Ethical issues of behavior modification research in schools

Behavior modification research in the classroom was examined by the National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects because of the increasingly widespread use of behavioral procedures in the schools, the effectiveness of these procedures in changing academic and social behavior, and the consequent concern about potential misuse. In order to foster the responsible use of behavior modification procedures in the schools on a practical as well as a research basis, the following ethical issues being considered by researchers and the involved public are discussed: informed consent, determination of classroom goals, legitimacy of rewards and aversive controls in the classroom, conceptions of behavior modification as manipulative and mechanistic, who can implement the procedures, research design, and accountability. The authors conclude that the issues regarding protection of human subjects in behavior modification research are no different from other treatment-oriented research with children. However, the high degree of parental and teacher involvement in both research and practice requires shared responsibility for the prevention of misuse of behavior modification procedures.     

A comparison of the WISC information and arithmetic subtests with a multiple choice procedure using kindergarten,first-, and second-grade children

Fifty-nine children in kindergarten, first, and second grade were given the WISC information and arithmetic subtest. Approximately three weeks later, the subjects were presented with the same questions, and four multiple choice answers were shown and read to them. The number of correct responses on each subtest for each presentation method was recorded. The multiple choice method of presentation response yielded significantly higher scaled scores than did the standard WISC presentation with the free response mode of testing.     

The relationship of the WISC-R and WRAT: A study based upon a selected population

So as to compare predicted achievement based upon WISC-R IQs and observed achievement by the WRAT standard scores, both instruments were administered by the same school psychologist to 282 urban students referred for psychological evaluation. The correlations obtained, even on this nonrandom population, were substantial, significant (p < .001), and should be useful to school psychologists in statistically relating intelligence test scores to school achievement.     

Self-esteem and school performance

Self-esteem was found to have a moderate relationship with, but not a strong independent effect on, school achievement and behavior for a sample of 530 twelve-year-olds. From multiple correlation coefficients predicting school outcomes from measures of socioeconomic status, IQ, and self-esteem, it was concluded that much of the relationship between self-esteem and school performance for the general school population can best be explained as reflecting common underlying factors such as ability and background.