The Good Behaviour Game
The Good Behaviour Game (GBG) is a universal preventive programme delivered by a teacher to a class of primary school students, normally between 15 and 30 children.
Each game lasts between 10 and 45 minutes. It is a behaviour management strategy that is designed to encourage prosocial behaviour and reduce disruptive behaviour. Teachers initiate GBG by dividing children into small teams that are balanced for gender and child temperament. Teams are rewarded with points for good behaviour, according to basic classroom rules which are reviewed in class. Short games are played several times per week.
GBG is underpinned by life course and social field theory which states that improving the way teachers socialise children in classrooms will result in improved social adaptation of the children in the classroom social field. The theory predicts that this early-improved social adaptation will lead to better adaptation to other social fields over the life course.
EIF Programme Assessment
Child outcomes
This programme can affect outcomes for children in Active and healthy, physical and mental wellbeing.
According to the best available evidence for this programme's impact, it can achieve the following positive outcomes for children:
Supporting children's mental health and wellbeing
Reduction in suicide ideation
based on study 1
- Statement: Reduced suicide ideation (measured using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview-University of Michigan version)
- Score: 0
- Timeframe: 14 years later
- Long term: 1
Preventing crime, violence and antisocial behaviour
Reduced aggressive and shy behaviour
based on study 1
- Statement: Reduced aggressive and shy behaviour (measured using the Teacher Observation of Classroom Adaptation-Revised (TOCA-R)
- Score: 0
- Timeframe: 6 months later
Reduction in antisocial behaviour
based on study 1
- Statement: Reduced antisocial behaviour (measured using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview-University of Michigan version)
- Score: 0
- Timeframe: 14 years later
- Long term: 1
Preventing substance abuse
Reduction in lifetime alcohol abuse/dependence
based on study 1
- Statement: Reduced lifetime alcohol abuse/dependence (measured using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview-University of Michigan version)
- Score: 0
- Timeframe: 14 years later
- Long term: 1
Lower growth parameters of tobacco use (self-report) at 3-6-year follow up
based on study 2
Lower growth parameters of alcohol use in the past week (self-report) at 3-6-year follow up
based on study 2
This programme also has evidence of supporting positive outcomes for couples, parents or families that may be relevant to a commissioning decision. Please see About the evidence for more detail.
Who is it for?
The best available evidence for this programme relates to the following age-groups:
Primary school
How is it delivered?
The best available evidence for this programme relates to implementation through these delivery models:
- Group
Where is it delivered?
The best available evidence for this programme relates to its implementation in these settings:
- Primary school
How is it targeted?
The best available evidence for this programme relates to its implementation as:
- Universal
Where has it been implemented?
- Belgium
- Netherlands
- United Kingdom
- United States
Ireland provision
Ireland evaluation
About the programme
What happens during the delivery?
How is it delivered?
GBG is delivered by teachers in the classroom setting to a class of children. It consists of a game based on a set of classroom-wide rules encouraging good behaviour and discouraging aggressive or disruptive behaviour. GBG is implemented in three distinct phases:
Phase 1. Children and teachers become familiar with the basics of the game by playing it intermittently within the classroom for 10-20-minute periods.
Phase 2. The teacher introduces the game to settings beyond the classroom and children may play it for longer periods to target key behaviours.
Phase 3. Children are encouraged to generalise GBG’s principles outside of the context of the game. Teachers accomplish this by beginning the game with no warning and at different times, so students are constantly monitoring behaviour and complying with classroom rules.
What happens during the intervention?
GBG is not a curriculum, but a strategy that can be applied to a variety of classroom activities (eg writing a story, drawing a picture, doing maths). The teacher divides the classroom into teams of four to seven pupils and introduces the game with the following four rules:
- We will work quietly
- We will be polite to others
- We will get out of seats with permission
- We will follow directions
The teacher then monitors the teams for rule breaking. Good behaviour and team cooperation are also rewarded with praise, stickers, and badges. The winning team(s) is announced at the end of the game with a high amount of praise.
