The Effects of Applied Behavior Analysis-Based Behavioral Contracts on Self-Management Skills of Students with Intellectual Disabilities

Abstract

In order to examine the effects of applied behavior analysis-based behavioral contracts have on self-management skills of students with intellectual disabilities, in this study, behavioral contracts were implemented for a total of 2 students, one 2nd grade student in an elementary school special class and one 1st grade student attending post-high school specialized vocational program in special school. Based on previous studies, the behavioral contracts were prepared by including the common components required for the behavioral contracts. As for the self-management skills, regular and repetitive daily behaviors with a high probability to perform everyday were selected among the daily life skills required for individual students. In particular, factors related to self-management competency were considered in the whole process starting from selecting target behavior to writing the behavioral contracts, implementing the behavioral contracts, and ending the behavioral contracts. The experiments of student A and student B were conducted at school and at home, respectively, and functional relation was demonstrated by applying a reversal design. As a result of visual analysis, the applied behavior analysis-based behavioral contracts were effective in increasing the self-management skills of students with intellectual disabilities. The effects of intervention observed in school were maintained afterwards, and the effects of intervention at home were also generalized in the school environment. Discussion and suggestions for the overall study have been described.