Session: Examining Coaching As a Method for Increasing Implementation Quality and Outcomes of School-Based Preventive Interventions (Society for Prevention Research 21st Annual Meeting)

Classroom-based preventive interventions have been shown to reduce problems and strengthen resilience among children in both the short and long term (Wilson & Lipsey, 2007); however, there are concerns about the fidelity with which these programs are implemented in real-world settings, like classrooms. Research linking the quality of program fidelity and dosage with student outcomes highlights the significance of implementation quality for optimizing the effectiveness of preventive interventions (Derzon et al., 2005). Given the growing concern about the quality with which research-based programs are implemented in schools, there is increased interest in different types of implementation support which would optimize the quality of program delivery, and in turn translate into improved outcomes for students (Domitrovich et al., 2008; Fixsen et al., 2005). One type of implementation support that is gaining attention is coaching, yet, there has been relatively limited research documenting characteristics of this professional development approach. Moreover, there have been mixed findings regarding the extent to which coaching is associated with improved outcomes for students. This panel reports data from three randomized controlled trials (RCTs) testing the impact of different coaching models on the implementation of school-based programs. The link between implementation and student outcomes is also explicitly considered in some of the papers. We aim to identify critical elements of coaching which translate into improved outcomes for students and schools in an effort to link research to practice through type II translational research. Specifically, the first paper focuses on different types of support employed by coaches aiming to optimize teachers’ implementation of an integrated version of the Good Behavior Game classroom management program and the Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies social-emotional learning curricula. This presentation highlights the dynamic aspects of coaching, which change both over time and in response to data and teacher need. The second presentation focuses on the coaching provided within the context of an RCT of the Incredible Years Teacher Classroom Management program. The final paper focuses on the data-driven BEST in CLASS program, which demonstrates a link between coaching supports and student outcomes. Taken together, these three presentations illustrate the importance of tracking coaching activities in conjunction with implementation data and how these data can be used to identify potential targets for optimizing implementation. Common themes across the three empirical presentations will be identified by an international expert in coaching and teacher support models.