What are the implementation requirements?
Who can deliver it?
- The practitioner who delivers this programme is a teacher with NFQ-7/8/9 qualifications.
What are the training requirements?
- Training in GBG consists of a two-day initial on-site course, followed by a one-and-a-half day readiness visit by a GBG trainer.
- During delivery, technical assistance provided by phone and email with GBG trainer. Implementation materials and training manual assist delivery of programme.
- Booster training of practitioners is recommended.
How are the practitioners supervised?
- It is recommended that practitioners are supervised by one host agency supervisor (qualified to NFQ-9/10 level), with 62 hours of programme training.
- In addition, host agency supervisors are coached by the programme developers.
What are the systems for maintaining fidelity?
- Training manual
- Other printed material
- Other online material
- Video or DVD training
- Face-to-face training
- Fidelity monitoring
- Both supervisors and practitioners complete fidelity checklists based on a consistent rubric to evaluate evidence of practice
Is there a licensing requirement?
There is a licence required to run this programme.
How does it work? (Theory of Change)
How does it work?
- Strong self-management skills and mastery of adult expectations in the primary school social field will protect children from misusing tobacco, alcohol, and illegal drugs as they enter adolescence and young adulthood.
- This programme uses interdependent group contingencies, clear classroom expectations, teacher and student self-monitoring and positive reinforcement to teach students self-management skills and reduce aggressive and disruptive behaviour.
- In the short term, children behave better in their classroom.
- In the longer term, children learn more at school, demonstrate more prosocial behaviour and engage in less antisocial and risky behaviour, including substance misuse.
Intended outcomes
- Active and healthy, physical and mental wellbeing
- Active and healthy, physical and mental wellbeing
- Active and healthy, physical and mental wellbeing
- Safe and protected from harm
Contact details
Megan Sambolt
Project Director
About the evidence
The Good Behaviour Game’s most rigorous evidence comes from three RCTs which were conducted in the United States, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom.
The first study is a rigorously conducted RCT with evidence of long-term outcomes. It identified statistically significant positive impact on a number of young adult outcomes.
The second study is an RCT. This study identified statistically significant positive impact on a number of child outcomes. The conclusions that can be drawn from this study are limited due to a lack of clarity in terms of the adequacy of the sample size at the cluster level, which prevents this study from contributing to a higher rating.
The third study is a rigorously conducted RCT that showed no significant effects.
This programme has evidence from at least one rigorously conducted RCT along with evidence from an additional comparison group study. However, this programme’s evidence base includes mixed findings with one rigorously conducted RCT suggesting no effects.
Consequently, the programme receives a 3+ (mixed) rating overall.
Study 1
| Citation: | Kellam et al (2008) Dolan et al (1993) |
| Design: | RCT |
| Country: | United States |
| Sample: | 1,196 first grade children from 41 classrooms in 19 schools in Baltimore. Children were in first and second grade during the intervention and followed up at ages 19–21 |
| Timing: | Post-intervention and 14-year follow up |
| Child outcomes: |
|
| Other outcomes: | |
| Study rating: | 3 |
Kellam, S. G., Brown, C. H., Poduska, J. M., Ialongo, N. S., Wang, W., Toyinbo, P., Wilcox, H. C. (2008). Effects of a universal classroom behavior management program in first and second grades on young adult behavioral, psychiatric, and social outcomes. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 95(S1), S5–S28.
Available at
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18343607
Study design and sample
The first study is a rigorously conducted cluster RCT. This study involved random assignment of schools, and classrooms within schools, to one of three conditions: The Good Behaviour Game (GBG), Mastery Learning (a reading enrichment programme), and a control (neither GBG nor Mastery Learning). This study took place in Baltimore, the United States. The participants were children in first and second grade during the intervention, who were followed up at ages 19 to 21. Their follow-up analyses focus on 922 students who were either in GBG classrooms or a control group.
