There are a lot of ABA tools that I use regularly to help shape positive behavior. A behavior contract is one of my go-tos for learners who are able to wait for delayed reinforcement. When implementing, it’s important that the learner understands what behaviors are being reinforced even if they’re not accessing reinforcement for a few hours.
What is a Behavior Contract?
Behavior contracts are written agreements that outline expected behaviours/tasks during a defined amount of time and the reward the student earns if she fulfills her end of the bargain.
These contracts motivate kids to try their best and help teach self-responsibility and self-monitoring. For example, I work with a learner who had trouble staying in his seat, keeping his hands to himself and raising his hand to ask questions during teaching time. So, I started using a contract that targeted these specific behaviors. Eager to earn his prize, it didn’t take long before his classroom demeanor was more appropriate.
Behavior contracts are helpful with my clients and I’m they’ll benefit yours, too. But they will only work if they’re written correctly. Here’s how to craft an effective behavior contract.
1. List the Behavioral Expectations
Decide on one or two behaviors (more can be overwhelming) to target. Rather than noting the negative behaviors you don’t want to see, write down the replacement (positive) behaviors that your student is expected to have. Make them very specific and achievable. You can also include pictures to increase your student’s comprehension. For example, if the goal is to stop him from throwing sand and pushing kids at the park, the behaviour expectations could be:
- I kept the sand in the sandbox
- I kept my hands to myself
- I used my words to communicate with kids
- I listened to my teacher
NOTE: Effective behavior contracts should only have 3-5 points.
2. Determine Duration
On the contract, list how long it’ll be in effect. Start with short amounts of time to encourage follow through and show your student that there really is something great coming after her hard work. For example, if the goal is to end running off at the mall, go there for only 5 to 10 minutes with your first behavior contract. Incrementally increase the amount of time as your student gets used to working with this system. Remember, the contract is in place to reward positive behavior. Therefore, going for short durations of time at the beginning sets up your learner for success.
3. Collaborate With Your Learner
Provide your student with several options – ones you know he’ll love – of the rewards he could earn for fulfilling his contract. From that list, let your student pick what he’s working for and write it down on the contract. Keep in mind that reinforcement does not have to be a drain on the pocketbook – inexpensive ideas include 10 minutes of teacher-time after lunch, reading a favorite book, colouring, bubbles or scootering in the hallway – and the size of the reinforcer should match the difficulty of the task. For instance, if it’s extremely difficult for Sally to keep her hands away from other children at the park, then the reward should be large. If she typically has more success cleaning up her toys, then her reinforcement can be smaller.
4. Include a Rating System
For students new to behavior contracts, use a token or sticker format to reinforce every time they demonstrate the desired behavior. For more advanced learners, use a rating system where you help them self-evaluate how they did at the end of the interval. You can set it up so that there is a 0-3 rating scale system, or a simple all or nothing Yes/No system.
5. State the Consequences
Decide how many Yes’s or points your learner needs to get their special activity; write that condition on the contract. For example: 3 Yes’s = ___ minutes of youtube.
Give your learner a few choices of what she can work for, then let her pick her prize. Write down how much she’ll get and when she’ll get it. Remember to reward exactly as you promised to!
TIP: The reward must match the effort of the task. Riding in the car nicely for 30-minutes would give my client access to something like a favourite cookie or playing chase; whereas riding nicely in the car all week deserves a more substantial prize like going out for ice cream or 30 extra minutes of iPad time.
6. Put the Behaviour Contract to Work
Before you implement it, review the written agreement with your student so he’s sure of the expectations, time frame, rewards and consequences. While in action, have the contract in a visible place, and if he is about to misbehave, non-verbally point to the contract as a reminder of expectations. Give your learner frequent praise for having the positive behaviors listed on the contract.
When time’s up, review and rate the contract with your student. Be sure to deliver the reinforcement quickly or be steadfast with the consequences.
If you use contracts consistently (for example, every outing where the target behavior occurs), changes in behavior should happen almost immediately, providing your student is motivated by the reward. If she loses interest in the prize or she keeps failing to earn it, then the contract will not be effective. In that case, renegotiate the reinforcer and, if they’re proving to be too hard to achieve, tweak the behavior expectations. You may also want to include a bonus reward to increase her motivation.
NOTE: Stop using the contract when Sally is able to regularly and independently complete the task with appropriate behavior. Also discontinue it if either of you aren’t able to consistently meet the terms of the contract.
