Student-Administered Group-Oriented Contingencies:

Abstract

This study introduced the student-administered group-oriented contingency intervention as a means of increasing arithmetic performance of grade-school children. Arithmetic performance and disruptive behavior were measured across a clinic and natural school setting for four underachieving fifth grade boys. The effectiveness of this intervention was assessed with an ABAB withdrawal design. Concurrent with treatment phases in the clinic setting, generalization to the school setting was evaluated. Findings indicated all four participants showed increases in arithmetic performance in the clinic during treatment phases paralleled by decreases in nontreated disruptive behavior. The first treatment phase in the clinic yielded no spontaneous setting or behavior-setting generalization. Stimuli common to the clinic setting were programmed into the school setting concurrent with the second treatment phase. This procedure resulted in setting and behavior-setting generalization. Further implications of this treatment strategy were discussed.