Comparison of the efficacy of online versus in-vivo behavior analytic training for parents of children with autism spectrum disorder.

Abstract

Individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder often receive Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention to acquire skills and manage problem behaviors. However, gains made in the clinic cannot generalize to other contexts without caregiver support. Currently, the most common method of providing caregiver training is in vivo, which is resource intensive and inaccessible to many. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relative efficacy of content delivered via self-directed online training modules relative to group in vivo training. After a 6-week training, participants in online and in vivo groups showed significant improvements in positive parent-child interactions and knowledge of Applied Behavior Analysis content compared to the waitlist control group, suggesting comparable effectiveness of both training methods. These results suggest that asynchronous online training can serve as a cost-effective alternative for the delivery of parent training and potentially other behavior-analytic services.

A review of the literature on staff training strategies that minimize trainer involvement

“…CBI resulted in mastery‐level responding for most participants for training parent–child interactions (Blackman et al, 2019); graph creation (Berkman et al, 2019); DTI (Eldevik et al, 2013; Geiger et al, 2018; Gerencser et al, 2018; Higbee et al, 2016; Nosik et al, 2013; Nosik & Williams, 2011; Pollard et al, 2014); photographic activity schedules (Gerencser et al, 2017); interactions with consumers' parents (Ingvarsson & Hanley, 2006); SPAs (Marano et al, 2020); visual analysis of graphs (O'Grady et al, 2018; Schnell et al, 2018; Wolfe & Slocum, 2015); detecting antecedents and consequences of problem behavior (Scott et al, 2018); and imitation interventions (Wainer & Ingersoll, 2013).…”

“…Video modeling did not result in shelter volunteer staff reaching a pre-determined mastery criterion for implementing discrete trial obedience with dogs (Howard & DiGennaro Reed, 2014). CBI resulted in mastery-level responding for most participants for training parent-child interactions (Blackman et al, 2019); graph creation (Berkman et al, 2019); DTI (Eldevik et al, 2013;Geiger et al, 2018;Gerencser et al, 2018;Higbee et al, 2016;Nosik et al, 2013;Nosik & Williams, 2011;Pollard et al, 2014); photographic activity schedules (Gerencser et al, 2017); interactions with consumers' parents (Ingvarsson & Hanley, 2006) detecting antecedents and consequences of problem behavior (Scott et al, 2018); and imitation interventions (Wainer & Ingersoll, 2013).…”

Training behavioral technicians to implement naturalistic behavioral interventions using behavioral skills training

“…Given all participants were BTs in training, it is possible that having basic knowledge of behavioral interventions is a required prerequisite for the effectiveness of the training. This is unlikely, however, because caregivers are able to acquire similar skills without prior training in applied behavior analysis (Blackman, Jimenez‐Gomez, & Shvarts, in press).…”

Vídeos para instrução remota de cuidadores de crianças com desenvolvimento atípico durante a pandemia de COVID-19

“…Contudo, uma das problemáticas encontradas nessa linha de estudos é a elevada carga horária gasta pelos Analistas do Comportamento na capacitação presencial desses cuidadores (Borba, 2014). A fim de solucionar essa questão, tem-se buscado reduzir o tempo da capacitação dos aprendizes através do uso de ferramentas tecnológicas (Barboza, Silva, Barros, & Higbee 2015;Blackman, Jimenez-Gomez, & Shvarts, 2020;Gerencser, Higbee, Akers, & Contreras, 2017).…”

“…16, N O .2 como o Brasil, onde ainda há poucos profissionais capacitados para uma intervenção direta, além de que o serviço ofertado por profissionais capacitados é oneroso para a maioria da população, considerando ainda o fato de não haver ou haver pouco apoio governamental para subsidiar uma intervenção para esses indivíduos. Estudos já vêm perseguindo há algum tempo a produção de tecnologias para o treinamento de cuidadores (Barboza et al, 2015;Blackman et al, 2020;Ferreira et al, 2016;Gerencser et al, 2017), assim como o aperfeiçoamento dessas tecnologias (Barboza et al, 2015;Higbee et al, 2016). Paralelamente, há uma outra literatura, de telessaúde, que busca aprimorar tecnologias de ensino de métodos analíticocomportamentais para profissionais (Neely, Hong, Kawamini, Umana, & Kurz, 2020;Neely et al, 2018;Neely, Rispoli, Gerow, & Hong, 2016), visando que todo o treinamento ocorra remotamente.…”