College students as contingency managers for adolescents in a program to develop reading skills

Area of Science:

• Educational Psychology
• Developmental Psychology

Background:

• Adolescent reading deficits present a significant educational challenge.
• Effective intervention strategies are crucial for improving literacy skills in young learners.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the efficacy of behavior-modification procedures combined with an individualized tutorial program for remediating reading skill deficits in seventh-grade adolescents.
• To assess the long-term impact of the intervention on reading scores and related behaviors.

Main Methods:

• Utilized behavior-modification techniques and a structured tutorial program involving college students as tutors.
• Tutors were trained in diagnostic and remedial reading, contract development, and positive reinforcement strategies.
• Experimental groups received the intervention, while control groups did not, over a 10-week period.

Main Results:

• Experimental groups demonstrated significantly greater increases in reading scores compared to control groups.
• Substantial improvements in target reading behaviors and positive verbalizations toward reading were observed.
• Six-month follow-up confirmed sustained gains and continued improvement in grade scores for the experimental group.

Conclusions:

• The integrated approach of behavior modification and individualized tutoring is highly effective in remediating adolescent reading deficits.
• The intervention yields significant and lasting improvements in reading proficiency and attitudes toward reading.
• This model offers a promising strategy for educational interventions aimed at enhancing literacy skills.