Abstract
The present study describes the implementation of a School-Wide Positive Behavior Support (SWPBS) Tier 1 intervention over a two-year period in a public junior high school. The report focuses on changes in the occurrence of problem behavior and the students' scores on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). The participants were all of the students in the 7th grade (n=502) and 8th grade (n=514) and all of the 7th- and 8th-grade teachers (N=42). The analyses used the data from those students who were enrolled throughout the two-year period. The dependent variables were the occurrences of problem behavior and the students' Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire scores. During the initial ("baseline") phase, the teachers were told that there was an increasing trend in the occurrence of problem behavior and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire scores. The installation phase included professional development for the teachers and the creation of a school-wide behavioral matrix. In the implementation phase, a formal School-Wide Positive Behavior Support leadership team was established, and a School-Wide Positive Behavior Support Tier 1 intervention was conducted. The results indicated that the number of occurrences of problem behavior decreased, and the scores on all the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire subscales improved except for Emotional Symptoms. The discussion suggests that future research should adopt more rigorous research designs and examine effects of integrating School-Wide Positive Behavior Support with supportive mental health programs.
