This Article Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 1063426609341645v1 17/4/197    most recent References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Walker, H. M. Articles by Forness, S. R. Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

A Randomized Controlled Trial of the First Step to Success Early Intervention

Demonstration of Program Efficacy Outcomes in a Diverse, Urban School District

University of Oregon, Eugene, hwalker{at}uoregon.edu

John R. Seeley

Oregon Research Institute, Eugene

Jason Small

Oregon Research Institute, Eugene

Herbert H. Severson

Oregon Research Institute, Eugene

Bethany A. Graham

Albuquerque Public Schools, New Mexico

Edward G. Feil

Oregon Research Institute, Eugene

Loretta Serna

University of New Mexico, Albuquerque

Annemieke M. Golly

Oregon Research Institute, Eugene

Steven R. Forness

University of California, Los Angeles

This article reports on a randomized controlled trial of the First Step to Success early intervention that was conducted over a 4-year period in Albuquerque Public Schools. First Step is a selected intervention for students in Grades 1 through 3 with externalizing behavior problems, and it addresses secondary prevention goals and objectives. It consists of three modular components (screening, school intervention, parent training); lasts approximately 3 months; and is initially set up, delivered, and coordinated by a behavioral coach (e.g., school counselor, behavior specialist, social worker). Project Year 1 of this efficacy trial was devoted to gearing-up activities (e.g., hiring, training, planning, logistical arrangements); Years 2 and 3 each involved implementing First Step with approximately 100 behaviorally at-risk students. Students, teachers, and classrooms were randomly assigned to either intervention or usual care comparison conditions. Year 4 activities focused on conducting long-term, follow-up assessments and implementing sustainability procedures to preserve achieved gains. Pre-post teacher and parent ratings of student behavior and social skills showed moderately robust effect sizes, ranging from .54 to .87, that favored the intervention group. Direct measures of academic performance (oral reading fluency, letter—word identification) were not sensitive to the intervention. The implications and limitations of the study are discussed.

Key Words: anger/aggression • ecobehavioral assessment • assessment of social behaviors • at-risk populations • antisocial

This version was published on December 1, 2009

Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, Vol. 17, No. 4, 197-212 (2009)
DOI: 10.1177/1063426609341645


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?