PAX Good Behavior Game Research Articles

Doing PAXY Things: Swedish 3rd-Grade Students’ Feelings and Attitudes Towards Participation in the PAX Good Behavior Game

Doing PAXY Things: Swedish 3rd-Grade Students’ Feelings and Attitudes Towards Participation in the PAX Good Behavior Game

Testing the combined effects of the PAX Good Behavior Game and MyTeachingPartner™ coaching for early career teachers: Impacts on teacher-student interaction quality and teachers' occupational health

Early career teachers experience exceptionally high rates of attrition from the profession, often due in part to elevated concerns about student behavior and poor occupational health. This study reports findings from a randomized controlled trial testing the combined effect of the PAX Good Behavior Game and MyTeachingPartner™ for 188 early career, early elementary teachers (Grades K–3). Of primary focus were observations of the quality of teachers' interactions with students and their self-reported occupational health over 2 consecutive school years. Results indicated that relative to comparison teachers, those in the intervention condition reported lower distress at follow-up (d = −0.23) and less decline in teacher affiliation across the 2-year period (d = 0.50). In addition, the intervention teachers who were highly distressed at baseline and who experienced high levels of disruptive behavior had higher quality interactions with students around emotional support (d = 0.27), classroom organization (d = 0.32), and instructional support (d = 0.69) at the end of 2 years than comparison teachers. This subgroup of intervention teachers also experienced more favorable changes over time in distress (d = −2.47) and teacher affiliation (d = 3.00) over the course of the study. Professional development focused on classroom management with coaching support may be particularly impactful for early career teachers experiencing higher levels of distress and in classrooms with higher rates of behavior problems.

85.1 The PAX Good Behavior Game: Promoting Population Health Change Through Early Behavioral Skills

85.1 The PAX Good Behavior Game: Promoting Population Health Change Through Early Behavioral Skills

More Than Just a Game: Teachers’ Experiences of the PAX Good Behavior Game

<p style="text-align:justify">The PAX Good Behavior Game (PAX-GBG) is an evidence-based universal preventive intervention program for classroom use. Our aim was to explore teachers’ perceptions of PAX-GBG and their work with it, and whether this changed during the implementation of the intervention. In addition, we explored teachers’ perceptions, and changes in perceptions, regarding how they perceived their workload when learning and using PAX, how it influenced relationships in the classroom and students with special needs. Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with six female teachers at three time-points during a school year. Based on thematic analysis, four themes illustrating teachers’ experiences and the perceived effects of PAX-GBG on classroom relationships were identified: (1) Working with PAX-GBG, (2) The Game, (3) Focus on Behaviour, and (4) Relationships. A notable finding was that most teachers, at the outset, had concerns regarding the PAX Game and that these concerns mostly disappeared after they had experienced working with it. Based on improved student behaviours and overall enhanced relationships in the classroom, our results show that PAX-GBG is a suitable intervention for all students. Students with special needs may especially benefit due to a focus on clear expectations, positive reinforcement, and a more inclusive classroom climate. Some remaining concerns regarding the universal suitability of the game need to be explored further in future studies. Based on the results in this study, PAX-GBG seems to have high social validity in a Swedish context.</p>

Predicting implementation of the PAX Good Behavior Game + MyTeachingPartner interventions.

Effective classroom management is critical to creating a classroom environment in which social, emotional, and academic learning can take place. The present study investigated the association between early career, early elementary teachers' occupational health (job stress, burnout, and perceived teaching ability) and perceptions of program feasibility in relation to their implementation dosage and quality of two evidence-based classroom management programs implemented together: the PAX Good Behavior Game (GBG) and MyTeachingPartner (MTP) intervention. Teachers provided information on their occupational health at the start of the school year and were then randomized to the PAX GBG + MTP condition or control condition. Teachers' perceptions of the feasibility of the program, implementation dosage, and implementation quality of the intervention were measured at the end of the school year for the 94 intervention teachers. Teachers participated in more MTP coaching cycles when they reported that the combined PAX GBG + MTP program was feasible. Although there were no main effects of occupational health on implementation, the associations between job stress and implementation quality were moderated by perceptions of feasibility. Findings highlight the complexity of factors influencing the implementation of evidence-based programs in school settings.

