Laura Lee McIntyre, Frank M. Gresham, Florence D. DiGennaro, & Derek D. Reed. (2007)
Treatment integrity of school-based interventions with children in the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis 1991–2005.
Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis,
40, 659-672.
We reviewed all school-based experimental studies with individuals 0 to 18
years published in the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis (JABA) between
1991 and 2005. A total of 142 articles (152 studies) that met review criteria
were included. Nearly all (95%) of these experiments provided an operational
definition of the independent variable, but only 30%) of the studies provided
treatment integrity data. Nearly half of studies (45%)) were judged to be at high
risk for treatment inaccuracies. Treatment integrity data were more likely to be
included in studies that used teachers, multiple treatment agents, or both.
Although there was a substantial increase in reporting operational definitions
of independent variables, results suggest that there was only a modest improvement
in reported integrity over the past 30 years of JABA studies. Recommendations
for research and practice are discussed.
DESCRIPTORS: treatment integrity, child studies, school interventions, applied behavior analysis