CLASS-WIDE FUNCTION-RELATED INTERVENTION TEAMS (CW-FIT): Student and Teacher Outcomes from a Multisite Randomized...

Area of Science:

• Educational Psychology
• Classroom Management Strategies
• Behavioral Interventions

Background:

• Classroom behavior challenges impact academic success.
• Effective interventions are needed to improve student engagement and teacher-child interactions.
• The Classwide Function-Related Intervention Teams (CW-FIT) program offers a structured approach.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a randomized controlled trial (RCT) demonstrating the efficacy of the CW-FIT program.
• To replicate prior findings in new research settings.
• To evaluate CW-FIT's impact on student behavior and teacher practices.

Main Methods:

• RCT involving 83 teachers in CW-FIT and 74 in a comparison group across 21 diverse schools in 3 states.
• CW-FIT intervention included prosocial skills training, differential attention, group contingencies, and rewards.
• Data collected on student on-task behavior, teacher praise, and reprimands.

Main Results:

• Significant improvement in class-wide student on-task behavior in CW-FIT classrooms.
• Increased teacher praise and attention for appropriate behaviors in CW-FIT groups.
• Decreased teacher reprimands in CW-FIT classrooms compared to the control group.

Conclusions:

• The CW-FIT program is an effective intervention for improving classroom behavior and teacher practices.
• The intervention's positive effects were observed in diverse, multi-site settings.
• CW-FIT provides a replicable model for enhancing student engagement and classroom management.