Date
4-7-2023
Department
School of Behavioral Sciences
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD)
Chair
Kelly Gorbett
Keywords
parent communication, special education, attention maintained maladaptive behaviors
Disciplines
Education | Psychology
Recommended Citation
Harmon, Jennifer Rose, "Positively Reinforcing Parent Communication with Students in Special Education Classrooms for the Reduction of Attention Maintained Maladaptive Behaviors in a School Setting" (2023). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 4288.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/4288
Abstract
A mixed-method multiple-baseline experimental design explored the relationship of frequency of attention-maintained maladaptive behaviors and positive parent communication in a fourth through sixth grade special education classroom using visual analysis and a Wampold-Warsham (Wampold & Brown, 2005) statistical design. The obtained result of -11.021 was found to be the 6th highest mean difference across all 24 possible outcomes, resulting in a p-value of 6/24 = 0.25, which is not statistically significant with α = .05 (one-tailed). However, when looking at the visual analysis of the multiple baseline design graphs, one can see a clear decrease in each of the participants behaviors from baseline. This study adds to the current literature regarding the powerful impacts of positive reinforcement for behavior change in special education classes as well as advocating for more positive and biblically aligned parenting practices in regard to challenging behaviors.
