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Effects on Problem Behavior and Social Skills Associated with the Implementation of School Wide Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports Approach in an Alternative School Setting

Erica Evans, Johnson & Wales University

Abstract

In spite of research documenting the negative effects of punishment, most high schools and correctional facilities rely on punishment to establish order and compliance with rules and routines (Nelson, Sprague, Jolivette, Smith, & Tobin, 2009). One alternative to punitive consequences is School Wide Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports (SWPBIS). Since research on the implementation of SWPBIS in correctional facilities is limited, this mixed method study evaluated the effects of the implementation of SWPBIS on problem behavior, academic achievement, and social behavior of students in a juvenile corrections facility. Stufflebeam's evaluation model was used as a framework for the study (Stufflebeam & Shinkfield, 2007). Research Questions: 1. Are there differences with respect to (a) problem behaviors and (b) academic achievement between students exposed pre-, and post-implementation of SWPBIS? 2. Is there a relationship between specific categories of behaviors and the implementation of SWPBIS during pre-, post, and follow-up? 3. What are the perceptions of school personnel regarding students' social skills post-implementation of SWPBIS? A t-test analysis of the number of problem behavioral referrals of adjudicated youth pre-(n = 130, M = 4.28) and post-implementation (n =160, M = 3.99), found no statistically significant difference. However, there was a statistically significant difference in the number of problem behavioral referrals between the pre-implementation (n = 130, M = 4.28) and follow-up time periods (n = 98, M = 3.23,p = .05,d=.27, small effect size. A paired t-test on means of report card grades pre- and post-implementation (N = 8) analysis found no statistically significant difference between academic performance in core subjects. Descriptive data on the SWPBIS survey taken by school personnel (N = 14) indicated that respondents tended to be split in their decision of whether social skills improved in their classroom. Finally, three major themes emerged from a focus group of school personnel (N = 6): an improvement of classroom management skills by teachers, inconsistent application of positive behavioral supports, and a lack of administration support for the program. Findings from this study add to the literature on SWPBIS and will be useful to administrators in juvenile correctional settings.

Subject Area

Educational leadership|Educational administration|Educational psychology

Recommended Citation

Evans, Erica, "Effects on Problem Behavior and Social Skills Associated with the Implementation of School Wide Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports Approach in an Alternative School Setting" (2013). Dissertation & Theses Collection. AAI3564219.
https://scholarsarchive.jwu.edu/dissertations/AAI3564219

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