Stability balls have become a common option for alternative seating in classrooms. While the social validity of stability ball classroom seating remains high among students and teachers, findings on the effectiveness of this alternative seating method are mixed. This is particularly true when the intent of the intervention is to increase student…

Fidget spinners have become popular worldwide, due not only to their popularity with children but also to the mental health claims made by those who advertise them. While a small number of previous research studies indicate that fidget spinners reduce on-task behavior, no research to date has evaluated their effect on student performance. The…

This study examined the generalizability and dependability of observational estimates of middle and high school teachers' use of praise and reprimands. Frequency of behavior-specific praise, general praise, and total reprimands were collected across 67, 20-min observations that took place during class-wide instruction in general education…

Integration of multitiered academic, behavioral, and social-emotional efforts, such as the implementation of a Comprehensive, Integrated, Three-Tiered (Ci3T) model of prevention, is critical for supporting student development across domains of functioning. In particular, universal behavior screening has been shown to predict outcomes across these…

Time-sampling techniques are popular among school practitioners and researchers alike when conducting observations of student behavior. Despite their popularity, the psychometric properties of such observation data have not received much attention, likely given that both procedures and targets vary widely across individual coding systems. A…

Using a nationally representative sample of U.S. public school districts, we explored the current landscape of social, emotional, and behavioral (SEB) approaches and their impact on behavioral outcomes. Data suggest SEB screening is the exception rather than the rule, with most districts reporting that students are referred to an internal support…

Direct Behavior Rating (DBR) is an efficient method for monitoring changes in student behavior in response to intervention. Emerging research on DBR Multi-Item Scales (DBR-MIS) indicates that DBR-MIS has promising characteristics as a progress-monitoring assessment. Specifically, the multiple items within DBR-MIS allow stakeholders to measure…

Daily report card (DRC) intervention provides a structured method for increasing communication between teachers and parents regarding student behavior; however, limited research has investigated the effectiveness and acceptability of DRC intervention with preschool students. Additionally, effectiveness of DRC intervention is enhanced when parents…

The use of systematic direct observation offers several advantages as a behavioral assessment method including enhanced objectivity of measurement, the ability to account for the environmental context, and the facilitation of local comparisons. The Classroom Observation of Engagement, Disruptive, and Disrespectful Behavior (COEDD) was designed to…

Using a nationally representative sample of U.S. public school districts, we explored the current landscape of social, emotional, and behavioral (SEB) approaches and their impact on behavioral outcomes. Data suggest SEB screening is the exception rather than the rule, with most districts reporting students are referred to an internal support team…

Prevalence estimates suggest that up to 20% of students in schools experience significant internalizing behaviors that impact behavioral, social, or academic functioning. School-based interventions have great potential to promote student mental health; however, validated and feasible brief assessments are needed to progress monitor students'…

Although extensive research has supported the effectiveness of self-management interventions to improve student behavior, variability in the specific components used in self-management interventions remains. The purpose of the current paper was to analyze the extant literature in order to (a) define the various ways in which self-management…

Direct Behavior Rating (DBR) is a tool designed for the assessment of behavioral changes over time. Unlike methods for summative evaluations, the development of progress monitoring tools requires evaluation of sensitivity to change. The present study aimed to evaluate this psychometric feature of five newly developed DBR Multi-Item Scales…

Previous research has suggested that multiple factors beyond acceptability alone (e.g., feasibility, external supports) may interact to determine whether consumers will use an intervention or assessment in practice. The Usage Rating Profile for Supporting Students' Behavioral Needs (URP-NEEDS) was developed in order to provide a simultaneous…

Direct Behavior Rating (DBR) has been proposed as a promising approach to assess student behavioral progress in classroom settings. The current study examines raters and occasions as well as their interactions as sources of error in the use of DBR--Multi-Item Scales (DBR-MIS) and DBR--Single-Item Scales (DBR-SIS) for academically engaged (AE) and…