Training Instructional Skills With Paraprofessional Service Providers at a Community-Based Habilitation Setting

Abstract

The present study evaluates a training program with paraprofessional service providers at a community-based habilitation setting. Four staff were taught to implement alternative and augmentative communication instruction with an adult who had autism and mental retardation through a combination of instruction, demonstration, behavior rehearsal, and performance feedback. Training was conducted under natural conditions at the adult's group home residence. Three of the four staff were able to maintain near-100% instructional accuracy following initial training. The results add to the limited research literature concerning community-based training of direct-care personnel.

Treatment of Psychopathology in People with Intellectual and other Disabilities

“…[24][25][26] There is also robust evidence for the effectiveness of ABA for specific problems, such as phobic disorders, 31 SIB, [27][28][29] and pica, 30 and for certain intervention procedures, such as choice making, 85,86 functional communication training, 87 activity schedules, 88 video modelling and video self-monitoring, 89 positive behaviour support, 90 and caregiver training. 91,92 When reviewing the evidence for the effectiveness of ABA for specific psychiatric disorders, there is robust evidence for the effectiveness of behavioural packages that include exposure and reinforcement 31 and weaker evidence for its effectiveness in depression and psychosis. A major weakness in this literature is that there have been few demonstrations of dissemination in routine services, although see Hassiotis et al 93,94 for a notable exception.…”

Developing an Online Certification Program for Nutrition Education Assistants

“…The organizations responsible for these paraprofessionals must establish training and intensive guidance that allows them to gain and maintain the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed for success. [1][2][3] According to the Society of Nutrition Education, an endorsed credentialing program based on core competencies is essential for paraprofessional nutrition educators. 4 However, to this point there has not been an endorsed credentialing program in place.…”

A Survey of Staff Training and Performance Management Practices: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

“…For example, research has only begun to address how to maximize the effects of written instruction (e.g., Graff and Karsten 2012) and modeling (e.g., Catania et al 2009;Moore and Fisher 2007), the need for rehearsal (e.g., Ward-Horner and Sturmey 2012), or the type and frequency of performance feedback (e.g., Pence et al 2014;Wood et al 2007). Perhaps more importantly, the extent to which organizations adopt empirically supported training and performance management practices for use with staff is unknown.…”