Case Study of Behavior Modification - Guidelines
This assignment is designed to stimulate your thinking about the many possible behavior management and
modification strategies and techniques that can be used in a classroom. Guidelines for completing a case study
of behavior modification follow. Use the headings: Context, Targeted Behavior, Intervention Strategies &
Techniques, Instrument(s), Outcome(s), Reflection, and Communication for the assignment.
1. Describe the context; that is the people and events surrounding the case. This is usually the teacher and
student(s) in a specific classroom. Use pseudonyms for all students mentioned in the case.
2. Identify the behavior that you plan to modify and a baseline of the behavior. The targeted behavior
could be simply for students in an entire class to raise their hands instead of blurting out answers or it
could be directed to one or more specific students to modify off-task or disruptive behaviors. Include a
description of the current behavior – that is, establish a baseline. Describe the process you use to
establish a baseline. A baseline identifies the frequency, and/or duration, and/or level of the targeted
behavior prior to intervention. Then describe the outcome or desired changed/modified behavior you
wish to occur.
3. Describe the strategies and/or techniques designed to bring about the desired change in behavior. This
could involve classroom arrangement, seating arrangement, verbal or written communication to
parents/caregivers, modification of instructional design, pacing of lesson, providing reminders of
classroom rules and procedures, consistent enforcement of classroom rules and procedures with
established consequences, etc.
4. Describe instrument(s), strategies and techniques you use to measure and change the current behavior
and any change that occurred during length of study. Use appropriate instruments and/or methods of
measurement – you will measure duration frequency or level of the current behavior for baseline and
then measure duration, frequency, or level of the behavior following intervention to change/modify the
behavior. For example, you might count how many students blurt out answers on Monday, then use
strategies to change that behavior throughout the week, and count how many students blurt out answers
and how many times on the following Monday. The instrument would simply be an observation form
recording the number of students and the number of times that the behavior occurs on Monday of one
week and the same measure taken one week later. If you choose to modify the number of times a specific
student turns in homework, your instrument would be a simple tally sheet of the number of times the
student turns in homework before and after the intervention over one or several weeks.
5. Describe the outcome(s) in terms of the level(s) of change/modification of the identified behavior. This
is the change in behavior that occurred as a result of planned intervention (strategies and techniques)
as measured by assessment instrument(s). This could be a simple tally of frequency or duration of
behavior before and after intervention. That is, how do you know if a change occurred? NOTE: You do
NOT have to show a positive change in behavior, but you must describe what occurred during the study.
6. Reflect on the case. What did you learn from this study about behavior modification? Would you use the
techniques and/or strategies you used in this study in the future to modify student behavior? Why or
why not? Reflect on what made the behavior modification process successful or what may have
contributed to lack of success. Reflective comments should focus on your insights, reactions and
thoughts about the case.
7. How will you communicate the results to the students, parents/caregivers, others? For example: note to
parents/caregivers about the change in behavior, positive verbal or written feedback to the student(s)
about the change in behavior; discussion of the project with your supervisor(s), colleague(s), other
school personnel for feedback, support, direction
NOTE: Behavior change can require more time and focused intervention than academic growth to show progress. For example, it
may be relatively easy for a student to master a list of spelling words in a week, but it may require more than one week of
intervention for that student to consistently raise his/her hand to answer questions in class or to bring required materials to class
every day.
Summer 2007