Self-Regulated Strategy Development: Connecting Persuasive Writing to Self-Advocacy for Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

Abstract

Students with emotional and behavioral disorders often experience difficulties in expressive writing and social outcomes in school and beyond. Therefore, writing instruction and self-determination skills are critical for this population. This research study, in which special education teachers were trained to be implementers, successfully intertwined persuasive writing with self-determination instruction to improve students' writing and self-determination skills. Emphasis was given to teaching students how persuasive writing can be used to self-advocate for needs and wants. The Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD) model of writing instruction was examined with a multiple-probe-across-participants design to evaluate the instructional effects. Instruction was provided 4 days per week, 40 min per session, for 14 to 23 days. Visual analyses indicated level changes and a functional relation between the SRSD/self-determination instruction and students' writing skills. Students' essays increased for number of words written, transition words, number of essay parts, and overall quality. Furthermore, students' self-determination perceptions and knowledge as well as writing self-efficacy significantly increased as a result of instruction. Teachers implemented the intervention with high degrees of fidelity. Teacher and student interviews revealed an overall satisfaction with SRSD procedures and results.

Scoping Review of Self-Advocacy Education Interventions to Improve Care

“…The peer-led writing intervention was implemented across 4 weeks and consisted of guided meditation, video prompting, and responsive writing (DeMarco & Chan, 2013). Both writing interventions were found to improve self-advocacy skills (Cuenca-Carlino & Mustian, 2013; DeMarco & Chan, 2013); however, effects were not maintained for the HIV/AIDS writing intervention (DeMarco & Chan, 2013). Writing interventions appear to offer a means for creative expression to promote self-advocacy.…”

“…Two studies analyzed the effects of writing interventions on self-advocacy. One study found positive effects following an intervention in which students with emotional and behavioral disorders learned to write persuasive essays on self-advocacy topics (Cuenca-Carlino & Mustian, 2013). DeMarco and Chan (2013) analyzed the effects of a writing intervention when compared with the “gold standard” of peer-led group interventions for individuals with HIV/AIDS education, support, and self-advocacy promotion (DeMarco & Chan, 2013).…”

“…Furthermore, the improved ability to self-manage disease symptoms through clinician-led education has been shown to reduce hospital readmission rates (Groessl & Cronan, 2000). Results of previous work demonstrate the impact of self-advocacy education for individuals living with human immunodeficiency virus or acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS; Brashers et al, 2017; DeMarco & Chan, 2013), those with mental health disorders (Pickett et al, 2010; Pickett et al, 2012), and students receiving special education services (Cuenca-Carlino & Mustian, 2013). However, the potential value of self-advocacy is not restricted to these diagnostic groups.…”

A Meta-Analysis of Interventions to Promote Self-Determination for Students With Disabilities

“…Participants across studies included children and adolescents ranging from 5 (Palmer & Wehmeyer, 2003) to 21 years (Agran & Wehmeyer, 2000). While most studies reported age ranges, means, and standard deviations, only seven studies (20.6%) reported individual grade levels (e.g., Cuenca-Carlino & Mustian, 2013). Most studies were conducted with students exclusively in high school ( n = 8 articles; 23.5%; e.g., Shogren et al, 2012) or a combination of students in high school and 18-21 school-affiliated programs ( n = 10 articles; 29.4%; e.g., Taylor-Ritzler et al, 2001).…”

Promoting Self-Advocacy Through Persuasive Writing for English Learners With Learning Disabilities

“…Taking PBPD one step further, Cuenca-Carlino et al (2018) demonstrated that a bilingual special education teacher was able to implement SRSD persuasive writing instruction with fidelity in a study where results also showed gains in the writing quality and quantity for nine ELLs in Grades 2 and 3 (including four ELLs with disabilities). Beyond this initial evidence, the availability of practitioner-friendly literature (e.g., Cuenca-Carlino et al, 2016; Cuenca-Carlino & Mustian, 2013) and the accessibility of web-based resources (e.g., “ThinkSRSD”) further corroborate the ease with which special education teachers can learn about how to effectively implement SRSD writing instruction.…”