’’Mind your manners’ Mind your manners’ and other pro-social behaviors in and other pro-social behaviors in

young childrenyoung children

’’Mind your manners’ Mind your manners’ and other pro-social behaviors in and other pro-social behaviors in

young childrenyoung children Gina Kunz, Ph.D.Gina Kunz, Ph.D.Licensed PsychologistLicensed Psychologist

Research Assistant Professor, UNLResearch Assistant Professor, UNL

Rachel Valleley, Ph.D.Rachel Valleley, Ph.D.Assistant Professor, Munroe Meyer InstituteAssistant Professor, Munroe Meyer Institute

Licensed PsychologistLicensed Psychologist

Mind Your Manners

What are Important Prosocial Behaviors Young Children Need to Learn?

Important Prosocial Skills

• Smiling / pleasant with others

• Polite words (“please,” “thank

you”) and polite voices (“inside voice“)

• Eye contact• Comforting

others• Sharing• Waiting turn• Help clean up• Help others• Table manners

How do young children learn prosocial skills?

• Observing others• Incidentally trying it out themselves

and good (desirable) things happening

• Structured activities

Not all children learn prosocial skills easily

• Some need structured learning opportunities– Models - “Do what I do”– Practice– Praising/motivators– Pointing out– Prompting

Rewards as Motivators• Children may not learn all prosocial

skills incidentally• Need some type of external motivator

to encourage prosocial behaviors• Rewards can fall into different

categories that are particularly appropriate for young children– Tangibles - Social Activity– Privileges - Edibles– Special time with caregiver - Escape

Common Objections to Using Tangible Rewards

• Rewarding children for good behavior is bribery

• Shouldn’t reward children for what they should already do

• Expect rewards for everything

Developing a Reward Program

1. Develop a list of potential rewards (Preference Assessment)

2. Identify target behavior to reward3. Identify frequency of

opportunities for reward (more frequent, the better)

Preference Assessments

• Before developing any incentive program, determine what the child likes by– Watching what they chose when

many options available or over time

– Pair objects together and ask which they prefer

– Have child make a list of reinforcers

• Develop list of rewards

Identify target behavior to reward

• Saying please or thank you• Sharing toys• Giving eye contact

Identify frequency of opportunities for reward

• Each time behavior is seen• Every 15 minutes• At a specified time

• Keep in mind the more frequent, the better AND setting goals that are attainable

Examples of structured reinforcement

programs

• Individual Reward programs– Grab Bags / Treasure Chests– Dot-to-dots– Magic Circle Charts

• Group Contingencies

Grab Bags• Write down list of “reinforcers” on

index card• Place in box/bag• Figure out how you will let child

know when behavior occurred– Coupons, stickers, smiley faces

• Meets specified goal = reward card

“Reinforcer” Menus: Option 1

• Set criteria for each level of behavior

• Select “reinforcers” for each level

• “Reinforcers” should be of more value to child with each level

Okay (1-3)

Sticker, Sucker, Read book

Good (4-6)

Pencils, Be line leader for the day

Great (7+)

Pick song for circle time, small toy

“Reinforcer” Menus: Option 2

• Each day give 3-5 options from big list of “reinforcers” that the child can pick from and earn that day if criteria met

Rewards Available Today

Extra outside time, 30 minutes computer, Extra treat

Behavior Charts• Magic Circle Charts

– Each time behavior is exhibited, earns a star/sticker on chart and is praised as behavior occurs

– When lands on “magic circle”, child earns incentive

– Could use for each time child shares a toy, helps clean up

Behavior Charts• Dot-to-dots

– Each time child exhibits behavior, they earn a line on chart and is praised as behavior occurs

– When completed dot-to-dot, earns reward

– Could use if trying to work on saying please/thank you, eye contact

Group Contingencies• Helpful when targeting a lot of

children at once • Select target behavior• Select how you will keep track and

let children know they did behavior• Select group reward

Ideas for Monitoring & letting children know

behavior occurred

• Marble jar• Star chart• Reinforcement tower• Coupons

Trouble Shooting Reinforcement Programs

• Access to “reinforcers” otherwise?• How often is the child successful?• Are the “reinforcers” worth the

effort?• Have “reinforcers” been faded too

quickly?

Activity• Pick a few social skills you’d like to

increase• Select a reward program to use• Set the criteria to earn reward• Determine how often reward can

be earned• Develop list of rewards