Using School-Based Consultation and Coaching to Improve Student Generalization and Target Outcomes Through Teacher Evidence-Based Practices: A Meta-Analysis

Teachers play a vital role in promoting children’s social-emotional and behavioral development through evidence-based practices (EBP). Research consistently demonstrates that school-based indirect service delivery (i.e. consultation or coaching) is a viable means for improving teachers’ EBP implementation and concomitant student outcomes. That said, an important and often overlooked aspect of indirect service delivery is ensuring that teachers generalize EBPs learned through consultation and coaching. In particular, no meta-analysis has explored how school-based indirect service may be used to improve critical student outcomes via generalized teacher practices. Thus, the current study synthesized and summarized the extant literature examining the effects of indirect service promoting teacher EBPs on student generalization and target outcomes. Comprehensive search strategies (i.e. searching electronic databases, gray literature sources, and hand searching 15 relevant journals) yielded 1577 abstracts that were screened and reviewed for potential inclusion. In total, 11 single-case design studies that met inclusion criteria were meta-analyzed to evaluate the impacts of school-based consultation and coaching on student generalization and target outcomes. Findings revealed significant improvements for both student generalization (LRRi = 0.51) and target (LRRi = 0.71) outcomes. Additionally, the moderating impacts of student and classroom characteristics were explored across all child outcomes. Results also revealed that consultation and coaching significantly improved student social skills (LRRi = 0.47) and behavioral competence (LRRi = 0.70). Additionally, the impacts of consultation and coaching on student outcomes were particularly pronounced for students with disabilities and students receiving in Head Start settings. Future directions, limitations, and practical implications are discussed.