Supervision/ Providing Feedback

• Identify the ratio of corrective versus affirming statements.  
• Describe one aspect of the feedback that went well. 
• Describe one aspect of the feedback that could have been improved upon. 
• Provide one suggestion to improve the feedback.  
• Using your textbook and/or other peer reviewed literature in behavior analysis, discuss critical elements of feedback and how you plan to deliver feedback effectively to promote performance growth.  (Approximately one page or three paragraphs.)

Case 1

Characters:

• Registered Behavior Technician (RBT): Sean
• Supervisor – Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA): Dr. Sharp

Sean completed an ABA session with his 3-year-old client from 8:00 AM-11:00AM at the Capella
Compassion EIBI Center. His supervisor Dr. Sharp watched a 15-minute portion of the session via the
live video feed accessible in each classroom by supervisory staff and parents.

Sean arrives at his supervisor’s office for a scheduled meeting at 12:00 PM and the door is closed. Sean
knocks for a few minutes before Dr. Sharp tells him to come in. Dr. Sharp is on a call and holds up a
finger and whispers ‘One minute, sorry!’. Sean gives Dr. Sharp a thumbs up and starts reading his
emails on his phone. After 5 minutes, Dr. Sharp ends his call.

Dr. Sharp: Thank you for waiting Sean! My apologies for the delay. How are you today?

Sean: No worries. I am good and you?

Dr. Sharp: First, I noticed you had some difficulty with the tying shoe task analysis today. You seemed to be
using forward chaining instead of backward chaining. Make sure to review the task analysis before the
session so you know what method is being used.

Sean: Got it. I’ll pay closer attention to that next time.

Dr. Sharp: Also, I saw that your data collection wasn’t as accurate as it should be. There were a few gaps in
recording the client’s responses. It’s important to record data in real time to avoid inaccuracies. Try to focus
on this during the session and ensure you’re noting every response.

Sean: I see. I’ll work on that.

Dr. Sharp’s phone begins to vibrate on the desk, and he briefly picks it up to look at it before continuing
with the feedback.

Dr. Sharp: The reinforcement strategy you used seemed a bit inconsistent. At times, you were using verbal
praise, but it wasn’t always immediate after the client’s correct responses. Immediate reinforcement is more
effective. Make sure to pair the praise with the correct behavior.

Sean: I’ll make sure to be more immediate with the reinforcement.

Dr. Sharp: Your use of attention extinction needs some improvement as well. There were moments when you
provided attention for inappropriate behavior. It’s important that we are consistently withholding attention
and reinforcing appropriate alternative behavior targets.

Sean: I’ll work on that.

Dr. Sharp: The way you managed the transitions between activities was a bit fast. Transitions should be
smoother and more planned out to help the client adjust better. Use anticipatory prompts and the visual
schedule when appropriate.

Dr. Sharp’s phone begins to vibrate again on the desk, and he briefly picks it up to look at it before
continuing with the feedback.

Sean: Okay, I’ll try to make the transitions smoother.

Dr. Sharp: Lastly, I noticed you didn’t fully utilize the play activities we discussed. Be sure to incorporate
them more consistently during play programs.

Sean: I’ll make sure to use the play items more effectively.

Dr. Sharp: One thing you did well was run the target number of trials across programs by the end of the
session. This ensures that we are presenting enough learning opportunities for clients to acquire targeted
skills. Way to go!

Sean: Thanks, Dr. Sharp. I appreciate the feedback.

Dr. Sharp: Alright, if you have any questions or need further clarification, let me know. Otherwise, just keep
these points in mind for your next session.

Sean: Will do. Thanks for the feedback.

Dr. Sharp: No problem. See you next time.

Case Scenario 2

Characters:

· RBT (Registered Behavior Technician): Tiana

· Supervisor – BCBA (Board Certified Behavior Analyst): Jay

Tiana is meeting with Jay to review a recorded ABA session from the week before. Tiana works

with a 5 year old client in the home setting from 4:00PM-6:00PM on MWF. Her supervisor Jay,

watched a 60 minute portion of Wednesday’s session.

