Staff training effective in increasing learning opportunities for school-aged children with autism spectrum disorders

This study examined the effectiveness of instruction and video feedback on staff's ABA skills during one-to-one play situations and initiations of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Data were collected within a multiple baseline design across 5 dyads. A continuous 20 s interval recording system was used to record motivation, creating opportunities, prompting and reinforcement of staff and child initiations. Training included instruction, consisting of instructions, video examples and role-plays. After this, a 4-h delayed video feedback condition started.

Three staff members created significantly more learning opportunities during post-instruction and a significant increase occurred during video feedback for one staff member. Initiatives increased significantly in two children during post-instruction. During follow-up, three children showed unprompted initiatives. The mean percentage of spontaneous initiations increased during follow-up.

The findings provide support for training staff in a clinical setting to create learning opportunities, which also may result in concomittant improvement in child initiations.