The effects of the opioid crisis have been felt across the country, and many educators are seeking ways to be proactive around their students' needs. An important step toward this goal is identifying students who need support. The Center on PBIS website (PBIS.org) provides multiple resources with provide general guidance on screener selection and…

Educational researchers and school-based practitioners are increasingly infusing Motivational Interviewing (MI) into new and existing intervention protocols to provide support to students, parents, teachers, and school administrators. To date, however, the majority of the research in this area has focused on feasibility of implementation rather…

While the long-term societal costs for youth with disruptive behavior disorders are well documented, there is a dearth of information about the comprehensive costs of implementing even the most well-regarded early intervention programs, and the costs of scaling effective interventions are even less well understood. This study estimated the costs…

Disruptive behavior problems frequently emerge in the preschool years and are associated with numerous, long-term negative outcomes, including comorbid disorders. First Step is a psychosocial early intervention with substantial empirical evidence supporting its efficacy among young children (Walker et al., 2014). The present study reports on a…

There is a critical need to engage theory-driven research related to the deployment of mental health promotion initiatives and student outcomes. A growing body of research supporting the use of motivational interviewing and engagement strategies in education suggests that this approach may be promising to better understand mechanisms through which…

First Step to Success (First Step; Walker et al., 1997, 1998) is a secondary-level intervention for students with behavior problems in early elementary school. The purposes of this study were to assess whether effects in student behavior and academics at posttest shown in a recent efficacy trial (Walker et al., 2009) were maintained at follow-up…

There is a critical need to engage theory-driven research related to the deployment of mental health promotion initiatives and student outcomes. A growing body of research supporting the use of motivational interviewing and engagement strategies in education suggests that this approach may be promising to better understand mechanisms through which…

This article reports on the effectiveness of First Step to Success, a secondary-level intervention appropriate for students in early elementary school who experience moderate to severe behavior problems and are at risk for academic failure. The authors demonstrate the intervention's short-term effects on multiple behavioral and academic outcomes…

This study presents the findings of a quasi-experimental feasibility study examining the Tertiary First Step intervention, an enhanced version of the First Step to Success early intervention program. Tertiary First Step was developed to engage families more effectively and influence and improve parenting practices for children having challenging…

This study presents the findings of a quasi-experimental feasibility study examining the Tertiary First Step intervention, an enhanced version of the First Step to Success early intervention program. Tertiary FirstStep was developed to engage families more effectively and influence and improve parenting practices for children having challenging…