ABA Principles - Chapter 12

2 Functions of Feedback

1) A consequence - a reinforcer for the correct behavior it followed 2) An antecedent - a verbal prompt for correct behavior in the next rehearsal

Disadvantages of Group BST

1) Each person does not have the trainer's undivided attention 2) Some members may not participate actively or may dominate and limit the participation of other members

Factors that may influence the effectiveness of Feedback

1) Feedback should be given immediately after the behavior 2) Feedback should always involve praise (or other reinforcers) for some aspect of the behavior 3) Praise should be descriptive 4) When providing corrective feedback, do not be negative 5) Always praise some aspect of the performance before providing corrective feedback 6) Provide corrective feedback on one aspect of the performance at a time

How to use BST Procedures

1) Identify and define the skills you want to teach 2) Identify all relevant stimulus situations (SDs) in which the skill must be used 3) Assess the learner's skills in the relevant stimulus situations to establish a baseline 4) Begin training with the easiest skill or the easiest stimulus situation 5) Begin a training session by providing instructions and modeling the behavior 6) After the learner hears the instructions and sees the model, provide the opportunity for rehearsal 7) Immediately after the rehearsal, provide feedback 8) Repeat the rehearsal and feedback process until the learner has executed the behavior correctly a couple of times 9) After success with one training situation, move to another situation an continue the process of instructions, modeling, rehearsal, and feedback until the learner has mastered each skill in each situation 10) Once the learner has mastered all the skills in all simulated situations during training sessions, program for generalization to the natural situations where the skills are needed

Advantages of Group BST

1) It can be more efficient than individual BST because instructions and modeling are presented to the whole group 2) Each group member learns by watching other group members rehearse the skills and receive feedback on their performance 3) Group members learn by evaluating the performance of other group members and providing feedback 4) With a variety of group members participating in role-plays, generalization may be enhanced 5) The magnitude of reinforcement for successful rehearsal is increased when praise comes from other group members, as well as from the trainer

Factors that may influence the effectiveness of Rehearsal

1) The behavior should be rehearsed in the proper context (int eh presence of the SD), either in the situations to which it is appropriate or in a role-play that simulates that situation 2) Rehearsals should be programmed for success 3) Rehearsal of the correct behavior should always be followed immediately by praise or other reinforcers 4) Rehearsals that are partly correct or incorrect should be followed by corrective feedback (still positive) 5) The behavior should be rehearsed until it is demonstrated correctly at least a few times

Factors that may influence the effectiveness of Instructions

1) The instructions should be presented at a level that the learner can understand 2) The instructions should be delivered by someone who has credibility with the learner 3) Instructions should be paired with modeling whenever observing the behavior will enhance the potential for learning the behavior 4) The instructions should be given only when the learner is paying attention 5) The learner should repeat the instructions so that the teacher can be certain the learner heard the instructions correctly 6) The learner should have the opportunity to rehearse the behavior as soon as possible after receiving the instructions

Strategies to Promote Generalization after BST

1) Training should involve a variety of role-plays that simulate the actual situations the learner is likely to encounter in real life 2) Incorporate real-life situations into training 3) Provide assignments for the learner to practice the skills being learned outside the BST session, in a real-life situation 4) The trainer can arrange for reinforcement of the skills in situations outside the training sessions

Factors that may influence the effectiveness of Modeling

1) When the model exhibits the correct behavior, it should result in a successful outcome (reinforcer) for the model 2) The model should resemble the people observing the model or should have high status 3) The complexity of the model's behavior should be appropriate to the developmental or ability level of the learner 4) The learner has to pay attention to the model to learn the behavior being modeled 5) The modeled behavior must occur in the proper context (in response to the relevant SD) 6) The modeled behavior should be repeated as often as necessary for the learner to imitate it correctly 7) The behavior should be modeled in a variety of ways and in a variety of situations to enhance generalization 8) The learner should have the opportunity to rehearse (imitate) the behavior as soon as possible after observing the model

In Situ Assessment and Training for BST

Promotes Generalization: -reinforcing stimulus in natural environment -positive punishment (get corrective feedback) -negative reinforcement (loss of reinforcer)

Instructions

describe the appropriate behavior for the learner; clearly identify circumstances and the bx involved with those circumstances

BST Novel Examples

must involve defining skills before BST and continue teaching after BST

Behavioral Skills Training (BST)

procedures that consist of instructions, modeling, rehearsal, and feedback and are used together in training sessions to help a person acquire useful skills. BST procedures are typically used to teach skills that can be simulated in a role play; generalization is the goal

Modeling

the correct behavior is demonstrated for the learner. The learner observe the model's behavior and then imitates the model; the model should describe important aspects of the bx and have learner describe them too Live Modeling - another person demonstrates the appropriate behavior in the appropriate situation Symbolic Modeling - the correct behavior is demonstrated on video, audio, or possibly in a cartoon or movie

Feedback

the delivery of praise for correct performance and further instruction after incorrect performances. Often amounts to differential reinforcement of some aspects of the behavior with correction of other aspects; focus on improving one aspect of the bx at a time

Group BST

the modeling and instructions are presented for the entire group, and then each group member rehearses the skills in a role-play and receives feedback from the trainer and from other members of the group. Each person rehearses the skill until it is performed correctly in a variety of simulated situations. Most effective with small groups in which all members have a change to participate

Rehearsal

the opportunity for the learner to practice the behavior after receiving instructions or watching a model demonstrate the behavior

In Situ Training

the trainer sees up an assessment in the natural setting without the child's knowledge that he or she is being assessed (an in situ assessment). If the child does not perform the skills during this in situ assessment, a trainer enters the situation and immediately turns the assessment into a training session. The trainer then has the child rehearse the skills multiple times in the assessment situation so that the skills are more likely to occur if the child is faced with a similar situation in the future

In Situ Assessment

when an assessment of skills occurs in the natural environment where the skills are needed, and the individual is not aware that an assessment is taking place