A Randomized Trial of Conjoint Behavioral Consultation (CBC) with Latino Students: A Replication Study

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Project Information

Principal Investigator: Susan Sheridan
Co-Principal Investigator: James Bovaird
Funding Agency: ED-IES
Award Date: May 12, 2016
Theme: Families & Schools, Early Childhood, Social-Emotional & Behavioral Health
Project URL: N/A

For more information please contact Susan Sheridan at ssheridan2@unl.edu.

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Abstract

Evidence-based interventions testing culturally responsive models that target Latino student educational outcomes and parent-school partnerships are lacking. Conjoint Behavioral Consultation (CBC) is an indirect, problem-solving model dually focused on resolving social-behavioral problems interfering with achievement and enhancing family-school partnerships. Despite empirical evidence of CBC’s benefits, its efficacy for supporting Latino students’ social-behavioral and academic performance has not been tested. The primary purpose of this replication study is to identify the main effects of CBC on (a) social-behavioral and academic outcomes of Latino students in grades K-5; and (b) parent and teacher relationships and competencies for supporting Latino students.

The study will take place within 90 K-5 classrooms with high Latino student populations across school districts in Nebraska. Latino students in grades K-5 with behaviors affecting academic performance will participate in the study, along with their parents/primary caregivers and classroom teacher.

Within each treatment classroom, a CBC consultant will conduct small group consultation with participating parents and the teacher to identify and replace specific disruptive behaviors that interfere with each student’s achievement. CBC will be implemented through a sequence of interviews and activities during pre-consultation, as well as four formal stages over the course of eight weeks. Participants in the control condition will receive traditional school-based services used with Latino students with behavioral concerns, including office referrals, student assistance teams, or multidisciplinary teams for special education eligibility assessment.