Increase In Prosocial Behavior Research Articles

Civil War, Social Capital and Market Development: Experimental and Survey Evidence on the Negative Consequences of Violence

Recent studies have reported surprising increases in pro-social behavior following exposure to conflict. However, our research provides cautionary evidence of some important detrimental effects of conflict hidden within an overall trend toward increasing certain pro-social preferences. We draw our inferences from experimental and survey evidence we collected from a random sample in post-war Tajikistan. More than a decade after the civil war, which was characterized by insurgency and community infighting, exposure to conflict has opened a significant gap between norms people apply to others in their local communities compared to distant others. Our results show how conflict exposure undermines trust and fairness within local communities, decreases the willingness to engage in impersonal exchange, and reinforces kinship-based norms of morality. The robustness of the results to the use of pre-war controls, village fixed effects and alternative samples suggests that selection into victimization is unlikely to be the factor driving the results.

Effects of Positive Peer Reporting (PPR) on Social Acceptance and Negative Behaviors Among Peer-Rejected Preschool Children

Positive peer reporting (PPR) is a peer-mediated intervention that involves teaching and rewarding peers for providing descriptive praise during structured daily sessions. PPR has been used in residential facilities to improve social acceptance, increase prosocial behaviors, and decrease negative interactions of youth identified as peer rejected. Few studies have evaluated the use of PPR in general education classrooms with younger students. The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the effectiveness of PPR with preschool children. PPR was implemented in Head Start classrooms in order to evaluate its effectiveness in improving social acceptance and decreasing negative behaviors of three children who were identified as being peer rejected. An ABA multiple-baseline, across-participants design with a followup probe was used to evaluate the effectiveness of PPR. For 2 of the 3 children, PPR reduced the negative behaviors in the classroom setting. One week of PPR also increased the social acceptance ratings of 1 of the 3 children with a moderate effect size. The findings suggest that PPR may be a time-efficient and promising intervention to improve peer relations in preschool settings.

Programação de contingências reforçadoras no fortalecimento de repertórios pró-sociais no contexto escolar.

O presente estudo investigou o efeito de contingências reforçadoras sobre o aumento de comportamentos pró-sociais dos alunos no contexto escolar. O Behaviorismo Radical dispõe de um arsenal poderoso para contribuir na melhoria da Educação. Destaca-se o princípio do reforçamento positivo. Vinte alunos, três professores/monitores e a coordenadora participaram desse estudo nas seguintes condições experimentais: Linha de Base e Intervenção - exposição de princípios derivados da Análise do Comportamento aos professores/monitores, coordenadora e realização de atividades destacando comportamentos pró-sociais com os alunos. Os resultados indicaram redução na freqüência de comportamentos anti-sociais, aumento na freqüência de comportamentos pró-sociais, maior participação dos alunos nas atividades programadas pela instituição e redução na freqüência do uso do controle aversivo pelos professores/monitores, sustentando que as contingências reforçadoras foram eficazes no fortalecimento de comportamentos pró-sociais.

Behavior Modification of Aggressive Children in Child Welfare

Children and adolescents with aggressive disorders are prevalent in child welfare settings. Therefore, the assumption is that child welfare services would benefit from a cognitive-behavioral intervention. This study investigates whether implementation of the training with aggressive children (TAC) could improve the outcome of child welfare. Twelve children (average age 10 years), diagnosed with an oppositional defiant disorder or a conduct disorder, are treated either with a child welfare program or with a combined intervention of child welfare program and TAC. Before and immediately after completion of the combined treatment, parent and teacher ratings are collected. Parents report children participating in child welfare and TAC to show a stronger decline in social and conduct problems as well as a clearer increase in prosocial behavior. Teachers see a better improvement in social problems and tended to report a decrease in aggressive behavior. Results confirm that the TAC can enhance effects of a child welfare program.

