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| #476 Poster Session (DEV) |
| Monday, May 26, 2008 |
| 6:00 PM–7:30 PM |
| South Exhibit Hall |
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| 93. Monitoring Staff Behavior: If It Isn’t Implemented, It Can’t Work. |
| Area: DEV; Domain: Applied Research |
| BECKY L. WILLIAMS (Florida Institute for Neurologic Rehabilitation), Bridget A. Shore (Florida Institute for Neurologic Rehabilitation), Carrie Reali (Florida Institute for Neurologic Rehabilitation), Mary V. Burke (Florida Institute for Neurologic Rehabilitation), Shanita L. Allen (Florida Institute for Neurologic Rehabilitation) |
| Abstract: Considerable research on staff training confirms that unless staff are sufficiently trained and supervised to implement behavioral interventions and techniques to improve and maintain client behavior, there is little chance for positive outcomes (Parsons, Rollyson, & Reid, 2004). The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the efficacy of a staff monitoring system on improving several measures of client and staff behavior. Participants were 24 supervisors and their direct care staff, and all clients residing in a residential rehabilitation program. Supervisors were trained to use monitoring tools that scored staff and client behavior for (a) positive to negative interactions, (b) client engagement in purposeful age appropriate activities, and (c) reliability of behavior plan and therapy protocol implementation. In addition, public posting and a supervisor lottery were also implemented to increase supervisor compliance with the required number of observations per week. A reversal design was used to determine the efficacy of the monitoring system, and interobserver agreement was obtained for 33% of the observations. Results showed high percentage supervisor compliance with observations and concomitant improvement in all measures of staff and client behavior, suggesting the method effective in improving staff performance and client outcomes. |
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| 94. Can Recall Ability Be Improved in a Developmentally Disabled Adult with Dementia? |
| Area: DEV; Domain: Applied Research |
| ANGELA S. GOODRICH (Behavior Analysis, Inc.) |
| Abstract: The ability to readily recall information is an important one for daily functioning and one that is expected to decline as we get older; but can the use of regular recall activities slow or reverse this decline? In order to determine whether the recall ability of a 64-year-old male diagnosed with mental retardation, Downs Syndrome, schizophrenia and dementia could be maintained and improved, a picture recall test was conducted by group home staff. Photos were taken of staff at the adult day training program where the participant works and the group home where the participant resides. Group home staff showed the participant each person’s picture and asked him, “Who is this?” or “What is his/her name?” Data were collected on whether the participant identified the person in the photo correctly, incorrectly (i.e., by someone else's name), or did not know (i.e., he either stated "I don't know" or recognized the person but could not recall his or her name). Results will be discussed in terms of their implication for maintaining and improving recall in elderly persons—additional data to be collected. |
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| 96. The Effects of Pretraining Experiences on 3- and 4-Month-Olds' Visual Discrimination Learning. |
| Area: DEV; Domain: Basic Research |
| DAVID WAYNE MITCHELL (Missouri State University), Caitlin R. Vaught (Missouri State University) |
| Abstract: This study examined the effects of two types of pretraining experiences aimed at promoting visual scanning of stimuli so to enhance visual discrimination learning. Two age groups (3- and 4-month-old infants) were assigned randomly to one of three conditions: Habitual, Contingency, or Control. Infants in the Habitual condition were provided 20 seconds of visual experience with the most salient stimulus component employed in the subsequent visual discrimination learning task. Infants in the contingency condition received four pretraining trials of a simplified visual discrimination task providing reinforcement experience with the discriminative cue (the least salient component) employed in the subsequent visual discrimination task. Infants assigned to the Control condition received no pretraining experience. All infants then participated in a 14-trial visual discrimination task using a synchronous reinforcement schedule. It was hypothesized that the 3- month-old infants would profit more from Habitual experience and 4-month-old infants would profit more from Contingency experience. Both Habitual and Contingency pretraining experiences resulted in superior discrimination learning compared to that of the Control condition. However, for both age groups, the Contingency pretraining was most effective. Individual and group mean comparison data will be presented and the results will be discussed in terms of a limited scanning hypothesis. |
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| 99. Caregiver Use of Time-Based Schedules of Event Delivery. |
| Area: DEV; Domain: Applied Research |
| JOLENE R. SY (University of Florida), John C. Borrero (University of Maryland, Baltimore County) |
| Abstract: Research has shown that fixed-time schedules of event delivery can effectively suppress problem behavior. However, in the natural environment, programmed fixed-time schedules may degrade into variable-time schedules. In this investigation, we combined the continuous availability of toys with a gradually increasing variable-time schedule of attention to decrease the level of hand mouthing exhibited by a typically developing girl. Next, response suppression was maintained under a fixed-time schedule of attention, despite variances in treatment integrity. |
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