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Evaluation of Broad Skill Repertoire Changes Over 3 Months of PEAK Implementation in a Special Education Classroom

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Abstract

The Promoting the Emergence of Advanced Knowledge (PEAK) Relational Training System provides a comprehensive language and cognition training strategy for use with children with disabilities. In the present study, we conducted PEAK within a special education classroom over the course of 3 months, and language and cognitive skills were assessed using the PEAK Comprehensive Assessment (PCA). On average, each of the five participants mastered 11.2 target programs across PEAK modules with an average of 186.4 new verbal behaviors or supporting behaviors. All participants showed an increase on the PCA following the intervention, with an average increase of 39.6 correct responses, and parents and staff reported improvements in participants’ use of language at home and at school relative to prior semesters.

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Funding

This project was funded by research awards developed by the LOTUS Project and Pender Public Schools (B02743-132022-73004-011) as part of an effort to conduct behavioral research in applied settings.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Psychology Department, Missouri State University, 901 S. National Ave, Springfield, MO, 65897, USA

    Jordan Belisle, Kayla Welch, Nicole McDonald, Lindsey Dennis & Elana Sickman

  2. Pender Public School, Pendragon Academy, Pender, Nebraska, USA

    Leah Clark & Kayla Welch

Authors
  1. Jordan Belisle
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  2. Leah Clark
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  3. Kayla Welch
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  4. Nicole McDonald
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  5. Lindsey Dennis
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  6. Elana Sickman
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jordan Belisle.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Ethical approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Research Highlights

• The intervention took place within a special education setting.

• PEAK Comprehensive Assessment results show broad repertoire growth across participants.

• Social validity results suggest changes in participants’ use of language at school and at home.

• Procedures were individualized across participants.

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Belisle, J., Clark, L., Welch, K. et al. Evaluation of Broad Skill Repertoire Changes Over 3 Months of PEAK Implementation in a Special Education Classroom. Behav Analysis Practice 15, 324–329 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-021-00657-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-021-00657-6

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