Research on self-monitoring in the classroom setting has shown decreases in problem behavior and increases in academic engagement in students. Behavior rating scales can be used by teachers to monitor student progress or by students as a self-monitoring tool. The current study examined the impact of using the Individualized Behavior Rating Scale Tool (IBRST) as a self-monitoring tool on problem and on-task behavior in students in a high-need public elementary school. The results indicated that the self-monitoring with the IBRST successfully decreased disruptive behavior and increased on-task behavior in all 3 participating students during targeted academic time periods, evidenced by both direct observations and teacher- collected IBRST data. Improved levels of behaviors were maintained during fading with all 3 students and at 1-week follow-up with 2 students. The results also showed that both teachers and students had high levels of satisfaction with the self-monitoring procedures using the IBRST.

The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of acculturation on the parent and teacher ratings of non-clinical Mexican American children's behavior, using the BASC Parent Rating Scale-C (PRS-C ) and the Teacher Rating Scale-C (TRS-C ). One hundred twenty-three children of Mexican descent (ages 6-11) attending Texas public schools were rated by their parents and teachers. Parent acculturation level was measured using the Acculturation Rating Scale for Mexican Americans-II. Parents were assigned to High, Medium or Low acculturation groups based on a combination of linear acculturation levels (Part 1) and obtained typologies (Part 2). Parent acculturation level was then assigned to TRS-C data creating matched-rater pairs (PRS-C and TRS-C of same child) for use in this study. Internal consistency reliabilities for the Total Mexican American sample's Teacher Rating Scale-C (TRS-C) were more similar to the published BASC general norms than the Total Mexican American sample's Parent Rating Scale-C (PRS-C ) on six of the nine clinical scales investigated and on all three of the shared adaptive scales. The most striking internal consistency result emerged when the sample was subdivided by acculturation, the High acculturation TRS-C Conduct Problems scale showed no cohesion of items for this sample (.00). Comparison of the Total, High, Medium, and Low groups' obtained distributions on each of the 16 selected scales of the PRS-C and TRS-C to the published BASC general norms revealed: 1) six significant differences of potential clinical relevance on the PRS-C scales, and 2) thirteen significant differences of potential clinical relevance on the TRS-C scales. Both parents and teachers rated the children as demonstrating less maladaptive symptoms on the Aggression, Depression, Hyperactivity, and Behavioral Symptom Index. Only parents reported lower Adaptability and Adaptive Skills scores. And only teachers of the High acculturation group reported higher Adaptability scores. No systematic influence of acculturation was present among any of the 16 selected scales. However, the parents and teachers of the High acculturation subgroup did have more moderate correlations than the Medium and Low groups combined.

Data derived from universal screening procedures are increasingly utilized by schools to identify and provide additional supports to students at-risk of behavioral and emotional concerns. As screening has the potential to be resource intensive, effort has been placed on the development of efficient screening procedures, namely brief behavior rating scales. This study utilized classical test theory and generalizability theory to examine the extent to which differences among students, raters, occasions, and screening measures affect the meaningfulness of data derived from universal screening procedures. Teacher pairs from three middle school classrooms completed two brief behavior rating scales during fall and spring screening administrations for all students in their respective classrooms. Correlation coefficients examining interrater reliability, test-retest reliability, and concurrent validity were generally strong. Generalizability analyses indicated that the majority of variance in teacher ratings were attributable to student differences across all score comparisons, but differences between teacher ratings for particular students accounted for relatively large percentages of error variance among student behavior ratings. Although decision studies showed that increasing the number of screening occasions resulted in more generalizable data, the impact of increasing the number of raters resulted in more efficient screening procedures.

