ABCs of Staff Support | BCBA CEU | Supervision | 1 Hour

In this presentation, the speaker examines the current state of staff training and performance management in human service settings and argues that the field of behavior analysis must more consistently apply its own science to the supervision and preparation of staff. Drawing on survey data, she highlights concerning trends, including limited pre-service training, reliance on lecture-based formats, and insufficient supervision training for supervisors. She reviews evidence demonstrating the relation between staff training, treatment integrity, client outcomes, and staff turnover.

The speaker situates performance management within organizational behavior management (OBM) and defines it as arranging relevant antecedents and consequences to ensure accurate implementation of assessment and treatment procedures. She then systematically reviews the four components of behavioral skills training (BST): instruction, modeling, rehearsal, and feedback.

Empirical findings are discussed for each component, including laboratory and applied studies evaluating instructional phrasing, video modeling, rehearsal dosage, and feedback sequencing (e.g., feedback sandwich). Practice guidelines are provided throughout, emphasizing clear instructions, standardized modeling, mastery-based rehearsal with feedback, and data-based supervision. The presentation concludes with broader considerations related to reinforcement systems, staff preference assessments, and functional assessment of employee performance using tools such as the Performance Diagnostic Checklist–Human Services.