The effects of video modeling on staff implementation of a problem-solving intervention with adults with developmental disabilities.

Shawnee and colleagues filmed a five-minute video of a supervisor using a six-step problem-solving routine with an adult who has developmental disabilities.

They showed the clip to three group-home staff and then watched them try the same steps with their own clients.

The researchers tracked how many steps each staff member got right before, during, and after the video training.

All three staff jumped from low scores to near-perfect use of the routine right after watching the video.

The skill held steady weeks later and carried over to new clients the staff had never met.

A short video alone created big, lasting, and general gains in staff behavior.

Lee et al. (2020) ran the same video-only design in China and saw the same strong gains, but for token economies and error correction instead of problem solving.

Clark et al. (2024) looked at feeding protocols and found the opposite: most staff needed live feedback plus video; video alone was not enough.

The difference is the task. Feeding is hands-on and risky, so staff need in-vivo coaching. Problem-solving and token setups are safer and simpler, so a quick clip can do the job.

Repp et al. (1987) already told us that cheap, clear training tools work best in residential care; Collins et al. (2009) simply swapped the VHS tape for a DVD.

If your procedure is low-risk and step-by-step, try a five-minute video first. It saves trainer time, cuts costs, and still gives you high fidelity. Save live coaching for tasks that could harm a client if done wrong.