A Survey of Preschool Staff Concerning Problem Behavior and Its Prevention in Head Start Classrooms

We examined the self-reported practices of Head Start personnel toward children’s problem behavior in order to design an intervention for preschool personnel that was compatible with their needs. This study involved 78 Head Start staff from five programs in the Mid-Atlantic region. Participants were...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of positive behavior interventions 2012-04, Vol.14 (2), p.98-107
Main Authors: Snell, Martha E., Berlin, Rebecca A., Voorhees, Mary D., Stanton-Chapman, Tina L., Hadden, Sarah
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Behavior modification
Behavior Problems
Classroom Techniques
Conflict Resolution
Disadvantaged Youth
Head Start project
Identification
Intervention
Needs analysis
Needs Assessment
Preschool Education
Preschool Teachers
Prevention
Professional Development
Program Effectiveness
Questioning Techniques
Surveys
Training
United States (Mid Atlantic States)
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Summary:We examined the self-reported practices of Head Start personnel toward children’s problem behavior in order to design an intervention for preschool personnel that was compatible with their needs. This study involved 78 Head Start staff from five programs in the Mid-Atlantic region. Participants were asked to respond to four questions concerning their practices for addressing their students’ problem behaviors. We found that survey respondents (a) listed externalizing behaviors as the predominant challenging behavior, (b) identified prevention and replacement methods for addressing problem behavior, (c) indicated that families of children with challenging behavior were involved in intervention planning and implementation, and (d) reported a need for additional training on classroom management and positive behavior support. Participants also were asked to respond to four conflict scenarios that were designed to measure how teachers would handle problem behavior situations. The majority of participants’ responses received a medium rating on a scale of low, medium, or high. Implications of these findings for preschool programs were discussed in terms of professional development and improved needs assessment measures.
ISSN:1098-3007
1538-4772
DOI:10.1177/1098300711416818