Decreasing Problematic Student Behavior:

The Effectiveness of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy

Tinisia E. Branch-Ware

School of Education, Campbellsville University

Dr. Adarrell Owsley

June 30, 2022

Abstract
 Decreasing Problematic Student Behavior 2

This mixed-method study sought to determine if a cognitive-behavioral therapy intervention

could influence problematic student behavior. Nineteen fifth-grade students participated in the

study. Self-monitoring was the intervention the researcher used in this study. Tally marks and

disciplinary referral forms were the baseline data. There was an experimental group and a control

group. Teachers were interviewed at the beginning and end of the study. The researcher

explained the self-monitoring technique to those participating in the study. The experimental

group received weekly surveys and self-graphing sheets. At the end of the study, the participants

received goalsetting worksheets. Students participated in the study for five weeks. The results

showed that when students can track their behavior, they become more aware of the targeted

behavior and how often they present it. Results also showed that the targeted behavior decreased

during instruction time. Furthermore, students were more attentive in class and answered more

questions. Self-monitoring can be an effective tool for reducing problematic student behavior.

However, the intervention can produce more data if done at the beginning of the year, which

gives time for future data collection.

Introduction

Rationale
 Decreasing Problematic Student Behavior 3

Several students received excessive tally marks in traditional and co-curricular classes

during the researcher’s fifth-grade student study skills classes. Students who receive excessive

tally marks are given a disciplinary referral form and sent to the dean of students. Students who

receive numerous tally marks have issues staying on task and completing assignments. Teachers

have made many phone calls to parents and scheduled several parent-teacher conferences.

Athletic coaches have suspended students from games due to their tally marks and behavior.

Students who present off-task behaviors are affected negatively in many areas. According to

Clark et al. (2014), off-task behavior is one of the most frequent causes of student referrals to

student support services and disruptive behavior in the classroom, which leads to interruption

and loss in instruction time.

After speaking with the school director, dean of students, and fifth-grade teaching team,

the researcher pushed into the fifth-grade study skills classes and implemented behavioral

interventions. Study skills classes are included in the school’s master schedule once a week. This

study aimed to answer the research question: Does cognitive-behavioral therapy impact fifth-

grade students who receive negative tally marks and disciplinary referral forms?

Description of Study

The study was conducted at New Hope Christian Academy, an independent private

school located in Memphis, Tennessee. New Hope Christian Academy has accreditation through

the Southern Association of Independent Schools. At New Hope Christian Academy, 100% of

the students receive financial aid to help with tuition. Seventy percent of the students are

economically disadvantaged. Ninety-eight percent of the students are African American, and two

percent are White. The study included students from two fifth-grade classes with 20 students. Of

the study participants, 18 were African American, two were White, 15 were male, and five were
 Decreasing Problematic Student Behavior 4

female. There were two students diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The

researcher’s quantitative data were tally marks (See Appendix A). Disciplinary referral forms

were the researcher's second piece of quantitative data (See Appendix B). Student

observations/field notes (See Appendix C) were qualitative and the third piece of data the

researcher collected. Teachers’ interview questions (See Appendix D) were qualitative and the

fourth piece of information the researcher collected. Student surveys (See Appendix E) were

mixed-methods, and the final data collected. Data was collected every week to determine which

students improved and who did not.

Intervention

The mixed-methods study consisted of two weekly fifth-grade classes, which is the grade

that receives tally marks and disciplinary referral forms. The intervention consisted of the

following self-monitoring interventions: Google Docs Monday Check-Ins (See Appendix F), a

daily behavior checklist (see Appendix G), and goal-setting sheets (see Appendix H.) One of the

benefits of self-monitoring intervention is that it occurs consistently during a predetermined

time; this duration allows the participants to naturally self-regulate, which continues after the

intervention has ended (Kitchen et al., 2019).

The teacher’s role was to share tally marks, disciplinary referral forms, and interviews

regarding student behavior. The class that received the intervention was the experimental group

(Group A), and the type that did not receive the intervention was the control group (Group B).

The student’s role in Group A was to attend a 40-minute study skills session while using self-

monitoring intervention tools to record their behavior. Group B attended a 40-minute study skills

session without intervention. There were ten participants in Group A. Seven of the students were

male, and three were girls. There are eight African American students and two white students.
 Decreasing Problematic Student Behavior 5

One of the students was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Students in

Group A will receive the intervention, record their behavior, and discuss the results. There are

ten participants in Group B. Eight of the students were male, two were female, and all were

African American. One student was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Group A and Group B attended study skills classes on Mondays for 40 minutes, split into two

sessions.

Literature Review/Background

The Emergence of the Self-Management Strategy

These techniques were implemented to boost or sustain positive behavior and reduce or

eliminate negative behavior. Self-reinforcement, self-recording, self-evaluation, self-monitoring,

and goal setting are the techniques used to conduct self-monitoring interventions (Anderson et

al., 2013).

