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| Methods for Establishing and Maintaining Staff Performance in a Variety of Human Service Agencies |
| Monday, May 30, 2005 |
| 1:30 PM–2:50 PM |
| Joliet (3rd floor) |
| Area: OBM; Domain: Applied Research |
| Chair: Bethany L. McNamara (New England Center for Children) |
| Discussant: Richard M. Foxx (Pennsylvania State University) |
| Abstract: This symposium presents research detailing how to establish and maintain staff performance in a variety of contexts. The first study demonstrated how the implementation of an obstacle course was successful in decreasing van accidents in a residential program. An accident analysis was conducted and an obstacle course was set up to mimic those conditions in which accidents were likely to occur. Three hundred and fifty staff participated and data revealed that the use of an obstacle course was successful in decreasing the rate of accidents. The second study compared the effectiveness of traditional staff training techniques with the use of self-monitoring techniques to increase the amount of teacher delivered reinforcement in loosely structured settings. The study demonstrated that the use of self-monitoring techniques was responsible for increasing and maintaining teacher delivered reinforcement across unstructured settings. The third study compared staff training interventions designed to increase the student teachers ability to change infant positions. Data revealed that the use of a positioning chart alone with the absence of supervisor feedback was successful in maintaining the variety of positions experienced by the infants. These papers all demonstrate effective techniques for maintaining a variety of staff behaviors with the absence of supervisor feedback. |
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| Increasing Driver Safety in a Residential Program Setting |
| MICHELE F. KLEIN (New England Center for Children), Bethany L. McNamara (New England Center for Children), Richard M. Foxx (Pennsylvania State University) |
| Abstract: The safe transportation of children is of the utmost importance. This study investigated the effectiveness of an obstacle course as a retraining method to decrease van accidents in a residential program. Three hundred-fifty staff members of the New England Center for Children, for whom driving the Center’s vans was a job requirement, participated. A multiple baseline across groups was used. Baseline data showed an average rate of 0.73 accidents occurring monthly across the 3 groups. Each staff member participated in a brief obstacle course training following baseline. Interobserver agreement data was collected in 59% of driving trials, and was 100%. Results showed that for all 3 groups, accident rates decreased to 0 immediately following obstacle course participation for at least 4 months, and averaged 0.28 per month for the remainder of the study. These results demonstrated the effectiveness of an obstacle course as a deterrent to accidents. |
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| The Use of Self-Monitoring to Increase Staff Delivery of Positive Reinforcement in Loosely Structured Settings |
| JAMIE L. GRANATINO (New England Center for Children), Bethany L. McNamara (New England Center for Children) |
| Abstract: Effective staff training can influence client success. The literature demonstrates supervisor follow-up is a necessary variable. Self-monitoring is a simple way for individuals to monitor their performance and increase targeted behaviors. The present study compares the effectiveness of traditional in-service training and self-monitoring to increase staff delivery of positive reinforcement to children with developmental disabilities and assess generalization in a second setting. A multiple probe design across 2 residential teams was used. Percentages of teacher-delivered instructions, reinforcement deliveries, and no interaction intervals were calculated for 10 min observation periods, using a 10s partial interval recording procedure. Interobserver agreement (IOA) was conducted in 35.5% of sessions. IOA averaged 92%-97.5% for all measures. Following the in-service training, data showed little change in rates of reinforcement as compared to baseline (Team A at lunch: M=20%, Team A at gym: M=46%; Team B at lunch: M=13%, Team B at gym: M=28%). Following the implementation of self-monitoring procedures, data showed a marked increase in reinforcement delivery (Team A at Lunch: M=74%; Team A at gym: M=80%; Team B at lunch: M=72%; Team B at gym: M=78%). Data showed moderate generalization effects when self-monitoring was implemented in the lunch setting before implementation in the gym setting. |
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| Increasing the Frequency and Variety of Positions Infants Experience in a Childcare Setting |
| NICOLE M. COTNOIR (University of Kansas), Rachel H. Thompson (University of Kansas), Paige M. McKerchar (University of Kansas) |
| Abstract: Child development experts recommend infant repositioning to allow children to fully experience their environment, to provide opportunities for motor development, and to prevent skull deformities. Three experiments were conducted using reversal designs to evaluate the effects of the intervention on infant repositioning behavior of student teachers. Exact interobserver agreement was calculated for at least 30% of sessions for each experiment, with mean agreement of at least 90% for infant repositioning. Nine student teachers, and 13 infants participated. Results of Experiment 1 showed that an intervention consisting of a positioning chart and feedback was effective in increasing the variety of positions experienced by the infants, as well as the percentage of correct position changes made by all three student teachers. Results of Experiment 2 showed that the positioning chart alone was effective in maintaining performance with teachers who had a history of feedback for repositioning. Results of Experiment 3 showed that the positioning chart alone was effective with student teachers with no prior history of feedback for repositioning. |
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