School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions And Supports Research Articles

Associations among educators' beliefs, intervention fidelity, and student outcomes in school-wide positive behavior interventions, and supports: A school-level moderated mediation analysis.

Existing literature has established the effectiveness of school-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports (SWPBIS) for improving school-level student behavioral and academic outcomes. Implementation of SWPBIS in uncontrolled settings is often suboptimal, leading to lackluster outcomes. Researchers have developed and validated several implementation strategies to improve individual-level implementation determinants (e.g., educators' supportive beliefs) to promote the successful delivery of universal programs (e.g., SWPBIS). However, empirical studies are needed to explore the mechanisms of change through which school-level educators' beliefs influence their delivery of SWPBIS. This school-level quasi-experimental study tested a mediational mechanism of change where changes in educators' beliefs work through their intervention fidelity of SWPBIS to influence student outcomes. We delivered the Supportive Belief Intervention (a school-wide implementation strategy used before training to promote educators' supportive beliefs about SWPBIS) and then Tier 1 SWPBIS training to 81 elementary schools serving diverse student populations. At the start of the academic year, school-level educators' beliefs were assessed before the Supportive Belief Intervention. At the end of the academic year, educators' beliefs, intervention fidelity, and rates of student reading proficiency and suspension were assessed. Conditional process analyses with nonparametric bootstrapping (mediational and first stage moderated mediational models) revealed that, at the school level, a larger increase in educators' supportive beliefs was associated with enhanced SWPBIS fidelity and better corollary student outcomes (increased reading proficiency and reduced suspension), while student socioeconomic status moderated the size of the mediation effect. Implications for research and practices about the implementation of SWPBIS and school context were discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Initial Exploration and Implementation Efforts of SWPBIS Tier 1 in Cyprus: Results from Two Model Demonstration Sites

ABSTRACT Student behavioral problems are a concern among educators in Cyprus. Policy and practice measures implemented in Cyprus have primarily focused on addressing problem behaviors at the individual level. Recently, behavior support implementations have occurred at a schoolwide level. This mixed methods study presents the results of two model demonstration sites of Schoolwide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS) implemented in two elementary schools in Cyprus. Exploration and initial implementation efforts focused on adapting and contextually fitting the SWPBIS primary prevention’s four core features (outcomes, data, practices, systems) to meet the values and needs of Cypriot schools. Intervention components included defining and teaching expected classroom behaviors, acknowledging and reinforcing social expectations, re-directing and correcting social errors, and collecting data to make informed decisions. Treatment fidelity was measured three times throughout the study. Outcome measures included disruptive behavioral incidents and the staff’s social acceptability of intervention components. Results are discussed, and implications for practice in implementing SWPBIS are suggested within the centralized educational context of Cyprus.

Effects of Tiered SWPBIS Fidelity on Exclusionary Discipline Outcomes for Students With Disabilities: A Conceptual Replication

School-wide positive behavior interventions and supports (SWPBIS) is a tiered framework that supports the academic, social, and behavioral needs of students. In this study, we conducted a conceptual replication of Grasley-Boy et al. (2022a) and used a series of two-level linear multilevel analyses to examine the impact of SWPBIS fidelity on 10 exclusionary discipline outcomes for students with disabilities (SWD). Specifically, we compared schools that implemented multiple SWPBIS tiers with fidelity to schools that only implemented Tier 1 with fidelity from a sample of 558 schools in 113 districts in California. Findings indicate a statistically significant decrease in multiple out-of-school suspension categories as well as referrals to law enforcement for SWD in schools that implemented all tiers with fidelity. We provide recommendations for using findings to inform school efforts to reduce exclusionary discipline for SWD.

Can School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS) improve adolescents' perceptions of school climate?

