title: Evaluation of increasing antecedent specificity in goal statements on adherence to positive behavior-management strategies.
abstract: We evaluated the impact of antecedent specificity in goal statements on adherence to positive behavior-management strategies. Teaching staff were recruited from 2 different school settings where there were routine expectations to use behavior-specific praise in the classroom, but adherence was poor. In a concurrent multiple baseline design, the use of behavior-specific praise by 4 participants was found to be unaffected by goal statements that increasingly specified the behavior to be used and the conditions under which the behavior should occur. However, adherence by 3 of the 4 participants did change when goal statements included teacher-specified frequencies with which the behavior should occur. Results were systematically replicated in a second study in which, in a concurrent multiple baseline design, 3 participants showed marked increases in adherence when goal statements specified the target behavior, the conditions under which it should occur, and the frequency with which it should occur.
authors.affiliation: Munroe-Meyer Institute for Genetics and Rehabilitation.
authors.forename: Corey M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Cohrs
authors.affiliation: Munroe-Meyer Institute for Genetics and Rehabilitation.
authors.forename: Mark D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Shriver
authors.affiliation: Apex Children's Program.
authors.forename: Raymond V
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Burke
authors.affiliation: Munroe-Meyer Institute for Genetics and Rehabilitation.
authors.forename: Keith D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Allen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006040:Goals; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D006801:Humans; D015397:Program Evaluation / Q000379:methods*; D000070777:School Teachers / Q000523:psychology; D013663:Teaching / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: goal setting; praise; schools; treatment integrity