Date of Award

1-1-2011

Document Type

Campus Access Dissertation

Department

Educational Studies

Sub-Department

Special Education

First Advisor

Kathleen Marshall

Abstract

School-wide positive behavior interventions and supports (SWPBIS) provides an alternative behavior management system in which middle school personnel can use preventative methods to improve student behaviors (Warren et al., 2003). Secondary-tier interventions are an essential part of this system as they are designed to provide students with the supports needed to gain the skills to meet school-wide expectations (Sugai & Horner, 2009). The purposes of my research study were (1) to identify and describe the implementation procedures and interventions used by South Carolina middle school personnel for secondary-tier supports in SWPBIS and (2) to describe and analyze the effects of secondary-tier interventions within the SWPBIS framework in SC middle schools.

This study was the first to attempt to analyze the effects of secondary-tier interventions on student behavioral outcomes within the SWPBIS framework. Interventions were identified and descriptions of the implementation procedures are provided. The results of my study suggest that more research is needed to provide support for using secondary-tier interventions. The inconsistencies and small amount of outcome data suggest secondary-tier interventions may not be as effective as shown in previous literature. The interventions selected by schools may not match students' problem behaviors, or the within-school SWPBIS process, including fidelity of implementation of secondary-tier interventions, may need further evaluation. In order to provide students with the support needed at the secondary tier in SWPBIS, researchers need to determine which supports are truly effective.

Rights

© 2011, Carol Goldner Hoyle

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