Working With Staff to Promote Positive Behavior Support: Recommendations and Common Mistakes Dennis H. Reid, Ph.D., BCBA

Background Carolina Behavior Analysis & Support Ctr. Consulting Service Supervision Research

Evidence-Based Consulting and Supervision Why evidence-based? Key part of PBS with students … should extend to working with staff Importance well understood, but not always practiced well Illustrated by issues faced by consultants Illogical when considering “no bad students...” Qualification: default procedure

Importance of Staff Acceptance Lack of staff acceptance of the consultant or his/her recommendations often leads to failure Behavioral consultants have a poor history of acceptance by nonbehavioral practitioners Underlying PBS values: application with staff The nature of consultation and supervision or management

Management (as defined in Webster’s 1976) To train (a horse) in its paces To control the movement or behavior of; handle; manipulate To have charge of; direct To handle or use carefully To make docile or submissive To get a person to do what one wishes by skill, tact, flattery, etc.

Behavioral Outcome Management Select student outcome Specify staff performance Train Monitor Support Correct Evaluate

Identifying Behavioral Targets When working with schools, consultants have two client groups: school staff and consumers Need evidence-based approaches for student behavior change and working with staff

Train Target Staff Skills Performance-based Competency-based Behavioral Skills Training

Staff Training Steps 1. Explain rationale 2. Describe skills 3. Provide written summary 4. Demonstrate skills 5. Trainee practice with feedback 6. Repeat #s 4 & 5 until competency

Bottom-Line Rule of Staff Training Training is not complete until staff demonstrate proficiency in routine work site.

Behavioral Outcome Management Select consumer outcome Specify staff performance Train Monitor Support Correct Evaluate

Making Monitoring Acceptable Reid & Parsons (1995). Comparing choice and questionnaire measures of the acceptability of a staff training procedure. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 28,

Making Monitoring Acceptable Greet staff upon entering work site Briefly explain reason for monitoring Use common sense re proceeding Provide feedback quickly Acknowledge staff upon departing Also pertains to any consultant visit

Behavioral Outcome Management Select consumer outcome Specify staff performance Train Monitor Support Correct Evaluate

Supportive Management Set the occasion for proficient staff performance Positively support/reinforce proficient performance

Feedback Protocol Parsons & Reid (1995). Training residential supervisors to provide feedback for maintaining staff teaching skills with people who have severe disabilities. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 28,

Feedback Protocol 1. Begin with positive or empathetic statement 2. Identify skills performed correctly 3. Identify skills performed incorrectly 4. Specify how to change/improve incorrect performance 5. Solicit questions 6. Describe next actions 7. End with positive or empathetic statement

Corrective Management Identify correct performance Identify incorrect performance Specify how to change/improve incorrect performance Systems and overall environmental considerations

Summary: Importance of Positive and Evidence-Based Ways of Working With Staff Review of importance of positive ways of working with staff If not evidence-based, we as consultants and supervisors often work hard but flounder...

If we do not use evidence-base approaches to working with staff we often resort to... “The successful innovator uses charisma, unflappable poise, humor, empathic assertiveness, a sense of timing, flattery, cajolery, persistence, bird-dogging, perceptiveness, and shrewdness.” (Liberman, AIDD, 1983, 3, pg. iii)

Summary: Evidence-Based Ways of Working with Staff Specify desired student outcomes and corresponding staff behavior Provide performance- and competency- based training Monitor acceptably Support and correct performance AN EVOLVING TECHNOLOGY