Analyzing the Treatment Efficacy of a Technical Assistance Model for Providing Behavioral Consultation to Schools

The reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1997 emphasized the use of positive behavioral interventions, supports, and services for students with disabilities who display challenging behaviors. Unfortunately, most teachers and schools still lack systems for identification, adoption, and sustained use of these research-validated practices almost a decade after the passage of this legislation. Schools therefore rely on behavioral consultation for technical assistance in designing appropriate interventions for children who exhibit challenging behavior. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the treatment efficacy of a university-based behavioral consultation model, as perceived by teachers. Results demonstrated that teachers accepted the behavioral consultation model as an effective method of reducing incidences and severity of challenging behaviors.