Children’s mental health in different contexts: Results from a multi-informant assessment of Estonian first-grade students

The current study sought to investigate the agreement between teachers and parents about the mental health of first-grade students, the factors that affected this agreement and the associations between measures completed by students, parents and teachers. The investigation used baseline data collected during the PAX Good Behavior Game (PAX GBG) effectiveness study in 42 Estonian schools (N = 708). Information was collected about externalizing and internalizing difficulties and prosocial behaviour, and about inhibitory control. Our research showed higher agreement between parents and teachers about externalizing behaviour and lower agreement regarding prosocial behavior and emotional problems. Inhibition was correlated with teacher-rated questionnaires, but not with parents’ responses. Sociodemographic factors influenced the agreement between teachers and parents somewhat differently. This study highlights the importance of a multi-informant approach in students’ mental health assessments, as some problems might be less observable in certain environments or by some respondents. The practical implications of these findings are discussed and suggestions are provided for the development of a school-based mental health screening system.

The Effects of Two Elementary School-Based Universal Preventive Interventions on Special Education Students’ Socioemotional Outcomes

A group, randomized, comparative effectiveness trial of two elementary universal preventive interventions (PAX Good Behavior Game [PAX GBG] and the integration of PAX GBG with Promoting Alternative THinking Strategies [PATHS to PAX]) was carried out in general education classrooms in 27 urban elementary schools. Ialongo et al. report on results of the trial for all students. Here, we examine the outcomes of students receiving special education services ( N = 650). A linear mixed model analysis of variance (ANCOVA) was conducted with school included as a random effect to examine planned comparisons between conditions. Significant interactions were probed using the Johnson–Neyman technique. For significant and trending results, effect sizes were calculated. Results demonstrated improvement for a number of socioemotional and behavioral variables for students in either intervention, however, the integration of PATHS to PAX appeared to have the most substantial impact for students in special education. Effect sizes ranged from 0.07 to 0.50.

Using Complier Average Causal Effect Estimation to Examine Student Outcomes of the PAX Good Behavior Game When Integrated with the PATHS Curriculum.

A growing body of research has documented a link between variation in implementation dosage and outcomes associated with preventive interventions. Complier Average Causal Effect (CACE; Jo in J Educ Behav Stat 27:385-409, 2002) analysis allows for estimating program impacts in light of variation in implementation. This study reports intent-to-treat (ITT) and CACE findings from a randomized controlled trial (RCT) testing the impacts of the universal PAX Good Behavior Game (PAX GBG)integrated with Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies (i.e., PATHS to PAX) and PAX GBG only compared to a control. This study used ratings by 318K-5 teachers of 1526 at-risk children who, at baseline, were rated as displaying the top 33rd percentile of aggressive-disruptive behavior. Leveraging a prior study on these data (Berg et al. in Admin Policy Ment Health Ment Health Serv Res 44:558-571, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-016-0738-1 , 2017), CACE was defined as the effect of intervention assignment for compliers, using two compliance cut points (50th and 75th percentile), on posttest ratings of student academic engagement, social competence, peer relations, emotion regulation, hyperactivity, and aggressive-disruptive behavior. The ITT analyses indicated improvements for students in the integrated condition on ratings of social competence compared to the control condition. The CACE analyses also indicated significant effects of the integrated intervention on social competence, as well as academic engagement and emotion regulation for students in high compliance classrooms. These findings illustrate the importance of considering variation in implementation within the context of RCTs.

How do collective student behavior and other classroom contextual factors relate to teachers' implementation of an evidence-based intervention? A multilevel structural equation model.

