Received: 1 November 2017 Accepted: 13 November 2017 DOI: 10.1002/pits.22092 RESEARCH ARTICLE The effects of culturally adapted version of First Steps to Success for Latino English language learners: Preliminary pilot study Sara Castro-Olivo 1 Jorge Preciado 2 Loan Le 3 Mia Marciante 4 Melissa Garcia 4 1 Texas A &M University 2 Seattle Pacific University 3 Chapman University 4 University of California, Riverside Correspondence Sara Castro-Olivo, PhD, NCSP, Associate Professor, School Psychology Program, Texas A&M University, 4225 TAMU, College Station, 77843 Texas. Email: s.castro-olivo@tamu.edu Abstract For decades, Latino English language learners (ELLs) have been iden- tified as a high-risk population for both reading and behavioral problems. A comprehensive approach that provides academic and behavioral support in both home and school settings has been sug- gested by researchers as a viable option for improving outcomes of students who exhibit problems in both areas. Research has also suggested that cultural adaptations need to be implemented when working with culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) populations to ensure cultural fit between the target population and the imple- mented interventions. This paper presents the results of a pilot study that examined the effects of a comprehensive, culturally adapted intervention on Latino ELLs behavior and reading skills. A multiple- baseline, single-subject research design was employed in this study. The results suggest that implementing a comprehensive and cultur- ally adapted intervention has promising effects among Latino stu- dents and families. Participating students demonstrated decreases in problem behaviors and low–moderate increases in reading skills. Implications for research and practice are discussed. KEYWORDS behavioral intervention, cultural adaptation, reading intervention Over the past two decades, the field of education has been held to an increased level of accountability, which calls for practices that are sustainable, measureable, and based on solid theory and evidence. Although recent research, federal funding, and policies call for identification and application of evidence-based practices in educational settings, many subgroups of the K-12 student population (mainly ethnic minorities) continue to fall behind academically (Fenning et al., 2012), drop out of school prematurely (Kena et al., 2016), and have difficulty securing employment during adulthood due to unmet needs related to academic and social skills (Proctor, Semega, & Kollar, 2016). Latino English language learners (ELLs) enrolled in public schools are a subgroup of students that should strike par- ticular interest to practitioners and researchers. Latino ELLs are part of the fastest growing ethnic minority group in Psychol Schs. 2018;55:36–49. wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/pits c  2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. 36