The contextual fit of a behavior support plan refers to the extent that the procedures of the plan are consistent with the knowledge, values, skills, resources, and administrative support of those who are expected to implement the plan. This study used a concurrent multiple baseline design across four participants to assess the presence of a functional relation between introduction of the Contextual Fit Enhancement Protocol, an intervention designed to improve contextual fit, and (a) an increase in fidelity of support plan implementation and (b) improved student behavior. Results indicate that following implementation of the Contextual Fit Enhancement Protocol, support plan implementation fidelity increased and student problem behavior decreased. In addition, teachers participating in the study rated the contextual fit intervention process as effective and efficient. Limitations and implications for future research, practice, and training are discussed.
AlbinR. W.LucyshynJ. M.HornerR. H.FlanneryK. B. (1996). Contextual fit for behavior support plans. In KoegelL. K.KoegelR. L.DunlapG. (Eds.), Positive behavioral support: Including people with difficult behavior in the community (pp. 81–98). Paul H. Brookes.
2.
AlgozzineB.BarrettS.EberL.GeorgeH.HornerR.LewisT.PutnamB.Swain-BradwayJ.McIntoshK.SugaiG. (2014). School-wide PBIS Tiered Fidelity Inventory. OSEP Technical Assistance Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports. https://www.pbis.org/resource/tfi
3.
AlgozzineB.PutnamR.HornerR. (2010). What we know about the relationship between achievement and behavior. In AlgozzineB.DaunicA. P.SmithS. W. (Eds.), Preventing problem behaviors (2nd ed., pp. 223–226). Corwin.
4.
BaileyD. B.SimeonssonR. J.WintonP. J.HuntingtonG. S.ComfortM.IsbellP.O’DonnellK. J.HelmJ. M. (1990). Family-focused intervention: A functional model for planning, implementing, and evaluating individualized family services in early intervention. Journal of the Division for Early Childhood, 10(2), 156–171. https://doi.org/10.1177/105381518601000207
5.
BenazziL.HornerR. H.GoodR. H. (2006). Effects of behavior support team composition on the technical adequacy and contextual fit of behavior support plans. The Journal of Special Education, 40(3), 160–170. https://doi.org/10.1177/00224669060400030401
6.
BrownF.De PryR. L. (2015). Individual positive behavior supports: A standards-based guide to practices in school and community settings. Paul H. Brookes.
7.
CarrE. G.HornerR. H.TurnbullA. P.MarquisJ. G.Magito-McLaughlinD. M.McAteeM. L.SmithC. E.Anderson RyanK.RuefM. B.DoolabhA. (1999). Positive behavior support for people with developmental disabilities: A research synthesis. American Association on Mental Retardation.
8.
CroneD. A.HawkenL. S.HornerR. H. (2015). Building positive behavior support systems in schools. Guilford Press.
9.
FabeloT.ThompsonM. D.PlotkinM.CarmichaelD.MarchbanksM. P.BoothE. A. (2011). Breaking schools’ rules: A statewide study of how school discipline relates to students’ success and juvenile justice involvement. Council of State Governments Justice Center. https://justicecenter.csg.org/resources/juveniles
10.
FixsenD. L.BlaseK. A.DudaM. A.NaoomS. F.Van DykeM. (2010). Implementation of evidence-based treatments for children and adolescents: Research findings and their implications for the future. In WeiszJ.KazdinA. (Eds.), Implementation and dissemination: Extending treatments to new populations and new settings (2nd ed., pp. 435–450). Guilford Press.
HornerR. H.CarrE. G.HalleJ.McGeeG.OdomS.WoleryM. (2005). The use of single-subject research to identify evidence-based practice in special education. Exceptional Children, 71(2), 165–179. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F001440290507100203
13.
HornerR. H.SalentineS.AlbinR. W. (2003). Self-assessment of contextual fit in schools. University of Oregon.
14.
IwataB. A.DorseyM. F.SliferK. J.BaumanK. E.RichmanG. S. (1994). Toward a functional analysis of self-injury. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 27(2), 197–209. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.1994.27-197
KratochwillT. R.LevinJ. R. (2014). Single-case intervention research: Methodological and statistical advances. American Psychological Association.
17.
KretlowA. G.CookeN. L.WoodC. L. (2012). Using in-service training and coaching to increase teachers’ accurate use of research-based strategies. Remedial and Special Education, 33(6), 348–361. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0741932510395397
18.
MartensB. K.LambertT. L. (2014). Conducting functional behavioral assessments for students with emotional/behavioral disorders. In WalkerH. M.GreshamF. M. (Eds.), Handbook of evidence-based practices for emotional and behavioral disorders: Application in schools (pp. 243–257). Guilford Press.
19.
McIntoshK.ChardD. J.BolandJ. B.HornerR. H. (2006). Demonstration of combined efforts in school-wide academic and behavioral systems and incidence of reading and behavioral challenges in early elementary grades. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 8(3), 146–154. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F10983007060080030301
20.
McIntoshK.MassarM. M.AlgozzineR. F.GeorgeH. P.HornerR. H.LewisT. J.Swain-BradwayJ. (2017). Technical adequacy of the SWPBIS Tiered Fidelity Inventory. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 19(1), 3–13. https://doi.org/10.1177/1098300716637193
NelsonJ. R.BennerG. J.BohatyJ. (2014). Addressing the academic problems and challenges of EBD students. In WalkerH. M.GreshamF. M. (Eds.), Handbook of evidence-based practices for emotional and behavioral disorders: Applications in schools (pp. 363–377). Guilford Press.
23.
O’NeillR. E.AlbinR. W.StoreyK.HornerR. H.SpragueJ. R. (2015). Functional assessment and program development for problem behavior: A practical handbook (3rd ed.). Cengage Learning.
24.
ParkerR. I.VannestK. J.DavisJ. L. (2011). Effect size in single-case research: A review of nine nonoverlap techniques. Behavior Modification, 35(4), 303–322. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0145445511399147
25.
PinkelmanS.HornerR. (2017). Improving implementation of function-based interventions: Self-monitoring, data collection, and data review. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 19(4), 228–238. https://doi.org/10.1177/1098300716683634
26.
SandlerL.AlbinR. W.HornerR. H.YovanoffP. (2003). Contextual fit and the viability of behavior support plans [Unpublished manuscript]. University of Oregon, Educational and Community Supports.
27.
SpragueJ. R.JolivetteK.NelsonC. M. (2014). Applying positive behavioral interventions and supports in alternative education programs and secure juvenile facilities. In WalkerH. M.GreshamF. M. (Eds.), Handbook of evidence-based practices for emotional and behavioral disorders: Applications in schools (pp. 261–276). Guilford Press.
28.
Strickland-CohenM. K. (2012). An examination of the efficacy of training school personnel to build behavioral interventions from functional behavioral assessment information [Dissertation]. College of Education, University of Oregon.
29.
Strickland-CohenM. K.HornerR. H. (2015). Typical school personnel developing and implementing basic behavior support plans. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 17(2), 83–94. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F1098300714554714
30.
WalkerH. M.HornerR. H.SugaiG.BullisM.SpragueJ. R.BrickerD.KaufmanM. J. (1996). Integrated approaches to preventing antisocial behavior patterns among school-age children and youth. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 4(4), 194–209. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F106342669600400401
