Abstract
Reactivity of measurement as a major threat to validity is a very important topic in behavioral assessment. The use of participant rather than novel observers has been suggested as a strategy to reduce reactivity. However, it has also been suggested that under some circumstances use of participant observers may also produce reactivity. This study reports the single-subject investigation of the reactive effects of participant observers on the disruptive classroom behavior of a 5-yr.-old boy. Results are discussed in terms of the hypothesis that data collection by participant observers altered the social-reinforcement contingencies maintaining the disruptive classroom behavior. The usefulness of participant observation as a clinical intervention is also discussed.
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