Shannon R. Holmes

A randomized trial examining the effects of Conjoint Behavioral Consultation in rural schools: Student outcomes and the mediating role of the teacher–parent relationship

The results of a large-scale randomized controlled trial of Conjoint Behavioral Consultation (CBC) on student outcomes and teacher-parent relationships in rural schools are presented. CBC is an indirect service delivery model that addresses concerns shared by teachers and parents about students. In the present study, the intervention was aimed at promoting positive school-related social-behavioral skills and strengthening teacher-parent relationships in rural schools. Participants were 267 students in grades K-3, their parents, and 152 teachers in 45 Midwest rural schools. Results revealed that, on average, improvement among students whose parents and teachers experienced CBC significantly outpaced that of control students in their teacher-reported school problems and observational measures of their inappropriate (off-task and motor activity) and appropriate (on-task and social interactions) classroom behavior. In addition, teacher responses indicated significantly different rates of improvement in their relationship with parents in favor of the CBC group. Finally, the teacher-parent relationship was found to partially mediate effects of CBC on several student outcomes. Unique contributions of this study, implications of findings for rural students, study limitations and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Congruence in Parent-Teacher Communication: Implications for the Efficacy of CBC for Students with Behavioral Concerns.

Abstract. The present study examined parent–teacher congruent communication within conjoint behavioral consultation (CBC). Specifically, the study purpose was to determine the extent to which congruence in parent–teacher communication (i.e., the degree to which parents and teachers view their communication in a similar fashion) moderated CBCs effects on childrens social skills. Drawn from a large randomized trial investigating the efficacy of CBC, the participants were 166 children and their parents and 74 teachers. The findings suggested that CBCs effects on teacher-reported childrens social skills depend on congruent parent–teacher communication. Specifically, for students whose parents and teachers have these communication conditions, social skills are expected to increase only in the context of the CBC intervention. Implications for CBC research and school-based consultation are discussed.

Conjoint Behavioral Consultation in Rural Schools

Conjoint behavioral consultation (Sheridan & Kratochwill, 2008) is an empirically supported model of service delivery for children with behavioral and mental health concerns. This chapter explores the use of CBC in rural schools to promote children’s adaptive skills and alleviate behavioral and academic challenges. The CBC model, challenges associated with delivering mental health services in rural schools, and a randomized controlled trial examining the efficacy of CBC in rural communities are discussed. The chapter concludes with areas for future research.

Complexities in Field-Based Partnership Research: Exemplars, Challenges, and an Agenda for the Field

Research has continuously demonstrated the positive effects of family–school collaboration on children’s academic, behavioral, and social development. Current trends in family–school partnership and parental involvement research suggest that interventions are most successful when (a) families and schools partner together, (b) healthy relationships between schools, parents, and children are promoted, and (c) evidence-based parent and teacher practices are utilized. Two family–school partnership interventions that model these characteristics (i.e., Getting Ready; Conjoint Behavioral Consultation), and their associated outcomes are described. This chapter describes unique challenges associated with the execution, interpretation, and translation of field-based partnership interventions. Definitional inconsistency among researchers, multidimensionality of family–school partnership interventions, issues related to fidelity assessment, and the co-occurrence of research and practice demands are highlighted as necessary considerations when conducting partnership research in applied settings. An agenda is set for researchers to address the challenges, including (a) specifying the definition of family–school partnerships by determining common partnership elements across various intervention strategies, (b) successfully translating efficacious partnership research into natural settings, and (c) determining psychometrically sound measures to assess various dimension of fidelity.

Family-school partnerships in rural communities: Benefits, exemplars, and future research

Research has established that families significantly influence students’ development, with parental engagement positively predicting academic and social-behavioral adjustment. When families and schools partner in students’ education, positive benefits for the students as well as their families and teachers are realized. Although rural schools are uniquely positioned to foster and benefit from family-school partnerships, limited resources, logistical barriers and lack of familiarity challenge the development of effective partnerships in rural settings. This chapter will examine Teachers and Parents as Partners (TAPP), a structured, indirect intervention that focuses both on promoting students’ social-behavior and academic success and strengthening family-school partnerships. Research on TAPP has documented its positive effects on students’ behavioral, academic and social-emotional functioning across home and school settings; this chapter will outline its efficacy and utility in rural settings. Authors will review results from a four-year randomized controlled trial investigating the effects of TAPP in rural schools and provide suggestions for future research considerations of family-school partnerships in the rural context.