Precision-Based Approach to Matching Evidence-Based Interventions to Students With Externalizing Behaviors

Summary

Although prevalent across schools in the US, the "One-Size-Fits-All" (OSFA) approach to selecting evidence-based interventions (EBIs) for student externalizing behaviors often yields lackluster outcomes, due to the mismatch between the EBI and students' heterogeneous needs. Emerging literature highlighted the promise of the precision approach to intervention (e.g., Student Intervention Matching System; SIMS), whereas EBIs were selected based on the match between a student's individual needs and the active components of EBIs. This pilot study tested the efficacy, feasibility, and acceptability of SIMS to match EBIs to students with externalizing behaviors. The investigators ran a double-masked randomized waitlist-controlled trial in a diverse urban district. Students at risk for externalizing behaviors were recruited and randomly assigned to the treatment (EBIs matched via SIMS) or control condition (mismatched social-skill training). Students received EBIs based on assigned condition for 10 weeks. Students' externalizing behaviors were assessed via a multi-method approach at baseline and 10-week posttest. Teachers rated the feasibility and acceptability of SIMS at 10-week posttest. The investigators used cluster-adjusted ANCOVAs to compare efficacy of matched EBIs via SIMS against that of the mismatched social skill training in reducing student externalizing behaviors.

Conditions

• Problem;Behaviour;Child

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Student Intervention Matching System (SIMS)

The Student Intervention Matching System (SIMS) is a pre-intervention matching assessment following the behavioral consultation model. The SIMS entails three steps to sequentially assess and then match students' individual characteristics to precise acquisition- or performance-based interventions. The 1st step corresponds to the "problem identification" stage in behavioral consultation. The 2nd step corresponds to the "problem analysis" stage of behavioral consultation.The 3rd step of SIMS corresponds to the "implementation planning" and "evaluation" stages of behavioral consultation.

BEHAVIORAL

group-based social skills training

In the control condition, students received an unconditionally mismatched acquisition-based intervention (group-based social skills training). We selected group-based social skills training for four reasons: (a) participating schools had already been delivering it as their treatment-as-usual, (b) it is a common intervention in US schools, (c) it is only effective for students with acquisition needs, and (d) it represents a counterfactual contrast to the treatment condition because externalizing behaviors driven by performance needs will be reduced more by performance-based interventions than acquisition-based ones.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Minnesota

  collaborator OTHER

• University of Iowa

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Clayton Cook, PhD · University of Minnesota

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

TRIPLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

9 Years

Max Age

12 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2018-08-25

Primary Completion

2018-11-10

Completion

2018-12-01

Countries

• United States

Study Locations