Chapter 12Behavioral Skills Training Procedures

Chapter Outline

Examples of BST ProceduresTeaching Marcia to Say “No” to the ProfessorsTeaching Children to Protect Themselves from Abduction

Components of the BST ProcedureModelingInstructionsRehearsalFeedback

Enhancing Generalization after BSTIn Situ AssessmentIn Situ TrainingBST and the Three-Term ContingencyBST in GroupsApplications of BST ProceduresHow to Use BST Procedures

1. Identify and define the skills you want to teach.2. Identify all relevant stimulus situations in which the skills must be used.3. Assess the learner’s skills in the stimulus situations to establish a baseline.4. Begin training with the easiest skill or the easiest stimulus situation.5. Begin with instructions and modeling.6. Provide the opportunity of rehearsal.7. Immediately after the rehearsal, provide feedback.8. Repeat the rehearsal and feedback process a few times9. After success with one training situation, move to another situation10. Program for generalization to the natural situations where the skills will be needed.

Chapter SummaryKey TermsPractice TestApplicationsMisapplicationsChapter 12, Quiz 1Chapter 12, Quiz 2Chapter 12, Quiz 3

Ideas for Class Activities

1. Identify an area in which BST procedures are used (social skills, assertiveness skills, safety skills for children, etc.) and have students develop a list of target behaviors to be trained and stimulus situations in which the skills would be needed.

2. Engage in a role play exercise with the class in which you are the trainer and a student volunteers to be the learner. Demonstrate how you would use instructions, modeling, rehearsal, and feedback to teach a skill (from the first exercise above) to the student. Switch roles and have students use BST procedures to teach the skill to you. Demonstrate BST procedures with an individual student and with a small group of students.

Answers to Practice Test Questions

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1. The four components of the behavioral skills training procedure are:(1) Modeling. With modeling, the correct behavior is demonstrated for the learner, who observes the

model’s behavior and then imitates the model.(2) Instructions. Instructions describe the appropriate behavior for the learner.(3) Rehearsal. Rehearsal is the opportunity for the learner to practice the behavior after receiving

instructions and/or observing a model demonstrate the behavior.(4) Feedback. Feedback, which should immediately follow the rehearsal of the behavior by the learner,

involves praise or other reinforcers for correct performance, and may also involve correction of errors or further instruction in how to improve performance.

2. The trainer first provides instructions on the correct performance of the behavior and then models the behavior for the learner in the context of a role-play. The learner then rehearses the behavior in the role-play context. Following the rehearsal, the trainer praises the learner for correct aspects of the performance and provides corrective feedback on any aspects of the rehearsal that were incorrect. The process continues until the learner’s performance of the behavior is correct.

3. Skills that could be taught through the behavioral skills training procedure include any skills that can be simulated in role plays such as: (1) Sexual abuse prevention skills for persons with mental retardation; and (2) Social skills (initiating conversation, maintaining eye contact, etc.).

4. To teach sexual abuse prevention skills to persons with mental retardation, you must (1) identify and define the skills to be taught. For example, you want the participant to say “NO” assertively to a sexual abuse lure, leave the situation immediately, and tell a trusted adult; (2) Next, identify the situations in which the skills need to be used, such as in the home, at work, and in the community; (3) Assess the learner’s existing skills to establish a baseline. One method of doing this is to set up role play situations in which a sexual abuse lure is depicted and then record the participant’s response; (4) Begin training with the easiest skill, saying “NO” assertively; (5) Model the behavior of saying “NO” assertively, describing the important aspects of the behavior, for example saying “NO” loudly; (6) Provide an opportunity for the participant to practice saying “NO” assertively; (7) Provide feedback on the participant’s performance; (8) Repeat the rehearsal and feedback process until the learner has performed the behavior correctly a couple of times; (9) Teach the next skill to be learned, leaving the situation and telling a trusted adult what happened, continuing the process of modeling, instructions, rehearsal, and feedback until the learner has mastered each skill in each situation; and (10) Program for generalization to the natural situations where the skills are needed. For example, train in multiple sites (home, work, community), with multiple persons, at different times of the day.

