School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions Research Articles

The Impact of the Missouri School-Wide Positive Behavior Support (MO SW-PBS) on Disciplinary Exclusions

The negative outcomes of exclusionary discipline practices on children and youth are well established. Fortunately, for the past two decades, research has demonstrated that pro-active instructional approaches and building supportive class and school environments can effectively promote student social, emotional, and behavioral well-being, especially when evidence-based practices are placed within a problem-solving multitiered system of supports such as school-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports (SWPBIS). Recent work examining state-wide behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) initiatives, which include professional development and technical assistance to school leadership teams, has clearly documented that educators can reduce problem behavior and thereby reduce the need or use for exclusionary discipline practices. This study extends that body of knowledge by examining Missouri’s SWPBIS initiative over time and across grade levels. Using an extant data base, schools implementing SWPBIS with fidelity were compared with nonimplementing schools over 11 school years. Results indicated that schools implementing SWPBIS with fidelity had statistically significant lower rates of exclusionary discipline practices at the primary, middle, and high school level. Results are discussed within the context of past state-wide SWPBIS initiatives.

Paraeducator Involvement in Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports: A Brief Report

Paraeducators assume a range of responsibilities to assist school members in supporting students who receive special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (2004). These responsibilities often include supporting the behavioral needs of students with extensive support needs. Given the growing adoption of school-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) as a framework for supporting students’ social, emotional, and behavioral needs and increasing reliance on paraeducators among schools in the United States, we conducted an exploratory survey study of 82 paraeducators to explore their involvement and perceived importance of involvement in various PBIS aspects, perceived barriers and facilitators of involvement in PBIS, and their interest in professional development to learn about PBIS. Our findings suggest that, although paraeducators valued involvement in PBIS, their overall level of involvement was low across most aspects. Common barriers included limited training and membership on PBIS teams, and paraeducators viewed in-district workshops and one-on-one coaching and mentoring as the most preferred approaches for learning about PBIS.

Positive behavior support in school – a quasi-experimental mixed methods study and a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundWhile positive school climate is important for students’ well-being and mental health, school personnel may experience challenges in creating a nurturing school climate. School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (SW-PBIS) has shown positive effects on school climate and children’s prosocial behaviors, but fewer studies have been conducted in a European context.AimThis project aims to investigate the effectiveness of SW-PBIS program for students’ social-emotional skills and academic achievement as well as teachers’ and students’ perceptions of classroom learning environment. Furthermore, the study intends to evaluate how school-level factors mediate or moderate the effects of the intervention. In addition, the study includes a qualitative evaluation of the dynamic interaction processes that occur during program implementation in local school contexts.MethodsData on school- and individual-level measures are collected in intervention and control schools. With regard to challenges in retaining control groups over extended time periods, two waves of recruitment are used. In the first wave, an active control group is used and data are collected during three time points. In the second wave, a wait-list control group will be used and data will be collected during two time points during one school year. Hierarchical regression analyses will be conducted to explore the effects of SW-PBIS on the outcomes of the study. An ethno-methodological approach will be applied to provide a detailed examination of the social interactional and meaning-making practices of different school implementation teams, and the negotiation of normative expectations and rules of conduct in peer-teacher-student interactions in different classrooms.DiscussionThe study is expected to contribute to knowledge on the effects of the SW-PBIS program and how these effects may be mediated or moderated by school-level factors. Combining quantitative and qualitative methods to explore the significance of school contexts in the implementation of the SW-PBIS program constitutes the strength of the study. The challenge in the study is the extended period of implementation of SW-PBIS, which entails difficulties in retaining a control group over the required time period. Therefore, two waves of recruitment are used, encompassing different procedures of allocation to intervention or control group.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT06270914 on the 22nd of February, 2024 (retrospectively registered).

Integrating pro-environmental behaviors into school-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports for creating green schools

The causes of dramatic climate change mostly lie in human behavior. Humans cause climate change, for example, by creating waste. Pro-environmental behavior plays a crucial role in fighting climate change by preventing waste and conserving resources. Therefore, schools should foster pro-environmental behavior to fight climate change more effectively. Schools can foster pro-environmental behavior by organizing activities focused on both saving water, energy and managing waste through recycling and reuse. As such, one of the systems that can be used to increase the quality and efficiency of green school practices is School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (SW-PBIS). SW-PBIS is a three-tiered approach that matches intervention intensity to student’s needs, aiming to improve all students’ social and educational outcomes through evidence-based preventive behavioral interventions. However, when SW-PBIS implementations are generally considered, the system is mainly used to prevent problem behaviors. While respect, responsibility, and safety are the most common expectations, no expectation is created or included in the system based on sustainability. So, the starting point of the idea is that while problem behaviors can be prevented with SW-PBIS, pro-environmental behaviors to promote a green school can also be taught and supported. Consequently, this article introduces a conceptual framework to integrate pro-environmental behaviors into SW-PBIS for creating green schools. We discuss the importance of SW-PBIS in fostering pro-environmental behavior and how it can help develop responsible students who contribute to green schools to fight climate change. We also discuss implications for future research and practice. This conceptual framework is expected to expand the scope of SW-PBIS and contribute to the implementation of green school initiatives.

