Using a State-wide Survey to Determine the Impact of Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports on Students\u27 Self-Reported Perceptions, Feelings, and Behaviors

This study examined student responses to the Minnesota Student Survey in 286 schools across the state of Minnesota. Of these schools, 143 of the schools had implemented PBIS and the other 143 schools had not. The study included elementary, middle, and high schools. The schools were coded as either small (under 150 students), medium (151-480 students), or large (over 480 students). For schools that had been trained to implement PBIS, fidelity of implementation was also considered and all schools were coded as having either high fidelity (80 or higher for SET; 70 or higher for BoQ) or low fidelity. The cohort level of each school that has implemented PBIS is also recognized. Each school that had implemented PBIS was matched with a school that had not implemented PBIS that had similar free and reduced lunch population (within 15%) and same type of school (elementary, middle or high school) and also the same size of school (small, medium, or large). Students in 5th, 8th, 9th, and 11th grades were asked to complete the Minnesota Student Survey and responses were analyzed to compare the differences in responses across various domains: (a) School behavior: Commitment; (b) School behavior: Discipline; (c) School behavior: Bullying/harassment; (d) School behavior of others: Adult treatment of students; (e) School behavior of others: Student illegal behavior; (f) School behavior of others: bullying/harassment; (g) Risk behavior: General; (h) Risk behavior: Drugs and alcohol. Data were analyzed to determine any differences among student responding based on the PBIS schools\u27 fidelity of implementation scores and the cohort level of the PBIS schools. Results combined across all grade levels demonstrate that students who attended schools that have implemented PBIS with fidelity report lower grades, but that they care more about doing better in school; higher instances of being sent to the office for discipline, but lower instances of bringing a weapon to school; they report that they feel that adults at their school treat students more fairly, that adults at their school listen to the students, that teachers care about students, and that teachers at their school are more interested in them as a person when compared with students who attended schools that were not trained in PBIS. However, fewer positive PBIS-related outcomes and more negative PBIS-related outcomes were found in high schools than were found in elementary schools. Differences between PBIS cohorts and grade levels are also discussed in addition to the limitations of the current study and implications for future research

Family Involvement in the Schools of Belize

This study was conducted to better understand the level of involvement of families in Belize with the education of their children. It was anticipated that information from this broadly distributed survey might show areas of current strengths and weakness in the current system that might allow for future adjustments

Pre-Service Teacher Knowledge of Behavior Function: Implications within the Classroom

Abstract Introduction. Many teachers lack the skills to effectively deal with behavioral issues whe

An Assessment of Resiliency and Life Satisfaction in High School-Aged Students in Belize

This study assesses resiliency and life satisfaction of high school youth from Belize. Due to the contrast of geography, culture, and economic characteristics, between Belize and the U.S. many differences were hypothesized to be found. Resiliency and life satisfaction were hypothesized (a) to be lower in the youth from Belize when compared with previous studies of youth conducted in the United States, (b) youth in Belize, who have high resilience, will also have high life satisfaction and (c) youth who has low life satisfaction will also have very little resiliency

Family Involvement in the Schools of Belize

This study was conducted to better understand the level of involvement of families in Belize with the education of their children. It was anticipated that information from this broadly distributed survey might show areas of current strengths and weakness in the current system that might allow for future adjustments

Teacher Support as a Moderator of Behavioral Outcomes for Youth Exposed to Stressful Life Events

The present study examined the relationship between teacher support, life stress, and behavioral outcomes in 103 youth. Participants completed questionnaires regarding life events, social support, personality, and behavior. Moderated regression analyses were conducted using youth perceptions of teacher support and negative life events to predict externalizing and internalizing problems. Results revealed a significant interaction between teacher support and life stress, indicating teacher support successfully moderated the effect of stress on externalizing problems. Main effects for life stress were consistent with previous literature suggesting that higher amounts of stress predict greater externalizing and internalizing problems. Implications for teacher support are discussed

Conocimiento de los futuros docentes sobre la función del comportamiento: implicaciones dentro del aula

Introduction: Many teachers lack the skills to effectively deal with behavioral issues when they arise and may not be familiar with behavioral techniques to utilize with students who have behavioral disabilities. The aim of the present study is to understand the extent to which pre-service teachers adequately understand functions of behavior and behavioral principles related to classroom behavior management. Method: Participants included pre-service students who were currently enrolled in an undergraduate university-based educational licensure program. The researcher videotaped three short 4-minute vignettes that displayed adult actors portraying a variety of behaviors.A questionnaire was formulated and given to the participants of the research study that asked them to determine the type of reinforcement being displayed in the vignette as well as to determine the specific function of the behavior in a multiple choice format. Additional background information was gathered from each participant. Results: Results indicate that pre-service teachers vary in their ability to correctly identify behavior function after viewing video demonstrations of behaviors and that they were even less successful in correctly labeling behavior scenarios as being demonstrations of positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, or punishment. No variables were identified that prdicted participants’ accuracy in determining behavior function. Discussion and Conclusion: These findings support the notion that many pre-service teachers lack a sufficient level of knowledge of behavior function in order to accurately identify the nature of the problem and provide differentiated behavior supports

Noncontingent Reinforcement for a Student Without Disabilities

The present study addresses the following research questions: (a) Can NCR be implemented with fidelity by teachers in general education classrooms?; (b) Does NCR lead to a decrease in off task behavior for a student without identified disabilities

Validation Study of the Family Involvement Questionnaire–Elementary Version With Families in Belize

The purpose of this study was to examine the factor structure of the Family Involvement Questionnaire–Elementary Version with families in Belize. Participants were 185 primary caregivers of children in primary education settings in Belize. Caregivers were given the Family Involvement Questionnaire–Elementary Version to measure their educational involvement in their children’s schooling. Findings indicated the factor structure of the Family Involvement Questionnaire–Elementary Version in Belize was not congruent with the factor structures with samples from the United States and New Zealand. Exploratory factor analysis suggested a five-factor solution: (a) home-school communication, (b) home expectations and monitoring, (c) educational support, (d) school and community involvement, and (e) school attendance. In light of similar measurement studies in the literature, these data indicate that family educational involvement varies across geographic and cultural contexts. This suggests that interventions and policies to improve education outcomes via family involvement ought to consider the unique structure of families’ involvement in the educational system

Validation Study of the Family Involvement Questionnaire--Elementary Version with Families in Belize

The purpose of this study was to examine the factor structure of the Family Involvement Questionnaire--Elementary Version with families in Belize. Participants were 185 primary caregivers of children in primary education settings in Belize. Caregivers were given the Family Involvement Questionnaire--Elementary Version to measure their educational involvement in their children\u27s schooling. Findings indicated the factor structure of the Family Involvement Questionnaire--Elementary Version in Belize was not congruent with the factor structures with samples from the U.S. and New Zealand. Exploratory factor analysis suggested a five-factor solution: (a) home-school communication, (b) home expectations and monitoring, (c) educational support, (d) school and community involvement, and (e) school attendance. In light of similar measurement studies in the literature, these data indicate that family educational involvement varies across geographic and cultural contexts. This suggests that interventions and policies to improve education outcomes via family involvement ought to consider the unique structure of families\u27 involvement in the educational system. [This is the online first version of an article published in Assessment for Effective Intervention