Tiana arrives at her supervisor’s office and his door is open and he is sitting on a couch with the

video on the projector but paused. He has the session fidelity checklist on a clipboard and snacks

on the table. Jay’s office is always fun to visit because he has pictures of his world travels, a

large library of ABA books and articles that staff can borrow and motivational sayings on

various knick knacks.

Jay: Hey Tiana! Come on in.

Tiana: Hi Jay!

Jay: I have your session queued up and thought it would be helpful to review it together if you

are comfortable with that.

Tiana: That would be great. I like to see examples errors I can fix.

Jay: I was actually going to start off with all the things you did correctly based on the session

checklist. First off, your session flow was smooth. You transitioned between activities

seamlessly, which helps maintain the client’s focus and reduces downtime.

Tiana: (smiling) Thanks, I was really trying to keep the client engaged.

Jay: (nodding) It showed. Also, your data collection was thorough and accurate. The way you

recorded the client’s responses will make it easier to track progress over time.

Tiana: (taking notes) I appreciate that.

Jay: Additionally, I like the way you incorporated the parent during the play program outside.

You modeled the play program accurately and were very encouraging when the parent was

practicing with their child.

Tiana: That’s great to hear!

Jay has been sitting back in a relaxed position up until now. He suddenly stands and pauses and

turns to look at Tiana with a serious facial expression and tone of voice.

Jay: There is one area that needs improvement I can show you on the video. I noticed you didn’t

fully implement the planned prompt fading procedures. At one point, you used the same level of

prompting for several trials, which can limit the client’s independence. Make sure to follow the

prompt fading plan closely to promote skill acquisition.

Tiana: Got it. I’ll review the prompt fading procedures.

Jay’s facial expression immediately becomes relaxed and sits back down.

Jay: Awesome! Lastly, your interactions with the client were warm and supportive. You

maintained a positive demeanor throughout, which is important for building trust and rapport.

Tiana: I’m glad to hear that. I always try to stay positive.

Jay: And the way you handled that minor behavior issue was effective. You used the right

interventions, and your calm approach helped de-escalate the situation quickly.

Tiana: Thanks, I was worried I didn’t handle it well enough.

Jay: Overall, you did a great job. Just keep an eye on the prompt fading procedures, and you’ll

continue to do well. You can look through my resource library for more information as well.

Tiana: Thank you so much. I will do that.

Jay: Have some snacks too!

Case 3 Scenario

Characters:

• Registered Behavior Technician (RBT): Miguel
• Supervisor – Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA): Anjali

Anjali asks Miguel to meet for supervision after realizing her last direct observation
was a month ago and the previous meeting was canceled. A BCBA on another case
Miguel works on shared recent supervision notes indicating Miguel was struggling
initially but has made significant improvements with reinforcement and session
planning.

Anjali’s office is modern with a desk, a few chairs, and a whiteboard. Miguel arrives on
time and takes a seat at the desk, facing Anjali, who is sitting across from him with a
notepad.

Anjali: Hi Miguel, how are you doing today?

Miguel: Hi Anjali! I’m good, thanks. How about you?

Anjali: (cheerfully) I’m doing well, thanks for asking. Let’s discuss your session from last
month.

Miguel: Sure.

Anjali: First off, your implementation of reinforcement strategies was excellent. You
consistently applied positive reinforcement, and it was clear the client responded well to
it.

Miguel: I’m glad to hear that!

Anjali: Also, your session planning was very effective. You managed the activities and
transitions smoothly, which helped in keeping the client focused and engaged.

Miguel: I’m happy that the planning worked out well.

Anjali pauses and starts to flip through the notepad. After about 2 minutes, she
continues with the feedback.

Anjali: There is a note here that says you are having consistent issues with accurate data
collection.

Miguel: Okay. What program or behavior are you referencing? I know this was an issue last
month, but I have been trying really hard to record data as the behavior is occurring and
target at least 10 trials per program.

Anjali: It isn’t clear from the notes so I would assume all data collection and try to improve.

Miguel: Okay.

Anjali: There is also a note about your use of prompt fading. Make sure to review and
adhere to the prompt fading procedures.

