SELECTIVE SUPPORTS: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY OF URBAN EDUCATORS' PREFERRED BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTIONS

Valenti, Michael William (2011) SELECTIVE SUPPORTS: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY OF URBAN EDUCATORS' PREFERRED BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTIONS. Doctoral Dissertation, University of Pittsburgh.

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Abstract

Responding to inappropriate student behavior is a significant challenge for many educators. Behavioral interventions and strategies are tools that teachers can use to reduce the occurrence of difficult behaviors while promoting positive alternatives. Factors that influence teacher selection of behavioral interventions are well-documented by the literature. However, which interventions teachers actually use has received much less attention. This paper provides an exploratory review of the preferred behavioral interventions and strategies of a large sample of urban school teachers.Participants responded to an anonymous online survey which asks how often teachers use different interventions and strategies. Results were reviewed to uncover which strategies teachers use the most/least often, whether teachers match intervention intrusiveness to the severity of problem behavior, and to determine if teachers use evidence-based practices more often than those that are not evidence-based. Results demonstrate that teachers are familiar with most of the interventions in the survey and use them to varying degrees of frequency. In addition, teachers report that they use evidence-based practices more frequently than interventions that are not evidence-based. However, teachers may not always match intervention intrusiveness to the severity of problem behaviors. Implications for school administrators and teacher trainers, as well as recommendations for improving professional development are discussed.

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