Staff performance problems in ABA organizations are among the most common and costly challenges that BCBAs and organizational managers face. Whether the issue is treatment plan deviation, inconsistent data collection, missed session targets, or interpersonal conflict, the reflexive response is often to schedule re-training.
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Join Free →Organizational behavior management (OBM) frequently uses assessments to define performance targets, identify the contextual factors causing subpar performance, and develop practical solutions (Austin, 2000). One such informant-based tool is the Performance Diagnostic Checklist-Human Services ([PDC-HS] Carr et al., 2013), which pinpoints barriers to desired performance. Once completed, the results can facilitate the identification of interventions tailored to address performance barriers. While research has demonstrated the utility of the PDC-HS in selecting correlated interventions to address a specific performance need (Carr et al., 2013; Echeveria et al., 2023), to date, there have been only two studies assessing the reliability and validity of the PDC-HS (Cymbal et al., 2020; Wilder et al., 2019). Although the PDC-HS 1.1 (Jimenez et al., 2023) expands to include instructions for using the assessment and updated references in the intervention planning section, the authors did note that users should have some experience with ABA to use the PDC-HS 1.1 accurately.
| Certification Body | Credits | Type |
|---|---|---|
| BACB® | 1 | Supervision |
Adriana (Adie) Anderson is a BCBA in San Diego, California, and works at Easterseals Southern California as Research Supervisor. She received her master's degree in Special Education with an emphasis in Autism from San Diego State University, where she worked with Sabrina Daneshvar. Adie obtained her Ph.D. in Applied Behavior Analysis from Endicott College while working under the advisement of Dr. Jill Harper. Her personal interests include soccer and a passion for Whitney Houston, while her research interests are focused on providing effective and efficient training to staff, developing social skills, and creating tools to teach decision-making skills.
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All behavior-analytic intervention is individualized. The information on this page is for educational purposes and does not constitute clinical advice. Treatment decisions should be informed by the best available published research, individualized assessment, and obtained with the informed consent of the client or their legal guardian. Behavior analysts are responsible for practicing within the boundaries of their competence and adhering to the BACB Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts.