Research Presentation: Charis Wahman

Project HEAR+T: Implementation of a Social-Emotional Intervention Package to Teach Preschoolers Behavior Expectations

Wahman is an assistant professor of special education at Ohio State University. Her scholarship focuses on supporting young children’s social and emotional development by training teachers on evidence-based practices within the framework of Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) and identifying effective homeschool partnership practices for families with young children with challenging behavior. Her research aims to improve intervention services for children, families’ relationships with schools, and school climate within urban early childhood environments. Price has published articles in the following peer-reviewed journals: Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, Young Children, Early Childhood Journal and Brain and Language.

With young children being suspended and expelled from preschool settings, on-going examination of evidence-based social/emotional/behavioral interventions is essential. Wahman will share data from a current study that explores the feasibility of a social/emotional/behavioral intervention on teacher and student behavior. Children and teachers were recruited from inclusive early childhood centers in two Midwestern cities to participate in this study focused on explicitly teaching behavioral expectations. Using single-case experimental design, the impact of scripted stories, role plays, prompts and social praise is examined. Teachers were trained on how to implement the intervention through simple technical assistance meetings, including on-going feedback.