Behavioral ecology of a staff incentive program: Effects on absenteeism and resident disruptive behavior.

The results of an analysis of a staff incentive program designed to decrease absenteeism (unscheduled leave) are presented. The staff of a unit at an institution for the retarded who were not absent for an entire month (i.e., did not use unscheduled leave) could earn eight hours of supervisor-scheduled leave. Using an ABAB design over 16 months, the results indicated a decrease in staff absenteeism under the incentive program. Also observed was a significant positive correlation between absenteeism and resident disruptive behavior. Disruption by the residents decreased during the incentive program. These results were maintained at a one year follow-up.