Citation

Sprague JR, Walker H, Golly A, White K, Myers DR, Shannon T. Educ. Treat. Child. 2001; 24(4): 495-511.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2001, West Virginia University Press)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This paper describes a universal intervention package aimed at improving the safety and social behavior of students in elementary and middle schools. Its goals were to assist schools to provide effective educational services, behavioral supports and social-behavioral skills teaching to all students in the school. Nine treatment and six comparison (no-intervention) elementary and middle schools in three communities participated. Descriptive data were used to evaluate the one-year effects of the intervention. The treatment schools implemented a school-wide discipline plan based on the Effective Behavioral Support (Sugai & Horner, 1994) model in addition to the Second Step violence prevention curriculum (Grossman et al., 1997) for one year. Comparison schools were not restricted in their use of interventions but received neither systematic technical assistance and training nor data based feedback on their performance. Regarding changes in office discipline referrals, treatment schools generally showed greater reductions. Treatment school students showed improved social skill knowledge. Perceptions of school safety were not different across the schools after one year. In focus group interviews across some treatment and comparison schools, treatment school personnel generally reported improved operation of their schools and motivation to continue with the intervention. Comparison schools cited the need for improved school-wide intervention and technical assistance as a top need.

RESULTS are discussed relative to the need for examination of sustained use of the intervention over multiple years and more frequent and detailed outcome measures.

Language: en