Author ORCID Identifier

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1112-3754

Semester

Fall

Date of Graduation

2023

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Type

MS

College

Eberly College of Arts and Sciences

Department

Psychology

Committee Chair

Claire St. Peter

Committee Co-Chair

Kathryn Kestner

Committee Member

Kathryn Kestner

Committee Member

Shari Steinman

Abstract

Procedural fidelity is the extent to which a procedure is implemented as designed. Analyzing procedural-fidelity data can improve treatment outcomes. Fidelity data are generally collected by a supervisor or trained data collector using a checklist that operationalizes each component of the procedure and accounts for errors in implementation of the components. However, little is known about variables that may affect the accuracy of supervisor-collected data generally, and even less is known about variables that may affect the accuracy of procedural-fidelity data. Therefore, the current studies explored the extent to which Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) accurately detected programmed fidelity errors when using a tally checklist (Experiment 1) or rating scale (Experiment 2) for a resetting differential reinforcement of other behavior procedure (DRO). Nine participants were exposed to four conditions in which they watched videos of a resetting DRO with two therapists of different races/ethnicities with varied programmed errors (i.e., 80% and 40% fidelity). Participants were generally accurate regardless of the programmed level of fidelity but were slightly less accurate for the low (40%) fidelity condition with one therapist and when using a rating scale.

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