School-wide Positive Behavior Support 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).

An Exploration of Staff’s Beliefs about School-Wide Positive Behavior Support: Factor Examination Using the Beliefs about Behavior Survey

The successful implementation of school-wide positive behavior support (SWPBS) relies greatly on staff’s commitment and buy-in, as these factors directly impact the level of their involvement and engagement. As such, it is crucial to develop and use psychometrically sound tools to measure staff’s supportive beliefs regarding SWPBS. In this study, we conducted a series of psychometric analyses of a 30-item adoption from the Beliefs About Behavior Survey (BABS) to assess staff’s perceptions of key SWPBS components. The research involved 767 school staff members in two mid-mountain U.S. states. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) performed on data from one state (N = 376) resulted in an 18-item survey addressing four distinct factors: Positive System Practice, Proactive Prevention, Use of Punishment, and Equity and Fairness. The results of reliability estimates supported the survey’s internal consistency. The four factors collectively accounted for 57% of the variance among the items, indicating adequate psychometric properties. A subsequent confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) using data from the second state (N = 391) demonstrated an adequate data-model fit for the four-factor structure. This brief and cost-efficient survey instrument can be used to assess staff support or resistance to SWPBS, enabling data-driven decisions for planning professional development and system support. The study’s limitations and potential future research directions are also discussed.

Development of the Tiered Onsite Evaluation Tool for Organization-Wide Person-Centered Positive Behavior Support

Positive behavior support (PBS) is an evidence-based framework for improving quality of life and preventing challenging behavior that is often implemented in combination with person-centered practices in the intellectual and developmental disability (IDD) field. Recently, state agencies and organizations supporting people with IDD have adopted a system-wide approach to PBS, much like multi-tiered school-wide PBS for youth in educational settings (e.g., SW-PBIS). Fidelity tools for guiding team implementation and action planning are essential throughout every phase of implementation in any innovation. Although such tools exist for SW-PBIS, no widely used measure currently exists for assessing the implementation of organization-wide PBS in the adult IDD field. This article describes the initial development of a fidelity of implementation tool used to evaluate organization-wide implementation of PBS and person-centered practices in community settings. A Midwestern State Department of Human Services and a University Center on Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD) in the United States partnered to complete this project. The authors discuss the exploratory and descriptive evaluation process involved in the initial development of the tool and share data for 10 provider organizations over a 6-year period of implementation. A descriptive case study using mixed measures is used to provide more details about the implementation of PBS in one agency to show the types of changes captured by the fidelity tool.

Contextual Adaptations to Implement SWPBS With Fidelity: The Case of Cyprus

The transfer and adoption of the school-wide positive behavior support (SWPBS) framework in different contexts worldwide is receiving increased interest. Identified challenges in implementing relevant systems and practices with fidelity at local schools can lead to adaptations improving the contextual fit of SWPBS, which eventually contributes to enhanced outcomes. The present study documents a 2-year systematic implementation of SWPBS in 31 elementary schools in Cyprus. Cultural and situational barriers were identified using a mixed-methods design. Data were obtained from three fidelity assessments across time, through which we examined the schools’ efforts to integrate SWPBS elements into their setting. School size and location were also used to predict implementation fidelity. External coaches’ experiences working with schools for 2 years were summarized to provide insight into the main impediments to effective implementation. Recommendations for forthcoming applications of SWPBS in contexts with similar characteristics are drawn.

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.

학교 차원 긍정적 행동지원의 중요성과 실행 가능성에 대한 유아교사와 유아특수교사의 인식

Purpose: This study purposed to examine the perceptions of early childhood teachers and early childhood special education teachers regarding the importance and feasibility of school-wide positive behavior support at the school level. Method: To achieve this, a survey was developed based on an analysis of previous studies on the perception of school-wide positive behavior support, and it was administered to early childhood teachers and early childhood special education teachers. Results: First, both early childhood teachers and early childhood special education teachers highly recognized the importance of school-wide positive behavior support in all items. However, early childhood teachers preschool teachers rated 'Organized and predictable daily routine' in the universal level, 'Implementing teacher training' and 'Group guidance for teaching social skills' in the targeted level, and 'Establishing and implementing positive behavior support plans based on functional assessment' in the individual level higher than early childhood special education teachers. Second, both early childhood teachers and early childhood special education teachers highly recognized the feasibility of implementing school-wide positive behavior support as above average in all items. However, early childhood teachers perceived a higher feasibility of implementing five items in the universal level and three items in the targeted level than early childhood special education teachers. In the individual level, there was no perceptual difference between the two groups of teachers. Third, both groups perceived the feasibility of the items much lower than their importance, and recognized factors such as time constraints, lack of collaboration, and insufficient administrative and financial support as obstacles to implementation. Conclusion: Based on the findings, recommendations for further discussions and directions for future research on the implementation of school-wide positive behavior support in early childhood education settings were suggested.

