The Effects of Mastery Criteria on Maintenance: A Replication With Most-to-Least Prompting.

Previous research has suggested that skills taught with a least-to-most prompting procedure to 80% and 90% accuracy did not always maintain high levels of performance maintenance. The present study replicates and extends previous research by evaluating the effects of various mastery criteria (i.e., 80%, 90%, and 100% accuracy across three consecutive sessions) on the maintenance of tacting skills taught with a most-to-least prompting procedure combined with a progressive time delay. Results of this study support previous research and further demonstrate that the highest levels of maintenance are achieved with 100% and 90% accuracy criteria for up to a month. For the 80% criterion, performance deteriorated during follow-up probes. Contrary to previous research suggesting a 90% criterion combined with least-to-most prompting procedures was not always sufficient for producing skill maintenance, the current study may provide preliminary support for the use of a 90% accuracy mastery criterion when combined with a most-to-least prompting procedure with a progressive time delay.

Fluency and the Maintenance of Skills Related to Sex Laws for Individuals Adjudicated for Illegal Sexual Behavior.

Previous research has evaluated the effects of various commonly used mastery criteria on skill maintenance by directly manipulating the accuracy requirement, as well as the sessions across which these accuracy levels must be demonstrated. The current study extends this literature by including a rate dimension within the mastery criterion with a unique population. We implemented a fluency-oriented treatment package to increase intraverbal skills related to state sex laws using a multiple-baseline design across 3 target sets for 2 individuals adjudicated for illegal sexual behavior. Within this intervention package, we included 2 distinct components of a single mastery criterion: (a) accuracy (i.e., 100% accuracy across 3 consecutive sessions) and (b) speed. We evaluated how each of these measurable dimensions of behavior maintained across time. Results indicate this mastery criterion produced over 80% accuracy during maintenance probes for 10 weeks across all sets for both students. However, this mastery criterion produced idiosyncratic maintenance of rates across students and sets. These results suggest that each of these dimensions of behavior does not necessarily covary and should be conceptualized as distinct clinical targets by applied behavior clinicians.

Effects of Obtrusive Observation and Rules on Classroom Behavior of Adolescents in a Juvenile Residential Treatment Setting.

Several studies have used interdependent group contingencies to decrease disruptive behavior and increase appropriate behavior for groups of adolescents. In addition, one study demonstrated that rules plus feedback about rule violations, without additional group contingencies, decreased problem behavior and increased appropriate behavior for adolescents in three classrooms within a residential juvenile facility. Given the rapid behavior change observed in the aforementioned study, it is possible behavior changes were produced by reactivity to obtrusive observation from program implementers. To address this question, we used two A-B designs in conjunction with the conservative dual-criterion (CDC) method to evaluate the extent to which obtrusive observation alone and rules, without systematic consequences, decreased problem behaviors in two classrooms within a residential juvenile facility. Results from visual and CDC analyses indicate that (a) obtrusive observation did not affect problem behavior in either classroom and (b) rules decreased problem behavior in both classrooms and increased appropriate behavior in one classroom. In addition, a measure of social validity indicated that the procedures and outcomes were acceptable to the classroom teacher.

Best Practices: Caregiver Training Resources Derived From Remote Behavioral Service Delivery Within the Foster Care System.

In the face of COVID-19 and necessary shifts in service delivery for behavior analysts, caregiver involvement in behavioral interventions will likely increase. Resources that caregivers can consume and implement independently are critical in helping them manage behavior in their homes. This article includes antecedent and consequent behavior-management strategies that correspond with provided written instructions and video tutorials designed for caregivers. The materials presented within this article were originally produced and found effective in aiding caregivers managing behavior in their homes within the Alabama foster care system. Although individuals within this system are at a higher risk of abuse and neglect and may engage in higher levels of aberrant behavior, we are distributing this document in hopes it will help behavior analysts working across a variety of populations as they navigate changes in service delivery and adopt resources for continued care and caregiver training.

Mastery Criteria and Maintenance: a Descriptive Analysis of Applied Research Procedures.

Behavioral practitioners and researchers often define skill acquisition in terms of meeting specific mastery criteria. Only 2 studies have systematically evaluated the impact of any dimension of mastery criteria on skill maintenance. Recent survey data indicate practitioners often adopt lower criterion levels than are found to reliably produce maintenance. Data regarding the mastery criteria adopted by applied researchers are not currently available. This study provides a descriptive comparison of mastery criteria reported in behavior-analytic research with that utilized by practitioners. Results indicate researchers are more likely to adopt higher levels of accuracy across fewer observations, whereas practitioners are more likely to adopt lower levels of accuracy across more observations. Surprisingly, a large amount of research (a) lacks technological descriptions of the mastery criterion adopted and (b) does not include assessments of maintenance following acquisition. We discuss implications for interpretations within and across research studies.

