Pyramidal parent training using behavioral skills training: Training caregivers in the use of a differential reinforcement procedure

Conklin et al. (2019) taught one group of caregivers to use DRA with physical prompts.

After the first group hit mastery, each caregiver trained another caregiver using the same BST script.

The researchers tracked how well the new trainees carried out DRA with a child.

Every newly trained caregiver reached 96% fidelity after just one training round.

The skills stayed high when checked later.

One trainer could pass the whole package to another adult without losing quality.

Winett et al. (1991) used video BST for respite staff and also saw big fidelity gains. Their tapes worked, but each worker still needed an expert to make the video. Conklin shows peers can replace that expert.

Lloveras et al. (2022) pushed the same idea to BCBAs, training 13 analysts remotely to run functional analyses. Together the three studies form a ladder: video BSSchoneberger (1991) → pyramidal BST for caregivers (2019) → pyramidal BST for analysts (2022).

Wilson et al. (2023) swapped DRA for discrete-trial instruction and kept the telehealth angle. All three later papers extend Conklin’s core message: once one person masters BST, they can train the next link in the chain.

You no longer need to run every caregiver training yourself. Train two parents to mastery this month and let them train the rest of the car-pool crew. You free up hours for treatment while keeping 96% fidelity. Monday morning, pick your best caregiver, run a quick BST booster, and hand them the script to duplicate your work.