The Generality and Social Validity of a Competency‐based Self‐control Training Intervention for Underachieving Students

Abstract

We evaluated the effectiveness, generality, and social validity of a modified version of a competencybased self-control package developed by Stevenson and Fantuzzo (1984). Three underachieving fifth-grade students were trained to use this intervention to increase their arithmetic proficiency.Results indicated that the intervention produced improved arithmetic performance. Moreover, all possible classes of generalization were evidenced for the participants. Social (1984) and to extend them by assessing the social validity of both treatment and generalization effects in the school setting. Additionally, the original set of training procedures was modified to enhance generalization furher. METHOD Subjects and SettingsSix black elementary school students from three regular fifth-grade classes participated. Two children were selected from each class based on the following criteria: (a) history of poor arithmetic performance, (b) one grade level behind in arithmetic skills, (c) low socioeconomic status, and (d) children who lived within 3 km of each other. One of the two students was randomly selected to serve as the treated student; the other served as the control.The research was conducted in three standard elementary school classrooms and in the homes of the treated students. School data were collected 269 1986, 199 269-276 NUMBER 3 (FALL 1986)

Promoting independence and fluent writing through behavioural self‐management

“…The present work attempted to assess the effectiveness of a behavioural selfmanagement package which was designed to enhance the quantity and quality of primary school children' s writing. The results obtained agree very closely with those of an earlier study (Panagopoulou-Stamatelatou & Merrett, 1996) and of similar studies conducted by other investigators who have employed separate self-management procedures or a combination of them (Ballard & Glynn, 1975;Stevenson & Fantuzzo, 1984, 1986. A range of self-management techniques was introduced in the present research.…”

“…The effectiveness of a similar self-management package, designed to enhance children' s maths performance, has already been tested by Fantuzzo and his associates (Stevenson & Fantuzzo, 1984, 1986, who reported positive effects on children' s on-task behaviour and maths performance. In the area of writing, one of the best designed studies that has close similarities with the present investigation is the one conducted by Ballard and Glynn (1975), who reported that writing output more than doubled and children' s stories received higher quality ratings.…”

Trends in the Measurement of Social Validity

“…Postintervention normative comparison of outcomes. This approach is exemplified by a study conducted by Stevenson and Fantuzzo (1986). An intervention using a self-control package to increase the arithmetic proficiency of students oflow socioeconomic status was used.…”

Reinforcement Delay and Across-Setting Generalization in an Intermediate School Special Class

“…The self-evaluation component of the intervention may also have contributed to the observed setting generalization. There is a growing body of research reporting the achievement of generalization using such selfcontrol procedures (Fantuzzo & Clement, 1981;Stevenson & Fantuzzo, 1984, 1986. However as these procedures were incorporated in all three experimental phases of the study it seems unlikely that they contributed to the observed differences in the generalization setting during the late and second early feedback and reinforcement conditions.…”