Date of Award
9-2016
Culminating Project Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Applied Behavior Analysis: M.S.
Department
Community Psychology, Counseling and Family Therapy
College
School of Health and Human Services
First Advisor
Dr. Kimberly Schulze
Second Advisor
Dr. Eric Rudrud
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Keywords and Subject Headings
group contingencies, interdependent group contingencies, autism spectrum disorder, independent group contingency, classroom, behavioral problems
Abstract
Inclusion of students with disabilities in regular classrooms has raised wide interest from educators (National Center for Learning Disabilities, 2014). Researchers have studied different contingency systems so that students with disabilities and students that engage in high rates of disruptive behaviors succeed in regular classrooms (Barrish, Saunders, & Wolf, 1969; Donaldson, Vollmer, Krous, Downs, & Berard, 2011; Greenwood, Hops, Delquadri, & Guild, 1974). Of the reinforcement contingencies, group reinforcement contingencies are more commonly used mainly due to their economic feasibility and practicality, and utilization of the peer group to control and enhance classroom behavior (Litoe & Pumroy, 1975). The present study aimed to study the effectiveness of independent and interdependent group contingencies on students’ worksheet responses in a classroom. The present study found that students with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) maintained similarly high worksheet responses across both academic subjects and types of group contingencies. The group contingencies appeared to be equally effective. However, more students preferred the interdependent group contingency for all sessions during the choice conditions for both academic subjects.
Recommended Citation
Lai, Ching Christy, "The Effect of Group Contingencies on Students' Behavioral Problems in a Classroom" (2016). Culminating Projects in Community Psychology, Counseling and Family Therapy. 20.
https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/cpcf_etds/20
Comments/Acknowledgements
I would like to express my utmost gratitude to my advisor, Dr. Kim Schulze, and my committee member, Dr. Eric Rudrud. Without your time and guidance, this study would not have gone so smoothly. Thank you for always trying to make our Skype meetings happen despite our time difference. Your constructive feedback and thoughts have always inspired me.
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank my agency director and my supervisor for the Little Learners program at Autism Partnership Hong Kong, Mr. Toby Mountjoy. Thank you for taking the time to meet with me to provide me with some helpful inputs and supporting my project.
Thanks to my amazing observers for spending the extra time on reviewing the videos and recording the data, and, most importantly, the positivity and support that you have given me.
Without you all, it would be impossible for me to come this far, presenting one of my proudest work.