Behavioral skills training (BST) is considered one of the most effective staff training techniques to implement a wide variety of behavioral technologies; however, research has found a lack of implementation of BST across human service settings due to a shortage of organizational time and resources. The purpose of the present study was first to…

Although decades of behavior-analytic studies have focused on decreasing the aggressive behavior of clients, relatively little research has been conducted on preventing injuries for the staff members who implement treatment plans. In this study, three direct-care staff members working with clients presenting with aggressive behavior were taught…

Behavior analysts frequently collaborate with interdisciplinary colleagues to share information and make decisions about client services. This study evaluated the effects of behavioral skills training on preparation for and presentation during interdisciplinary review team meetings by clinicians (n = 4) and nurses (n = 4) at a residential school…

The current study evaluated the efficacy of a video-based training to teach 4 staff working in a human service setting to use behavioral skills training (BST) to teach job-related skills to others. Low levels of BST integrity were observed during baseline. Immediately after viewing a 13-min training video, 2 participants implemented BST at mastery…

We trained 9 behavioral staff members to conduct 2 brief preference assessments using 30-min video presentations that contained instructions and modeling. After training, we evaluated each staff member's implementation of the assessments in situ. Results indicated that 1 or 2 training sessions for each method were sufficient for teaching each…

Discrete-trial instruction (DTI) is a teaching strategy that is often incorporated into early intensive behavioral interventions for children with autism. Researchers have investigated time- and cost-effective methods to train staff to implement DTI, including self-instruction manuals, video modeling, and interactive computer training (ICT). ICT…

Although delusional statements in people with intellectual disabilities and traumatic brain injury can be treated using behavioral interventions, none have demonstrated long-term treatment effects. In the current study, a functional analysis demonstrated that delusional statements were maintained by attention. Differential reinforcement of…

The study evaluated a participative management approach for increasing the frequency of interactions between institutional staff and 15 severely/profoundly retarded residents. Results indicated that during the participative management program there was an increase in staff interactions that were contingent on appropriate resident behavior.…

This study evaluated the effectiveness of a staff training-and-management package on nutritional practices in two community-based group homes serving adults with developmental disabilities. Food storage, menu development, and meal preparation were covered. All staff behaviors increased after training and were maintained for up to one year.…

Child care workers in an institution for severely/profoundly retarded children were trained to use prompts and increased toy availability. On the average purposeful activity level of the children increased from 10 percent to a mean of 70 percent during treatment while stereotyped or harmful behaviors decreased from an average of 20 percent to 70…

Performance feedback has facilitated the acquisition and maintenance of a wide range of behaviors (e.g., health-care routines, seat-belt use). Most researchers have attributed the effectiveness of performance feedback to (a) its discriminative functions, (b) its reinforcing functions, or (c) the combination of the two. In this study, we attempted…

Staff were taught use of training and self-management skills through a sequence of written instructions, videotaped and live modeling, rehearsal, and videotaped feedback. Results indicated that staff learned to use the training skills appropriately and consistently, applied the skills in the generalization situations, and maintained skills with…

A model of ongoing consultation was effectively implemented in a community group home for eight adults with severe and profound mental retardation. Two consultants taught staff members to use a token reinforcement system, engage clients in a variety of activities, and improve staff interactions with clients. (Author/DB)

Peer management was utilized as a source of feedback in a staff training and management program with six subjects, who were instructors in a vocational program for adults with mental retardation. The paired subjects were trained to monitor peer teaching, record and graph data, provide feedback, and set goals. (DB)

Two studies compared the effectiveness of different strategies for promoting generalization of staff skills in teaching self-care routines to clients with developmental disabilities. Results indicated that general case training was more effective at promoting generalized training effects than provision of written instructions, single case…