Effects of increasing the ratio of approvals to disapprovals in a classroom on destructive, disruptive, and aggressive behaviors

Abstract

The current study examined the effects of an independent group contingency behavior plan, that included a token economy using punch cards on a fixed duration schedule, and the effects of increasing the ratio of approvals to disapprovals on destructive, disruptive, and aggressive behaviors in a fourth grade classroom at an alternative school for children with AD/HD, Autism Spectrum Disorders, and other related behavior challenges. The independent group contingency intervention greatly reduced all problem behaviors almost immediately and the teachers adopted it for continued use despite initial resistance. Increasing the rates of approvals in the classroom also reduced problem behaviors and greatly improved the overall classroom environment and student/teacher relationship. These findings indicate that independent group contingencies and increasing the rates of approvals should be more widely adopted and researched.