CLASSROOM PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTS WITH SERIOUS EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCE - A COMPARATIVE-STUDY OF EVALUATION METHODS FOR BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT

The treatment effects of three types of behavior management evaluation methods-teacher evaluation, self-evaluation, and group evaluation-wer e investigated. Effects on both the academic and behavioral performanc e of students with serious emotional disturbance (SED) were examined u sing an alternating treatments design. Results differentiated among th e three methods, indicating significantly improved academic performanc e when either the self- or group evaluation procedures were implemente d. It could therefore be stated that students with SED can benefit fro m learning skills for managing their own behavior. Time spent actively engaged was found to be variable among treatments but to become consi stent only during the optimal treatment phase (i.e., sell-evaluation). Teacher acceptability data supported the use of all procedures althou gh the data favored sell-evaluation. The results of this initial compa rative outcome study support the continued use of self and group evalu ation behavior management procedures for students with SED.