In the early 1970s, self-recording and praises from teachers were combined to reduce

inappropriate classroom behavior and discussions among junior high school students in a

traditional classroom setting. Several studies resulted in positive outcomes when self-

management strategies were applied in entire classrooms, students’ qualitative and quantitative

academic performances, and students with adjustment and discipline problems (Anderson et al.,

2013).

Children diagnosed with disabilities or disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity

disorder, autism, or traumatic brain injury have been the primary target group for self-

management research (Anderson et al., 2013; Bankhead et al. (2014). Researchers have

investigated the effect of the self-monitoring technique on children diagnosed with autism and

cerebral palsy. On-task behavior improved for the children who participated in the study.
 Decreasing Problematic Student Behavior 6

However, there have not been many systematic reviews conducted to determine the effectiveness

of implementing the self-monitoring technique with students who have been diagnosed with

attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or naturally developing students in the typical educational

environment (Alsalamah, 2017; Anderson et al., 2013).

Self-Management Techniques

Since the initial research on the self-management strategy, several techniques have been

implemented within the educational setting. In the counseling field, self-monitoring has been

given several different meanings. It has been defined as a multilevel process of observing and

self-recording one’s behavior, monitoring one’s behavior by tracking a target behavior in

intervals to see how often the behavior occurs, monitoring one’s behavior by using a written

form of self-management, and an element of a self-management strategy (Sheffield & Waller,

2010). The general meaning of goal setting is to create an action plan intended to motivate

someone toward the set goal. The literature reviewed targeted academic goals and focused on

learning rather than performance goals. Behavior that is positive, helpful, and encourages

appropriate social interactions and friendships is essential to personal, educational, and peer

relationship growth (Bruhn et al., 2016). Goal setting can lead to academic and behavioral

improvements. Therefore, it is beneficial for students to participate in goal-setting techniques.

There are three other components used in the self-management technique: self-

observation, self-recording, and self-observation.

Self-observation techniques teach students to identify problematic classroom behaviors

and monitor how often they occur. Self-recording methods require students to monitor

and record when they engage in target behaviors. Self-evaluation is also a self-monitoring

intervention that holds students responsible for their behavior, not the teacher. Thus, the
 Decreasing Problematic Student Behavior 7

student will become aware of their behavior and understand the need to change. (Haut &

Otero, p. 92)

Self-management abilities, such as managing, monitoring, and evaluating one's behavior, are

critical for success in social and academic circumstances. Students can use these skills to

increase their ability to assess a situation, monitor their performance, and alter their behaviors as

needed.

Target Behaviors

Self-monitoring interventions focus on problem behaviors such as not paying attention,

spending too much time on tasks, low academic performance, and not completing assignments

promptly. Following instructions, being prepared for classwork, completing homework, positive

social interactions, and disruptive classroom behavior are other problematic behaviors targeted

by self-monitoring interventions. Being off task is the most targeted behavioral problem. Goal-

setting interventions focus on participants making good decisions, solving problems, setting

goals, self-awareness, self-knowledge, self-advocacy, self-assessment, and self-regulation

(Bruhn et al., 2016).

There are three elements of on-task behavior: (1) eyes are on the teacher, the whiteboard,

computer, or classwork; (2) classwork is on the desk when needed; and (3) the point of the

writing tool should be on the paper or fingers should be on the keyboard (Bankhead et al., 2014).

Students who do not exhibit such characteristics typically do not pay attention in class are easily

distracted and are unable to complete tasks. If this trend continues, it can lead to more severe

issues such as trouble forming and sustaining relationships with instructors and classmates,

rejection of peers, and social isolation in different environments. Low levels of on-task conduct

can hurt the teaching process.

 Decreasing Problematic Student Behavior 8

Lack of Generalization and Maintenance

Haut and Otero (2016) stated another notable disadvantage in self-monitoring studies is

the lack of maintenance and generalization phases, limiting the capacity to deduce the

intervention's effectiveness with other people and in different environments. Researchers could

not collect data on generalization and maintenance or measure the intervention's future impact

(Bankhead et al., 2014). Due to scheduling and other logistical challenges, collecting

generalization and maintenance data in applied contexts such as schools may be problematic.

Often, there are times when student interventions are canceled or shortened due to specialists

subbing in the classrooms, field trips, instruction time, testing, and student absences. The

researcher noted the expense of gathering the data might be an issue, especially if observing

students is the mode of measurement, which can be time and resource-consuming. Research

projects began earlier in the school year allow for the collection of maintenance data before the

school year ends; and utilizing generalization measures other than observations, such as

interviews, surveys, or Likert scales, are two possible solutions to eliminate the lack of

generalization and management in self-management studies in the school setting.

