An examination of the feasibility and implementation fidelity of a multi-component treatment program for students with EBD

The practice of serving students with emotional and behavioral challenges in the United States has been fraught with anxiety, fear, and stress. Fortunately, researchers in the field of emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) have identified a range of empirically supported interventions to improve outcomes for students with EBD. This study sought to examine the feasibility of TIERS, a special education-based treatment program for students with EBD, in 10 self-contained classrooms. Despite the provision of multiple evidence-based supports for implementation, two and a half years of fidelity data indicated that none of the participating classrooms fully implemented the program as intended. These findings raise at least some concern regarding the practicality of the TIERS program, as designed, for its targeted setting/population. Study limitations and future directions are discussed.