Building on prior work regarding the potential for peer contagion or deviance training in group delivered interventions (Dishion & Dodge, 2005, 2006; Dodge, Dishion, & Lansford, 2006), we leveraged data from a randomized trial, testing the integration of two preventive interventions (Promoting Alternative THinking Strategies and PAX Good Behavior Game), to explore the extent to which classroom contextual factors served as either a barrier to or a motivator for teachers to implement the evidence-based PAX Good Behavior Game with high frequency or dosage. We included students' baseline levels of behavior, measured with regard to both positive (i.e., engagement and social emotional skills) and negative (i.e., hyperactive and aggressive-disruptive) behaviors. Data were collected from 204 teachers in 18 urban elementary schools. A series of multilevel structural equation models were fit to the data. The analyses indicated that classrooms with higher classroom levels of aggressive behavior, on average, at baseline had teachers with lower implementation dosage (i.e., played fewer games) across the school year. In addition, teachers who reported higher baseline levels of emotional exhaustion, regardless of student behavior, also reported lower implementation dosage. Taken together, the results indicated that negative, but not positive, contextual factors at baseline were related to lower implementation dosage; this, in turn, suggests that negative contextual factors may serve as a barrier, rather than a motivator, of teachers' implementation dosage of classroom-based preventive interventions.

Effectiveness of a Universal, Classroom-Based Preventive Intervention (PAX GBG) in Estonia: a Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial.

The PAX Good Behavior Game (PAX GBG) is a behavior management strategy that has demonstrated positive effects on children's behavior and well-being in trials conducted mainly in the USA. This study assessed the impact of the PAX GBG on students' mental health and behavior 7 and 19months post-baseline in Estonia. This matched-pair, cluster-randomized, waitlist-controlled, open-label trial included 42 Estonian elementary schools with 708 first-grade students. The primary outcome was children's overall mental health rated by teachers, while secondary objectives were to examine whether the effects of the intervention extended to the home context. Teachers also rated their self-efficacy and overall classroom behavior. Intervention adherence and children's exposure to the intervention were also measured. Modified intention to treat analysis involved 696 students on first post-baseline and 647 on second post-baseline. Intervention had positive effects on children's mental health at the end of the first academic year, which lasted and strengthened during the second academic year. Moderation analysis demonstrated positive effects on mental health and prosocial behavior for high-risk students during the first year. A few positive effects extended to the home environment during the second academic year. Implementation fidelity was satisfactory. The intervention also had a positive lasting effect on teacher's self-efficacy and overall classroom behavior. This study shows the positive effects of the PAX GBG in Estonian schools and supports broader implementation of the intervention in Estonian elementary schools. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov No. NCT02865603.

Using Connected Technologies in a Continuous Quality Improvement Approach in after-school Settings: The PAX Good Behavior Game

This demonstration study explored the use of connected technologies in a continuous quality improvement (CQI) approach to implementing evidence-based practices in after-school. Focus group with staff indicated enjoyment of technology and offered feedback for future development. Ecological momentary assessments (EMA) were gathered daily. Three randomized conditions were compared among 4 programs and 12 staff implementing PAX Good Behavior Game (PAX GBG). Analysis of variance (ANOVA), Post-Hoc Tukey, and chi-square analyses indicated that the tech-enhanced condition showed better implementation using scoreboards than the in person, while similar in game length. Both were superior to the control in behavioral strategies; highlighting the promise of technology in capacity building.

A Comparison of Variable- and Person-Oriented Approaches in Evaluating a Universal Preventive Intervention.

Evaluations of prevention programs, such as the PAX Good Behavior Game (PAX), often have multiple outcome variables (e.g., emotional, behavioral, and relationship problems). These are often reported for multiple time points (e.g., pre- and post-intervention) where data are multilevel (e.g., students nested in schools). In this paper, we present both variable-oriented and person-oriented statistical approaches, to evaluate an intervention program with multilevel, longitudinal multivariate outcomes. Using data from the Manitoba PAX Study, we show how these two approaches provide us with different information that can be complementary. Data analyses with the variable-oriented approach (multilevel linear regression model) provided us with overall PAX program effects for each outcome variable; the person-oriented approach (latent transition analysis) allowed us to explore the transition of multiple outcomes across multiple time points and how the intervention program affects this transition differently for students with different risk profiles. We also used both approaches to examine how gender and socio-economic status related to the program effects. The implications of these results and the use of both types of approaches for program evaluation are discussed.