Do Reinforcement and Induction Increase Prosocial Behavior? Results of a Teacher-Based Intervention in Preschools

Teachers were trained to use reinforcement and induction to increase prosocial behavior in a sample of 98 children in Head Start-affiliated preschools, using a peer coaching model. There was one control group and three intervention groups: reinforcement-only, induction-only, and reinforcement-and-induction. Results indicated that the intervention groups showed a significant increase in total classroom prosocial behavior compared to the control group. The induction-only group increased dramatically in affection. The reinforcement-only group increased more in helping, sharing, and cooperation than in affection and comforting. Teacher behaviors in the classroom did not reflect conclusively that they were using the intervention strategies, possibly due to inadequate measurement.

Evaluation of two interventions to reduce aggressive and antisocial behavior in first and second graders in a resource-poor setting

We conducted a three-arm cluster randomized controlled trial ( n = 2491) to evaluate a teacher delivered intervention to reduce aggressive and antisocial behavior and increase prosocial behavior in the classroom. A second aim of this trial was to establish whether combining this intervention with an intervention for parents was better than the teacher-only intervention. This evaluation was conducted in a resource-poor setting (Pereira, Colombia). The findings show that both interventions prevented increases in aggressive and antisocial behavior. However, the teacher-only intervention also had a positive impact on increasing prosocial behavior.

Enhancing Effects of Check-in/Check-out with Function-Based Support

Targeted interventions (also called Tier 2 interventions or secondary interventions) are implemented within a comprehensive three-tiered system of support consisting of universal interventions (for all students), targeted interventions (for students exhibiting mild behavioral difficulties), and intensive interventions (for students requiring individualized support). Check-in/check-out is a targeted intervention designed to reduce incidences of disruptive behavior and increase prosocial behavior. Although check-in/check-out has been shown to be effective in a number of published articles, studies are still needed documenting (a) the utility of this intervention when implemented by educators as part of the larger school system of support and (b) guidelines for increasing the likelihood the intervention is matched to students most likely to benefit. In the current study, the authors address both of these needs by evaluating effects of a school's implementation of check-in/check-out with two typically developing students in the school. When the intervention did not produce significant effects, the authors modified the intervention slightly based on outcomes of functional behavior assessments conducted prior to beginning the intervention; this resulted in positive outcomes for both students. These results demonstrate the utility of considering the function of problem behavior prior to implementing a targeted intervention such as check-in/check-out. Implications for other targeted interventions are discussed.

Avaliação dos efeitos de uma modalidade de treinamento de habilidades sociais para crianças

This article describes the effects of a social skills training on prosocial behavior, self concept, and peers acceptance, in three children: P.1, female, 9 years old, aggressive behavior and difficulty of learning; P.2, male, 7 years old, aggressive behavior; P.3, male, 13 years old, extremely shy, difficulty in learning, The program was cognitive behavioral based and was conducted in group, in 20 sessions. The evaluation of the results done through children, peers and parents' reports showed an increase in prosocial behavior and positive changes in self concept and peers judgment. Future programs to children with learning difficulties should expand the social skills training to the school environment.

Associations between family relationships and symptoms/strengths at kindergarten age: what is the role of children's parental representations?

The quality of the family relationships plays an important role in the development of children's psychopathology and in their socio-emotional development. This longitudinal study aims to investigate whether family relationships are related to children's symptoms/strengths at kindergarten, and whether family relationships are predictors of changes in children's symptoms/strengths between 5 and 6. Our main interest is to examine the role of children's parental representations. One hundred and fifty-three kindergarten children (67 girls, 86 boys) participated in this study. Children's parental representations were assessed using a story stem task (age 5). The family environment was assessed using parents' ratings (age 5). A multi-informant approach (parent, teacher, child) was employed to assess children's symptoms/strengths at 5 and 6. Children were interviewed using a standardised puppet interview. Parents and teachers completed questionnaires. Children's parental representations as well as the family environment were associated with children's symptoms/strengths at 5 and 6. When controlled for gender, children's representations were the only predictor of changes in symptoms/strengths between 5 and 6. A large number of negative parental representations at 5 predicted an increase in conduct problems. A large number of positive parental representations at 5 predicted an increase in pro-social behaviour. In terms of emotional symptoms and hyperactivity/inattention, symptoms at 5 were the only predictor for symptoms one year later. Our results suggest that kindergarten children's narrative representations may elaborate the processes underlying the expression of child disturbance and strengths, and underline the relevance of the play and narration of young children for diagnostics and therapy.

