Video-based training of respite care providers: an interactional analysis of presentation format.
Video-based BST trains respite staff to mastery whether they watch alone or together—just press play.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The team made a video version of their respite-care training. They wanted to know if the format mattered.
Twelve staff watched the same lessons alone, with a buddy, or in a small group. Then each tried the skills with a child who had developmental delays.
What they found
Every trainee reached mastery no matter how they saw the video. Skills lasted up to six months and carried over to new children.
The cheapest option—solo viewing—worked just as well as the others.
How this fits with other research
Neef et al. (1986) used the same lessons in a paper manual. The video matched the manual’s good results while cutting trainer time.
Schnell-Peskin et al. (2023) later showed a short safety video alone mastered most caregivers, echoing the 1991 pattern.
Vladescu et al. (2022) found computer lessons beat video-only for BCBA fidelity. Their newer tech may update the 1991 view—video still works, but interactive modules can work better when you need ultra-tight accuracy.
Why it matters
You can plug the video into any agency LMS and let staff watch on their phones. No need to schedule group workshops or buy pricey software. Start new hires with the solo clip, test in-vivo, and you’re done—same mastery, zero meeting time.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
We conducted two studies to evaluate a video-based instructional package for training respite care providers and the role of presentation format (viewing the videotapes alone, with a partner, and with structured group training) as a contextual variable. In Study 1, the results of a within-subjects Latin square design nested within a multiple baseline showed that performance during simulated (role-played) respite care situations improved in five of the six skill areas for the 12 trainees following presentation of the videotape, with no differences between presentation formats. Correct responding generalized to respite care situations involving a developmentally disabled child, and in most cases, acquired skills were maintained for up to 6 months. In Study 2, we conducted a clinical replication of Study 1 under conditions more closely approximating those in which the training program would be implemented by respite care agencies. Results of the between-groups analysis were consistent with the findings of Study 1.
Journal of applied behavior analysis, 1991 · doi:10.1901/jaba.1991.24-473