Lori Newcomer

Functional Behavioral Assessment An Investigation of Assessment Reliability and Effectiveness of Function-Based Interventions

This study investigated (a) the efficacy of using descriptive and experimental assessment methodologies to generate hypotheses regarding the function of problem behavior and (b) the efficiency and efficacy of function-based interventions compared to traditional intervention approaches that focus on the topography of behavior. Functional assessments were conducted with three elementary school students identified as at risk for failure due to problem behavior. Agreement among indirect measures, direct observation, and experimental manipulation of environmental variables supports the value of using convergent data from indirect assessment methods to develop valid hypotheses. In addition, behavioral interventions based on functional assessment were found to be more effective than alternative intervention approaches across all three case studies. Implications, study limitations, and future research directions are discussed.

Use of Coaching and Behavior Support Planning for Students With Disruptive Behavior Within a Universal Classroom Management Program

Even with the use of effective universal classroom management practices, some students will need additional behavioral supports. However, to translate implementation of new strategies into the classroom, professional development programs need to be adaptive to the complexities teachers face in providing instruction and managing classroom behaviors among diverse learners. Teachers also need support to successfully implement universal practices as well as to develop and enact plans for supporting students with disruptive behavior. This article describes a universal classroom management program that embeds coaching within the model. The coach supported teachers both in implementing universal strategies and in developing and implementing behavior support plans for students with disruptive behavior. The study evaluates the effectiveness of the behavior support plans and the types of coaching activities used to support these plans. Findings indicated that during meetings with teachers, coaches spent time action planning and providing performance feedback to teachers on their implementation of the behavior support plans. In addition, teachers reduced their rate of reprimands with the targeted at-risk students. Students receiving behavioral supports demonstrated decreased rates of disruptive behavior, increased prosocial behavior, and a trend toward improved on-task behavior. In comparison, a matched sample of students with disruptive behaviors did not demonstrate improved outcomes. Implications for practice are discussed.

Coaching Teachers’ Use of Social Behavior Interventions to Improve Children’s Outcomes: A Review of the Literature

Children with social behavior problems need teachers who are prepared to use evidence-based interventions to increase their likelihood of success. However, it is clear that teachers do not feel prepared to support children in this area. One approach for supporting teachers in using more effective interventions for children with behavior needs is the use of coaching. The purpose of this review of the literature is to explore the research to date that specifically targets coaching teachers on the use of social behavior interventions to improve children’s social behavior outcomes. Criteria were established to increase the generalizability of the results of the review and 29 studies met inclusionary criteria. Of these studies, 86% documented positive findings and the remaining documented neutral findings. Only 31% of studies documented a measure of integrity for the coaching process. Main findings and implications for future research are discussed.

Illustrating the Multiple Facets and Levels of Fidelity of Implementation to a Teacher Classroom Management Intervention

Many school-based interventions to promote student mental health rely on teachers as implementers. Thus, understanding the interplay between the multiple domains of fidelity to the intervention and intervention support systems such as coaching and teacher implementation of new skills is an important aspect of implementation science. This study describes a systematic process for assessing multiple domains of fidelity. Data from a larger efficacy trial of the Incredible Years Teacher Classroom Management (IY TCM) program are utilized. Data on fidelity to the IY TCM workshop training sessions and onsite weekly coaching indicate that workshop leaders and the IY TCM coach implemented the training and coaching model with adequate adherence. Further, workshop leaders’ ratings of engagement were associated with teacher implementation of specific praise, following training on this content. Lastly, the IY TCM coach differentiation of teacher exposure to coaching was evaluated and found to be associated with teacher implementation of classroom management practices and student disruptive behavior.

