The Effectiveness of Self-Regulating Strategies on On-Task Behaviors of a Student with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been on the rise over the past ten years, increasing to approximately eleven percent of the student population. While teachers work to manage the difficult behaviors, many recognize the benefits of teaching students to regulate their own behaviors. Self-regulating is an effective strategy to address academic and behavior challenges in students including those with ADHD. Self-regulating has been found to be successful in bringing about more on-task behaviors for students as well as creating an environment that requires less teacher monitoring of behaviors. Through self-regulating, students become aware of their own behaviors and learn to change those behaviors through various methods. A study was designed for a third grade student with ADHD. The study took place in a parochial school of approximately 200 students in a Midwestern city. Using a single-subject experimental design, four self-regulating strategies were implemented to determine the effectiveness of increasing on-task behaviors during independent work time in Reading and Math classes. Baseline data was collected over three days in both classes. Four different self-regulating strategies, self-monitoring, self-monitoring plus reinforcement, self-reinforcement, and self-management were taught and implemented, each lasting four days in Reading and Math classes. Data was collected and analyzed. The results indicated that the intervention of self-management appeared to be the most effective for the student, however all of the interventions brought about a significant increase in on-task behaviors in Reading and Math class. The study clearly reveals that self-regulating strategies are viable interventions to bring about more on-task behaviors for students with ADHD