Pervasive Positive Effects of an Applied Behavior Analysis Workshop for Nursery School Supervising Teachers on the Supervisee Teachers and the Children: Increasing Praise for Positive Behavior

Abstract

After supervising nursery school teachers (N = 21) took an applied behavior analysis workshop at the Support Center for Developmental Disorders in Japan, immediate effects of the workshop on supervising teachers' support behavior and pervasive effects on the supervisee teachers' support behavior (praise for children's positive behavior) and the nursery school children's behavior were examined. The workshop, consisting of 3 weekly 3-hour sessions and a follow-up session 2 months later, trained the supervising teachers in behavioral definitions, direct behavioral observation, functional assessment, planning behavioral support, and implementing behavioral programs for the children in their schools who were exhibiting behavior problems. In the practicum, the participants each implemented the workshop contents with 1 child in their school who had behavioral problems. Immediate effects of the workshop were evaluated through questionnaires completed by the participants. To evaluate the pervasive effects of the workshop, observations of the behavior of the teachers supervised by the workshop participants and the children were conducted. The results indicate an increase in the use of praise for positive behavior not only by the workshop participants, but also by the supervisee teachers. The children's positive target behaviors improved, but the negative target behaviors did not. The present study suggests that an applied behavior analysis workshop for supervising nursery school teachers is an efficient and effective community-based intervention. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved). (journal abstract)