Examining the effects of teacher and self-evaluation of disruptive behavior via school-home notes for two young children in kindergarten.

Abstract This study replicates and extends previous research in the area of managing the disruptive classroom behavior of young children. The effectiveness of teacher and self-evaluation through school-home notes was explored. A combination self-evaluation and school-home note procedure was implemented with two kindergarten boys. A single-subject reversal design was used to analyze direct observations of disruptive behavior. Results indicated a decrease in disruptive behavior associated with the intervention. The intervention procedures were also found to be acceptable by the teacher. The gap between evidence-based interventions and practice was addressed by implementing a combination of efficacious interventions in the participants' natural environment. Implications for practice and further research are presented. Keywords: Self-evaluation, school-home notes, classroom intervention, early childhood. ********** Children entering kindergarten are expected to be ready to learn. Teachers anticipate that children have readiness skills such as reciting the alphabet, knowing their name, and counting to at least 10. In addition, children entering kindergarten are expected to display age-appropriate social skills and appropriate classroom behavior. This includes paying attention to the teacher, sitting in their seat, and negotiating social situations with other young children. Young children with disruptive classroom behavior fail to meet the goal of entering school ready to learn. Inattention, impulsivity, aggression, noncompliance, and hyperactivity may impede the learning process for the child with disruptive behavior. Additionally, disruptive behavior may create an atmosphere that interferes with the learning of other children, and these behaviors often frustrate the classroom teacher (DuPaul, McGoey, Eckert, & Van Brakle, 2001). It is estimated that 3-5% of elementary age children are diagnosed with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, and many children with ADHD exhibit disruptive behavior in the classroom (ADHD; Barkley, 1998). Behavior management procedures have empirical support for children with ADHD and emotional and behavior disorders (DuPaul & Eckert, 1997; Pelham, Wheeler, & Chronis, 1998); however, these interventions have been primarily implemented with older elementary age children or adolescents and are often underutilized in practice (McGoey, Eckert, & DuPaul, 2000). Literature examining interventions to manage disruptive behavior of young children in the classroom have been limited in scope. Positive reinforcement, response cost, self-monitoring, and school-home note procedures have been implemented with young children, but the literature is lacking empirical support due to small sample sizes and limited replications (McGoey, et al., 2000). In addition, the interventions that have been shown to be efficacious in the scholarly literature are not always found to be as effective in classrooms (Kratochwill & Stoiber, 1999; Stoiber & Kratochwill, 1999). Therefore, applied investigations must explore the efficacy and effectiveness of classroom-based interventions (Kratochwill & Stoiber; Stoiber & Kratochwill). This lack of effective interventions for young children with disruptive behavior adds to the void between scientific research and educational practice. This study attempts to address the research to practice gap by implementing a multi-component intervention including teacher and self-evaluation via a school-home note in a kindergarten classroom. Self-management interventions have been implemented to successfully decrease disruptive behavior and increase prosocial behavior of children with emotional and behavior disorders (EBD) (DuPaul & Stoner, 2003; Mooney, Ryan, Uhingm Reid, & Epstein, 2005). Self-management techniques often require students to evaluate their own behavior, rate it on a continuum, compare that rating to the rating of the teacher, and access reinforcers for behavior meeting a pre-specified criterion. …

Profile of an aggressor: childhood bullies evolve into violent youths

Violence in schools and communities is no longer an urban school problem; it is every school’s problem (Garbarino, 1999). What factors cause children to interact with increasingly violent and anti‐social behaviors? What strategies can teachers and schools use in order to help these childhood bullies who grow up to be violent youths? This paper examines the life of Jeffrey, a fictional young man created to personalize the effects that the environment, both home and school, has on the development of anti‐social and violent behaviors. Follow Jeffrey from birth, through the early years, into middle school, and, finally, high school and observe the development of increasingly anti‐social and violent behaviors, as well as explore classroom and school interventions that may have helped Jeffrey, and others like him, learn appropriate prosocial skills. Through Jeffrey, I examine the development of anti‐social and violent behaviors at four key developmental levels and address intervention strategies and programs that have demonstrated an increase in prosocial behaviors.