To teach social skills, you must (1) identify and define the skills to be taught, for example, initiating conversation; (2) Next, identify the situations in which the skills need to be used, such as at social events, in the community, etc.; (3) Assess the learner’s existing skills to establish a baseline. One method would be to set up a role play situation in which the participant was provided with an opportunity to initiate a conversation and record his or her response. Another method would be to surreptitiously observe and record the individual’s behavior in the target setting; (4) Begin training in the easiest stimulus situation, perhaps by simulating a setting where the person feels most comfortable; (5) Model the behavior of initiating a conversation, describing the important aspects of the behavior that is being modeled (eye-contact, firm voice, etc.); (6) Provide an opportunity for the participant to initiate a conversation; (7) Provide feedback on the participant’s performance; (8) Repeat the rehearsal and feedback process until the learner has performed the behavior successfully a couple of times; (9) Begin practice in another simulated setting and continue the process of modeling, instructions, rehearsal, and feedback until the learner has mastered the skill in each situation; (10) Program for generalization to the natural settings where the skills are needed.

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5. The use of instructions or modeling alone is probably not going to be effective in the long run, because although these procedures can evoke the correct behavior in the right situation, unless the behavior is subsequently reinforced, is not likely to continue to occur.

6. The following factors influence the effectiveness of modeling.(a) When the model exhibits the correct behavior, it should result in a successful outcome (a reinforcer)

for the model.(b) There should be a similarity between the model and the individuals observing the model or the model

should have high status.(c) The complexity of the model’s behavior should be appropriate to the developmental level or ability

level of the learner.(d) The learner has to pay attention to the model in order to learn the behavior being modeled.(e) The modeled behavior must occur in the proper context (in response to the relevant SD). (f) The modeled behavior should be repeated as often as necessary for the learner to correctly imitate the

behavior.(g) The behavior should be modeled in a variety of ways and in a variety of situations to enhance

generalization. (h) The learner should have an opportunity to rehearse (imitate) the behavior as soon as possible after

observing the model and correct imitation of the modeled behavior should be reinforced immediately.The effectiveness of modeling is reduced when the learner’s behavior is not reinforced ; there is no similarity between the model and the individuals observing the model or the model doesn’t have high status; the model is too complex; the learner is not paying attention to the model; and the modeled behavior does not occur in the proper context.

7. The following factors may influence the effectiveness of instructions:(a) The instructions should be presented at a level that the learner can understand.(b) The instructions should be delivered by someone who has credibility with the learner.(c) The learner should have the opportunity to rehearse the behavior as soon as possible after receiving the

instructions.(d) Instructions should be paired with modeling any time that observing the behavior will enhance the

potential for learning the behavior.(e) The instructions should be given only when the learner is paying attention.(f) The learner should repeat the instructions so the teacher can be certain the learner heard the

instructions correctly.

8. When using rehearsal, it is important to start with the easy behaviors or situations first so that the learner is successful. This way, engaging in the rehearsal is reinforcing and the learner will continue to participate. If you started with the most difficult situations first, the learner might not be successful and therefore may not wish to continue.

9. The following factors may influence the effectiveness of rehearsal:(a) The behavior should be rehearsed in the proper context.(b) Rehearsals should be programmed for success.(c) Rehearsal of the correct behavior should always be followed immediately by reinforcement.(d) Rehearsals that are partly correct or that are incorrect should be followed by corrective feedback.(e) The behavior should be rehearsed until it is demonstrated correctly at least a few times.

10. Feedback involves (1) praise or other reinforcers for correct performance; (2) correction of errors or further instruction in how to improve performance (corrective feedback).

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11. When providing feedback after a behavior rehearsal, praise should always be provided first so that rehearsal is a reinforcing experience for the learner. If the behavior was not correct in rehearsal, first praise some aspect of the performance. Then, focusing on one aspect of the performance at a time, provide instructions that identify what the learner could do better or how the learner could improve the performance. Do not identify what was “bad” or “wrong.”

