Professional development improves staff's implementation of rehabilitation programmes for children with severe-to-profound intellectual disability

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of supervisory feedback and self-management on the acquisition and generalization of correct implementation of rehabilition training programmes implemented by direct care staff. Design: A non-concurrent multiple baseline design across three trainer-trainee dyads was used. Methods: Three staff members were trained in how to implement one-to-one teaching programmes with four children with profound-to-severe intellectual disability. Staff received feedback and were taught to self-manage their (in) correct trainer behaviour. Results: Supervisory feedback and self-management increased the mean percentage correct entry behaviour and reinforcement during training. Trainer's use of entry behaviour and reinforcement generalized across settings and trainees. As levels of response prompting for three trainers were already high during baseline, no firm statements could be made concerning its acquisition and generalization. Conclusion: Staff can improve the accuracy of training as a result of feedback and/or self-management procedures in the rehabilitation of children with severe disabilities.