Methodology

Research Study/Intervention

Self-monitoring intervention is a cognitive-behavioral therapy technique for helping

people to regulate their behavior. This is achieved by (a) examining, documenting, and becoming

aware of one’s targeted behavior; (b) the participant seeking to attain autonomy with the

technique and sustain favorable results; and (c) extending new talents beyond the setting of the

intervention (Bruhn et al., 2015). Action research determined if self-monitoring intervention

strategies affect student behavior patterns for this study. Research has shown that counseling
 Decreasing Problematic Student Behavior 9

interventions given to a specific group have led to a decline in disciplinary referrals (Brodie et

al., 2017). Interventions focused on regulating classroom behaviors are beneficial when the goal

is to maintain those behaviors outside of intervention. The research question will be: Does

cognitive-behavioral therapy impact fifth-grade students who receive negative tally marks and

disciplinary referral forms?

This research study was conducted on fifth-grade students at New Hope Christian

Academy, a Christian independent private school in Memphis, Tennessee. Appendices L and M

show black boys received more tally marks than the other students. Current research shows that

schools with a large population of low-income and minority students found disruptive behavior

by minority male students interrupts classroom instruction (Toste et al., 2019). Appendix L

reveals that students diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder received an average

of 8.5 tally marks in the first week. Students with ADHD present a wide range of symptoms

divided into three categories: lack of concentration, excessive movement, and acting without

thinking about the outcome (Alsalamah, 2017).

Interventions were 40 minutes, once a week, over five weeks. The sessions were led by

the school guidance counselor candidate (researcher) and supervised by the school’s Professional

School Counselor. A five-step student self-monitoring program was used during the intervention.

The seven steps of the self-monitoring program were: (1) targeted behavior; (2) format for

recorded behavior; (3) schedule that monitored the behavior; (4) accuracy checks; and (5) the

phased out self-monitoring program.

The first intervention session discussed behaviors that needed to be targeted for self-

monitoring. The researcher and participants discussed increasing and decreasing specific

behaviors. The researcher and participants created clear observable teaching and learning
Decreasing Problematic Student Behavior 10

behaviors statements. The researcher passed out and reviewed the Google Docs Monday Check-

In (see Appendix F), the daily behavior checklist (see Appendix G), and the goal-setting

worksheet (see Appendix H). Participants used the daily behavior checklist to record their

behavior during class and the goal-setting worksheet to identify and set goals. Before class,

participants completed the student survey to determine how they felt at the beginning of the

school week. Then, the researcher discussed the use of the timer. The timer was set for 10-

minute intervals to monitor participants who presented inappropriate classroom behavior. After

the timer rang, the school researcher and participants reviewed how many tally marks the student

received during the interval. During this intervention session, we practiced four 10-minute

intervals.

Research Participants

The study included two fifth-grade classes with a total of 20 students. Of the study

participants, 18 were African American, two were White, 15 were male, and five were female.

Group A had ten students, and Group B had ten students. There was one white male and one

white female student in Group A. There were six African American males and two African

American females in Group A. There were eight African American males and two African

American females in Group B. There was one student in each class diagnosed with attention

deficit hyperactivity disorder. The average age of the students in the class was 11. The researcher

adhered to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) guidelines to ensure

confidentiality and anonymity. This law gives parents the right to examine their children’s

educational records, amend the records, and have some control over the disclosure of

information that can identify their children. The researcher also adhered to the American School

Counseling Association’s Ethical Standards A.2. Confidentiality. School counselors must inform
Decreasing Problematic Student Behavior 11

students why they are receiving counseling, explain the limits of confidentiality in

developmentally appropriate terms, keep data confidential unless legally required to release,

understand they are ethically obligated to the student first, promote student autonomy, and

advocate for the student. The researcher submitted an IRB Application (See Appendix I) to

conduct the study, which was approved. School counselor introduction letters (See Appendix J)

were sent home with students, and parental/guardian informed consent forms were obtained for

all the participants in the study (See Appendix K).

Data Collection

The researcher collected five types of mixed-method data. Tally marks were the first type

of qualitative data the researcher collected (see Appendix A). Students received tally marks from

their homeroom and co-curricular teachers. Tally marks were given for refusal to follow

directions, misbehaving in the cafeteria/hallway, being disrespectful, being dishonest, being

angry or aggressive, stealing, not adhering to dress code, being destructive, and checking/teasing.

Administering tally marks is a form of frequency counting which can be used to record behaviors

that need to be increased or decreased in the classroom. The tally mark data was collected the

week before the study began, the five weeks of the study, and the week after the study was

completed.

Disciplinary referral forms (See Appendix B) were the second piece of quantitative the

researcher collected. Teacher-managed behaviors and referrals to the dean’s office violations are

listed on the form. There were no disciplinary referral forms completed the first week before the

study, the five weeks, and the week after. Tally marks and disciplinary referral forms were

qualitative research methods. Student observations/field notes (See Appendix C) were the third

piece of qualitative data collected. The researcher observed student behavior throughout the
Decreasing Problematic Student Behavior 12

study, which was qualitative data. Teacher interviews (See Appendix D) were the fourth piece of

qualitative data the researcher managed. The researcher interviewed teachers the week before the

study began and the week after the study was completed. Student surveys (See Appendix E) were

the final form of data collected.

