Effects of and preference for student- and teacher-implemented good behavior game in early elementary classes

Disruptive behavior during instruction is a common problem in elementary classrooms. One intervention to reduce disruptive behavior is the Good Behavior Game (GBG). In this study, the students of 2 early elementary classrooms experienced 3 versions of the GBG: experimenter-implemented, teacher-implemented, and student-implemented. The effects of the GBG on disruptive behavior and peer interactions were evaluated using a combined reversal and multielement design. Student preference for conditions was assessed via a group arrangement of a concurrent-chains preference assessment. All versions of the game reduced disruptive behavior compared to baseline, but the rate of disruptive behavior was slightly higher during the teacher-implemented sessions in Class 1. Few peer interactions occurred during the game; however, negative interactions increased slightly in both classes during the GBG. Students overwhelmingly preferred the student-implemented version of the game. This study provides support for student implementation of the GBG and offers an approach to student shared governance in the classroom.