Content area
Full text
Abstract:
The Behavior Education Program (BEP; Crone et al., 2004) is a modified check-in, check-out intervention implemented with students who are at risk for more severe problem behaviors. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of the BEP on problem behavior with 12 elementary school students. Results indicated that the BEP was implemented with high fidelity, led to a decrease in office discipline referrals for the majority of students who received the intervention, and had high social validity ratings. Limitations of the current study are presented, along with suggestions for future research.
Implementing a continuum of effective behavior support (from least intensive to most intensive) is recommended to prevent and respond to problem behavior in school settings (Walker et al., 1996). This continuum of support includes primary prevention strategies, such as implementing a schoolwide behavior support plan; secondary intervention strategies to target the 10% to 15% of students who are at risk; and tertiary intervention strategies for approximately 5% of the student population who need significant intervention strategies and supports (Sugai & Horner, 2002). Much research has been conducted examining the effects of implementing primary prevention strategies (e.g., Colvin, Kameenui, & Sugai, 1993; Lewis & Sugai, 1999; Lewis, Sugai, & Colvin, 1998; Taylor-Greene et al., 1997). Furthermore, since the 2004 reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, more evidence has pointed to the effectiveness of using functional assessment strategies and behavior support interventions for students needing tertiary levels of support (for a review see Heckaman, Conroy, Fox, & Chait, 2000). Little research has been reported on secondary-level intervention programs implemented as part of a continuum of behavior support for students at risk for severe problem behavior.
Students who do not respond to schoolwide behavior support plans may benefit from efficient secondary-level interventions. The group of students who benefits from secondary interventions is the 5% to 15% who are at risk for developing severe problem behavior due to their (a) poor peer relations, (b) low academic achievement, or (c) chaotic home environments (Lewis & Sugai, 1999). These students typically require more practice in learning behavioral expectations and may need academic modifications to ensure learning success (Lee, Sugai, & Horner, 1999). One type of secondary-level intervention is a daily check-in, check-out system...