Efficacy Validation of the Revised First Step Program: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Feil, Edward G.; Walker, Hill M.; Frey, Andy J.; Seeley, John R.; Small, Jason W.; Golly, Annemieke; Lee, Jon; Forness, Steven R. (2020). Retrieved from: https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED606477
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examining154Students, gradePK
Single Study Review
Review Details
Reviewed: November 2021
- Single Study Review (findings for First Step Next (FSN))
- Randomized Controlled Trial
- Meets WWC standards without reservations because it is a cluster randomized controlled trial with low cluster-level attrition and individual-level non-response.
This review may not reflect the full body of research evidence for this intervention.
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Findings
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Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Social Skills Improvement System (SSIS) Rating Scales Social Skills: teacher-reported |
First Step Next (FSN) vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
Full sample;
|
91.70 |
79.90 |
Yes |
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Student-Teacher Relationship Scale (STRS): Child-Teacher Conflict |
First Step Next (FSN) vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
Full sample;
|
24.40 |
32.60 |
Yes |
|
|
|
Systematic Screening for Behavior Disorders: Adaptive Behavior Index |
First Step Next (FSN) vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
Full sample;
|
27.90 |
23.80 |
Yes |
|
|
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Social Skills Improvement System (SSIS) Rating Scales Problem Behavior: teacher-reported |
First Step Next (FSN) vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
Full sample;
|
115.00 |
125.20 |
Yes |
|
|
|
Systematic Screening for Behavior Disorders: Maladaptive Behavior Index |
First Step Next (FSN) vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
Full sample;
|
23.50 |
27.80 |
Yes |
|
|
|
Relational Aggression scale |
First Step Next (FSN) vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
Full sample;
|
10.10 |
12.50 |
Yes |
|
|
|
Social Skills Improvement System (SSIS) Rating Scales Social Skills: parent-reported |
First Step Next (FSN) vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
Full sample;
|
98.90 |
94.30 |
Yes |
|
|
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Social Skills Improvement System (SSIS) Rating Scales Problem Behavior: parent-reported |
First Step Next (FSN) vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
Full sample;
|
110.00 |
116.00 |
Yes |
|
|
|
Systematic Screening for Behavior Disorders: Aggressive Behavior Scale |
First Step Next (FSN) vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
Full sample;
|
16.40 |
18.60 |
Yes |
|
|
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Sample Characteristics
Characteristics of study sample as reported by study author.
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Female: 33%
Male: 67% -
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Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Oregon
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Race Black 36% Other or unknown 16% White 48% -
Ethnicity Hispanic 16%
Study Details
Setting
The study took place in 50 state and federally funded preschool programs in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, and Oregon.
Study sample
A total of 154 preschool students were included in the study. The 154 students were recruited from 154 classrooms in 50 preschool programs. One student in each classroom was identified as the focal child for data collection based on a standardized screening assessment for behavior problems. Approximately 33% of the students were female. Forty-eight percent were White, 36% were Black, and 16% did not report race. Sixteen percent were Hispanic or Latino.
Intervention Group
First Step Next (FSN) is an early intervention for behavioral problems for children in pre-kindergarten through second grade. Students in the intervention group engaged in the FSN program individually and in small groups with their classroom teacher and FSN program coaches. FSN targets social skills and academic enablers that are central to promoting school success. The intervention includes three major components. The first component is social skills instruction, where a program coach and the child's teacher help the student master a set of "Super Student Skills" by providing behavioral lessons that target social-emotional and academic skills. The second component is the green-card game, where the coach or teacher uses a laminated card with a green side and a red side to provide feedback to the child about their compliance with classroom expectations. The third component is home-school connections, where parents are provided with a workbook to promote positive parenting strategies that reinforce the skills the child is learning in the classroom. Program coaches implemented FSN during the first 5 to 7 days of the program; coach-to-teacher transition occurred between the eighth and tenth day of the program; and teacher implementation occurred in earnest from day 11 onward (the manuscript does not describe the total length of the program).
Comparison Group
Students in the comparison group received business-as-usual preschool instruction; however, the researchers offered teachers in the comparison group a 4-hour training session focused on behavior management and positive behavior support.
Support for implementation
Classroom teachers implemented FSN with the support of 21 FSN-trained coaches. All intervention teachers received a full-day training focused on the FSN program and general principles of effective classroom management. Teachers received support from the coaches who implemented the first part of FSN, as well as one-on-one coaching and supervision, as needed. The coaches who implemented FSN received a 2-day training before program start. During implementation, the coaches received support from research staff. Teachers in the comparison group engaged in a 4-hour training focused on behavior management and positive behavior support.
Grant Competition
Review Details
Reviewed: June 2021
- Grant Competition (findings for First Step Next (FSN))
- Randomized Controlled Trial
- Meets WWC standards without reservations because it is a randomized controlled trial with low attrition.
This review may not reflect the full body of research evidence for this intervention.
