Few classroom behavioral interventions have been thoroughly studied using culturally and linguistically diverse populations, international student populations, or those from diverse socio-economic backgrounds. Yet, having such tools for school psychologists and teachers is critical for behavior management in the classroom. One important exception is the Good Behavior Game, which has been extensively studied both in the United States and international settings. Because this intervention is based on well-tested principles of behavior theory, it has proven to be a useful tool across cultural, linguistic, socio-economic traditions, with long lasting positive longitudinal behavior change. This article presents a review of the literature on the Good Behavior Game as it applies to international and diverse student populations.
BabyakA. E.LuzeG. J.KampsD. M. (2000) The Good Student Game: Behavior management for diverse classrooms. Interventions in the School and Clinic35: 216–223. doi: 10.1177/105345120003500403.
2.
BarrishH. H.SaundersM.WolfM. M. (1969) Good behavior game: Effects of individual contingencies for group consequences on disruptive behavior in a classroom. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis2(2): 119–124. doi: 10.1901/jaba.1969.2-119.
3.
Bayer, J., Hiscock, H., Scalzo, K., Mathers, M., McDonald, M., Morris, A., Birdseye, J., & Wake, M. (2009). Systematic review of preventive interventions for children’s mental health: What would work in Australian contexts? Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 695–710. doi: 10.1080/00048670903001893.
4.
BradshawC. P.ZmudaJ. H.KellamS. G.IalongoN. S. (2009) Longitudinal impact of two universal preventive interventions in first grade on educational outcomes in high school. Journal of Educational Psychology101(4): 926–937. doi: 10.1037/a0016586.
DionE.RouxC.LandryD.FuchsD.WehbyJ.DupéréV. (2011) Improving attention and preventing reading difficulties among low-income first-graders: A randomized study. Prevention Science12(1): 70–79. doi: 10.1007/s11121-010-0182-5.
7.
EmbryD. D. (2002) The Good Behavior Game: A best practice candidate as a universal behavioral vaccine. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review5(4): 273–297. doi: 10.1023/A:1020977107086.
8.
GuH.LaiS.YeR. (2011) A cross-cultural study of student problem behaviors in middle schools. School Psychology International32(1): 20–34. doi: 10.1177/0143034310396830.
9.
Hromek, R., & Roffey, S. (2009). Promoting social and emotional learning with games. Simulation and Gaming. doi: 10.1177/1046878109333793.
10.
HuberH. (1979) The value of a behavior modification programme, administered in a fourth grade class of a remedial school. Praxis der Kinderpsychologie und Kinderpsychiatrie28: 73–79.
11.
HromekR.RoffeyS. (2009) Promoting social and emotional learning with games: ‘It’s fun and we learn things’. Simulation and Games40: 626–644. doi: 10.1177/1046878109333793.
12.
HuizinkA. C.van LierP. A. C.CrijnenA. A. M. (2009) Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms mediate early-onset smoking. European Addiction Research15(1): 1–9. doi: 10.1159/000173003.
13.
KellamS. G.Hendricks BrownC.PoduskaJ. M.IalongoN. S.WangW.ToyinboP. (2008) Effects of a universal classroom behavior management program in first and second grades on young adult behavioral, psychiatric, and social outcomes. Drug and Alcohol Dependence95(1): S5–S28. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2008.01.004.
14.
Kellam, S. G., Ling, X., Merisca, R., Brown, C. H., & Ialongo, N. (1998). The effect of the level of aggression in the first grade classroom on the course and malleability of aggressive behavior into middle school: Erratum. Development and Psychopathology, 10(2), 165–185. Retrieved from http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract;jsessionid= 0D6AF0982B6A8D52682F9E7688845617.journals?fromPage=online&aid=43541.
15.
KellamS. G.ReidJ.BalsterR. L. (2008) Effects of a universal classroom behavior program in first and second grades on young adult problem outcomes. Drug and Alcohol Dependence95(1): S1–S4. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2008.01.006.
16.
KleinmanK. E.SaighP. A. (2011) The effects of the good behavior game on the conduct of regular education New York City high school students. Behavior Modification35(1): 95–105. doi: 10.1177/0145445510392213.
17.
KosiecL. E.CzernickiM. R.McLaughlinT. F. (1986) The Good Behavior Game: A replication with consumer satisfaction in two regular elementary school classrooms. Techniques2: 15–23.
18.
Landrum, T., Tankersly, M., Kauffman, J. (2003). What is special about special education for children with emotional or behavioral disorders. Journal of Special Education, 37, 148–156. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.mnsu.edu/login.aspx? direct=true&db=aph&AN=11343865 &site=ehost-live.
19.
Lannie, A. L., & McCurdy, B. L. (2007). Preventing disruptive behavior in the urban classroom: Effects of the good behavior game on student and teacher behavior. Education and Treatment of Children, 30(1), 85–98. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy. mnsu.edu/docview/202677401?accountid=12259.
20.
Larsen, T., & Samdal, O. (2011). The importance of teachers’ feelings of self-efficacy in developing their pupils’ social and emotional learning: A Norwegian study of teachers’ reactions to the Second Step Program. School Psychology International, published online. doi: 10.1177/0143034311412848.
21.
LeeD. H.OaklandT.AhnC. (2010) Temperament styles of children in South Korea and the United States. School Psychology International31(1): 77–94. doi: 10.1177/0143034309341621.
22.
LeflotG.van LierP. A. C.OnghenaP.ColpinH. (2010) The role of teacher behavior management in the development of disruptive behaviors: An intervention study with the good behavior game. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology: An Official Publication of the International Society for Research in Child and Adolescent Psychopathology38(6): 869–882. doi: 10.1007/s10802-010-9411-4.
23.