12. The following factors influence the effectiveness of feedback:(a) Feedback should be given immediately after the behavior.(b) Feedback should always involve praise (or other reinforcers) for some aspect of the behavior.(c) Praise should be descriptive.(d) When providing corrective feedback, do not be negative.(e) Always praise some aspect of the performance before providing corrective feedback.(f) Provide corrective feedback on one aspect of the performance at a time.

13. A three term contingency is involved in the behavioral skills training procedure in the following manner: The modeling and instructions are antecedent strategies used to evoke the correct behavior; rehearsal involves the execution of the behavior that was modeled or described in the instructions; feedback is the consequence of rehearsal (when the behavior is rehearsed correctly, feedback involves a reinforcing consequence for the correct behavior that strengthens the behavior; when the behavior is partly incorrect, corrective feedback is provided in the form of instructions to improve performance).

14. The following guidelines describe the effective use of the behavioral skills training procedure:(1) Identify and define the skills that you want to teach.(2) Identify all of the relevant stimulus situations (SDs) in which the skills need to be used.(3) Assess the learner’s skills in the relevant stimulus situations to establish a baseline.(4) Begin training with the easiest skill or the easiest stimulus situation.(5) Begin a training session by modeling the behavior and describing the important aspects of the

behavior that are being modeled.(6) After the learner hears the instructions and sees the model, provide the opportunity for rehearsal.(7) Immediately after rehearsal, provide feedback.(8) Repeat the rehearsal and feedback process until the learner has executed the behavior correctly a

couple of times.(9) After success with one training situation, move to another situation and continue the process of

modeling, instructions, rehearsal, and feedback until the learner has mastered each skill in each situation. (10) Program for generalization to the natural situations where the skills are needed.

15. Behavioral skills training procedures are used with individuals who can learn from instructions and modeling in simulated situations and do not need the intensive training provided in the chaining procedures. Chaining procedures are often used with individuals with limited abilities who need the intensive prompting strategies to be able to engage in the behavior being taught.

16. Behavioral skills training procedures are appropriate for use with individuals who can learn from instructions and modeling in simulated situations and do not need the intensive training provided in the chaining procedures. Chaining procedures are appropriate for use with individuals having limited abilities who need the intensive prompting strategies to be able to engage in the behavior being taught.

Answers to Applications

1. You will probably target a number of skills. You will teach students: to say no or otherwise refuse an offer to smoke cigarettes; to ask other students not to smoke around them; to continue to refuse if a peer persists or tries to apply pressure in some way; and to leave the situation or ask the peer to leave if the pressure continues. With the input of the students, you will identify all the ways that peers try to talk their fellow students into smoking and the various ways they apply pressure. These will be the situations around which you will develop the role-plays. You will have the students sit in a circle or sit close to the front of the room, so that they can all see and hear the instructions and modeling and observe each other in the role-plays. You will put together ten role-plays reflecting

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the most common situations that the students face as their peers try to get them to smoke cigarettes. For each role-play, first describe the situation and the best response the student can make in that situation (instructions). Next, have a student come up to the front of the room and, in a role-play, ask you to smoke a cigarette; you refuse the request (modeling). Have the students in the class describe what was good about the modeled behavior. Now have the student rehearse the behavior in the same role-play and have the class provide feedback on the performance. You will show the class how to provide descriptive praise for good aspects of the performance and how to provide suggestions for improvement (feedback). Repeat this process with all of the students in all of the role-play situations that you developed. During training, to enhance generalization of the skills, you will use as many different situations as possible that the students might encounter at school or away from school.