Testing an Organizational Implementation Process Model Related to Teachers' Implementation-Related Attitudes and Behaviors: a Multilevel Mediation Analysis.

The effectiveness of school-based universal prevention programs is frequently diminished due to low-quality implementation. Organizational factors support high-quality implementation because of their broad influence across implementers. Conceptually, implementation leadership (i.e., behaviors that prioritize, reward, and support evidence-based practice [EBP] implementation) works to embed a favorable implementation climate (i.e., implementers' collective perceptions that their organization prioritizes, rewards, and support EBP implementation) leading to improved implementation citizenship behavior and attitudes toward EBP. This organizational implementation process model has some empirical support but has not been tested in a multilevel framework or related to hypothesized attitudinal and behavioral outcomes. The sample included 319 teachers across 39 US public elementary schools; all were implementing Schoolwide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports. Multilevel mediation (level 1 = teacher, level 2 = school) was used to test the indirect association of implementation leadership on implementation-related attitudes and behaviors via implementation climate across two time points (fall and spring). At the school level, the organizational implementation process model was validated related to implementation citizenship behavior, but not attitudes toward EBP. At the teacher level, the process model was validated related to both outcomes, and there was a significant direct effect of implementation leadership on attitudes toward EBP. Developing strong leaders for implementation seems key to achieving high-quality EBP implementation. Implications for schools, principal training, and research are discussed.

Including families in the implementation of school‐wide positive behavioral interventions and support: Dutch administrators and SWPBIS‐leadership team experiences

AbstractDespite the fact that research shows that collaboration between families and schools contribute to academic achievement, social‐emotional development and sense of well‐being of students, many schools struggle to establish family‐school partnerships. The current study explores keys to success and challenges in engaging families to the design and implementation of School Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS). In a two‐step systematic assessment, consisting of an online survey (n = 27 participants) and five focus group interviews with administrators and members of SWPBIS leadership teams in schools for primary education (n = 15 participants), we found that all 27 participating schools considered partnerships and communication with parents important. However, most participating schools did not have a policy or strategic planning for engaging families, nor did they systematically evaluate their actions. Schools used one‐way approaches of communicating with parents and found it hard to adapt their communication to a diverse population of new parents and parents already familiar with SWPBIS. Schools did not communicate about what was achieved by implementing SWPBIS in their school. Including families in the SWPBIS leadership team was often considered challenging. Input from families on SWPBIS was not collected, nor did schools gather information about family's needs, (cultural) backgrounds to develop strategies for engaging families. Further research on actual school practices in engaging families is recommended.

Examining an Integrated Factor Structure of Schoolwide MTSS Implementation Measures

Multitiered systems of support (MTSS) are composed of tiered prevention and intervention in multiple domains. MTSS is often referred to as an umbrella framework that includes both a multi-tiered approach to proactive school-wide behavior (e.g., Schoolwide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports) and academic supports in reading, writing, and/or mathematics (e.g., Response to Intervention). Integrating behavior and academic support systems can become complex, requiring significant coordination and implementation efforts within schools. However, efforts to measure implementation and study how such implementation across behavioral and academic domains relates are limited. In the current study, we used MTSS implementation data from 225 schools in a U.S. Midwestern state to examine a factor structure of schoolwide MTSS implementation measures in behavioral and academic domains (reading and mathematics). Results suggest (a) a hierarchical factor model for behavioral and academic MTSS measures fits well, indicating that integrated behavioral and academic supports are driven by an overall implementation factor, and (b) the overall factor had no relation to school-level achievement. Implications for practice and future directions for research are discussed.

School Teams’ Reported Implementation of Family–School Partnerships in PBIS: Current Practices and Opportunities for Growth

Despite the potential benefits of integrating family–school partnerships into school-wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), many barriers persist that limit a school’s ability to engage in meaningful family–school partnerships. These barriers to implementation suggest the importance of understanding the extent to which school teams can overcome these obstacles and promote family–school partnerships in PBIS. The present study adds to the literature by evaluating school teams’ reported implementation of different recommended practices in family–school partnerships in PBIS. Specifically, school teams in the U.S. state of Massachusetts (N = 79) participating in a 3-year PBIS implementation training program completed a survey (65% response rate) where they reported the extent to which they were implementing family–school partnership practices in PBIS across a variety of domains. Findings suggest relative strengths (i.e., communication, resources) and opportunities for growth (i.e., shared decision-making) in schools’ implementation of family–school partnership strategies in PBIS. We also found school characteristics related to increased enrollment and greater racial diversity of the student body posed additional challenges for school staff in ensuring high fidelity implementation of family–school partnership strategies in PBIS. We end with suggestions for researchers and practitioners to boost implementation of key features of family–school partnerships in PBIS via equitable and culturally responsive implementation strategies.

