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Biomedical subjects

M B Parsons

Publications and source records attributed to M B Parsons.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Evaluating the functional utility of congregate day treatment activities for adults with severe disabilities.

Many adults with severe disabilities spend considerable amounts of time in segregated day programs. We evaluated the degree to which these programs support purposeful and age-appropriate activity. Observations in 100 congregate community and institutional program sites indicated that approximately half of consumer time was spent in purposeful activity, 75% of which was age-appropriate. In 20% of the sites, though, most activity was age-inappropriate. These results, which were similar across community and institutional settings, are discussed in terms of respective program administrators evaluating their supports through comparisons with activity involvement in other programs and the need for changes in programs providing primarily age-inappropriate activities.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed2001

Training support staff to embed teaching within natural routines of young children with disabilities in an inclusive preschool.

We evaluated a program for training 4 support staff to embed instruction within the existing activities of 5 children with disabilities in an inclusive preschool. The program involved classroom-based instruction, role playing, and feedback regarding how to effectively prompt, correct, and reinforce child behavior. Descriptions of naturally occurring teaching opportunities in which to use the teaching skills were also provided. Following classroom training, brief on-the-job training was provided to each staff member, followed by on-the-job feedback. Results indicated that each staff member increased her use of correct teaching procedures when training was implemented. Improvements in child performance accompanied each application of the staff training program. Results are discussed in terms of using effective staff training as one means of increasing the use of recommended intervention procedures in inclusive settings. Areas for future research could focus on training staff to embed other types of recommended practices within typical preschool routines involving children with disabilities.

Child↗
PubMed2001

Increasing one aspect of self-determination among adults with severe multiple disabilities in supported work.

We attempted to increase one aspect of self-determination among 3 supported workers with multiple disabilities. Following Baer's (1998) self-determination conceptualization, the workers were exposed to two conditions that involved working more versus less independently based on availability of assistive devices. Next, their condition preferences were assessed and honored. All participants consistently chose the more independent condition. Results reflect how self-determination may be enhanced by giving workers increased control over work situations.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Identifying work preferences among individuals with severe multiple disabilities prior to beginning supported work.

We evaluated a prework assessment for predicting work-task preferences among workers with severe multiple disabilities prior to beginning supported work. The assessment involved comparing worker selections from pairs of work tasks drawn from their future job duties. Results of workers' choices once they began their jobs in a publishing company indicated that the assessment predicted tasks that the workers preferred to work on during their job routines. Results are discussed regarding other possible means of determining preferred types of supported work.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Training residential supervisors to provide feedback for maintaining staff teaching skills with people who have severe disabilities.

We evaluated procedures for training supervisors in a residential setting to provide feedback for maintaining direct-service staff members ' teaching skills with people who have severe disabilities. Using classroom-based instruction and on-the-job observation and feedback, 10 supervisors were initially trained to implement teaching programs themselves. The training improved supervisors' teaching skills but was insufficient to improve the quality of feedback they provided to direct-service staff regarding the staff members' teaching skills. Subsequently, classroom-based instruction and on-the-job observation and feedback that targeted supervisors' feedback skills were provided. Following training in provision of feedback, all supervisors met criterion for providing feedback to their staff. Results also indicated that maintenance of teaching skills was greater for direct-service staff whose supervisors had received training in providing feedback relative to staff whose supervisors had not received such training. The need for analysis of other variables that affect maintenance of staff performance, as well as variables that affect other important areas of supervisor performance, is discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Comparing choice and questionnaire measures of the acceptability of a staff training procedure.

We compared questionnaire and choice measures of acceptability while evaluating effects of staff familiarity versus unfamiliarity with the system used to monitor performance during a training program. Staff members rated both monitoring formats equally favorably on the questionnaire, whereas when given a choice, they frequently chose the familiar format and never chose the unfamiliar format. These results suggest that traditional questionnaire evaluations may not be sufficiently sensitive measures of acceptability relative to choice measures.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1993

Reduction of self-injurious hand mouthing using response blocking.

We evaluated a response-blocking procedure for reducing the self-injurious hand mouthing of 2 adults with profound disabilities. The procedure reduced mouthing in both cases. The results suggest research is warranted to delineate the behavioral process responsible for the effect of response blocking and to determine the procedure's long-term utility.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Evaluation of components of residential treatment by Medicaid ICF-MR surveys: a validity assessment.

