Behavior Analysis: Research and Practice, Vol 25(2), May 2025, 42-56; doi:10.1037/bar0000303
The good behavior game (GBG) is an effective classroom management strategy with substantial empirical support (Bowman-Perrott et al., 2016; Flower et al., 2014). Despite its effectiveness, research has identified implementation barriers such as the financial cost of rewards and time requirements for immediate reward delivery (Joslyn, Vollmer, & Kronfli, 2019; Skinner et al., 2023). Although most GBG arrangements deliver rewards immediately following the game, recent research suggests that providing delayed rewards may still be effective. This approach could make GBG more feasible for teachers and increase the likelihood and frequency of implementation. The current study compared GBG implemented with immediate, delayed, and no reward (i.e., praise only) in preschool and early elementary classrooms. The GBG immediately decreased disruptive behavior, and there was no differentiation between the three variations of the game. This finding suggests that rewards may be periodically delayed or minimized to reduce implementation barriers while maintaining effectiveness. Although some teachers noted concerns (e.g., students being unnaturally quiet or cautious) and challenging aspects of the procedure (e.g., point delivery and feedback), social validity was overall positive. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)