Improving Mathematics Homework Completion and Accuracy of Students with EBD Through Self-Management and Parent Participation

Abstract

Students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) who are educated in integrated settings are often at risk for school failure because of their inability to remain attentive, complete tasks and assignments, and accomplish homework. In other words, they are characterized by their inability to manage their academic and social behavior. The authors of this study investigated the feasibility of teaching parents of students with EBD to establish and maintain a homework completion program based on teaching the students to manage their own behavior. They investigated whether parents of students with EBD can facilitate use of a homework program containing various components of a student self-management program to increase the homework completion and accuracy of their children. In addition, the effect of parent participation in the homework program was investigated on students' academic achievement and perceived homework problem ratings. Six middle school students with EBD and their parents participated in this study. A multiple baseline design across participants was used to assess treatment effects.The parents received training and implemented the program's strategies. Homework completion and homework accuracy increased for all students. In addition, mathematics achievement increased and perceived homework problem ratings diminished.