The Effectiveness of Shaping and Token Economy in Improving Sitting Endurance in a Child Preparing for Elementary School

Abstract

This study investigated the effectiveness of integrating shaping and a token economy to enhance sitting endurance in a child transitioning to elementary school. A single-subject A–B–A′ design was applied with a 6-year-7-month-old child who experienced difficulty sustaining seated behavior during academic tasks. Sitting endurance was operationalized as the length of time the child remained seated while completing structured pre-academic activities and was assessed across three baseline sessions, five intervention sessions, and three follow-up sessions. The findings indicated a progressive increase in sitting duration during the intervention, with gains partially sustained during the follow-up phase. Overall, the results support the use of combined shaping and token economy strategies to improve sitting endurance in children exhibiting similar challenges.