As school climate plays a key role in adolescents' academic and socio-emotional outcomes, interventions that can enhance this climate are of major interest. In considering research on practices linked to a positive school climate, School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS) is a promising approach. To date, most SWPBIS studies have been conducted in English-speaking countries and have been based primarily on adults' perceptions or reports (e.g., suspension rates, office discipline referrals). There is a dearth of research on the effectiveness of SWPBIS among adolescents in different cultural contexts. Moreover, little is known about its propensity to influence adolescents' perceptions of school climate dimensions. The present study examined the effects of SWPBIS on different dimensions of school climate as perceived by French adolescents enrolled in Grades 6–9. An experimental effectiveness study was conducted among 84 grades from 21 middle schools. Multilevel analyses were conducted on data from a sample of 6765 adolescents (Mage = 12.3 years, SD = 1.23; 51% girls) from 40 control and 44 intervention grades, controlling for grade-level school climate dimensions at baseline. The results suggest that SWPBIS had a positive effect on educational, safety, and teacher-student school climate dimensions. No effects were found on belonging, fairness, and between-students school climate dimensions. The findings suggest that SWPBIS had a positive effect on adolescents' perceptions of three school climate dimensions regardless of their initial perception levels. These results may provide future directions for school teams, researchers, and policymakers interested in ways to improve school climate.

Re-Examining the Reliability and Validity of the SWPBIS Tiered Fidelity Inventory

School-wide positive behavior interventions and supports (SWPBIS) is widely implemented across the United States. Evidence suggests that SWPBIS, when implemented with fidelity, has a significant and positive impact on schools, including lower suspensions and higher reading and mathematics achievement. A critical component of this research is measuring fidelity of SWPBIS implementation in schools. In this study, we re-evaluated the reliability and validity of a widely used fidelity tool, the Tiered Fidelity Inventory (TFI), within a single-state sample. Using data from 693 schools in the U.S. state of California, we found a hierarchical factor structure based on subscales and tiers fit the data best when controlling for the multilevel nature of the data; however, there was no relation between the latent fidelity variables and changes in suspensions. Implications of these results are discussed, including different approaches to scoring and conceptualizing fidelity of implementation for SWPBIS, along with considerations for future research using the TFI.

Effects of check‐in/check‐out on the behavior of students with autism spectrum disorder who have extensive support needs

AbstractStudents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who have extensive support needs (ESN) may require support to develop appropriate social behavior. School‐wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS) is an evidence‐based framework to support the social and behavioral needs of all students. As an evidence‐based practice commonly used as a Tier 2 support within SWPBIS, check‐in/check‐out (CICO) has improved social behavior among students with and without disabilities. However, the literature on the efficacy of CICO does not include students with ASD who have ESN. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of traditional and adapted CICO as a Tier 2 support within the SWPBIS framework on the adherence to school‐wide expectations and challenging behavior of four elementary students with ASD who have ESN. Results of this multiple baseline across participants design study were inconclusive regarding challenging behavior and adherence to school‐wide expectations across participants. Further, social validity data collected from all participants indicated the intervention was feasible and an overall positive experience.

Teachers’ Perspectives and Knowledge of Students With Complex Support Needs and Practices Associated With SWPBIS

In this study, we examined the extent to which educators believe students with complex support needs (CSN) participate in and benefit from practices associated with school-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports (SWPBIS). We conducted a survey of 622 teachers in the United States and analyzed responses according to the implementation or absence of SWPBIS at the respondent’s school. Our findings show (a) teachers working in SWPBIS schools have more knowledge of how to handle challenging behavior among students with CSN, (b) students with CSN who are taught in SWPBIS schools are more involved in SWPBIS-associated practices and the general education classroom, and (c) teachers believe students with CSN should be involved in SWPBIS-associated practices. Implications for practice and research are discussed.

Classroom Management Systems to Address Student Disruptive Behavior

Classroom management systems (CMS) are class-wide strategies that teachers use to keep students on task, attentive, and academically engaged. This review provides teachers an overview of eight effective and socially valid CMSs that are aligned with school-wide positive behavior interventions and supports (SWPBIS). The goal is to provide teachers with a guide whereby they can easily implement any of these CMSs in their classrooms. Figures are provided to describe the training procedures, implementation steps, materials needed, data collection, progress monitoring, treatment integrity, variations to the original procedures, and existing supportive research.

