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High school students, particularly those with disabilities, often struggle with academic engagement in general education classes. One empirically supported method for improving academic engagement includes self-regulation interventions. However, individual effects of frequently used self-regulation strategies' goal setting and self-monitoring remain unknown. To address this issue, we implemented a multiple-probe single-case design with embedded alternating treatments to evaluate the differential impact of behavioral goal reminders and self-monitoring. The sample consisted of three high school students with emotional or behavioral disorders (EBD) in general education classes who also received special education services. Innovative approaches to intervention design included student-determined behavioral goals and self-monitoring procedures informed by triangulated behavioral assessment data. Although visual analysis indicated only moderate improvements in academic engagement, and no functional relationships were determined for either the multiple-probe or alternating treatments designs, the intervention was rated with high social validity from teachers and students, and the study represents an exemplar of high-quality special education single-case research. Practical implications, limitations, and directions for future research are discussed.

School-Wide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS) relies on effective implementation of Tier 1 practices to ensure accurate identification of students in need of more intensive supports at Tier 2 or Tier 3. While measures of school-level fidelity are widely used, measures of classroom-level implementation of Tier 1 supports are less common. If classroom levels of Tier 1 supports are variable, schools may identify students for Tier 2 supports when, instead, teachers need support implementing Tier 1 in classrooms. The purpose of this case study was to assess the impact of a self-monitoring intervention, Monitoring Behavior on the Go (MoBeGo), on the academic engagement and disruptive behavior of a middle school student. Initially, the impact of the self-monitoring intervention was inadequate. In the context of evaluating the impact of a Tier 2 intervention, we identified an opportunity to assess whether a class-wide Tier 1 program, Class-Wide Function-Related Intervention Teams (CW-FIT), enhanced the effectiveness of the Tier 2 intervention. Using an A-B-BC-B-BC design, we compared the effectiveness of a Tier 2 intervention alone with a combined Tier 1 + Tier 2 intervention. When the class-wide Tier 1 program was layered on top of the Tier 2 intervention, the student's academic engagement showed an increase in level and stability.

The COVID-19 global pandemic left many educators making an emergency transition to remote instruction when schools were initially closed. Although this transition was likely difficult for most students, it may have been particularly difficult for students with emotional or behavioral disorders, who have complex and resource-intensive social, emotional, and behavioral needs. The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which special educators and related service providers felt they were able to meet those needs in the context of the pandemic occurring in the Spring of 2020. Results indicated respondents' perceptions of their ability to meet students' needs and implement their students' Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) were moderated by policies on remote instruction and students' access to technology. In addition, respondents suggested district- and school-level response strategies, professional development on remote instruction, access to the internet at home, and additional technology would be helpful in future school closures. Implications and limitations are discussed.

In this descriptive study, we analyzed survey data regarding communication, instruction, and assessment strategies school personnel in K-12 settings reported using during the COVID-19 pandemic for students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD). Results indicate, whether instructional continuity was mandated or not, support personnel serving students with EBD reported using a variety of communication, instruction, and assessment strategies. Several strategies special educators reported using were significantly different than those provided by related service providers (e.g., school psychologist, counselor) during school site closures. Implications for future planning, policy, and research are discussed.

The Peacock Hill Working Group (PHWG) published a seminal position article nearly 30 years ago on the state of the field of special education for children with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD). They concluded their discussion with a set of recommendations for practice, policy, and research. The purpose of the present article is to revisit the PHWG's calls to the field with an emphasis on setting a research agenda related to children and youth with EBD. As a follow-up to the problems and promises identified by the PHWG, we identify progress and priorities for each of their six calls for research to improve outcomes for students with EBD. We address the broader context underlying each recommendation and how it has changed over time, describe research progress to date, and identify priorities to move the field forward. The overarching goal of this article is to inform and help shape the next phase of research on EBD, which in turn will advance the implementation and scale-up of effective programs and practices to better meet the needs of students with EBD in schools.

The purpose of this commentary is to provide observation on the contributions to the special issue and remark on the broader implications of the research. As noted throughout the special issue, the intent was to demonstrate the use of progress monitoring within a problem-solving framework to evaluate student social and behavioral development using direct behavior ratings (DBR). Leveraging single-case research methods through adherence to the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) standards, the articles included in the special issue provide examples for using DBR to assess student response-to-intervention while also illustrating a number of psychometric considerations that can strengthen the evidence base for progress-monitoring tools more broadly. In this commentary, we argue that the research included in the special issue provides a framework for conceptualizing evidence-based assessment for progress-monitoring instruments using single-case methods. Toward this end, the commentary provides an overview of the concept of evidence-based assessment and uses examples from the included studies to describe various facets.

