Breakfast: the most

important meal of the day

Malwina PomichowskaPSY 4600Megan G.12/7/11

ProblemBreakfast of Champions:

My breakfast before

the self-management

project.

The Problem

Headache by noon Grumpy Malwina

Loud stomach

growling People staring

Buy junk food from

vending machinesWasted $ and calories

Eat A LOT when

come back home Sleepy

Competing Contingency

• Because I don’t like breakfast bars I have to make a legitimate breakfast, which takes time

• More time spent on cooking = less sleep or being late for class

• I didn’t want to give up either so I didn’t eat breakfast

Natural Competing Contingency

I will make it

to class on

time

I eat

breakfast one

morning

I won’t make

it to class on

time

• Target Behavior: eat breakfast every morning (Monday – Friday)

• Intervention: pay $2 for every morning breakfast wasn’t consumed

• Deadline (Sᵈ): before leaving home

• Manager: roommate Ann

• Start Date: 9/17/11

• End: NEVER

Intervention

Ineffective Natural Contingency

Given

level of

health

I eat

breakfast

one

morning

Inf. Better

level of

health

Performance Management

Contingency

I eat breakfast

one morning

I will lose $2

at the end of

the day

I won’t lose $2

at the end of

the day

Inferred Theoretical

ContingencyFear loss of

$2 at end of

the day

I eat

breakfast

one

morning

I do not fear

loss of $2 at

end of the

day

My Favorite: EGGS

Graph

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Bre

ak

fast

Co

nsu

mp

tion

(M

-F)

Weeks

Baseline Intervention

Goal

Problems During Intervention

• I had to make sure the fridge is

stocked with breakfast food

…or at least eggs.

• More $$$ spent on food

…until I got a Bridge Card :D

Recycle

• Consequence change after the 1st week of the intervention

– At 1st it was loss of phone for 7 hours

– Changed to: pay $2 for each day breakfast wasn’t consumed

My Results

• No noon headches

• Can concentrate on school work

• Don’t sleep in class

• Don’t have to buy junk food from vending machines

• Drink less caffeine because I already have more energy

My Comments

• Happy with the results

• Thinking about adding Saturdays and Sundays into the mix

THANKS!Questions or Comments?