Date Data Collected Data Type Collected By

03/25/22, 04/01/22, Tally Marks Quantitative Researcher

04/08/22, 04/22/22,
04/29/22, 05/06/29,
05/13/22
03/25/22, 04/01/22, Disciplinary Referral Quantitative Researcher
04/08/22, 04/22/22, Forms
04/29/22, 05/06/29,
05/13/22
03/28/22, 04/04/22, Self-Graphing Sheets Quantitative Researcher
04/11/22, 04/25/22,
05/02/22
03/28/22, 04/04/22, Student Observations Qualitative Researcher
04/11/22, 04/25/22,
05/02/22
03/28/22, 04/04/22, Monday Morning Qualitative Researcher
04/11/22, 04/25/22, Check-In
05/02/22
05/02/22 Goal Setting Qualitative Researcher
Worksheets
03/25/22, 05/13/22 Teacher Interviews Qualitative Researcher

05/13/22 Self-Monitoring Quantitative Researcher

Student Surveys

Data Analysis

Research Question, Setting, and Participants

Decreasing Problematic Student Behavior 13

This five-week mixed-method study considers the effect of decreasing negative

student behavior tally marks among fifth-grade students enrolled in New Hope Christian

Academy, an elementary school in Memphis, Tennessee. The students chosen for this study

received excessive tally marks weekly. Two of the participants were white, and 18 were black.

One female and male were white, four females were black, and 14 males were black. Five of the

participants were female, and 15 were male. Two black male students are students with attention

deficit hyperactivity disorder. In the experimental group, five participants struggled with staying

on task. Seven of the participants struggled with staying on task in the control group. The two

participants with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder were in the experimental group. The

purpose of this study was to determine if cognitive-behavioral therapy would decrease student

tally marks and disciplinary referral forms, leading to the research question: Does cognitive-

behavioral therapy impact fifth-grade students who receive negative tally marks and disciplinary

referral forms?

Mixed-method data was analyzed using tally marks, teacher interviews, student

observations, and survey questions. Race and gender were used to analyze the data. The

researcher examined the data collected throughout and after the study. Student observations/field

notes (See Appendix C), completed during the study, enabled the researcher to compare

classroom behavior before and after the intervention. Teacher interviews (See Appendix D) were

conducted before the first week of the student and the week after the study. This allowed the

researcher to compare past and present classroom behavior. The student surveys (See Appendix

E) allowed the researcher to analyze the student’s points of view regarding the intervention.

Effective Intervention Data

Decreasing Problematic Student Behavior 14

Data were drawn from the Experimental and Control Group Data Models contained in

Appendices L and M (Data Models) to determine if the cognitive-behavioral intervention

influenced problematic student behavior and decreased the number of tally marks. The March

pre-intervention and May post-intervention mean for the experimental group and control groups

were calculated to determine the effectiveness of the intervention. According to the pre-

intervention data, the experimental group participants averaged 3.2 tally marks, and the control

group participants averaged 2.3 in March. According to the post-intervention data, the

experimental group participants averaged 1.9 tally marks, and the control group participants

averaged 1.4 in March. These findings are depicted in Figure 1.

Figure 1. Pre/Post-Intervention Mean Tally Marks (Effective Intervention)

This data suggests the intervention based on cognitive-behavioral therapy effectively

improved students’ problematic behavior, which resulted in fewer tally marks. The mean for

March and May was collected from the control group to compare both groups’ data.
Decreasing Problematic Student Behavior 15

Black male students in the experimental group averaged 6.4 tally marks according to the

pre-intervention data and 3.2 tally marks according to the post-intervention data. Black male

students in the control group averaged 3.0 tally marks according to the pre-intervention data and

1.7 tally marks according to the post-intervention data. These findings are depicted in Figure 2.

Mean Tally Marks

7

0
Experimental Group Control Group

Pre-Intervention Post-Intervention

Figure 2. Pre/Post-Intervention Mean Tally Marks (Effective Intervention with Black Males)

Based on the data collected from the experimental group, the self-monitoring intervention

resulted in a decrease in tally marks for black male students. These students became self-aware

of their actions and modified their behavior. There was no data collected from the control group.

However, the student observations showed that the students in the experimental group discussed

the intervention with students in the control group. This may have led to the decrease in tally

marks among the control group.

There were only two students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and they were

in the experimental group. Students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in the

experimental group averaged 8.5 tally marks according to the pre-intervention data collected in
Decreasing Problematic Student Behavior 16

March and 2.0 tally marks according to the post-intervention data collected in April. The

intervention was effective for students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder according to

the data. These findings are depicted in Figure 3.

Mean Tally Marks

9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
Experimental Group

Pre-Intervention Post-Intervention

Figure 3. Mean Tally Marks (Effective Intervention with Students with Attention Deficit

Hyperactivity Disorder)

Black males and students with attention deficit hyperactivity showed a significant reduce

tally marks. The participants were required to record their tally marks as opposed to teachers

recording them. Several students stated that recording their own tally marks gave them a chance

to see exactly how much they were misbehaving in class. This led to self-awareness among the

participants once again. No tally marks were recorded for the white or black girls in the

experimental data because they did not present inappropriate classroom behavior. Therefore, the

girls received no tally marks from their teachers.