2. The skill you will teach your daughter is to say, “No, I don't want a ride,” and to continue walking toward school (or home). If the adult asks again, the child will say No loudly and run to school (or home). You will teach her to say this in response to a variety of offers of rides from adults. Before training you will make a list of all the lures or enticements that an adult might use to abduct a child. For example, the adult might say, “Do you want a ride?” or, “Come on, it's warm in the car” or, “You can get in. Your mom said it was okay.” To conduct training, you first provide the general instructions about how an adult might present a lure and how she should respond to a lure. Next, you model the correct behavior for her. As she watches, you drive up in front of the house and offer your spouse (or another trusted adult) a ride to school. Your spouse will model the correct response to this lure. Afterwards, you ask your daughter to describe the appropriate behavior demonstrated by the model. Now you role-play again and let your daughter rehearse the skills. She acts like she is walking to school, and you pretend that you are a stranger. You drive up and ask her if she wants a ride. As soon as she responds to the lure, you stop the role-play and give her feedback. You praise her for everything she did right and tell her how to improve if she needs to. You repeat the role-play until she executes the behavior correctly. You then do further role-plays using all the lures that you developed. You do the role-plays at home, at school, and between school and home, so that she practices in all relevant situations. You do training across a number of days and make sure that your daughter receives substantial praise for her participation and correct performance. To assess whether she has learned the skills and whether they have generalized to the natural situation, you have a family friend drive by and offer her a ride; you might do this periodically. If she does not respond appropriately, you can provide further training.

3. You have each parent in the class make a list of situations in which their child engages in the attention-seeking problem behavior. These situations will be used for role-plays. You start training by providing instructions on how to use differential reinforcement. You describe how the procedure would be used in a number of the situations described by the parents. Next you model the use of differential reinforcement in a few of the situations identified by the parents. A parent role-plays his or her child, and you demonstrate how to use extinction for the problem behavior and how to use praise to reinforce appropriate alternative behavior, such as playing or following instructions. After the parents observe the model and discuss the model's behavior, the parents all get the opportunity to rehearse the skills in role-plays. Using the situations identified by the parent, you role-play the child engaging in the problem behavior and the parent practices the use of differential reinforcement. The other parents watch and provide feedback after the role-play. They first identify all the behaviors that the parent executed correctly in the role-play and then they provide any necessary suggestions for improvement. The parent rehearses the behavior until he or she uses differential reinforcement correctly. At the end of the class, you instruct the parents to use the skills that they have learned. In the next class, they will discuss their successes or problems with the procedure, and the problems will be used as the focus for further instructions, modeling, rehearsal, and feedback.

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Answers to Misapplications

1. The videotape provides instructions for what the kids should say and do and it shows other kids modeling the correct behavior. What is missing here is the opportunity for rehearsal and feedback. If the training procedure is to be most effective, all of the kids should have an opportunity to practice the skills in a variety of situations and to receive praise and corrective feedback (if needed) for their performance. When they rehearse the correct behavior and receive praise from their peers, the behavior is strengthened. Likewise, all the kids should be involved in providing feedback. When the kids watch other kids rehearse, they are seeing the behavior modeled and are analyzing what is correct and incorrect about the behavior they see. Observing and analyzing multiple models enhances their learning.

2. The behavioral skills training procedures is inappropriate in this example, because the staff already have the skills to work effectively with the residents. The problem is that they are not using the skills. It is a “won't do” problem rather than a “can't do” problem. What the supervisor needs to do is to provide contingencies for staff performance. He must find a way to observe their performance more regularly and reinforce correct performance, so that they perform their job duties correctly more often, even when he is not present.

3. The strong points of the program are that the video provides models demonstrating a variety of appropriate behaviors and that the models receive praise for the behavior. The use of kids as models in the video is good, because the kids watching the video are more likely to imitate models who are similar to them. In addition, the use of sports stars is good because they have high status. The problem with the program is that it does not go far enough. If the kids are to study more, appropriate reinforcement contingencies for their study behavior must be provided. The school and the parents need to get involved and to make sure that studying is reinforced in some way. For example, high-status kids at school could be enlisted to help with the program, by providing praise and approval to children who are studying more often. Too often, peer pressure is directed at not studying and at engaging in unhealthy behaviors. If peer pressure (peer reinforcement) could be directed at the more appropriate behavior, a number of children would benefit. Another possibility would be to start a program in which kids kept records of their study behavior (with additional documentation by parents or teachers) and earned tickets to sporting events or other age-appropriate reinforcers for reaching certain goals. An important characteristic of any program to increase study behavior is that actual study behavior must be reinforced. A program that does not establish reinforcement for study behavior will produce only transient increases at best.

