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| Novel Applications of Behavioral Skills Training |
| Saturday, May 27, 2023 |
| 10:00 AM–11:50 AM |
| Convention Center Mile High Ballroom 1C/D |
| Area: DDA; Domain: Applied Research |
| Chair: J Turner Braren (University of Kansas) |
| Discussant: David A. Wilder (Florida Institute of Technology) |
| CE Instructor: J Turner (Butler) Braren, M.S. |
| Abstract: This symposium includes four talks that each represent a novel application of behavioral skills training. Braren will share findings of an experiment evaluating the effects of a one-time training workshop with behavioral skills training and instructional video modeling components on self-advocacy skills of direct care staff working in a human service organization. Ruby will describe the results of an experiment evaluating the effects of video-based training with and without on-screen text on procedural integrity of discrete trial training and a multiple stimulus without replacement preference assessment procedures. Day-Watkins will describe the results of an experiment evaluating the effects of behavioral skills training on caregiver arrangement of safe infant sleeping environments during both training and naturalistic contexts. Finally, McKenna will discuss the results of an experiment evaluating the effects of behavioral skills training on the extent to which children with food allergies identify and appropriately respond to foods they are allergic to. |
| Instruction Level: Intermediate |
| Keyword(s): BST, caregiver training, staff training, training effectiveness |
| Target Audience: Presentations during this symposium will be delivered at an intermediate instruction level. Target audience members should be familiar with the common components of behavioral skills training (i.e., instruction, model, rehearsal, feedback) to maximize learning during this symposium. |
| Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the presentation, participants will be able to: (1) Discuss how to design a one-time workshop with BST and instructional video modeling components to teach self-advocacy skills to direct care staff working in a human service organization; (2) Compare video-based training with and without on-screen text; (3) Describe how a technology-based contingency management procedure can be used to maintain the effects of BST training procedures on caregiver arrangement of safe infant sleeping environment; (4) Discuss how BST can be used to train children with allergies to identify and respond appropriately to allergenic foods |
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| Teaching Employee Self-Advocacy Skills to Direct Care Staff |
| J TURNER BRAREN (University of Kansas), Florence D. DiGennaro Reed (University of Kansas), Tyra Paige Sellers (APBA) |
| Abstract: The structure of a human service organization is often highlighted by the least experienced direct care staff working on the front lines with consumers. Thus, there is a need for direct care staff to learn self-advocacy skills to acquire information or help from more experienced supervisors. We used a nonconcurrent multiple baseline design across participants to evaluate the effects of a one-time training workshop on the self-advocacy skills of direct care staff working in a human service organization. The training workshop included behavioral skills training and instructional video modeling components. During training, we taught participants how to initiate a discussion with their supervisor to address a workplace concern and to respond to two types of supervisor responses (i.e., a supervisor responding positively but not providing a solution; a supervisor responding negatively but providing a solution). Results showed the training workshop increased self-advocacy integrity to mastery levels. Data collection is presently ongoing and will be completed by mid-November 2022. |
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| An Evaluation of Video-Based Training With and Without On-Screen Text |
| SANDRA ALEX RUBY (University of Kansas), Florence D. DiGennaro Reed (University of Kansas), Grace Elizabeth Bartle (University of Kansas) |
| Abstract: Video-based staff training has increased in popularity in recent years with researchers recommending evaluations of individual training components. The purpose of this study was to address this gap by evaluating video-based training with and without on-screen text on procedural integrity of a multiple stimulus without replacement preference assessment and discrete trial training. Participants experienced two video-based trainings, which included a video model of each step of the procedure in isolation and a video model of the entire procedure. One training included on-screen text describing each step and the other training excluded on-screen text. Using a multiple-baseline with an embedded multielement and control condition (i.e., free operant preference assessment in which participants did not receive training) design, results revealed increases in participants’ integrity for both types of training while the control condition remained low. All participants’ procedural integrity maintained for three to 10 weeks. These preliminary data suggest that on-screen text may be unnecessary to achieve training outcomes. |
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| Training and Maintenance of Caregivers Arrangement of Infant Sleeping Environments |
| JESSICA DAY-WATKINS (Drexel University), Jacqueline Mery (Kennedy Krieger Institute ), Lauren K. Schnell (Hunter College), Jason C. Vladescu (Caldwell University) |
| Abstract: Sleep-related infant deaths are one of the top causes of infant mortality in the United States. A few behavior analytic studies have examined behavioral skills training to teach adults to arrange safe infant sleeping environments. These studies were conducted in an analogue environment and no data were collected outside the training setting. The purpose of the current study was to replicate and extend the extant literature. We taught caregivers to arrange safe infant sleeping environments in a community-based organization. Thereafter, we assessed the feasibility and effectiveness of a technology-based contingency management (CM) procedure to examine caregiver’s adherence with arrangement of a safe sleeping environment for their newborns across a two-week period. The current study replicated and extended the use of BST to teach caregivers infant sleeping practices and assessed the extent that skills occurred outside the training context. The results of the present study demonstrate the efficacy of using CM to maintain behavior change in a naturalistic setting and add to the growing body of literature that leverages behavior analysis to address matters of public health. |
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| Teaching Children to Identify and Avoid Food Allergens Using Behavioral Skills Training |
| MARYKATE MCKENNA (Hunter College), Matthew John Quiroz (Hunter College), Lauren K. Schnell (Hunter College), April N. Kisamore (Hunter College), Jessica Day-Watkins (Drexel University), Jason C. Vladescu (Caldwell University) |
| Abstract: Allergic reactions to allergenic foods can pose a lethal threat to children with food allergies. One of the ways to prevent these reactions is to teach children with food allergies to avoid ingesting allergenic foods. Previous research has demonstrated the effectiveness of using behavioral skills training (BST) in teaching safety responses to children. However, to date, there has not been an evaluation of using BST to teach food safety to children with food allergies. We evaluated the effectiveness of BST to teach children with food allergies to identify and respond to allergenic foods by reading labels on food packages and reporting the safety threat to an adult. Trials without allergenic foods were also presented to ensure the participants responded differentially to the stimuli. Results demonstrated differential responding to allergenic stimuli and non-allergenic stimuli. All participants demonstrated the correct safety responses after BST with one participant requiring one session of feedback. |
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