Implementation of behavior analytic interventions has traditionally relied on professionals possessing the required skills and expertise within controlled settings. While effective, this can be both expensive and time consuming. Research has demonstrated parent’s ability to implement a variety of interventions within the natural environment. As a result, parents are increasingly involved in treatment implementation. Getting the cooperation, support, and active participation of clients is essential to successful intervention. Therefore, buy-in at the earliest stages of treatment may result in the greatest effect. One of the earliest steps in treatment is the collection of data. Data collection methodology, validity, and reliability have been well studied. Parents as data collectors has also been reported. However, indications regarding the best data collection methods for parents to use, as well as any evident correlation between preference and accuracy, has not been reported. Through repeated measures using a multiple baseline across subjects, the study assessed the rate of acquisition of three data collection procedures by evaluating their performance accuracy before and after training. Preference rankings and perceptions for the data collection procedures were also obtained. Finally, the study examined correlations between preference for and proficiency with each data collection procedure. Results showed that training improved performance of Partial Interval Recording for 2 participants with one participant displaying skill mastery. Though training also increased participant performance using the Structured ABC method, skill mastery was not displayed. All participants achieved skill mastery using the Behavior Rating Scale method through repeated exposure.

While classroom management has been a highly researched topic in Applied Behavior Analysis, there are few empirically validated methods to effectively disseminate classroom techniques into school settings. There are three main classroom management areas that exist in the literature. These are: a) ecological factors, b) behavior principles, and c) curricular modifications. These three areas have been researched independently and in combination to find best classroom management practices. Although these areas are highly researched, dissemination of these materials into public and private classrooms has fallen far behind. However, researchers are finding specific variables that positively influence the success of programs in the environment. These variables include: (a) selection, (b) coaching and consultation, (c) determining intervention outcomes based on data analysis, (d) contextual fit, (e) social validity, (f) time efficiency, and (g) treatment integrity. The present study utilized these seven variables to train teachers how to create personal classroom management programs using ecological, behavioral, and curricular modifications. Results indicate that the program was effective in training teachers how to create their own classroom management system. In turn, the classroom management system increased appropriate student behavior and decreased inappropriate student behavior.

This study assessed the Prevent-Teach-Reinforce (PTR) model to determine its impact on problem and replacement behaviors of three children who are typically developing with behavioral challenges in a high-need elementary school setting. Specifically, this study evaluated the use of the PTR model as an intensive individualized Tier 3 intervention within a multi-tiered intervention system. In addition, the study examined the validity and usability of the Individualized Behavior Rating Scale Tool (IBRST), which was developed as a feasible daily progress monitoring tool in conjunction with the PTR model. Social validity and fidelity of intervention implementation were also assessed. A multiple baseline across participants was employed to evaluate the impact of implementation of the model on the children's behaviors. The results of the study indicated that the PTR model was effective in reducing problem behaviors and increasing the use of replacement behaviors for all three participants. In addition, the IBRST completed by the teachers was found to have a substantial correlation to data collected during direct observations.

Daily routines in the home are typically the most common interactions for children with their siblings and parents. When a child exhibits challenging behavior in these routines, it can cause a strain on the family as well as the child's ability to learn a more appropriate behavior. This study examined the feasibility and potential efficacy of an adapted version of the Prevent-Teach- Reinforce (PTR) intervention with three families of young children with developmental disabilities. The school-based PTR manual was adapted for treatment use in a family context. The study assessed the family adherence to the collaboratively developed PTR intervention, family use of the behavior rating scale, social validity, procedural integrity, and child behavior behaviors during the routines. A multiple-baseline design across children was used to examine the impact of the PTR intervention on child behavior within the routine. Results indicated that the PTR interventions were successful in demonstrating an increase in appropriate behaviors and a decrease in challenging behaviors across children. The results also indicated that parents were able to successfully use the behavior rating scale to measure each child's behavior.

This study examines the relationship between syntactic and pragmatic language and reticence, solitary-active passive withdrawal, solitary-passive withdrawal, prosocial skills, and likeability. The Children's Communication Checklist (CCC-2), a language checklist, and Teacher Behavior Rating Scale (TBRS), a behavior checklist, were completed by three 2nd-grade teachers and three 4th-grade teachers about each of their students. Factor analysis was used to determine two composite language measures from the CCC-2 scales. The results of two hierarchal regression analyses indicated that social behaviors were significant predictors of pragmatic language, but not structural language. In particular, solitary-passive withdrawal and reticence were significant predictors of pragmatic language deficits.