An evaluation of and preference for variations of the Good Behavior Game with students with autism
ClassDojo and ClassBadges GBG calm the room like the classic game but are picked more often by high-schoolers with autism.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Vargo and team compared three ways to run the Good Behavior Game in a high-school autism classroom.
Kids rotated through traditional GBG, ClassDojo points, and ClassBadges while the teacher tracked disruption.
An alternating-treatments design showed which version kept kids on task and which one they liked best.
What they found
All three setups cut disruptive behavior about the same.
When students picked their favorite, most chose either ClassDojo or ClassBadges over the old paper-chart style.
Tech did not beat tradition on data, but it won on student buy-in.
How this fits with other research
Groves et al. (2017) already showed that interdependent GBG teams work for kids with emotional disorders; Vargo extends that idea to older students with autism and adds tech flair.
Grynszpan et al. (2014) meta-analysis found a medium boost for any tech tool used with autism, so ClassDojo and ClassBadges fit right inside that proven zone.
Heyvaert et al. (2014) and Campbell (2003) both confirm that behavioral classroom plans lower problem behavior in autism; Vargo narrows the field to one easy package teachers can pick.
Why it matters
You can keep the same GBG rules you already know and simply plug in ClassDojo or ClassBadges for faster points and cooler visuals.
High-schoolers with autism liked the tech versions, so you may get quicker cooperation without extra training or cost.
Try it on Monday—run one period with ClassDojo, one with paper, and let the class vote; you might see the same calm with more smiles.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
AbstractThe Good Behavior Game (GBG) has been implemented in numerous classrooms to decrease problem behavior. Despite the vast amount of literature, the effects of the inclusion of technology on disruptive behavior and student preference with students with autism have not been studied extensively. In this study, we compared the efficacy of the traditional GBG with technology‐enhanced GBG variations (ClassDoJo and ClassBadges) using a multielement design embedded within a reversal design with six male high school students diagnosed with autism. Results showed that all three GBG variations were similarly effective in decreasing disruptive behaviors. We then assessed individual preference for the GBG variations using a group‐oriented concurrent‐chains arrangement. All students demonstrated repeated preference for one GBG variation. These findings support the inclusion of technology‐enhanced GBG variations in special education classrooms with students with autism. Additionally, these results provide further evidence of the utility and applicability of the group‐oriented concurrent‐chains procedure.
Behavioral Interventions, 2020 · doi:10.1002/bin.1740