The Good Behavior Game (GBG) is a classroom management strategy that consistently demonstrates its ability to promote positive behaviors and peer relations among students, with immediate and long-term benefits. This scoping review aimed to provide an overview of peer-reviewed research on the GBG specifically focused on students with special educational needs (SEN) in mainstream education settings. Following a systematic search-and-selection procedure, 30 studies were included, 26 with an experimental design and 4 with a qualitative/mixed-methods design. SEN participants were mainly subgroups of students with baseline assessments of emotional-behavioral difficulties; there was, however, substantial clinical and methodological heterogeneity across studies. Integrative findings from quantitative and qualitative studies indicate that the GBG benefits most students with SEN in mainstream settings, while results for students with severe socio-behavioral difficulties are ambiguous. We identified a paucity of research on students with neurodevelopmental diagnoses such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or autism spectrum disorder, as well as on the perspectives of students and teachers and challenges associated with the GBG for students with severe difficulties. Schools implementing the GBG should be aware that some students may need individual adaptations to participate in the GBG, and teachers may need support to implement these adaptations. 

The PAX Good Behavior Game is a universal classroom-based intervention designed to promote self-regulation, prosocial behavior, and a positive learning environment. While previous research has primarily examined behavioral outcomes and teacher perspectives, less is known about how students experience participation in PAX, particularly in classrooms that include students with diverse support needs. This study explores young students’ perspectives on PAX in Swedish primary classrooms.

Seventeen students aged 6–8 years participated in individual semi-structured interviews supported by visual rating scales. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis combined with a case-oriented approach. The findings show that students generally perceived PAX as a meaningful part of everyday classroom practice, contributing to calmness, clear expectations, and engagement. At the same time, students described variation in how classmates were able to participate in PAX routines. For some, participation was experienced as straightforward and motivating, whereas others were described as finding it more demanding to align with shared expectations. These differences were often visible within the group and sometimes associated with feelings of unfairness or frustration.

The findings suggest that students experience PAX as integrated into everyday classroom practice and highlight the importance of considering variation in participation when implementing universal interventions in inclusive settings.