Application of a Shaping Technique to Increase On-Task Behavior Duration in Children with ADHD

Abstract

In general, children with ADHD have difficulty performing on-task behaviors. This relates to their difficulty of sustaining their attention for a long time. Difficulty in maintaining attention level means that children with ADHD often experience poor academic performance and academic failure. To improve their ability to sustain their attention, treatment is required to increase on-task behaviors. Behavior modification is a widely used intervention that is proven effective for treating children with ADHD. This research used a shaping technique to increase the duration of on-task behavior in an 11 year-old diagnosed with ADHD with combined presentation. The research studied the boy's ability to listen to a story and answer questions based on the story. The results showed that a shaping technique can increase the duration of on-task behavior in children with ADHD from 1 minute during the baseline up to 10 minutes during the post test. The maximum duration achieved was 80% of the target duration (12 minutes). During the intervention program, increased duration occurred gradually from 2 until 12 minutes and decreased until 10 minutes post-intervention.