CBC for Emotional Disturbance

Overseen By Yibing Li, PhD

Age: < 18

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: American Institutes for Research

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Approved in 1 Jurisdiction This treatment is already approved in other countries

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 1

720 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

The purpose of this project is to conduct an impact evaluation of the Conjoint Behavioral Consulting (CBC) intervention under real-world conditions as an IES Efficacy Replication trial. CBC is a family-school partnership intervention proven efficacious for children with serious emotional and behavior problems. The investigation will conduct a systematic efficacy replication of CBC to identify important process and context variables in need of attention prior to a CBC effectiveness study. School-based specialists (SBSs) will implement CBC and will be responsible for working directly with parents and teachers who have a student with or at risk for severe emotional disturbance, with more implementation support (i.e., non-routine conditions) than would be expected under routine conditions to ensure adequate fidelity of implementation. The research questions examine the impact of CBC, when implemented by SBSs, on student, parent, and teacher outcomes, as well its effect on mediational pathways. In addition, the research team will gather stakeholder feedback in focus groups to provide information about factors that stakeholders perceive as impeding or promoting CBC adoption, implementation, and sustainability.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether participants need to stop taking their current medications.

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Conjoint Behavioral Consultation (CBC) for emotional disturbance?

Research shows that Conjoint Behavioral Consultation (CBC) helps improve communication between home and school, enhances parents' problem-solving skills, and reduces disruptive behaviors in children. Studies also indicate that CBC leads to better interpersonal skills and problem-solving competence in both parents and teachers, with positive effects maintained over time. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Is Conjoint Behavioral Consultation (CBC) safe for use in humans?

The studies on Conjoint Behavioral Consultation (CBC) do not report any safety concerns, suggesting it is generally safe for use in humans. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

How is the treatment Conjoint Behavioral Consultation (CBC) unique for emotional disturbance?

Conjoint Behavioral Consultation (CBC) is unique because it involves a collaborative approach where consultants, parents, and teachers work together to address children's behavioral issues, enhancing communication and problem-solving skills among all parties involved. This family-school partnership model is distinct from other treatments as it focuses on improving home-school communication and parent competence, leading to significant decreases in disruptive behaviors like arguing and tantrums. ^{1 2 3 5 6}

Research Team

Andy Garbacz, PhD

Principal Investigator

University of Wisconsin, Madison

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for children in kindergarten to 4th grade who are at high risk for emotional and behavior problems, as indicated by the BASC3-BESS screening tool. To participate, they must be among the top 12 highest-risk students in their school with parental consent.

Inclusion Criteria

Among the 12 students with the highest risk score on the Behavioral and Emotional Screening System 3 Behavioral and Emotional Screening System (BASC3-BESS) in the above grade span in their school (among those with parental consent for screening)

My child is in kindergarten through 4th grade.

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Baseline

Baseline assessments conducted at the beginning of the intervention school year

1 week

1 visit (in-person)

Intervention

Implementation of the Conjoint Behavioral Consultation (CBC) intervention by school-based specialists

7 months

Regular school-based interactions

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for outcomes at the end of the intervention school year and the subsequent school year

19 months

Data collection at end of each school year

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Conjoint Behavioral Consultation (CBC)

Trial Overview The study tests Conjoint Behavioral Consultation (CBC), a family-school partnership intervention aimed at helping kids with serious emotional and behavioral issues. School-based specialists will work closely with parents and teachers to implement CBC under more supportive conditions than usual.

Participant Groups

Group I: CBC Treatment Group Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

For this group, school staff who work with families and teachers to address student emotional and behavioral concerns will use the CBC model to do so.

Group II: Control Group Active Control 1 Intervention

For this group, school staff who work with families and teachers to address student emotional and behavioral concerns will engage in business as usual.

Conjoint Behavioral Consultation (CBC) is already approved in United States for the following indications:

Approved in United States as Conjoint Behavioral Consultation for:

• Severe emotional disturbance
• Behavior problems in elementary school children

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

American Institutes for Research

Lead Sponsor

Trials

8

Recruited

20,900+

Wisconsin Center for Education Research

Collaborator

Trials

1

Recruited

720+

University of Nebraska College of Education and Human Sciences

Collaborator

Trials

1

Recruited

720+

Findings from Research

The Conjoint Behavioral Consultation (CBC) model significantly improved home-school communication and parent problem-solving skills among 207 children with disruptive behaviors, compared to a control group.

