Interdependent Group Contingency Research Articles

Effects of the Good Behaviour Game on the Behaviour of Students with Mild Intellectual Disabilities in Physical Education Settings

ABSTRACT The Good Behaviour Game (GBG) is an interdependent group contingency intervention, previously shown to be effective in managing students’ behaviour across several studies. An ABAB withdrawal design was implemented to examine the effects of the GBG on the engagement and disruptive behaviours of 12 students diagnosed principally with a mild intellectual disability (Mage = 7.83 ± 0.83 years) enrolled in two self-contained physical education classes. The first phase of the intervention was carried out from November 27th until Janvier 25th and the second phase took place from April 2nd to May 10th. Video recordings of all sessions were directly observed and analysed using a code unit grid. The collected data were subjected to inferential statistical analysis. Results showed a significant increase in engagement and a decrease in disruptive behaviours during the B1 conditions compared to the baseline A1 for both class ‘A’ and ‘B’ (p < 0.001). Similarly, there was a significant increase in engagement and a decrease in disruptive behaviours during the B2 conditions compared to both the A2 and A1 baselines (p < 0.001). Overall, this study demonstrates the effectiveness of the GBG as an intervention for promoting engagement and reducing disruptive behaviours when implemented in physical education settings with students diagnosed with mild intellectual disabilities.

Technology-Supported Implementation of an Interdependent Group Contingency Intervention for Classroom Behavior Management

The Good Behavior Game (GBG) is an interdependent group-oriented contingency management system successfully used in school settings to promote positive student behaviors. As a classroom management intervention, there is a large body of evidence for it increasing desirable classroom behaviors and decreasing problem behaviors across a range of student populations. Recent studies have also demonstrated that a positive reinforcement-focused version of the GBG can be successfully implemented using a software application. The purpose of this article is to provide a brief overview of the GBG and its evidence base and describe the steps for implementing the GBG with a freely available software application for classroom management.

Improving Secondary Student Classroom Behavior With an IGC

It is important classroom teachers have efficient tools to support student demonstration of expected classroom behaviors as contextually inappropriate behavior can impede learning. This is of particular importance in secondary settings given overreliance on punitive strategies (e.g., suspension). Interdependent group contingencies have been shown to be effective with students and can be efficiently integrated into existing classroom management systems. In this article, we provide a process to support practitioners in developing an interdependent group contingency for their secondary classrooms. Steps and considerations for adolescent learners with diverse characteristics are provided to support teacher implementation.

Differential Reinforcement of Low Frequency Behavior as an Interdependent Group Contingency for Children Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

An ABAB reversal design was employed to evaluate the effect of differential reinforcement of low (DRL) frequency behavior as an interdependent group contingency on the frequency of vocal disruptions of five males, 6-14-years old, diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder. The results showed lower frequencies of vocal disruptions during intervention conditions as compared to baseline conditions; the combination of DRL and interdependent group contingency was effective at reducing the target behavior from baseline levels. Implications of concurrent interventions for the applied setting are discussed.

Reaching Out to Group Contingencies in the ESL Classroom

The most significant task for a teacher is to keep students engaged in the classroom. Teachers can use group contingencies like independent, dependent, and interdependent to assist students in being more involved in classroom tasks. This study identifies the effects of group contingencies in regulating students' engagement in ESL classroom tasks. Samples comprise 27 Form 4 mixed-ability students from a secondary school in Selangor, Malaysia. The research used a mixed-method approach that included both quantitative and qualitative methods. The findings revealed positive motivation, task retention, and teamwork promotion outcomes. Student behaviour was found to have a detrimental impact, particularly among the weaker students, who were boisterous and essentially riders. Interdependent group contingency has been determined to be the most successful method for regulating student engagement in ESL classes. This study suggests that students be divided into interdependent groups to ensure that classroom evaluations be done independently within the allotted time. It also has a good impact on the students' motivation and teamwork.

Using a Tootling intervention to sequentially enhance and maintain at-risk elementary students' performance of multiple social skills.

The present study was designed to extend research on supplementing social skills training (SST) with a Tootling intervention to enhance student performance of social skills in authentic social contexts. The Tootling intervention included an interdependent group contingency with randomly selected criteria, which involved the after-school class receiving rewards contingent upon students reporting classmates' performance of prosocial behaviors as they participated in a typical school activity. First, reinforcement was delivered contingent upon peer reports of classmates' giving compliments. In subsequent phases, peer reports of classmates providing encouragement and saying thank you were added to the contingency, but each day students did not know which of these behaviors was selected as the criterion for reinforcement. Results from our multiple baseline across behaviors design provided three demonstrations of a treatment effect. When peer reports of each social skill were added to the contingency, the targeted social behavior increased. Discussion focuses on supplementing SST with Tootling interventions to enhance student performance of prosocial behaviors outside the SST context. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

A Group Contingency to Increase Walking Speed At a Residential Summer Camp

Groups of children often transition between activity spaces in both academic and recreational settings. In schools, children may be asked to walk as a group between the classroom and spaces such as a cafeteria and playground whereas summer camps similarly use different spaces for separate activities throughout a scheduled day. Interdependent group contingencies have previously addressed school-based transitions (e.g., timely transitions game); however, limited research has applied similar interventions to recreational settings such as summer camps. An ABAB design was used to evaluate an interdependent group contingency with visual feedback to increase walking speed between activities across one group of seven 10- to 11-year-old boys at a residential summer camp. The results showed that the intervention was effective to increase the average speed walking, in feet per second, for the group of boys. Further, there were high rates of intervention fidelity, and acceptability among camp counselors.

