Noncontingent reinforcement (NCR) is an effective behavioral intervention when implemented consistently. NCR may be particularly well-suited for use in schools because of its perceived ease of use. However, previous laboratory research suggests that NCR may not maintain therapeutic effects if implemented inconsistently. Inconsistent implementation…

In 2011, the United States Congress amended and passed laws requiring states to monitor and decrease psychotropic medication use in child welfare systems. In addition to prescribers, Luna et al. "Behavior and Social Issues," 27, AA16-AA20, (2018) identified case managers, caregivers, and teachers as potential contributors to the…

Group contingencies (GCs) are an effective intervention for improving student outcomes in general education school settings but their use in alternative education has historically been limited. However, researchers have recently begun to build a substantial literature base demonstrating the potential of GCs in alternative education. This is…

Students with challenging behaviors can be some of the most vulnerable persons in educational settings when it comes to behavioral analytic practices. The potential for bias and racism influencing behavior analysis is elevated if those observing and evaluating behavior are not cognizant of cultural and societal differences. Behavior professionals…

The Good Behavior Game (GBG) and a common variation referred to as the Caught Being Good Game (CBGG) are two well-established group contingency classroom management procedures. However, there have been few comparison studies of the two procedures, and none have been conducted with students older than kindergarten or those who engage in severe…

For students exhibiting challenging behaviors that are nondangerous to others and nondisruptive to classroom activities, such as daydreaming and doodling, educators are unlikely to refer these students for more individualized and resource-intensive behavioral support. As a step towards understanding how to address these students' motivational…

Seclusion of students for challenging behavior is a dangerous and illogical practice. It is a discriminatory practice that is disproportionately used with students with disabilities, especially students with intensive emotional and behavioral needs. Furthermore, there is widespread misuse and under-reporting of the practice in schools. The authors…

Teachers' skill in fostering students' engagement and limiting disruptive behavior is important for maintaining a safe, productive, and effective learning environment. Yet, teachers lacking specific training in classroom and behavior management continue to report high levels of stress and are more likely to leave the profession (Ingersoll,…

The purpose of this literature review is to examine the research base of interventions focused on reducing bullying, aggressive, or inappropriate behavior in recess settings through behavioral-based interventions. This review extends the literature by synthesizing findings from experimental, quasi-experimental, and single-case research on the…

Inappropriate behavior on school buses is a safety issue that concerns students, parents, and educators. There is potential for traffic-related injury, and the limited adult supervision on school buses often facilitates bullying and other infractions. This review identified peer-reviewed articles and dissertations evaluating behavioral…

Children frequently enter elementary school unprepared for its academic and socioemotional challenges. This can lead to challenging behaviors that negatively affect students' educational experiences, put them at risk for emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD), and impact relationships with teachers. Despite a large research base on student…

We conducted a preliminary investigation of a randomized dependent group contingency to decrease disruptive behavior during hallway transitions. Two first-graders, identified by their classroom teacher, participated in this study. A multiple baseline across transitions was used to evaluate the effects of the randomized dependent group contingency…

Many early educators cite behavior management as a top professional development need. Evidence-based practices exist to address severe challenging behavior, but promoting implementation of these practices remains a challenge. In this single-case design study, two preschool teachers received coaching focused on implementing three evidence-based…

Descriptive assessments involve recording naturally occurring instances of behavior and corresponding antecedent and consequent events. Authors have argued for the use of two forms of descriptive assessment, structured and narrative Antecedent-Behavior-Consequence recording, because these methods may require little training. However, the extent to…

The purpose of this study was to explore the extent to which two classroom-wide instructional interventions, peer support and instructional choice, were able to reduce escape-maintained off-task and problem behaviors. This study also measured the extent to which these interventions, when coupled with individually designed function-based…