Evaluating the Effects of Fading a Self-Management Intervention Package for Students with Emotional Behavioral Disorders

Abstract

Students with Emotional Behavioral Disorders (EBD) exhibit behaviors that interfere with their ability to access instruction and identifying feasible and effective school-based interventions is critical for promoting their academic success. Previous research has shown the positive effects of a self-management package that involved gradually and systematically introducing four self-management components: goal setting, self-monitoring, self-evaluation, and self-reinforcement. Using an A-B-A-B-C single-case design, this study extended the previous research by 1) examining the effects of the self-management package when all four components were implemented simultaneously and 2) evaluating the effects of a fading procedure in which responsibility for intervention components previously held by the teacher were shifted to the student. The participants in this study were two Black students, ages 11 and 13, who were enrolled in an alternative educational setting for students with significant behavior challenges. The results provide evidence that the self-monitoring intervention increased on-task and decreased off-task behaviors in the intervention and fading phases for both students. Limitations and suggestions for future research are discussed. Impact Statement Students with Emotional Behavioral Disorders (EBD) have significant and complex needs that require intensive intervention. The current study examined the effectiveness of a self-monitoring package to increase on-task behavior and decrease off-task behaviors in a specialized educational setting for students with EBD. The study illustrates the successful application of research into practice and provides a detailed description of an intervention that practitioners can replicate to improve outcomes for students with behavioral disabilities.