A self-monitoring student survey was taken post-intervention. The students answered

five yes or no questions. These findings are depicted in Figure 6.

Decreasing Problematic Student Behavior 17

Survey Questions Percentage

90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Question 1 Question 2 Question 3 Question 4 Question 5

Yes No

Figure 4. Survey Questions Percentage (Effective Intervention)

70% of the students answered yes, and 30% answered no to Question 1: Do you

understand the purpose of this question? 80% of the students answered yes, and 20% answered

no to Question 2: Were you engaged during the intervention? 50% of the students answered yes,

and 50% answered no to Question 3: Did this intervention help you become aware of your

behavior? 50% of the students answered yes, and 50% answered no to Question 4: Did this

intervention help improve your classroom behavior? 60% of the students answered yes, and 40%

answered no to Question 5: Did this intervention positively impact completing assignments?

Over 50% of the students answered yes to three of the questions. According to the ad

Qualitative data were obtained from informal records during student observations/field

notes (See Appendix C) and teacher interviews (See Appendix D). The data from the Google

Docs Monday Morning Check-Ins (See Appendix F) did not yield as much qualitative data as

teacher interviews and student observations. The students did not provide serious answers to the

check-in questions (i.e., Question: What may be a challenge for this week? Answer: “The

hiccups.”). Teacher interviews provided the researcher with very descriptive behavior. Students'

inappropriate classroom behaviors were talking, yelling, walking around without permission,
Decreasing Problematic Student Behavior 18

forgetting supplies for class, checking (talking about people), and lying. During my post-

intervention with teachers, they stated, “We have seen improvement in student behavior.

Students have received fewer tally marks during the last two weeks and the week after the

study.”

Data were coded for examples of problematic behavior (e.g., talking, checking

classmates, playing, incomplete assignments). Data was also coded for appropriate classroom

behavior (e.g., raising hands, focusing on the teacher, self-monitoring, self-regulating, and goal

setting). At the beginning of the study, students came in talking and playing. After the third week

of the study, they entered the library asking for their behavior checklist. Interactions between the

students, along with interactions between the students and the teachers, were recorded

anecdotally. Comments students made about their teachers and themselves were recorded (i.e.,

“Maybe our teachers aren’t doing too much. It might just be us.”) or becoming aware of their

behavior (i.e., “I was about to talk, but then I looked at my behavior checklist.”). Students would

come into the library and high-five me because they did not receive as many or no tally marks

for the prior week.

Ineffective Intervention Data

Data were drawn from the Experimental Group Data Model contained in Appendices M

(Data Models) to determine if the cognitive-behavioral intervention had no influence on

problematic student behavior and if there was an increase in tally marks. These findings are

depicted in Figure 5.
Decreasing Problematic Student Behavior 19

Increase in Student Tally Marks

8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
Student 1 Student 7

March May

Figure 5. Pre/Post-Intervention Tally Marks (Ineffective Intervention)

Students one and seven, both males in the experimental group, had an increase in tally

marks. Student 1 received three tally marks in the pre-intervention data collected in March and

seven tally marks in the post-intervention data collected in May. Student seven had no tally

marks in the pre-intervention data collected in March and two tally marks in the post-prevention

data collected in May. This data could indicate the intervention did not influence Students one

and seven in the experimental group or that they needed additional intervention. The researcher

also concluded there may have been outside factors that influenced the increase in tally marks

among students one and seven.

Conclusion

Research Question, Setting, and Participants

The effect of eliminating negative student behavior tally marks among fifth-grade kids

enrolled in New Hope Christian Academy, an elementary school in Memphis, Tennessee, is

investigated in this five-week mixed-method study. The pupils chosen for this study were given a

lot of tally marks every week. Two of the participants were white, while the other 18 were black.

There was one white female and male, four black females, and 14 black students. There were

five females and 15 males among the participants. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
Decreasing Problematic Student Behavior 20

(ADHD) was identified in two black male students. Five participants in the experimental group

struggled to stay on task and seven of the participants struggled to stay on task, in the control

group. The experimental group included two people diagnosed with attention deficit

hyperactivity disorder. The goal of this study is to see if cognitive-behavioral therapy can reduce

negative tally marks and disciplinary referral forms in fifth-grade students, which leads to the

research question: Does cognitive-behavioral therapy impact fifth-grade students who receive

negative tally marks and disciplinary referral forms?

Generalization and Limitations

The results of this study would have generalized well to other upper school students in an

elementary school and students in middle and high school classrooms. Teachers in the previously

stated school settings would be able to duplicate this study by using similar or the same

cognitive-behavioral therapy strategies. The researcher was able to triangulate the data by

collecting two or more data methods (qualitative and quantitative) to verify the findings and

results of the study. Also, this study relates to life outside of the classroom. Students learn to

self-regulate, which is a skill that can be used at home, during athletic activities, and other

events. Finally, this intervention would provide an optimal environment for collaboration among

school and community stakeholders. School administrators and teachers can help the researcher

observe the intervention and assess the data collected, intervention process, and data analysis.