We evaluated the proficiency of the federal Medicaid program's survey process for evaluating intermediate care facilities for the mentally retarded. In Study 1, an observational analysis of active treatment during leisure times in living units suggested that these surveys did not discriminate between certified and noncertified units. In Study 2, a reactivity analysis of a survey indicated that direct-care staff performed differently during the survey by increasing interactions with clients and decreasing nonwork behavior. Similarly, results of Study 3 showed increases in client access to leisure materials during a survey. In Study 4, questionnaire results indicated considerable variability among service providers' opinions on the consistency, accuracy, and objectivity with which survey teams determine agency standard compliance. Results are discussed regarding effects of the questionable proficiency of survey processes and the potential utility of behavioral assessment methodologies to improve such processes.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1990

Assessing food preferences among persons with profound mental retardation: providing opportunities to make choices.

Increased attention has been directed recently to assisting persons with severe handicaps to express preferences concerning events in their lives. We evaluated a program for assessing choice-making skills to provide opportunities for persons with profound mental retardation to express food and drink preferences. In Experiment 1, the assessment procedure involving repeated, paired-item presentations resulted in active choice making and the identification of preferences for all 5 participants. Results also indicated that caregiver opinion was not predictive of participant food and drink preferences. A survey of service providers supported the importance of meal-related choices in this population. In Experiment 2, the practicality of the assessment procedure was supported by demonstrating that (a) routine caregivers could apply the procedure with appropriate supervision to provide choice opportunities, and (b) results of the procedure were predictive of participant choices when a less structured and more normal opportunity to express a preference was provided during regular mealtimes. Results are discussed in terms of extending the developing technology of preference and reinforcer identification to other important areas for persons with severe disabilities.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Effects of chosen versus assigned jobs on the work performance of persons with severe handicaps.

We evaluated the effects of several choice-related variables on the work performance of adults with severe handicaps. After assessing client work preferences, three choice-related situations were presented: (a) providing clients with the opportunity to choose a work task, (b) assigning a preferred task, and (c) assigning a nonpreferred task. Results indicated that clients attended to work tasks almost twice as much when they chose their tasks and when assigned to work on preferred tasks versus when assigned to work on nonpreferred tasks. Results are discussed regarding the need to assess systematically the effects of choice-related variables.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Improving residential treatment services: implementation and norm-referenced evaluation of a comprehensive management system.

Ensuring effective service delivery by direct-care personnel in institutional living units for persons with developmental disabilities historically has been a difficult process, despite considerable attention from researchers, service providers, and governmental regulatory agencies. In this investigation, we conducted a normative evaluation of the extent and quality of treatment services currently provided in residential living units and evaluated a comprehensive management system designed to improve such services. Results of the first experiment, encompassing 22 living units in three states, indicated that on the average two thirds of observed resident behavior did not involve any therapeutic activity. The results also provided social validity for the criteria used to evaluate the quality of treatment provision based on opinions of mental retardation professionals. Results of the second experiment indicated that a behavioral management program implemented during 23 separate time periods across five living units was accompanied by consistent and durable decreases in resident nontherapeutic activity as well as increases in specifically designated habilitative activity. The results provide support for the successful incorporation of behavioral management technology into human service settings on a large-scale, long-term basis.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1987

Expanding the impact of behavioral staff management: a large-scale, long-term application in schools serving severely handicapped students.

Experimental evaluations of behavioral staff management procedures usually have been limited to relatively small-scale demonstration studies. We evaluated a large-scale, long-term application of a staff management program designed to improve the functional utility of educational services for severely handicapped persons. The intervention, involving a brief in-service program followed by supervisory prompts and feedback, was implemented by three principals in four schools involving 21 classrooms. Implementation of the management procedures was consistently accompanied by increases in student involvement in functional educational tasks in each classroom. Further, the improved services continued throughout a 2-year follow-up period. Staff responses to a questionnaire indicated a high degree of staff acceptance of the management program. Results are discussed in terms of expanding the use of behavioral supervisory procedures from experimental demonstrations to actual adoption by existing human service agencies.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1986

Naturalistic observations of classrooms serving severely handicapped persons: establishing evaluative norms.

