Teaching Applied Behaviour Analysis to Caregivers of Individuals with Acquired Brain Injury

Abstract

Acquired brain injury is the leading cause of death and disability worldwide, often leading to cognitive, physical, emotional, social, and behavioural difficulties. Challenging behaviours, such as resistance, refusal, and aggression, can prevent successful community reintegration following an acquired brain injury. The behaviour analytic strategy differential reinforcement has been demonstrated to reduce challenging behaviours effectively; however, applied behaviour analysis remains under-utilized in brain injury rehabilitation. This project used a modified nonconcurrent multiple-probe across groups design to evaluate an online training program to provide instruction to frontline workers on implementing differential reinforcement. In two groups, participants were exposed to a probe requiring them to apply differential reinforcement in simulated client interactions, and the percent correct was measured. The intervention provided instruction (i.e., didactic) about behaviour analytic principles and how to implement differential reinforcement (i.e., practical exercises with feedback). Participants' scores significantly increased from baseline, indicating that the online training program facilitated learning of differential reinforcement and increased frontline workers’ ability to implement differential reinforcement during the online simulated exercises.