Children participating in the CBC showed notable reductions in disruptive behaviors such as arguing, defiance, and tantrums, indicating the model's effectiveness in promoting behavioral competence.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The efficacy of conjoint behavioral consultation on parents and children in the home setting: results of a randomized controlled trial. Sheridan, SM., Ryoo, JH., Garbacz, SA., et al.[2015]

The study demonstrated that Conjoint Behavioral Consultation (CBC) effectively improved listening behavior and on-task skills in three preschool children with academic and behavioral difficulties, as observed during intervention, maintenance, and generalization phases.

Parents and teachers reported significant improvements in various academic tasks, such as writing and verbal problem-solving, and rated the intervention positively in terms of social validity, indicating its acceptance and perceived effectiveness.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Examining Conjoint Behavioral Consultation to Support 2e-Autism Spectrum Disorder and Gifted Students in Preschool with Academic and Behavior Concerns. Kahveci, G., Güneyli, A.[2023]

The pilot study involving 30 middle school students with social, emotional, and behavioral concerns showed that Conjoint Behavioral Consultation (CBC) led to significant improvements in interpersonal skills and the parent-teacher relationship compared to standard school practices.

Participants (parents, teachers, and students) reported positive outcomes in target behaviors and rated the CBC intervention favorably, indicating its potential effectiveness in enhancing family-school collaboration for student support.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Examining conjoint behavioral consultation to support students in middle school with social, emotional, and behavior concerns. Garbacz, SA., Kaul, M., Zahn, M., et al.[2022]

Conjoint behavioral consultation (CBC) significantly improved problem-solving skills and communication quality between teachers and parents, with these benefits maintained over a 1-year follow-up period for 84 teachers compared to 68 in a control group.

The study's findings suggest that CBC effectively supports teachers' professional practices long-term, enhancing the ability of families and schools to collaboratively address student behavior concerns.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Examining long-term intervention effects to promote teacher problem-solving and communication skills in the rural context. Cheng, KC., Witte, AL., Wheeler, LA., et al.[2022]

In a study involving 43 teachers and their 43 challenging students across seven inner-city middle schools, more inclusive versions of the Behavioral Consultation (BC) model were found to be more effective in reducing problem behaviors compared to the least inclusive version.

The research suggests that implementing increasingly inclusive BC strategies can enhance the effectiveness of prereferral interventions in mainstream classrooms, highlighting the importance of tailored support for difficult-to-teach students.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Prereferral intervention: a prescriptive approach. Fuchs, D., Fuchs, LS., Bahr, MW., et al.[2019]

Conjoint behavioral consultation (CBC) effectively reduces challenging behaviors and enhances adaptive and social skills in young children, with a study involving 267 students and their families across 45 rural schools showing that these benefits were maintained over a 1-year follow-up.

While CBC demonstrated lasting improvements in adaptive skills and reduced school problems, the control group showed greater increases in social skills during the follow-up, suggesting that while CBC is beneficial, there may be areas for further enhancement in social skill development.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Conjoint behavioral consultation in rural schools: Do student effects maintain after 1 year? Sheridan, SM., Witte, AL., Wheeler, LA., et al.[2020]

References

1. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The efficacy of conjoint behavioral consultation on parents and children in the home setting: results of a randomized controlled trial. [2015]

2. Switzerland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Examining Conjoint Behavioral Consultation to Support 2e-Autism Spectrum Disorder and Gifted Students in Preschool with Academic and Behavior Concerns. [2023]

3. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Examining conjoint behavioral consultation to support students in middle school with social, emotional, and behavior concerns. [2022]

4. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Examining long-term intervention effects to promote teacher problem-solving and communication skills in the rural context. [2022]

5. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Prereferral intervention: a prescriptive approach. [2019]

6. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Conjoint behavioral consultation in rural schools: Do student effects maintain after 1 year? [2020]