Self-Management Behavior Change ProjectLinks to an external site.

Part 3: Proposal for Behavioral Change (50 points)

What you will submit:

Responses to the following questions (1-3 pages). Please use the subheadings I provided (the underlined text)

Overview:

Once you’ve decided on the behavior you want to change, it’s time to start thinking about how you are going to implement that change. Your proposal should include the following:

Desired end goal behavior 

Clearly define the desired end goal of your behavior, e.g., study at least 3 hours per day; sleep at least 8 hours each night; never bite my nails; cuss no more than 2 times a day. Reflect on this number and why you chose it. Be very specific and clear about your thought process and rationale (think of this like showing your work in math class).

Initial daily behavioral goal

Determine what your initial daily goal for the behavior will be (e.g., study at least 30 minutes per day; sleep at least 5 hours each night; bite my nails no more than 50 times a day; cuss no more than 30 times a day) to get access to your reinforcer. This should be slightly different from your baseline average which will make it slightly challenging to reach on a daily basis but should not be so challenging that you are going to fail. Your initial daily goal is NOT the same as your end goal.

• If you are trying to increase a behavior, the initial daily goal will be HIGHER than your baseline number and LOWER than your end goal. Ex. baseline average amount of sleep = 5 hours/night. End goal = 8 hours/night. Initial goal = 6 hours/night
• If you are trying to DECREASE a behavior, the initial daily goal will be LOWER than your baseline number and HIGHER than your end goal. Ex. baseline average amount of SM usage = 180 minutes/day. End goal = no more than 60 minutes/day. Initial goal = 160 minutes/day

Why did you choose this initial daily goal? Be very specific and clear about your thought process and rationale (think of this like showing your work in math class).

Reinforcement

For the project you will provide yourself with a daily reinforcer for meeting your goal. Determine what you will use as reinforcement. How/Why did you choose that item/activity? How much of the reinforcer will you get (e.g., if you are using candy - are you earning the entire bag? One small piece? If your reinforcer is an activity, how many minutes of the activity will you earn?). When will you provide the reinforcement? If possible, provide yourself with the reinforcement immediately after the behavior, e.g., “immediately after studying for the required duration”; “as soon as I wake up”. If that is not possible, provide yourself with the reinforcement at a consistent time each day, e.g., “at 9 PM if I have met my goal for the day”. Remember, you must access the reinforcer every day/time you earn it!!

How will you make sure that you ONLY get the reinforcer(s) you have chosen for this project contingent on meeting your behavior goal for that day? For instance, if your reinforcer is social media use, “I will add an app to my phone that locks me out of social media apps unless I put in a password.” Or if your reinforcer is ice cream, “I will hide the ice cream and put a note on it to remind myself that I can’t eat it unless I’ve earned it.” Really think about this part - behavior change only occurs when you are consistent. Essentially you are describing how you will ensure that you stick to the plan.

Shaping procedure

Once you have met your initial daily behavioral goal for 3 days in a row, you need to increase/decrease the requirement for reinforcement to the next step using a shaping procedure. Note that you should NOT be moving to the next step willy nilly - it must be after you meet the criteria for 3 days IN A ROW. NOT 3 days total, not at the beginning of the week, etc. You will follow this shaping plan each time you meet your current behavioral goal for 3 days in a row.

Step 1 = … (This must be your initial daily behavioral goal)

Step 2 = …

Step 3 = …

Step XX = …. (This must be your end/target goal)

Use as many steps as needed until you get to your desired end goal behavior as the last step.

(Clearly define each step of the shaping process, e.g., Step 1 = Study for at least 1 hour per day, Step 2 = Study for at least 1.5 hours per day, etc.; Step 1 = Sleep for at least 6 hours/night, Step 2 = Sleep for at least 6.5 hours/night, etc.)

Self-Monitoring Intervention

For the purpose of this project, you will engage in self-monitoring. Self-monitoring is the process of identifying if a target behavior is occurring and recording the occurrence of the target behavior. You will use the Implementation Tracking FormLinks to an external site. to self-monitoring your target behavior.

Self-Monitoring Implementation phase tracking sheet Week 1

Behavior = Biting nails

Operational Definition = Number of times I am aware that I have put a nail in my mouth and bitten down on the nail.

Reinforcer = 1 episode of Ted Lasso.

