Exploring the Relationship Between Evaluation Frequency and Monthly Fidelity Score on Provider Retention: A Longitudinal Study
Four short fidelity checks a month keep staff from walking.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Blackman et al. (2025) tracked how often staff were watched and scored.
They counted monthly fidelity checks for each worker.
Three months later they saw who was still on the job.
What they found
Workers checked four or more times a month stayed longer.
High fidelity scores also predicted who would still be there.
Both signals together gave the clearest picture of retention.
How this fits with other research
Slane et al. (2021) show BST lifts fidelity; the new study links that same fidelity to staying hired.
Jones et al. (1998) used dense manager feedback and saw quick gains; Blackman now proves the same dense checking keeps people three months out.
Johnson et al. (1994) used a short weekly checklist; the 2025 paper ups the dose to four checks a month and adds a hard retention outcome.
Blackman et al. (2025) survey blames burnout for turnover; the longitudinal paper gives a fix—watch and score staff often.
Why it matters
You can cut quit rates without a new benefit package.
Schedule at least four short fidelity checks every month.
Pair them with quick praise or correction.
Workers who feel seen and skilled are workers who stay.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
The field of behavior analysis is experiencing high rates of turnover. Reports suggest that provider turnover is as high as 75% per year and is due to several variables, such as supervisory support, burnout, and pay. A promising applied intervention to mitigate turnover is addressing supervisory support. Our research explores the impact of procedural fidelity data collection on retention. We leveraged a longitudinal design to evaluate the relationship between evaluation frequency and monthly fidelity score on retention. Using BSTperform, we systematically recorded the number of evaluations conducted, the monthly fidelity scores, and the employment status of providers three months after the evaluations. Results reveal that those observed four times per month or with a high-fidelity score are likely to remain at the organization longer than those who are not observed frequently and have low fidelity scores. Retention trends and the link between evaluation frequency and monthly fidelity score are discussed.
Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, 2025 · doi:10.1080/01608061.2024.2386132