Miguel: Sure.

Anjali: Do you have any questions or concerns?

Miguel: Nope.

Anjali: Okay great! See you soon!

Miguel: Yep.

Case Scenario 4

Characters:

• Registered Behavior Technician (RBT): Jim
• Supervisor – Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA): Dwight

Dwight and Jim arrive at Dunkin Donuts immediately following Jim’s in home session
with his 10-year-old client. Dwight attended the last 30 minutes of the session and has
notes from his observation to share with Jim.

Dwight orders Jim a coffee and the two sit in a back corner booth with no other
customers in proximity.

Dwight: Let’s go over your session from today.

Jim: I’m ready for the feedback.

Dwight: Alright, let’s start with opportunities for improvement. It took a while to transition
between activities. We want to limit transition times to 2-3 minutes. Setting up your
activities and the corresponding materials during presession preparation.

Jim: Understood!

Dwight: There were also some missed opportunities to incorporate the caregivers and
siblings in the play program. Asking them ahead of time or letting them know a time that
you will need their assistance would likely help with that.

Jim: Those are good ideas. I always forget.

Dwight: I would also recommend using the paper data sheets to record data during
programs rather than the electronic system on the iPad. Using the iPad seemed to slow
you down and took time away from the session when you couldn’t maintain access to Wi-
Fi.

Jim: I agree. The signal is bad over there.

Dwight: The data collection issues likely impacted your IOA score for the behavior
intervention plan which was 69%. The goal is 90% or better.

Jim: It did impact my score significantly. I am sure using the data sheets will help with that.

Dwight: Overall, you did a fantastic job today. Keep up the great work!

Jim: Thanks for the feedback and the coffee!

Dwight: No problem. Have a safe drive home.

Jim: You too!

Case Scenario 5

Characters:

• Registered Behavior Technician (RBT): Yueli
• Supervisor – Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA): Devon

Yueli is meeting with Devon for supervision at the Capella Compassion EIBI Center.
Devon’s first meeting is running over time, so Yueli waits in the lobby for 10 minutes
looking through her most recent session notes.

Devon: Hey Yueli, come on in. My meeting just ended. How are you today?

Yueli: I’m good, thanks. How about you?

Devon: I am having a very busy day. I scheduled back-to-back meetings, and I am
regretting it now. I prepared for our meeting, so I am ready to go.

Yueli: Thank you.

Yueli takes a seat at the small conference table in the middle of Devon’s office. The
chairs at Devon’s desk are stacked with books and there are boxes of toys and other
office supplies on the desk. As Devon goes to sit down, a staff member appears in her
doorway to report a parent issue that needs immediate attention.

Devon: I am sorry Yueli. Can you give me 1 minute to address this really quick?

Yueli: Sure!

Devon returns 5 minutes later and thanks Yueli for being patient before beginning the
feedback session.

Devon: You had a fantastic session yesterday. The reinforcement was good, you did well
with the behavior plan, you ran enough trials, and you completed your session note with 24
hours. I really have nothing bad to say.

Yueli: That’s great to hear! I thought my whole interval recording data for the Attending
program was a bit off. I don’t know that I have a clear grasp on when to record the
occurrence or non-occurrence of off task behavior.

Devon: Your data was fine.

Yueli: Thank you!

There is a knock at the door and Devon gets up to answer it.

Devon: My next supervision meeting starts now but I can continue our meeting for a few
more minutes if you’d like.

Yueli: That’s okay. I have nothing else. Thank you for your time.

Devon: That’s what I am here for! Have a great rest of your day!

Yueli: You too!

2

>Providing Feedback

Complete the table for each scenario.

Scenario	Affirming Comments to Constructive Comments Ratio	Describe one thing that went well.	Describe one thing that could have been improved upon.	Provide one suggestion to improve the feedback.
1
2
3
4
5

Critical Elements of Feedback

Using your textbook and/or other peer reviewed literature in behavior analysis, discuss critical elements of feedback and how you plan to deliver feedback effectively to promote performance growth. Approximately one page or three paragraphs

References