MaleteL. (2007) Aggressive and antisocial behaviors among secondary school students in Botswana. School Psychology International28(1): 90–109. doi: 10.1177/0143034307075683.
24.
McCurdyB. L.LannieA. L.BarnabasE. (2009) Reducing disruptive behavior in an urban school cafeteria: An extension of the Good Behavior Game. Journal of School Psychology47(1): 39–54. doi: 10.1016/j.jsp.2008.09.003.
25.
McloughlinC. S.ZhouZ.ClarkE. (2005) Reflections on the development and status of contemporary special education services in China. Psychology in the Schools42(3): 273– 283. doi: 10.1002/pits.20078.
26.
McGoeyK. E.SchneiderD. L.RezzetanoK. M.ProdanT.TankersleyM. (2010) Classwide intervention to manage disruptive behavior in the kindergarten classroom. Journal of Applied School Psychology26(3): 247–261. doi: 10.1080/15377903.2010.495916.
27.
OsherD.BearG. G.SpragueJ. R.DoyleW. (2010) How can we improve school discipline?Educational Researcher39: 48–58. doi: 10.3102/0013189X09357618.
28.
Pérez, V., Rodríguez, J., De la Barra, F., & Fernández, A.M. (2005). Efectividad de una Estrategia Conductual Para el Manejo de la Agresividad en Escolares de Enseñanza Básica (Effectiveness of a behavioral strategy of aggression management in elementary school children). Psykhe, 14(2), 55–62. Retrieved from http://www.scielo.cl/scielo.php?pid=S0718- 22282005000200005&script=sci_arttext.
29.
Pérez, V., Rodríguez, J., Fernández, A. M., & De la Barra, F. (2005). Assessment of the effect of a behavioral intervention on school aggression [Abstract]. Terapia Psicológica, 23(1), 91. Retrieved from http://redalyc.uaemex.mx/redalyc/src/inicio/ArtPdfRed.jsp?iCve=78523110. ISSN 0716-6184.
30.
PetrasH.KellamS. G.BrownC. H.MuthénB. O.IalongoN. S.PoduskaJ. M. (2008) Developmental epidemiological courses leading to antisocial personality disorder and violent and criminal behavior: Effects by young adulthood of a universal preventive intervention in first- and second-grade classrooms. Drug and Alcohol Dependence95(1): S45–S59. doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2007.10.015.
31.
PhillipsD.ChristieF. (1986) Behaviour management in a secondary school classroom: Playing the game. Maladjustment and Therapeutic Education4(1): 47–53.
32.
Ruiz-OlivaresR.PinoM. J.HerruzoJ. (2010) Reduction of disruptive behaviors using an intervention based on the good behavior game and the say-do-report correspondence. Psychology in the Schools47(10): 1046–1058. doi: 10.1002/pits.20523.
33.
SaighP. A.UmarA. M. (1983) The effects of a good behavior game on the disruptive behavior of Sudanese elementary school students. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis16(3): 339–344. doi: 10.1901/jaba.1983.16-339.
34.
Sakellarious, T., Carroll, A., & Houghton, S. (2012). Rates of cyber victimization and bullying among male Australian primary and high school students. School Psychology International, published online. doi: 10.1177/0143034311430374.
35.
Simonsen, B., Fairbanks, S. Briesch, A., Myers, D., & Sugai, G. (2008). Evidence based practices in classroom management: Considerations for research to practice. Education and Treatment of Children, 31, 351–380. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.mnsu.edu /docview/202675482?accountid=12259.
36.
TanolG.JohnsonL.McComasJ.CoteE. (2010) Responding to rule violations or rule following: A comparison of two versions of the good behavior game with kindergarten students. Journal of School Psychology48(5): 337–355. doi: 10.1016/j.jsp.2010.06.001.
37.
ThuenE.BruE. (2009) Are changes in students’ perceptions of the learning environment related to changes in emotional and behavioral problems?School Psychology International30(2): 115–136. doi: 10.1177/0143034309104153.
38.
TingstromD. H.Sterling-TurnerH. E.WilczynskiS. M. (2006) The Good Behavior Game: 1969–2002. Behavior Modification30(2): 225–253. doi: 10.1177/0145445503261165.
39.
Van LierP. A. C.van der SarR. M.MuthenB. O.CrijnenA. A. M. (2004) Preventing disruptive behavior in elementary schoolchildren: Impact of a universal classroom-based intervention. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology72: 467–478. doi: 10.1037/0022- 006X.72.3.467.
40.
Van LierP. A. C.VuijkP.CrijnenA. A. M. (2005) Understanding mechanisms of change in the development of antisocial behavior: The impact of a universal intervention. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology33: 521–535. doi: 10.1007/s10802-005-6735-7.
41.
WalkerH.RamseyE.GreshamF. M. (2004) Antisocial behavior in school: Evidence based practices, 2nd ed. Belmont: CA, Wadsworth/Thomson Learning.
42.
WidyatmokoC. S.TanE. T.SeyleD. C.MayawatiE. H.SilverR. C. (2011) Coping with natural disasters in Yogyakarta, Indonesia: The psychological state of elementary school children as assessed by their teachers. School Psychology International32: 484–497. doi: 10.1177/0143034311402919.
43.
WilcoxH. C.KellamS. G.BrownC. H.PoduskaJ. M.IalongoN. S.WangW.AnthonyJ. C. (2008) The impact of two universal randomized first- and second-grade classroom interventions on young adult suicide ideation and attempts. Drug and Alcohol Dependence95(1): S60–S73. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2008.01.005.
44.
WitvlietM.van LierP. A. C.CuijpersP.KootH. M. (2009) Testing links between childhood positive peer relations and externalizing outcomes through a randomized controlled intervention study. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology77(5): 905–915. doi: 10.1037/a0014597.
