Journal of Behavioral Education最新文献

The present study investigated the use of constant time delay (CTD) to teach sight word recognition to students with impairments in both vision and hearing. A multiple probe design across word lists, replicated across an elementary-aged student and middle school-aged student, was used to evaluate the efficacy of CTD in teaching sight words. Both participants demonstrated mastery across three word lists. A functional relation between CTD and improved word recognition was demonstrated. The researchers informally investigated the effect of instructive feedback on correct spelling of the targeted sight words for the elementary-aged student; however, improved spelling did not occur. The results of the present study contribute to the limited body of intervention research targeting individuals identified as deafblind (i.e., co-occurring impairments in both vision and hearing).

Emerging literature suggests that applying acquisition "mastery" criteria to individual operants speeds a child’s acquisition of listener responses, tacts, intraverbals, and textual responses. In this study, researchers taught 8 preschool children up to 20 tacts under two conditions. In set analysis (SA), researchers taught four tacts at a time and when the aggregated accuracy was 100% in 1 session, they taught 4 new tacts in the next session. In operant analysis, researchers taught 4 tacts at a time and when the accuracy of a single operant was 100% in 1 session, they replaced that with a novel stimulus in the next session and continued to teach all operants with lower accuracy. We compared the number of learning opportunities required to meet the acquisition criterion as well as the strength of stimulus control during follow-up assessments. Overall, most participants learned faster in the OA condition and maintenance was comparable between conditions.

Check-in/Check-out (CICO) is a commonly implemented Tier 2 behavioral support. Procedures include an adult mentor facilitating a morning (i.e., check-in) and afternoon (i.e., check-out) session with a student they are supporting and teachers providing points based on the student’s performance across academic blocks. In this study, we evaluated the effect of a three-tiered system for professional development (i.e., multitiered system for professional development [MTS-PD]) on adult mentors’ treatment fidelity of CICO sessions in the context of a multiple-baseline single-case research design across participants. Results indicated that treatment fidelity data were low immediately following MTS-PD Tier 1. A functional relation was evident between MTS-PD Tier 2 and increases in adult mentors’ fidelity. Specifically, one adult mentor was responsive to MTS-PD Tier 1 and three adult mentors required additional implementation support (i.e., MTS-PD Tier 2). Student responsiveness to CICO was variable. We discuss findings and implications.

Prompting procedures are often used for teaching discrete skills, but limited comparative data exist to help guide practitioners to select a specific procedure for a given child. Chazin and Ledford (Journal of Behavioral Education 30:684–707, 2021) asserted that comparisons were needed in contexts where participants had prerequisite skills required for all procedures and could differentiate between procedural variations (e.g., understood when to use which strategy). In this study, we used adapted alternating treatments designs to assess the efficiency of constant time delay and system of least prompts when teaching expressive and receptive identification of discrete targets to young children who (a) could wait for a prompt and (b) demonstrate the ability to determine when they should wait for assistance or make a guess. We also used a simultaneous treatments procedure to evaluate preference for one procedure relative to the other. Both procedures were effective for teaching young children discrete skills. Preference results were variable across participants, but consistent across time (i.e., once participants were exposed to both contingencies their preference for one remained relatively consistent over time). Implications for practice and future research are discussed.

The Good Behavior Game (GBG) is a classroom management intervention that utilizes group contingencies to address an array of student behavior. Despite numerous reviews and a substantial literature base, there has not yet been a thorough examination of the social and ecological validity of the GBG. Thus, the purpose of this literature review is to examine the social and ecological validity of this intervention and identify how researchers can better integrate these concepts into GBG research. Our search identified 51 articles meeting final inclusion criteria. These were individually coded to identify how researchers incorporate social and ecological validity into the GBG, and how stakeholders perceive the social validity of the intervention. Results suggest that the social validity of the goals of the GBG was primarily assessed via informal conversation prior to the study, while procedures and outcomes were primarily measured via implementer and student survey after the intervention, with few examples of alternative methods. Survey results suggest high social validity for implementers and mixed results for students. Suggestions for improved social and ecological validity in research practices are discussed. These include clearly reporting collaboration efforts, including direct and ongoing measures of social validity, and evaluating generalization and maintenance.