Adapting and enhancing PAX Good Behavior Game for First Nations communities: a mixed-methods study protocol developed with Swampy Cree Tribal Council communities in Manitoba

IntroductionHigh rates of mental health problems, such as suicidal behaviours, among First Nations youth in Canada are a major public health concern. The Good Behavior Game (GBG) is a school-based...

Promoting Teachers' Implementation of Classroom-Based Prevention Programming Through Coaching: The Mediating Role of the Coach-Teacher Relationship.

There is growing awareness of the importance of implementation fidelity and the supports, such as coaching, to optimize it. This study examined how coaching activities (i.e., check-ins, needs assessment, modeling, and technical assistance) related directly and indirectly to implementation dosage and quality of the PAX Good Behavior Game, via a mediating pathway through working relationship. Mediation analyses of 138 teachers revealed direct effects of modeling and working relationship on implementation dosage, whereas needs assessment was associated with greater dosage indirectly, by higher ratings of the working relationship. Understanding how coaching activities promote implementation fidelity elements has implications for improving program effectiveness.

Effectiveness of a universal classroom-based preventive intervention (PAX GBG): A research protocol for a matched-pair cluster-randomized controlled trial.

IntroductionThe PAX Good Behavior Game (PAX GBG) is a universal classroom-based program that promotes children's mental health. In Estonia, the intervention is delivered to first grade students (aged seven to eight) within the regular school curriculum. The current work describes a protocol for a cluster-randomized controlled trial (RCT) of the PAX GBG conducted in Estonia.Design and methodsThis is an ongoing, pragmatic, two-year, matched-pair, cluster-RCT conducted in Estonian elementary schools. Schools were matched to pairs based on their geographical location and number of students per classroom. One school in each pair was randomly selected to receive the intervention and the other placed on a wait-list as a control. 42 schools provided baseline data during the autumn of 2016. Data is collected at two more points in time – seven months and 19 months post-baseline. Outcomes of children's mental health and behavior are measured by the teacher- and parent-rated Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, parent-rated Swanson, Nolan, and Pelham – IV Questionnaire and the Go/No-Go task completed by children. Teachers also rate their self-efficacy and overall classroom behavior.DiscussionThis study aims to test the effectiveness of the intervention in Estonian classrooms with a newer version of the rigorously tested GBG program. To our knowledge, this study is the first to measure the effects of the intervention on children's inhibitory control, which has been associated with externalizing problems in the literature. The results from this trial will provide further understanding into how the program influences children's well-being and self-control.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov registry (NCT02865603).

Promoting Afterschool Quality and Positive Youth Development: Cluster Randomized Trial of the Pax Good Behavior Game.

This randomized trial tested a strategy originally developed for school settings, the Pax Good Behavior Game (PAX GBG), in the new context of afterschool programs. We examined this approach in afterschool since 70% of all juvenile crime occurs between the hours of 3-6pm, making afterschool an important setting for prevention and promotion. Dual-career and working families need monitoring and supervision for their children in quality settings that are safe and appropriately structured. While substantial work has identified important features of afterschool programs, increasing attention is being given to how to foster quality. PAX GBG, with its focus on shared norms, cooperative teams, contingent activity rewards, and liberal praise, could potentially enhance not only appropriate structure and supportive relationships, but also youth self-regulation, co-regulation, and socio-emotional development. This study examined the PAX GBG among 76 afterschool programs, serving 811 youth ages 5-12, who were diverse in race-ethnicity, socio-economic status, and geographic locale. Demographically matched pairs of afterschool programs were randomized to PAX GBG or treatment-as-usual. Independent observers conducted ratings of implementation fidelity and program quality across time; along with surveys of children's problem and prosocial behavior. Interaction effects were found using hierarchical linear models such that experimental programs evidencing higher implementation fidelity demonstrated better program quality than controls, (i.e., less harshness, increased appropriate structure, support, and engagement), as well as reduced child-reported hyperactivity and intent-to-treat effects on prosocial behavior. This study demonstrates that best practices fostered by PAX GBG and implemented with fidelity in afterschool result in higher quality contexts for positive youth development.

