Carol Wendler Metzler, Ph.D.

Selected Abstracts

Evaluation of a Comprehensive Behavior Management Program
Improve School-Wide Positive Behavior Support

Metzler, C. W., Biglan, A., Rusby, J. C., & Sprague, J.

(2001) Education & Treatment of Children, Special issue on prevention of school violence, 24, 448-479

This paper describes the evaluation of a consultative approach to assisting middle schools in implementing empirically based school-wide behavior management practices. The Effective Behavior Support program involved working with school staff to clarify rules, teach appropriate social behavior, increase positive reinforcement for positive behavior, consistently provide mild consequences for rule violation, and monitor data on student behavior. The intervention was evaluated through records of rewards given, discipline referrals, and frequent surveys of students. Where possible, data from the target school were evaluated against data from comparison schools. Results showed effects at the target school on increased positive reinforcement for appropriate social behavior and on decreased aggressive social behavior among students. Discipline referrals were significantly decreased for 7th graders and for harassment among males. Students' perceptions of school safety improved at the target school but not at comparison schools. Students' reports of being physically or verbally attacked the previous day were also reduced at the target school as well, but these changes were also seen at the comparison school.

A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Behavioral Intervention to
Reduce High-Risk Sexual Behavior Among Adolescents

Metzler, C. W., Noell, J., Biglan, A., Ary, D., & Ochs, L.

(2000) Behavior Therapy, 31, 27-54

A 5-session behavioral intervention to reduce risky sexual behavior was evaluated in a randomized controlled trial, in which 339 adolescents (aged 15-19 yrs) were recruited in public sexually transmitted disease clinics and randomly assigned to receive the intervention or usual care. The intervention targeted (1) decision-making about safer sex goals, (2) social skills for achieving safer sex, and (3) acceptance of negative thoughts and feelings. Compared to the control group at 6-mo followup, treatment Ss reported fewer sexual partners, fewer nonmonagamous partners, and fewer sexual contacts with strangers in the previous 3 mo, and less use of marijuana before or during sex. Treated adolescentss also performed better on a taped situations test of skill in handling difficult sexual situations. Strongest intervention effects were for male and nonminority youth. Further research is needed to develop interventions with strong, durable effects across gender and ethnic groups that can be delivered cost-effectively within existing service systems.

The Stability and Validity of Early Adolescents' Reports
of Parenting Constructs

Carol W. Metzler, Anthony Biglan, Dennis V. Ary, and Fuzhong Li

(1998) Journal of Familiy Psychology, 12, 600-619

The stability and validity of early adolescents' reports of 6 parenting constructs were examined: parent-child conflict, positive family relations, parental monitoring, parents' rule making, consistent enforcement of rules, and use of positive reinforce-ment. Hierarchical confirmatory factor analysis (CFA; H. W. Marsh & D. Hocevar, 1988) on questionnaire data from 3 quarterly assessments of 174 5th-7th grade youth was used to test a multitrait-multimethod (MTMM) model containing 6 parenting constructs as trait factors and 3 assessment occasions as method factors. Youths' reports of these parenting constructs were stable over time, and the CFA approach to MTMM data demonstrated convergent and discriminant validity of the constructs. Each parenting construct was significantly correlated with youths' reports of deviant peer associations, antisocial behavior, and substance use, provid-ing evidence of criterion validity.

A Comprehensive Approach to the Prevention of Behavior Problems:
Integrating Family- and Community-Based Approaches to Strengthen Behavior
Management Programs in Schools

Carol W. Metzler, Ted K. Taylor, Barbara Gunn, Rollen C. Fowler,
Anthony Biglan, and Dennis Ary

(1998) Effective School Practices, 17, 8-24

Children's antisocial behavior is the result of a complex set of factors and requires solutions that encompass the family, peers, and community organizations in addition to the school. This paper describes steps that schools can take to strengthen their behavior management programs by ensuring that families and students who might most benefit are reached by effective programs to assist them, and by involving community organizations in the implementation of a comprehensive behavior management approach. Parent training (and other parenting resources for families), social problem-solving training, mentoring, and afterschool programs for students all have the potential for reducing levels of problem behaviors over and above the effects of schools' behavior management programs. Empirically supported exemplars for parent training and social problem-solving skills training are presented. where research is more limited, promising approaches based on the best available evidence are described (e.g. communications to parents about effective parenting, mentoring, and afterschool programs). Strategies for how schools and the larger community might incorporate these programs into a comprehensive approach to the prevention of problem behaviors are discussed. The need for empirically based practices is emphasized, since many popular approaches to handling problem behavior are ineffectual or worse, harmful.

