Behavior treatment programs, readability, and treatment outcomes.
Sixth-grade behavior plans make staff follow them better and clients improve faster.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Wimpory et al. (2002) rewrote four behavior treatment plans. They cut the reading level to sixth grade. They used short sentences and everyday words.
Staff followed the new plans for four clients. The team tracked how well staff stuck to each step. They also tracked client progress.
What they found
Simpler plans boosted staff fidelity. Staff followed the steps more often and more correctly. Client behavior also improved once the plans were easier to read.
How this fits with other research
Jarmolowicz et al. (2008) saw the same lift. Caregivers who got conversational instructions followed them better than caregivers who got technical ones. Together the two studies show plain language helps both staff and parents.
Normand et al. (2022) looks like a clash. They found parents rated jargon and plain plans equally acceptable. The key gap is the outcome measured. Normand asked, "Do you like this plan?" D et al. asked, "Do you do the plan correctly?" Acceptability can stay flat while fidelity rises.
Munro et al. (2023) stretched the idea to assessment reports. Only thirteen percent of reports met the sixth-grade goal. The field still writes too hard for families.
Why it matters
You can raise treatment fidelity tomorrow by trimming your plan. Swap "extinction" for "ignore the problem behavior every time." Aim for one idea per sentence. Check the reading level with a free tool. If staff follow the plan better, clients move faster toward their goals.
Want CEUs on This Topic?
The ABA Clubhouse has 60+ free CEUs — live every Wednesday. Ethics, supervision & clinical topics.
Join Free →Run your current plan through a readability checker; rewrite any sentence above sixth-grade level.
02At a glance
03Original abstract
Reading grade level and readability are rarely considered as important variables in the implementation and outcome of behavior treatment plans. In the first of two studies, we analyzed the reading level and readability of 20 behavior treatment plans developed by certified behavior analysts. We found that the behavior plans were written at college reading level-well above the reading level of the average frontline staff member. On a test of readability, none of the behavior plans met criterion on all 12 critical readability variables. To test if there was a correlation suggestive of a relationship among reading grade level, readability, and treatment outcomes, we divided the behavior treatment plans into two groups; 10 that had relatively high readability levels and 10 that had relatively low readability levels. A comparison of the two groups indicated that the average reading level of the behavior plans in both groups was about the same, and the higher readability had somewhat better treatment outcomes. In the second study, we used a multiple baseline design across four individuals to directly assess the effects of manipulating reading grade level and readability of behavior treatment plans on treatment outcomes. Results showed that these manipulations greatly enhanced treatment outcomes of all four individuals. Our data suggest that reading grade level and readability of behavior treatment plans are important variables that directly affect treatment outcomes.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2002 · doi:10.1016/s0891-4222(02)00121-x