Social Skills Training and Aggression Reduction Techniques plus Time-Away (STARTPlus) Program

Initiative Description: STARTPlus includes components of social skills training at the universal primary level, small group instruction at the targeted level, and individualized, intensive intervention in problem-solving and conflict resolution at the tertiary level.

Tier 1: teaching prosocial skills in the context of real-life situations that are identified by the students
Tier 2: Small intensive group meetings led by the school social worker were held for 45 min every day for one week for students needing targeted intervention in learning specific skills.
Tier 3: targets students identified as most disruptive. The program features a three-step intervention process (a) time-out, (b) redirection, and (c) conflict resolution”

Study Results: An overall reduction in the number of ODRs was noted with an exception to this trend in the second year.

Reference: Albrecht, S. S., Mathur, S. R., Jones, R. E., & Alazemi, S. (2015). A School-wide Three-tiered Program of Social Skills Intervention: Results of a Three-year Cohort Study. Education & Treatment Of Children, 38(4), 565-586.

Level of Evidence: Good