Component Analysis of Training and Goal Setting, Self-Monitoring, and Tactile Prompting on Early Childhood Educators’ Behavior-Specific Praise

Abstract

Multicomponent interventions have successfully increased early childhood teachers’ rates of behavior-specific praise (BSP); however, package interventions do not allow for nuanced examinations of intervention components. We examined the effects of an intervention package with training, goal setting, self-monitoring, and tactile prompting on early childhood teachers’ BSP rates using an add-in, multiple probe, component analysis. In addition, we measured child on-task behaviors to assess the relation between increased BSP rates and children behavior. We used visual analysis and found that each component increased teachers’ BSP rates; two out of three teacher participants needed the most intense intervention (tactile prompting) to reach mastery criterion. Variable generalized BSP statements to other children in the class occurred between baseline and intervention components. The percentage of child on-task behaviors systematically increased in relation to higher BSP rates.