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Pyramidal Training: What It Is and Why You Should Be Using It

We've all been there: elbows on the table, face in our hands, overwhelmed with treatment planning, programming, supervision, direct care, caregiver training, and training our frontline staff. If you haven't yet experienced this "rite of passage" as a BCBA, shoot me an email and share your secret.  It often feels like the job of a behavior analyst is never-ending. In a previous article, I discussed the importance of BCBAs tapping into a valuable resource to lighten their load:  RBTs. Let's focus on a specific evidence-based training model that can provide BCBAs with some relief: the Pyramidal Model.


What is the Pyramidal Training Model?

Pyramidal Training (also known as peer training) is a train-the-trainer model that consists of a top-down structure that utilizes Behavior Skills Training (BST)—which includes instruction, modeling, rehearsal, and feedback—to train direct care staff (Parsons et al., 2013). This model can be applied outside of clinical settings, such as training teachers to conduct functional assessments in schools (Pence et al., 2014), and has been shown to be effective in training caregivers to implement basic behavior analytic interventions (Kuhn et al., 2003). It’s essentially a pyramid system where a senior trainer (BCBA) trains a small group of staff who, in turn, train another group, and so on (Parsons et al., 2012). 


In practice, a BCBA identifies "Lead Trainers" and trains them to mastery on specific topics with clearly defined objectives. Once lead trainers (e.g., student analysts) demonstrate optimal performance and competence they are responsible for training smaller groups (perhaps Senior RBTs), who then pass down the training to newly hired team members during overlap training or shadow sessions. BCBAs oversee this process and maintain involvement by refining skills and coaching all pyramid members during supervision or designated times without needing to conduct intensive training beyond the first tier.


What Are the Benefits?

For BCBAs:  

BCBA workloads can quickly become overwhelming. While supervision time provides an excellent opportunity to enhance direct care staff skills, thorough BST training is time-consuming. In their study, Parsons, Robinson, and Reid (2013) highlighted that a key benefit of Pyramidal Training with BST is the significant reduction in direct training time for BCBAs, allowing them to focus on other responsibilities. To be clear: this does not mean that BCBA involvement in training ceases, as fidelity checks must be ongoing. 


For RBTs: 

I’ve said this before, and I’ll repeat it: people are more likely to perform their job functions with higher quality and fidelity when they feel valued and are provided with professional development opportunities that extend beyond their typical responsibilities. Pyramidal training adds to an RBT's skill set by reinforcing their current skills and enabling them to take on leadership roles. This is particularly beneficial for student analysts enrolled in a verified course sequence to obtain their BCBA credentials, as they will be required to train their staff. Additionally, these Lead Trainers facilitate the proper implementation of behavior intervention procedures and help maintain and generalize the skills acquired. While BCBAs may not always be available to answer general questions, the presence of a peer trainer can provide reassurance to other RBTs as they will feel more supported, even without a BCBA present (Parsons et al., 2012). It’s important, however, to set limitations on what information or training  Lead Trainers can confidently provide to their peers. While Lead Trainers should be confident in their roles, many contingencies require clinical direction from a BCBA, and it’s the responsibility of BCBAs to set boundaries that serve the best interests of the learner.


For the Organization as a Whole:

A common barrier within organizations is often cited as a lack of resources. Even organizations with designated training managers can become overwhelmed by the demands of our ever-growing field. By implementing a pyramidal training model, training managers can utilize in-house resources (RBTs or admin staff) to meet training needs. With a well-structured system in place, you can maximize available resources within the team without relying on a single individual to carry the load. Additionally, a pyramidal model requires a team effort. When you involve frontline staff in the overall mission to improve company outcomes and objectives (high-quality training in this instance), you are creating a culture of meaning and purpose that increases staff engagement - this is crucial to the overall success of any organization (Aubrey Daniels International, 2019).


For Clients: 

Finally, we have our clients. Proper training of therapists, who are the backbone of ABA, is crucial for providing the highest quality therapy to our learners. Our work allows very little room for error. Effective training of frontline staff (along with ongoing supervision and coaching) minimizes or eliminates mistakes that could lead to slow or stagnant progress.


Do’s and Don’ts of Training

DO remember to customize training topics based on your organization’s current needs. You can designate trainers to cover an entire RBT training curriculum for behavior therapists preparing for their RBT exam or focus on more targeted topics, such as the proper implementation of discrete trial teaching procedures or differential reinforcement procedures. Be thorough with initial training, and invest the time needed to create a comprehensive library of training topics that can be used as new staff members join your team. If your organization does not have a training manager, I would challenge you to create a general plan yourself and get the process started.


DON’T take shortcuts. The goal is to train to mastery by ensuring optimal performance and competence in the skills you are teaching. This is why Behavior Skills Training (BST) cannot be overlooked, and you may want to consider making your first training topic the proper implementation of BST procedures. A valuable resource is the study by Parsons and colleagues, in which they expand on basic BST procedures to include eight steps instead of the standard four (2013).


DO ensure that your lead trainers genuinely want to train others and demonstrate mastery in all the skills you expect them to teach. They should also possess the necessary interpersonal skills and be comfortable providing feedback, which is another important training topic to consider. In my experience as a training manager, I carefully observed therapists and identified, through casual conversations, those who demonstrated clear skills that would benefit the training team. They also conveyed a desire to step outside their typical role, prompting me propose professional development opportunities. Sometimes, simply asking is all you need to do to gauge motivation.


DON’T force someone into a lead training role. While some may eagerly embrace new roles and engage in professional development opportunities, others may not be suited for the task. Successful pyramidal training relies on motivated, top performers occupying the highest levels of the pyramid. 


The Payoff:

While the objective is to decrease response effort in relation to our work, it’s important to remember that thorough training at the beginning of any training experience will require substantial effort from the BCBA. Additionally, ongoing supervision and coaching will be necessary to maintain the integrity of your pyramidal training model. Creating a solid training plan for each topic you intend to teach and preparing training materials (such as task analyses, presentations, role-play materials, and stimuli) will be time-consuming initially. Although this seems to contradict the goal of saving time, do it once, do it well, and the effort will pay off. Ultimately, you’ll have a solid training team, capable peers, and learners who will receive higher-quality care. To me, that is effort well spent. 



References:

Aubrey Daniels International. (2019). 4 Steps to increasing employee engagement: linking contribution to impact and meaning. https://www.aubreydaniels.com/blog/4-steps-to-increasing-employee-engagement-linking-contribution-to-impact-and-meaning


Kuhn, S. A., Lerman, D. C., & Vorndran, C. M. (2003). Pyramidal training for families of children with problem behavior. Journal of applied behavior analysis, 36(1), 77–88. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.2003.36-77


Parsons, M. B., Rollyson, J. H., & Reid, D. H. (2012). Evidence-based staff training: a guide for practitioners. Behavior analysis in practice, 5(2), 2–11. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03391819


Parsons, M. B., Rollyson, J. H., & Reid, D. H. (2013). Teaching Practitioners to Conduct Behavioral Skills Training: A Pyramidal Approach for Training Multiple Human Service Staff. Behavior analysis in practice, 6(2), 4–16. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03391798


Pence, S., St. Peter, C., & Giles, A. (2014). Teacher Acquisition of Functional Analysis Methods Using Pyramidal Training. Journal of Behavioral Education. 23. 10.1007/s10864-013-9182-4. 


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