School Wide-Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports in Europe: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Research on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) has been conducted extensively in the United States, but examining the implementation of PBIS in other countries is also essential. Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports has been implemented in school settings in several European countries for many years. To the best of our knowledge, no literature reviews have focused on PBIS implementations in European countries. This scoping review provides an overview of the literature on the implementation and adaptation of PBIS in European countries. We searched the electronic databases of ERIC, Scopus, and the Web of Science. Studies were included based on a priori eligibility criteria. For each of the identified 30 studies from 12 countries, we examined the country and number of research studies on SW-PBIS Tier 1, implementation details, the author reported essential elements and cultural adaptation, study characteristics, and outcomes. Results showed that researchers in the Nordic countries and the Netherlands have made significant progress in SW-PBIS implementations. Researchers in other European countries also have made great efforts to adapt and spread PBIS in their local contexts. Most adaptations incorporated essential elements of PBIS. However, we identified gaps in equity, policy, and technical assistance centers in most of these adaptations.