Behavior Technician Training Notes

Behavior Technician Training on Generalization and Maintenance

Module Overview

  • Focus: Generalization and Maintenance
  • Objective: Learn about issues with generalization, assessment techniques, the importance of maintenance, programming for maintenance, assessment methods, and guidelines for promoting both generalization and maintenance of skills.

Part One: Generalization

Strategies for Promoting Generalization
  • Eight Different Strategies: Discussed in the first part of the module.
Issues with Generalization

  • Overgeneralization:

    • Definition: Occurs when the learner emits the target response in too many contexts or in response to inappropriate stimuli.
    • Result: Target response is used in unsuitable situations.
    • Example: A child taught to say "good morning" uses it at all times instead of just in the morning, leading to socially inappropriate greetings.

  • Faulty Stimulus Control:

    • Definition: Occurs when the target response is triggered only by part of the appropriate discriminative stimulus.
    • Result: Target response becomes associated with the wrong conditions or stimuli.
    • Example: A child learns to say the name of her therapist, "Sally," when she sees her. However, the child starts calling all adults with glasses "Sally," because only the glasses triggered the response.
Importance of Analyzing Generalization Strategies
  • Modify generalization strategies when issues like overgeneralization and faulty stimulus control arise to ensure appropriate responses are emitted in suitable contexts.
  • Measurement of generalization is crucial; generalization should be assessed:
    • Before teaching begins.
    • Periodically throughout the teaching process.
    • After teaching is complete.
  • Generalization Probes or Tests:
    • Conducted under baseline conditions (no teaching strategies applied).
    • Look for learner performance with:
    • Novel stimuli.
    • Novel settings.
    • Assess response generalization by evaluating novel responses that have the same function as previously learned responses.
Video Example of Generalization Probing
  • Example of Teaching:
    • Teacher shows various representations of a dog (picture, toy, video).
    • Goal: Confirm if the student can label a dog correctly using different stimuli.
    • Emphasis on not prompting or reinforcing during tests but maintaining motivation with previously learned skills.

Part Two: Response Maintenance

Definition of Response Maintenance
  • Definition: The extent to which a learned skill continues to be emitted once teaching has concluded.
  • Example 1: A student learns to dress himself and should continue using this skill daily.
  • Example 2: Skills with varying importance:
    • Algebra skills often not maintained post-high school due to lack of necessity.
    • Self-care skills, such as tooth brushing, must be maintained continuously throughout life due to their ongoing relevance.
Programming for Response Maintenance
  • Maintenance must be programmed before teaching begins, similar to generalization strategies.
  • Key Programming Areas:
    1. Fading Prompts: Ensuring all prompts are faded efficiently.
    2. Natural Stimuli: Ensuring that the target response occurs in the presence of natural stimuli and fading reinforcement to natural levels.
Video Example of Skill Maintenance
  • Practice Incorporating Skills:
    1. Connecting to Play Activities:
    • Teacher integrates labeling of occupations into imaginative play. E.g., Andrew acts as a barber and describes the actions related to the role.
    1. Incorporating Skills into Everyday Activities:
    • E.g., teacher prompts student to tie shoelaces when they come undone during a game.
    1. Linking Skills:
    • Basic skill labeling is integrated into complex skills such as describing pictures or narrating actions.
Assessment of Response Maintenance
  • Conducted at predetermined intervals post-teaching.
  • Utilizes maintenance probes under baseline conditions:
    • No additional prompts.
    • Only natural reinforcement provided.
  • Outcomes of Maintenance Probes:
    • Accurate responding indicates maintenance of the skill.
    • Inaccurate responding necessitates reteaching of the skill.

General Guidelines for Promoting Generalization and Maintenance

  1. Pre-Teaching Planning: Identify strategies for promoting generalization and maintenance prior to beginning teaching.
  2. End Goals: Keep the end purpose of the skill in mind, considering how and when the learner will utilize the skill to form realistic goals.
  3. Regular Probing:
    • Generalization probes should occur at various stages: before teaching, during teaching, and after teaching.
    • Maintenance probes should follow a schedule post-teaching.
  4. Reteach When Necessary: If maintenance probes or generalization probes indicate issues, reteach the skill or modify strategies as needed.

Summary

  • Overgeneralization and faulty stimulus control can complicate generalization efforts.
  • Generalization assessment through probes ensures skills are applicable across contexts.
  • Response maintenance is vital for learned responses; programming strategies can help achieve sustained use of skills.
  • Periodic assessments after teaching ensure the ongoing utility of learned behaviors. Reteaching may be necessary for skills not maintained.