Teacher Perceptions of Implementation Climate Related to Feasibility of Implementing Schoolwide Positive Behavior Supports and Interventions

For Schoolwide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS) to be effective, educators must use the practices as intended. Whether a teacher uses a practice as intended can depend, in part, on how feasible the practice is perceived to be. Identifying malleable factors associated with teachers’ perceptions of SWPBIS feasibility can help schools identify targeted supports to improve feasibility. Implementation climate, or the shared perception among implementers that their school supports implementation efforts, is known to promote high quality implementation. However, little is known about how individuals’ perceptions of their school’s implementation climate may influence their perceptions of feasibility. The lack of empirical evidence points to a need to explore whether educators’ shared and individual perceptions of implementation climate influence feasibility of implementing SWPBIS. Therefore, this study examines the link between teachers’ individual and shared perceptions of implementation climate related to the feasibility of implementing SWPBIS in a sample of 348 K-5 general education teachers across 39 elementary schools in the pacific northwestern United States. Results indicate that teachers who experience their schools’ implementation climate as positive are more likely to report SWPBIS as feasible, controlling for teachers’ shared perceptions of implementation climate. Implications for schools aiming to improve their implementation of SWPBIS, including the development of individualized implementation supports (e.g., tailoring implementation strategies to support each and every teacher), are discussed.

Exploring SWPBIS Implementation Outcomes in Rural and Urban Schools in Florida

Rural schools experience unique challenges, including teacher quality and teacher retention, limited resources, and availability of funding. Furthermore, access to professional development and, subsequently, implementation of evidence-based practices may also be limited in rural settings. One evidence-based framework for implementing evidence-based practices, School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS), has been widely implemented, including in rural and urban schools. Yet, very little research has explicitly compared rural and urban schools implementing SWPBIS with regard to implementation and discipline. Therefore, we examined statewide data to evaluate differences between rural and urban schools implementing SWPBIS in Florida. We found that both rural and urban schools were equally likely to implement all the components of SWPBIS. When comparing schools, we found that rural schools implementing SWPBIS had more out-of-school suspensions than nonimplementing rural schools, while the opposite was true for urban schools. Limitations and future research are discussed.

School Climate in Rural and Urban Schools and the Impact of SWPBIS

Positive school climate is associated with myriad positive student, staff, and school outcomes, including increased achievement and decreased problem behavior. Hence, universal evidence-based practices are necessary to increase school climate. One universal approach with evidence of effects on school climate is School-Wide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS). However, little research exists evaluating the effects of SWPBIS on school climate focus on student perceptions. Furthermore, researchers have rarely examined differences in students’ perceptions of school climate in rural and urban schools and differences of SWPBIS effectiveness in rural and urban schools. Therefore, we used state-wide school climate data for elementary students in the U.S. state of Georgia and examined differences between rural and urban locale and SWPBIS implementation. Using multilevel structural equation modeling, we found that rural schools implementing SWPBIS with high levels of fidelity had significantly higher positive school climate than urban schools. Implications and limitations are discussed.

School-Wide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports in Rural and Urban California Schools: Effects on Fidelity of Implementation and Suspension Outcomes

Evidence suggests that implementing School-Wide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS) with fidelity can reduce behavior problems in schools and, concomitantly, the use of school suspensions. Few studies have explored differences in SWPBIS implementation fidelity and outcomes between rural and urban schools, but research suggests urban locale may moderate the effectiveness of particular interventions. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess differences in SWPBIS implementation fidelity and suspension outcomes between rural and urban schools in California during the 2017–2018 school year. Using several subsets of this sample, we applied linear and multinomial regression and multilevel modeling to determine differences between locales. Results suggest no differences in the likelihood of implementing Tier 1 or Tiers 1 and 2 with fidelity between rural and urban schools. However, rural schools are significantly more likely to implement all three tiers of SWPBIS with fidelity. When comparing rural and urban schools and suspension outcomes, we found that urban schools implementing all three tiers were less likely to use out-of-school suspensions for all students and for students with disabilities. Limitations and implications are discussed.

