The Good Behavior Game (GBG) is a classroom management strategy that uses an interdependent group-oriented contingency to promote prosocial behavior and decrease problem behavior. This meta-analysis synthesized single-case research (SCR) on the GBG across 21 studies, representing 1,580 students in pre-kindergarten through Grade 12. The TauU effect size across 137 phase contrasts was .82 with a confidence interval 95% CI = [0.78, 0.87], indicating a substantial reduction in problem behavior and an increase in prosocial behavior for participating students. Five potential moderators were examined: emotional and behavioral disorder (EBD) risk status, reinforcement frequency, target behaviors, GBG format, and grade level. Findings suggest that the GBG is most effective in reducing disruptive and off-task behaviors, and that students with or at risk for EBD benefit most from the intervention. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
AbramsonJ. H. (2011). WINPEPI updated: Computer programs for epidemiologists and their teaching potential. Epidemiologic Perspectives & Innovations, 8(1), 1–9.
2.
AllisonD. B.GormanB. S. (1993). Calculating effect sizes for meta-analysis: The case of the single case. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 31, 621–631.
3.
BabyakA. E.LuzeG. J.KampsD. M. (2000). The Good Behavior Game: Behavior management for diverse classrooms. Intervention in School and Clinic, 35, 216–233.
4.
*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 Analysis, 2, 119–124.
5.
*BostowD.GeigerO. G. (1976). Good Behavior Game: A replication and systematic analysis with a second grade class. School Applications of Learning Theory, 8(2), 18–27.
6.
Bowman-PerrottL.BenzM. R.HsuH.KwokO.EisterholdL.ZhangD. (2011). Patterns and predictors of disciplinary exclusion over time: An analysis of the SEELS national dataset. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 21(2), 83–96.
7.
Bowman-PerrottL.DavisH.VannestK. J.WilliamsL.GreenwoodC. R.ParkerR. (2013). Academic benefits of peer tutoring: A meta-analytic review of single-case research. School Psychology Review, 42(1), 39–55.
8.
CheyneyD.JewellK. (2012). Positive behavior supports and students with emotional and behavioral disorders. In BakkenJ. P.ObiakorF. E.RotatoriA. F. (Eds.), Behavioral disorders: Practice concerns and students with EBD (Vol. 23; pp. 83–106). Bingley, UK: Emerald.
9.
CohenJ. (1992). A power primer. Quantitative Methods in Psychology, 112, 155–159.
10.
CooperH. (2011). Reporting research in psychology: How to meet journal article reporting standards (6th ed.). Baltimore, MD: American Psychological Association.
11.
*CrouchP. L.GreshamF. M.WrightW. R. (1985). Interdependent and independent group contingencies with immediate and delayed reinforcement for controlling classroom behavior. Journal of School Psychology, 23, 177–187.
12.
DarveauxD. X. (1984). The Good Behavior Game plus merit: Controlling disruptive behavior and improving student motivation. School Psychology Review, 13, 510–514.
13.
DolanL. J.KellamS. G.BrownC. H.Werthamer-LarssonL.RebokG. W.. . . WheelerL. (1993). The short-term impact of two classroom-based preventative interventions on aggressive and shy behaviors and poor achievement. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 14, 317–345.
14.
*DonaldsonJ. M.VollmerT. R.KrousT.DownsS.BerardK. P. (2011). An evaluation of the Good Behavior Game in kindergarten classrooms. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 44, 605–609.
15.
EggerM.SmithG. D.SchneiderM.MinderC. (1997). Bias in meta-analysis detected by a simple, graphical test. British Medical Journal, 315, 629–634.
16.
EmbryD. D. (2002). The Good Behavior Game: A best practice candidate as a universal behavioral vaccine. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 5, 273–297.
17.
FishbeinJ. E.WasikB. H. (1981). Effect of the Good Behavior Game on disruptive library behavior. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 1(14), 89–93.
18.
FlowerA.McKennaJ. W.BunuanR. L.MuethingC. S.VegaR. (2014). Effects of the Good Behavior Game on challenging behaviors in school settings. Review of Educational Research. Review of Educational Research, 84, 546–571. doi:10.3102/0034654314536781
19.
