Skill-by-Treatment Interaction: Increasing the Likelihood for Success in Reading and Math

The current chapter describes the skill-by-treatment interaction (STI) framework for directing academic interventions, which use preintervention data in the skill being intervened to identify skill deficits and select interventions with the highest likelihood of success. Poor academic skills place children and youth at extraordinarily high risk for mental health issues during school and later in life. Strong academic skill interventions may be the strongest possible prevention activity for improving mental health. We summarize relevant research and outline specific guidelines to select interventions for reading and math. The chapter concludes with case studies demonstrating STIs in action.