Effectiveness of Self-Observation with Behavior Disordered Elementary School Children

Abstract

The study employed an ABA withdrawal design, replicated three times, with a control subject and a follow-up phase, to evaluate the effects of self-observation in reducing disruptive classroom behaviors. The subjects were behavior disordered and hyperactive elementary school children. Specific disruptive classroom behaviors were recorded during each phase of the study. Treatment consisted of having the children view an 11-minute edited videotape of themselves behaving in an appropriate manner (i.e., all disruptive behaviors were deleted). Results showed that the percentage of disruptive classroom behaviors were dramatically reduced as a consequence of treatment. Follow-up data indicated that reduction of disruptive classroom behaviors was maintained over a 6-week period.