Behavior Modification Projects
Behavior Modification Projects
Phelan Hoover to the front page please APA Manual style Thank You!
BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION PROJECT: TREATMENT PHASE REPORT INSTRUCTIONS
You will treat your target behavior, using the treatment method(s) that you have researched in this
course. You will submit the 1–2page Treatment Phase Report, which will consist of 2 parts—a
written summary describing your observations of the treatment and the results you found along with
a narrative of what occurred, along with a graphic representation which will show both the baseline
phase and the treatment phase, properly annotated.
This assignment is due by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Monday of Module/Week 6.
Exercise as a Behavioral Modification
Treatment Phase Report
Susie Sample
Liberty University
Disclaimer: This sample treatment phase report was created by a residential student according to the
timeframe of a 16 week semester. Your Liberty University Online 8week course requires you to adjust
the length of the baseline/treatment phases to fit within this term.?
Treatment
The method of treatment used for the behavioral deficit of exercise in the participant was a token
economy. The participant was given a chart that recorded points that were received in exchange for
behaviors. These points could be later exchanged for positive reinforcers. This token economy
consisted of positive target behaviors in which the participant engaged to receive a point on the
participant’s chart, and negative target behaviors that removed points from the chart.
Positive target behaviors included behaviors that helped the participant to engage in physical activity
and make healthier daily choices. These positive behaviors included waking up before 8 a.m., eating
three meals a day, walking to and from academic buildings, using the stairs instead of an elevator,
going to the gym, and engaging in purposeful physical activity that resulted in perspiration and
raised heart rate.
Negative target behaviors included behaviors in which the participant was not engaged. Negative
behaviors contradicted positive behaviors, and, therefore resulted in the loss of points. These
behaviors included taking the bus instead of walking, using the elevator, staying up after midnight,
making negative body comments, and complaining about working out. Negative body comments and
complaining were considered negative target behaviors that needed to be avoided because they are
correlated with lower selfesteem and may hinder performance.
Once points were tallied on the chart they became available for the participant to use to purchase
backup reinforcers. Backup reinforcers were desirable activities to the participant that were removed
from the participant at the beginning of the treatment phase.
Treatment period
The first treatment phase started immediately after the first baseline phase ended. The first treatment
began on February 27, 2012, and ended on March 2, 2012. This treatment phase was initially
established to last 14 days, but due to the participant’s uncooperativeness with the treatment, the
first phase ended after 5 days. The treatment was modified to fit the participant’s schedule. After a
two week disruption, due to the participant’s spring break, the second treatment phase was
introduced. The second treatment phase resumed on March 19, 2012, and concluded on March 30,
2012.
Schedules of treatment
The schedule of treatment was continuous for both treatment phases. When the participant engaged
in a positive target behavior, a point was immediately added to the chart, and when a negative target
behavior occurred, a point was immediately deducted. All points were tallied at the end of each night
and recorded on a chart in the participant’s dorm room. The participant’s roommate and one friend
had access to the chart and were able to account for all points that were tallied.
Positive reinforcers in exchange for points from the chart were delivered on a fixed interval schedule.
The participant was only able to exchange points for desirable activities once every night, and was
held accountable by the participant’s roommate. Positive desirable activities included the following:
30 minutes of social networking on the internet, attending a movie at a movie theatre, watching one
television show, or watching a movie. Negative reinforcement, however, was continuous and was
implemented immediately as the points were deducted from the chart.
Summary
Treatment was divided into two phases. The first phase was productive in increasing the amount of
time the participant engaged in physical activity; however, after four days the participant was unable
to generate enough points to exchange for backup reinforcers. The positive target behaviors were
unrealistic to the participant’s availability to complete them, which hindered the participant from
succeeding to reach the maximum points available for each day and increased the participant’s stress.
The second phase of the treatment incorporated a workout plan that allowed the participant to
complete her exercises inside the dormitory instead of going to the gym. This workout plan, entitled
“Something has GOT to Change,” was created by a friend of the participant and focused on specific
activities that the participant was able to perform. “Something has GOT to Change” (SHGTC) required
another person to help the participant complete it, which allowed for friend support when engaging
in physical activity.
