Using Instructions and Acoustic Feedback to Improve Staff Delivery of Behavior-Specific Praise in a Clinical Setting

Past research has shown the effectiveness of contingent acoustic feedback (CAF) in various human performance settings, but its impact on staff performance in clinical settings remains unclear. The current study replicated and extended Herron et al. (2018) by using vocal instructions and CAF to teach staff to use behavior-specific praise (BSP) to reinforce designated client behavior in a clinical setting. Results from a multiple-baseline-across-staff design revealed that this intervention increased the rate at which staff used BSP to reinforce designated client behavior. Paired sample t-tests showed a significant increase in the rate of BSP for each participant from baseline to the intervention phase, and participants maintained increased rates of BSP during probes conducted 1 to 3 weeks after the intervention was complete. Additionally, paired sample t-tests showed statistically significant increases in the rates of designated behavior for each client. Participants also rated the instructions and CAF procedure as more worthwhile, helpful, relevant, pleasant, and less disruptive than feedback methods typically used in their agency.