Evaluation of the preschool life skills program in Head Start classrooms: a systematic replication.
Run PLS in preschool and watch functional skills rise five-fold while problem behavior falls.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Two Head Start classrooms ran the Preschool Life Skills (PLS) program.
Teachers used Behavioral Skills Training: explain, model, practice, feedback.
Kids learned four skill sets: asking for help, waiting, sharing, and ignoring distractions.
The team tracked each skill and any problem behavior across the day.
What they found
Life-skills use jumped five times higher after PLS started.
Problem behavior dropped at the same time.
Gains held while teachers kept the routine.
The pattern repeated in both rooms, showing the program works.
How this fits with other research
Ganz et al. (2004) also used BST with preschoolers, but added quick in-situ practice to lock in gun-play safety.
Their extra step reminds you to test the skill in real spots, not just at a table.
Jenkins et al. (1973) cut aggression with simple teacher attention alone.
PLS adds a full lesson plan, yet both studies show teacher actions drive big behavior swings.
Davenport et al. (2019) later showed BST gives teachers 100% fidelity for a reading game, matching the clean fit seen here.
Why it matters
You can roll out PLS tomorrow in any preschool block.
No extra staff, no fancy gear—just the script and your feedback.
Expect kids to ask, wait, and share more while problem moments fade.
Start with one skill set, track it, and grow from there.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
In an attempt to address risk factors associated with extensive nonfamilial child care, we implemented the preschool life skills (PLS) program (Hanley, Heal, Tiger, & Ingvarsson, 2007) in two community-based Head Start classrooms. A multiple baseline design across classrooms, repeated across skills, showed that the program resulted in a 5-fold increase in PLS and an accompanying reduction in problem behavior, replicating the effects observed by Hanley et al. (2007).
Journal of applied behavior analysis, 2014 · doi:10.1002/jaba.132