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

Area of Science:

• Educational Psychology
• Behavioral Intervention
• Special Education

Background:

• Challenging behaviors in elementary students can disrupt learning environments.
• Effective, school-based interventions are needed to support students with high levels of challenging behavior.
• The Prevent-Teach-Reinforce (PTR) model offers a structured approach to behavior management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the implementation and impact of the school-based Prevent-Teach-Reinforce (PTR) model.
• To assess PTR's effectiveness in improving classroom behaviors of elementary students with challenging behaviors.
• To examine teacher and student satisfaction with the PTR intervention.

Main Methods:

• A multiple-baseline-across-participants design was employed.
• The study involved three elementary students and their teachers in two public schools.
• Data collection included direct and indirect observations of student behavior and social validity assessments.

Main Results:

• The Prevent-Teach-Reinforce (PTR) intervention led to significant improvements in classroom behaviors for all participating students.
• Disruptive behavior decreased, while on-task behavior increased across target and generalization settings.
• Teachers and one student reported high acceptability and satisfaction with the PTR model's goals, procedures, and outcomes.

Conclusions:

• The school-based Prevent-Teach-Reinforce (PTR) model is an effective intervention for reducing challenging behaviors in elementary students.
• PTR positively impacts both disruptive and on-task behaviors in academic settings.
• The intervention demonstrates strong social validity, indicating its practical applicability in schools.