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| Training Staff to Effectively Implement Behavior Analytic Procedures When Teaching Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders |
| Monday, May 25, 2015 |
| 10:00 AM–10:50 AM |
| 213AB (CC) |
| Area: PRA/AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
| Chair: Sharon A. Reeve (Caldwell University) |
| CE Instructor: Sharon A. Reeve, Ph.D. |
| Abstract: For applied behavior analysis to be effective, it’s important to develop effective staff training methodologies for all behavior analytic teaching procedures implemented with individuals with autism spectrum disorders. The three studies in this symposium examined ways to increase the effectiveness of training staff to implement discrete trial teaching, activity schedules, token economies, and conduct preference assessments when teaching both adults and children with autism spectrum disorders. The purpose of the first study was to evaluate the effectiveness of self-monitoring on the generalization and maintenance of discrete trial training when teaching two adults with autism spectrum disorders. The second study used video modeling with voice over instruction to train staff to implement a multiple stimulus without replacement preference assessment to children with autism spectrum disorders. The final study used behavioral skills training and multiple exemplar training to program for generalization of staff training skills across discrete trial teaching, activity schedules, preference assessments, and token economies. |
| Keyword(s): autism, staff training |
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| Effects of Self-Monitoring on Discrete Trial Training by Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders |
| CONRAD HILLMAN (University of Houston-Clear Lake), Dorothea C. Lerman (University of Houston-Clear Lake), Molly Shireman (University of Houston-Clear Lake) |
| Abstract: Discrete trial training (DTT) is an effective method for teaching children with autism and can be effectively taught to parents, teachers and staff using behavioral skills training (BST). Research has examined the use of BST to teach adults with ASD and no intellectual disabilities to conduct DTT with children with autism (Lerman, Hawkins, Hoffman, & Caccavale, 2013; Lerman, Hawkins, Hillman, Shireman & Nissen, in press). BST was highly effective for teaching DTT skills, which maintained with on-going performance feedback. An alternative to using feedback with BST is to teach trainees to self-monitor. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of self-monitoring alone on the generalization and maintenance of DTT performance in adults with ASD. Two adults were trained on DTT and then taught to self-monitor by evaluating a therapist’s performance. Next, they worked with two or three children without feedback. Self-monitoring was implemented if a mastery criterion was not met. Self-monitoring improved maintenance for one participant but did not appear to impact performance for the other participant. These findings suggest that self-monitoring may be a viable approach for increasing the efficiency of BST when teaching adults with ASD. |
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| Using Video Modeling with Voice-Over Instruction to Train Staff to Implement an MSWO Preference Assessment |
| Gina Delli (Caldwell University), Jason C. Vladescu (Caldwell University), Ruth DeBar (Caldwell University), Regina A. Carroll (West Virginia University), Randi A. Sarokoff (Bernards Township Comprehensive Behavior Analytic ), KAITLYN DONOVAN (Caldwell University) |
| Abstract: A multiple stimulus without replacement (MSWO) preference assessment is a proven method of identifying these potential reinforcers (DeLeon & Iwata, 1996); however, staff must be trained on the steps necessary to conduct the assessment for it to be useful in everyday practice. The current study examined the effectiveness of using video modeling (VM) to train staff to conduct a MSWO preference assessment. Two staff were trained to conduct an MSWO with a simulated consumer (i.e., the experimenter acting as a child with autism) and to calculate the results and select the item with the greatest selection percentage to use during teaching sessions. Generalization was assessed in two ways: using actual consumers (i.e., students with autism) and using edibles. Results demonstrate that VM was effective in training both staff trainees to exhibit high levels of integrity within two training sessions. These results add to a growing body of literature that supports the use of VM as an effective way to train staff. |
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| Combining Behavior Skills Training and Generalization Strategies to Train Staff |
| JESSICA L. ROTHSCHILD (Caldwell University), Sharon A. Reeve (Caldwell University), Kenneth F. Reeve (Caldwell University), Jason C. Vladescu (Caldwell University), Peter Sturmey (The Graduate Center and Queens College, City University of New York) |
| Abstract: Behavior skills training is an effective strategy for training staff members through the use of instructions, modeling, rehearsal, and feedback. Research has shown that a combination of behavior skills training (BST) and multiple exemplar training (MET) can be used to train experienced staff members on different learner programs. However, prior research did not use these strategies to concurrently program for and assess generalization across multiple instructional areas (e.g., discrete trial instruction (DTI) and activity schedules (AS) and learner programs (e.g., gross motor imitation and following a picture activity schedule) when training inexperienced staff. Thus, this study combined BST and MET to program for and assess generalization across a variety of learner programs and instructional areas. A multiple-baseline design across instructional areas was replicated across three staff trainees with no prior experience to assess the staff trainee’s implementation of discrete trial teaching (DTI), activity schedules (AS), preference assessments (PA), and token economies (TE) during sessions with a confederate. Generalization was assessed from sessions with a confederate, trained programs and instructional areas to sessions with a learner, novel programs and novel instructional areas. Following the use of BST and MET staff trainee’s correctly implemented target components generalized from trained programs and instructional areas to novel programs and instructional areas. The results of this study support and extend BST research by demonstrating the effectiveness of BST and MET to train inexperienced staff to teach multiple programs across a variety of instructional areas and generalize these skills from training conditions to non-training conditions. |
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