The treatment phases were productive and increased the amount of time the participant spent
engaging in purposeful, physical activity. However as treatment progressed, the amount of time the
participant engaged in physical activity at the LaHaye Student Union Gym decreased.
The participant’s engagement in physical activity increased, but was inconsistent. The behavioral
deficit of exercise remained a deficit, but to a lesser degree.
Because the behavioral deficit decreased, the results of the experiment were positive, however, further
modification may need to take place to reach the participant’s goal of incorporating physical exercise
into a daily activity. A token economy worked well but was not the best fit for the participant and this
particular behavioral modification. The token economy allowed for the participant to be informed of
the behavioral expectations and aware of all points added and lost, but the participant’s lack of free
time to engage in positive target behaviors greatly hindered the experiment. The way to increase the
deficit of exercise may be to first increase the behavioral deficit of time management. Figure 2
exemplifies the frequency of the behavior of exercise and how long the behavior lasted during each
baseline and treatment phase.
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The following two charts are the target behaviors for each treatment phase and the amount of points
they were worth.
TREATMENT PHASE 1 Token Economy
Token Behaviors (Positive) Points Token Behaviors (Negative) Points
Out of bed by 8 am 1 Wake up after 10am 2
Eat three meals a day 2 Skip a meal 1
Walk to class 1 Take a bus instead of walking 1
Use the steps instead of the elevator 1 Use the elevator 2
Walk back from class 1 Drink Soda 1
Run 1 mile 1 Eat more than one dessert 4
Use Elyptical for 30 minutes 1 Stay up past 2am 3
Drink 8 glasses of water 2 Complain about working out 2
Ride bicycle for 20 minutes 1 Negative comments about my body 4
Take my vitamins 1 Eat after 9pm 1
In bed by midnight 1 Be mean to Callie 4
Total Daily Points 13
Extra Points (Positive) Points
50 crunches 3
Walk to the gym 5
Play in a volleyball game 2
Run 3 miles 1
Backup Reinforcers Cost
30 minutes of facebook 10
A tv show 10
going to the movies 8
watching a movie 5
Going out to eat 8
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TREATMENT PHASE 2 Token Economy
Token Behaviors (Positive) Points Token Behaviors (Negative) Points
Out of bed by 8 am 1 Wake up after 10am 2
Eat three meals a day 2 Skip a meal 1
Walk to at least one class 1 Use the elevator 1
Use the steps instead of the elevator 1 Drink Soda 1
Walk back from at least one class 1 Eat more than one dessert 2
Complete “Something has got to change” 6 Stay up past 2am 3
Drink 8 glasses of water 4 Complain about working out 3
Take my vitamins 1 Negative comments about my body 5
Complete Ten Minutes of stretchs 3 Eat after 9pm 1
In bed by midnight 1 Total points 19
Total Daily Points 21
Extra Points (Positive) Points
50 crunches 3
Walk to the gym 5
Play in a volleyball game 2
Run 1 mile 1
Use Elyptical for 30 minutes 2
Ride bicycle for 20 minutes 2
Backup Reinforcers Cost
30 minutes of facebook 12
A tv show 10
going to the movies 8
watching a movie 5
Going out to eat 8
After 1 full week of receiving 21 daily points, the participant will be allowed to go to sweet frog.
After 2 full weeks of receiving 21 daily points every day, the participant will be allowed to
host a movie marathon sleepover.
The following chart was used to record points the participant gained each day.
DAY # of points received # of Points Lost Total Number of Points
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
TOKEN BEHAVIOR DAY COMPLETED
Out of bed by 8 am
Eat three meals a day
Walk to at least one class
Use the steps instead of the elevator
Walk back from at least one class
Complete “Something has got to change”
Drink 8 glasses of water
Take my vitamins
Complete Ten Minutes of stretchs
In bed by midnight
Extra Points (Positive)
50 crunches
Walk to the gym
Play in a volleyball game
Run 1 mile
Use Elyptical for 30 minutes
Ride bicycle for 20 minutes
Backup Reinforcers
30 minutes of facebook
A tv show
going to the movies
watching a movie
Going out to eat
