Prompting Procedures:

Examples of accidental prompts include

(e.g., looking at the correct item in a 3-item array for a selection-based response, "mouthing" the correct answer for a vocal response).

Errorless teaching can include positional prompts and altering stimulus properties

Positional prompts involve placing the correct stimulus closer to the participant to lower the response effort, as well as increase the salience of the correct response. Example: An RBT is teaching her client to select a picture of a chair when asked, "show me something you sit on" among an array of two pictures: a chair and cup. The chair is placed closer to the client, and the client selects the picture of the chair. Slowly over time, the chair picture is placed closer and closer until it is back to the original position of side-by-side with the cup

Three types of prompts include

verbal/vocal, physical, visual

Physical

a tactile stimulus delivered to guide or evoke a specific response. Example: An RBT is teaching a client to make hot cocoa but the client does not know how to stir. The RBT places his hands over the clients and helps her make a stirring motion until the powder is completely mixed into the milk

Verbal/vocal

an auditory stimulus delivered to evoke a specific response. Example: An RBT blocks the door and prompts the client to request it open by saying, "open". The client responds to the vocal prompt by saying "open" and the RBT opens the door to let him play outside.

Prompts are organized into hierarchies of intrusiveness according to some BCBAs. Physical prompts are often considered the most intrusive, next is verbal, and visual are considered the least intrusive

There is some debate about whether vocal prompts are more intrusive as for some clients they are more difficult to fade than physical prompts. Prompt hierarchies can also depict the level of intrusiveness within a single prompt type (e.g., full hand over hand, partial touching of forearm, tapping elbow, etc.)

PROMPT

an antecedent stimulus that reliably evokes specific behavior(s)

LEAST-TO-MOST

a method of implementing prompts that begins prompting with the use of the least intrusive prompt prescribed by the BCBA in a hierarchy, and systematically increasing to more intrusive prompts if the client responds incorrectly.

MOST-TO-LEAST

a method of implementing prompts that begins prompting with the use of the most intrusive prompt prescribed by the BCBA in a hierarchy, and systematically fading to lesser intrusive prompts

HIERARCHY

a method of organizing prompts that categorizes them into different levels of intrusiveness

VISUAL PROMPT

a stimulus that is seen and shown to a client to evoke a specific response.

Visual

a stimulus that is seen and shown to a client to evoke a specific response. Example: An RBT is teaching a client to say, "I want _______". The client keeps forgetting to say, "I want" when asked what he wants for dinner. The RBT asks the client what he wants and shows a cue card that says, "I want____". The client sees the card and says, "I want pizza".

PHYSICAL PROMPT

a tactile stimulus delivered to guide or evoke a specific response

VOCAL/VERBAL PROMPT

an auditory stimulus spoken by an interventionist to evoke a specific response.

Least-to-most prompting involves

beginning with the least intrusive prompt prescribed by the BCBA in the hierarchy for a skill, and incrementally increasing to more intrusive prompts if the client responds incorrectly. Example: An RBT is teaching a young client to clean up after finishing an activity. The RBT begins with the least intrusive prompt by saying, "clean up". When the client does not respond, the RBT points to the activity pieces. When the client does not respond again, the RBT hand-over-hand helps the client clean up.

Most-to-least prompting involves

beginning with the most intrusive prompt prescribed by the BCBA in the hierarchy for a skill, and incrementally fading to lesser intrusive prompts. Example: A client is learning how to dry dishes, and the RBT has been instructed to start with hand-over-hand prompting to help the client use the towel to dry the dishes in a circular motion. As the client shows more independence, the RBT uses a less intrusive model prompt of demonstrating a circular motion.

Accidental prompts are

cues that a person accidentally delivers that evoke the correct response from the client

MODEL PROMPT

demonstrating a response for the client

Prompts are used in clinical practice to

evoke a response in the presence of an antecedent stimulus, then transfer stimulus control from the prompt to the targeted SD+

Visual prompts include

gestures, modeling, pictures, printed words, positioning, and altering the look of the correct stimulus (if selecting).

