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| Innovative Training Strategies: Teach-Back |
| Monday, May 26, 2025 |
| 9:00 AM–9:50 AM |
| Marriott Marquis, M2 Level, Marquis Salon 7-10 |
| Area: OBM; Domain: Applied Research |
| Chair: Flavio Hinostroza (Florida Insitute of Technology ) |
| Discussant: Andressa Sleiman (Florida Institute of Technology) |
| CE Instructor: Andressa Sleiman, Ph.D. |
| Abstract: This symposium presents four innovative studies exploring the acceptability and effectiveness of the teach-back method in enhancing communication and training within behavior analysis and healthcare contexts. The first talk investigates participants' acceptability of clinicians using teach-back and plain language in doctor-patient interactions, revealing a strong preference for plain language and teach-back, particularly for unfamiliar topics like multiple sclerosis. The second presentation evaluates the teach-back method in training research assistants on processing simulated blood samples, with all participants achieving mastery and reporting positive experiences. The third study replicates previous research on teach-back to train college students in a behavior analysis program to implement multiple schedules. The findings demonstrate that students learned the skills to mastery and retained them after two weeks, highlighting the practicality of teach-back via telehealth. Finally, the fourth talk extends these findings by applying teach-back to train behavior therapists to implement naturalistic environment training with children with disabilities. |
| Instruction Level: Basic |
| Keyword(s): Acceptability, OBM, Teach-Back, Training |
| Target Audience: All people who train others. |
Learning Objectives: 1. Identify the benefits of the teach-back method in enhancing communication and training efficiency across various fields, including healthcare and research settings.
2. Discuss the advantages of using teach-back as a time-efficient alternative to traditional behavior skills training (BST) for teaching new skills to behavior therapists and other professionals.
3. Define and explain the teach-back method |
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| An Evaluation of Teach-Back Acceptability |
| Andressa Sleiman (Florida Institute of Technology), Erin Richard (Louisiana State University), Daniel Gonzales-Portillo (Nova Southeastern University), Sarah Tallman (The Iowa Clinic), Nicole Gravina (University of Florida), FLAVIO HINOSTROZA (Florida Institute of Technology) |
| Abstract: This research aimed to investigate participants' acceptability of clinicians' use of teach-back and plain language. A 30-minute survey was administered to 162 undergraduates who watched and rated two doctor-patient interactions explaining multiple sclerosis and diabetes. The interactions varied, including jargon only, jargon with teach-back, plain language only, and plain language with teach-back. Results showed a significant preference for plain language over jargon for both conditions, with multiple sclerosis [F(1, 157) = 57.73, p < .001, hp2 = .27] and diabetes [F(1, 157) = 63.42, p < .001, hp2 = .29]. Teach-back was favored for multiple sclerosis [F(1, 157) = 8.99, p < .01, hp2 = .05] but not for diabetes [F(1, 157) = 1.05, n.s.], possibly due to participants' greater familiarity with diabetes. Overall, plain language combined with teach-back was ranked highest in preference, while jargon-only interactions were the least favored. The findings suggest that clinicians should minimize jargon and utilize teach-back techniques, particularly when addressing unfamiliar topics, enhancing patient engagement and understanding. |
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Assessing the Effectiveness of the Teach-Back Method to Train College Students How to Implement Multiple Schedules |
| Serena Tavares (Simmons University), CLAUDIA CAMPOS (Simmons University) |
| Abstract: Different teaching methods (e.g., behavioral skills training [BST], video modeling, video modeling plus feedback, instructions) have been used for decades in the field of applied behavior analysis to train a variety of individuals or behavior change agents new skills. Recently, Sleiman et al. (2023) assessed the use of the teach-back method to train college students how to implement behavior analytic procedures (e.g., preference assessments, token economies). Teach-back, is when a trainer explains one chunk of information at a time and asks the learner to repeat it back to them using their own words. If there is no correspondence the trainer explains the chunk of information again using different words until the learner can accurately explain the information. The purpose of this study was to replicate Sleiman et al. (2023) evaluating teach back as a training method to teach how to implement multiple schedules to college students enrolled in a behavior analysis program. In addition, a second purpose was to assess the practicality of using teach-back via telehealth. Three college students participated in the study. All participants learned the skills to mastery and retained the skills after a 2-week follow-up. |
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| Using the Teach-Back Method to Improve Staff Implementation of Naturalistic Environmental Teaching |
| DEZEE OVERSTREET (The Chicago School), Ada C. Harvey (The Chicago School of Professional Psychology-Dallas), Michael E. May (The Chicago School) |
| Abstract: Behavior skills training (BST) is a commonly used strategy for teaching new skills. Although the behavior analytic literature supports the efficacy of BST, one drawback is that it is time intensive. Alternatively, teach-back (TB) is an empirically validated strategy used primarily among emergency and primary care physicians to teach and to verify patients’ healthcare practices related to their long-term care needs. Sleiman et al. (2023) showed TB was also effective for teaching college students to conduct preference assessments and to implement a token economy intervention with fidelity over relatively few implementation sessions. The purpose of the current study was to replicate and extend the findings of Sleiman et al. (2023) using TB to train behavior therapists at an autism clinic to implement naturalistic environment training. Procedural integrity increased over relatively few implementation sessions and all participants met mastery level proficiency following the brief, targeted vocal-verbal feedback and modeling provided by the TB strategy. The implications of these findings on TB are discussed for application to other training needs for behavior analysis service providers. |
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