Date of Award

12-2017

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Behavioral Analysis

First Advisor

Ada Celeste Harvey

Second Advisor

Catherine Nicholson

Third Advisor

Scott Tilley

Fourth Advisor

Mary Beth Kenkel

Abstract

Previous literature supports the use of a variety of classroom behavioral management programs to increase prosocial behaviors and decrease problem behaviors. For example, token economies, placement of classroom rules and guidelines, and providing the opportunity for students to choose the activity or subject to work on, have proven to be effective for many students; however, they can be expensive and cumbersome to manage. ClassDojo®, a classroom management system, is a type of digital token economy system that includes technology to track digital points for teacher-directed behavior. The program is free to download, simple to use, and is easily transferable between teachers and families. The present study evaluated the effects of ClassDojo® for 3 children in a classroom setting that included one participant diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder and two neurotypical participants. Goals of the current study included: (1) increasing prosocial behavior, and (2) reducing disruptive behaviors. Results were

evaluated within a reversal design, and showed ClassDojo® was an effective system for classroom management across three students. All participants demonstrated improvements in prosocial behavior relative to baseline; however, disruptive behavior persisted, at near-baseline levels. Disruptive behavior decreased to near-zero levels with implementation of a response-cost, while prosocial behavior also showed improvements. Further research should test this finding with a larger number of participants that would represent a typical classroom size.

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