Testicular self-examination: validation of a training strategy for early cancer detection.
A single BST session with a simple checklist can teach young men a complete cancer-prevention self-exam that endures.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Researchers taught young men how to check themselves for testicular cancer.
They used a short checklist-based BST lesson.
The men practiced the steps and got feedback until they did every move right.
What they found
After the lesson, the men did the full self-exam correctly.
Most still did it right weeks later.
The checklist training worked fast and the skill stuck.
How this fits with other research
Ellingsen et al. (2014) took the same idea online. They swapped live teaching for a computer game plus quick in-situ coaching and still got big safety gains in preschoolers.
Dickson et al. (2017) used the exact four-step BST loop—teach, show, practice, praise—to turn noisy kindergarteners into quiet lockdown pros.
Billings et al. (1985) looks like a clash: self-instruction alone failed to calm disruptive Head Start kids. The 1986 paper shows why the fuller BST package matters; rehearsal plus feedback beats talking yourself through it.
Why it matters
You already own the tools: instruction, model, rehearsal, feedback. Use them for any health or safety skill your clients need—cancer checks, stranger danger, lockdowns. One short session can create a life-saving habit that lasts.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Testicular self-examination (TSE) can lead to early diagnosis and treatment of testicular cancer, the third leading cause of death in young men. We evaluated the effectiveness of a brief and specific checklist for teaching TSE skills. Ten men were videotaped while performing testicular self-examinations before and after training. The TSE training resulted in large and significant increases in the number of TSE steps completed and duration of the TSE. Two urological validation measures supported the improvements observed in the mens' self-examinations. Subjects reported continued performance of TSE during a follow-up telephone interview. This pilot study indicates that a brief and specific checklist is an effective strategy for teaching early cancer detection skills.
Journal of applied behavior analysis, 1986 · doi:10.1901/jaba.1986.19-87