Positive behavioural support for children and young people with developmental disabilities in special education settings: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Positive behavioural support (PBS) can be effective in supporting children and young people (CYP) with developmental disabilities. This systematic review focused on describing the components and nine characteristics of PBS that have been used with CYP with developmental disabilities in special education settings, and the evidence for PBS effectiveness in these settings. Additionally, facilitators and barriers to PBS implementation, and experiences of stakeholders, were investigated. METHOD: Systematic searches followed a registered protocol, and 30 studies were identified, narratively synthesised, and critically appraised. RESULTS: From the 30 studies included, 10 reported the presence of all 9 PBS characteristics, 17 reported on 8 PBS characteristics, and 3 reported on 7 characteristics. Overall, 28 studies demonstrated significant decreases in behaviours that challenge and increases in alternative behaviours, if increasing alternative behaviours was part of the interventions. CONCLUSIONS: There was a lack of evidence on facilitators and barriers, and a lack of qualitative studies exploring experiences of stakeholders with PBS in special education settings. The available evidence suggested that not all studies reported on all PBS characteristics when describing the approach followed. In addition, available evidence suggested that most studies demonstrated effectiveness of PBS regarding the measured outcomes. Implications and future directions are discussed.

Exposure to challenging behaviour and staff psychological well-being: The importance of psychological flexibility and organisational support in special education settings.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The present study examines the levels of psychological distress (anxiety, depression, stress) and burnout and their relationship to challenging behaviour, amongst staff working in a special education setting. It further examines the relationships between psychological distress and burnout and psychological flexibility, role clarity and workplace support. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: This was a cross-sectional survey of staff (N = 145) self-report data on exposure to challenging behaviour (CB), and contingent emotional reactions as well as psychological distress, burnout, perceived organisational support and psychological flexibility. OUTCOME AND RESULTS: Results revealed high levels of psychological distress and burnout amongst special education staff, which correlated with lower levels of psychological flexibility, negative emotional reactions to CB, role-clarity, perceived organisational support and job satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Results suggest that prevalence of psychological distress and burnout amongst staff in ID settings is high. Also that organisational and individual psychological factors have a role in this relationship. Results provide initial support for the need for psychological interventions for staff dealing with CB within a multi-tiered support model. Future research suggestions are provided, and clinical and organisational implications are discussed in terms of increasing staff well-being. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: The paper primarily reveals high prevalence of psychological distress and burnout amongst ID staff in relation to their exposure to CB. The study also presents initial evidence that organisational and psychological factors (psychological flexibility) influence the latter relations and provides the basis for further research and exploration. Lastly, it highlights the need of proactive and reactive psychological interventions for staff dealing with CB within a multi-tiered support model and provides initial evidence for the potential employment of contextual behavioural science interventions.

Validating GO4KIDDS as a brief measure of adaptive skills in special education settings for children with severe intellectual disability.

BACKGROUND: Adaptive skills measures tend to be lengthy. The GO4KIDDS (Great Outcomes for Kids Impacted by Severe Developmental Disabilities; (Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 58, 2015 and 594)) Brief Adaptive Behaviour Scale was developed to provide a brief assessment of adaptive skills. Our study aimed to examine the psychometric properties of G04KIDDS Brief Adaptive Scale in a large sample of children in special education. METHODS: Teachers reported on 361 students with severe to profound intellectual disability. The scale's factor structure was examined through principal components analysis (PCA), while its convergent validity was examined in relation to the Vineland (VABS-II; Vineland-II adaptive behavior scales, Circle Pines, MN, AGS and 2005). RESULTS: The PCA indicated a single component measuring overall adaptive skills, which had excellent internal consistency (alpha = 0.93), and convergent validity (Pearson's r = 0.81). CONCLUSIONS: Teacher-reported scores on GO4KIDDS Brief Behaviour Scale can provide a reliable and valid composite of adaptive skills in children with severe to profound intellectual disability. The scale will be useful to researchers and teachers who need a brief descriptive assessment of adaptive functioning.