Reducing disruptive behaviors by training students to request assistance

Disruptive behaviors of students with disabilities can have a communicative function. They may aid the learner in escaping from aversive situations, and they may also serve to produce positive events. Disruptive behaviors that have a communicative function may be eliminated by teaching an alternative prosocial response. This study compared the relative effectiveness of two teaching methods for reducing disruptive behaviors exhibited by two primary age students with moderate disabilities. The first method consisted solely of a hierarchy of prompts. The second method combined the prompting hierarchy with a cue to request assistance. A multiple baseline design across students with alternating treatments was used to evaluate performance. Results demonstrated a clear relationship between teaching participants to request assistance and a reduction in disruptive behaviors.