Research on Self-Monitoring as a Behavior Management Technique in Special Education Classrooms

Twenty-seven studies pertaining to the use of self-monitoring for behavior management purposes in special education classrooms were examined. The studies were described in detail, questions regarding the reactivity of self-monitoring were posited, and implications for classroom instruction were delineated. It was found that self-monitoring can be successfully used with special education students of various ages in various settings to increase (a) attention to task, (b) positive classroom behaviors, and (c) some social skills. It can also be successfully used to decrease inappropriate classroom behavior. Self-monitoring apparently has the additional benefit of enhancing the likelihood that positive classroom behaviors will generalize to other settings. Self-monitoring techniques are easy to teach and have great promise as a behavior management strategy. However, new information regarding whether self-monitoring is true self-management or self-regulation was not found in this review. It is recommended that further research he conducted to examine whether self-monitoring works better than teacher-monitoring to control student behavior and to determine whether internal or external contingencies account for the reactivity effects.