Conjoint Behavioral Consultation: Community–School Collaboration and Behavioral Outcomes Using Multiple Baseline

ABSTRACT

A plethora of literature suggests that collaborative partnerships among families, educators, and outside service providers are necessary and beneficial to address behavior problems, but there continues to be a lack of coordination among these stakeholders. The current study used conjoint behavioral consultation (CBC) to facilitate the development and implementation of collaborative intervention plans. Parents, teachers, and an outside mental health provider worked together to create and support behavioral intervention plans that were implemented at home and school. The results of this multiple baseline study indicate that collaborative interventions developed through the CBC process were effective in improving behavior at home and school. More specifically, visual analysis of the data, along with calculated effect sizes, showed an increase in the percentage of time that all 3 participants complied with expectations during problematic routines at home and school. Implications, limitations, and future research directions are discussed.

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the families and teachers who committed their time and energy to make this study possible. In addition, we would like to extend our gratitude to our research assistants, Peggy Cunliffe-Johnson and Charity Zeigler, for their participation in data collection.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Skylar A. Bellinger

Skylar A. Bellinger, PhD: Skylar Bellinger earned her PhD in School Psychology from the University of Kansas in 2011. Currently, she is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Center for Child Health and Development at the University of Kansas Medical Center, where she specializes in evaluation and behavioral treatment of children with autism and other developmental disabilities. She is passionate about teaching, training, and supporting children, their families and their school teams.

Steven W. Lee

Steven W. Lee, PhD: Steven Lee received his Ph.D. from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in School Psychology in 1986. He has been on the faculty of the University of Kansas for 29 years. He is a Professor in the School Psychology Training Program and Chair of the Department of Educational Psychology. He teaches courses in psychological consultation, therapeutic intervention and field experiences in school psychology.

T. Rene Jamison

T. Rene Jamison, PhD: Dr. Jamison is a clinical associate professor in the Center for Child Health and Development (CCHD) at the University of Kansas Medical Center with over 15 years of experience working with individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities. She has experience working in school settings as well as an academic medical center. Dr. Jamison has clinical and research interests related to autism assessment and intervention, specifically related to parent training, telehealth, and females with autism.

R. Matthew Reese

R. Matthew Reese, PhD: Before retiring in 2014, Dr. Reese was an associate professor at the University of Kansas Medical Center and director of the Center for Child Health and Development (CCHD). Dr. Reese has extensive expertise in autism and related neurodevelopmental disabilities, including clinical and research activities and interdisciplinary training. Research interests include evaluation of autism via telehealth, behavioral treatment, and underserved populations.Note: The authors report that, to the best of their knowledge, neither they nor their affiliated institutions have financial or personal relationships or affiliations that could influence or bias the opinions, decisions, or work presented in this article.