Testing the PAX Good Behavior Game with and without school-based parenting support: study description and practical challenges

AbstractDespite large government expenditures and the implementation of mental health-related initiatives and strategies, the social, emotional, and behavioral concerns about children remain a significant issue in Canada. Accordingly, our group has undertaken a three-arm cluster school-based field study in Western Canada to examine interventions intended to have positive impact on children. This article describes the structure and design of the study, the interventions deployed, and the challenges encountered in conducting this type of initiative. The main intervention is the PAX Good Behavior Game (PAX GBG), a school-based intervention designed to improve children’s self-regulation, prosocial behavior, and mental health outcomes. The study was designed to test the impact of the PAX GBG with or without school-based parenting support on classroom behavior, child outcomes for social-emotional and behavioral functioning, and teacher stress and wellbeing. The parenting support intervention draws on the Triple...

Using Complier Average Causal Effect Estimation toDetermine the Impacts of the Good Behavior Game Preventive Intervention on Teacher Implementers.

Complier average causal effect (CACE) analysis is a causal inference approach that accounts for levels of teacher implementation compliance. In the current study, CACE was used to examine one-year impacts of PAX good behavior game (PAX GBG) and promoting alternative thinking strategies (PATHS) on teacher efficacy and burnout. Teachers in 27 elementary schools were randomized to PAX GBG, an integration of PAX GBG and PATHS, or a control condition. There were positive overall effects on teachers' efficacy beliefs, but high implementing teachers also reported increases in burnout across the school year. The CACE approach may offer new information not captured using a traditional intent-to-treat approach.

How Do School-Based Prevention Programs Impact Teachers? Findings from a Randomized Trial of an Integrated Classroom Management and Social-Emotional Program.

A number of classroom-based interventions have been developed to improve social and behavioral outcomes for students, yet few studies have examined how these programs impact the teachers who are implementing them. Impacts on teachers may affect students and therefore also serve as an important proximal outcome to examine. The current study draws upon data from a school-based randomized controlled trial testing the impact of two prevention programs. In one intervention condition, teachers were trained in the classroom behavior management program, PAX Good Behavior Game (PAX GBG). In a second intervention condition, teachers were trained to use an integrated program, referred to as PATHS to PAX, of the PAX GBG and a social and emotional learning curriculum called Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies (PATHS©). This study aimed to determine whether both interventions positively impacted teachers, with a particular interest in the teachers' own beliefs and perceptions regarding self-efficacy, burnout, and social-emotional competence. The sample included 350 K-5 teachers across 27 schools (18 schools randomized to intervention, 9 to control). Multilevel latent growth curve analyses indicated that the PATHS to PAX condition generally demonstrated the most benefits to teachers, relative to both the control and PAX GBG conditions. These findings suggest that school-based preventive interventions can have a positive impact on teachers' beliefs and perceptions, particularly when the program includes a social-emotional component. Several possible mechanisms might account for the added benefit to teachers. Additional research is needed to better understand how these programs impact teachers, as well as students.

Teacher Self-Efficacy and Student Outcomes: A Transactional Approach to Prevention

Teacher Self-Efficacy and Student Outcomes: A Transactional Approach to Prevention Mary J. Huber, Jason D. Fruth, Alan Avila-John, Enrique López-Ramírez Abstract Teachers who are in their first couple of years of teaching are vulnerable to leaving the profession at considerably high rates. Teacher retention rates are related to teachers’ feelings of self-efficacy. This study examined the effect of the universal preventive intervention, the PAX Good Behavior Game (PAX GBG), on teachers’ self-efficacy when delivered as professional development to practicing teachers. PAX GBG has demonstrated an effect on numerous student proximal and distal outcomes when implemented as classroombased prevention. However, the effects on teacher outcomes are less identified and researched as well as the reciprocal nature of teacher and student interactions during the implementation of a PAX GBG intervention. In this quasi-experimental design, practicing teachers reported significantly higher levels of self-efficacy after receiving training in PAX GBG suggesting the malleability of self-efficacy. The results were examined within the framework of the transactional model and demonstrate the need to further investigate teacher and student relationships and the related distal student outcomes as a result of increasing teacher self-efficacy. Full Text: PDF DOI: 10.15640/jehd.v5n1a5