Answers to Quizzes

Quiz 11. instructions, modeling, rehearsal, feedback 2. instructions 3. modeling 4. rehearsal 5. feedback 6. reinforcement or a positive outcome 7. similarity, status 8. rehearse 9. credibility 10. immediately

Quiz 21. Behavioral Skills Training 2. instructions 3. modeling 4. rehearsal 5. feedback 6. live, symbolic 7. generalization 8. rehearse 9. praise and correction of errors 10. simulate

Quiz 31. telling the learner what to do 2. showing the learner what to do 3. giving the learner the opportunity to practice the behavior 4. praise for correct performance and correction of errors 5. modeling 6. rehearsal 7. the child will imitate the model 8. context or stimulus situations 9. feedback 10. include a variety of role plays in training, incorporate real-life situations in training, provide assignments for the learner to practice the skills outside of the training setting, arrange for reinforcement of the skills outside of the training setting

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Test Questions

1. Which of the following is a component of the behavioral skills training procedure?a) instructions and modelingb) feedbackc) rehearsald) all of these

ANS: D

2. Behavioral skills training procedures are used:a) to teach new behaviorsb) when learners cannot imitate modelsc) to eliminate problem behaviorsd) all of these

ANS: A

3. BST procedures are NOT used to:a) teach new behaviors b) overcome behavioral deficitsc) decrease a problem behaviord) B and C

ANS: C

4. The components of the behavioral skills training procedure are generally used:a) together in a training sessionb) with individuals who have severely limited abilitiesc) individually to teach different behaviorsd) A and B

ANS: A

5. A teacher shows students a film demonstrating what they should do in case of a fire. Which component of behavioral skills training involves demonstrating the correct behavior for the learner?

a) rehearsalb) instruction c) modelingd) feedback

ANS: C

6. A teacher wants to teach fire safety skills. What should the teacher do immediately after telling the students what to do when there is a fire and showing them what to do in a fire situation?

a) discuss the behaviors furtherb) provide the opportunity to rehearse the skills in a simulated fire situationc) ask them what they would do in a fire situationd) ask them what they would do in a fire situation and provide feedback for their answers

ANS: B

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7. Which of the following is(are) true concerning the component of modeling?a) the learner must have an imitative repertoireb) it is usually sufficient to produce long term changec) it may be live or symbolicd) A and C

ANS: D

8. The use of modeling is more likely to be effective when the:a) model’s behavior is reinforcedb) the model is dissimilar to the learnerc) model has low statusd) all of these

ANS: A

9. Which procedure is NOT used to enhance generalization following BST?a) using a variety of role plays in trainingb) using real-life situations in trainingc) using assignments for the learner to practice the skills outside of the training sessionsd) using continuous reinforcement for correct responses in the training session

ANS: D

10. A parent describes to a child what she should say if a stranger asks the child to get into his car. Which behavioral skills training component involves describing the correct behavior to the learner?

a) rehearsal b) explanation c) instructionsd) discrimination

ANS: C

11. What is the behavioral procedure called that involves the use of instructions, modeling, rehearsal, and feedback?

a) behavioral skills training procedureb) behavioral acquisition proceduresc) functional, nonaversive proceduresd) all of these

ANS: A

12. In order to increase their effectiveness, instructions should be:a) understandable to the learnerb) delivered by a credible personc) repeated by the learnerd) all of these

ANS: D

13. A psychologist is helping a student improve his social skills. After instructing him on how to carry on a conversation with other students, the psychologist has the student practice. Practicing the behavior after receiving instructions is referred to as:

a) modelingb) feedback c) rehearsal d) testing

ANS: C

14. Rehearsing the behavior is an important part of behavioral skills training because it:a) demonstrates whether the learner has learned the behavior

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b) provides the chance for reinforcement of the behaviorc) provides the opportunity to correct errorsd) all of these

ANS: D

15. Which of the following factors increases the effectiveness of modeling?a) reinforcement of the model’s behaviorb) the opportunity for imitation after observing the modelc) the use of models who are older than the learnersd) A and B

ANS: D

16. Which of the following factors increases the effectiveness of rehearsal?a) the context in which the behavior is rehearsedb) a delay between the rehearsal and reinforcementc) immediate criticism for errorsd) all of these

