PAX Good Behavior Game
Active Ingredients and Comparisons
to Prior Iterations
1
Good Behavior Game Invention
• Dr. Muriel Saunders, a
4th grade teacher,
invented the Good
Behavior Game in
1967, and the first
experimental results
were published two
years later.
Barrish, H. H., Saunders, M., & Wolf, M. M. (1969). Good behavior game:
Effects of individual contingencies for group consequences on disruptive
behavior in a classroom. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 2(2), 119-124.
2
Proven Short Term Effects
All studies of the
Game show it
has powerful,
immediate
benefits for
classroom
attention and
learning—such
as these data
from Cook
County
3
Key Original Parts of the Game
•
•
•
•
Multiple teams in the classroom
Teacher uses game during normal instruction
Teacher plays game 3 times per day, using a timer
Teacher responds unemotionally to rule breaking,
marking point against child’s team
• Children earn simple reward for achieving low
number of points against team (rewarding children
for self-control, emotional regulation and not
attending the antics of others)
• Challenges to “raise the bar” happen
4
PAX GBG Research-Based
Enhancements
• Visual non-verbal cues added
during and between games
(Medland and Stachnik, 1972)
• Academic enhancement
strategies (Harris and Sherman,
1973)
• Peer coaching and public
recognitions/praise (Hegerle,
Kesecker, and Couch, 1979)
• Coaching strategies (Johnson,
Turner, and Konarski, 1978)
• Children help create the “rules”
for the game (Fishbein and
Wasik, 1981).
• Play game during transitions
(Fishbein and Wasik, 1981).
• Adaptations for special
education (Darveaux, 1984)
• Activity rewards instead of
candy (Kosiec, Czernicki, and
McLaughlin, 1986)
• Adaptations for older and
younger kids (Salend,
Reynolds, and Coyle, 1989;
Swiezy, Matson, and Box,
1991).
• Peace/PAX language (Embry et
al., 1996; Flannery et al, 2003)
5
Comparisons to Versions
Original JHU PAX JHU
GBG -1993 GBG -2005
Components
Basic GBG Key Components
Yes
Yes
Rule clarifications, Secret Game, Weekly
Winners, Problem Solving, Charts, data
systems, team configurations, etc.
Yes
Yes
40 hours
4 hours
Classroom Coaching System
No
Yes
Research-based enhancements
No
Yes
Candy/food rewards
Yes
No
Multi-grade/SPED/ school-wide tools
No
Yes
Fidelity/dose measures
No
Yes
Only 1st grade
Yes, 250+
??
Yes
Training
Pilot testing in K-8 classrooms
Multi-cultural adaptations/testing
6
Cited References
Darveaux, D.. (1984). The Good Behavior Game plus merit: Controlling disruptive behavior and improving student motivation. School Psychology
Review, 13(4), 510-514.
Embry, D. D., Flannery, D. J., Vazsonyi, A. T., Powell, K. E., & Atha, H. (1996). PeaceBuilders: A theoretically driven, school-based model for early
violence prevention. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 12(5, Suppl), 91.
Fishbein, J.E., & Wasik, B. H. (1981). Effect of the Good Behavior Game on disruptive library behavior. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 14, 8993.
Flannery, D. J., Vazsonyi, A. T., Liau, A. K., Guo, S., Powell, K. E., Atha, H., et al. (2003). Initial behavior outcomes for the PeaceBuilders
universal school-based violence prevention program. Developmental Psychology, 39(2), 292-308.
Flannery, D. J., Vazsonyi, A. T., Liau, A. K., Guo, S., Powell, K. E., Atha, H., et al. (2003). Initial behavior outcomes for the PeaceBuilders
universal school-based violence prevention program. Developmental Psychology, 39(2), 292-308.
Harris, V. William; Sherman, James A. (1973). Use and analysis of the "Good Behavior Game" to reduce disruptive classroom behavior. Journal of
Applied Behavior Analysis, 6, 405-413.
Hegerle, D.R., Kesecker, M. P., & Couch, J. V. (1979). A behavior game for the reduction of inappropriate classroom behaviors. School Psychology
Review, 8(3), 339-343.
Johnson, M. R., Turner, P. F., & Konarski, E. A. (1978). The Good Behavior Game: A systematic replication in two unruly transitional
classrooms. Education & Treatment of Children, 1(3), 25-33.
Kosiec, L. E., Czernicki, M. R., & McLaughlin, T. F. (1986). The Good Behavior Game: A replication with consumer satisfaction in two regular
elementary school classrooms. Techniques, 2, 15-23.
Medland, M. B., & Stachnik, T. J. (1972). Good Behavior Game: A replication and systematic analysis. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 5(1),
45-51.
Salend, S. J., Reynolds, C. J., & Coyle, E. M. (1989). Individualizing the Good Behavior Game across type and frequency of behavior with emotionally
disturbed adolescents. Behavior Modification, 13(1), 108-126.
Swiezy, N. B., Matson, J.L., & Box, P. (1992). The Good Behavior Game: A token reinforcement system for preschoolers. Child & Family Behavior
Therapy, 14, 21-32.
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