1) This study examined the use of contingency contracts to improve behaviors in 5 children with autism spectrum disorders between the ages of 8-18. 2) Baseline data was collected on target behaviors prior to implementing contingency contracts with the support of a mediator model. 3) After implementing contingency contracts for 8 weeks, maladaptive behaviors decreased by 57% on average for 3 participants and by 92% for one participant. Replacement behaviors also increased for most participants.

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The Use Of Contingency Contracts To Improve Behaviour In Children With Autism
By Ashley Brock, B.Sc., Aamir Khan BHSc. & Vicky Simos, M.ads BCBA
• Contingency contracts can be utilized in a mediator model
approach to increase socially significant behaviours that can improve
the quality of life for individuals of varying age groups, with varying
diagnoses (Heward, 1987).
• Past research demonstrates that Contingency contracts can be
applied by parents without specialized training to successfully
promote behaviour change (Hawkins et al., 2011).
• Contingency contracts provide a framework for families to
implement behavioural strategies to reinforce and teach behaviour
(Allen & Kramer, 1990).
• Moreover, Contingency contracts encourage children to monitor
their behaviour, set goals and be involved in decision making while
focusing on a positive productive procedure (Hawkins et al., 2011) .
• The contracts can be adjusted based on individual needs, target
behaviours, the role of the persons involved in the contract and ease
of data collection.
•Program implementation was short term lasting approximately 8
weeks with 1 hour per week of direct service using a mediator model
and 2-3 hours per week of indirect service.
Subjects
i. Male 9 years old with diagnosis of Autism
ii. Male 8 years old with diagnosis of Asperger’s
iii. Male 13 years old with diagnosis of Autism
iv. Male 18 years old with diagnosis of Autism
v. Female 8 years old with diagnosis of Asperger’s
Baseline
• Baseline was collected by mediator for all participants.
• Baseline was collected at the start of service delivery, prior to program
implementation.
• Baseline data was collected over a 1-2 week period.
Data Collection
• Percentage of opportunity of contract adherence for participant i and iii
• Data was collected by the client for participant i, and collected by the parent for
participant iii
• Frequency of use of replacement strategies as outlined in the contingency contract in
addition to frequency of maladaptive behaviour for participants ii, iv and v.
• For all participants, data was collected per day.
Hypothesized Function
Determined by use of :
Functional Behavioural Assessment: Bio/psycho/social analysis,
ABC logs
Direct observations
Intervention
Antecedent Strategies
• Determine behaviour contract targets as related to the function based skill acquisition
• Review contract with child
• Have child choose reward (daily or weekly)
• Contracts were visual or written
Intervention Strategy
• Parent or child marked off box on contract upon successful completion of target
• Ample social praise provided by caregiver upon completion of successful completion
of target
• Review contract daily or weekly (as determined by program) with client and deliver
predetermined reward based on successful completion.
• BST Mediator model; Instruction, Model, Practice, Feedback
• Consultant modelled strategies with individual while parent observed
• Parent given opportunity to practice strategies and receive feedback from consultants
Generalization
• Faded out rate of reinforcement
• Contingency contract implemented with other challenging behaviours
• Contingency contract implemented by other caregivers/in other environments
BACKGROUND
PURPOSE
METHOD
RESULTS
LIMITATIONS
REFERENCES
Limitations:
 Contingency contracting was more difficult to implement in
different contexts.
 i.e. school, availability of mediators and/or trained mediators,
available opportunities to engage in replacement behaviours.
 Lack of Interobserver reliability across baseline measures.
 Initial reinforcement schedules for desired skills had to be
dense.
 Fading reinforcement attached to contingency contracts was
challenging to achieve in some cases given the length of service
delivery involved with each subject.
 Contracts were required to be modified at times.
 Follow-Up data was anecdotal, and could not be confirmed in
some cases.
 Limited literature available on the use of contingency contracts
in applied settings.
• This poster outlines a Behaviour Skills Training (BST) mediator
model approach was used to teach the caregivers to implement ABA
strategies and teach all 5 clients to follow a contingency contract in
an applied settings.
• Decrease maladaptive behaviours and increase function based
socially appropriate skills.
• Teach mediator implement strategies and increase caregiver skill.
• After contingency contracting was implemented, maladaptive
behaviours were reduced by 57% overall for 3 out of 5 individuals
involved in this study (see figure 1).
• In one case, maladaptive behaviour reduced by 92% (see figure 1).
• Replacement behaviour emerged as a new behaviour in 4 out of 5
cases involved, and increased by 73% in the last case.
• In 2 of the cases involved, target skills occurred across 73.5% of
opportunities (on average) (see figure 2).
Allen, S. J. &Kramer, J. J. (1990) Modification of personal
hygiene and grooming behaviors with contingency
contracting: A brief review and case study. Psychology in
schools, 27, 244-251.
Hawkins. E, Kingsdorf, S., Charnock, J., Szabo, M.,
Middleton, E., Phillips, J., & Gautreaux G. (2011). Using
behaviour contracts to decrease antisocial behaviour in
four boys with an autistic spectrum disorder at home and at
school. British Journal of Special Education, 38, 201-208.
Heward (1987). Applied Behavior Analysis. Columbus, Ohio:
Prentice Hall, pp. 467-485
FIGURE 2.
FIGURE 1.
 In all cases, frequencies and percentages of maladaptive
behaviour decreased.
 Contingency contracts can be used successfully using a
mediator model.
 Contingency contracts can be used to teach new skills, as well
as increase low frequencies of existing socially significant and
beneficial behaviours.
CONCLUSIONS