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Using the Caught Being Good Game in the Community: Increasing Prosocial Behaviors among Children at Risk of Adverse Childhood Experiences

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Title: Using the Caught Being Good Game in the Community: Increasing Prosocial Behaviors among Children at Risk of Adverse Childhood Experiences
Language: English
Authors: Ciara Brennan (ORCID 0000-0003-3078-7783), Clare Bohan (ORCID 0000-0003-2783-5633), Sinéad Smyth (ORCID 0000-0002-8736-0505)
Source: Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions. 2026 28(1):13-25.
Availability: SAGE Publications and Hammill Institute on Disabilities. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 13
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Trauma, Positive Reinforcement, Prosocial Behavior, At Risk Students, Social Support Groups, Contingency Management, Behavior Modification, Intervention, Games, Peer Relationship, Cooperation, Group Dynamics, Foreign Countries, After School Programs
Geographic Terms: Ireland (Dublin)
DOI: 10.1177/10983007251325956
ISSN: 1098-3007
1538-4772
Abstract: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been associated with numerous negative outcomes, including negative health outcomes, poor psychological well-being, future substance abuse, and other antisocial behaviors. However, social support may act as a buffer against these negative outcomes. Group contingencies provide one way to simultaneously encourage social inclusion and prosocial behaviors. The Caught Being Good Game (CBGG) is a reinforcement-based behavioral intervention, similar to the Good Behavior Game, commonly used in classrooms to target disruptive behaviors or lack of academic engagement. The current study explored the use of the CBGG for increasing three types of prosocial behavior of children with suspected experiences of ACEs attending afterschool services in Dublin, Ireland. The CBGG was played with the whole group during activity time in the center. Intervention effects were assessed using a withdrawal design. Visual and statistical analyses deemed the CBGG an effective method for targeting encouragement, peer cooperation, and leader cooperation of the whole group and one 9-year-old girl who was chosen as a target for the intervention. The group leader rated the CBGG somewhat favorably while the children themselves rated the CBGG highly. Future research should seek to further explore leaders' assessments of social validity and introduce methods for adult leaders to be involved in data collection.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1493284
Database: ERIC
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  Data: Using the Caught Being Good Game in the Community: Increasing Prosocial Behaviors among Children at Risk of Adverse Childhood Experiences
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ciara+Brennan%22">Ciara Brennan</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3078-7783">0000-0003-3078-7783</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Clare+Bohan%22">Clare Bohan</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2783-5633">0000-0003-2783-5633</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sinéad+Smyth%22">Sinéad Smyth</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8736-0505">0000-0002-8736-0505</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Journal+of+Positive+Behavior+Interventions%22"><i>Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions</i></searchLink>. 2026 28(1):13-25.
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  Data: SAGE Publications and Hammill Institute on Disabilities. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
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  Data: 13
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Trauma%22">Trauma</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Positive+Reinforcement%22">Positive Reinforcement</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Prosocial+Behavior%22">Prosocial Behavior</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22At+Risk+Students%22">At Risk Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+Support+Groups%22">Social Support Groups</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Contingency+Management%22">Contingency Management</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Behavior+Modification%22">Behavior Modification</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Intervention%22">Intervention</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Games%22">Games</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Peer+Relationship%22">Peer Relationship</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cooperation%22">Cooperation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Group+Dynamics%22">Group Dynamics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22After+School+Programs%22">After School Programs</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Ireland+%28Dublin%29%22">Ireland (Dublin)</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1177/10983007251325956
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  Data: 1098-3007<br />1538-4772
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  Data: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been associated with numerous negative outcomes, including negative health outcomes, poor psychological well-being, future substance abuse, and other antisocial behaviors. However, social support may act as a buffer against these negative outcomes. Group contingencies provide one way to simultaneously encourage social inclusion and prosocial behaviors. The Caught Being Good Game (CBGG) is a reinforcement-based behavioral intervention, similar to the Good Behavior Game, commonly used in classrooms to target disruptive behaviors or lack of academic engagement. The current study explored the use of the CBGG for increasing three types of prosocial behavior of children with suspected experiences of ACEs attending afterschool services in Dublin, Ireland. The CBGG was played with the whole group during activity time in the center. Intervention effects were assessed using a withdrawal design. Visual and statistical analyses deemed the CBGG an effective method for targeting encouragement, peer cooperation, and leader cooperation of the whole group and one 9-year-old girl who was chosen as a target for the intervention. The group leader rated the CBGG somewhat favorably while the children themselves rated the CBGG highly. Future research should seek to further explore leaders' assessments of social validity and introduce methods for adult leaders to be involved in data collection.
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        Value: 10.1177/10983007251325956
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 13
        StartPage: 13
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Trauma
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Positive Reinforcement
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Prosocial Behavior
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: At Risk Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Social Support Groups
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      – SubjectFull: Contingency Management
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      – SubjectFull: Behavior Modification
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      – SubjectFull: Intervention
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Games
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Peer Relationship
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Cooperation
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      – SubjectFull: Group Dynamics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
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      – SubjectFull: After School Programs
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Ireland (Dublin)
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Using the Caught Being Good Game in the Community: Increasing Prosocial Behaviors among Children at Risk of Adverse Childhood Experiences
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            NameFull: Clare Bohan
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            NameFull: Sinéad Smyth
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              Y: 2026
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            – TitleFull: Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions
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