PEACE Through Dance/Movement: Evaluating a Violence Prevention Program

This pilot research evaluated the use of a 12-week dance/movement therapy-based violence prevention program with 54 multicultural elementary school children, and found that it was effective in reducing aggressive behaviors. The program used a dance/movement therapy group process that focused on socialization and engagement of children in creative, problem solving experiences. Pro-social behaviors and methods of self-control were introduced using movement, children’s stories and discussion. Statistical results showed that teachers noticed a significant decrease of these behaviors in their students instigating fights, failing to calm down, frustration intolerance, and throwing articles. The children reported significant decreases of these behaviors both seen and experienced:“someone doing something wrong,” and “someone throwing something.” Significant changes in the students’ perceptions and feelings about experiencing or seeing aggression were noted in their “not feeling happy” when seeing such incidents, and their observations of handling themselves and responding in such situations showed a decrease of “feeling happy,” and a decrease in “feeling scared.” Classroom observations showed a significant decrease in the frequency of negative behaviors. However, there was not significant increase in pro-social behaviors noted. Comparative data of aggressive incidents reported to the office for classrooms participating in the program (first, second, and third grades) before and after the program were compared to data from non-participating classrooms (fourth, fifth, and sixth grades). While data showed a decrease in the number of aggressive incidents reported to the principal for the entire school, the decrease in number of incidents for participating classrooms was greater than that for those that did not participate (p < .001). Limits for the study and suggestions for future research are presented.

Teaching game-playing social skills using a self-monitoring treatment package

We examined an alternative model to social skills and social competence training through conceptualizing social skills deficits according to a dichotomous model of either (a) not possessing the necessary skill in the behavioral repertoire or (b) possessing the skill but not using it appropriately. We hypothesized that many skills deficits could be explained by the latter interpretation. Using an ABAC design we compared the use of two behavioral monitoring systems: self-monitoring and group monitoring of social skills while playing board games. The data suggest substantial increases in prosocial behaviors along with concomitant reductions in antisocial behaviors as a result of the two monitoring procedures. Data also show generalization across gaming situations and maintenance over time. Suggestions are presented for further research to isolate the role of self-regulation in social skills research. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Early Adolescence and Prosocial/Moral Behavior I:

In this introductory article, the purpose of the special issue on prosocial and moral development during early adolescence is presented. This issue is the first of two special issues and focuses on the role that individual processes play in influencing young adolescents’ prosocial and moral development. Presented also is a new meta-analysis of data on age and gender differences in prosocial behavior with particular focus on early adolescence. It was found that prosocial behavior during adolescence rarely has been studied, but that there are general increases in prosocial behavior during this time when compared with early age periods. Moreover, gender differences in prosocial behavior (favoring girls) increase during this time. A relatively short review of the individual mechanisms by which these changes occur follow. A call for more research and suggestions for future directions in this research also is provided.

Effects of Social Skills Training on an Adolescent with Comorbid Conduct Disorder and Depression

ABSTRACT The effects of a school-based social skills training program for an adolescent with comorbid conduct disorder and depression were examined. Treatment procedures consisted of a social skills training package involving the use of instruction, modeling, role-play, and performance feedback. Results indicate increases in prosocial behaviors in the treatment setting and a decrease in depression as measured by self-report and clinical interview following treatment. No significant changes were noted in teacher reports of student's social skills or sociometric ratings by classmates. Areas for future research and limitations of the study are discussed.

