Joseph C. Witt

The Effect of Saying the Same Thing in Different Ways: The Problem of Language and Jargon in School-Based Consultation.

Abstract This study was designed to evaluate the extent to which teacher evaluations of intervention acceptability varied as a function of the type of language used to describe the intervention. Written case descriptions containing information about a child with either a mild or a severe behavior problem and the intervention applied to that problem were presented to teachers of varying experience levels. Within the descriptions, jargon type (behavioral, pragmatic, and humanistic) and case severity (mild versus severe behavior problems) were varied. The results suggested that (a) the pragmatic description was significantly more acceptable than either the behavioral or humanistic descriptions, and (b) all interventions were rated more acceptable when applied to a severe case. In addition, interventions tended to be rated less acceptable by highly experienced teachers than by those newer to the teaching profession.

When Does Consultation Lead to Intervention Implementation? Critical Issues for Research and Practice

For consultation to result in the delivery of services to students, it must lead to implementation of an intervention. For this reason, intervention implementation is the crucial challenge for the practice of consultation and, as a result, is the critical research need. The argument is advanced that too little is known about the extent to which teachers actually implement interventions following consultation, as opposed to what they say about implementation, because implementation has infrequently been directly measured. The consultation database also provides few analyses of the conditions under which consultees do and do not implement interventions. This article considers fundamental issues of definition, measurement, and design as they relate to the study of the relationship between consultation and intervention implementation.

Acceptability of reductive interventions for the control of inappropriate child behavior.

Teacher attitudes about the acceptability of classroom intervention strategies were evaluated in two experiments. In both, teachers read descriptions of an intervention that was applied to a child with a behavior problem. In Experiment 1, an evaluation of six interventions for reducing inappropriate behavior suggested that one was highly acceptable (DRO), one was highly unacceptable (corporal punishment), and four ranged from mildly acceptable to mildly unacceptable (DRL, reprimands, time-out, and staying after school). In Experiment 2, the acceptability of the same intervention (staying after school) was evaluated as a function of who implemented it (teacher vs. principal). Analyses suggested that the teacher-implemented intervention was perceived as more acceptable. In both experiments, interventions were rated as less acceptable by highly experienced teachers versus those newer to the teaching profession. In addition, there was a trend for the acceptability of an intervention to vary as a function of the severity of the behavior problem to which it was applied.

Effects of Variables on Parental Perceptions of Staffings

This study explored the relationship between parental satisfaction with special education IEP staffings and six variables. Together the six variables accounted for 78% of the variance in satisfaction. Simply allowing enough time for a staffing accounted for the most variance. In addition, the following three variables also had a statistically significant impact on satisfaction: (a) input from a number of people to formulate a good educational program, (b) attribution of blame to sources other than the parents, and (c) amount of parent participation. Preparing parents for what to expect, and the number of people present at a staffing had relatively minor, though statistically significant, contributions to the total explained variation in satisfaction. Strategies are discussed for improving parental satisfaction with staffings.

On the Ecological Validity of Behavior Modification

Perhaps the single most significant characteristic of the 20th century has been the logarithmic development and unbridled application of new technology. Technological advances in sciences such as chemistry, physics, and biology have been promulgated at an outstanding rate, bringing with them dramatic increases in the perceived quality of life. Spurred by public demand and often supported by monies appropriated for research and development, scientists have grasped hungrily at new innovations, adopting the maxim “if it can be done, it should be done.”

Effects of Academic Response Rates on Time-On-Task in the Classroom for Students at Academic and Behavioral Risk

This study examined the effects of task difficulty on on-task behavior for four students exhibiting low levels of math performance and on-task behavior. Curriculum-based assessments were conducted with each student to define the difficulty level of math tasks for each student based on the individual’s rate of accurate performance on computational math problems. Using a multi-element design, the effects of individually determined high (frustration), moderate (instructional), and easy (fluent) level tasks were evaluated on on-task behavior during independent seatwork in math class. For all students, results suggested that on-task behavior was a function of task difficulty, with on-task behavior being highest for easy (fluent) level tasks and lowest for high difficulty (frustration level) math tasks.

