Using a random dependent group contingency to increase on‐task behaviors of high school students with high incidence disabilities

Abstract

Group contingencies have the advantages of encouraging individual students to collectively feel responsible for appropriate and inappropriate classroom behaviors and have shown effectiveness in improving students' behavior. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a random dependent group contingency on the on-task behaviors of six high school students with high incidence disabilities in a resource classroom. The study used an ABAB reversal design, and the results of the study indicated that the random dependent group contingency intervention was positively associated with increases in on-task behaviors for three of the six participants. Limitations and implications are discussed in relation to dependent group contingencies for high school students. C 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A Group Contingency Plus Self-Management Intervention Targeting At-Risk Secondary Students’ Class-Work and Active Engagement

“…Improvements in active engagement in the current study are consistent with other studies showing improved engagement using GC interventions (e.g., Christ & Christ, 2006; Williamson et al, 2009). An important finding in this study was the precise measure of ‘active engagement” (e.g., reading, answering questions) rather than general on-task behavior as is commonly recorded that includes passive attending behaviors such as listening to teacher lectures.…”

The Fair Play Game: Promoting social skills in physical education

“…"A group contingency is one in which a common consequence ... is contingent on the behavior of one member of the group, the behavior of part of the group, or the behavior of everyone in the group," (Cooper, Heron, & Heward, 2007, p. 567). As Williamson, Campbell-Whatley, and Lo (2009) observe, "Group contingencies have the advantages of encouraging individual students to collectively feel responsible for appropriate and inappropriate ... behaviors and have shown effectiveness in improving students' behavior (p. 1074)."…”

“…The particular variation of the dependent group contingency used with the Fair Play Game is called a random dependent group contingency (Hansen & Lignugaris/Kraft, 2005;Heering & Wilder, 2006;Jones, Boon, Fore, & Bender, 2008;Theodore, Bray, Kehle, & Dioguardi, 2004;Theodore, Bray, Kehle, & Jenson, 2001;Vidoni &Ward, 2006;Williamson, Campbell-Whatley, & Lo, 2009). Here a single member or subset of members of the group is randomly selected, and then the delivery of reinforcement to the entire group is made contingent upon the performance of the randomly selected "unknown" student(s).…”

“…One possible strategy is, prior to playing the game, to give students an opportunity to vote on a preferred reinforcer as a group. Williamson, Campbell-Whatley, and Lo (2009) used this strategy, basing the selection of the reinforcer on a majority vote. However, the authors note that the chosen reinforcer possibly might not have been as powerful for certain students as for others.…”

A comparison of group contingencies on academic compliance

“…Since the publication of Litow and Pumroy, a variation of a dependent group contingency has become increasingly popular. A randomized dependent group contingency (Cariveau & Kodak, ; Hansen & Lignugaris/Kraft, ; Heering & Wilder, ; Jones, Boon, Fore, & Bender, ; Vidoni & Ward, ; Williamson et al, ) is one in which the target individual is selected randomly and anonymously.…”