Community stakeholders can prove an objective view of the intervention. Barriers to the

generalization of this study would have included the various challenges students face at home

and in their community. These challenges include separation or divorce, substance abuse by a

parent, absent parents due to prison or other factors, economic difficulties, and violence within
Decreasing Problematic Student Behavior 21

the home and community. Due to background knowledge, the researcher was able to see how

these challenges had an impact on some students’ behavior.

There were some limitations to this study. To begin with, the sample size of ten students

was small. A small sample of participants in a study can make determining the outcome of the

study difficult. At the beginning of the study, thirty informed consents were sent home to

parents. Only twenty of the students returned signed informed consents. There were ten students

in the experimental group and ten students in the control group. Another limitation was the

timing of the study. The study began during the fourth quarter of school (nine weeks). During

this quarter students participated in several field trips and testing was given. Also, there was only

one week left for post-intervention, and no time to provide further intervention to students in

need. If the study had been conducted at the beginning of the year, there would have been more

time for post-intervention, and the long-term effect of the study could have been monitored.

Lastly, there were not any disciplinary referral forms sent to the dean of students before, during,

or after the study. Therefore, there was no disciplinary referral form data to compare to the tally

marks.

Questions Raised and Suggestions

Effective Intervention Model. If the intervention had been effective, it would have been

useful to determine if this study would yield a positive outcome in an urban public school or a

predominately white private school, since this study was conducted in a Christian urban private

school setting. The socioeconomic levels, home environments, community environments, and

parent involvement vary in the three different school settings. An important question to consider

would be: How do positive and negative outside factors affect student behavior?
Decreasing Problematic Student Behavior 22

If the intervention had been effective, beneficial suggestions would have been to

duplicate the study in the upper-school classrooms, which would be fourth, fifth, and sixth

grades. From a successful intervention, the researcher could develop professional development

for teachers to train them on how to implement the intervention under the classroom

management umbrella. This study was effective among black male students and students with

attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Therefore, it would be useful if implemented in a school

setting with a high population of black male students and students diagnosed with attention

deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Unsuccessful Intervention Model. If the intervention had been ineffective, one of the

factors could have been the participants in the study. Was the participant pool diverse enough for

the study? If more informed consent forms had been returned, the study may have had more

females, but there were still only two white students in the entire class of fifth graders. In the

experimental group, the black male to white male student ratio was 6:1, the male to female

student ratio was 7:3, and the students without an attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

diagnosis to students with a diagnosis was 8:2. In the control group. the black male to white male

student ratio was 8:0, the male to female student ratio was 8:2, and there were no students

diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

If the intervention had been ineffective, a beneficial suggestion would have been to

change the timing of the intervention for future use. The intervention was conducted at the end of

the year, which did not yield time for effective post-intervention. Another suggestion would have

been to implement this intervention initial thirty students. If this intervention had been

implemented at the beginning of the year and with more students, it may have resulted in an

effective study.
Decreasing Problematic Student Behavior 23

Inconclusive Results Model. If the intervention had been inconclusive, it would be

beneficial to reevaluate who and when implemented the intervention. Would the participants

have honestly recorded their behavior if there was no relationship with the researcher? The

researcher has known the participants since they were in junior kindergarten and was very

familiar with their behavior. Also, the participants understood the researcher’s expectations.

Would the students be capable of understanding the researcher was trying to get them to become

self-aware of their behavior and the number of times problematic behavior occurs in the

classroom? If the intervention was inconclusive, these would have been important questions to

tackle.

If the intervention had been inconclusive, a beneficial suggestion would have been to

implement the intervention after the first couple of weeks of school. This time would allow the

teacher and/or counselor to observe student behavior and build relationships with the students

prior to the intervention. It would also allow more time for pre-intervention activities. The

researcher could spend more time with the students discussing what it means to be self-aware.

Sharing the Study and Feedback Received.

The study was shared with the upper school assistant principal, lower school assistant

principal, sixth-grade lead teacher, and fourth-grade lead teacher via zoom. Feedback from my

audience was great. The upper school principal stated I did a really great job. The lower school

principal would like to see the intervention implemented schoolwide and would like for the

researcher to present during the professional development week. Both the fourth grade and fifth

grade teachers stated the information I presented was valuable and could be used in the

traditional classrooms as well as co-curricular classrooms. Technology was an issue, the

PowerPoint shut down repeatedly and my co-workers stated the researcher sounded like a robot.
Decreasing Problematic Student Behavior 24

The researcher was a little nervous because they planned, collected, and analyzed the data. It was

not data obtained from outside sources. It was the researcher’s data.
Decreasing Problematic Student Behavior 25

References

Anderson, A., Didden, R., Glassenbury, M., Lang, R., & Moore, D.W. (2013). Increasing On-

Task Behavior in Students in a Regular Classroom: Effectiveness of a Self-Management

Procedure Using a Tactile Prompt. Springer Science and Business Media, 22, 303-311.

