This document describes a self-management intervention to increase daily flossing. The student was not flossing regularly and wanted to improve their gum health. A contingency plan was created where the student would lose the use of their iPod for a day if they did not floss each night. Graphs show that flossing increased under this intervention compared to baseline levels. Some problems occurred after the student moved, like misplacing their floss. The intervention was adapted by adding a contingency to purchase new floss daily if needed. Overall, the intervention successfully increased the student's daily flossing behavior.

1. SELF-MANAGEMENT Psychology 6710 Excellent Student Aug. 8 th , 2008

2. PROBLEM I need to be flossing every day to make sure that I don’t get cavities from all the sugar I eat. The problem is that daily flossing only has a small but cumulative outcome. I can miss anyone day and there will be no serious outcome.

3. INEFFECTIVE NATURAL CONTINGENCY Have infinitesimally better gum health Have a given level of gum health Floss teeth BEFORE AFTER BEHAVIOR

4. COMPETING CONTINGENCIES Not only does flossing on any given day only infinitesimally improve my gum health it hurts and causes my gums to bleed

5. NATURAL COMPETING CONTINGENCY Gums are in pain Gums are not in pain Floss teeth BEFORE AFTER BEHAVIOR

6. THE SM INTERVENTION Target behavior: Floss teeth Contingencies: Flossing avoids the loss of IPod Deadline (S D ): Before the end of each day PM manager: Matt Start Date: June 9 th , 2008 End Date: Current MA TT

7. PERFORMANCE-MANAGEMENT CONTINGENCY Will not lose IPod for a day at next class Will lose IPod for a day at next class Floss teeth BEFORE AFTER BEHAVIOR S D (Deadline): Before Bed every night

8. INFERRED THEORETICAL CONTINGENCY No fear loss Of IPod for a day at the Next class Fear loss of IPod for a day at the next class Floss Teeth BEFORE AFTER BEHAVIOR

9. TARGET BEHAVIOR GRAPH Baseline Intervention Weeks Number of times flossed Goal line

10. BENEFIT MEASURE GRAPH Baseline Intervention Weeks # of Days that gums bleed Goal line

11. PROBLEMS DURING INTERVENTION Problem 1: After I moved out of my apartment I misplaced my floss I missed two days Problem 2: Also after the move I no longer walked to class Now I don’t use my IPod very often It lost some of it’s reinforcing value

12. RECYCLE The bigger of the two problems seemed to be not having the floss that I need The solution: a contingency on buying new floss will be added Deadline: end of the same day that I run out or misplace my floss If I don’t buy a new container of floss by the deadline I will have to pay my performance manager $5

13. MY RESULTS The intervention was a success. I averaged close to 0 days per week during baseline The intervention average was 96%

14. MY COMMENTS The project was very beneficial I don’t think that I would have kept up with the flossing otherwise I plan to continue with the performance management contingency throughout the fall Hopefully it will be just as effective as it has been

15. THANK YOU!! Any Questions or Comments?