Scenario:
The work you have done during your internship at ACME has been recognized and now there are many agencies in your area looking for a comprehensive plan using behavior analytic principles and research methods. This is your chance to apply what you have learned about Organizational Behavior Management (OBM) to create an effective, evidence-based intervention for an organization.
The following organization has requested the creation of a behavior analytic program to assist with some concerns:
Stars ABA provides clinic-based, ABA interventions for children with autism. Stars uses discrete trial training to teach children skills and appropriate replacement behaviors. Stars also creates systematic behavior intervention plans to decrease interfering behaviors. The following are some of the issues Stars has encountered:
-Staff is not delivering reinforcers on a frequent basis when children are engaging in appropriate behavior.
-Staff is providing a lot of attention and reacting emotionally when children engage in inappropriate behavior.
-Many Stars staff arrive late for their scheduled shifts.
Stars has experienced a high turnover rate. They have had 3 of 15 staff leave in the last 6 months.
After your initial evaluation, you have determined that the staff have many skill deficits in the areas of basic behavior analytic principles. Additionally, through observation, you notice that the amount of feedback delivered at all levels is very low and, when delivered, is not specific or timely. Stars wants to decrease the number of inappropriate behaviors exhibited by all clients and increase the mastery of target skills.
Your task is to create a plan to address the issues that Stars is having with regard to staff behavior. You should create a plan detailing a behavior analytic process and solution for Stars concerns. Include a brief explanation of the research strategies used to support your ideas. Your paper should contain all of the following and should be separated into sections covering each step:
1. Pinpoint & Measure:
a) Identify the results that are to be accomplished at Stars in objective and observable terms.
b) Identify and operationally define at least 1 staff behavior to change. Include current behavior and desired results.
c) Describe how the results and behaviors will be measured, e.g., measurement type, data collection type, who will be responsible for collecting the data, and specific data sheets or graphing methods to be used.
d) Discuss potential contingencies that may be impacting the staff behavior at Stars ABA.
-Include a discussion of reinforcement and punishment as they relate to staff behavior.
2. Select and Describe Your Intervention
a). Describe how you would create a staff training procedure utilizing one of the evidence-based methods discussed throughout the term. Your staff training should include the following elements:
-Describe the specific method to be used for staff training, including all key steps.
-Discuss who will be responsible for implementing the program and how it will be implemented at Stars
-Identify the measurement criteria for determining successful completion of training.
b). Include a procedure for delivering feedback related to staff behavior
-Describe a system for maximizing the effectiveness of feedback delivered to the staff at Stars. Include options for delivery of feedback, e.g., graphing, written, and/or verbal.
-Use creative license to create specific scenarios at Stars in which staff display both the target and undesired behavior and include:
-An example of feedback that should be given by a supervisor to a staff who demonstrates the desired behavior.
-An example of feedback that should be given by a supervisor to a staff who does not demonstrate the desired behavior.
3. Identify Program Question and Research Design
a). Create a program question that will be used to evaluate your interventions.
b). Select and describe the research design you will use to demonstrate the effectiveness of your program.
c). Discuss the strength and weaknesses of your selected research design and why it is the best choice for your selected intervention.
4. Program Evaluation
a) Discuss how data will be evaluated, including:
-Schedule of observation: how often will staff be observed engaging with client?
-How will results for the organization be measured?
-What factors will be considered when evaluating the data?
-How will the data be evaluated?
-Visual Analysis
-Calculations
b) Discuss how you will use data to determine effectiveness of the intervention.
-Using data, how will you conclude that your intervention is effective?
c) Describe the steps to be taken based on the effectiveness of the intervention.
-Include a discussion of the variables that could impact the success of the intervention, with consideration of staff support for the intervention.