|
| Methods to Promote Acquisition of Behavior Analytic Procedures for Parents, Teachers, and Para-Professionals |
| Saturday, May 29, 2004 |
| 1:00 PM–2:20 PM |
| Beacon A |
| Area: TBA/EDC; Domain: Applied Research |
| Chair: James W. Moore (May South, Inc.) |
| Discussant: Michele D. Wallace (University of Nevada, Reno) |
| Abstract: Methods to Promote Acquisition of Behavior Analytic Procedures for Parents, Teachers, and Para-Professionals |
| |
| Training Para-Professionals to Implement Behavior Analytic Prompting Hierarchies |
| DANA TRAHANT (May South, Inc.), James W. Moore (May South, Inc.), Michael M. Mueller (May South, Inc.) |
| Abstract: Recent research has demonstrated the utility of various training methods to facilitate parent and/or teacher skill in the use of behavior analytic protocols. Mueller and colleagues (in press) found that exposing parents to verbal instructions a second time produced adequate levels of treatment integrity. The authors speculated that the second presentation of verbal instructions may have given parents feedback on their performance, though this was not demonstrated. In the current study, we trained two para-professionals to implement three common behavior analytic prompting hierarchies (three-step guided compliance, verbal modeling, point prompting) and compared the effects of different verbal instructing methods. In one condition, the experimenter read the portions of the protocol that corresponded only with the errors made by para-professionals. In a second condition, the experimenter read portions of the protocol that corresponded only with correct responses. A third condition was used as a control and included re-reading the entire protocol to the paraprofessional. Prompting protocols were randomly assigned to one of the three groups and then evaluated using a multielement design. Results indicated that para-professional performance consistently improved when exposed to information regarding their incorrect responses. Results are discussed in terms of the effects of performance feedback on skill acquisition. |
| |
| Training Educators to Implement Functional Analyses |
| CHARNA MINTZ (University of Nevada, Reno), Michele D. Wallace (University of Nevada, Reno), Janice K. Doney (University of Nevada, Reno), Rachel S. F. Tarbox (University of Nevada, Reno) |
| Abstract: Despite the extensive literature documenting the usefulness of functional analysis methodology as an assessment tool, it has been criticized on the grounds that adequate implementation requires substantial training and clinical expertise. The present study examined the use of a instructional workshop for training educators to conduct a functional analysis. Two teachers and a school psychologist participated. Results indicated that two of the three participants met the 95% or above accuracy criterion for session implementation during simulated analyses that occurred following a workshop. During generalization probes, in which one of the participants conducted sessions with a student in her classroom, the participant performed sessions with 100% accuracy. The third participant required verbal feedback concerning his errors before he met the accuracy criterion for conducting the demand sessions. Importance of training assessment methodology is discussed. |
| |
| Effects of Parent Conducted Functional Analyses and Treatment of Food Selectivity |
| ADEL C. NAJDOWSKI (University of Nevada, Reno), Michele D. Wallace (University of Nevada, Reno), Becky Penrod (University of Nevada, Reno) |
| Abstract: The current study evaluated effects of a parent conducting a functional analysis and intervention for inappropriate mealtime behaviors. Two experiments were conducted with one child exhibiting food selectivity and her parent. Using a multielement design, experiment 1 evaluated effects of the parent conducting a functional analysis of inappropriate mealtime behaviors. Using a changing criterion and multiple probes design, experiment 2 evaluated effects of the parent implementing differential reinforcement combined with escape extinction procedures for inappropriate mealtime behaviors. Experiment 1 demonstrated that parent competency in conducting the functional analysis was high and that inappropriate mealtime behaviors were maintained by negative reinforcement. Experiment 2 demonstrated that parent competency in implementing intervention procedures was high and that the treatment produced effects of maintenance and generalization. |
|
| |