The Social Context for Risky Sexual Behavior Among Adolescents




		Carol Wendler Metzler, Ph.D. Education and Training Professional Experience Current ORI Projects Selected Publications Selected Abstracts
Education 1983 - California State University, Northridge, B.A. in Psychology, Spanish Minor 1985 - University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, M.A. in Psychology 1990 - University of Oregon; Eugene, OR, Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology Professional Experience 8/93-present Research Scientist, Oregon Research Institute; Eugene, OR 8/90-8/93 Research Associate, Adjunct Research Scientist, Oregon Research Institute 1/90-8/90 Research Programmer/Analyst, Oregon Research Institute 9/88-8/89 Psychology Intern, Palo Alto VA Medical Center; Palo Alto, CA 6/87-6/88 Psychology Trainee, University of Oregon Psychology Clinic, Eugene, OR 9/86-5/88 Diagnostic Interviewer, Treatment Group Leader, Oregon Research Institute 9/86-6/87 Psychology Trainee, Oregon Marital Studies Program, University of Oregon 9/85-8/86 Community Psychology Consultant, University of Oregon Prevention and Rural Outreach Program 9/84-8/85 Psychology Trainee, University of Oregon Psychology Clinic Current ORI Projects Evaluation of a Video-Based Media Series to Promote Effective Parenting National Institutes of Health, 2007-2012 Improving Access to Early Parent Education and Support, Phase II NIH/National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, 2009-2011 Center for Prevention of Problems in Early Adolescence NIH/National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2005-2010 Improving Access to Early Parent Education and Support, Phase I NIH/National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, 2005-2008 Selected Publications Metzler, C. W., Biglan, A., Embry, D. D., Sprague, J. R., Boles, S. M., & Kavanagh, K. A. (2008). Improving the well-being of adolescents in Oregon. Eugene, OR: Center on Early Adolescence, Oregon Research Institute. Rusby, J. C., Forrester, K. K., Biglan, A., & Metzler, C. W. (2005). Relationships between peer harassment and adolescent problem behaviors. Journal of Early Adolescence, 25, 453-477. Sheeber, L. B., Biglan, A., Metzler, C. W., & Taylor, T. K. (2002). Promoting effective parenting practices. In L. Jason & D. Glenwick (Eds.), Innovative strategies for promoting health and mental health across the life span. NY: Springer. Metzler, C.W., Biglan, A., Rusby, J.C, & Sprague, J. (2001) Evaluation of a comprehensive behavior management program to improve school-wide positive behavior support. Education and Treatment of Children, 24, 448-479. Metzler, C.W., Biglan, A., Ary, D.V., & Noell, J. (2000) A randomized controlled trial of a behavioral intervention to reduce high-risk sexual behavior among adolescents in STD clinics. Behavior Therapy, 31, 27-54. Ary, D.V., Duncan, T.E., Biglan, A., Metzler, C.W., Noell, J.W., & Smolkowski, K. (1999). Development of adolescent problem behavior. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 27, 141-150. Irvine, A.B., Biglan, A., Smolkowski, K., Metzler, C.W., & Ary, D.V. (1999). The effectiveness of a parenting skills program for parents of middle school students in small communities. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 67, 811-825. Biglan, A., & Metzler, C.W. (1998). A public health perspective for research on family-focused interventions. In R. Ashery, E. B. Robertson, &K. Kumpfer (Eds.), Drug abuse prevention through family interventions. NIDA Research Monograph 177 (pp. 430-458), NIH Publication NO. 99-4135. Washington, DC: National Institute on Drug Abuse. McMahon, R.J., & Metzler, C.W. (1998). Selecting parenting measures for assessing family-based preventive interventions. In R. Ashery, E. B. Robertson, & K. Kumpfer (Eds.), Research meeting on drug abuse prevention through family interventions. NIDA Research Monograph 177 (pp. 294-323), NIH Publication NO. 99-4135, Washington, DC: National Institute on Drug Abuse. Metzler, C.W., Biglan, A., Ary, D.V., & Li, F. (1998). The stability and validity of early adolescents' reports of parenting practices constructs. Journal of Family Psychology, 12(4), 600-619. Metzler, C. W., Taylor, T. K., Gunn, B., Fowler, R. C., Biglan, A. & Ary, D. V. (1998). A comprehensive approach to the prevention of behavior problems: Integrating family- and community-based approaches to strengthen behavior management programs in schools. Effective School Practices, 17(2), 8-24. Biglan, A., Metzler, C.W., Fowler, R.C., Gunn, B.K., Taylor, T., & Rusby, J.C. (1997). Improving childrearing in America's communities. In P. A. Lamal (Ed.), Cultural contingencies: Behavior analytic perspectives on cultural practices. Westport, CT: Praeger Publishers. Irvine, A. B., Biglan, A., Duncan, T., & Metzler, C. W. (1996). Benefits and barriers for volunteer leaders of a parent training program. Family Community Health, 18(4), 20-32. Biglan, A., Noell, J., Ochs, L., Smolkowski, K., & Metzler, C.W. (1995). Does sexual coercion play a role in the high-risk sexual behavior of adolescent and young adult women? Journal of Behavioral Medicine. 18(6), 549-568. Biglan, A., Metzler, C. W., & Ary, D. V. (1994). Increasing the prevalence of successful children: The case for community intervention research. The Behavior Analyst,17, 335-331. Metzler, C. W., Noell, J., Biglan, A., Ary, D., & Smolkowski, K. (1994). The social context for risky sexual behavior among adolescents. