A packaged intervention to reduce disruptive behaviors in general education students

Abstract

This investigation employed a combination multiple baseline/reversal design across individuals to examine the effects of a packaged intervention designed to reduce disruptive behaviors in two 8-year-old female students, with a third 8-year-old female student serving as a control. The intervention was delivered through a contingency contract and was comprised of precision requests, antecedent strategies (i.e., public posting of classroom rules, and teacher movement), positive reinforcement (i.e., mystery motivators, token economy), and the reductive technique of response cost.During baseline, the percentage of intervals that the students evidenced disruptive behaviors averaged 41%. This was reduced to an average of 20% during treatment. In the withdrawal phase, disruptive intervals increased to an average of 25%. Reinstatement of the intervention resulted in a further reduction of disruptive intervals of 20%. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.