Effects of different training environments on the acquisition of community living skills

This study compared behavioral skill acquisition rates of 10 matched pairs of moderately mentally retarded persons who received individualized, prescriptive programming for 1 year in one of two training environments. One group received community living skills training within their staffed apartment; the other within a group home adjacent to the adult developmental center. The two groups were compared after 1 year of training on the number of skills gained and the relative contribution of 32 predictor variables. Results indicated that clients trained in their apartments gained three times the skills and maintained their placements. Significant predictor variables included one client variable (assessed number of social behavior skills) and two-training variables (number of instructional steps in the task analyses developed and programming frequency). Implications regarding stimulus control, skill training and maintenance procedures, staff utilization patterns, and social validation are discussed.