Effects of an Interdependent Group Contingency Aimed at Encouraging “Tootling” in Regular Elementary School Classes

Effects of an Interdependent Group Contingency Aimed at Encouraging “Tootling” in Regular Elementary School Classes

Using Cooperative Physical Activities in Inclusive Settings to Enhance Social Interactions for Preschoolers With Autism Spectrum Disorder in China

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effects of cooperative physical activities on social interactions of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in China. Cooperative physical activities include procedures such as peer selection, peer practice, group task completion, and an interdependent group contingency. The intervention took place during inclusive physical education (PE) classes. Generalization of interactions with peers was evaluated during free play. Three preschool boys (ages 4–5 yrs) with ASD participated in the study, which used a multiple baseline design across the participants. Results indicated that the procedure effectively increased the frequency of appropriate peer interactions for all three children in the PE and free play settings. Although the frequency of inappropriate interactions increased after the intervention in both settings, the proportion of inappropriate interactions relative to appropriate interactions decreased for two children in the PE setting and for all three children in the free play setting.

Using brief habit reversal and an interdependent group contingency to reduce public-speaking speech disfluencies.

This study replicated and extended previous research on the effectiveness of brief habit reversal, consisting of awareness training and competing response training (silent pause) in reducing the rate of speech disfluencies during public speaking. Nine university students, divided into 3 groups, delivered short speeches on a novel topic. Brief habit reversal combined with an interdependent group contingency resulted in a meaningful reduction in speech disfluencies with only 1 group requiring booster sessions. Relative to baseline, competing responses increased for all participants but only remained high for 1 participant following training. Reductions in speech disfluencies maintained during follow-up when participants presented in front of a small audience.

Effect of Group Contingency Type on Walking: Comparisons of Effectiveness and Cost Efficiency.

Group contingency (GC) is an effective and cost-efficient strategy that can be successfully applied to technology-based interventions. This study examined the relative effectiveness and cost efficiency of three types of technology-based group contingencies on walking among adults. Seventy two students were divided into teams of three. Each team was randomly assigned to one of three GC conditions (independent, interdependent, or dependent) and underwent 66 days of technology-based group contingency intervention. Sixty five participants completed the intervention and 61 completed the follow-up assessment 2 months later. Step counts and self-reported walking activity increased after the intervention under all three conditions. The proportion of participants that met the target step counts was significantly higher under the dependent group contingency condition. However, 2 months later, intervention effects were not maintained under any condition. For cost efficiency, the increase in step count per point was significantly higher under the interdependent group contingency condition. Group cohesion and social validity (point satisfaction and point utility) were significantly higher under the dependent group contingency condition. Finally, the clinical implications and limitations of this study are discussed.

Are functionally identified reinforcers more effective in interdependent group contingencies?

ABSTRACT Both function-based interventions and group contingency strategies have been used by behavior analysts for multiple decades to both promote desired behavior and reduce challenging behavior. The current study assessed the comparative impact on off-task behavior of students with mild to moderate intellectual disabilities of interdependent group contingencies employing either function-matched or nonfunction-matched reinforcers during academic work periods. The results demonstrated that both versions had a positive impact in reducing off-task behavior, with some indication that the function-matched reinforcer condition may have been somewhat more effective. Limitations of the study are discussed along with suggestions for future research in this area.

Игра «Хорошее поведение»: история и современные тренды

The Good Behavior Game is a behavioral procedure aimed to change the behavior of all members of the student group through an interdependent group contingency. Since the middle of 60s years of XX century the Game is used in primary school and preschool groups, as well as in the secondary and high school, in different cultural contexts and in the context of inclusive education also. In presented paper the following points are reflected: the history of the development of the procedure, typical options for conducting, possible categories of participants, types of the aimed behavior, studies of the effectiveness of the Game usage and the factors influencing it. The paper includes step-by-step description of the one of the possible ways of conducting the procedure. Special attention is paid to the issue of using the Game in groups, which include students with autism. The existing precedents are analyzed. The theoretical perspectives for conducting the Game in such conditions are discussed including methodological base and the match between the procedure and cognitive features, which are often found in people with ASD.

Игра «Хорошее поведение»: история и современные тренды. Часть 2

The Good Behavior Game is a procedure aimed to change the behavior of all members of the student group through an interdependent group contingency. The issues regarding maintenance and generalization of the changes, produced by the Game, including possible support tactics and generalization tactics are discussed in present paper. The cross-cultural aspects of the application of the procedure are also described, as well as the information about what kind of reaction the application of the procedure evokes in teachers and what changes occur in their behavior. Some possible modifications of the procedure are presented, among which are the Caught Being Good Game, the Good Inclusion Game and the Good Student Game.