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 17(4), 419-438. Metzler, C. W. (1994). The costs of non-acceptance. In S. C. Hayes, N. S. Jacobson, V. M. Follette, & Dougher, M. J. (Eds.), Acceptance and Change: Content and Context in Psychotherapy. Reno, NV: Context Press. Noell, J., Biglan, A., Berendt, J., Ochs, L., Metzler, C. W., Ary, D., & Smolkowski, K. (1993). Problematic sexual situations for adolescents. Health Values, 17, 40-49. Metzler, C. W., Noell, J., & Biglan, A. (1992). The validation of a construct of high risk sexual behavior in heterosexual adolescents. Journal of Adolescent Research, 7(2), 233-249. Biglan, A., Metzler, C. W., Ary, D., Noell, J., Ochs, L., French, C., Hood, D., & Wirt, R. (1990). Social and behavioral factors associated with high risk sexual behavior among adolescents. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 13, 245-262. Metzler, C. W. (1990). The covariance of adolescent problem behaviors, and the family and peer contexts in which they occur. Dissertation Abstracts International. Yano, K., Wendler, C., & Aho, K. (1987). Child and adolescent treatment and treatment evaluation: Review and recommendations. Salem, OR: State of Oregon Division of Mental Health. Wendler, C. (1985). Gender differences in emotional influences on right hemisphere function. Unpublished master's thesis, University of Oregon, Eugene. Selected Abstracts Evaluation of a Comprehensive Behavior Management Program Improve School-Wide Positive Behavior Support Metzler, C. W., Biglan, A., Rusby, J. C., & Sprague, J. (2001) Education & Treatment of Children, Special issue on prevention of school violence, 24, 448-479 This paper describes the evaluation of a consultative approach to assisting middle schools in implementing empirically based school-wide behavior management practices. The Effective Behavior Support program involved working with school staff to clarify rules, teach appropriate social behavior, increase positive reinforcement for positive behavior, consistently provide mild consequences for rule violation, and monitor data on student behavior. The intervention was evaluated through records of rewards given, discipline referrals, and frequent surveys of students. Where possible, data from the target school were evaluated against data from comparison schools. Results showed effects at the target school on increased positive reinforcement for appropriate social behavior and on decreased aggressive social behavior among students. Discipline referrals were significantly decreased for 7th graders and for harassment among males. Students' perceptions of school safety improved at the target school but not at comparison schools. Students' reports of being physically or verbally attacked the previous day were also reduced at the target school as well, but these changes were also seen at the comparison school. A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Behavioral Intervention to Reduce High-Risk Sexual Behavior Among Adolescents Metzler, C. W., Noell, J., Biglan, A., Ary, D., & Ochs, L. (2000) Behavior Therapy, 31, 27-54 A 5-session behavioral intervention to reduce risky sexual behavior was evaluated in a randomized controlled trial, in which 339 adolescents (aged 15-19 yrs) were recruited in public sexually transmitted disease clinics and randomly assigned to receive the intervention or usual care. The intervention targeted (1) decision-making about safer sex goals, (2) social skills for achieving safer sex, and (3) acceptance of negative thoughts and feelings. Compared to the control group at 6-mo followup, treatment Ss reported fewer sexual partners, fewer nonmonagamous partners, and fewer sexual contacts with strangers in the previous 3 mo, and less use of marijuana before or during sex. Treated adolescentss also performed better on a taped situations test of skill in handling difficult sexual situations. Strongest intervention effects were for male and nonminority youth. Further research is needed to develop interventions with strong, durable effects across gender and ethnic groups that can be delivered cost-effectively within existing service systems. The Stability and Validity of Early Adolescents' Reports of Parenting Constructs Carol W. Metzler, Anthony Biglan, Dennis V. Ary, and Fuzhong Li (1998) Journal of Familiy Psychology, 12, 600-619 The stability and validity of early adolescents' reports of 6 parenting constructs were examined: parent-child conflict, positive family relations, parental monitoring, parents' rule making, consistent enforcement of rules, and use of positive reinforce-ment. Hierarchical confirmatory factor analysis (CFA; H. W. Marsh & D. Hocevar, 1988) on questionnaire data from 3 quarterly assessments of 174 5th-7th grade youth was used to test a multitrait-multimethod (MTMM) model containing 6 parenting constructs as trait factors and 3 assessment occasions as method factors. Youths' reports of these parenting constructs were stable over time, and the CFA approach to MTMM data demonstrated convergent and discriminant validity of the constructs. Each parenting construct was significantly correlated with youths' reports of deviant peer associations, antisocial behavior, and substance use, provid-ing evidence of criterion validity. A Comprehensive Approach to the Prevention of Behavior Problems: Integrating Family- and Community-Based Approaches to Strengthen Behavior Management Programs in Schools Carol W. Metzler, Ted K. Taylor, Barbara Gunn, Rollen C. Fowler, Anthony Biglan, and Dennis Ary (1998) Effective School Practices, 17, 8-24 Children's antisocial behavior is the result of a complex set of factors and requires solutions that