Date of Award

Spring 5-1-2019

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

School

Psychology

Committee Chair

Brad A. Dufrene

Committee Chair School

Psychology

Committee Member 2

Keith Radley

Committee Member 2 School

Psychology

Committee Member 3

Evan H. Dart

Committee Member 3 School

Psychology

Committee Member 4

Joe Olmi

Committee Member 4 School

Psychology

Abstract

The current study investigated the effects Mystery Student intervention on improving individual and group behaviors in Head Start classrooms. Mystery Student Intervention is a randomized independent group contingency and has only been investigated in one previous study (Pasqua, 2016). A multiple baseline design across three Head Start classrooms was employed to determine the effectiveness of Mystery Student Intervention on decreasing aggregate class and individual child disruptive behaviors. Of further interest was the extent to which the effects of Mystery Student Intervention generalized to other settings and results maintained following its removal. Results indicated that Mystery Student Intervention was effective at decreasing class-wide and target student disruptive behavior. Furthermore, the positive effects of MSI generalized to other setting in all three classrooms. Teachers rated the Mystery Study Intervention as acceptable. Results of this study expand the literature on group contingencies in preschool settings. Results also provide early childcare providers with a developmentally appropriate group contingency program from preschool-aged children.

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