INCREASING TRAUMA-INFORMED APPLIED BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS WITH MICRO-TRAINING: A SINGLE-CASE MULTIPLE BASELINE STUDY

Abstract

Childhood trauma affects nearly half of U.S. students, impairing behavior, learning, and long-term outcomes; yet school counselors lack training in trauma-informed applied behavior analysis (ABA). This single-case multiple baseline study across four school counselors evaluated micro-training, a brief behavioral skills training package, to increase the use of trauma-informed ABA practices during grade-level social skills groups in a Title I public school. This study fills an important gap by combining trauma-informed care with ABA. Results showed a functional relation in all four participants, who also found the research socially valid. Micro-training provides a feasible way to close training gaps, allowing school counselors to implement evidence-based, trauma-sensitive interventions without disrupting routines. Limitations and future research directions are included in the discussion chapter.