Changing Children's Overt Behaviour Related to Self‐esteem by the Use of Behaviour Modification |
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| Authors: | Peter Gurney |
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| Institution: | School of Education, University of Exeter |
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| Abstract: | Abstract The experiment was designed to monitor the effects of behavioural techniques upon the frequency of positive self‐referent verbal statements (PSRVS) and on overt behaviours considered to be related to global self‐esteem. Fourteen maladjusted boys aged 10‐12 years were randomly assigned to an experimental and control group to monitor the effect of procedures to enhance the frequency of PSRVS. Both groups experienced extraction procedures and rewards but only the experimental group received modelling, instruction and contingent rewards. An ABCDA design demonstrated a very substantial and significant increase in PSRVS within the experimental group over the treatment period and provided some evidence for a generalisation effect on return to baseline and in the follow‐up period. A post‐experiment analysis of teacher ratings of the pupils on the Behaviour Rating Form (BRF) showed a significant difference in favour of the experimental group. |
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