Contingency contracting with high school females to reduce absenteeism : results and follow-up

A contingency contract with monetary rewards was used to reduce absences for three freshmen and three sophomore females who had high absentee rates. A multiple baseline design with follow-up was used across the six subjects. Three of the students also carried an attendance card for each teacher to initial to indicate attendance. The results showed that four of the six students reduced their absences to a rate lower than the school average. The fifth student reduced her absences by one half during the time the contract was in effect, but the resultant rate remained higher than the school average. The sixth student did not reduce her absences and dropped out of school after 15 days of the intervention period.

Follow-up data showed that one student continued to attend school at higher than baseline rates. The remaining three students returned to baseline rates.

Academic productivity was measured by obtaining the number of assignments given and the number the student completed from two teachers for each student. The results showed that three students produced substantially more during the intervention than they had during the baseline phase.

Questionnaire data relating to the student's interpersonal relationships, attractiveness of their schoolwork, and the quality of their overall day were obtaintd during the baseline, intervention, and follow-up periods. The results did not show changes in the ratings which coincided with attendance changes.

There were no differences on any of the measures between the students who carried an attendance card and those who did not. The results showed that a contingency contract and brief biweekly meetings were sufficient to reduce absences.