A Survey of Procedural-Fidelity Data Collection in Behavior-Analytic Practice

Evaluating the extent to which applied-behavior-analytic interventions are carried out accurately (i.e., procedural fidelity) is important for quality control, data-based decision making, and facilitating optimal consumer outcomes. This study explored several questions related to procedural fidelity in practice by distributing a survey to behavior analysts who currently supervise or provide applied-behavior-analytic services in any setting and with any population. Specifically, we were interested in learning more about who, how, how often, for what, why, and where behavior analysts assess procedural fidelity in practice. The results from 203 behavior analysts who completed the survey revealed that behavior analysts and their supervisees were most likely to collect fidelity data using checklists while directly observing behavior-analytic services in various settings. The most common barriers to collecting fidelity data in practice were a lack of resources, no requirement to do so by employers, and limited supervision time.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40617-024-00995-1.