About the Intervention
First Step Next (FSN) is a Tier 2 early intervention program for pre-K through grade 2 children that targets social skills and academic enablers to promote school success and prevent externalizing behavior problems. The program includes three major components: (1) social skills instruction where a coach helps the target child master 'Super Student Skills' through one-on-one behavioral lessons covering skills like following directions, being safe, doing your best work, asking for help the right way, and being a team player; (2) the green-card game where the coach or teacher uses a laminated card with green and red sides to provide feedback to the target child and classmates for complying with or not following teacher expectations; and (3) home-school connections where parents receive a workbook focused on positive parenting strategies and daily feedback from the FSN coach via notes or phone calls. A trained coach delivers the first 5-7 days of the program (coach phase), then transitions control to the teacher who continues implementation from day 11 onward (teacher phase). Teachers receive a daylong workshop training session in FSN and classroom management principles before implementation.
Statistical Findings
Positive effect: on teacher-reported social skills
Positive effect: on parent-reported social skills
Positive effect: on adaptive behavior
Positive effect: on reducing teacher-reported problem behavior
Positive effect: on reducing parent-reported problem behavior
Positive effect: on reducing maladaptive behavior
Positive effect: on reducing aggressive behavior
Positive effect: on reducing relational aggression
Positive effect: on reducing child-teacher conflict
More Intervention Details
Focus Areas
Social-Emotional LearningPrograms & Services
Head Start, Early ChildhoodDelivery Methods
Face-to-FaceDisability Support
N/ATarget Groups
Student(s), Teachers/Instructional TeamsCitation
Feil, E. G., Forness, S. R., Frey, A. J., Golly, A., Lee, J., Seeley, J. R., Small, J. W. & Walker, H. M. (2020). Efficacy Validation of the Revised First Step Program: A Randomized Controlled Trial (ED606477). ERIC. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED606477.pdf.
Study Demographics
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Participant Race
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Participant Gender
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Other Participant Characteristics
Geographical Setting
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