| The rising prevalence of mental health concerns among school aged children highlights the need for increased support for students with mental, emotional, and behavioral (MEB) disorders. Because the mental health treatment systems for children are historically underfunded, much of the responsibility for dealing with MEB concerns is being shouldered by schools and school psychologists. Using evidenced-based interventions (EBIs) is one way to effectively deal with the MEB concerns of students. Despite the effectiveness of EBIs and legislation urging their use, schools and school psychologists are still failing to consistently implement interventions that are evidence-based. Some of the problems related to failure to implement EBIs are due to a lack of training. This study explored the use of modeling in web-based training on the Coping Cat intervention as a way to increase the knowledge gained from professional development (Kendall & Hedtke, 2006). Fifty elementary-based school psychologists were recruited to participate in the study. Participants received a) the Coping Cat intervention with video models, b) the Coping Cat intervention without video models, or c) a training on the resource mapping process. Participants each completed a baseline knowledge measure, participated in a web-based training, and completed a posttest knowledge measure a) immediately following the training, b) seven days, and c) one month, after the training. The effects of the inclusion of video models in a web-based training on participants' acceptability of the intervention and affective reactions to the training were also explored using surveys (Usage Rating Profile -- Intervention Revised, Adapted Reaction Measure Subscale) administered at the above time points.;The results of the RCT study found that participants who received training that included video models did not have any more knowledge the Coping Cat intervention than participants who had received the same training without video models. Participants who received the Coping Cat training that included video models did not rate the intervention as more acceptable, have more positive affective reactions to the training, or implement the intervention in their practice at higher rates than participants who viewed the Coping Cat training that did not include video models. |
