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Implementation of positive behavior supports: A case study of the impact in three elementary sites
Abstract
The intent of the researcher in this study was to investigate the impacts of implementation of positive behavior supports (PBS). The philosophy upon which this research was based is the view that the reality of implementation is constructed through one's ability to seek, discover, and better understand the processes and perspectives of people involved. Efforts were focused on the uniqueness of sites, their contexts, and the interactions therein. An inductive research strategy was employed to build concepts from a complex and thorough array of data. The research design was mixed methodology with the qualitative paradigm poised as dominant. Three data sources used in this study included interview, survey, and document analysis. Qualitative data were obtained through interview and oral survey. Quantitative data were collected through survey and document analysis. Descriptive statistics were used to express results of the survey and document analysis. Reduction analysis was used to determine the rate of change in student behavioral indicators of office discipline referral, suspension, and expulsion. The need for training in the PBS framework for all staff was a major finding. A related finding was staff reliance on the site-based Leadership Team as a teaching team, coaching cadre, and primary source for dissemination of PBS at the site level. Another major finding was marked reduction in office disciplinary referral and suspension. All sites demonstrated consistent decreases over time. Additional findings included improved climate and relationships among staff and students; greater clarity, consistency, and application of behavioral expectations for all students; and positive results for students with disabilities. A challenge in implementation is that a change of this magnitude requires the sustained commitment of time, energy, and resources. Dependability is the appropriateness of methods and decisions, including utility of research design. Confirmability is the degree to which findings are grounded in substantive data. The results of this study meet the tests of dependability and confirmability and may well serve as a guide to others as they consider implementation of PBS.
Subject Area
Elementary education|Curricula|Teaching
Recommended Citation
Greenfield, Mary J, "Implementation of positive behavior supports: A case study of the impact in three elementary sites" (2004). ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AAI3152610.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI3152610