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Findings
|
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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The Relational Aggression scale |
First Step Next (FSN) vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
Full sample;
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10.10 |
12.30 |
Yes |
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Systematic Screening for Behavior Disorders, ABS subscale |
First Step Next (FSN) vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
Full sample;
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16.40 |
18.40 |
Yes |
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Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Social Skills Improvement System (SSIS) Social Skills Scale - teacher-reported |
First Step Next (FSN) vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
Full sample;
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91.70 |
80.60 |
Yes |
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Child-Teacher Conflict scale |
First Step Next (FSN) vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
Full sample;
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24.40 |
31.40 |
Yes |
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Systematic Screening for Behavior Disorders, ABI subscale |
First Step Next (FSN) vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
Full sample;
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27.90 |
23.70 |
Yes |
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Social Skills Improvement System (SSIS) Problem Behaviors Scale - teacher-reported |
First Step Next (FSN) vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
Full sample;
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115.00 |
124.80 |
Yes |
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Systematic Screening for Behavior Disorders, MBI subscale |
First Step Next (FSN) vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
Full sample;
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23.50 |
27.90 |
Yes |
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Social Skills Improvement System (SSIS) Social Skills Scale - parent-reported |
First Step Next (FSN) vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
Full sample;
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98.90 |
92.90 |
Yes |
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Social Skills Improvement System (SSIS) Problem Behaviors Scale - parent-reported |
First Step Next (FSN) vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
Full sample;
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110.00 |
118.10 |
Yes |
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Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Sample Characteristics
Characteristics of study sample as reported by study author.
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Female: 33%
Male: 67% -
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Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Oregon
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Race Black 36% Other or unknown 16% White 48% -
Ethnicity Hispanic 16% Not Hispanic or Latino 84%
Study Details
Setting
Study participants were pre-kindergarten students at risk for school failure, drawn from Head Start and preschool programs located in one county in Illinois, one county in Indiana, two counties in Kentucky, and two counties in Oregon.
Study sample
The 160 participating children were 4 years old, on average, and about one-third (33%) were female. Children's race and ethnicity were reported as white (48%), black (36%), and Hispanic (16%).
Intervention Group
First Step Next (FSN) is a Tier 2 early intervention for children in pre-kindergarten through second grade. FSN targets social skills and academic enablers central to promoting school success. The intervention has three major components: (1) social skills instruction, whereby the coach, and later the child's teacher, helps the target child to master a set of "Super Student Skills" by providing behavioral lessons that target social-emotional and academic skills; (2) the green-card game, where the coach or teacher uses a laminated card with a green side and a red side to provide feedback to the child about their compliance with classroom expectations (if the card is on the green side, the child should continue with what they are doing, and if the card is on the red side, they should “stop, think, and get back on track"); and (3) home-school connections, which provides the parents a workbook to promote positive parenting strategies that reinforce the skills the child is learning in the classroom. Parents also receive daily feedback from the coach or teacher.
Comparison Group
Teachers in the comparison condition were offered a 4-hour training in classroom management and positive behavioral support. This training provided teachers with some intervention support, but it was more generic, with no specific strategies provided, as in the FSN intervention. Teachers in this condition were eligible to receive training and implementation support in FSN during following academic year.
Support for implementation
Teachers planning to implement the FSN intervention attend a 1-day workshop on the program. A behavioral coach provided direct support to the focus child in the classroom and provided the child's teacher with one-on-one consultation and supervision. Gradually the role of the coach was transferred to the teacher.
An indicator of the effect of the intervention, the improvement index can be interpreted as the expected change in percentile rank for an average comparison group student if that student had received the intervention.
For more, please see the WWC Glossary entry for improvement index.
An outcome is the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that are attained as a result of an activity. An outcome measures is an instrument, device, or method that provides data on the outcome.
A finding that is included in the effectiveness rating. Excluded findings may include subgroups and subscales.
The sample on which the analysis was conducted.
The group to which the intervention group is compared, which may include a different intervention, business as usual, or no services.
The timing of the post-intervention outcome measure.
The number of students included in the analysis.
The mean score of students in the intervention group.
The mean score of students in the comparison group.
The WWC considers a finding to be statistically significant if the likelihood that the finding is due to chance alone, rather than a real difference, is less than five percent.
The WWC reviews studies for WWC products, Department of Education grant competitions, and IES performance measures.
The name and version of the document used to guide the review of the study.
The version of the WWC design standards used to guide the review of the study.
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A related publication that was reviewed alongside the main study of interest.
Study findings for this report.
Based on the direction, magnitude, and statistical significance of the findings within a domain, the WWC characterizes the findings from a study as one of the following: statistically significant positive effects, substantively important positive effects, indeterminate effects, substantively important negative effects, and statistically significant negative effects. For more, please see the WWC Handbook.
The WWC may review studies for multiple purposes, including different reports and re-reviews using updated standards. Each WWC review of this study is listed in the dropdown. Details on any review may be accessed by making a selection from the drop down list.
Tier 1 Strong indicates strong evidence of effectiveness,
Tier 2 Moderate indicates moderate evidence of effectiveness, and
Tier 3 Promising indicates promising evidence of effectiveness,
as defined in the
non-regulatory guidance for ESSA
and the regulations for ED discretionary grants (EDGAR Part 77).