encompass the family, peers, and community organizations in addition to the school. This paper describes steps that schools can take to strengthen their behavior management programs by ensuring that families and students who might most benefit are reached by effective programs to assist them, and by involving community organizations in the implementation of a comprehensive behavior management approach. Parent training (and other parenting resources for families), social problem-solving training, mentoring, and afterschool programs for students all have the potential for reducing levels of problem behaviors over and above the effects of schools' behavior management programs. Empirically supported exemplars for parent training and social problem-solving skills training are presented. where research is more limited, promising approaches based on the best available evidence are described (e.g. communications to parents about effective parenting, mentoring, and afterschool programs). Strategies for how schools and the larger community might incorporate these programs into a comprehensive approach to the prevention of problem behaviors are discussed. The need for empirically based practices is emphasized, since many popular approaches to handling problem behavior are ineffectual or worse, harmful. The Social Context for Risky Sexual Behavior Among Adolescents Metzler, C. W., Noell, J., Biglan, A., Ary, D., & Smolkowski, K. (1994) Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 17, 419-438 This study supports a model of adolescents' risky sexual behavior in which this behavior is seen as a product of the same peer and family factors which influence a wide range of problem behaviors. The Patterson et al. (1992) model of peer and parental factors associated with adolescents' sexual risk-taking behavior was tested in three independent samples of adolescents, ages 14 through 18. Adolescents whose peers were reported to engage in diverse problem behaviors were more likely to engage in risky sexual behavior. Poor parental monitoring and parent-child coercive interactions were associated. Having deviant peers, and poor parental monitoring also had a direct relationship to parent-child coercive interactions. Less availability of parental figures in the family was directly associated with risky sexual behavior and was also associated with poorer parental monitoring. The Validation of a Construct of High Risk Sexual Behavior in Heterosexual Adolescents Metzler, C. W., Noell, J., & Biglan, A. (1992) Journal of Adolescent Research, 7, 233-249 The potential spread of HIV infection into the adolescent population underscores the need for valid measures of high-risk sexual behavior in adolescents. This article reports on the development and construct validation of two measures of high-risk sexual behavior for heterosexual adolescents. Based on evidence that diverse problem behaviors are interrelated in adolescents, it was hypothesized that specific risky sexual behaviors, such as nonuse of condoms and multiple partners, would be interrelated, and that the cluster of high-risk sexual behaviors would be correlated with measures of other adolescent problem behaviors. The interrelationships among specific sexual behaviors were consistent across three independent samples, and the composite sexual behavior measures were correlated with measures of other problem behaviors. The result provide support for the validity of a construct of high-risk sexual behavior and point to the need for interventions that target diverse risky sexual behaviors. Increasing the Prevalence of Successful Children: The Case for Community Intervention Research Biglan, A., Metzler, C. W., & Ary, D. V. (1994) The Behavior Analyst,17, 335-331 This paper makes a case for research on community interventions on childrearing. Sufficient evidence has accumulated about the development of child problem behavior to justify evaluating efforts to reduce the prevalence of these problems in whole communities. The contextual risk factors for diverse child behavior problems are well understood, and interventions to ameliorate individual risk factors have been developed and evaluated. Since interventions with individual children have proven efficacious, it is now appropriate to direct energy toward reducing the prevalence of children with behavior problems. At the same time, existing interventions have limitations. Community interventions may be needed to modify the larger social context for families. This paper enumerates possible components of a community intervention to improve childrearing outcomes. Existing evidence indicates that communities would benefit from making parent training and family support programs available to parents. Validated methods of identifying and remediating academic and behavioral problems in schools are available, but influencing schools to adopt them remains a problem. Community organizing could mobilize communities to allocate the resources necessary to support such parenting and schooling programs and to encourage their adoption. Media campaigns could foster community support and could directly influence parenting practices. Efforts to modify peer influences to use substances have received empirical support; similar efforts may be relevant to preventing other problems. The development of a science of community interventions on childrearing is hampered by over-reliance on randomized control trials. For this reason, two examples of time-series experimental evaluations of community intervention components are described here. back to top