A meta‐analytic review of the evidence for check‐in check‐out

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to conduct a descriptive and quantitative review of the literature examining the effectiveness of check-in check-out (CICO), a commonly used behavioral intervention in the context of a Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports framework. Studies that experimentally investigated the effectiveness of CICO or modified CICO compared with a baseline or control condition on student outcomes were included. A between-case d-statistic comparable across single-case and between-groups experiments was calculated for 59 dependent variables across 32 studies. The meta-analysis was conducted using robust variance estimation allowing for the inclusion of multiple effect sizes per study by accounting for dependency between outcomes. The overall effect size,̅ g = 1.22, 95% confidence intervals (1.00, 1.44), suggested CICO improves student outcomes by over one standard deviation. Studies were characterized by considerable heterogeneity that went largely unexplained in moderator analyses. Results are situated in the context of other systematic reviews of CICO and modified CICO. Overall, CICO appears to be an effective intervention; however, at this time, it is unclear what study-and sample-level variables may impact its effectiveness. K E Y W O R D S behavior education program, check-in check-out, positive behavior, evidence-based practice, interventions and support, meta-analysis Psychol Schs. 2019;56:393-412. wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/pits

Implementation of the inclusive CICO Plus intervention for pupils at risk of severe behaviour problems in SWPBS schools

“…With CICO support, pupils use DRCs to increase scheduled immediate positive feedback linked to classroom settings and behavioural goals. In previous research (Drevon, Hixson, and Wyse 2018;Hawken et al 2014;Karhu, Närhi, and Savolainen 2019;Maggin et al 2015), CICO support has been considered effective, socially approved and feasible for many schools in different schooling systems to implement with high fidelity. During CICO support, adult attention is increased with daily meetings and positive teacher attention during lessons (Crone, Hawken, and Horner 2010).…”

“…The common way to further modify CICO support is to determine the function of the problem behaviour and to use this information for individual modification (Klingbeil, Dart, and Schramm 2019;McIntosh et al 2009). By using the skills and knowledge of behavioural analysts, the results of function-modified versions of CICO support have been promising (Drevon, Hixson, and Wyse 2018). However, functional behavioural assessment (FBA)-based modifications are not feasible in school contexts where behavioural analysts are not available.…”

“…In SWPBS schools, secondary-level interventions are usually research-based standardised interventions or group-based programmes for practising certain specific skills (Horner, Sugai, and Anderson 2010). Check in check out (CICO) is one of the most studied secondary interventions in SWPBS schools to support pupil's prosocial behaviour (Drevon, Hixson, and Wyse 2018;Hawken et al 2014;Maggin et al 2015;Mitchell, Adamson, and Kenna 2017). Core principles of CICO support include clearly defined behavioural expectations, precorrections for meeting these expectations, regular positive feedback for the demonstration of appropriate behaviour, use of data-based decision making and a daily system for home-school communication (Crone, Hawken, and Horner 2010).…”

Using Check-In/Check-Out in Vocational Training for Young Adults With Intellectual Disability

“…CICO is an evidence-based practice shown to improve the academic and behavior performance of students in school settings (Drevon et al, 2018; Hawken et al, 2014; Wolfe et al, 2016). Grounded in the core principles of positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) and applied behavior analysis, CICO is composed of five steps: (a) check-in with a facilitator, (b) use of a goal sheet to monitor behavior, (c) check-out with a facilitator, (d) send goal sheet home for a parent or guardian to sign, and (e) return signed form the next day to the facilitator (Swoszowski et al, 2013).…”

Introduction to Special Issue on Tier 2 Adaptations to Behavioral Interventions: A Focus on Innovations and Recommendations

“…While there is still a need for work related to implementation of universal or Tier 1 interventions and programs, there has been a considerable gap in relation to Tier 2 behavioral interventions more specifically. Several studies have documented significant outcomes of Tier 2 behavioral interventions on student outcomes (e.g., Check-in/Checkout; Drevon, Hixson, Wyse, & Rigney, 2019), yet there is limited research and guidance around methods for improving the effectiveness and efficiency of these interventions by adapting them to students' needs and the contexts in which they are delivered. As a result, this special issue includes a set of original papers focused on Tier 2 behavioral interventions that move beyond typical "one size fits all" approaches to Tier 2 interventions for behavior problems and builds on a previous special issue on current issues in Tier 2 in the Journal of Applied School Psychology (Stormont & Reinke, 2013) published 6 years ago.…”