The interview was intense, in parts, but I thought it could have been more ABA specific. I would of included tougher situational questions, similar to a verbal test of sorts. The questions should perhaps be reviewed by an impartial review board composed of Behavior Analysts. I've been doing behavior support for years, taught a class in graduate school on ABA and trained others so I felt pretty confident that I did a good job. I think Dr. Rotholz, etc. is doing a good job in getting behavior support headed in the right direction.
Florida's process is composed of fifteen-hundred hours of supervised experience, two semesters course work, an internship, additional testing and a Masters Degree. Behavior Analysis started more than 20 years ago in Florida, I was fortunate enough to study/ research with one of the first people to have a full-time behavior analysis practice Dr. Jose Martinez-Diaz at the Florida Institute of Technology. Behavior Analysis is a practice paying attention to details almost obsessively. In Applied Behavior Analysis, we will ultimately get out of it what we put into it.
ABA is based on data, it's the practice of reducing behaviors to numbers which allows us to manage and manipulate these behaviors. If staff are not taking good, accurate data then behavior analysis will fail every time. The data tells the behavior analyst where to go, like a road map of sorts. There is always going to be a learning curve associated with ABA. When staff become more consistent with applying ABA techniques and the individual served gets resistance (response blocking) displaying the problem behavior in getting what it is that he/she wants (function of the behavior) and is redirected to display a socially appropriate behavior to get what he/she wants in a more timely manner (extremely important) than the individual gets with the problem behavior - you see improvement. I can tell, without a doubt, if the staff are applying techniques consistently. In terms of the interview they want to see the data sheets to make certain that you didn't contrive the service experience up for review.
Selling the idea and teaching the value of ABA is really the first step in the process of training staff in ABA. I like to say that emotion equals opportunity, staff need to be excited about the process, the ability to make their job easier, so they will go along with the process more easily. Once the staff see that the people in charge see value in ABA they start to apply the techniques more consistently, once we get over the learning curve they see that it will make their job easier and their sold. Staff motivation goes way up and they are left with a sense of empowerment through achievement. I over hear staff talking when they get to this point, and you hear a lot of, “I (ownership) taught x-y individual this or that new way (new behavior) to get (function) attention or food item, etc (reinforcer).” This is a time that I will begin reinforcing the staff in front of the house manager, residential director, QMRP's, etc. as doing a great job (owning the results) and modified x-y individuals behavior. I'd like to see the direct care staff get more training so the boards can bill medicaid for a higher wage for services. Once these direct care positions are easier to fill, staff turn will be reduced, and a more stable environment will be available for the individuals served.
Modeling and over exaggeration are the key components of successful training. I strongly encourage, then demand over exaggeration when doing role plays and modeling the appropriate techniques for staff in working with an individual. I should look back at the staff at the conclusion and if they are not looking at me shocked then I know I didn't over exaggerate enough. Remember, we are communicating with people (individuals) that have problems communicating, so we are always modeling and setting the bar high in terms of over exaggerating our displays of communication. Staff and the individuals alike learn much more observing while I am modeling than they do when I am sitting over their shoulder telling them what to do. When modeling you avoid all chance of rebellion or competition by the staff and with modeling no one feels like they are being talked down to or controlled. In ABA everyone is part of a team with one organizer of information that determines the direction, myself. As a provider I am always reinforcing the staff.
Staff are dramatically reinforced by a sense of accomplishment and by being recognized in front of their peers, bosses as competent. Remember, you're dealing with staff that may of almost never made a single significant accomplishment thus far. Once we have behavior change down to close to “0” negative displays, its time to start phasing myself out but continue to reinforce the staff for doing a good job, always. If I fail to continue to reinforce the staff I will surely be called back because of some intense, new, horrific behavior that the individual just started displaying, usually about 3 weeks or so after I stop verbally praising the staff. The report is that because I haven't been conducting visits with the individual he has began to display theses new behaviors. It's safe to say that I have successfully established myself as a reinforcer for the staff and the individual alike. The idea here is that you should conduct two behavior plans simultaneously, one with the staff and one with the individual. Both behavior plans intertwine with one another and determine the success of the clinician.
When I apply ABA techniques consistently I see significant improvement in eight weeks or less. When I teach staff and they apply theses techniques on a more consistent bases I see significant behavior change over a period of sixteen weeks. Staff take longer to make behaviors change due to their lack of consistence during implementation and their willingness to give in to a behavior out of convenience. Reinforceing a negative behavior random numbers is known as “intermittent reinforcement”. Intermittent reinforcement is the most powerful type of reinforcement, this is better referred to as random reinforcement. If you reinforce someones behavior once out of every several attempts, randomly, that is the most powerful a predictor for future patterns. This is why when staff give in to a behavior randomly it is so damaging when trying to shape an individuals behavior patterns. But, if I block a negative display every time and redirect every time to a more appropriate behavior and give the individual what he desires in a more timely manner every time than why wouldn't the individual want to make the appropriate choice. How many times do you have to go down the wrong road before you choose the right one consistently?
Interesting article/blog!