GreenhouseJ. B.IyengarS. (2009). Sensitivity analysis and diagnostics. In CooperH.HedgesL. V.ValentineJ. C. (Eds.), The handbook of research synthesis and meta-analysis (2nd ed., pp. 417–433). New York, NY: Russell Sage.
20.
*GreshamF. M.GreshamG. N. (1982). Interdependent, dependent, and independent group contingencies for controlling disruptive behavior. The Journal of Special Education, 16, 101–110.
21.
HarrisV. W.ShermanJ. A. (1973). Use and analysis of the “Good Behavior Game” to reduce disruptive classroom behavior. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 6, 405–417.
HedgesL. V.VeveaJ. L. (1998). Fixed- and random-effects models in meta-analysis. Psychological Methods, 3, 486–504.
24.
HigginsJ. P. T.ThompsonS. G. (2002). Quantifying heterogeneity in a meta-analysis. Statistics in Medicine, 21, 1539–1558.
25.
HornerR. H.KratochwillT. R. (2012). Synthesizing single-case research to identify evidence-based practices: Some brief reflections. Journal of Behavioral Education, 21, 266–272.
26.
HouseA. E.HouseB. J.CampbellM. B. (1981). Measures of interobserver agreement: Calculation formulas and distribution effects. Journal of Behavioral Assessment, 3(1), 37–57.
27.
HuberH. (1979). The value of a behavior modification program administered in the fourth grade of a school for special education. Praxis der Kinderpsychologie und Kinderpsychiatrie, 28(2), 73–79.
28.
HuizinkA. C.van LierP. A. C.CrijnenA. A. M. (2008). Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms mediate early-onset smoking. European Addiction Research, 15, 1–9.
29.
*HuntB. M. (2012). Using the Good Behavior Game to decrease disruptive behavior while increasing academic engagement with a Head Start population (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg.
30.
*JohnsonM. R.TurnerP. F.KonarskiE. A. (1978). The “Good Behavior Game”: A systematic replication in two unruly transitional classrooms. Education and Treatment of Children, 1(3), 25–33.
31.
KellamS. G.RebokG. W.IalongoN.MayerL. S. (1994). The course and malleability of aggressive behavior from early first grade into middle school: Results of a developmental epidemiologically-based preventive trail. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 35, 259–281.
32.
*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 Modification, 35, 95–105.
33.
*KosiecL. E.CzernickiM. R.McLaughlinT. F. (1986). The Good Behavior Game: A replication with consumer satisfaction in two regular elementary school classrooms. Techniques, 2(1), 15–23.
34.
KratochwillT. R.HitchcockJ.HornerR. H.LevinJ. R.OdomS. L.RindskopfD. M.ShadishW. R. (2010). Single-case designs technical documentation. Retrieved from http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/pdf/wwc_scd.pdf
35.
LaneK. L.Barton-ArwoodS.NelsonR.WehbyJ. (2008). Academic performance of students with emotional and behavioral disorders in a self-contained setting. Journal of Behavioral Education, 17, 43–62.
36.
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, 38, 869–882.
37.
MagginD. M.ChafouleasS. M.GoddardK. M.JohnsonA. J. (2011). A systematic evaluation of token economies as a classroom management tool for students with challenging behavior. Journal of School Psychology, 49, 529–544.
38.
*McCurdyB. L.LannieA. L.BarnabasE. (2009). Reducing disruptive behavior in an urban school cafeteria: An extension of the Good Behavior Game. Journal of School Psychology, 47(1), 39–54.
39.
McGoeyK. E.SchneiderD. L.RezzetanoK. M.ProdanT.TankersleyM. (2010). Classwide intervention to manage disruptive behavior in the kindergarten classroom. Journal of Applied School Psychology, 26, 247–261.
40.
McIntoshK.ReinkeW. M.KelmJ. L.SadlerC. A. (2013). Gender differences in reading skill and problem behavior in elementary school. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 15, 51–60.
41.
*MedlandM. B.StachnikT. J. (1972). Good-Behavior Game: A replication and systematic analysis. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 5(1), 45–51.
42.
MetheS. A.KilgusS. P.NeimanC.Riley-TillmanT. C. (2012). Meta-analysis of interventions for basic mathematics computation in single-case research. Journal of Behavioral Education, 21, 230–253.
43.
