Self- Versus Teacher Management of Behavior for Elementary School Students With Asperger Syndrome: Impact on Classroom Behavior

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of a token economy and a self-management intervention in an inclusive kindergarten classroom. Two 5-year-old children with Asperger syndrome who were struggling to follow classroom rules participated in the study. An ABACABAC (A = baseline, B = token economy, C = self-management) design with a maintenance phase was used. Results show improvements in appropriate classroom behavior and academic engagement during the token economy and self-management phases. The improvements were maintained 2, 4, and 8 weeks after the study ended and the classroom teacher continued to use the self-management system with the target students and independently created and implemented a classwide self-management system. Social validity data suggested a strong teacher preference for the self-management intervention because of its ease of implementation and focus on student responsibility. Implications for future research are discussed.

Keywords

self-management token economy Asperger syndrome appropriate classroom behavior self-determination

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