Examining the Efficacy of School-Based Consultation: Recommendations for Improving Outcomes

SUMMARY Schools are faced with the difficult task of educating students who present diverse learning and behavioral challenges. To meet student needs, schools tap the expertise of a variety of specialists who provide services through “pull-out” programs or consultation to general educators. Unfortunately, neither strategy has proved effective to date with respect to children and youth who present significant social behavior problems. A brief review of the literature points to the shortcomings as linked to multiple treatments with varying outcomes and inconsistent implementation of best practices. One option to address the challenges schools face in light of ineffective practices to date is the development of school-wide systems of positive behavior support (PBS). Effective implementation of school-wide systems of PBS will require moving the consultation process from individual cases to working with teams of educators. Key skills and possible measurement strategies to develop and sustain school-wide consultation efforts are discussed.

The Brief Student–Teacher Classroom Interaction Observation Using Dynamic Indicators of Behaviors in the Classroom to Predict Outcomes and Inform Practice

Measures that can be used to identify malleable, dynamic indicators of teacher practices that lead to or are associated with student outcomes are needed to inform classroom interventions and consultation practices with teachers. The purpose of this study was to evaluate and validate the Brief Student–Teacher Classroom Interaction Observation in elementary classrooms (Grades K–3). A universal sample of 896 students was observed during classroom instruction. The measure was utilized to gather information on how teachers interacted with students with regard to their use of positive versus negative feedback during a 5-min window at the start of the school year. Findings indicate that students who received more negative feedback than positive feedback from their teacher were rated at the end of the year as having a significant increase in problems with emotion regulation, concentration problems, and observed disruptive behavior, whereas students who received more positive feedback demonstrated significant increases in prosocial behaviors. Implications for how this brief 5-min observation can be used to inform teacher practice and identify students at the start of the year in need of additional supports are discussed.

Essential Systems for Sustainable Implementation of Tier 2 Supports

Many schools are adopting Schoolwide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports, a multitiered prevention framework to promote proactive behavioral practices and encourage appropriate behavior. There is an extensive research base and demonstrations to guide schools in effective implementation of universal behavior support; however, schools frequently struggle as they attempt to expand their capacity to implement support at the Tier 2 level. In this article, the authors define the core systems that support the implementation of Tier 2 interventions, including coaching, structural organization, and evaluation.

Behavior Supports in Nonclassroom Settings

The focus of the three-tier approach of positive behavior support (PBS) in nonclassroom settings is to provide proactive supports that include early detection and intervention at the primary, secondary, and tertiary levels. The logic of this approach rests on putting proactive structures in place and then monitoring student response. If many students are demonstrating problems, then the universal features of the setting need to be adjusted. Yet, even when effective primary prevention systems are in place, a few students may still fail to respond appropriately and will require more intensive interventions at the secondary or tertiary level to promote behavioral competence. Thus, a continuum of interventions is implemented across nonclassroom, classroom, and individual student support systems to support students who do not respond to universal procedures. Although each of these systems has unique features, they overlap and have an impact the others (Crone & Horner, 2003; Todd, Horner, Sugai, & Colvin, 1999) as represented in Fig. 21.1.

The Brief Classroom Interaction Observation-Revised: An Observation System to Inform and Increase Teacher Use of Universal Classroom Management Practices.

Schools are increasingly using multi-tiered prevention models to address the academic and behavior needs of students. The foundation of these models is the implementation of universal, or Tier 1, practices designed to support the academic and behavioral needs of the vast majority of students. To support teachers in the use of effective Tier 1 classroom practices, researchers and practitioners need reliable and valid measures of these practices that are sensitive to change over time. The purpose of this study was to examine the reliability and validity of the Brief Classroom Interaction Observation–Revised (BCIO-R), which is a direct observation measure of classroom Tier 1 instructional and classroom management practices for use in elementary school classrooms. Findings indicate that the BCIO-R can be reliably implemented in the classroom context. In addition, the measure is associated with important teacher-reported constructs such as efficacy in classroom management and burnout. Furthermore, the measure is sensitive to change as indicated by demonstration of improvement in classroom management variables among teachers who received a universal classroom management intervention versus teachers who did not receive training. Having reliable and valid measures to evaluate and monitor teacher use of universal classroom practices can be useful when consulting to support teachers and improve student outcomes.