The Lunchroom Behavior Game: A Single-Case Design Conceptual Replication

Inappropriate behaviors often occur in non-classroom settings, such as lunchrooms, due to the increased volume of students with fewer supervising adults. As such, there is a need for effective and efficient behavior management interventions that can be implemented in these environments. To address frequent disruptions in an urban elementary lunchroom, McCurdy et al. (J Sch Psychol 47:39–54, 2009) developed a team-based interdependent group contingency called the Lunchroom Behavior Game (LBG) and observed decreased disruptions, while staff and students found the intervention highly acceptable. Given this success, we replicated the LBG in an elementary school in a mid-sized Southeastern city. LBG implementation was staggered across three lunch periods using a multiple-baseline design across subjects. The rate of disruptive behaviors decreased in all lunches following LBG implementation and remained at lower levels during maintenance observations; however, implementation fidelity and student acceptability were low. Specific implementation issues encountered and recommendations for future research are discussed.

Interdependent Group Rewards: Rewarding On-Task Behavior Versus Academic Performance in an Eighth-Grade Classroom Serving Students With Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

An alternating treatments design was used to evaluate and compare the effects of two interdependent group contingencies on the academic performance, on-task behavior, and disruptive behavior of eighth-grade students in a social studies class. All students were enrolled in a self-contained alternative school for students with behavior problems. Delivering rewards contingent upon participants’ average percent correct enhanced on-task behavior and percent correct on independent seatwork assignments; however, delivering rewards contingent upon participants’ on-task behavior yielded more consistent and larger increases in percent correct and on-task behavior. Neither group contingency resulted in consistent or meaningful changes in disruptive behavior. Theoretical and applied implications related to direct and indirect effects of interdependent group rewards are discussed along with directions for future research.

Improving Reciprocal Conversation and Social Preference of Children With Autism

Individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) often have difficulties initiating and maintaining reciprocal conversations with others. In this study, we examined if an interdependent group contingency would improve reciprocal conversation of children with ASD when they were paired as conversational partners. We also assessed children’s social preference through their choices between spending time with their peers or by themselves. In a multiple-baseline design, we found that the group contingency immediately produced independent reciprocal conversational responses, sustained conversational exchanges, and increased preference for peers across all participants. Improvements were further maintained even after the group contingency was removed and novel peers were introduced.

Using Delay Fading Procedures to Increase Self-Control

ABSTRACT Children and adolescents, relative to adults, disproportionately favor smaller, immediate outcomes over larger, delayed outcomes. From a behavioral perspective, this sensitivity toward immediate rewards constitutes impulsive choice, which characterizes numerous behavioral health problems commonly observed during childhood (particularly among individuals with neurobehavioral disabilities). Accordingly, a variety of behavioral technologies have been developed and are widely implemented in applied settings (e.g., self-monitoring programs, interdependent group contingencies, individualized token reinforcement programs) to reduce impulsive responding and promote self-control. Although there is a plethora of research literature detailing these interventions, several promising delay fading procedures may also have clinical utility in applied treatment contexts. The purpose of the present review is to highlight contemporary behavior-analytic research involving delay fading procedures that may increase self-control among children and adolescents and facilitate additional research in the area of self-control.

Effects of Obtrusive Observation and Rules on Classroom Behavior of Adolescents in a Juvenile Residential Treatment Setting.

Several studies have used interdependent group contingencies to decrease disruptive behavior and increase appropriate behavior for groups of adolescents. In addition, one study demonstrated that rules plus feedback about rule violations, without additional group contingencies, decreased problem behavior and increased appropriate behavior for adolescents in three classrooms within a residential juvenile facility. Given the rapid behavior change observed in the aforementioned study, it is possible behavior changes were produced by reactivity to obtrusive observation from program implementers. To address this question, we used two A-B designs in conjunction with the conservative dual-criterion (CDC) method to evaluate the extent to which obtrusive observation alone and rules, without systematic consequences, decreased problem behaviors in two classrooms within a residential juvenile facility. Results from visual and CDC analyses indicate that (a) obtrusive observation did not affect problem behavior in either classroom and (b) rules decreased problem behavior in both classrooms and increased appropriate behavior in one classroom. In addition, a measure of social validity indicated that the procedures and outcomes were acceptable to the classroom teacher.

Evaluating adult interaction during the Step It UP! game to increase physical activity in children.

A recent intervention, the Step it UP! game (Galbraith & Normand, 2017), consists of an interdependent group contingency to increase student physical activity. In addition, previous research demonstrated that adult interaction may reinforce physical activity (Larson et al., 2014). We extended research on the Step it UP! game by comparing the effects of no game, Step it UP! game, and Step it UP! game plus adult interaction on the number of steps taken by participants in a third-grade classroom during recess. Overall, 19 of the 25 participants took more steps during the Step it UP! game plus adult interaction compared to the Step it UP! game and no-game recesses. Furthermore, 20 participants preferred the Step it UP! game plus adult interaction. Results suggest that adult interaction can enhance the effects of the Step it UP! game to increase physical activity.