Using acceptance and commitment training to enhance the effectiveness of behavioral skills training

The purpose of this study is to investigate the use of acceptance and commitment training (ACT) to increase the percent per opportunity of behavioral skills training (BST) use in a train the trainer model within an ABA clinic. Acceptance and commitment training exercises are modeled off of the six processes for change consisting of values, present moment attention, acceptance, defusion, self as context, and committed action. This study included three participants, all of whom were RBT trained and had been working in the field for at least 6 months. This study utilized an ABC design embedded within a multiple baseline across participants. Each participant engaged in an initial BST instruction in which behavior skills training was used to teach senior staff how to train using BST. Data were then taken on the percent per opportunity of BST used with new staff in session. ACT training was conducted for all of the participants after BST alone did not produce sufficient results. The addition of ACT was found to be effective in increasing the percent per opportunity of BST used by senior therapists to train new staff, the results generalized to trainees who were not present during ACT training, and maintained after ACT training was terminated.

本研究旨在探究接纳与承诺训练（Acceptance and Commitment Training，ACT）在应用行为分析（Applied Behavior Analysis，ABA）诊所的培训师培训模式中，提升行为技能训练（Behavior Skills Training，BST）每机会使用率的应用效果。接纳与承诺训练的训练框架源自六大改变过程，分别为价值观、当下专注力、接纳、解离、自我作为背景（self as context）与承诺行动。本研究共纳入3名被试，所有被试均接受过注册行为技术员（Registered Behavior Technician，RBT）培训，且在该领域从业时长不少于6个月。本研究采用嵌入跨被试多基线设计的ABC实验设计。每位被试首先接受初始行为技能训练指导，该环节通过行为技能训练教授资深员工如何运用行为技能培训新员工。随后，研究人员收集被试在会话中对新员工实施行为技能训练的每机会使用率数据。在单独实施行为技能训练未取得足够效果后，研究团队为所有被试开展接纳与承诺训练。研究结果表明，加入接纳与承诺训练可有效提升资深治疗师培训新员工时的行为技能训练每机会使用率；该干预效果可推广至未参与接纳与承诺训练的受训者，且在接纳与承诺训练终止后仍能维持。