ANS: A

17. A psychologist instructs parents how to deal with their disobedient son, and then the parents practice. Following the rehearsal, the psychologist praises them for what they did correctly and gives them further instruction for things they did incorrectly. Delivering praise and further instruction following rehearsal is referred to as:

a) evaluationb) feedbackc) explanation d) analysis

ANS: B

18. Which of the following is NOT true concerning the use of feedback?a) feedback should be given immediately after the behaviorb) feedback should involve praise for some aspect of the behaviorc) corrective feedback should be given before praised) feedback should be descriptive

ANS: C

19. Which component of the behavioral skills training procedure is an antecedent strategy?a) instructionsb) modelingc) rehearsald) A and B

ANS: D

20. Which behavioral skills training component functions as the behavioral aspect of a three-term contingency?a) modelingb) instructionsc) rehearsald) feedback

ANS: C

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21. Feedback functions as a(an) ____________ following rehearsal of the correct behavior, and as a(an) __________ when feedback is provided as instructions to improve performance in the next rehearsal.

a) antecedent; consequenceb) punisher; antecedentc) reinforcer; antecedentd) B and C

ANS: C

22. Which of the following is an advantage of using BST in groupsa) receiving substantial attention from the trainerb) watching other members rehearse and receive feedbackc) receiving criticism from other group members following behavioral rehearsald) B and C

ANS: B

23. Which of the following is NOT an advantage of using behavioral skills training in a group?a) watching other members rehearse and receive feedbackb) receiving reinforcement from other group membersc) receiving individual attention from the trainerd) enhanced generalization

ANS: C

24. Generalization from training sessions to natural situations is more likely to occur if:a) training situations are similar to natural situationsb) training occurs in a different contextc) the learner practices in relatively easy situationsd) all of these

ANS: A

25. Behavioral skills training procedures will be more effective if you:a) use instructions, modeling, rehearsal, and feedback together in each training sessionb) begin with the most difficult skillc) provide instructions and modeling separately from rehearsal and feedbackd) start with rehearsal and feedback and use modeling and instructions only as necessary

ANS: A

26. Which of the following is NOT true concerning behavioral skills training?a) new behavior is unlikely to continue unless it is reinforcedb) it is used with individuals who do not need more intensive training procedures (e.g., chaining)c) it is used with individuals and groupsd) modeling and instructions are usually sufficient for long term change

ANS: D

27. In BST, modeling will have the greatest influence if it occursa) in isolation so that it is salientb) in the context of a role play that simulates the real situationc) in conjunction with instructions that describe the desirable behaviord) B and C

ANS: D

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28. Once a learner observes a model, what factor will make it most likely that the learner will continue to engage in the observed behavior?

a) if the model’s behavior is reinforcedb) if the model has high statusc) if the model is similar to the learnerd) if the learner’s behavior is reinforced once it occurs

ANS: D

29. Which of the following is an example of symbolic modeling?a) observing a cartoon character engage in the target behavior b) observing your teacher engage in the target behaviorc) observing a video of a peer engaging in the target behaviord) A and C

ANS: D

30. Which of the following is the best way to provide feedback during BST? Immediately after the learner rehearses the behavior:

a) correct any behavior that was incorrect b) provide praise for correct behavior and correct any behavior that was incorrectc) provide praise for correct behaviord) provide praise for correct behavior and criticism for errors

ANS: B

1. The use of a videotape, audiotape or cartoon is an example of ___________ modeling.

ANS: symbolic

2. To increase the effectiveness of modeling, there should be ___________ between the model and the learner or the model should have high ___________.

ANS: similarity; status

3. The learner should have an opportunity to ___________ the behavior as soon as possible after observing the model.

ANS: rehearse

4. Rehearsal is important because it provides an opportunity for ___________ of the behavior.

ANS: reinforcement

5. In behavioral skills training procedures, feedback is defined as ___________ for correct performance and ___________ for improving performance.

