Special education teachers are asked to deliver high-quality instruction with compassion and care (Cipriano et al., 2016). The development of interpersonal characteristics that positively influence the quality of the interaction have been shown to be predictors of success (Callahan, 2019). Despite the critical impact of these soft skills on the…

This applied dissertation was designed to improve the effectiveness of professional educators in using the methodology of functional behavior assessment (FBA) and function assessment-based intervention (FABI) to reduce challenging behaviors exhibited by students with Down syndrome (DS), or a dual diagnosis of Down syndrome and autism spectrum…

This study used a multiple regression analysis to determine if there was a significance between the existence and intensity of student maladaptive behaviors, number of hours of teacher trainings in proactive and preventative behavior management techniques, and the number of instances a student is exposed to aversive techniques. The general problem…

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe experiences of dialectical behavior therapy for special education teachers at a large, suburban school district in the Southeast United States. The theory guiding this study was Bandura's social cognitive theory (SCT), as it explains how new behaviors are learned and…

The problem addressed in this study was that there is a lack of knowledge about middle school special education teachers' perceptions on the benefits of social emotional learning (SEL) strategies for improving the behavior of students with emotional behavior disorder (EBD) in a self-contained setting. Comer's concepts on social learning served as…

Adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often struggle with comorbid disorders like anxiety. However, special education teachers may lack the training to implement specific interventions in the classroom setting for adolescents with ASD and anxiety. This qualitative action research study was conducted to examine how special education…

Students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often have trouble in the classroom when it comes to social interactions, changes in routine, disordered environments, and intense sensory stimulation. In this study a workshop was designed to assist special education teachers and school administration to manage challenging behaviors of students with…

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore two research questions around how novice special education teachers in the United States describe their experiences, obtained in formal preservice training programs or informal settings, that positively affected their self-efficacy to manage a classroom of students with complex…

In the United States, almost half of special education teachers will leave the field within five years, citing concerns regarding student behavior as a major contributing factor. The field of applied behavior analysis has provided an effective, research-based behavioral technology for addressing challenging behavior in the classroom, but few…

This study aimed to enhance leadership abilities among special education teachers using Behavioral Skills Training (BST). It highlights the issue of staff burnout and lack of support within the workplace among special education professionals working in self-contained classrooms with individuals with disabilities. This study aimed to bridge the gap…

Special education teachers are tasked with ensuring the implementation of a free appropriate public education, which might also include supporting students who demonstrate severe problem behavior (SPB). Often, students with emotional and behavioral disorders are likely to engage in SPB in various forms such as physical aggression and property…

This study aimed to investigate the effects of Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACTr) before or after behavior skills training (BST). This study included four special education teachers from a Midwestern public school. Using a withdrawal design, the study explored the effects of ACTr+BST and BST+ACTr on stress levels, psychological flexibility,…

The nationwide shortage of special educators is well documented. Preparedness is a key component of building self-efficacy and longevity in the PK-12 teaching field (Clark & Newberry, 2019; Darling-Hammond et al., 2002; Ingersol et al., 2012; Ondrasek et al., 2020). This qualitative study examined the preparedness of novice special education…

Middle school students lack coping skills which cause misbehaviors and disruptions to their education. The misbehaviors are higher among middle school students with disabilities and middle school special education teachers are struggling to implement effective strategies to address the disruptive behaviors of their students in a suburban…

Educating students who engage in disruptive behaviors is a challenge for many educators. Literature acknowledges this challenge, but there is a paucity in the research related to the perception of teachers, specifically elementary teachers who teach within self-contained behavioral programs on the effects of the interventions they are currently…