Association for Behavior Analysis International

Staff training in autism intervention is crucial for ensuring that individuals are equipped to provide effective, evidence-based care to individuals with autism. Effective staff training often includes the use of Behavioral Skills Training (BST), regular supervision, and ongoing professional development. More recently, innovative strategies such as asynchronous computer-based modules and enhanced supervision have been employed. The current symposium will present a series of studies examining effective methods to promote training methods. The first presentation will provide a comprehensive review of the staff training literature on manualized instruction within behavior analysis, covering studies from 1974 to the present, and offering best practice recommendations for practitioners involved in staff training. The second presentation will examine the impact of "enhanced" supervision on trainees' skills, confidence, and application of behavioral terminology. The third presentation will evaluate the effectiveness of asynchronous, computer-based training for teaching clinicians how to implement key components of Direct Instruction's Language for Learning curriculum. Lastly, the final presentation will focus on a study evaluating the effects of programming of conditions to develop behavior (PCDB)-based parent training program on parent-delivered instructions and children's compliance.

The target audience includes clinicians responsible for supervising trainees and providing training to both trainees and caregivers.

Direct Instruction (DI) is an evidence-based methodology gaining support for use with children with autism and language delays, particularly through the Direct Instruction-Language for Learning (DI-LL) curriculum. DI includes a teacher’s guide and presentation books that include precise methods for presenting the content material. Direct Instruction (DI) has been proven effective for a wide range of neurotypical children and has also shown significant efficacy for children with autism. The existing literature strongly supports the value of DI, highlighting its utility as a powerful instructional method across diverse populations. Despite the growing evidence, behavior analysts are often not familiar with the teaching approach or the available curricula. Given the amount of time spent in pre-service training, Board-Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs), Speech and Language Pathologists (SLPs), and Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs) may not be afforded the additional training time required to learn to implement a new teaching strategy in their clinical settings. This study examines whether an asynchronous, computer-based training model can effectively teach the praise delivery, error correction, and signal delivery components of DI to clinicians working with children diagnosed with autism. Clinicians' performance in delivering DI-LL was evaluated through pre- and post-training role-plays. Results showed that the asynchronous training was effective for one participant, though a booster session was required. These findings suggest that asynchronous training provides a cost- and time-efficient approach to teaching DI, potentially enhancing the use of DI in clinical practice for children with autism.

Programming of conditions to develop behaviors (PCDB; Kienen et al., 2013), a teaching technology derived from Skinner's Programmed Instruction, has been applied successfully in various domains, such as higher education and leadership training. However, there is limited research on its application for parent training of children with developmental disabilities, including autism. The current study evaluated the effects of a PCDB-based parent training program on the levels of parent-delivered instructions and children's compliance. Participants included three parent-child dyads, with children aged between 2 and 10 years diagnosed with autism. Parents participated in weekly 90-minute training sessions over 6 weeks. The training covered observing and analyzing target behaviors, formulating clear and attainable instructions, implementing a three-step guided compliance procedure, and delivering appropriate consequences for compliance. Results showed a marked improvement in parent skills relative to baseline. Children's compliance levels also increased after PCDB-based parent training. The outcomes of the current study contribute to the development of effective PCDB-based parent training programs. The implications for selecting relevant behavior and developing effective parent training programs will be discussed, along with recommendations for future research.