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Davis EM, Schmidt E, Rothenberg WA, Davidson B, Garcia D, Barnett ML, Fernandez C, Jent JF. Universal Teacher-Child Interaction Training in early childhood special education: A cluster randomized control trial. J Sch Psychol 2023; 97:171-191. [PMID: 36914364 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsp.2023.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Revised: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/20/2023]
Abstract
Growing evidence suggests that Teacher-Child Interaction Training-Universal (TCIT-U) is effective for increasing teachers' use of strategies that promote positive child behavior, but more rigorous research with larger, diverse samples is needed to understand the effects of TCIT-U on teacher and child outcomes in early childhood special education. Using a cluster randomized control trial, we evaluated the effects of TCIT-U on (a) teacher skill acquisition and self-efficacy and (b) child behavior and developmental functioning. Teachers in the TCIT-U group (n = 37) exhibited significantly greater increases in positive attention skills, increased consistent responding, and decreased critical statements relative to teachers in the waitlist control group (n = 36) at post and 1-month follow-up (d's range from 0.52 to 1.61). Teachers in the TCIT-U group also exhibited significantly fewer directive statements (d's range from 0.52 to 0.79) and greater increases in self-efficacy compared to waitlist teachers at post (d's range from 0.60 to 0.76). TCIT-U was also associated with short-term benefits for child behavior. Frequency (d = 0.41) and total number of behavior problems (d = 0.36) were significantly lower in the TCIT-U group than in the waitlist group at post (but not follow-up), with small-to-medium effects. The waitlist group, but not the TCIT-U group, demonstrated an increasing trend in number of problem behaviors over time. There were no significant between-group differences in developmental functioning. Current findings build support for the effectiveness of TCIT-U as universal prevention of behavior problems with an ethnically and racially diverse sample of teachers and children, including children with developmental disabilities. Implications for implementation of TCIT-U in the early childhood special education setting are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eileen M Davis
- University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Mailman Center for Child Development, 1600 NW 12 Ave, Miami, FL 33136, USA.
| | - Ellyn Schmidt
- University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Mailman Center for Child Development, 1600 NW 12 Ave, Miami, FL 33136, USA; Boston Child Study Center, 729 Boylston St 5th floor, Boston, MA 02116, USA
| | - W Andrew Rothenberg
- University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Mailman Center for Child Development, 1600 NW 12 Ave, Miami, FL 33136, USA; Duke University Center for Child and Family Policy, 302 Towerview Rd, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Bridget Davidson
- Pediatric Psychology Associates, 1625 North Commerce Parkway, Suite 200, Weston, FL 33326, USA
| | - Dainelys Garcia
- University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Mailman Center for Child Development, 1600 NW 12 Ave, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Miya L Barnett
- Department of Counseling, Clinical, & School Psychology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106-9490, USA
| | - Corina Fernandez
- University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Mailman Center for Child Development, 1600 NW 12 Ave, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Jason F Jent
- University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Mailman Center for Child Development, 1600 NW 12 Ave, Miami, FL 33136, USA
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Rivas A, Mooss A, Pontier CH, Romillo J, Muñoz E. The effect of Universal Teacher-Child Interaction Training on Hispanic teachers' sense of self-efficacy in early childhood education and care settings. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CHILD CARE AND EDUCATION POLICY 2023; 17:12. [PMID: 37073285 PMCID: PMC10098237 DOI: 10.1186/s40723-023-00115-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Disparities exist in the availability of high-quality early childhood education and care settings (ECEC) across communities within the United States. Teachers have an imperative role in fostering children's socioemotional development; however, when the classroom climate deteriorates due to disruptive behavior, meeting these emotional and learning needs becomes more difficult. Dealing with challenging behaviors can lead to emotional exhaustion which is directly linked to a decrease in teacher sense of efficacy. Teacher-Child Interaction Training-Universal (TCIT-U) targets teachers' skills to provide quality interactions and decrease child behavior problems. Despite evidence that teacher sense of self-efficacy can inhibit negative teaching practices, a lack of research has explored this construct as related to TCIT-U. The current study is a randomized, wait-list control study measuring the change of teachers' sense of self-efficacy after participating in TCIT-U, and the first known of its kind. The study included mostly Hispanic (96.4%) teachers (N = 84) of ECEC programs across 13 unique sites serving 900 children ages 2-5 years from low-income, urban areas. Results from inferential statistics and hierarchical linear regression tests demonstrated TCIT-U as an effective intervention to improve teachers' sense of efficacy in classroom management, instructional strategies, and student engagement. In addition, this study contributes to the effectiveness of TCIT-U as an in-service training which targets teacher communication skills for teachers with diverse backgrounds in ECEC settings with mostly dual language learners.