Behavioral skills training to increase interview skills of adolescent males in a juvenile residential treatment facility.

Some studies suggest that acquiring employment following release from prison may reduce recidivism; however, few studies have evaluated procedures for teaching job-related skills to adolescents in residential detention facilities. Stocco et al. (2017) used behavioral skills training (BST) to improve interview skills of college students. The current study used a nonconcurrent multiple baseline design across participants to evaluate the extent to which BST improved interview skills for 7 adolescents who had been adjudicated for sexual offenses. Results show that BST increased appropriate responses to interview questions for 4 students and BST plus modifications (i.e., stimulus and response prompts) increased correct responding to questions for the other 3. In addition, BST increased appropriate questions, correct posture, and smiling, and decreased fidgeting for all 7 students. We briefly discuss the social implications of teaching interview skills to adjudicated adolescents, as well as the limitations of the findings.

The effects of different mastery criteria on the skill maintenance of children with developmental disabilities.

The acquisition of skills by individuals with developmental disabilities typically includes the attainment of a certain mastery criterion. We conducted a survey of practitioners who indicated the most commonly used mastery criterion as 80% accuracy across three consecutive sessions. Based on these results, we conducted a series of three experiments to evaluate the relation between mastery criterion and subsequent skill maintenance with 4 individuals with various developmental disabilities. Results suggest that 80% accuracy across three consecutive sessions may be insufficient for producing maintenance in some cases.

Group Procedures for Decreasing Problem Behavior Displayed by Detained Adolescents.

As one component of providing treatment in a residential facility, Brogan, Falligant, and Rapp decreased problem behavior by two groups of detained adolescents using group contingency procedures. The current series of studies evaluated the extent to which group procedures could be extended to other contexts within a residential facility. In Study 1, fixed-time delivery of attention by dormitory staff decreased problem behavior displayed by a group of five to 11 detained adolescents during free periods. In Study 2, rules from a therapist plus contingencies for following those rules increased appropriate line walking during specific transition periods. Subsequently, rules alone maintained appropriate line walking, however, direct training was required to produce appropriate line walking during other transitions. Measures of social validity indicated the procedures and outcomes in both studies were acceptable to facility personnel.

Low publication rate of 2005 conference presentations: implications for practitioners serving individuals with autism and intellectual disabilities.

This study determined the percentage of presentations at the annual conference of the Association for Behavior Analysis in 2005 with the autism (AUT) and developmental disabilities (DDA) codes (N=880) that (a) provided continuing education credits (CEs) for Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) and Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analysts (BCaBAs) and (b) included content that was published in a peer-reviewed outlet. Results indicate that only 77 (8.8%) presentations were ultimately published. Although posters were not eligible for CEs, posters accounted for 57.1% of the published presentations. Specifically, posters presented by a university-affiliated presenter accounted for 44.2% of presentations with published content. As a whole, only 10.4% of AUT and DDA presentations offering CEs contained data sets that were published. Considered together, these results suggest that the content provided to BCBAs and BCaBAs for CEs may not be adequately measured or sufficiently rigorous to guide clinical practices.

Immediate and subsequent effects of matched and unmatched stimuli on targeted vocal stereotypy and untargeted motor stereotypy.

The authors evaluated the effects of matched and unmatched stimuli on immediate and subsequent engagement in targeted vocal stereotypy (Experiment 1) and untargeted motor stereotypy (Experiment 2). Results of Experiment 1 showed that (a) matched stimulation decreased immediate engagement in vocal stereotypy for 8 of 11 participants and increased subsequent engagement in vocal stereotypy for only 1 of the 8 participants and (b) unmatched stimulation decreased immediate engagement in vocal stereotypy for only 1 of 10 participants and did not increase subsequent engagement in vocal stereotypy for this participant. Results of Experiment 2 showed that for 8 of 14 participants, untargeted stereotypy increased when the matched or unmatched stimulus was present, after it was removed, or both. The authors briefly discuss the potential clinical implications of using matched stimulation to decrease vocal stereotypy and limitations of the findings.

Using noncontingent reinforcement to increase compliance with wearing prescription prostheses.

We evaluated the effects of noncontingent reinforcement (NCR) on compliance with wearing foot orthotics and a hearing aid with 2 individuals. Results showed that NCR increased the participants' compliance with wearing prescription prostheses to 100% after just a few 5-min sessions, and the behavior change was maintained during lengthier sessions. The results are discussed in terms of the potential value-altering effects of NCR.