Participation of students with extensive support needs in SWPBIS: Administrator and educator perspectives

AbstractWe explored the involvement of students with extensive support needs (ESN) in School‐wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS). We interviewed 15 administrators and special and general educators from elementary schools implementing SWPBIS during the 2019–2020 school year and analyzed responses using qualitative content analysis. In spite of reported challenges related to student characteristics and low expectations among school personnel, participants indicated that students with ESN were taught school‐wide expectations and received public acknowledgement at Tier 1, often with adaptations and evidence‐based practices, and were considered for Tier 2. Although participants reported commitment to inclusion as a central aspect of SWPBIS, inclusion primarily occurred outside academic classrooms, which limited student involvement across SWPBIS activities. Finally, few participants indicated that students with ESN were involved in SWPBIS data collection activities. Implications include that schools should systematically include students with ESN in all tiers of SWPBIS in such a way that focuses on students' meaningful benefit rather than solely on their physical inclusion and create systems that ensure special and general educators collaborate in SWPBIS implementation. Our findings provide a framework for future studies to identify conditions and effective strategies that ensure SWPBIS benefits all students.

Preventing Bullying and Improving School Climate Through Integrating Youth Participatory Action Research Into School-wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports: An Illustration Using a Multiple Case Study Approach

Bullying is a persistent problem in schools today, with developmental and socioemotional consequences. Multi-tiered interventions, such as School-wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (SW-PBIS), have been developed to decrease bullying by improving school climate. However, effects of SW-PBIS are stronger in elementary school than middle and high school, and effects are weaker for marginalized student groups. Aligning SW-PBIS with adolescent developmental needs and promoting systems change through youth participatory action research (YPAR) may improve the developmental fit of SW-PBIS for middle and high school students and strengthen its equity impact. In YPAR, youth conduct research on areas that are important to them and take data-driven action to improve their lives. In this paper, we utilize a qualitative instrumental multiple case study approach to identify similarities between YPAR and SW-PBIS and the value added of YPAR to SW-PBIS implementation. The two cases are from school districts chosen for their unique implementation of YPAR with SW-PBIS in middle and high schools. We used a general inductive approach to analyze field notes, documents, and interviews with school and district staff. We found that YPAR enhanced SW-PBIS implementation at the middle and high school level through alignment with adolescent developmental needs. Youth participatory action research also promoted equity through youth-led or youth–adult partnered assessment and data-driven decision-making, providing YPAR with the opportunity to improve the challenges SW-PBIS faces in decreasing disproportionality in academic outcomes for marginalized students. We provided examples to integrate YPAR with SW-PBIS at Tiers One through three.

Benchmarks of Equality? School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports and the Discipline Gap

In U.S. schools, Black and Latinx youth receive disciplinary action at rates greater than their White peers. In the context of systemic racism in the United States, proposed systemic solutions such as school-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports (SWPBIS) should be evaluated for their effectiveness in producing more equitable school discipline. In light of mixed evidence for a SWPBIS–equity relationship, this study examined the merits of five SWPBIS elements demonstrating promise in the literature or underexamined potential for reducing discipline rates and disparities for Black and Latinx students in a sample of 322 SWPBIS-implementing schools serving a total of 292,490 students (19% Black, 28% Latinx) in a southeastern state. Multiple linear regression results indicated that higher fidelity to SWPBIS Classroom Systems was related to lower discipline risk for all students, including Black and Latinx students, but not more equitable discipline practices. Higher fidelity to SWPBIS Expectations was related to higher suspension risk among Black students, whereas higher levels of Recognition were related to more equitable suspension practices. No significant relationships were observed between Lessons and Data Analysis and disciplinary rates or equity. Implications for the research and practice of SWPBIS are discussed in the context of promoting more equitable and socially just discipline practices.

Enhancing School-wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports Tier 1 core practices to improve disciplinary equity

Addressing racial disparities in school discipline is an urgent and widespread issue facing US schools. One approach to improve racial equity in school discipline practice is to enhance the contextual fit of empirically validated schoolwide practices. Schoolwide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS) is a widely implemented and research-validated approach shown to improve behavioral and academic outcomes, yet evidence suggests students of color remain disproportionately disciplined in schools implementing the SWPBIS framework to fidelity. Contextual fit is a core principle of SWPBIS, but in practice, schools may lack effective strategies to enhance equity using the framework’s tier 1 core practices. This article describes promising enhancements to universal school practices aimed at reducing school discipline disparities.

