Impact of the Practical Functional Assessment and Skill-Based Treatment in Public School Classrooms

Walsh, Melissa

Walsh, M. (2024). Impact of the Practical Functional Assessment and Skill-Based Treatment in Public School Classrooms.

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Title	Impact of the Practical Functional Assessment and Skill-Based Treatment in Public School Classrooms
Abstract	Students with autism who engage in severe problem behavior are more likely to be placed in restrictive environments, including separate schools. Research has been conducted to show that severe problem behavior can be decreased while increasing contextually appropriate behavior through the use of a performance-based practical functional assessment and skill-based treatment in a clinical setting or when pulled out from the classroom to receive intervention 1:1. However, the published research is not conducive to public school settings with a lack of space and a lack of staff. This study seeks to close this research gap by investigating the impact of the practical functional assessment and skill-based treatment when used in a public school classroom. Practical functional assessments and skill-based treatment were conducted in public school classrooms with seven students to determine their impact on the students’ rate of problem behavior, mastery of contextually appropriate behaviors, percentage of participation across the school day, and ratings on the Behavioral Health Index. The study found that participation, mastery of contextually appropriate behaviors, and ratings on the Behavioral Health Index increased for all students. The rate of severe problem behavior decreased for five of the seven students and increased for two of the seven students. This study is a starting point for research on practical functional assessment and skill-based treatment in public school classrooms. Future researchers can continue this work to lend itself to a larger population.
Date	2024

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Title: Impact of the Practical Functional Assessment and Skill-Based Treatment in Public School Classrooms
Author: Walsh, Melissa
Abstract: Students with autism who engage in severe problem behavior are more likely to be placed in restrictive environments, including separate schools. Research has been conducted to show that severe problem behavior can be decreased while increasing contextually appropriate behavior through the use of a performance-based practical functional assessment and skill-based treatment in a clinical setting or when pulled out from the classroom to receive intervention 1:1. However, the published research is not conducive to public school settings with a lack of space and a lack of staff. This study seeks to close this research gap by investigating the impact of the practical functional assessment and skill-based treatment when used in a public school classroom. Practical functional assessments and skill-based treatment were conducted in public school classrooms with seven students to determine their impact on the students’ rate of problem behavior, mastery of contextually appropriate behaviors, percentage of participation across the school day, and ratings on the Behavioral Health Index. The study found that participation, mastery of contextually appropriate behaviors, and ratings on the Behavioral Health Index increased for all students. The rate of severe problem behavior decreased for five of the seven students and increased for two of the seven students. This study is a starting point for research on practical functional assessment and skill-based treatment in public school classrooms. Future researchers can continue this work to lend itself to a larger population.
Advisor: Bieniek, Eric
Committee Members: Lynch, Jeremy
Ashton, Juliet
Date Issued: 2024
Degree Granting Institution: Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania
College of Education
Special Education
Degree Name: Degree of Doctor of Education (Ed. D.)
Degree Level: Doctorate Degree
Degree Discipline: Special Education
Genre: Dissertation/Thesis
Copyright Statement: The copyright to this item is owned by the author and falls under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Public License. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)