Project Activities
Research plan
The purpose of the research plan was to better understand the pathways to the onset and intensification of behavior and academic problems for middle school students with EBD. The PI conducted a longitudinal study involving students with EBD in self-contained settings, students with or at risk for EBD in general education settings, and students without disabilities. The first cohort included 118 students who were assessed at the beginning of 6th grade and some at the end of 6th grade. The COVID-19 pandemic interrupted the longitudinal data collection; therefore, these students were not followed into 7th grade. Cohort 2 comprised 160 students who were followed from the beginning of 6th grade to end of 7th grade. The PI collected data on students' cool EF (EF that is used during neutral situations, such as daily learning), hot EF (EF that is used to regulate in situations that are motivationally or emotionally significant, such as peer pressure), school-based stress, stress regulation, and academic and behavioral outcomes over multiple time points. The PI also collected observational data on classroom quality, including individual teacher-student interactions and class-wide interactions, in self-contained classrooms. Data from Cohort 1 was examined cross-sectionally. For Cohort 2, the PI used structural equation models to (1) explore the longitudinal relationships among the EF-Stress Loop and academic and behavioral outcomes of students with or at risk for EBD compared with peers without disabilities, and (2) examine the effects of classroom quality on the EF-Stress Loop for students with EBD in self-contained classrooms.
Career plan
Through a career development plan, the PI built (1) skills in longitudinal design, data collection, analysis, and interpretation; (2) knowledge and skills for assessing hot executive functions; (3) expertise in measuring and evaluating classroom quality; and (4) capacity to develop competitive grant proposals. To accomplish these goals, the PI received guidance from mentors, statistical experts, and an advisory board of expert researchers. The PI also participated in a course on how to handle missing data, received training on measuring classroom quality, attended workshops related to longitudinal research and randomized controlled trials, and participated in grant-writing webinars.
Key outcomes
Key Outcomes: The main findings of this project, as reported by the PI, are as follows:
- Compared to peers without significant behavioral needs, students with or at risk for EBD scored lower on EF and academic tasks and demonstrated more behavioral difficulties.
- Across 2 years, EF predicted better academic and behavioral outcomes among middle schoolers with a wide range of behavioral needs (i.e., students with or at risk for EBD, peers without significant behaviors). Heightened perceived stress (i.e., family, peer, school) was directly related to students using less effective stress regulation approaches, which in turn had a negative effect on their EF.
- Teacher-student closeness and communication predicted student EF. Conversely, teacher-student alienation and conflict were associated with heighted internalizing and externalizing behaviors.
People and institutions involved
IES program contact(s)
Project contributors
Products and publications
ERIC Citations: Find available citations in ERIC for this award here.
Questions about this project?
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