Generalizing the Effects of Group Contingencies Across Instructional Settings for Students With Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

A Meta-Analysis of Behavior Interventions for Students With Emotional-Behavioral Disorders in Self-Contained Settings

“…One study examined a class-wide functional intervention team (CW-FIT), a multilevel group contingency that combines self-management with functional assessment elements to reinforce appropriate behaviors in the classroom (Weeden et al, 2016). The other group contingency focused on the generalizability of explicitly teaching behavioral expectations from one class to another (Ramirez et al, 2019). The three studies examining time-out components used (a) a sit-and-watch technique where students were given a timer during physical education class to sit out when exhibiting inappropriate behaviors (White & Bailey, 1990) and (b) two alternatives to traditional time-out using active response beads and a calm carrel to practice counting and breathing following a rule violation (Cameron, 2011; Grskovic et al, 2004, respectively).…”

Examining the Generalization of a Combined Independent and Interdependent Group Contingency for Students With Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

“…In settings such as these, effective classwide approaches for managing behavior are essential for any meaningful instruction to occur. Furthermore, strategies that result in generalized behavior change are even more desirable as the ultimate goal is to improve behavior across contexts and situations (Haas Ramirez et al, 2019). Research is needed on interventions and strategies that will result in the positive behavior change while conserving the time and resources that are typically limited in schools.…”

“…In the first study to systematically implement tactics to promote generalization of group contingency effects, Haas Ramirez et al (2019) found mild transfer of the effects of an interdependent group contingency to untrained settings that shared features of the instructional setting. Nonoverlap of All Pairs (NAP) effect size estimates indicated medium to strong effects of the interdependent group contingency on off-task and engagement behavior in the instructional (intervention) setting across classrooms and weak to medium effects on behavior in the generalization setting.…”

“…It was hypothesized that the combined group contingency intervention would increase engagement and reduce disruptive behavior. Based on the results of Haas Ramirez et al (2019), it was hypothesized that some degree of generalization would be observed in an untrained setting that shared features of the intervention setting.…”

Why Is the Good Behavior Game Used for Bad Behavior? Recommendations for Using It for Promoting Good Behavior

“…Some people incorrectly refer to it as a “group contingency,” but Litow and Pumroy (1975) pointed out that individuals within a group, and not the group itself, perform behaviors, hence the term “group-oriented.” Group-oriented contingencies can be effective in preventing or reducing disruptive behavior as well as increasing academic engagement in students with or at risk of emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD; Maag, 2018). Moreover, a study by Ramirez, Hawkins, Collins, Ritter, and Haydon (2019) demonstrated that decreases in the off-task behavior of elementary students were shown across instructional settings when generalization strategies were part of the intervention.…”