Alsalamah, A. (2017). Use of the Self-Monitoring Strategy among Students with Attention

Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Systematic Review. Journal of Education and

Practice, 8(14), 118-125.

Bankhead, J, Dacus, S., Davis T.N., Fuentes, L., Haupert, M., & Zoch, T. (2014). A Comparison

of Self-Monitoring with and Without Reinforcement to Improve On-Task Classroom

Behavior. Journal of School Counseling. 12(12).

Brodie, I., Collins, K., Land, C., Mason, E., & Pennington, C. (2017). Data and research

matter: mentoring school counselors to publish action research (Practitioner-Focused

Research). Professional School Counseling, 20(1), 184-193.

Bruhn, A., Kreigh, C., & McDaniel, S. (2015). Self-monitoring interventions for students with

behavior problems: a systematic review of current research. Behavioral Disorders, 40(2),

102-121.

Clark, E., Jenson W.R., King B., O’Neill R.E., & Radley, K.C. (2014). Utilization of video

modeling combined with self-monitoring to increase rates of on-task behavior.

Behavioral Interventions, 29, 125-144.

Haut J.M. & Otero, T.L. (2015). Differential Effects of Reinforcement on the Self-Monitoring of

On-Task Behavior. School Psychology Quarter, 31(1), 91-103.

Kitchen T., Markelz, A.M., McNaughton, D.B., Riccomini, P.J., Scheeler, M.C., Taylor, J.C.
Decreasing Problematic Student Behavior 26

(2019). Effects of tactile prompting and self-monitoring on teachers’ use of behavior-

specific praise. Exceptional Children, 85(4), 471-489.

Sheffield, K. & Waller, R.J. (2016). A Review of Single-Case Studies Utilizing Self-Monitoring

Interventions to Reduce Classroom Problems. Beyond Behavior, 19(2), 7-13.

Toste, J. R., Vaughn, S., Martinez, L. R., & Bustillos-SoRelle, D. A. (2019). Content-area

reading comprehension and teachers’ use of instructional time: Effects on middle school

students’ social studies knowledge. Reading and Writing, 32(7), 1705-1722.

Decreasing Problematic Student Behavior 27

Appendix A
Student Tally Sheet
Decreasing Problematic Student Behavior 28

Appendix B
Disciplinary Referral Form
Decreasing Problematic Student Behavior 29

Appendix C
Field Notes
Decreasing Problematic Student Behavior 30

Appendix C (continued)
Field Notes
Decreasing Problematic Student Behavior 31

Appendix C (continued)
Field Notes
Decreasing Problematic Student Behavior 32

Appendix C (continued)
Field Notes
Decreasing Problematic Student Behavior 33

Appendix D
Teacher Interview Questions

1. What are the behavior concerns in your classroom? /Do you still have classroom
behavior concerns?

2. When did the behaviors begin? /If so, how have the behaviors changed? If not, when
did they stop?

3. When do the behaviors occur most often (classroom, recess, morning, afternoon)?

4. Which students present the most behaviors (female, male, black, white)?

5. How frequently does the behavior happen?

6. What setting does the behavior occur?

7. What stimulates the behavior?

8. What happens after the behavior?

9. What strategies have you used to change the behaviors?/Would you use the self-
monitoring strategy?

10. Why do you think these behaviors occur?

Appendix E
Decreasing Problematic Student Behavior 34

Student Survey

Self-Monitoring Intervention Student Survey

1. Did you understand the purpose of this intervention?

Yes
No

2. Were you engaged during the intervention?

Yes
No

3. Did this intervention help you become aware of your behavior?

Yes
No

4. Did this intervention help improve your classroom behavior?

Yes
No

5. Did this intervention positively impact completing assignments?

Yes
No

Appendix F
Decreasing Problematic Student Behavior 35

Google Docs Monday Morning Check-In

Appendix F (continued)
Decreasing Problematic Student Behavior 36

Google Docs Monday Morning Check-In

Appendix G
Decreasing Problematic Student Behavior 37

Daily Behavior Checklist

Appendix H
Decreasing Problematic Student Behavior 38

Goalsetting Worksheet

Appendix I
Decreasing Problematic Student Behavior 39

IRB Approval

Campbellsville University Institutional Review Board

Notification of Approval / Non-Approval
Name of Primary Investigators: Adarrell Owsley
Name of Student Investigators: Tinisia Branch-Ware Name of
Research Assistants: N/A

Title of Application:
"Decreasing Problematic Student Behavior: Effectiveness of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy"

IRB Application Number: 736

Request Type: Review Tyoe:

DO Original ] Full Review
[ ] Continuation [X] Expedited Review
[ ] Extension
[ ] Revision
Approval Status:
Application is approved.
[ ] Application is not approved. (See Comments section for explanation.)
[ ] Application requires modifications to be considered. (See Comments section for explanation.)
[ ] Extension is approved.

