Abstract
This study assessed the use of behavioral skills training for teaching online safety skills to two children, 7 and 9 years old. In situ assessments took place while playing the popular online game, Among Us, and consisted of confederates presenting lures to the child participants. Before training, the participants scored 1s and 0s, indicating a lack of online gaming safety skills. Both participants scored at mastery criterion (i.e., three scores of 3 in a row) following training. During the first 2-week follow-up, one participant scored a 1 because he did not leave the game following the presentation of a lure; his mother immediately implemented in situ training (IST). He scored at mastery criterion during the next follow-up assessment, indicating the effectiveness of the caregiver-implemented IST. The second participant scored a 3 during his 2-week follow-up.
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Data will be made available on request.
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Appendices
Appendix A
Abbreviated Side Effects and Social Validity Questionnaire
Instructions: Please circle, highlight, or write your answers
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1.
After this week, my child is now more likely to refuse to play games online.
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Strongly disagree
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Disagree
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Neutral
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Agree
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Strongly Agree
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2.
After this week, my child is now more hesitant to play online without a trusted adult present.
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Strongly disagree
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Disagree
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Neutral
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Agree
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Strongly Agree
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3.
After this week, my child is now more likely to talk about their fear of strangers outside of online games.
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Strongly disagree
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Disagree
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Neutral
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Agree
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Strongly Agree
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4.
If there were any changes in your child’s behaviors, or you have additional comments, please include them here:
Appendix B
Side Effects and Social Validity Questionnaire
Instructions: Please circle, highlight, or write your answers
-
1.
Compared to before this study, my child is now more likely to refuse to play games online.
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Strongly disagree
-
Disagree
-
Neutral
-
Agree
-
Strongly Agree
If a change occurred, please describe briefly:
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2.
Compared to before this study, my child is now more hesitant to play online without a trusted adult present.
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Strongly disagree
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Disagree
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Neutral
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Agree
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Strongly Agree
If a change occurred, please describe briefly:
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3.
Compared to before this study, my child is now more likely to express concerns about the safety of online games, strangers online, and personal safety.
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Strongly disagree
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Disagree
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Neutral
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Agree
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Strongly Agree
If a change occurred, please describe briefly:
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4.
Compared to before this study, my child is now more likely to talk about their fear of strangers outside of online games.
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Strongly disagree
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Disagree
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Neutral
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Agree
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Strongly Agree
If a change occurred, please describe briefly:
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5.
Other changes I noted in my child’s behavior are:
Please describe or mark N/A if no change was observed
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6.
How pleased are you that your child participated in the study?
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Very Pleased
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Pleased
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Neutral
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Unpleased
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Very Unpleased
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7.
How satisfied are you with the way the researchers communicated what was going on throughout the study?
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Very satisfied
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Satisfied
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Neutral
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Unsatisfied
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Very Satisfied
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8.
Do you feel more comfortable with your child playing online with strangers after their involvement in this study?
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Very comfortable
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Comfortable
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No change
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Uncomfortable
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Very uncomfortable
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9.
Did you terminate your child’s participation in the study?
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Yes
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No
If yes, please explain why:
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10.
Please note any additional comments you have about the study.
Appendix C
Table of potential lures
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Age questions
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How old are you?
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When is your birthday?
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What month were you born in?
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What day were you born on?
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What year were you born in?
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Are you in middle school?
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Are you in elementary school?
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Are you in X grade, too (depends on grade of participant)?
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Gender questions
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Are you a boy or girl?
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Are you a male or female?
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M or F?
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Are you a x, too (depends on gender of participant)?
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Location questions
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Where do you go to school?
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Where do you live?
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Where are you from?
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What state are you in?
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Are you from the USA?
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Do you go to x location ever (near the school they go to)?
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Do you live in Florida, too?
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Personal information
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What is your name?
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What is your full name?
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What is your last name?
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What’s your phone number?
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What’s your parents phone number?
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What is your mom’s name?
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What is your dad’s name?
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Do you have social media?
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Do you have Snapchat?
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What’s your Instagram?
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Do you have Facebook?
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Chovet Santa Cruz, H.A., Miltenberger, R.G. & Baruni, R.R. Evaluating Remote Behavioral Skills Training of Online Gaming Safety Skills. Behav Analysis Practice 17, 246–256 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-023-00830-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-023-00830-z