Examining a Positive Variation of the Good Behavior Game with Head Start Children at Risk for Child Adversity and Externalizing Behavior Problems

Background: Children participating in the Head Start program in the United States are predominantly from underserved groups, have increased rates of child adversity, and are at risk for externalizing behavior problems in the classroom. The Good Behavior Game (GBG) is an effective classroom management strategy for reducing disruptive and off-task classroom behaviors. However, previous research has not examined the GBG within the Head Start context. Methods: The current case–controlled study evaluated the effectiveness of the GBG in six Head Start children aged 3–5. Researchers conducted daily classroom behavioral observations of disruptive behaviors, and teachers completed pre- and post-treatment assessments of externalizing behaviors and social skills. Results: Study results showed the majority of target children exhibited reductions in at least one observed externalizing behavior and clinically significant improvements in teacher-reported externalizing behaviors, although most participants did not exhibit significant changes in social skills. Findings illustrate the effectiveness of structured classroom interventions, such as the GBG, for improving classroom behavioral compliance. Results have implications for teacher training and highlight the capacity for low-intensity interventions such as the GBG to have substantial impacts on classroom management within settings such as Head Start. Future research should endeavor to determine the optimal dosage and duration of the GBG, assess the effectiveness of teacher training to administer the GBG in their own classrooms, and evaluate if the current findings generalize to other contexts.