Social skills instruction has been recommended as a way of improving behavioral and social outcomes for students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD). A brief social skills intervention ("Stop and Think" (Knoff in "The stop & think social skills program," Sopris West, Longmont, CO, 2001) was used to extend the current literature base for students with EBD. A multiple-baseline across classrooms design was used to examine negative social behavior of five participants attending a self-contained school setting for students with challenging behavior. The primary intervention components included: (a) teach, (b) model, (c) role play, and (d) performance feedback. Specific social skills addressed in intervention were listening, using nice talk, accepting consequences, ignoring others, and following directions. Participants were taught to use a 5-step process for each social skill: (1) stop and think, (2) identify good and bad choices, (3) identify steps to performing the good choice, (4) implement steps, and (5) reflect on the good choice you made. Results indicated students benefitted from 12 sessions of explicit social skills instruction as evidenced by decreases in negative social behavior. Social behavior improvements maintained during 2-week follow-up observations. Decreasing negative social behaviors is important in improving general social and behavioral outcomes as well as demonstrating growth toward being prepared to transition back to less restrictive environments. Limitations, recommendations for future research, and practice implications are discussed.

Keeping students engaged in the curriculum is extremely important when attempting to close the achievement gap for students with and at risk for disabilities. This is particularly important for students with learning disabilities or behavior disorders. This article discusses the use of applications (apps) for mobile technologies that may be used to motivate and thus engage students in the classroom by supporting best instructional practices. These apps are matched to specific strategies that researchers have suggested for increasing motivation and engagement.

In this article the authors provide practitioners and researchers with three illustrations of how to use systematic screening tools within the context of three-tiered models of support to (a) measure the overall level of risk present in a school over time and (b) identify students who may require more targeted supports in the form of secondary and tertiary prevention efforts. Specifically, the authors explore data-driven approaches to interpreting systematic screening data collected as part of regular school practices at the high, middle, and elementary school levels. In each illustration they describe the student population, the procedures used by each school to construct the three-tiered model, the primary prevention plan developed, the systematic screening tool incorporated into regular school practices, and the data analysis plan. Furthermore, the authors offer findings of treatment outcome studies that demonstrate how student risk shifts over time following program implementation. They also include hypothetical and actual illustrations of how to use data from a variety of screening tools to identify students for secondary and tertiary prevention efforts. (Contains 2 tables and 3 figures.)

In this article, the authors examine the psychometric properties of the Student Risk Screening Scale (SRSS), including evaluating the concurrent validity of the SRSS to predict results from the Systematic Screening for Behavior Disorders (SSBD) when used to detect school children with externalizing or internalizing behavior concerns at three assessment points during one academic year. Results suggest strong internal consistency and test-retest stability. Analyses of receiver operating characteristics curves also suggest that the SRSS is more accurate for detecting externalizing than internalizing behaviors. The authors conclude by offering recommendations to school site teams and researchers interested in conducing systematic screenings at the elementary level. Limitations and future directions are offered. (Contains 4 tables and 1 figure.)

In this article, we describe a systematic approach to designing, implementing, and evaluating functional assessment-based interventions developed by Umbreit, Ferro, Liaupsin, and Lane (2007), implemented in a job-share classroom with two first-grade students. One student was at risk for emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) according to systematic screenings that were implemented as part of regular school practices and one student was receiving special education services for an emotional disturbance. Results of both withdrawal designs revealed a functional relation between the intervention procedures and academic engaged time. Further, both interventions were rated as socially valid by the teachers and students. Limitations and future directions are presented. (Contains 3 tables and 2 figures.)

This study examined issues of treatment integrity, systematic screenings, and access to reinforcement relative to school-wide positive behavior support programs (SW-PBS) implemented in two rural elementary schools during the first year of program implementation. Results suggested that treatment fidelity, as measured by self-report and direct observation methodologies, varied according to rater and method of measurement. Findings also illustrated techniques for using systematic screening tools implemented as part of elementary level SW-PBS programs to (a) assess the overall index of risk as well as (b) identify how different types of students respond to the SW-PBS plan over time, with an emphasis on how to identify students for targeted prevention efforts. Finally, results of multivariate analyses suggested that students' rate of access to reinforcement was significantly different between schools and between students with high and low risk status as measured by the Student Risk Screening Scale (SRSS; Drummond, 1994). Educational implications of the findings related to these issues are discussed, and directions for future research offered. (Contains 4 tables and 4 figures.)

