting intervention, which involved several multi-step math calculation skills: (a) calculating a tip (15%), (b) calculating item unit prices, and (c) adjusting a recipe for more or fewer people. Results indicated a functional relationship between the video prompting interventions and prompting package and the percentage of steps completed correctly. 8 out of the 9 adults showed significant gains immediately after receiving the video prompting intervention.

Increasing Compliance in Students With Intellectual Disabilities Using Functional Behavioral Assessment and Self-Monitoring:

Noncompliance in three elementary age students with intellectual disabilities was assessed using functional behavioral assessments. Escape was identified as the primary function of the behavior in all three students, and access to tangible items was identified in one of the students as a secondary function. Teacher-monitoring and self-monitoring interventions were implemented within a multiple baseline design across three students to increase compliance. Results demonstrated that the intervention was effective and that all three students increased compliance during teacher-monitoring and self-monitoring conditions. These results are discussed in terms of recent research on function-based self-monitoring interventions.

Student and Teacher Outcomes of the Class-Wide Function-Related Intervention Team Efficacy Trial.

Schools continue to strive for the use of evidenced-based interventions and policies to foster well-managed classrooms that promote improved student outcomes. The present study examined the effects of the Class-Wide Function-related Intervention Teams (CW-FIT), a group contingency intervention, on the on-task and disruptive behavior of elementary school students with or at risk for emotional behavior disorders (EBD). Seventeen elementary schools, 159 general education teachers, and 313 students participated in the randomized-control group design study. Fidelity of implementation was strong for intervention group teachers and was measured across groups and throughout baseline conditions. Results suggest that CW-FIT can be used to increase on-task behavior and reduce the disruptive behavior of students with or at risk for EBD. In addition, teachers in intervention classes increased praise and reduced reprimands to individual students and along with their students, reported high levels of consumer satisfaction.

Cornelia de Lange syndrome and molecular implications of the cohesin complex: Abstracts from the 7th biennial scientific and educational symposium 2016

Cornelia de Lange Syndrome (CdLS) is due to mutations in the genes for the structural and regulatory proteins that make up the cohesin complex, and is considered a cohesinopathy disorder or, more recently, a transcriptomopathy. New phenotypes have been recognized in this expanding field. There are multiple clinical issues facing individuals with all forms of CdLS, particularly in the neurodevelopmental system, but also gastrointestinal, cardiac, and musculoskeletal. Aspects of developmental and cell biology have found common endpoints in the biology of the cohesin complex, with improved understanding of the mechanisms, easier diagnostic tests, and the possibility of potential therapeutics, all major clinical implications for the individual with CdLS. The following abstracts are the presentations from the 7th Cornelia de Lange Syndrome Scientific and Educational Symposium, June 22–23, 2016, in Orlando, FL, in conjunction with the Cornelia de Lange Syndrome Foundation National Meeting. In addition to the scientific and clinical discussions, there were talks related to practical aspects of behavior including autism, transitions, communication, access to medical care, and databases. At the end of the symposium, a panel was held, which included several parents, affected individuals and genetic counselors, and discussed the greatest challenges in life and how this information can assist in guiding future research. The Research Committee of the CdLS Foundation organizes this meeting, reviews, and accepts abstracts, and subsequently disseminates the information to the families through members of the Clinical Advisory Board and publications. AMA CME credits were provided by Greater Baltimore Medical Center, Baltimore, MD.

Effects of an Antecedent Intervention on Repetitive Behaviors of a Child With Autism

Repetitive self-injurious eye poking and stereotypic hand clapping were assessed in a child with autism and hearing impairment. A functional behavioral assessment conducted to identify the variables maintaining eye-poking behaviors indicated automatic reinforcement. Choice and environmental enrichment strategies were implemented to decrease the motivating operations associated with eye poking. Providing a choice of toys to hold in his hand led to the greatest reductions in both repetitive eye poking and hand clapping. Three follow-up observations were conducted 9 months after the intervention, which indicated that eye poking was eliminated and hand clapping was greatly reduced. This antecedent intervention was simple and effective, two hallmarks of sustainable behavior interventions.

Effects of naturalistic instruction on phonological awareness skills of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

This study evaluated the effects of an intervention for teaching phonological awareness skills to kindergarten-age children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The intervention employed a combined multiple treatment and multiple baseline design, embedded in playtime and implemented under naturally occurring conditions. Six children in a special education kindergarten class were taught syllable segmentation, first sound identification, and phoneme segmenting. Results indicated that all children made gains on each skill. Results are discussed in light of current research on phonological awareness intervention for young children with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Relationship between brain stem volume and aggression in children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder

BACKGROUND Aggressive behaviors are common in individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and may be phenotypic indicators of different subtypes within ASD. In current research literature for non-ASD samples, aggression has been linked to several brain structures associated with emotion and behavioral control. However, few if any studies exist investigating brain volume differences in individuals with ASD who have comorbid aggression as indicated by standardized diagnostic and behavioral measures. METHOD We examined neuroimaging data from individuals rigorously diagnosed with ASD versus typically developing (TD) controls. We began with data from brain volume regions of interest (ROI) taken from previous literature on aggression including the brainstem, amygdala, orbitofrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. We defined aggression status using the Irritability subscale of the Aberrant Behavior Checklist and used lasso logistic regression to select among these predictor variables. Brainstem volume was the only variable shown to be a predictor of aggression status. RESULTS We found that smaller brainstem volumes are associated with higher odds of being in the high aggression group. CONCLUSIONS Understanding brain differences in individuals with ASD who engage in aggressive behavior from those with ASD who do not can inform treatment approaches. Future research should investigate brainstem structure and function in ASD to identify possible mechanisms related to arousal and aggression.