*NolanJ. D.FilterK. J.HoulihanD. (2013). Preliminary report: An application of the Good Behavior Game in the developing nation of Belize. School Psychology International, 35, 421–428. doi:10.1177/014303498598
44.
NunnallyJ. C.BernsteinI. H. (1994). Psychometric theory (3rd ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill.
45.
ParkerR.Hagan-BurkeS. (2007). Useful effect sizes interpretations for single case research. Behavioral Therapy, 38, 95–105.
46.
ParkerR. I.VannestK. J.DavisJ. L.SauberS. B. (2011). Combining non-overlap and trend for single-case research: Tau-U. Behavior Therapy, 35, 202–322.
47.
*ParrishR. (2012). Examining changes in appropriate social behaviors during school lunch using the lunchtime behavior game (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Northeastern University, Boston, MA.
48.
*PatrickC. A.WardP.CrouchD. W. (1998). Effects of holding students accountable for social behaviors during volleyball games in elementary physical education. Journal of Teaching in Physical Education, 17, 143–156.
49.
*PattersonK. B. (2003). The effects of a group-oriented contingency—the Good Behavior Game—on the disruptive behavior of children with developmental disabilities (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Kent State University, Kent, OH.
50.
PaytonM. E.GreenstoneM. H.SchenkerN. (2003). Overlapping confidence intervals or standard error intervals: What do they mean in terms of statistical significance?Journal of Insect Science, 3(4), 1–6.
51.
ReidR.GonzalezJ. E.NordessP. D.TroutA.EpsteinM. (2004). A meta-analysis of the academic status of students with emotional/behavioral disturbance. The Journal of Special Education, 38, 130–143.
52.
RispoliM.LangR.NeelyL.CamargoS.HutchinsN.DavenportK.GoodwynF. (2013). A comparison of within- and across-activity choices for reducing challenging behavior in children with autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Behavioral Education, 22, 66–83.
53.
*RodriguezB. J. (2010). An evaluation of the Good Behavior Game in early reading intervention groups (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). University of Oregon, Eugene.
54.
RosenthalR. (1994). Parametric measures of effect size. In CooperH.HedgesL. V. (Eds.), The handbook of research synthesis (pp. 232–243). New York, NY: Russell Sage.
55.
RosenthalR.DiMatteoM. R. (2001). Meta-analysis: Recent developments in quantitative methods for literature reviews. Annual Review of Psychology, 52, 59–82.
56.
*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 Schools, 47, 1046–1058.
57.
*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 Analysis, 16, 339–344.
58.
*SalendS. J.ReynoldsC. J.CoyleE. M. (1989). Individualizing the Good Behavior Game across type and frequency of behavior with emotionally disturbed adolescents. Behavior Modification, 13, 108–126.
59.
ShadishW. R.RindskopfD. M.HedgesL. V. (2008). The state of the science in the meta-analysis of single-case experimental designs. Evidence-Based Communication Assessment and Intervention, 2(3), 188–196.
60.
SimonsenB.FairbanksS.BrieschA.MyersD.SugaiG. (2008). Evidence based practices in classroom management: Considerations for research to practice. Education and Treatment of Children, 31, 351–380.
61.
SwiezyN. B.MatsonJ. L.BoxP. (1992). The Good Behavior Game: A token reinforcement system for preschoolers. Child & Family Behavior Therapy, 14(3), 21–32.
62.
TankersleyM. (1995). A group-oriented contingency management program: A review of research on the Good Behavior Game and implications for teachers. Preventing School Failure, 40, 19–24.
63.
*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 Psychology, 48, 337–355.
64.
ThompsonB. (2007). Effect sizes, confidence intervals, and confidence intervals for effect sizes. Psychology in the Schools, 44, 423–432.
65.
TingstromD. H.Sterling-TurnerH. E.WilczynskiS. M. (2006). The Good Behavior Game: 1969-2002. Behavior Modification, 30, 225–253.
66.
VannestK. J.ParkerR. I.GonanO. (2011). Single-case research: Web-based calculators for SCR analysis, Version 1.0 [Web-based application]. College Station: Texas A&M University. Available from www.singlecaseresearch.org
67.
*WrightR. A.McCurdyB. L. (2011). Class-wide positive behavior support and group contingencies: Examining a positive variation of the good behavior game. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 14, 173–180.
