The Autism Society Event and Education Recordings Archive

My proposed presentation submission, "Effective Use of Behavior Contracts to Facilitate Independence and Self-Sufficiency," will provide both professionals (including Board Certified Behavior Analysts, Education Professionals, Social Workers, Psychologists) as well as family members/caretakers with information and knowledge necessary for the successful development and implementation of Behavior Contracts.

Behavior contracts, also known as contingency contracts, are practical documents that have been successfully used to facilitate behavior change in areas such as independence, self-care, medication and exercise regimen compliance, time management, organization, problematic behavior reduction and replacement with prosocial alternatives, and also for reducing the frequency of addictive behaviors. Behavior contracts can also be used in many settings including clinical settings, the home, school, places of employment, or other settings in which productive routines need to be established. Behavior contracts may also be effective with all age groups.

Attendees will be provided with information that will allow them to successfully identify motivators/reinforcers to utilize within the behavior contract, appropriate schedules of reinforcement, how to structure a behavior contract in which everyone invloved is knowledgeable about, and agrees upon, the expectations of the contract, and how to make successful modifications to the contract. 

A powerpoint presentation and interactive question-answer component will be utilized to explain and discuss both well made behavior contracts and poorly made behavior contracts.  Examples of both well made and poorly made behavior contracts will be provided to attendees.  Common challenges regarding both the development and implementation of behavior contracts will be thoroughly investigated. 

This session will be designed to provide Board Certified Behavior Analysts and other care/education professionals with the skills necessary to implement this within their own practice settings. Additionally, this session will also strongly take into consideration family members and other loved ones and provide them with the skills necessary to utilize behavior contracts within their daily lives. 

Learning Objectives:

1. Professionals and Family members attending will learn how to effectively structure individualized behavior contracts to promote self-help, self-care, and independence to meet the unique needs of a person with Autism.

2. Professionals and Family members attending will learn how to determine appropriate, reachable goals for independent living and self-care skills.

3. Professionals and Family members attending will learn how to develop appropriate reinforcement procedures to establish and maintain goal behaviors.

I thank you for your time and consideration of this proposed presentation. 

If there are any questions, I encourage you to contact me by email at:  atuminellojr@mcneese.edu