Using an Embedded Mixed Methods Design to Assess and Improve Intervention Acceptability of an Equity-Focused Intervention - A Methodological Demonstration

Oct 15, 2026

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Educators have shown reluctance to implement interventions that improve racial equity in school disciplinary practice. A descriptive concurrent parallel mixed-methods design assessed U.S. educators’ perceptions of a new equity-focused intervention. Quantitative results from professional development workshops with 118 educators were corroborated by qualitative findings from four teachers implementing it in classrooms. Qualitative data then informed modifications to improve usefulness. Strengths, limitations, and implications of embedding mixed methods are discussed.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages11

Reading Time28 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Keywords

Introduction and Rationale

Challenge of assessing solution acceptability

Embedding mixed methods to improve acceptability

ReACT Intervention Overview

Three core elements

Ongoing coaching component

Prior Evidence for ReACT Elements

School case study

Single-case design study

Methods of Assessing Intervention Acceptability

Definition of acceptability

Multi-dimensional assessment approaches

Role of mixed methods

Using an Embedded Mixed Methods Design to Assess and Improve Intervention Acceptability of an Equity-Focused Intervention: A Methodological Demonstration Behavioral Disorders 2023, Vol. 48(3) 201–211 © Hammill Institute on Disabilities 2019 Article reuse guidelines: [sagepub.com/journals-permissions](sagepub.com/journals-permissions)[ ](sagepub.com/journals-permissions)[DOI: 10.1177/0198742919880486](DOI: 10.1177/0198742919880486)[ ](DOI: 10.1177/0198742919880486)[journals.sagepub.com/home/bhd](journals.sagepub.com/home/bhd) Eoin Bastable, PhD 1, Paul Meng, PhD 1, Sarah Fairbanks Falcon, PhD 1, and Kent McIntosh, PhD 1 Abstract Educators have shown reluctance to implement interventions aimed at improving racial equity in school disciplinary practice. Mixed methods were applied to assess and improve the acceptability of a new intervention designed to reduce racial disparities in school discipline. A descriptive concurrent parallel design was used to assess U.S. educators’ perceptions ofthe acceptability of the intervention. Quantitative findings from professional development workshops introducing the intervention to 118 educators were corroborated with qualitative findings from a separate sample of 4 teachers who implemented it in their classrooms. Quantitative findings indicated that the intervention was acceptable to a broad range of potential implementers, and qualitative findings were used to modify the intervention to further improve its utility. The strengths, limitations, and implications of embedding mixed methods approaches to assess school-based interventions are also discussed. Keywords mixed methods research, school-based interventions, equity, discipline disproportionality A central challenge in education is not only developing potential solutions (e.g., interventions) to important problems but also assessing the extent to which potential solutions are acceptable to school personnel. Widespread evidence of racial discipline disparities in U.S. schools has underscored an urgent need for interventions that educators can implement to improve racial equity in student outcomes (Carter, Skiba, Arredondo, & Pollock, 2017; Skiba & Losen, 2016) . However, individuals in U.S. society generally remain reluctant to address issues related to race or ethnicity (DiAngelo, 2011; Goff, Jackson, Nichols, & Di Leone, 2013). Educators, like the rest ofU.S. society, are reported tobe ambivalent or avoidant toward examining race and equity in schools (Bastable & McIntosh, 2019; Singleton, 2015; Tatum, 2017) . Therefore, it is necessary to assess and improve how educators perceive the effectiveness and feasibility of equity-focused school interventions. We embedded mixed methods within the study design to assess and improve the acceptability of an intervention called ReACT, developed to reduce racial disproportionality in school disci pline (McIntosh, Ellwood, McCall, & Girvan, 2018) . ReACT is a school-based professional development intervention designed to help educators improve racial equity in school discipline practice. The ReACT intervention includes the following three elements: (a) training educators to assess discipline data to detect patterns of disproportionality (e.g., assigning more discipline referralsto Black students for defiance compared with other racial/ ethnic groups), (b) assisting classroom teachers to adapt their school and classroom behavior support systems to be more culturally responsive (e.g., aligning school and home behavioral expectations), and (c) training educators on implicit bias and using strategies to neutralize implicit bias in school discipline decision-making. The intervention also includes ongoing coaching provided to school teams or individual educators. Elements of ReACT were evaluated in two previous studies. A school case study documented reductions in discipline referrals assigned to Black students compared with White students in a K–Grade 8 setting (McIntosh et al.,

FAQs

What problem does the study address regarding school discipline and equity?

The study addresses educators’ reluctance to implement interventions aimed at improving racial equity in school disciplinary practice, given evidence of racial discipline disparities.

What is the ReACT intervention and what components does it include?

ReACT is a school-based professional development intervention to improve racial equity in discipline. It includes training on discipline data assessment, culturally responsive adaptation of behavior support systems, and training on implicit bias with strategies to neutralize it, plus ongoing coaching.

How were educators’ perceptions of acceptability assessed in the study?

Acceptability was assessed using an embedded mixed methods approach within a descriptive concurrent parallel design, combining quantitative survey/workshop findings with qualitative data from teachers implementing the intervention.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Bulrr