Enhancing Engagement: Investigating Adaptations to Commonly Used Interventions for Elementary Students with Challenging Behavior

The PI will develop and test the decision-making models across four phases. In Phase 1, the PI will conduct a nationwide survey of 400 elementary teachers to identify commonly used behavioral interventions and understand how teachers select feasible behavioral interventions. Decision-making models will be created for the three most frequently selected interventions from the survey. In Phase 2, observations of elementary classrooms will be conducted to identify how, when, and for whom teachers adapt behavioral interventions. The observed adaptations will be added to the decision-making models for each intervention. In Phase 3, the PI will evaluate and compare the effects of the decision-making models and associated interventions on students' engagement and challenging behavior using alternating treatments designs with 10 students with or at risk for EBD. Teacher feedback on the feasibility and social validity of the models will also be collected. In Phase 4, the PI will conduct additional alternating treatments designs to test intervention adaptations (and revised decision-making models) on engagement and challenging behavior for students who are non-responsive to the interventions in Phase 3. In addition, the PI will determine the costs associated with using the decision-making models. The final products will be three fully developed decision-making models for commonly used behavioral interventions to be used by teachers to plan, implement, and adapt effective behavioral interventions to improve engagement for students with or at risk for EBD.