title: Writing behavioural objectives: an evaluation of a simple, inexpensive method.
abstract: This study demonstrated experimental control of nurse compliance with writing behavioural objectives in a National Health Service adult training unit for mentally handicapped adults. At the baseline, low rates of compliance in writing complete behavioural objectives (i.e. an objective referring to a resident, an action, a prompt and a target) were identified. A simple environmental manipulation, namely redesigning the activity charts, led to an increase in writing complete behavioural objectives. Experimental control was demonstrated using a multiple baseline design across two groups of staff. Nurse compliance with writing adequate prompts and targets was less than compliance with writing names and behaviours. Greater degrees of compliance may require alternative methods of staff management such as feedback procedures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Birmingham.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sturmey
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Newton
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Crisp
mesh_terms: D001521:Behavior Therapy; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric; D006801:Humans; D007318:Inservice Training / Q000592:standards*; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000451:nursing*; D009728:Nursing Assistants / Q000193:education; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000193:education*; D011786:Quality Control; D013222:State Medicine; D006113:United Kingdom; D014956:Writing