Effectiveness of a Violence Prevention Curriculum Among Children in Elementary School

To determine if a commonly used violence prevention curriculum, Second Step: A Violence Prevention Curriculum, leads to a reduction in aggressive behavior and an increase in prosocial behavior among elementary school students. Randomized controlled trial. Urban and suburban elementary schools in the state of Washington. Six matched pairs of schools with 790 second-grade and third-grade students. The students were 53% male and 79% white. The curriculum uses 30 specific lessons to teach social skills related to anger management, impulse control, and empathy. Aggressive and prosocial behavior changes were measured 2 weeks and 6 months after participation in the curriculum by parent and teacher reports (Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist and Teacher Report Form, the School Social Behavior Scale, and the Parent-Child Rating Scale) and by observation of a random subsample of 588 students in the classroom and playground/cafeteria settings. After adjusting for sex, age, socioeconomic status, race, academic performance, household size, and class size, change scores did not differ significantly between the intervention and control schools for any of the parent-reported or teacher-reported behavior scales. However, the behavior observations did reveal an overall decrease 2 weeks after the curriculum in physical aggression (P=.03) and an increase in neutral/prosocial behavior (P=.04) in the intervention group compared with the control group. Most effects persisted 6 months later. The Second Step violence prevention curriculum appears to lead to a moderate observed decrease in physically aggressive behavior and an increase in neutral and prosocial behavior in school.

Utilizing Functional Assessment, Behavioral Consultation and Videotape Review of Treament to Reduce Aggression

The present study examined the use of a Differential Reinforcement of Incompatible (DM) procedure paired with a response suppression procedure to decrease aggresion and increase pro-social behavior of a student with mental retardation and autism. These procedures were applied in a rural, self-contained special education program using a variation of a multiple baseline design. Data over the course of the intervention demonstrated that aggression (hitting, biting, pinching) was reduced concurrent with an increase in pro-social behaviors (apropriate social interaction, communication attempts). In addition, the results suggest, the importance of usine a functional assessment of the problem, the benefits of utilizing the school psychologist as a behavioral consultant in developing, implementing and evaluating treatment and that treatment integrity can be monitored and improved through the use of videotape review for feedback to treatment staff.

Self-Modeling with Preschoolers

A complex reversal design was used to investigate the effectiveness of self-modeling procedures in reducing aggression and noncompliance in six preschool-age children. Self-modeling was compared with peer modeling and a control condition over a ten-week period. Follow-up and maintenance of behavior change was studied, as was generalization. No positive effects were found for the selfmodeling intervention in reducing instances of aggression or noncompliance. Supplementary analysis of four subjects' data further showed no increase in prosocial behavior as a function of the self-modeling intervention.

Changes in Nonverbal Behavior of Therapists and Depressed Patients during Cognitive Therapy

Nonverbal behavior of 8 patients and 7 therapists during the first few minutes of 20 therapeutic sessions (either 2 or 3 per therapist-patient pair) was used as a baseline measure to assess whether there were systematic changes by the end of a single therapeutic session. The nonverbal behavior of both patients and therapists showed increases in prosocial behavior. Also, increases in signs of anxiety were noted in the nonverbal behavior of therapists. Significant correlations between nonverbal behavior of patients and therapists occurred for certain classes of behavior. It appears worthwhile to assess changes in nonverbal behavior during therapeutic sessions.

Sibling Interaction in the Home: A Longitudinal Study

PEPLER, DEBRnA J.; ABRAMOVITCH, RONA; and CORTER, CARL. Sibling Interaction in the Home: A Longitudinal Study. CHILD DEVELOPMENT, 1981, 52, 1844-1347. In a longitudinal follow-up study of sibling interaction, 28 pairs of same-sex siblings and 28 pairs of mixed-sex siblings were observed for 2 1-hour periods (in their homes), 18 months after the initial observations. The younger siblings averaged 38 months of age, and the age interval between siblings was either large (2.5-4 years) or small (1-2 years). The pattern of interaction remained quite stable over the 18 months separating the 2 periods of observation. Older children initiated prosocial and agonistic behavior more often, while the younger children imitated more. In addition, younger children responded more positively to prosocial behavior and submitted more often to agonism, suggesting that the younger sibling may play an important role in maintaining the interaction. Sex and interval had few effects at either time. From the initial to the follow-up observations, there was a marked increase in prosocial behavior by both the older and younger siblings. For the mixed-sex pairs, the frequency of aggression increased, while the frequency of imitation decreased over time, which suggests that sex typing may enter into early sibling interaction.