First Step to Success: An Intervention for Young Children with Problem Behavior

1. First Step to Success: An Intervention for Young Children with Problem Behavior Barbara Mitchell, Ph.D. MO SWPBS Tier 2/3 Consultant

2. OutcomesBy the end of this session participants will be able to… • Explain the need for early intervention • Describe components of the First Step to Success program • Determine extent to which First Step may be a contextually appropriate intervention for staff and students in your setting. MO SW-PBS

3. Antisocial Behavior • Consistent violation of behavioral expectations across a range of settings • Home • School • Neighborhood • Community (Walker et al., 1997) MO SW-PBS

4. Antisocial Behavior • Examples include • Physical aggression • Tantrums • Hostile reactions to social initiations from peers • Defiance of adult directions • Vandalism • Disturbing and disrupting others • Pestering & Over-activity (Walker et al., 1997) MO SW-PBS

5. What Do We Know? • Children who begin school with antisocial behavior patterns are at great risk for a number of negative long-term outcomes • School failure & dropout • Delinquency • Alcohol and drug use • Adult criminality • Dependence on welfare system • Higher death and injury rates MO SW-PBS

6. Path to Negative Long-Term Outcomesfor At-Risk Children & Youth

7. What Do We Know? • By grade 4 antisocial behavior should be treated as a chronic condition like diabetes (not cured, but managed) • 50% will maintain disorder to adulthood • Life-course persistent antisocial behavior MO SW-PBS

8. What Do We Know? • Punishment is not a solution • Schools that use punishment alone as a primary tool have increased rates of • Aggression • Vandalism • Truancy • Dropout (Mayer & Sulzer-Azaroff, 1991) MO SW-PBS

9. What Do We Know? • Early intervention in school, home and community is best hope for diverting from path of negative outcomes MO SW-PBS

10. Three Levels of Implementation A Continuum of Support for All Academic Systems Behavioral Systems • Tier Three • Individual Students • Assessment-based • Intense, durable procedures • Tier Three • Individual Students • Assessment-based • High Intensity • Tier Two • Some students (at-risk) • High efficiency • Rapid response • Tier Two • Some students (at-risk) • High efficiency • Rapid response • Tier One • All settings, all students • Preventive, proactive • Tier One • All students • Preventive, proactive MO SW-PBS

11. First Step to SuccessHelping Young Children Overcome Antisocial Behavior Walker, Golly, Severson, Kavanaugh, Stiller, & Feil, 1997 Sopris West

12. First Step Description • Early intervention program designed to help children who are at risk for developing aggressive or antisocial behavioral patterns. • Teaches students to • get along with teachers and peers • engage in schoolwork in an appropriate manner MO SW-PBS

13. First Step Research • Two studies met the IES What Works Clearinghouse evidence standards • Walker et al., 1998 & Walker et al., 2009 • Evidence indicates First Step has • Positive effects on externalizing behaviors • Potentially positive effects on internalizing behavior, social outcomes, and academic performance behaviors (e.g., academic engaged time) MO SW-PBS

14. Implementation Guidelines • Tier 2 intervention, targets students who already show signs of risk and/or maladaptive behavior • Coach works with one child at a time in a classroom, but in the same fashion for all students who participate • Enhanced version for students with intensive needs is being developed MO SW-PBS

15. Implementation Guidelines • Appropriate for students PreK – 3 • Preschool Kit • K-3 Kit • Role of Coach is critical! • Meant to be a positive support • Careful monitoring and follow-up required • Brief “booster shots” recommended MO SW-PBS

16. First Step Materials • Implementation Guide • homeBase Coach Guide • Timer and stopwatch • Overview video • Lanyard to attach Green/Red cards • Small Green/Red cards to take home • Video tape • Large Green/Red point cards for CLASS • homeBase Parent Handbooks • homeBase 3 parent bags • homeBase Card Packs • Parent help and activity cards • Stickers, markers, pen, paper MO SW-PBS

17. First StepRoles & Responsibilities MO SW-PBS

18. First Step Components • Includes three interconnected modules: • First Step Screening • Identifies problems of antisocial behavior • CLASS • Contingencies for Learning Academic and Social Skills • School intervention • homeBase • Home intervention • Leverages key social agents • Teacher and peers; Parents/Caregivers; Coach MO SW-PBS

