Direct and collateral effects of the First Step to Success program: Replication and extension of findings.

摘要

New generations of children across America are at increased risk for antisocial behavior and are entering the public school system unprepared for the experience of schooling (Loeber & Farrington, 1998). Well-developed antisocial behaviors and high levels of aggression evidenced early in a child's life are among the best predictors of academic failure and delinquent and violent behavior years later (Patterson, Reid, & Dishion, 1992).; In conjunction with these negative trajectories, children with antisocial behavior patterns pose an additional threat to schools. The problem behavior displayed by these children will not only have an adverse effect on their own adjustment, but can adversely affect peer behavior, teacher behavior, and the overall classroom ecology. Teachers are in need of effective intervention programs that not only focus on the problem behaviors of targeted children, but concurrently have a positive collateral effect on others. First Step to Success is an early intervention program designed to target the soft, early signs of antisocial behavior at the point of school entry.; The purpose of this study was to analyze the direct effects of First Step to Success on the behaviors of targeted kindergarten children at-risk for antisocial problem behavior, and the collateral effects of this intervention on the behaviors of peers, the teacher, and the overall classroom environment. A multiple baseline across students and settings design was used to analyze changes in the behavior of target students, peers and teachers. In addition, pre and post observations and ratings were taken to assess changes in behavior and classroom ecology.; The results showed that target student problem behaviors decreased while academic engaged time increased. Likewise, this effect was moderate for problem behavior peers, while average peers maintained appropriate levels of behavior. In addition, teacher positive interactions increased to a level greater than teacher negative interactions. Class wide academic engaged time and the percent of positive social interactions increased, while teacher ratings of behavior and the classroom ecology improved. Overall, teachers rated the intervention as effective and moderately easy to use and a positive collateral effect was demonstrated. General implications and future research suggestions are discussed.