Token reinforcement systems have been applied across various clinical and educational settings. Although effective across various contexts, limited guidance is available for clinicians beyond the initial construction and introduction of the system. Limited information regarding the efficacy of certain token system arrangements can introduce uncertainty whereby certain schedule arrangements could be overly lax or strict and potentially jeopardize the efficacy of an otherwise appropriate intervention strategy. Methods from operant behavioral economics were used in this study to characterize various token reinforcement arrangements using token-exchange and exchange-production schedules as a proxy for reinforcer ‘price’ across various token-production schedules (i.e., FR1, FR2, VR2). Concurrent chain procedures were used to evaluate preferences regarding token reinforcement system arrangements apart from overall efficacy. Results were largely consistent with basic research on token reinforcement and the varying arrangements yielded overall comparable rates of responding when controlling for the molar reinforcer price. Findings revealed that most participants demonstrated similar performances but distinct preferences regarding token schedule arrangements

Schedule thinning following functional communication training is an important element of behavior analytic interventions targeting the reduction of challenging behavior. We systematically searched the literature for all applications of schedule thinning following functional communication training and identified three primary thinning techniques. These schedule thinning techniques include multiple schedules, chained schedules, and delay-to-reinforcement. We further analyzed the highly effective applications, meaning only those with a 90% reduction in challenging behavior, for specific procedural details. Across multiple schedules, chained schedules, and delay-to-reinforcement, there are a variety of procedures and modifications which can be difficult to navigate. Thus, we developed a decision-making guide for selecting a schedule thinning technique and a separate guide for each of the three techniques. Each individual guide includes procedural information such as reinforcement intervals, thinning criteria, and terminal schedules. We believe that this guide will aid practitioners in effectively implementing schedule thinning with their clients.

Research supports the positive association between mathematics vocabulary knowledge and mathematics procedural and conceptual knowledge. Students, especially those with mathematics difficulty, may require explicit mathematics vocabulary instruction. However, many special education teachers do not receive adequate preparation to provide explicit mathematics vocabulary instruction. In the current study, we employed a nonconcurrent multiple baseline design across four special education teachers to examine special education teachers’ implementation of a mathematics vocabulary routine after receiving an initial professional development (PD) session and ongoing performance feedback (PF). Results demonstrated a functional relation between the PD with PF and an immediate increase in teachers’ implementation of the mathematics vocabulary practices. This study provides initial support the PD package has the potential to improve teachers’ implementation of mathematics vocabulary practices. Future research might examine the amount and type of PF needed as well as the collateral effect of teachers’ improved instruction on student outcomes.

The current study examined the effect of an online relational skills training program, strengthening mental abilities with relational training (SMART), on scores on standardized classroom diagnostic assessments. Several previous studies suggested that this novel intervention has a reliable impact on intelligence scores and some domains of cognitive ability relevant in the educational setting. The current study employed a single-blind design and a matched control group in the delivery of the SMART intervention in 45-min sessions 1–3 times per week over approximately 10 weeks, with students completing the intervention within two weeks of each other. Standardized classroom diagnostic assessments were delivered pre- and post-intervention. The results showed that, controlling for baseline scores, the intervention group performed significantly better than the controls in the mathematics and reading domains post-intervention. Gains in both reading and mathematics were large and significant from pre- to post-intervention for the treatment group, but modest significant gains were also found for the control group.

Youth with autism often require additional instruction in common vocational social skills to improve their employment outcomes. This study examined the effects of an assessment-based intervention involving video modeling plus feedback to teach common workplace social skills in a simulated work environment. Three transition-aged youth with autism participated in the study. We found the intervention to be highly effective at teaching the initial acquisition of skills; however, we observed mixed results regarding generalization of skills to new supervisors and to a community work setting.