Using a Self-Monitoring Intervention to Improve Students’ On-task Homework Behavior at an After-School Program

Abstract

The current study examined the effectiveness of a self-monitoring intervention for four sixth grade students engaging in high levels of off-task behavior during an after-school program’s homework time. The self-monitoring intervention involved students using a vibrating device over the course of 6 or 7 sessions to tactilely cue them to record their on- and off-task behavior and earn a small reward for accurate recording of behavior. For all participants, on-task behavior improved significantly during the intervention when compared to baseline levels. These findings are consistent with the existing literature on the effectiveness of self-monitoring interventions for on-task behavior during homework time. The results extend the literature by demonstrating that a self-monitoring intervention can produce positive results in the context of an after-school program’s homework time.