Behavioral Monitoring and Reinforcement Program

Brief Program Description

Behavioral Monitoring & Reinforcement Program (BMRP) is a school-based early intervention program that focuses on behavior modification and reinforcement of academic performance and obeying school rules. The program is an intensive, long-term program for seventh and eight graders. BMRP aims to improve student attendance, promptness and grades, and to decrease discipline referrals. A school-based intervention was created because the schools seemed to be an efficient place to begin since they have access to all of the nation's youth, up to a certain age. Schools are also socially sanctioned to provide programming for all youth.

Program Strategies

The BHRP includes:

1. Collecting up-to-date information about students' actions through weekly teacher interviews
2. Providing systematic feedback through weekly small group meeting with students
3. Attaching value to students' actions through a point reward system. Students accumulated their points during the year to earn an extra school trip of their own choosing.

Parents were contacted often by letter, telephone, and home visits to inform them of their child's progress.

Population Focus

The target population of the BHRP is seventh grade students who have exhibited at least two of the following predictive characteristics:

1. Low academic motivation
2. A feeling of distance from the family, and/or
3. Discipline referrals

Suitable Settings

The program can be implemented in both urban and suburban school systems.

Required Resources

A program manual entitled Program Manual for the Early Secondary Intervention Program was developed.

Implementation Timeline

The BHRP is designed to be implemented over a 2-year period and include weekly teacher consultations, weekly student group meetings, and periodic contact with the parents. A third year of less frequent booster sessions is also recommended.

Outcomes

Program outcomes at one-year follow-up included:

• The extent of serious school-based problems was significantly different between the intervention and control groups.
• There was a significant difference between the numbers of intervention and control group members who had never been employed.
• There was a significant difference in the percentages of intervention and control group members who reported abuse of the class of drugs that include hallucinogens, stimulants, glue, tranquilizers, and barbiturates.
• There was a significant difference between the intervention and control groups in reported criminal behavior with control group subjects reporting significantly more instances of such behavior.
• Program outcomes at five-year follow-up included significant differences between the numbers of intervention and group members who were arrested with more control group members having files at the county court house during the seven years since the program began.

Contact Information

For indepth information on this program, please use the contact listed below.

Program Developer

This program was designated as a Promising Program under SAMHSA's previous National Registry of Effective Prevention Programs system.

Resources

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A program of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration