Self-recording in training girls to increase work and evoke staff praise in an institution for offenders.
Self-recording procedures were used by four adolescent girls to increase work and comments (cues) that evoked staff praise during vocational training sessions in a maximum-security institution for offenders. The girls were selected on the basis of their not responding to a staff-directed token program. The self-recording procedures were directed by a therapist who saw the girls outside the vocational training sessions. According to a multiple-baseline design, self-recording of work was introduced sequentially to each of the two or three settings the girls attended each day. A few days after work had increased, self-recording of cues was introduced. Tokens were delivered by the therapist for work and cues recorded by the girls. Work and cues increased following self-recording for three of the girls and increased cues evoked higher rates of staff praise. Girl and staff behaviors were maintained during short follow-up periods when tokens were not given for the girls' records. The procedures failed to effect desirable changes with a fourth girl's work and self-recording of work was terminated without introducing cueing.
D000293:Adolescent; D001288:Attention; D001521:Behavior Therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007604:Juvenile Delinquency; D011329:Prisoners; D012050:Rehabilitation, Vocational; D012056:Reinforcement, Social; D012649:Self Concept; D012647:Self-Assessment; D014040:Token Economy