Impact of CW-FIT on Student and Teacher Behavior in a Middle School. (October 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Speight, Renee; Whitby, Peggy; Kucharczyk, Suzanne
• Is Part Of: Journal of positive behavior interventions. Volume 22:Number 4(2020)
• Page Start: 195
• Page End: 206
• Publication Date: 2020-10
• Subjects: adolescent -- age group -- challenging -- behavior(s) -- inclusion -- classroom -- intervention(s); Behavior therapy for children -- Periodicals; Behavior therapy for teenagers -- Periodicals; 153.85
• DOI: 10.1177/1098300720910133
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1098-3007

Abstract

Positive behavior interventions and supports (PBIS) improve student behavior. Yet, teachers may not receive adequate training to implement PBIS at the classroom level. This study evaluated class-wide function-related intervention teams (CW-FIT) as a classroom-level behavior management system to determine whether the behavior of middle school students would improve with teacher implementation of CW-FIT. A multiple-baseline across conditions design was used to evaluate changes in on-task behavior of adolescent students in sixth and seventh grade from a socioeconomically and ethnically diverse middle school. In addition, the effects on teacher behavior-specific praise statements and teacher reprimands were assessed. Consistent with previous evaluations of CW-FIT, findings indicated a functional relation between the intervention and increases in on-task student behavior. In addition, the findings also showed improvements to teacher behavior with increases in behavior-specific praise statements; however, no effect was observed with teacher reprimands. Social validity measures indicated students and teachers found the intervention favorable. Implications, limitations, and areas for future inquiry are discussed.