19. Which Children Are AtRisk? Externalizing Behaviors • Aggression to others or things • Hyperactivity • Non-compliance • Disruptive • Arguing • Defiance • Stealing • Not following directions • Calling out MO SW-PBS

20. Which Children Are At Risk? Internalizing Behaviors • Exhibits unusual sadness • Sleeps a lot • Is teased or bullied by peers • Does not participate in games • Very shy or timid • Acts fearful • Does not stand up for self • Withdrawn • Avoids social interactions MO SW-PBS

21. Early Detection- Screen • Designed to identify children with elevated risk for developing antisocial behavior patterns • Screening options • Teacher nominationsandrankings • Teacher nomination and ranking followed by teacher ratings using a 9-item scale • Teacher nomination and rankings; Teacher and parent ratings; and direct observations (Early Screening Project; ESP) MO SW-PBS

22. Nomination & Rank Order-Screen

23. Teacher Rating Scale - Screen

24. School Intervention - CLASS MO SW-PBS

25. School Intervention - CLASS • Provided within a regular classroom context • Requires a minimum of 30 program days for successful completion • Each program day has performance criterion that must be met before proceeding to next day of program • If criterion isn’t met the program day is repeated (recycled) MO SW-PBS

26. General Procedures - CLASS • Large green/red card is used to cue student • Green = keep doing what you’re doing • Red = stop; think about what you need to do • Feedback and points are awarded for specified intervals (stopwatch) • 80% or more of opportunities scored “green” gets class reward • e.g., 5 min extra recess, popcorn MO SW-PBS

28. General Procedures - CLASS • Coach/Teacher contacts home daily to report on student progress • Child takes green/red card with recorded score home each night • Parent rewards child or provides encouragement for meeting goal the next day; signs card and returns it to school MO SW-PBS

29. Procedures Coach Phase - CLASS MO SW-PBS

30. Procedures Teacher Phase - CLASS MO SW-PBS

32. Maintenance Phase - CLASS MO SW-PBS

33. School to Home Link -homeBase • Coach meets with family for 6 weeks • 45-60 min per week • Provides lessons for promoting school success • Parents work with child • 10-15 min per day • Skill building and practice; positive interactions • Parent uses help & activity cards MO SW-PBS

34. School to Home Link - homeBase • Communicating and sharing school • Cooperation • Setting Limits • Solving Problems • Making Friends • Developing Confidence MO SW-PBS

35. Parent Lesson - homeBase MO SW-PBS

36. Parent Help Card - homeBase MO SW-PBS

37. Parent Activity Card – homeBase MO SW-PBS

38. Parent Activity Card – homeBase MO SW-PBS

39. First Step Components “Although the intervention components can stand alone and be used singly and independently, it is highly recommended that they be used in concert. The First Step program has maximal impact when implemented in this fashion.” *Screen – CLASS - homeBase (Walker et al., 1997, p. 3) MO SW-PBS

40. Barriers to Effective Implementation • Lack of stakeholder commitment • Concerns about screening children • Objections to utilizing rewards • Parent Support • Constraints of school/class schedules • Needs to occur daily • Limited resources • Coach, Time, Materials • 50-60 hours over 3 months; $500 per student MO SW-PBS

41. Resources • Missouri PBIS Website, Session 8B http://pbismissouri.org/archives/3483 • Intervention Overview • Coach, Teacher, and Parent Roles *Documents provide a written description of the First Step intervention and key implementation responsibilities. MO SW-PBS

42. Resources • First Step to Success Information • http://www.firststeptosuccess.org • What Works Clearinghouse • http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/interventionreport.aspx?sid=179 • OSEP Technical Assistance Center of PBIS • http://www.pbis.org/research/secondary/first_steps_to_success.aspx MO SW-PBS

43. Resources • Purchase First Step to Success Materials • Preschool Edition • Starter Kit - $178 • Re-supply - $60 • School-Age Edition • Starter Kit - $204 • Re-supply - $50 • http://store.cambiumlearning.com/first-step-to-success/ MO SW-PBS

44. Resources • First Step to Success Training Sessions • Two-day workshop (fall and spring) • October 17 or 30 • April 23 or 24 • Jefferson City • Register through South Central & Heart of Missouri RPDC MO SW-PBS

45. Contact Information • RPDC Regional and/or Tier 2/3 SWPBS Consultant • Barb Mitchell, Tier 2/3 SWPBS Consultant • mitchellbs@missouri.edu MO SW-PBS