A Quasiexperimental Quantitative Study Examining Educationally Related Mental Health Supports, Specifically Tier 2 Interventions, Using an MTSS Framework

Abstract

This study was conducted in a small district consisting primarily of transient military students. Increased student mental health needs within the district was the focus of this research. This study examined the impact of adding Tier 2 mental health supports to decrease the number of students identified with emerging mental health needs. Data identified the interventions needed to continually improve the program. The study aimed to lower levels of student need at the moderate to high-risk range in both externalizing and internalizing behaviors. The researcher developed her approach using implementation science methodology, working in stages to explore, design, implement, and evaluate impact through data collection from universal screeners three times yearly. Prescreeners and postscreeners measured the impact of the interventions. The study examined results as a whole rather than individual successes. The study had unexpected results. Statistically significant improvement occurred in internalized needs. However, externalizing needs were not statistically lower. Data results also indicated success with middle school and Hispanic students. Fifth-grade students and African American students took longer to respond to interventions. Results led the researcher to believe that longer interventions might be needed to address externalizing behaviors and that racial sensitivity training might improve Black population responses. The quantifiable data collected during this study expand on the current research on tiered student mental health interventions, which provide statistically supported reasoning for using Tier 2 interventions to meet student mental health needs and guidance on improving responses.