Association for Behavior Analysis International

A 14-month randomized clinical trial was recently completed to evaluate the effects of behavior skills training (BST) and psychoeducational training (PET) for parents of children with an autism spectrum disorder. The BST used PCMAs BehaviorToolsTM curriculum and included didactic lectures, live and video modeling, rehearsal and feedback. The PET used a combination of several current parenting programs (e.g., The Incredible Years; 1, 2, 3, Magic; Parenting with Love and Logic) and was conducted in a group therapy format. Performance using behavior management skills and parenting stress levels were compared for parents in the BST group, the PET group and the Control group. Although parents in both training groups showed a reduction in stress levels from pre to post-training, only parents in BST group demonstrated improvements in behavior management skills. Training curricula will be briefly described, outcome data will be displayed, results will be discussed and implications for future research and clinical applications will be suggested.

This project investigated the effectiveness of the BehaviorToolsTM training in reducing coercive parent-child interactions and increasing positive parent-child interactions for parents of children with developmental disabilities. Using an AB single-subject, parametric design, the level of role-play practice offered in the BehaviorToolsTM training was varied. Acquisition of behavior management skills was measured through pre- and post-training role-play assessments. In-situ positive and negative parent-child interactions were measured using partial interval recording. Outcome data demonstrated increases in positive parent-child interactions and decreases in negative parent-child interactions for all subjects. Results revealed no relationship between participants who engaged in repeated practice versus single practice, as is standard in the implementation of the BehaviorToolsTM training. Four types of parents emerged from this study: those who interacted positively before the training and demonstrated even more positive interactions and a reduction in negative interactions post-training; parents who engaged minimally pre-training and increased positive interactions post-training; parents who interacted more negatively than positively pre-training and demonstrated a dramatic shift post-training; and parents who were undifferentiated pre-training due to the control of the child in the environment. These parents learned the skills necessary to pivot away from junk behavior, resulting in significant changes in parent-child interaction post-training.

In order for foster parents to be prepared to manage problem behavior and develop a positive relationship with a child in their home, local foster care agencies require these parents to attend parent training classes. Unfortunately, even foster care agencies that offer empirically validated BST type parent training courses are unable to prevent the parents performance from decreasing over time (Cowart, Iwata, & Poynter, 1984; Forehand & King, 1977; Mueller et al., 2003). However, researchers have created booster training sessions to counteract this issue. Booster training sessions allow participants to attend a brief usually one day refresher course on skills they have previously learned. Another intervention that has been successful with skill acquisition is video modeling. Video modeling requires less response effort and is not as time consuming compared to other training methods like didactic teaching. The current study evaluated the effectiveness of booster training sessions using video modeling for foster parents who completed a parent training class that was based on basic behavior analysis principles.