Document Type

Dissertation

College

College of Arts and Sciences

Department

Psychology

Degree

PhD in Behavior Analysis

Dissertation Defense Date

2012

First Committee Member

Hanley, Gregory P.

Second Committee Member

Thompson, Rachel H.

Third Committee Member

Palmer, David C.

Additional Committee Member(s)

Carlson, Jessica H.

Abstract

"There may be serious consequences if a child cannot safely manage dangerous situations. Previous research has demonstrated the efficacy of behavioral skills training (BST) and in-situ training (IST) for teaching children to self-protect against strangers, guns, poisons, and other dangers. However, these procedures are time consuming and resource intensive. In addition, these procedures may be difficult to implement on a large scale. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate a computerized version of BST to teach safety skills and to determine the extent to which safety skills generalized across different dangers. In Study 1, eleven children learned, via computerized behavioral skills training (CST) and IST, to safely get away and tell an adult when asked to leave the area by a stranger. In Studies 2 and 3, IST was implemented with 16 children for one or two of three dangers following exposure to CST for all dangers. These participants correctly self-protected from dangers after playing the computer game and experiencing IST, and performance generalized to similar dangerous situations (poisons and lighters) for which participants did not receive IST (Studies 2 and 3); however, safety skills did not generalize from poisons and lighters to strangers (Study 3). Computerized training may be an acceptable substitute for traditional BST when combined with IST to improve efficiency, and maintain efficacy, in a comprehensive safety skills program."

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