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 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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