A naturalistic, observational analysis was conducted of 43 self-contained classrooms serving severely handicapped students. The primary focus of the observations was on levels of on-task student performance and student involvement in functional educational tasks. Results indicated that during designated instructional periods, slightly less than half of all student time was spent on-task. When students were on-task, almost two-thirds of their time involved nonfunctional instructional tasks. Results are discussed in terms of establishing norms for evaluating and improving educational services for the severely handicapped. Additionally, future research directions are noted, with a particular emphasis on investigating means of assisting educators in providing more useful teaching tasks for severely handicapped students.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1985

Providing a more appropriate education for severely handicapped persons: increasing and validating functional classroom tasks.

We evaluated a teacher training and supervision program for increasing the involvement of severely handicapped adolescents and adults in functional educational tasks. The program, consisting of a brief in-service followed by supervisory prompts and feedback, was accompanied by large increases in functional tasks in three classrooms. In addition, generalized increases occurred during nontargeted times in the classroom and the changes during both the targeted and nontargeted times were maintained over a 44-45 week period. In two subsequent experiments, surveys provided social validation for the criteria for functional versus nonfunctional tasks in that: (a) relevant individuals reliably categorized functional tasks as representing typical living, work, social, and leisure situations and (b) experienced clinicians consistently rated tasks previously categorized as functional as being more useful for severely handicapped persons than tasks categorized as nonfunctional. Results are discussed in terms of the relationship of functional classroom tasks in the overall provision of appropriate educational services for severely handicapped students.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Evaluating and improving residential treatment during group leisure situations: a program replication and refinement.

The authors attempted to replicate and refine a program for evaluating and improving residential treatment services during group leisure periods in living units. In Study 1, an active treatment program was implemented using a consultant model in two living units serving persons with severe handicaps. Similar to previous research, the program was accompanied by decreases in nonadaptive client behavior in both units during leisure periods. In addition, a time-efficient monitoring system was developed which suggested that two staff-related variables, provision of leisure materials, and interactions with clients were related to the program's success. Study 2 evaluated more thoroughly the relationship of these variables to client nonadaptive behavior in 20 residential units in four states. Significant predictive relationships again were found between nonadaptive behavior and material availability, and between nonadaptive behavior and staff interactions with clients. Results of Study 2 also indicated that three living unit supervisors readily learned to use the evaluation system. Results are discussed regarding the importance of simple and efficient monitoring systems for routinely evaluating and improving residential services.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Reducing job coach assistance for supported workers with severe multiple disabilities: an alternative off-site/on-site model.

Adults with severe multiple disabilities constitute a very small percentage of individuals in supported work. When these persons do obtain community jobs, considerable assistance is usually required. We evaluated an off-site/on-site program for reducing job coach assistance provided for three adults with severe multiple disabilities in a part-time community job. Following observations of the supported workers' job performance in a publishing company, the job support reduction program was implemented while the individuals received more traditional day services when not at work. The program involved assessing the amount and type of assistance provided for each step in a worker's job tasks, and then reducing the assistance through environmental adaptations and instruction. After implementation in the nonwork setting, the adaptations and instruction were extended to the work site. Immediate reductions occurred in the amount of assistance provided by job coaches for each supported worker while on the job. No adverse effects on productivity were observed. These results suggest that an off-site/on-site approach to reducing work assistance represents a viable alternative to current supported work models. Social validity observations in 10 job sites highlighted the need to demonstrate ways to reduce work assistance provided for workers with severe multiple disabilities. Future research areas are noted, focusing on evaluating other models for enhancing supported work opportunities for people with highly significant disabilities.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Training basic teaching skills to community and institutional support staff for people with severe disabilities: a one-day program.

Shortcomings in the technology for training support staff in methods of teaching people with severe disabilities recently have resulted in calls to improve the technology. We evaluated a program for training basic teaching skills within one day. The program entailed classroom-based verbal and video instruction, practice, and feedback followed by on-the-job feedback. In Study I, four undergraduate interns participated in the program, and all four met the mastery criterion for teaching skills. Three teacher aides participated in Study 2, with results indicating that when the staff applied their newly acquired teaching skills, students with profound disabilities made progress in skill acquisition. Clinical replications occurred in Study 3, involving 17 staff in school classrooms, group homes, and an institution. Results of Studies 2 and 3 also indicated staff were accepting of the program and improved their verbal skills. Results are discussed regarding advantages of training staff in one day. Future research suggestions are offered, focusing on identifying means of rapidly training other teaching skills in order to develop the most effective, acceptable, and efficient technology for staff training.

Adolescent↗