Teaching Community Service Providers to Support Caregiver PECS Use: An Evaluation of the PECSperts Facilitator Training Model

Abstract

Research examining how to train facilitators to implement the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) with caregivers and children is scarce. This research gap presents a barrier to offering PECS as a community service. Currently, there is some empirical research supporting the effectiveness of behaviour skills training (BST) and pyramidal training to train facilitators to implement behavioural interventions. Building on this foundation, the present study used a quasi-experimental, non-randomized group design to explore the effectiveness of a manualized BST training model (i.e., the PECSperts Facilitator Training Package) within a pyramidal training approach. Sixteen community facilitators participated in the study. Participants who immediately received training demonstrated a significant increase in treatment integrity from pre- to post-training assessments. These results maintained during the five week follow up period and generalized to the participants’ clinical practice with families in the community. Participants who did not immediately receive training, did not demonstrate an increase in treatment integrity from pre- to post-training assessments. Later, the training procedures were replicated with the participants who did not initially receive training. After participation in the PECSperts Facilitator Training, these participants’ treatment integrity scores also significantly increased. Participants rated the training positively on a social validity questionnaire. The results provide preliminary evidence for the use of the PECSperts Facilitator Training as an effective training model for training facilitators to teach caregivers to implement PECS with their autistic children. Results of this study have implications for increasing community capacity and access to facilitator PECS training.