Abstract
Some training programs for staff working with individuals with intellectual disabilities fail to equip staff with the practical skills necessary to prevent behavioral episodes. The current research describes the results of a staff training program that, following traditional didactic training, used a card game followed by role-play training to increase staff competence in managing problem behavior. The card game and role-play training was based on behavioral episodes that had occurred previously in the research setting. Post-training observations showed that treatment integrity of trained staff improved.
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• Traditional training programs do not always provide staff with the practical skills they need to prevent problem behavior occurring.
• Direct care staff were trained to use two verbal responses in response to clients requesting access to activities that could not be provided.
• Role-playing standardized scenarios based on actual incidents of problem behavior may help provide staff with the necessary skills to prevent problem behavior occurring.
• Trained staff did better following training than staff in a control group who had received traditional training.
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Pritchard, D., Hoerger, M., Penney, H. et al. Training Staff to Avoid Problem Behavior Related to Restricting Access to Preferred Activities. Behav Analysis Practice 10, 92–95 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-015-0061-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-015-0061-4