Current requirement for earning reinforcement= 15 or less occurrences

Day of the week

Date

Tracking (use the unit of measurement given in your operational definition)

Did you meet the current requirement to earn reinforcement? (Yes or No)

Did you provide yourself with the reinforcer? (Yes or No)

Monday

5/23/22

=15

• Yes
•  No

• Yes
•  No

Tuesday

5/24/22

=15

• Yes
•  No

• Yes
•  No

Wednesday

5/25/22

//=12  

• Yes
•  No

• Yes
•  No

Thursday

5/26/22

///=13  

• Yes
•  No

• Yes
•  No

Friday

5/27/22

/ =11

• Yes
•  No

• Yes
•  No

Saturday

5/28/22

=10

• Yes
•  No

• Yes
•  No

Sunday

5/29/22

  =10

• Yes
•  No

• Yes
•  No

Sample plans. Note that these are just to give you an idea, yours should include MUCH more detail than this

Sample Plan #1 (increasing time spent on class activities)

Baseline average = 3.5 hours

Desired end goal behavior = Engage in academic time for at least 6 hours per day

Initial daily behavioral goal = Engage in academic time for at least 4 hours per day

Every day I meet my behavioral goal, I will reinforce myself by watching one show on Netflix I will provide myself with this reinforcer if I have met my daily goal as soon as possible after meeting my daily goal and no later than 8 PM.I will make sure I do not get the reinforcer I have chosen for this project unless I earn it by signing out of my Netflix account every time I finish watching a show and telling my roommate I’m not allowed to watch Netflix unless I earn it.

Once I have met my initial daily behavioral goal for 3 days in a row, I will increase the requirement for reinforcement to the next step and will follow the following shaping plan each time I have met my current behavioral goal for 3 days in a row.

Step 1 = Engage in academic time for at least 4 hours per day (initial goal)

Step 2 = Engage in academic time for at least 4.5 hours per day

Step 3 = Engage in academic time for at least 5 hours per day

Step 4 = Engage in academic time for at least 5.5 hours per day

Step 5 = Engage in academic time for at least 6 hours per day (end goal)

Sample Plan #2 (decreasing number of cigarettes smoked)

Baseline average = smoked 22 cigarettes per day

Desired end goal behavior = smoke 0 cigarettes per day

Initial daily behavioral goal = smoke no more than 20 cigarettes per day

Every day I meet my behavioral goal, I will reinforce myself by having my favorite dessert and/or playing video games for an hour. I will provide myself with this reinforcer if I have smoked no more than the allotted number of cigarettes by 9 PM (this student knows they never smoke past 9 PM so that is why they chose that time). I will make sure I do not get the reinforcers I have chosen for this project unless I earn them by hiding the dessert in the back of the fridge and unplugging my video game console. I am also going to tell my roommates and friends about my goal so they can support me.

Once I have met my initial daily behavioral goal for 3 days in a row, I will increase the requirement for reinforcement to the next step and will follow the following shaping plan each time I have met my current behavioral goal for 3 days in a row.

Step 1 = Smoke no more than 20 cigarettes per day (initial goal)

Step 2 = Smoke no more than 18 cigarettes per day

Step 3 = Smoke no more than 16 cigarettes per day

Step 4 = Smoke no more than 14 cigarettes per day

Step 5 = Smoke no more than 12 cigarettes per day

Step 6 = Smoke no more than 10 cigarettes per day

Step 7 = Smoke no more than 8 cigarettes per day

Step 8 = Smoke no more than 6 cigarettes per day

Step 9 = Smoke no more than 4 cigarettes per day

Step 10 = Smoke no more than 2 cigarettes per day

Step 11 = Smoke 0 cigarettes per day (end goal)

**Notice that this student will likely need to continue with this shaping plan after the class is over to meet their end-goal behavior because shaping the behavior quicker than this will likely lead to failure.

Grading Rubric for Part 3 (50 points possible)

Grading Rubric for Part 3 (50 points possible)

0 points

5 points

8 points

10 points

Desired end goal

Missing

Desired end goal is present but doesn’t make sense within the larger plan

Desired end goal is clearly stated and mostly makes sense within the larger plan

Desired end goal is clearly stated, thoughtful, and makes sense within the larger plan

Initial daily goal

Missing

Initial daily goal is present but doesn’t make sense within the larger plan

Initial daily goal is clearly stated and mostly makes sense within the larger plan

Initial daily goal is clearly stated, thoughtful, and makes sense within the larger plan

Reinforcement plan

Missing

The plan for receiving reinforcement is present but vague. Specifications for earning reinforcement are not clearly described.

The plan for receiving reinforcement is clearly stated and mostly makes sense within the larger plan. Specifications could be more clearly described.

The plan for receiving reinforcement is clearly stated and makes sense within the larger plan. Specifications are clearly described, including the frequency, duration, and type of reinforcement.

Making sure reinforcement is only for targeted behavior

Missing

It is unclear how the student will prevent reinforcement from occurring other than in response to the target behavior.

It is mostly clear how the student will prevent reinforcement from occurring other than in response to the target behavior.

It is very clear how the student will prevent reinforcement from occurring other than in response to the target behavior.

Shaping plan

Missing

Shaping protocol is present but doesn’t make sense within the larger plan.

Shaping protocol is present and mostly makes sense within the larger plan.

Shaping protocol is clearly defined and makes sense within the larger plan.