ANS: praise; instructions

6. The use of instructions, modeling, rehearsal, and feedback to teach skills is called _____________________.

ANS: behavioral skills training

7. Having someone demonstrate the correct behavior for the learner is called _________________.

ANS: modeling

8. Telling the learner how to engage in the correct behavior is called ___________________.

ANS: instructions

9. Having the learner practice the correct behavior after receiving instructions and modeling is called ____________.

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ANS: rehearsal

10. Providing praise for correct performance and instructions for improvement following rehearsal is called _______________.

ANS: feedback

1. T F Each BST procedure is most often used separately to teach skills.

ANS: F

2 T F A modeled behavior must occur in response to the relevant discriminative stimulus.

ANS: T

3 T F To be most effective, instructions should be general.

ANS: F

4 T F It is reinforcing for the learner to engage in complex rehearsals first.

ANS: F

5 T F After a person rehearses a behavior, it is best to immediately criticize some aspect of the person’s performance so that the person learns what he/she did wrong.

ANS: F

6 T F BST in groups is most effective with large groups.

ANS: F

7. T F After every rehearsal, the trainer should praise some aspect of the learner’s performance.

ANS: T

8. T F To be most effective, the model should have high status or similarity to the learner.

ANS: T

9. T F A benefit of BST in groups is that group members can observe other members rehearse the behavior and receive feedback on their performance

ANS: T

10. T F BST procedures are valuable when the learner cannot benefit from being told what to do or from observing the correct behavior.

ANS: F

1. What are 4 components of behavioral skills training procedures?

ANS: The 4 components of the behavioral skills training are modeling, instructions, rehearsal, and feedback.

2. Why is it important for the learner to repeat instructions?

ANS: The learner should repeat the instructions so the teacher can be certain the learner heard the instructions correctly.

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3. Describe how modeling, instructions, rehearsal and feedback are a part of a three-term-contingency.

ANS: The modeling and instructions are antecedent strategies used to evoke the correct behavior; rehearsal involves the execution of the behavior or described in the instructions; feedback is the consequence of rehearsal (when the behavior is rehearsed correctly, feedback involves a reinforcing consequence for the correct behavior that strengthens the behavior; when the behavior is partly incorrect, corrective feedback is provided in the form of instructions to improve performance).

4. Provide 2 advantages and 2 disadvantages of group behavioral skills training.

ANS: Advantages of group behavioral skills training are: • It can be more efficient than individual behavioral skills training, because instructions and modeling are

presented to the whole group.• Each group member learns by watching other group members rehearse the skills and receive feedback on

their performance.• Group members learn by evaluating the performance of other group members and providing feedback.• With a variety of group members participating in role-plays, generalization may be enhanced. • The magnitude of reinforcement for successful rehearsal is increased when praise comes from other group

members as well as the trainer.Disadvantages are:

• Each individual does not have the trainer’s undivided attention.• Some members may not actively participate or may dominate and limit the participation of other

members.

5. You are using BST procedures to teach children to say “no” and walk away when someone offers them a cigarette. Describe the steps involved in the BST procedure that you will use to teach the children this skill.

ANS: You will teach students to say “no” or otherwise refuse an offer to smoke cigarettes, to ask other students not to smoke around them, to continue to refuse if a peer persists or tries to apply pressure in some way, and to leave the situation or ask the peer to leave if the pressure continues. With the input of students, you will identify all the ways that peers try to talk their fellow students into smoking and the various ways they apply pressure. These will be the situations around which you will develop the role-play. You will have the students sit in a circle or sit close to the front of the room, so that they can all see and hear the instructions and modeling and observe each other in the role-plays. You will put together ten role-plays reflecting the most common situations that the students face as their peers try to get them to smoke cigarettes. For each role-play, first describe the situation and the best response the student can make in that situation (instructions). Next, have a student come up to the front of the room and, in a role-play, ask you to smoke a cigarette; you refuse the request (modeling). Have the students in the class describe what was good about the modeled behavior. Now have the student rehearse the behavior in the same role-play and have the class provide feedback on the performance. You will show the class how to provide descriptive praise for good aspects of the performance and how to provide suggestions for improvement (feedback). Repeat this process with all of the students in all of the role-play situations that you developed. During training, to enhance generalization of the skills, you will use as many different situations as possible that the students might encounter at school or away from school.

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