Richard P. West

Teacher Presentation Rate and Point Delivery Rate Effects on Classroom Disruption,Performance Accuracy, and Response Rate

In a class of five disruptive students, the effects of teacher presentation rate of academic response opportunities and point delivery were assessed on classroom disruption, performance accuracy, and student response rate. Two levels of teacher presentation rate were paired with two point delivery rates resulting in four treatment conditions: high point rate/fast presentation; high point rate/slow presentation; low point rate/fast presentation; low point rate/ slow presentation. Using a multielement design, it was demonstrated that the fast presentation rate was associated with significantly less disruptive behavior than the slow presentation rate. Point delivery had little effect. For some subjects the slow presentation rate was associated with higher student performance accuracy, although the fast presentation rate produced high overall rates of correct performance.

Teaching Behaviorally Disordered Adolescents to Use Self-Management Skills for Improving the Completeness, Accuracy, and Neatness of Creative Writing Assignments

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a self-management procedure known as WATCH that was designed to teach adolescents with learning and behavior problems to improve the completeness, accuracy, and neatness of their creative writing homework assignments. The procedure was based on four strategies: teaching students the fundamentals of behavior change, teaching students to use self-instruction, teaching students to set goals and implement plans to achieve those goals, and teaching students to accurately evaluate their work. Two high school students who were classified as behaviorally disordered were taught to develop plans for completing their creative writing homework assignments, and to evaluate the completeness, accuracy, and neatness of their assignments. A multiple baseline design across students was used to determine if improvements in the completeness, accuracy, and neatness of homework assignments were associated with the use of the procedure. Data show that the completeness, accuracy, and neatness of creative writing assignments increased for both students following training in the use of the WATCH procedure.

Improving Behavior through Differential Reinforcement: A Praise Note System for Elementary School Students

Schools are often in need of low-cost, high-impact strategies to improve student behavior in school common areas. While many behavior management programs exist, there are few resources available to guide the implementation of these programs and ensure they are grounded in evidence-based strategies. Therefore, the current study had two primary purposes: first, to demonstrate the effectiveness of a simple behavior management system, and second, to begin the process of providing some guidance for the application of similar systems. The study used a differential reinforcement of incompatible behavior (DRI) procedure in a multiple-baseline design across three target behaviors to decrease inappropriate and increase appropriate behaviors in an elementary school lunchroom. The intervention consisted of 1) teaching specific appropriate behaviors 2) providing opportunities for students to practice skills, and 3) implementing a Praise Note system to reward students for behaving appropriately. Students were taught appropriate behaviors, and the school staff was trained to recognize and reward students who kept the lunchroom clean, sat appropriately in their seats, and walked in the lunchroom. Data show significant decreases for each of three target behaviors. The average amount of litter left in the lunchroom decreased by 96%, the average number of instances of sitting inappropriately decreased by 64%, and the average number of instances of running in the lunchroom decreased by 75%. Beyond contributing to the effective intervention strategies available to reduce problem behaviors in common areas, this research also provide much needed guidance for effectively implementing the necessary components of a Praise Note system, namely, program intensity, and delivery.

Sexting among peruvian adolescents

BackgroundSexting (sexual messaging via mobile devices) among adolescents may result in increased risky sexual practices, psychological distress and in some cases, suicide. There is very little research on sexting in developing nations, such as Peru. In particular, little is known about gender differences in the correlates of sexting. The purpose of this study was to determine the sexting prevalence and correlates of sexting among adolescent boys and girls in Cusco, Peru.MethodsThe study sample comprised 949 high school aged adolescents from Cusco, Peru. Adolescents responded to questions about demographics, sexting behavior, and risk/protective factors. Separate regression models were constructed to compare correlates of sexting for boys and sexting for girls.ResultsTwenty percent of the sample reported engaging in at least one instance of sexting. Boys reported higher rates of sexting than girls (35.17% vs. 13.19%, p = 0.000). Significant correlates for girls’ sexting included having been cyberbullied and parental factors. For boys, hypertexting, fighting, parental factors, and parental rules about sexting were significant.ConclusionsPeruvian health officials with an interest in reducing the effects of sexting among adolescents may choose to target boys differently than girls. These efforts may include advising parents to set clear rules and expectations about sexting and the appropriate use of mobile devices.

Peer-Facilitated Discrete Trial Training for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

In 2 studies, we evaluated the feasibility and efficacy of peer-mediated, school-based discrete trial training (DTT) for students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In the first, 6 typically developing elementary-age students were trained to use DTT procedures to teach target academic skills to 3 students with ASD who had been educated in a self-contained setting. A multiple probe-across-tutors design was applied to evaluate the accuracy with which the tutors implemented the DTT protocol. Results of the study indicated that training was effective in increasing the integrity of implementation of the DTT protocol. In addition, improvements in integrity were maintained following termination of training. To assess the effectiveness of the ability of previously untrained tutors to teach new, target behaviors to different children with ASD, a second study was conducted. Five of the 6 tutors taught 2 or 3 skills in a multiple probe fashion to children with ASD whom they had not previously tutored. Results suggest that peer tutors effectively generalized skills, as shown by participants with ASD who demonstrated rapid improvements in level and trend of target behaviors. Observations of social engagement during unstructured periods were conducted prior to and following intervention as a measure of social validity. Substantial increases in duration of engagement were noted, suggesting that peer-mediated DTT may result in meaningful improvements in both academic skills and inclusion with peers. (PsycINFO Database Record