Implementation of the Prevent-Teach-Reinforce Model for Elementary School Students Needing Intensive Behavior Intervention

Abstract

This study evaluated the implementation of the school-based Prevent-Teach-Reinforce (PTR) model for elementary school students who engage in high levels of challenging behavior. Three students (one with speech or language impairment and two without disabilities) and their classroom teachers in two public schools participated in the team-based PTR process, which involved teaming and goal setting, functional behavior assessment, intervention, and evaluation. A multiple-baseline-across-participants design was used to evaluate the impact of PTR on student behaviors. Direct and indirect observations of student behaviors were conducted across target and generalization academic time periods. The findings indicated that the PTR intervention effectively improved the classroom behaviors of all three participating students in both target and generalization academic time periods, decreasing disruptive behavior and increasing on-task behavior. Social validity assessments with the participating teachers and one student indicated high levels of acceptability of and satisfaction with the PTR intervention goals, procedures, and outcomes.

Keywords

• functional behavior assessment
• individualized intervention
• prevent-teach-reinforce
• manualized intervention