Evaluation of Check In/Check Out for Students With Internalizing Behavior Problems

Abstract

Internalizing behaviors are directed inward toward the child and are frequently overlooked in classrooms compared with externalizing behaviors. When internalizing behaviors are identified, cognitive-behavioral interventions (CBIs) are typically the intervention of choice; however, CBIs are time-consuming and require considerable skill and experience for successful implementation. An efficient and time-effective targeted intervention for children with internalizing behavior problems is needed. Check In/Check Out (CICO) has been shown to be an effective targeted intervention for children with externalizing behavior problems, but this intervention has not been implemented directly targeting children with internalizing behavior patterns. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate CICO as a targeted intervention for children with internalizing behavior problems. Four elementary school students with internalizing behavior problems received a CICO intervention. Results showed that ratings of prosocial replacement behaviors increased as a result of the CICO intervention, and students’ levels of internalizing behaviors decreased.

The Effects of Check-In/Check-Out on Kindergarten Students in an Urban Setting

“…These findings are consistent with CICO studies conducted in other settings and with different populations (Ennis et al 2012;Hunter et al 2013;Lewis and Moore 2008). This study expands the generalizability of CICO to a new population of students by targeting at-risk kindergarten students in an urban setting.…”

“…Check-In/Check-out has also been used to reduce internalizing behaviors. Hunter et al (2013) implemented CICO with four elementary school students reporting high levels of internalizing behaviors. Results showed that ratings of prosocial replacement behaviors increased, and students' levels of internalizing behaviors decreased as a result of the intervention.…”

Goal-Setting Interventions for Students with Behavior Problems: A Systematic Review

“…In studies of CICO or some variation of CICO (e.g., Fabiano et al, 2010;Hunter, Chenier, & Gresham, 2014;Swoszowski, McDaniel, Jolivette, & Melius, 2014), at a minimum, students were involved in checking in with a mentor at the beginning and end of the day and receiving teacher ratings of behavior on a daily report card. The daily report card generally consisted of behavioral expectations (e.g., Be Respectful, Be Responsible) with students rated by their teachers on a scale (e.g., 0 5 did not meet expectations, 1 5 partially met expectations, 2 5 met expectations).…”

“…In eight of these studies, authors indicated that daily behavior goals were individualized based on a student's current performance level. For example, Hunter et al (2014) and Simonsen et al (2011) stated students' daily goals were established by averaging the previous 3 days of students' scores on the daily report card. Lane, Capizzi, Fisher, and Ennis (2012) stated, "the actual goals established [were] based on the student's initial performance levels" (p. 63).…”

“…First, the type or level of individualization may depend on the type of intervention. For instance, in CICO, the daily point goal may be based on an average of the prior week's performance, which are data regularly collected as part of the intervention (e.g., Hunter et al, 2014;Simonsen et al, 2011). This individualization is important because it may not make sense for all students receiving CICO to start off at a standard goal of 80%, but rather, some students may need to start lower than 80% and gradually increase the goal over time (e.g., Lane et al, 2012).…”