This program model describes the phases of planning, implementing, and evaluating a program designed for Tennessee public schools to manage student behavior in at-risk populations. This program model employs a hybrid asset-based community development, logic, and interactive model to implement interventions based on the principles of applied…

"Statement of the Problem": Almost half of children in the United States have been exposed to childhood trauma (McIntosh, 2019). Discipline practices in many schools are often ineffective with and inappropriate for students who have experienced trauma. For example, students who are disciplined in traditional ways often continue to…

The present study examined the effects of a streamlined and virtual version of conjoint behavioral consultation (CBC) as implemented by trained school professionals (e.g., school psychologists, special education teachers). The effectiveness of CBC was examined using a multiple baseline across participants design among three students with or at…

Differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO) is a reinforcement schedule that commonly includes the delivery of a reinforcer following an interval during which a target behavior did not occur and extinction (i.e., the reinforcer is withheld following any instances of the target behavior). Although interventions using DRO schedules can…

Student misbehaviour presents a barrier to the successful education of students and the ability for teachers to be most effective in their classroom. The current approaches being utilized to manage behaviour in classrooms range from punitive to functional. To move school educators away from punitive measures and towards a functional view of…

Training frontline staff to respond to and manage challenging behaviors of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) poses a pervasive problem in the delivery of treatment services. Traditional synchronous staff training methods are expensive, time-consuming, and often do not result in high treatment integrity. Video Modeling alternative to…

Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders (EBD) are placed outside of their public school more frequently than other students with disabilities, yet there are gaps in the literature on reintegration processes and the possible negative impact when collaboration between schools is minimal. Public schools rely on private placements in…

Students with disabilities are 200% more likely to be restrained by school personnel compared to nondisabled peers (Katsiyannis et al., 2020). The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of Nonviolent Crisis Intervention (NVCI) in de-escalating the risk behavior of children with disabilities from exceptional children (EC) teacher…

The purpose of this study was to explore and evaluate the necessary adaptations to the Family Behavior Support application (FBSApp) paired with collaborative coaching for Spanish-speaking families of young children with disabilities and co-occurring challenging behaviors (CB) in home contexts. We utilized a multi-phase mixed methods research…

This dissertation contains two studies that examine family therapy services within public schools related to behavioral or discipline concerns. Both studies stem from an ecological and family systems theoretical framework in examining relationships between the student, family, and school systems. The first study is a scoping review on family…

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a brief, in-person training package on Functional Communication Training (FCT). The training corresponded with content presented in the AFIRM e-learning modules on FCT with modifications to suit an in-person format including the addition of modeling, practice, and feedback to enhance…

In the public school system, administrators and educators have multi-faceted responsibilities, including educating students, providing a safe environment, and ensuring a positive school climate conducive to student learning. Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is a model many schools have adopted to assist in behavior modification…

There is limited evidence on the imperative role that caregivers play in social-emotional learning development for effective social-emotional learning program implementation despite their crucial influence on childhood development. This doctoral project explored the effects of parent education for two school-based, social-emotional learning…

This study investigates the dominant, co-occurring, and antecedent risk factors attributable to closing 12 chapters of Alpha Beta Fraternity between 2010 and 2017. The researcher utilized Yin's (2014) type-two methodology for this qualitative study: A single case design, with an embedded variant to include multiple units of analysis.…

Challenging behavior in adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) can lead to decreased quality of life and social and community inclusion. Compared to research with children there is relatively limited research on effective behavior support interventions for adults with disabilities. The Prevent-Teach-Reinforce (PTR) program…