Discrete Trial Training By Dylan James M.S.Ed, BCBA, LBS, Clinical Director Connect Plus Therapy, Pennsylvania
What is Discrete Trial Training (DTT)? ●
Discrete trial training is a technique used by practitioners of applied behavior analysis that was developed by Ivar Lovaas at the University of California, Los Angeles.
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DTT is a structured ABA technique that breaks down skills into small, “discrete” components.
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Systematically, the trainer teaches these skills one by one.
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Along the way, trainers use tangible reinforcements for desired behavior. For a child, this might include a candy or small toy, verbal praise, or free play.
What is Discrete Trial Training (DTT)?, Con’t.
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For example, a trainer teaching colors to a child might begin by teaching red. She would ask the child to point to red and then reward the behavior.
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She would then move on to teaching yellow by itself, reinforce that skill, and then ask about both colors.
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After the child learns all his colors, the trainer might teach the child to say each color’s name.
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Many therapists have found DTT to be particularly effective for teaching skills to children with autism.
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DTT was one of the very first interventions developed for autism and has extensive research supporting it.
DTT – 3 Distinct Parts 1.
Antecedent: A clear, simple instruction provided to the learner (Sd)
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Specific Behavior that we expect the learner to perform in response to our instruction
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Consequence: Either positive reinforcement for the correct response or a correction for incorrect responses
Techniques Used in DTT ● Breaking skills into smaller components ● Teaching until mastery is achieved ● Intensive teaching sessions ● Use of prompts in the introduction of skills and then prompts are systematically faded as required ● Reinforcement strategies are used for motivation ● Data collection
Benefits of DTT ●
Development of communication, play, cognition, social, and self-help skills
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Tasks are initially short
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There is an obvious start and finish to each trial
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Teaches new for of behaviors
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Stimulus control is clear and consistent, which provides opportunity for repetition. Less confusing for the learner
Limitations of DTT ●
Prompt dependency
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Generalization must be programmed – Skills learned during DTT are NOT automatically transferred to other environments.
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Labor intensive – Demands a great deal of time and effort from the teacher.
Criticisms of DTT ●
Boring
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Doesn’t teach language
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Turns learners into robots
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Doesn’t look natural
DTT in Action ●
https://youtu.be/7pN6ydLE4EQ
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Autism Prevalence
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