A Technology for Contingency Management of Disruptive Behaviour by the Classroom Teacher

Early studies of the application of behaviour modification techniques in both special and normal classroom settings indicated that teachers could incorporate the more systematic management procedures without highly specialised training (Clazarioand Yelon, 1967: Becker, Madsen, et al., 1967). However, some of the earliest studies were closer to the laboratory than the real-life classroom setting in that they required elaborate recording procedures and used material reinforcers which are often unacceptable to teachers. Reversal designs, commonly used in early studies, proved impractical in wider settings. Problems such as these led the present author to place greater emphasis on extinguishing appropriate behaviours, using natural reinforcers identified by the Premack principle, using simplified recording procedures and using multiple baseline design.