Uppeldi og menntun - 01.07.2011, Page 143

Uppeldi og menntUn/icelandic JoUrnal of edUcation 20 (2) 2011 143
anna- l ind pétUrsdótt i r
88% and active engagement increased by 92% after BSPs were implemented. Wilcoxon
tests showed statistically significant changes in the medians of means for all groups
with sufficient sample sizes. Adjusted effect sizes were calculated based on means of
the last three measures of baseline and intervention phases using Rosenthal’s (1994)
formula, taking into account the autocorrelation between repeated measures, to put
it on the same scale as Cohen’s d (Riley-Tillman & Burns, 2009). Adjusted effect sizes
ranged from d = 0,9 to 2,5 which reflect large effects (Cohen, 1988) of function-based
BSPs.
The findings are in agreement with previous research showing positive effects of
function-based interventions on students’ problem behaviors. Moreover, the findings
extend the current literature base to show positive effects of a university course
on chronic behavior problems of students in mainstream schools. Informal reports
of graduate students implementing the FBAs and BSPs suggest that the use of the
procedures decreased the need for segregated placements and use of punishment.
Future research could address methodological weaknesses of the current research
and further investigate the use of FBAs and BSPs with secondary students and with
internalizing problems.
Keywords: Functional behavioral assessment, behavior support plan, behavior
problems, intervention, students
about thE author
Anna-Lind Petursdottir (annalind@hi.is) is an associate professor at the School of
Education, University of Iceland. She finished her BA degree in psychology and cand.
psych. degree from the University of Iceland in 1996 and 2001, respectively, and a
Ph.D. in special education from the University of Minnesota in 2006. Her research
interests include effective behavioral and instructional interventions for students with
special needs.