Measures
Child performance in primary school was measured using The Teacher Observation of Classroom Adaptation-Revised (TOCA-R) (teacher report). Key outcomes at age 19-21 were measured using The Composite International Diagnostic Interview-University of Michigan version (CIDI-UM). This paper presents results from the CIDI-UM on: lifetime drug abuse/dependence and alcohol abuse/dependence disorders, major depressive disorder, generalised anxiety disorder, antisocial personality disorder, and regular use of tobacco.
Findings
The programme found the following significant impacts on the whole sample (including as reported in other papers):
- Reduction in antisocial behaviour (self-report)
- Reduction in suicide ideation (self-report)
- Reduction in lifetime alcohol abuse/dependence (self-report)
- Reduced aggressive and shy behaviour (teacher-report)
GBG was found to be most effective with children who were most at risk: young boys who exhibit more aggressive and disruptive behaviours in early childhood. Additional significant findings were found for this subgroup.
Study 2
| Citation: | van Lier, Huizink, & Crijnen (2009) |
| Design: | RCT |
| Country: | Netherlands |
| Sample: | 666 pupils from 31 classrooms and 13 schools. Mean age was 6.9 years at baseline. |
| Timing: | Three to six-year follow up |
| Child outcomes: |
|
| Other outcomes: | |
| Study rating: | 2+ |
van Lier, P. A., Huizink, A., & Crijnen, A. (2009). Impact of a preventive intervention targeting childhood disruptive behavior problems on tobacco and alcohol initiation from age 10 to 13 years. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 100(3), 228–233.
Study design and sample
The second study is a cluster RCT. Classrooms were randomly assigned to receive the GBG (Dutch version) or a control condition. This study was conducted in the Netherlands. The sample consisted of 666 pupils from 31 classrooms and 13 schools. Mean age was 6.9 years at baseline. However, this paper reports follow-up data, gained when children were aged 10, 11, and 12. 69% of children were Caucasian with Turkish (10%) and Moroccan (9%) the next largest groups.
Measures
Use of alcohol, tobacco and other substances was measured using the Substance Use Questionnaire (child self-report).
Findings
This study identified statistically significant positive impact on the following child outcomes:
- Lower growth parameters of tobacco use (self-report).
- Lower growth parameters of alcohol use in the past week (self-report).
Study 3
| Citation: | Humphrey et al., 2018 |
| Design: | Cluster RCT |
| Country: | United Kingdom |
| Sample: | 3014 third grade children from 77 schools in Greater Manchester, West and South Yorkshire, and the East Midlands |
| Timing: | Post-intervention |
| Child outcomes: | |
| Other outcomes: |
|
| Study rating: | NE |
Humphrey, N., Hennessey, A., Ashworth, E., Frearson, K., Black, L., Petersen, K., Wo, L., Panayiotou, M., Lendrum, A., Wigelsworth, M., Birchinall, L., Squires, G. & Pampaka, M. (2018). “Good Behaviour Game. Evaluation Report and Executive Summary”. Education Endowment Foundastion, London.
Available at https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/public/files/GBG_evaluation_report.pdf
Study design and sample
The third study is a rigorously conducted cluster RCT.
This study involved random assignment of schools to a GBG treatment group and a business as usual group.
This study was conducted in the UK with a sample of 3014 children attending the third grade at one of 77 schools. The composition of the trial school sample is representative of primary schools in England in respect of size and the proportion of students speaking English as an additional language, but trial schools contained larger proportions of children with special education needs and more who are eligible for free school meals. Rates of absence and attainment were lower in the trial sample than in the general population.
Measures
Reading attainment was measured using data from the National Pupil Database end of Key Stage 1 teacher assessments and the Hodder Group Reading Test.
Children’s behaviour (disruptive behaviour, concentration problems and pro-social behaviour) was assessed using the 21-item Teacher Observation of Children’s Adaptation checklist.
Findings
This study found no statistically significant improvements for programme participants on all measured child outcomes.