GESTURE PROMPT

hand or body motions that evoke a response.

An RBT can prevent accidental responses by

having others watch them deliver the protocol and provide feedback about any additional cues he/she is delivering. He/she can then incorporate the feedback when teaching the client. Example: When delivering the instruction, "give me the blue bear" the looks at the blue bear. The client watches the RBT's eyes and then selects whatever bear the RBT looks at when giving the instruction. The RBT's supervisor mentions this, and now the RBT makes a special effort to look at the client when delivering the instruction.

. Gestures involve

involve hand or body motions that evoke a response. Example: an RBT points to his eyes during a conversation with his client to help remind her to make eye contact

The difference between a physical prompt and a restraint

is that a physical prompt uses hand over hand guidance to help a person complete a skill or perform a response; whereas restraint is used to restrict a client's movement against his/her will.

Transfer of stimulus control from the prompt to the SD occurs through fading of prompts. Prompts can be faded by

level of intrusiveness, inserting a time delay, slowly moving a positional prompt back to its original position, and slowly removing altered properties.

Level of intrusiveness fading

means for a certain criteria or number of correct responses, an RBT incrementally decreases the intrusiveness of prompts. Example: An RBT is teaching a client to say "more" with a vocal prompt. The RBT begins with a full vocal prompt "more", and after 3 consecutive correct responses, fades the prompt to "Mo". After 3 more consecutive correct responses, the RBT fades the prompt to "MM". After 3 more consecutive correct responses, the RBT fades the prompt to mouthing the approximation "MM" without making any sound.

. Altering stimulus properties involves

modifying some aspect of the correct stimulus to make it more obvious. Example: An RBT is teaching a client to select an oval when asked "where is the oval?" and presented with an array of two pictures: a circle and oval. The oval is made 5 times larger than the circle. As a result, the client selects the picture of the circle. Slowly over time, the size of the oval is faded back to a comparable size to the circle.

Pictures involve

presenting a graphic example of the response or portion of the response for the client to perform. Example: A client Shayla is being toilet trained. After finishing urination, the RBT points to the "wiping" picture. This sets the occasion for Shayla to take some toilet paper and wipe herself. See below for positional prompts and altering stimulus properties explanations and examples.

A prompt

s an antecedent stimulus that reliably evokes specific behavior(s)

Modeling involves

s demonstrating a response for the client. Example: An RBT is helping her client Dana during PE. The PE teacher gives the vocal instruction, "do 5 jumping jacks" during the physical fitness test. The RBT demonstrates 5 jumping jacks for the client and Dana starts doing the jumping jacks too

Delayed prompting involves

s inserting a pause to give the client an opportunity to respond. Delays are constant or progressive in their amount of time, and prescribed by the BCBA on a case-by-case basis. Example: An RBT is teaching a client named Donna to request play by using the American sign language for "play". The RBT pushes Donna in the swing for a few minutes and then stops. The RBT waits 5 seconds for Donna to initiate the sign for "play" on her own. Donna then makes the sign, "play" after 2 seconds

Fading of altered properties involves

s systematically reinstating or removing a stimulus property that was removed or added. Example: An RBT is teaching a client to select a square when asked "where is the square?" and presented with an array of two pictures: a square and a hexagon. The square is made 5 times larger than the circle. As a result, the client selects the picture of the square. Slowly over time, the size of the square is faded back to a comparable size to the hexagon.

Fading of prompts using a time delay involves

systematically increasing the amount of time between the SD and the prompt. Example: An RBT is teaching a client to sign "all done" when he wants to leave an activity. Initially, there is a 0 second delay for the RBT to deliver a physical prompt to help the client make the sign. After 3 consecutive correct responses, the RBT fades the delay to 2 seconds. After three consecutive correct responses, the RBT fades the delay to 5 seconds. During this time, the client spontaneously signed "all done" at the four second mark

INTRUSIVENESS

the level at which a prompt invades a person's physical space or ability to perform a response independently