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of MoBeGo, a mobile self-monitoring app, on the initial and sustained academic engagement and disruptive behavior of third- to eighth-grade students with challenging behavior. Student–teacher pairs (N = 57) were randomly assigned to the treatment (MoBeGo) or control (business-as-usual) condition. We conducted systematic direct observation of students' behavior throughout prebaseline, baseline, intervention, and postintervention conditions of the study. Multivariate multilevel models revealed differential improvement for the MoBeGo group in student outcomes (less disruptive behavior; more academic engagement) from baseline to intervention, as well as successful postintervention effects for disruptive behavior. Limitations, future directions, and implications for practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of Tier 2 positive behavior interventions and supports (PBIS) is to address identified social, emotional, and behavioral needs with efficient, targeted interventions. Although only 10% to 15% of each school's population will require Tier 2 supports, without effective systems, practices, and data, students will continue to demonstrate unwanted behavior, which may lead to increased rates of exclusionary discipline (e.g., office discipline referrals and suspension). This article extends the logic of Tier 1 PBIS, which is founded in systems, practices, and data, by addressing research related to implementation issues of systems, practices, and data in Tier 2. First, we present current research and practice in systems with a specific focus on Tier 2 teaming, resources, and professional development (i.e., initial training and coaching). Second, we discuss Tier 2 practices and the need to consider intervention matching, as well as initial and in vivo intervention adaptations to improve acceptability and effectiveness. Third, we present Tier 2 data considerations for informing intervention design, progress monitoring, and treatment fidelity. Across Tier 2 systems, practices, and data, we offer recommendations for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Students who are at risk for or show low-intensity behavioral problems may need targeted, Tier 2 interventions. Often, Tier 2 problem-solving teams are charged with monitoring student responsiveness to intervention. This process may be difficult for those who are not trained in data collection and analysis procedures. To aid practitioners in these worthwhile tasks, we offer a step-by-step guide to collecting and evaluating Tier 2 behavioral progress monitoring data. This systematic approach includes (a) selecting an appropriate method of measurement, (b) planning for data collection and evaluation, (c) collecting and analyzing data, (d) considering treatment fidelity, and (e) adjusting intervention based on student responsiveness. Each step is described in detail with specific examples and additional resources are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Students requiring Tier 2 behavioral supports frequently display behavioral deficits in multiple domains (e.g., emotional symptoms and peer problems). The Tier 2 framework developed by McDaniel, Bruhn, & Mitchell (2015a) is a responsive structure for identifying and intervening at Tier 2. This process is described with a practical case example of a student with multiple areas of risk. Stacking Tier 2 behavioral interventions for students who score in the "abnormal" range in multiple areas on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire is described. A description of this process for delivering Tier 2 supports and the results from the case example are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multitiered frameworks like Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) have been recommended for preventing and remediating behavior problems. In this study, technology-based self-monitoring was used as a Tier 2 intervention to improve the academic engagement and disruptive behavior of three middle school students who were identified as at risk for failure and needing immediate intervention. Results of the multiple baseline design across settings indicated the intervention was highly effective for one student and moderately effective for another. The third student required more intense support than offered in Tier 2. Issues of matching students to Tier 2 intervention based on multiple data sources, the alignment of technology-based self-monitoring with key features of Tier 2, limitations of the study, recommendations for future research, and implications for practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article outlines an assessment and intervention framework of providing targeted supplemental behavioral supports for students not succeeding in school- and class-wide behavioral programming in the U.S. It explains the five-step system which suggests the use of an assessment instrument to allow educational teams to link specified interventions to areas of identified concerns. It also offers descriptions of specific research-based interventions that can be tied to student assessment profiles.

Recently, the Council for Children with Behavioral Disorders (CCBD) highlighted the need to "actively screen for those in need of mental health services." Questions remain, however, about the prevalence of screening and associated processes. The purpose of this study was to gather initial evidence through an electronic survey about current screening practices such as the types of screeners being used in K-12 schools and barriers to implementation. Participants in the study were 454 school or district-level administrators representing a range of school levels, locales, and socioeconomic levels. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the chi-squared test of goodness-of-fit statistic. Only 12.6% of respondents indicated their school or district conducted schoolwide emotional or behavioral screening (SEBS), with access- and awareness-related issues cited as reasons for not conducting SEBS. Results of this preliminary investigation are discussed in terms of CCBD's goals, and with caution, recommendations for research and practice are offered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, the authors examine the psychometric properties of the Student Risk Screening Scale (SRSS) for use in urban middle schools. Results of Studies 1 and 2 suggest strong internal consistency and test—retest stability. Study 1 supports the predictive validity of the SRSS, with students at low risk being able to be differentiated from moderate- to high-risk status on behavioral and academic measures. Study 2 also supports predictive validity up to 2 years following initial SRSS status, with students in the low-risk group having significantly fewer out-of-school suspensions, fewer unexcused absences, and higher grade point averages than students in the moderate- and high-risk groups. In addition, results of Study 1 support the feasibility of the SRSS, with increased use over time serving as a behavioral marker for social validity. Limitations and implications for future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]