The purpose of this study was to determine which of 3 instructional activities, when combined with behavioral skills training (BST) was the most effective at eliciting prosocial behaviors, decreasing maladaptive behaviors, and increasing the occurrence of a target social skill. Additionally, this study sought to determine if this model of group intervention (combining BST with various activities) was an effective approach at addressing social skills deficits of elementary-aged children. Four children, ages 6 to 8 years old, participated in this study, which took place at a university-based school psychology services clinic in the Southeastern United States. Overall, results of this study were variable in that different instructional activities impacted dependent variables in different ways for each participant. When comparing the 3 instructional activities, there were minimal differences in the impact each had on the display of prosocial and maladaptive behaviors. However, parents of the participants in this study reported that this social skills intervention was acceptable and beneficial at addressing social skill deficits in children. Similarly, the participants themselves reported that they liked coming to the group, made new friends in this group, and that they would be happy if they could keep coming to this group. Overall, the findings of this study revealed implications about the inclusion of activities into group social skill intervention sessions as well as the utility of this model of group intervention delivery. Limitations to this study as well as recommendations for future research in this area are discussed.

This paper describes an evaluation of the effectiveness of Behavioral Skills Training (BST) as an individual parent training model. BST effects on parent responses to child behavior, and by extension, child problem behavior was investigated. The parent participants in the study had children under the age of 10 years old with diagnoses such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorder. The researcher conducted observations in situ and via video transmission. Implications of the study include the ability to effectively apply an intervention for parents in situations where the therapist cannot physically come to the parent’s home as well as the effectiveness of using BST to teach general problem behavior management to caregivers. The results presented suggest that behavioral skills training as a parent training method is effective for increasing appropriate parent behavior, but results are mixed for its immediate impact on child problem behavior. Keywords: attention deficit disorder, autism spectrum disorder, behavioral skills training, parent training, problem behavior

All youth are faced with many social issues and problems on a daily basis, and youth in foster care are often less equipped than their peers to make good decisions for themselves. The SODAS problem solving method is a component of the Transition to Independence Process (TIP) model and is intended for personnel to use with youth to help them make better decisions when faced with difficult situations. The SODAS method is designed to guide youth through a problem solving method for a current situation, and over time to acquire improved problem solving skills. Three caregivers at a group facility for youth in foster care were trained in the use of the SODAS method using Behavioral Skills Training (BST) and were evaluated by the researchers in their use of SODAS in simulated role plays with the researchers and with youth participants to test for generalization of the SODAS method to novel situations. Results showed substantial improvement of caregiver application of the steps on the SODAS method from baseline to the post-training condition when researchers simulated the youth's role. Results also showed that caregiver proficiency generalized to novel situations presented by youth participants during their role play probes.

Child abduction is a serious problem in the U.S.; therefore, it is essential that researchers evaluate the efficacy of currently available abduction prevention programs. This study evaluated the efficacy of a commercially-available abduction prevention program, The Safe Side. The participants included six 6-8-year old children with no prior abduction prevention training. A non-concurrent multiple baseline across participants design was used to evaluate the effects of the training. The participants' safety responses were assessed using in situ assessments within two different situations (responding to a knock on the door of the participant's home and interaction by a stranger in public) and scored numerically. Any participant who failed to perform the appropriate safety skills following the post video training assessment received in situ training implemented by the parent. Additional assessments were subsequently conducted until each participant demonstrated the desired safety skills to criterion (three consecutive correct scores). In situ training was continually conducted as necessary.

Behavioral Parent Training refers to a broad range of instructional programs that teach parents and other caregivers ways to build and change behavioral repertoires of children. Most, if not all, such programs employ Behavioral Skills Training (modeling, prompting, role-play practice and feedback) to teach parenting skills. However, specific ways to use prompting during role plays have not been described in the behavioral parent training literature. The present study compared two methods of conducting role plays during parent training. A between group, pretest/posttest design was used to evaluate and compare the effect of using one versus two trainers on the role-play performance of parents and other caregivers involved in the child dependency system. Although both groups' posttest scores improved, there was no statistically significant difference between the one and two trainer groups. It was determined that foster and adoptive parents performed better on posttest measures than did biological parents and relative caregivers, regardless of group assignment.

There are a number of different safety threats that children face in their lives. One infrequent, but highly dangerous situation a child can face is finding a firearm. Hundreds of children are injured or killed by firearms each year. Fortunately, behavioral skills training (BST) and in situ training (IST) are effective approaches for teaching a number of different skills, including safety skills. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a teaching package for preschool teachers to learn to conduct BST to teach safety skills. A multiple baseline across subjects design was used to evaluate the effectiveness of this teaching package implemented by the teacher with seven preschoolers. Five children demonstrated the skills following in situ training and additional reinforcement or time out. Two children did not complete the study.

Research has investigated staff management procedures that produce treatment adherence and maintenance over time. Treatment integrity is one of the most important aspects of staff management; without adequate treatment adherence, behavior analysts are unable to determine whether treatment is effective, function has been identified, or intervention revisions are needed. The literature on staff management procedures has demonstrated that performance feedback and self-monitoring are effective procedures for increasing treatment integrity of behavior plans in the presence of the observer, however, few studies have evaluated the effectiveness of these procedures when the observer is absent. This study evaluated the effectiveness of performance feedback and self-monitoring procedures and the level of reactivity to the presence of an observer exhibited by staff trained to implement individualized behavior plans. The results showed that staff performance increased with the intervention almost exclusively in the conspicuous observation condition.

This study assessed the effect of Behavioral Skills Training (instructions, modeling, rehearsal, and feedback) using a multiple baseline design to train 3 dental hygiene students to implement basic behavioral procedures (picture schedules, differential reinforcement, contingent escape, escape extinction, and least-to-most prompting) to manage and prevent challenging behavior during dental care procedures on special needs patients. The study took place in a mobile school-based dental clinic set up within 4 special schools. Training consisted of one group training session and several in-vivo training sessions. After training, participants' performance in the absence of feedback was assessed. Data show that participants performed less than 35% of steps correctly before receiving the training package and quickly reached criteria during training sessions. Results suggest that Behavioral Skills Training could be used to increase skills during one 3-hr class period, with further increases in skills to over 90% accuracy after some follow-up in-vivo practice and feedback.

Behavioral skills training (BST) has been widely used to effectively and quickly instruct learners with limited knowledge in behavior analytic skills. A training package composed of didactic instruction presented via PowerPoint, modeling, rehearsal, feedback and in vivo components were utilized to instruct two mothers of children with autism spectrum disorders to deliver learning trials with their child to contrive MOs to increase their manding repertoires. A multiple probe across participants design was used to assess the effects of BST on the participant's performance. Prior to the beginning of the study, participants were instructed to systematically identify child's reinforcers by delivering a paired choice preference assessment. Mothers were involved in choosing the manding targets used in the child's instruction. BST was effective in demonstrating rapid acquisition of skills taught to both mothers compared to baseline performances. Although child's behavior increased over pretest measures, it did not improve significantly due variable responding. Time constraints and child's excessive variable responding lead to termination of the study.

The purpose of paper is to describe a rationale for training staff who work with others with disabilities to use Assistive Technology devices. Current literature describes reasons that Augmentative and Alternative Communication devices are not used based on cost, satisfaction, and difficulty in evaluation. Devices are often abandoned due to ineffective training and increased response effort to operate the device. Previous research on training others to use AT devices is reviewed. A popular behavioral perspective continues to be Behavioral Skills Training. By comparing BST to other common methods of device set up, the current study demonstrates the effectiveness of a BST package.