Behavior Contracting

Contracts are a familiar and accepted part of everyday life, and vary from formal employment agreements (describing job responsibilities, compensation, [Page 47]and even access to performance bonuses/goals) to sales contracts (for buying a house or a car). Behavior contracts (also known as “contingency” contracts) are written documents describing a relationship between the completion of a specific behavior and access to a reward (Heward, 1987; Jenson & Reavis, 1996). Behavior contracts can effectively improve student motivation and academic performance, school attendance, classroom behavior, compliance, adherence to classroom rules, and many other behaviors (BesalelAzrin and colleagues, 1977).

There are several reasons why behavior contracts are effective. In addition to generally accepted principles of reinforcement, contracts have been described as a type of rule-governed behavior, where the contract serves as a cue to perform a specific behavior, allowing the individual access to a contingent reward, or reinforcer. Contracts also allow for the use of a wider range of effective reinforcers, which may be too delayed in and of themselves (e.g., attending a movie on the weekend with a peer) to immediately reinforce the desired behavior (e.g., satisfactory behavior in school). Behavior contracts also require public commitments, where the individual must perform a behavior simply to avoid guilt or embarrassment for failing to follow through on a task that he or she publicly committed to do.

Good behavior contracts contain several important features that enhance their effectiveness. The contract must be negotiated to determine the consequences and specific behaviors to be performed. The negotiated aspect of a contract is one of its most critical features, particularly with adolescents. The contract must be formalized as a written document (Figure 1) to indicate that performing a specific behavior results in a positive reward. The desired behavior should also be described in both positive and specific terms (e.g., complete 90% of assigned seatwork with 80% accuracy or better; keep talking out to three or less per day). It is good practice to ask students initially for their impressions of an attainable goal and to negotiate further refinements in the desired behavior.

The motivational aspect of the contract is contained in the reward. Without reinforcement that is truly motivating and attainable, contracts will often fail. Rewards also need to be proportional to the task required. Effective reinforcers for a student can be determined by asking what types of activities, tangible goods, or privileges are motivating to the student. Using a menu of available reinforcers or allowing the student to choose from a box of items is especially advisable when the contract goes beyond one week. Individuals also differ with respect to the frequency or how often they need reinforcement, as well as how quickly they may become bored with a reinforcer. With younger children and students who have behavior problems, it may be necessary to begin with frequent reinforcers and gradually reduce the number of reinforcers as improved behavior becomes more consistent (Anderson, 2002).

Rewards also require someone to judge whether a behavior is performed, a time frame indicating when the reward will be provided, and how much reward will be available after the behavior is performed. Rewards should never be given before the behavior is completed or the terms of the contract are met. Behavior contracts may also contain penalty clauses for behaviors not performed within a certain time frame. Although failure to fulfill a contract is often followed by natural consequences (i.e., receiving a zero for missing homework or not receiving a promised incentive), some situations may require an explicit negative consequence as well. This is particularly true for behaviors that pose a safety risk to self or others, such as physical aggression toward peers or other types of self-damaging or risk-taking behaviors.

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