Addressing Task Avoidance in Middle School Students

Abstract

Multitier prevention systems consist of a continuum of interventions to address the needs of all students. Within such systems, Tier I supports are in place for all students and are designed to enhance prosocial (social behavior interventions) and academic (instructional interventions) skills. Tier II interventions supplement the Tier I intervention for students who have not responded to Tier I supports and are designed to prevent the development of serious behavioral challenges or academic failure. This study evaluated a Tier II intervention for students whose problem behavior was maintained by avoidance of instructional activities. We evaluated effects of academic behavior check-in/check-out (ABC) on disruptive behavior, work completion, and homework completion using an ABAB reversal design. Across three typically developing middle school students, ABC resulted in reductions in problem behavior and increases in work completion and homework accuracy.

Keywords

middle school classroom intervention antecedent consequence

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