Comments

3/24/2022 3/24/2023
Approval Date Expiration

Appendix J
School Counselor Introduction Letter
Decreasing Problematic Student Behavior 40

Dear Families,

I want to take this opportunity to reintroduce myself! My name is Tinisia E. Branch-Ware, and
you all know me as the librarian. I love being a part of the New Hope family because it is so
apparent how close-knit and welcoming our community is; I feel fortunate to be part of it!

My passion for school counseling began during my time as a librarian at New Hope. I started my
Master of Education in School Counseling at Campbellsville University in March 2021. What I
love most about the elementary level is the genuine curiosity students have for learning and the
world around them and the opportunity for early intervention support that can have a lifetime
positive impact on a child.

As a future School Counselor, my primary responsibility is to promote all students' academic,

career, and social/emotional development.  I look forward to offering support to the New Hope
students, staff, families, and community during my internship. I will be meeting with both fifth-
grade classes this semester to work on improving behavior through cognitive-behavioral therapy.
The method of therapy I will be using is called self-monitoring. Self-monitoring is a form of
data-gathering in which students are asked to observe and record specific targets such as their
thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. The process of self-monitoring can help students better
appreciate the links between situations, thoughts, feelings, and their responses. I am excited to
work with these fifth-grade students in the early stages of my school counseling career. Over the
years, I have watched them grow, and I hope you let me help them build bright futures.

With this letter, you will find an Informed Consent. Please sign and return the completed forms
by Monday, April 4, 2022. Thanks for your time and if you have any questions and/or concerns,
please reach out to me at 901-376-5750.

All the best,

Tinisia E. Branch-Ware
School Counselor in Training
 Appendix K
Informed Consent

Informed Consent

I give my consent for __________________ to participate in this research titled Decreasing

Problematic Student Behavior: Effectiveness of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, which is being conducted
by (Tinisia E. Branch-Ware, student researcher, Campbellsville School Counseling Department, 901-376-
5750). I understand that my participation is entirely voluntary; I can withdraw my consent at any time
without penalty and have the results of my participation, to the extent that they can be identified as mine,
returned to me, removed from the research records, or destroyed.

The following points have been explained to me:

1) The present research is being conducted to determine if cognitive-behavioral therapy impacts fifth-
grade students who receive negative tally marks and disciplinary referral forms. Some information
may be withheld until the end of the study. The benefits that I may expect from the research are
improving behaviors and eliminating problematic student behaviors.

2) The procedures are as follows: (a) the participant will participate in experimental cognitive-
behavioral interventions using self-monitoring; (b) the participant will use a checklist to monitor their
behavior during 15-minute intervals; (c) the study will take place in the library for five weeks, once a
week for two hours; and (d) students will complete surveys after each intervention to gather the
student’s attitudes about the interventions.

3) No discomforts or stresses are foreseen during this research.

4) No risks are foreseen during this research.

5) The participation results will be completely confidential and will not be released in any individually
identifiable form without my prior consent unless required by law.

6) The student researcher will answer any questions about the research now or during the project.

______________________________ _____ ______________________________

Signature of Participant Date Signature of Parent or Guardian

______________________________ _____ ______________________________

Signature of Primary Investigator Date Signature of Student Researcher
 Appendix L
Data Model
Experimental Group

Quantitative Data Summary

Number of Tally Marks Per Student
March May
ADHD
Student Gender Race (pre- (post-
(Y/N)
intervention) intervention)
1 M B N 3 7

2 M
3 M
4 F
5 F
6 M
B N 7 4
B N 5 1
W N 0 0
B N 0 0
B N 0 0

7 M B Y 10 3

8 M W N 0 2

9 F B N 0 0

10 M B Y 7 1
 Appendix M
Data Model
Control Group

Quantitative Data Summary

Number of Tally Marks Per Student
March May
ADHD
Student Gender Race (pre- (post-
(Y/N)
intervention) intervention)
11 F B N 0 0

12 M B N 2 0
13 F B N 0 0
14 M B N 5 1
15 M B N 1 0
16 M B N 3 3

17 M B N 9 4

18 M B N 0 0

19 M B N 0 4

20 M B N 3 2
 Appendix L
Data Model
Experimental Group

Quantitative Data Summary

ADHD 1 2 3 4 5
Student Gender Race
(Y/N)

1 M B N 1 2 1 1 2

2 M B N 1 2 2 1 1

3 M B N 2 1 1 1 1

4 F W N 1 1 2 2 2

5 F B N 1 1 2 2 2

6 M B N 1 1 2 2 2

7 M B Y 2 1 1 1 1

8 M W N 1 1 2 2 2

1 1 2 2 2
9 F B N

10 M B Y 1 1 1 1 1

Student Survey Results by Question Post-Intervention

Key: 1: Yes; 2: No