Bowers, et al. Improving the Social Status of Peer-Rejected Youth with Disabilities: Extending the Research on Positive Peer Reporting

Peer rejection is a common experience for youth with emotional and behavioral disabilities and it is associated with increased risk of negative short- and long-term outcomes. There is a high premium on interventions that can improve the social status and functioning of these youth. Positive Peer Reporting (PPR) is a behavior analytic intervention designed to increase the social status of peer-rejected youth. Although several studies have demonstrated the efficacy of PPR, it is unclear whether the positive effects generalize to other settings and/or maintain after the intervention is withdrawn. This study provides preliminary support for the generalization and maintenance of PPR effects in a residential treatment program and highlights factors that may mitigate the effectiveness of PPR. Emotional or behavioral disabilities and peer rejection independently pose significant risks for social, emotional, and behavioral problems. These risk factors are often co-occurring, which increases the likelihood of experiencing negative outcomes. Research has shown that peer rejection is one of the strongest predictors of delinquency (Williams & Gilmour, 1994), aggressive behavior (Rabiner