Training Supervisors to Train Staff

Abstract

An organizational development (OD) initiative in the form of a competency-based supervisory training program was evaluated in two group homes for individuals with mental retardation. Four supervisors, two from each home, received 5 hours of training via instructions, modeling, role-play, and feedback, to use selected performance antecedents (rationales, verbal instructions, modeling, prompts to practice, and assigned and participative goal-setting) and consequences (praise, feedback on correct and incorrect performance) while they taught client-teaching skills to four paraprofessional staff on the job. Supervisors' staff training performance and paraprofessional staffs' teaching performance were evaluated in multiple baseline fashion across the two homes. The program was associated with increases in the use of consequences by three of the supervisors, while patterns in the use of antecedents varied across supervisors. Changes in supervisors' performance were in turn associated with.