Association for Behavior Analysis International

Behavioral Skills Training (BST) is rooted in Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) principles and is an evidenced-based teaching strategy to enhance staff training and staff development in a variety of employment fields. More specifically within residential treatment settings, BST strategies can teach staff at all levels the necessary competencies for working with learners who display challenging behaviors. Not only does the implementation of evidence-based training strategies positively impact the quality of care for learners within residential programs, but it also improves staff retention and perceived efficacy of their own skills in positive engagement, preventative strategies, and crisis de-escalation. The BST model is comprised of four main components: 1) providing instruction; 2) modeling skills; 3) role playing skills; and 4) providing performance feedback. This model has been used as a training strategy across several different employment settings and types of positions from direct support professionals (Lerman et al. 2015), to teachers (Sarokoff & Sturmey, 2004). This paper will review the process of implementing a BST curriculum for direct care staff at a Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility (PRTF) in Kansas. Key implementation strategies for positive outcome include developing a staff mentor program, implementing fidelity checklists and ongoing evaluations.

Behavior skills training (BST) is an effective staff training procedure used in many diverse settings to teach many different skills. Feedback is an essential component of BST and is often delivered verbally during role play and in situ practice of skills being taught. This said however, no studies to date have systematically evaluated the use of innovative feedback procedures such as clickers, during BST to determine their additive intervention effects. The current study involved a component analysis of BST with the addition of clicker feedback in place of verbal or written feedback to train staff to implement preference assessments with individuals diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The research design comprised of a concurrent multiple baseline, with an ABCD design. Results provide useful implications on the role of immediate clicker feedback during staff training procedures.

The use of metaphors as described by Stewart and Barnes Holmes (2001) was used to teach four group home staff about motivating operations and reinforcement to increase accurate reinforcement schedule implementation in the home. Correct reinforcement delivery was observed to be ineffective across the four staff in the group home. Staff were offering both too much access and attention whereas other times too little access and attention were provided. The metaphors of vampires and werewolves were related to the concepts of deprivation (based on the response latency of reinforcement delivery) and satiation (based on the magnitude of reinforcement delivered) to explain when and how much reinforcement is and is not appropriate to deliver. The study employed a multiple baseline design to evaluate the effectiveness of utilizing imagery and metaphors (vampires and werewolves) during training to increase accurate implementation of the client’s reinforcement schedule. In the study, the intervention increased the treatment integrity scores in three of the four group home staff to 90% or higher across observations.