title: Evaluation of treatment integrity errors on mand acquisition.
abstract: Manding allows individuals to access reinforcers in their environment. Caregivers may not implement mand-training programs as designed, which could result in decreased mand proficiency. This study evaluated the effects of delivery of the incorrect item (Experiment 1) and response-independent item delivery (Experiment 2) across 4 levels of treatment integrity (0%, 40%, 70%, and 100%) on mand acquisition with individuals with developmental disabilities. During Experiment 1, 2 of the 3 participants acquired the mand fastest during 100% integrity. Delivery of the incorrect item was detrimental to acquisition, but effects were idiosyncratic. During Experiment 2, all participants acquired the mand trained with 100% integrity fastest, followed by the mand trained with 70% integrity. None of the participants acquired the mands trained with 40% and 0% integrity, suggesting that delivery of the item independent of responding was detrimental to acquisition. For mand training to be most effective, caregivers must implement mand training with high levels of integrity.
authors.affiliation: AUBURN UNIVERSITY.
authors.forename: Sacha T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Pence
authors.affiliation: WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY.
authors.forename: Claire C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: St Peter
mesh_terms: D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000523:psychology*; D004495:Education of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012054:Reinforcement, Psychology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014705:Verbal Behavior / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: autism; mand; skill acquisition; treatment integrity; verbal behavior