Teaching Behaviorally Disordered Students to Increase Teacher Attention and Praise in Mainstreamed Classrooms

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to substantiate the findings of previous research regarding the efficacy of training behaviorally disordered students to recruit reinforcement and assistance from teachers. This study extended those findings by investigating the effect of systematically fading external experimenter reinforcement of students for prompting and praising teachers in the regular classroom. Utilizing a multiple baseline design across subjects, three behaviorally disordered students were systematically trained to prompt teachers for help, praise teachers after receiving help, and prompt teachers for approval on their academic and social performance. Results indicated that all three subjects were able to modify the amount of teacher help they received in the regular classroom. After experimental interventions were removed, both student and teacher behaviors were maintained over baseline levels.