Daniel H. Tingstrom

The good behavior game: 1969-2002.

The Good Behavior Game (GBG), a type of interdependent group-oriented contingency management procedure, was first introduced in 1969 and has been used with overwhelming success in classrooms and other settings. Since its inception, the “game” has utilized team competition and peer influence combined with reinforcement procedures. It has been found to be popular, easy-to-use, time-efficient, and widely applicable and versatile. This review describes the game and its numerous variations and adaptations, as well as empirical findings specific to the variety of target behaviors and participants to which it has been applied. In addition, different types of reinforcers used, information on consumer acceptance, and issues related to implementation are considered.

Increasing Appropriate Social Interactions of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders Using Social Stories

To date there are more than one dozen studies that validate the use of Social Stories™ as an effective behavioral intervention. Many of these studies focused on decreasing inappropriate behaviors (e.g., aggression, screaming, and grabbing toys), and most combined Social Stories With another intervention. The present study used a multiple baseline design across participants to investigate the effectiveness of Social Stories When used as a sole intervention to increase the appropriate social interactions of 3 children With autism spectrum disorders toWard peers both With and Without disabilities. During baseline, participants demonstrated feW appropriate social interactions, although all had some functional expressive language. An increase in appropriate social interactions occurred for 2 of the participants after the intervention Was implemented. These findings suggest that Social Stories may be effective for some children With autism spectrum disorders; hoWever, the population they best serve has not yet been fully identified.

Siblings of Children with disabilities: Psychological and behavioural characteristics

Abstract The purpose of the current study was to assess the behavioural and psychological characteristics of siblings of children with disabilities and the perceptions of parents and children regarding sibling relationships. Participants included 32 children between 6 and 13 years of age, one-half with a younger sibling with a disability and one-half with a younger sibling without a disability. Analyses revealed a difference in childrens perceptions of maternal partiality, with siblings of children with disabilities perceiving their mothers to be more partial to their siblings than did siblings of children without disabilities. Further, parents of children with disabilities indicated a greater difference in status/power between their child and his/her younger sibling than did parents of children without disabilities. No significant differences were found between groups on measures of behaviour problems, social competence, or self-esteem, supporting other research that has failed to find negative outcomes...

Increasing acceptability of alternative behavioral interventions through education

The extent to which information provided within the context of regular coursework affects acceptability ratings by prospective teachers of four common behavioral interventions (DRI, home-based reinforcement, ignoring, and time-out) was investigated. General learning principles as well as information about the specific interventions were covered in an educational psychology class (experimental group, n = 34), while control subjects (n = 39) did not receive these lectures. Prelecture acceptability ratings showed no differences between experimental subjects and controls, while postlecture ratings indicated significant increases in acceptability of all interventions except DRI for the experimental group. No increases were evidenced for control subjects. Implications for trainers and consultants are discussed.

Effective Instruction Delivery and Time-In: Positive Procedures for Achieving Child Compliance.

ABSTRACT The purpose of the study was to assess whether increases in compliance could be obtained in a clinic setting by using only positive procedures such as effective instruction delivery (EID) and time-in (TI). Participants were from a university-based school psychology clinic who had percentages of compliance to first-time-presented instructions of 40% or less. Each parent, trained to implement EID and TI, was assessed using a multiple baseline crossover design. Both EID and TI alone achieved increases in compliance over baseline levels and additional increases were observed when the two procedures were combined. Implications of the present use of positive behavior management procedures in the treatment of noncompliance are discussed.

An empirical investigation of time-out with and without escape extinction to treat escape-maintained noncompliance.

The present study evaluates the effectiveness of two time-out (TO) procedures in reducing escape-maintained noncompliance of 4 children. Noncompliant behavioral function was established via a functional assessment (FA), including indirect and direct descriptive procedures and brief confirmatory experimental analyses. Following FA, parents were taught to consequate noncompliance with two different TO procedures, one without and one with escape extinction following TO release. Although results indicate TO without escape extinction is effective in increasing compliance above baseline levels, more optimal levels of compliance were obtained for all 4 children when escape extinction was added to the TO procedures already in place. Results indicate efficacy of TO with escape extinction when applied to escape-maintained noncompliance and are discussed as an initial example of the successful application of TO to behaviors maintained by negative reinforcement.

Accuracy of Long Momentary Time-Sampling Intervals: Implications for Classroom Data Collection

The accuracy of various momentary time-sampling (MTS) interval lengths in estimating continuous measures of behavior and the implications for classroom data collection procedures were examined. Continuous interval recording records were simulated to provide standards against which to assess MTS interval lengths of 30 seconds and 5, 10, and 20 minutes. Standards were constructed to simulate behavior that occurred during 20%, 40%, 60%, and 80% of the total intervals observed. Each MTS percent occurrence estimate was compared to the percent occurrence represented by the standard. The data revealed that short MTS interval lengths were more accurate and that level of percent occurrence did not differentially affect MTS estimates. The ability of MTS to reflect increasing and decreasing behavior trends and the interaction of MTS interval lengths with various percent occurrence levels also were examined.

The Effects of the Good Behavior Game With General-Education High School Students

Abstract. The purpose of the present study was to extend previous research by evaluating the effect of the interdependent group contingency procedure known as the Good Behavior Game (GBG) on decreasing disruptive behaviors with general-education high school students. Although many studies exist that have used the GBG to alter behaviors across ages ranging from preschool to adulthood, few studies exist in which the GBG has been used in general-education high school classrooms. The present study used separate ABAB withdrawal designs in three classrooms, with withdrawal and reimplementation in two of the classrooms. All three classrooms demonstrated large effect sizes with clear and substantial decreases in disruptive behaviors during the intervention phases. Teachers found the intervention acceptable, supporting the use of a modified version of the GBG in high school classrooms. Students found it generally acceptable as well, though with some reservations regarding certain aspects of the procedure.

Positive Antecedent and Consequent Components in Child Compliance Training.

This study evaluates the effects of positive antecedent (effective instruction delivery and time-in) and consequent components (contingent praise) on the compliance of 4 children in a clinic setting. Results suggest that the use of effective instruction delivery alone increased compliance above baseline levels for the 4 children and that the additions of time-in and contingent praise further increased compliance for 3 of the 4 children. All three positive treatment components resulted in compliance greater than 80% for all children. Compliance levels were maintained at 1-month follow-up for 2 children. Results are discussed in terms of the benefits to using all of the positive components in compliance training.

Effects of tootling on classwide disruptive and appropriate behavior of upper-elementary students.

The current study assessed the effects of a positive peer reporting procedure known as Tootling on classwide disruptive as well as appropriate behavior with fourth- and fifth-grade students and their teachers in two regular education classrooms. Tootling is a technique that teaches students to recognize and report peers’ prosocial behavior rather than inappropriate behavior (i.e., as in tattling), and is also a variation on the expression, “tooting your own horn.” Tootling combined with an interdependent group contingency and publicly posted feedback were assessed using an ABAB withdrawal design with a multiple baseline element across classrooms. Results demonstrated decreases in classwide disruptive behavior as well as increases in appropriate behavior compared with baseline and withdrawal phases across both classrooms, with results maintained at follow-up. Tootling was also rated highly acceptable by both teachers. Effect size calculations reflected moderate to strong effects across all comparisons. Limitations of the present study, directions for future research, and implications for practice are discussed.