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Angela Mooss
- Behavioral Science Research Institute, Miami, FL USA
| | | | - Jackie Romillo
- Early Childhood Development Citrus Health, Citrus Health Network Inc., Miami, FL USA
| | - Emma Muñoz
- Early Childhood Development Citrus Health, Citrus Health Network Inc., Miami, FL USA
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Santiago CD, Bustos Y, Sosa SS, Jolie SA, Flores Toussaint R, Gebhardt S, Stern D, Budd KS. Examining the implementation of Teacher–Child Interaction Training‐Universal in public schools. PSYCHOLOGY IN THE SCHOOLS 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/pits.22753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Yvita Bustos
- Department of Psychology Loyola University Chicago Chicago Illinois USA
| | - Susana S. Sosa
- Department of Psychology Loyola University Chicago Chicago Illinois USA
| | - Sarah A. Jolie
- Department of Psychology Loyola University Chicago Chicago Illinois USA
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Schmidt EM, Rothenberg WA, Davidson BC, Barnett M, Jent J, Cadenas H, Fernandez C, Davis E. Psychometric Properties of the Behavior Assessment System for Children Student Observation System (BASC-3 SOS) with Young Children in Special Education. JOURNAL OF BEHAVIORAL EDUCATION 2021; 32:1-22. [PMID: 34744407 PMCID: PMC8559685 DOI: 10.1007/s10864-021-09458-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/13/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Measuring classroom behavior among young children is important to guide assessment and intervention decisions, yet there is limited literature on appropriate direct observation tools for this purpose. This article describes the psychometric properties of the Behavior Assessment System for Children, Student Observation System (BASC-3 SOS) with 135 children ages 20 to 67 months (M = 35 months, 64% Latinx, 78% with an established developmental disability) and their teachers (N = 36) as part of a larger randomized control trial of a teacher training intervention. Inter-rater reliability on individual BASC-3 SOS behaviors ranged from poor to good. Correlations between BASC-3 SOS scores across time indicated low to moderate developmental test-retest reliability. Significant correlations between BASC-3 SOS scores and teacher ratings provided evidence for convergent, divergent, and predictive validity. Differences between BASC-3 SOS scores for children with versus without disabilities supported the tool's discriminant validity. There were no significant pre- to post-treatment changes in BASC-3 SOS scores. Overall, results provide mixed evidence for the psychometric properties of the BASC-3 SOS when used with young, diverse children with and without disabilities. Implications for clinical and research purposes are discussed. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10864-021-09458-x.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellyn M. Schmidt
- Department of Pediatrics, Mailman Center for Child Development, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, 1601 NW 12th Avenue, Miami, FL 33136 USA
| | - W. Andrew Rothenberg
- Department of Pediatrics, Mailman Center for Child Development, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, 1601 NW 12th Avenue, Miami, FL 33136 USA
- Duke University Center for Child and Family Policy, Durham, NC 27708 USA
| | - Bridget C. Davidson
- Department of Pediatrics, Mailman Center for Child Development, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, 1601 NW 12th Avenue, Miami, FL 33136 USA
- Pediatric Psychology Associates, Aventura, FL USA
| | | | - Jason Jent
- Department of Pediatrics, Mailman Center for Child Development, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, 1601 NW 12th Avenue, Miami, FL 33136 USA
| | - Heleny Cadenas
- Department of Pediatrics, Mailman Center for Child Development, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, 1601 NW 12th Avenue, Miami, FL 33136 USA
| | - Corina Fernandez
- Department of Pediatrics, Mailman Center for Child Development, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, 1601 NW 12th Avenue, Miami, FL 33136 USA
| | - Eileen Davis
- Department of Pediatrics, Mailman Center for Child Development, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, 1601 NW 12th Avenue, Miami, FL 33136 USA
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