Can Policy Promote Adoption or Outcomes of Evidence-based Prevention Programming?: a Case Illustration of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports.

This study examined the impact of a state policy requiring that any school with a habitual truancy rate of 8% or higher to be trained in Tier 1 school-wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (SW-PBIS). A regression discontinuity (RD) design was used to examine how the schools' mandate status related to SW-PBIS training as well as student suspensions, truancy, and achievement in 410 public middle and high schools, of which 261 were affected by the mandate. We further examined the growth trajectories (i.e., improvement) of implementation fidelity over time using growth mixture modeling (GMM). Contrary to the intent of the policy to improve student outcomes, the RD results suggestedthat the mandate did not significantlyimpact reading and math achievement, truancy rates, or SW-PBIS training in 2010-2011 through 2013-2014. Mandated schools had higher suspension rates in 2010-2011 through 2013-2014 than the non-mandated schools; however, these differences in the suspension rates appear to have persisted from years prior to the mandate. Descriptive analyses suggested that mandated schools had statistically significantly higher rates of training, and the GMM analyses on the fidelity data indicated that mandated schools were significantly more likely to be in an improving implementationgrowth trajectory over time. Taken together, results suggested that the policy showed some promise for improving SW-PBIS training and fidelity over time, but it had little to no impact on student outcomes.

Strategies for Including Students With Extensive Support Needs in SWPBIS

Schools that implement School-wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS) offer a multitiered continuum of supports that increases in intensity to support the behavioral needs of all students within a school. Although the number of schools that have adopted SWPBIS continues to rise, students with extensive support needs (ESN) may be excluded from various aspects of SWPBIS at the Tier 1 and Tier 2 levels. Given that SWPBIS is intended to be fully inclusive, the purpose of this article is to provide educators and other staff with practical tools and guidelines for including students with ESN in Tiers 1 and 2 of SWPBIS. We also present additional considerations for self-assessment, collaborative teaming, and professional development for including students with ESN in SWPBIS.

PRELIMINARY OUTCOMES AND CHALLENGES TO IMPLEMENTING SCHOOL-WIDE POSITIVE BEHAVIOR INTERVENTIONS AND SUPPORTS IN 30 GREEK PRIMARY SCHOOLS

<p>School-Wide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS) is an evidence-based three-tier school-wide framework for preventing and treating challenging behavior in schools, improving overall school climate, and promoting teachers' teaming and collaboration. SWPBIS outcomes, such as the decrease of students' behavioral problems and improvement of teachers' cooperation, have been well established across various educational systems in many countries. The purpose of this qualitative study is to investigate stakeholders' perceptions about the preliminary outcomes and challenges of the SWPBIS Tier 1 implementation in 30 Greek primary schools. A semi-structured focus group was conducted with stakeholders from Greek primary schools about their experiences from the implementation of SWPBIS Tier 1 during the 2019-2020 school year. Three key categories were identified: (a) perceptions about the initial SWPBIS outcomes, (b) implementation challenges, and (c) suggestions on additional supports. Practical implications and results are discussed in terms of how they can be used in sustaining SWPBIS in the Greek context.</p><p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0774/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

Impact of the School Environment on Medical Treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Population-Wide Register Data Study of School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports.

Although attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is among the most heritable psychiatric childhood disorders, social and gene-environment interactions seemingly play an important role in the etiology of ADHD. Consistent with this, this study finds that School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS) reduced the likelihood of pharmacotherapeutic treatment for ADHD at age 14-16 by 12%, using population-wide Norwegian register data and a difference-in-difference design (N=698,364, birth cohorts 1990-2002, 48.7% girls, 5.7% immigrant background). At-risk students in schools with high fidelity of implementation are driving these intervention effects. Overall, the findings indicate that children with a genetic disposition for ADHD are more likely to avoid medical treatment in an organized and predictable school setting with a focus on positive reinforcement.