Date of Award
5-2016
Culminating Project Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Applied Behavior Analysis: M.S.
Department
Community Psychology, Counseling and Family Therapy
College
School of Health and Human Services
First Advisor
Kimberly Schulze
Second Advisor
Eric Rudrud
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Keywords and Subject Headings
Behavior Skills Training; Instructional Pacing; Discrete Trial Training
Abstract
Research has indicated that there may be considerable variability in the participants’ outcomes after receiving IBI treatment. It is possible that factors related to the quality of treatment, such as instructional pacing, may contribute to this variability. This study examined the effect of Behavior Skills Training (BST) on the instructional pacing of three instructor therapists during DTT. In addition, the study evaluated the instructor therapist’s accuracy implementing the components of DTT by reviewing a sample of teaching trials implemented during each session. It also examined whether changes in the rate of learning opportunities presented by the instructor participants had a differential effect on the rate correct responding and the occurrences of maladaptive behaviors demonstrated by three client participants in each dyad. Results showed that the introduction of the BST package was associated with an increase in the rate of learning opportunities for two of the instructor participants, and an increase in the accuracy of implementing DTT for two of the instructor participants. The results also demonstrated that the rate of correct responding by the client participants corresponded to the rate of learning opportunities presented to them, while the effect on the occurrence of maladaptive behaviors were minimal across the conditions.
Recommended Citation
Connolly, Jessica, "An Evaluation of Using Behavioral Skills Training to Increase Instructional Pacing in the Implementation of Discrete Trial Training" (2016). Culminating Projects in Community Psychology, Counseling and Family Therapy. 15.
https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/cpcf_etds/15
Comments/Acknowledgements
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank my advisor Dr. Kimberly Schulze for being a great mentor, and always taking the time to provide me with feedback and guidance. In addition, I would also like to thank my friends and colleagues Ibolya Gabris and Jisan Phillips who assisted me with this project and were a great support for me.