Testing the social validity of the CATZ cross-age teaching zone anti-bullying intervention among school students

ABSTRACT Bullying is a considerable problem among school students, and school-wide positive behaviour support interventions are regarded as helpful in addressing it. One approach is the CATZ Cross-age Teaching Zone anti-bullying intervention. The present study assessed the social validity of the CATZ anti-bullying intervention among a sample of 9–15-year-olds in a pre-post experimental design (N = 817, of which 546 experienced CATZ). Overall, participants expressed moderately positive views of the CATZ anti-bullying intervention, and these became significantly stronger following direct experience of it. Among participants who experienced the CATZ anti-bullying intervention, social validity ratings predicted a greater willingness to engage in it in the future. Alongside the extant data for its effectiveness, our findings support the wider use of the CATZ anti-bullying intervention in schools, and suggestions for how this might be brought about are discussed.

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.

Identifying and removing ableism from Tier 1 school-wide positive behaviour support practices

Across Australia, almost one third of schools have been trained to implement school-wide positive behaviour support (SWPBS). As part of a Tier 1 approach, students are expected to demonstrate expected behaviours. By defining these behaviours in conjunction with students and families, and explicitly teaching these to students, schools implementing SWPBS can create climates where students can thrive both academically and behaviourally. However, many students with disability continue to be over-represented in discipline data in all schools, including those implementing SWPBS. We argue this is because defining the behaviours we want to see and celebrate is only part of the solution. Implementation is destined to fail if we do not, in tandem, address the conditions we created that act as barriers for students with disability. Further, through an analysis of Australian SWPBS matrices, we show that structural ableism exists in the way some expected behaviours are framed by requiring a greater response effort from students with disability if they are to meet the standard expected. We offer suggestions for schools to both recognise and remove ableism from Tier 1 SWPBS practices.

School-wide Positive Behavior Support Intervention in Rural Schools and Implications

School-wide Positive Behavior Support Intervention in Rural Schools and Implications

School-Wide Positive Behaviour Support as Preventive Framework to Reduce Disruptive Behaviours: A Cross-Sectional Study

Disruptive behaviours negatively interfere with learning outcomes, forcing schools to identify effective preventive and intervention strategies in order to improve behavioural school climate. An extensive body of research promotes School-Wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS) as an effective preventive framework to foster prosocial behaviours and simultaneously reduce disruptive behaviours. This paper presents the findings from a study that aimed at investigating problematic behaviours during primary education among typically developing children and to examine subgroup differences in the effectiveness of the SWPBS framework in Romania. Participants in our study were a sample of 973 teachers teaching in 30 schools from the Arges county schools. A descriptive statistical analysis was undertaken (a) to identify the type and intensity of disruptive behaviours, (b) to analyse the characteristics of schools with a high frequency of problematic behaviours and (c) to test if school-related variables (such as school size and location) can be linked with students’ disruptive behaviours. Results indicated that higher rates of disruptive behaviours identified by teachers from our research sample were noisiness while entering the school, running in hallways. Problematic behaviours are more likely to be identified and defined by more experienced teachers, although the correlation proved to be small. Problematic behaviours correlated positively with school size and location. The bigger the school, the more disruptive behaviours were present. The current study adds to the evidence that schools are unique organizations and a school-wide prevention model should be developed considering the school characteristics and their specific context. Research limitations and implications for policies are also discussed in this paper.

School-wide positive behaviour interventions and support in Dutch schools for special education

ABSTRACT This study explores teachers’ experiences with School-Wide Positive Behaviour Interventions and Support (SWPBIS) at three special education (SPED) schools type 4 in the Netherlands. These SPED schools focus on supporting children with mental health difficulties or challenging behaviour. In 2014, an Act was introduced in the Netherlands with the aim of mainstreaming students with special educational needs (SEN) meaning they are educated in an inclusive environment with students who do not have such needs unless the nature and degree of those needs are such that they warrant a more specific support measure or intervention, which mainstream education cannot cater for. As a result, the manifestation of problem behaviour of students in SPED schools became more complex and intense. Based on 25 individual interviews and three group interviews with 40 SPED teachers, results indicate they experienced a safer and predictable school climate due to SWPBIS. In addition, teachers mentioned positive developments concerning team building, staff turnover and coping with a changing student population. More specifically they mentioned more open and positive communication, a sense of belonging and loyalty to their colleagues, and a shared commitment to their students in comparison to the situation prior to the introduction of SWPBIS. Staff also emphasised this approach contributed to a shared language. The development and dialogue on shared school values and the teaching of behavioural expectations as rules and procedures across school settings supported new staff-members to more easily integrate this with organisational routine and school culture and this contributed to a more predictable and safer environment for their vulnerable students.

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.

The Efficacy of Virtual Positive Behavior Support in a Special School for Students with ASD.

In response to the demand for adopting a social justice system to manage students’ challenging behaviors, many countries are implementing positive behavior support (PBS) programs at the school level. However, the use of PBS in Saudi Arabian schools is still a goal rather than reality. It is strongly evident that school-wide PBS can be applicable to different educational contexts. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a virtual school-wide positive behavior support program for students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in Saudi Arabia. Teaching and reinforcement procedures were implemented to help the students replace interfering classroom behaviors with alternative, appropriate behaviors. Observations were conducted to collect data on the students’ classroom behaviors. The results of the study showed that there was an immediate and major improvement in the students’ behaviors upon the introduction of the program. The results support the conclusion that school-wide positive behavior support can be successfully applied to different educational settings and suggest several implications for special and general education schools.

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.