The Effects of Positive Verbal Reinforcement on the Time Spent Outside the Classroom for Students With Emotional and Behavioral Disorders in a Residential Setting

Headnote

ABSTRACT:

To more effectively instruct the entire class, teachers of students with emotional behavioral disorders (EBD) often choose to send students who display inappropriate behavior out of the room. A multiple baseline across settings was used to evaluate the effects of increasing teacher positive verbal reinforcement on the amount of time 2 students with EBD in a residential setting were spending outside of the classroom for separations or in-school suspension referrals. Results suggest that increasing positive verbal reinforcement decreased the amount of time students spent outside the classroom. Implications and future directions are provided.

Managing behaviors displayed in a selfcontained classroom for students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) can pose a challenge to even the most experienced teacher. To more effectively instruct the entire class, teachers often choose to send students who display inappropriate behavior out of the room for a separation, a cool down, or a referral to in-school suspension (ISS; Belfiore et al., 2004). This technique of removing students from the classroom for inappropriate behavior is used by more than 70% of teachers of students with EBD (Belfiore et al., 2004). When students leave the classroom setting, these students do not receive instruction needed to be successful in and out of school.

Scott, Nelson, and Liaupsin (2001) found that the majority of office discipline referrals or removals from the classroom originate because students are noncompliant with teachers' expectations for academic activities. Several reasons may contribute to the use of removing students with EBD from the classroom. First, students with EBD have developed patterns of antisocial behavior, have a limited repertoire of cooperative behavior skills, a predilection to use coercive tactics to control and manipulate others, and a well-developed capacity for emotional outbursts and confrontation (Gresham, Ramsey, & Walker, 2003). These students demonstrate difficulties in interpersonal relationships, show an inability to interact in socially acceptable ways, and interact less frequently with their peers (Whitaker & Votel, 1995). Some of these students also may be facing difficulties in the home setting. Students from unstructured or unsupervised homes may bring well-developed patterns of antisocial behavior to school and display them during academic instruction (Gresham et al., 2003). Research shows that students' aggressive, disruptive, and defiant behaviors minimize instructional time, disrupt the learning of all...