Frequency of Implementation Errors Negatively Affects Accuracy of Fidelity Data

• Published in: Education & treatment of children Vol. 46; no. 3; pp. 233 - 241
• Main Authors: Aguilar, Marisela, Cooper, Abbie R., St. Peter, Claire C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01.09.2023; Springer
• Subjects: Accuracy; Accuracy and precision; Analysis; Behavior; Behavior disorders; Behavioral Science and Psychology; Child and School Psychology; Child behavior; Child behaviour; Children; Clinical Psychology; Company business management; Control Groups; Data Analysis; Data Collection; Data entry; Developmental Psychology; Error analysis (Mathematics); Error Patterns; Evaluation; Fidelity; Management; Methods; Original Article; Psychology; Response rates; Social science research; Students; Therapists; United States; Data collection; Interobserver agreement; Procedural fidelity
• ISSN: 0748-8491; 1934-8924
• DOI: 10.1007/s43494-023-00097-7

Monitoring the fidelity with which implementers implement behavioral procedures is important, but individuals tasked with monitoring fidelity may have received little training. As a result, their data may be affected by variations in implementers’ performance, such as the frequency of fidelity errors. To determine the extent to which the frequency of fidelity errors affected data accuracy, we used a multielement design in which novice observers collected fidelity data from video models with three levels of programmed fidelity (40%, 80%, and 100%) of a procedure based on differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO). Participants collected fidelity data with lower accuracy, as indexed by interobserver agreement scores, when errors were more frequent. These findings suggest that individuals collecting fidelity data may need additional supports to detect and record all errors when procedural fidelity is low.