Positive Peer Membership: A Targeted Intervention for At-Risk Students Exhibiting Problem Behaviors as a Function of Peer Attention.

摘要

Students at-risk of developing emotional or behavioral disorders may exhibit problem behaviors that interfere with learning and have negative long-term consequences. Positive Peer Membership (PPM) is a group-contingency intervention designed for students who engage in problem behaviors as a function of peer attention. In the present study, PPM was implemented in an urban-area parochial school with six at-risk 6th grade students. Functional behavioral assessments (FBA) indicated that three of the participants engaged in problem behaviors as a function of peer attention. An ABAB reversal design demonstrated that problem behaviors were reduced for students who engaged in problem behaviors maintained by peer attention, but not for those students who engaged in problem behaviors maintained by escape. Implications for research and practice are discussed.