Review of the Wide Range Achievement Test-Revised

Address reprint requests to Joe Witt, 224 Audubon Hall, Department of Psychology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803-5501. The original Wide Range Achievement Test (WRAT) has the distinction of being perhaps the most maligned, yet most often used, individually administered test in existence. Numerous surveys have indicated that the WRAT is used with high frequency by school psychologists and others in the screening, evaluation, and diagnosis of learning problems. In fact, it is a member of the school psychologist’s &dquo;holy trinity&dquo; which include the WISC-R, the WRAT, and the Bender-Gestalt. A major factor contributing to its widespread use was the length of the test. In a matter of a few minutes one could obtain a rough estimate of a child’s reading, writing, and spelling skills. This asset is obviously a double-edged sword because the instrument has been criticized mostly because its short length arouses suspicion concerning the reliability and validity of the instrument. Previous versions of the WRAT have been soundly criticized in the literature. In addition to the length problem, the WRAT was cited for difficulties in the standardization and norming procedures, poor content and criterion-related validity, and reliability figures which were so high (i.e., out of 14 reliability coefficients reported the lowest was .981) as to arouse suspicion of their veracity (Menvin, 1972; Thorndike, 1972). The descriptions of the psychometric properties of previous editions were so cryptic that in response to a discussion of a procedure to estimate validity, Robert L. Thorndike (1972, p 68) indicated &dquo;the procedure is apparently known only to the authors and God, and He may have some uncertainty.&dquo;

Using Brief Assessments to Select Math Fluency and On-task Behavior Interventions: An Investigation of Treatment Utility

This study examined the utility of a brief assessment approach for identifying a potentially effective intervention to improve math performance and on-task behavior. Participants included four elementary students referred for intervention services in the general education classroom. A brief individual assessment was conducted with each participant to compare the relative effects of incentives (reward) and instruction on math fluency. For all four students, reward plus instruction resulted in elevated performance compared to reward alone. Following the brief assessment, the effects of intervention that included both rewards and instruction was evaluated using a multiple baseline design across subjects. In all four cases, improvement was observed in math fluency and on-task behavior with intervention on a moderate difficulty (instructional) level task. Results are discussed in terms of the utility of a brief assessment approach for identifying effective interventions for individuals struggling to achieve academic and behavioral success in regular education classrooms.

Toward a Behavior Analytic Approach to Consultation

Of the developments in psychology and education over the last 50 years, those in behavioral psychology have been among the most important. Behavioral psychology has amassed an impressive technology for responding effectively to many problems with important social and pragmatic implications. Many volumes such as this one and entire scholarly journals have been devoted exclusively to descriptions of the effectiveness of behavioral technology for a wide array of problems. The application of behavioral technologies through a problem-solving process serves as the foundation for this volume. The efficacy of the application of behavioral technologies in a wide range of settings, targeting an array of problems, and incorporating a diversity of treatment agents is evident in the continuing stream of publications in this area. Unquestionably, the technology has been invented and validated.

A Rose By Any Other Name: the Influence of Jargon On Teacher Perceptions of Psychological Reports

The purpose of the present study was to investigate teacher perceptions of psychological reports as a function of the level of jargon utilized. A psychological report was varied such that the same content was conveyed using three levels of jargon: low, medium, and high. The influence of the jargon variable was assessed using the Psychological Report Evaluation Profile (PREP) which contains four dimensions: Usefulness, Understanding and Comprehension, Educational Relevance, and Student Behavioral Characteristics. A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) for overall satisfaction indicated a significant effect for the independent variable. Separate univariate analyses of variance (ANOVAs) for each of the separate dimensions of the PREP suggested only the Understanding and Comprehension factor was significant. The results are discussed in terms of the implications for improving the quality and usefulness of psychological reports.