Center for Evidence-Based Practice: Young Children with Challenging Behavior. Intervention Studies

Intervention Studies

Increasing social-emotional competence for young children with autism
Young Children’s Knowledge of Feeling Words
An examination of the relationship between child diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and family completion of an early intervention program for families of young children with challenging behavior
Validation study of the Indicator of Parent-Child Interaction (IPCI)
Effective interventions for Children with ADHD
Environment-instructional arrangement for early childhood teachers – children with challenging behaviors
Examination of the use of restricted interests on the social behaviors of young children with autism
An examination of the functions of social behaviors in young children with autism
Application of PBS on toddlers and within the family
The application of school-wide PBS to early childhood program

Study: Increasing social-emotional competence for young children with autism

Investigator: Strain, P.S.

Purpose/Question: To examine effects of Dinosaur School curriculum with population of young children w/ autism

Participants: In 3 classrooms over 3 years, total of 27 children with autism and 100 typically developing children

Methods: Intervention at circle time and free choice time in each classroom. Multiple baseline designs augmented by comprehensive pre-post measures

Status: Pilot data suggest that (a) teachers were able to implement the curriculum with fidelity, (b) children with autism and typically developing children increased their prosocial solutions to conflict situation over baseline; and (c) both groups of children also increased their feeling word vocabulary over baseline.

Study: Young Children’s Knowledge of Feeling Words

Investigator: Strain, P.S.

Purpose/Question: To investigate the emotional vocabulary/social information processing skills of preschool children

Participants: 642 preschool children and 130 preschool children with in Denver

Methods: Feelings Interview (Webster-Stratton and Reid, 200) and Wally Game (Webster-Stratton, 1997)

Status: Both measures administered to all 772 children; Results show that (1) clear developmental trends were present; (2) middle and upper income children know no more feeling words than Head Start children; and (3) the number of feeling words known by a child is related to level of problem behavior

Study: An examination of the relationship between child diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and family completion of an early intervention program for families of young children with challenging behavior

Investigators: Timm, M., Chafetz, J., & Patzer, D.K.

Purpose/Question: To identify how child/family variables and child diagnosis of ADHD are related to completion of or premature departure from an early intervention program for families of young children with challenging behavior

Participants: Reviews of files of 1600 families enrolled in the Regional Intervention Program (RIP), Nashville, TN, during the period from January 1, 1990 through December 31, 2004.

Methods: Reviews of files for 1600 families. Individual questionnaire/interviews with 30 randomly selected families.

Status: Clinical record data entry completed for 1518 families enrolled during the 1900 – 2004 period. Independent reliability check of clinical record data entry completed for 320 randomly selected files across enrollment date cohorts (1990-94, 1995-99, 2000-04). Phase One data report to be submitted on or by October 1, 2005. Phase Two family questionnaire and follow-up interviews (N-30) to be completed by November 30, 2005. Phase Two data report to be submitted on or by March 1, 2006.

Study: Validation study of the Indicator of Parent-Child Interaction (IPCI)

Investigator: Carta, J.

Purpose/Question: To evaluate psychometric characteristics of the ICPI, a brief and naturalistic measure of parent-child interactions

Participants: Forty parent-child dyads are enrolled from rural Iowa and urban Kansas City. Culturally diverse sample of children between 4 to 36 months including children with and without disabilities.

Methods: Measures of concurrent validity include HOME IT, AAPI-2; ASQ; and IPCI

Status: Preliminary results indicate positive correlations with empathy subscale of AAPI-2 and total score on the HOME IT.

Study: Effective interventions for Children with ADHD

Investigator: Kern, L.

Purpose/Question: Determine the effectiveness of multi-setting, assessment-based intervention (EI) in comparison to community-based intervention (CI).

Participants: Preschool children (3 – 5 years old) with ADHD in the Lehigh Valley area.

Methods: Random assignment to a multi-setting EI or CI group. Data include functional assessments; assessment of attitudes toward medication; literacy; predictors of success for children in each.

Status: Currently enrolling participants

Study: Environment-instructional arrangement for early childhood teachers – children with challenging behaviors

Investigator: Conroy, M.

Purpose/Question: What effects does in-service training-technical assistance have on challenging behavior in early childhood settings? What are essential model components? What are the teachers’ and administrators’ perceptions of the model’s efficacy?

Participants: Early Head Start teachers and child care providers for 18-36 month old children at high risk for challenging behavior

Methods: Overall assessment of children and components of classroom; technical assistance such as instruction, problem solving, direct modeling, coaching; implement types of assistance

Status: Data collection ended.

Study: Examination of the use of restricted interests on the social behaviors of young children with autism

Investigators: Boyd, B. & Conroy, M.

Purpose/Question: What are the effects of restricted interests on the social behaviors of young children with autism?

Participants: Three students with autism

Methods: Restricted interests of three children with ASD were evaluated. Social behaviors of children with ASD were examined in the presence and absence of restricted interests using structural analysis methodology.

Status: Study is complete.

Study: An examination of the functions of social behaviors in young children with autism

Investigators: Sellers, Asmus, & Conroy, M.

Purpose/Question: What are the functions of social behaviors of young children with ASD?

Participants: Three students with ASD

Methods: A functional analysis of the social behaviors of three students with ASD were evaluated.

Status: Study is complete.

Study: Application of PBS on toddlers and within the family

Investigators: Fox, L., Dunlap, G., Clarke, S., & Duda, M.

Purpose/Question: How is family-centered PBS implemented for young children with challenging behavior: What are child, family, and longitudinal outcomes? Can caregivers be trained? How can transitions support children to be successful?

Participants: The participants in this project are toddlers who are 12 – 36 months old and their families who live in the Tampa Bay area.

Methods: A minimum of four baseline, single subject experiments every three months up to 36 months; child problem behavior, child conventional communication behavior, child affect, child-caregiver interactions; direct and video observation; Likert-type rating scales.

Status: Two multiple baseline (across routines) studies have been completed that examine the effects of PBS on child challenging behavior and parent interactions. One study examined intervention with a sibling set. One AB study with two participants has been completed on strategies to support transition to preschool classrooms.

Study: The application of school-wide PBS to early childhood program

Investigators: Fox, L. & Hemmeter, M. L.

Purpose/Question: To provide information /outcomes and develop/implement PBS in early childhood programs

Participants: Three early childhood programs (Peoria, IL; Tampa, FL; Champaign/Urbana, IL)

Methods: Pilot measures including crisis calls; teacher, parent, administrator perceptions; behavior incident reports; and child social and behavior outcomes.

Status: Baseline data have been collected. Implementation is being monitored.

Center for Evidence-Based Practice: Young Children with Challenging Behavior
andThe Center Web site are located at the University of South Florida
Send comments to the Webmaster.