The Lived Experiences of Elementary Teachers' Use of Positive Behavior Intervention Supports and Social-Emotional Learning With Emotionally Disturbed and Behaviorally Challenged Students: A Phenomenological Study

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological qualitative study was to understand the lived experiences of elementary teachers' use of PBIS and SEL with students with emotional behavioral needs and to gain insight into what supports are needed for teachers in a school district in the southern United States. There is a need to examine elementary teachers' implementation of PBIS and SEL with students who have emotional and behavioral needs to understand what supports are needed. A positive academic environment for students and teachers is generally defined as such. The theory that guided this study was the social constructivist theory (Vygotsky,1978). The social constructivist theory guided this phenomenological hermeneutic qualitative study on elementary teachers' perception of using PBIS and SEL with behaviorally challenged students. The Central Research Question is: What are the lived experiences of elementary teachers who use PBIS with SEL to support behaviorally challenged students? The methodology included a qualitative research design that interpreted the lived experiences. The sampling was conducted through homogeneous and purposeful sampling with 12 participants. The setting was three public elementary schools in a large metropolitan urban city in the southern United States. Data was collected through individual teacher interviews, surveys, and focus groups, and the recordings were manually transcribed via Microsoft Teams and the Plaud Note. The transcripts were analyzed, coded, and sorted into similar themes and subthemes. The findings of this study are relevant, as they reveal the common experiences of elementary teachers and their challenges while implementing PBIS and SEL programs for elementary students facing behavioral challenges. The study concluded that the provision of continuous professional development and training for teachers, coupled with consistent and regular support and follow-up from school leaders, is essential for the effective implementation of PBIS and SEL initiatives.