Effects of school-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports on students’ perceptions of teachers’ practices

Effects of school-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports on students’ perceptions of teachers’ practices

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).

Effectiveness of School Violence Prevention Programs in Elementary Schools in the United States: A Systematic Review

School violence remains a major concern for scholars, policymakers, and the public in the United States. Despite the implementation of various school violence prevention programs, information regarding their effectiveness in the United States is outdated and limited. This systematic review identified current elementary school programs that effectively reduce school violence in the United States and determined the types of elementary school violence prevention programs implemented, their effectiveness, and the types of tools used to enhance such programs. A qualitative methodological approach was employed, and four databases were searched. English articles published between 2012 and 2023 were selected. Furthermore, data involving elementary school education, school personnel, teachers, and children (5–12-year-old) in the United States were included in the thematic analysis. Results confirmed that the school-wide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports program effectively decreases violence, suspensions, office referrals, and disruptive behaviors, whereas positive action effectively reduces negative violent behaviors. Social–emotional learning (SEL) implementation also reduced behavioral issues. The findings of this study are relevant for guiding teachers, school administrators, policymakers, teacher education preparation programs, and health professionals in constructing evidence-based violence prevention programs with an added SEL component for elementary schools.

Supplemental Material for Associations Among Educators’ Beliefs, Intervention Fidelity, and Student Outcomes in School-Wide Positive Behavior Interventions, and Supports: A School-Level Moderated Mediation Analysis

Supplemental Material for Associations Among Educators’ Beliefs, Intervention Fidelity, and Student Outcomes in School-Wide Positive Behavior Interventions, and Supports: A School-Level Moderated Mediation Analysis

A Systematic Review of the Evaluation of Social Validity in Experimental Examinations of Tier 2 Schoolwide Positive Behavior Interventions

Positive behavior interventions and supports (PBIS) is a three-tiered framework shown to improve student behavioral outcomes. There has been considerable investment in scaling up Tier 1 PBIS but less focus on scaling Tier 2 supports. Having greater insight into teachers,’ students,’ and families’ perceptions regarding the social validity of Tier 2 interventions may further facilitate the scale-up of this more resource-intensive level of the multitiered model. The primary objective of this systematic literature review was to evaluate the social validity of Tier 2 interventions in 48 experimental studies, 65% of which systematically assessed social validity. Almost all studies reporting social validity data surveyed student participants and teachers (94%). Results indicated teachers and students primarily reported positive perceptions regarding Tier 2 interventions, although some teachers expressed concerns with effectiveness of the outcomes. Findings provide insights that can help promote the scale-up and broader dissemination of Tier 2 supports.

A Comparison of Single-Case Effect Measures Using Check-In Check-Out Data.

There are numerous effect measures researchers can select when conducting a meta-analysis of single-case experimental design research. These effect measures model different characteristics of the data, so it is possible that a researcher's choice of an effect measure could lead to different conclusions about the same intervention. The current study investigated the impact of effect measure selection on conclusions about the effectiveness of check-in check-out (CICO), a commonly used intervention within School-Wide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports. Using a multilevel meta-analysis of seven different effect measures across 95 cases in 22 studies, findings suggested that all effect measures indicated statistically significant results of CICO in improving student behavior. However, the magnitude of the effects varied when comparing the results to interpretive guidelines, suggesting that the selection of effect measures may impact conclusions regarding the extent to which an intervention is effective. Implications, limitations, and future directions are discussed.

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.

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.

Implementation of Check-In/Check-Out to Improve Classroom Behavior of At-Risk Elementary School Students.

The multi-tiered school-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports offers a comprehensive model for the prevention of behavioral and academic problems in schools. This study evaluated Check-in/Check-out (CICO), a Tier 2 intervention, with three elementary school students from a high-need population, whose problem behavior was hypothesized to be maintained by teacher attention. The study employed a concurrent multiple baseline design across participants, a single case experimental design to examine the effects of CICO on student academic engagement and problem behavior during instruction. Results indicated that implementation of CICO with fidelity by the CICO coordinator, classroom teachers, and parents lead to increased academic engagement and reduced problem behavior in all three students. Tau-U Effect sizes were medium to large for academic engagement and small to medium for problem behavior across students. Data on two students indicate that systematically fading the number of times teachers utilize the daily report card has the potential for promoting maintenance effects. For one student, fading of the coordinator was successful. Social validity assessment indicated high levels of satisfaction with the CICO intervention by the participating students, teachers, and one parent.