Elementary school teachers' preferences for school‐based interventions for students with emotional and behavioral problems. Issue 10 (6th September 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Egan, Theresa E.; Wymbs, Frances A.; Owens, Julie Sarno; Evans, Steven W.; Hustus, Chelsea; Allan, Darcey M.
• Is Part Of: Psychology in the schools. Volume 56:Issue 10(2019)
• Page Start: 1633
• Page End: 1653
• Publication Date: 2019-09-06
• Subjects: conjoint analysis -- intervention -- preferences -- teacher; Educational psychology -- Periodicals; Psychopédagogie -- Périodiques; 370.15
• DOI: 10.1002/pits.22294
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0033-3085

Abstract

Abstract: Teachers' adoption and implementation of evidence‐based programs is often limited. Program characteristics may be important facilitators or barriers of use, yet little is known about which attributes influence teacher decisions. Using a discrete choice experiment with a sample of general education elementary teachers ( N = 230), we examined (a) preference for attributes of school‐based interventions, (b) relative preference for three intervention packages with experimentally manipulated characteristics, and (c) teacher characteristics related to the above preference profiles. Intervention outcomes were the most important characteristics in teachers' intervention decisions. Most teachers' responses suggested preference for a social and emotional learning program (57.9%) or school‐based consultation for behavioral interventions (35.8%); a small group of teachers preferred a general support intervention (5.8%). Teachers preferring the general support intervention reported greater mental health symptoms, lower mental health literacy and lower confidence in program effectiveness than peers preferring other interventions. Implications for intervention development and future directions are discussed.