Reducing Risk for Emotional and Behavioral Disorders in Late Elementary School: A Comparison of Two Targeted Interventions

Students with elevated levels of risk require targeted Tier 2 behavioral interventions that are efficient and effective to prevent the need for more intensive, special education supports. Although Tier 2 is a critical component of multi-tiered systems of support, a paucity of research exists regarding how best to provide evidence-based Tier 2 interventions, particularly for students with comorbid deficit areas. The current trial involved 33 third- through fifth-grade participants who were assigned to one of three study groups: (a) control, (b) check-in/check-out, or (c) Coping Power. The Behavior Assessment of Children in Schools–2 (BASC-2) was used to measure changes in externalizing behavior, along with its three component subscales. The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) was used to examine change in broad emotional and behavioral risk profiles. Teachers rated participants on the SDQ and BASC-2 at preintervention, postintervention, and follow-up. Results indicate that both check-in/check-out and Coping Power yielded decreases in externalizing behavior, with Coping Power also resulting in significant decreases in overall emotional and behavioral risk. A discussion of these results along with implications for future research and study limitations are presented