Behavior technician implementation of Reciprocal Imitation Teaching

Naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions are an evidence-based approach to early supports for children with an autism diagnosis. However, they have yet to be successfully taken up on a wide-scale by community-based behavior analytic practitioners. This concurrent multiple baseline study examined the effects of a one-time virtual training and ongoing bug-in-ear coaching on behavior technician implementation of a focused Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Intervention, Reciprocal Imitation Teaching (RIT). Four behavior technician-child dyads participated during community-based behavior analytic service sessions. Increases in behavior technicians’ fidelity of RIT implementation was observed over the course of training and coaching; however, behavior technicians’ generalization of RIT to an untrained routine was not observed and likely would have benefited from explicit support. Behavior technicians rated RIT as feasible to implement, acceptable in their workplace, and as facilitating a positive relationship with clients. Child imitative gains were observed for 2 of the 4 child participants. One-month follow-up data indicated maintained levels of RIT fidelity for behavior technicians and imitative gains for the two child participants. Practice and research implications are discussed.