Self-management and supervisory feedback improves trainer implementation of communication rehabilitation programmes

Area of Science:

• Behavioral psychology
• Applied behavior analysis
• Intellectual disability research

Background:

• Effective communication strategies are crucial for individuals with severe intellectual disability.
• Response prompting is a key intervention technique.
• Trainer implementation fidelity impacts intervention outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the effectiveness of self-management versus supervisory feedback for training response prompting.
• To assess trainer acceptability of both training methods.

Main Methods:

• A counterbalanced design was employed with five trainers.
• Trainers received either self-management or supervisory feedback first, followed by the other condition.
• Acquisition and maintenance of response prompting accuracy were measured.

Main Results:

• Supervisory feedback led to statistically significant improvements for three out of five trainers.
• Self-management and supervisory feedback were equally effective for the remaining two trainers.
• Trainers reported a higher preference for self-management acceptability.

Conclusions:

• Supervisory feedback is generally more effective for improving response prompting implementation.
• Self-management may be a preferred, though not always equally effective, alternative for trainers.