Abstract
Research is essential for identifying behavior management procedures as evidence-based and employing these procedures in a classroom is vital to create the optimal environment for students. Group contingencies can be easily implemented across classroom settings as they aim to manage the behavior of a group via operant behavior change procedures. While systematic literature reviews have been conducted on group contingencies, one has not been completed with a focus on elementary through high school general education classrooms. Therefore, this paper extends previous systematic literature reviews focused on preschools (Pokorski et al. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 36(4), 230–241, 2017), problematic behavior (Maggin et al. Remedial and Special Education, 38(6), 353–370, 2017), the good behavior game (Bowman-Perrott et al. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 18(3), 180–190, 2016), and school aged children across all academic settings (Little et al. Behavior Modification, 39(2), 322–341, 2015) to concentrate on the use of group contingencies in the general education setting. Because (Little et al. Behavior Modification, 39(2), 322–341, 2015) conducted a comprehensive review through the year 2010, this paper will focus on the literature base between 2011 and 2021. Articles were obtained via electronic databases and included studies with an independent variable of a group contingency, students in kindergarten through 12th grade general education classrooms, and studies set in any school location. Results yielded 53 articles, which were coded across participant demographics, independent variables, dependent variables, limitations, and future research with IOA collected by a graduate student on 35% of the articles. Results indicate the majority of studies included participants in elementary school, implemented an interdependent group contingency, measured disruptive behavior, and assessed the intervention in the classroom. Findings suggest common limitations within the current literature include generalizability, maintenance, applicability of rewards, and assessment of academic performance. Future research should focus on assessing feasibility of implementation, evaluating long-term effects, and obtaining social validity.
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Beaver, B.N., Ré, T.C., Griffith, A.K. et al. A Systematic Literature Review of Group Contingencies Within General Education Classrooms. Contemp School Psychol (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40688-023-00448-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40688-023-00448-6