Reducing disruptive behavior during lunchtime in urban elementary students

Abstract

Although there has been research on ways to reduce disruptive behavior in elementary school students during class time, a need for interventions that target disruptive behavior in elementary students during unstructured school times, such as lunch and recess, remains. In addition, there has been little research on school-based interventions that address the unique needs of students from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds who live in urban areas. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of two cafeteria-based behavioral interventions on students' disruptive and prosocial behaviors. The study was conducted with 250 kindergarten and first grade students in an urban elementary school during lunchtime, as well as 4 lunch aides who implemented the interventions. A within participants multiple treatment reversal design was used. Study hypotheses were not supported. Results showed that students' disruptive behaviors did not decrease when receiving either intervention. Similarly, students' prosocial behaviors did not increase when receiving either intervention. Low implementation integrity may have contributed to the lack of intervention effects.