Transforming Timidness: Using BST to Teach Hand-Raising and Question-Asking to Shy Children
Format
Poster Presentation
Faculty Mentor Name
Jessica Grady
Faculty Mentor Department
Psychology
Graduate Student Mentor Name
Delaney Callan
Graduate Student Mentor Department
Psychology
Additional Mentors
Graduate Student Mentor
Katherine Brock; k_brock3@u.pacific.edu ; Psychology
Abstract/Artist Statement
Shyness is a temperament trait associated with feelings of anxiety or fear in new social settings. When compared to their peers in school settings, shy children demonstrate lower rates of participation and overall engagement in classroom activities. This lack of engagement can prevent shy children from receiving the assistance they need to improve academic performance. While previous research has focused on teacher scaffolding, strategies to reduce shy children’s anxiety, and social skills training to elicit engagement, one method that the present project considers is behavioral skills training. The current study evaluates the effects of a behavioral skills training intervention on active engagement, specifically hand-raising and question-asking, in classroom activities.
Three 3.5-to-6-year-old children were examined using a multiple-baseline-across- participants design. Each child participated in a series of pre-assessments (i.e. shyness screening, math skills screening, ice breaker) in addition to the procedure (i.e. baseline, training, post-training). Observers recorded behavioral data on the frequency of hand-raising and question-asking.
At baseline, participants did not engage in the target behaviors. Upon implementation of the intervention, only one participant exhibited an increase in the rate of hand-raising and question-asking. Based on visual inspection of the data from the three participants, behavioral skills training may not be an adequate intervention to increase active engagement in the classroom. The presenter will share possible reasons as to why a lack of engagement was observed and potential implications for future research.
Location
Virtual
Start Date
25-4-2020 1:00 PM
End Date
25-4-2020 3:00 PM
Transforming Timidness: Using BST to Teach Hand-Raising and Question-Asking to Shy Children
Virtual
Shyness is a temperament trait associated with feelings of anxiety or fear in new social settings. When compared to their peers in school settings, shy children demonstrate lower rates of participation and overall engagement in classroom activities. This lack of engagement can prevent shy children from receiving the assistance they need to improve academic performance. While previous research has focused on teacher scaffolding, strategies to reduce shy children’s anxiety, and social skills training to elicit engagement, one method that the present project considers is behavioral skills training. The current study evaluates the effects of a behavioral skills training intervention on active engagement, specifically hand-raising and question-asking, in classroom activities.
Three 3.5-to-6-year-old children were examined using a multiple-baseline-across- participants design. Each child participated in a series of pre-assessments (i.e. shyness screening, math skills screening, ice breaker) in addition to the procedure (i.e. baseline, training, post-training). Observers recorded behavioral data on the frequency of hand-raising and question-asking.
At baseline, participants did not engage in the target behaviors. Upon implementation of the intervention, only one participant exhibited an increase in the rate of hand-raising and question-asking. Based on visual inspection of the data from the three participants, behavioral skills training may not be an adequate intervention to increase active engagement in the classroom. The presenter will share possible reasons as to why a lack of engagement was observed and potential implications for future research.