Targeting Staff Treatment Integrity of the PEAK Relational Training System Using Behavioral Skills Training.

Abstract

PEAK is a language curriculum dedicated to expanding language via the science of behavior analysis. The present study sought to evaluate the extent to which a behavioral skills training (BST) program impacted treatment integrity for six direct care staff implementing the Promoting the Emergence of Advanced Knowledge Relational Training System (PEAK) with six individuals with autism. We used a 2-h workshop-like Behavioral Skills Training (BST; instruction, modeling, rehearsal, and feedback) targeting PEAK treatment integrity. The results indicate that BST improved overall procedural integrity for all staff. All learners with autism improved their total percentage of correct, independent responding specific to the targeted programs. Further, all (6/6) staff maintained integrity to PEAK at well above baseline levels and all individuals with autism maintained high levels of performance specific to the targeted programs. The importance of appropriate training and treatment integrity given the implementation of PEAK is discussed.