Promoting academic performance in inattentive children. The relative efficacy of school-home notes with and without response cost

Abstract

The present study examined the effectiveness of two different school-home notes for increasing academic productivity and appropriate classroom behavior in five inattentive children. Using an alternating treatments design, students received a school-home note with or without response cost. Both notes required teachers to evaluate students and required parents to provide consequences on a daily basis. The notes differed as to whether reprimands and response cost were included. The results indicated that on-task behavior and academic work completion improved in all five elementary school-aged children. The majority of subjects achieved greater improvements in on-task behavior with the response-cost component added to the school-home note.