The effects of two kinds of feedback on staff's task completion in a token economy program

Gaulton, Edgar Joseph (1979) The effects of two kinds of feedback on staff's task completion in a token economy program. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

This study investigated the effects of two kinds of performance feedback on ward staff's completion of assigned tasks in a token economy program. Subjects were 14 Psychiatric Nursing Assistants employed on a ward of 39 residents, 24 of whom were participants in the program. The assigned tasks were observing and recording resident performance on dining behaviour, physical appearance, room care, and recreational activities. The dependent measure was staff completion of tasks, computed daily. Its determination was based on Assistants’ recordings on the designated program forms. Two completion scores were determined, the 'Percentage Observations Completion’ and the ‘Percentage Jobs Completion.’ Reliability of using data on the forms was assessed by checks made surreptitiously by the ward Social Worker and Program Co-ordinator. Twenty-three percent of the assigned tasks were checked in this way, with an agreement of 99%. Percentage agreement with Assistants' recorded observations of residents' behaviours was 83%. A withdrawal design was employed in which baseline (A) and two feedback conditions (B and C) were presented in an A B A B A C A C A sequence. During B conditions the Co-ordinator posted information containing the combined completion scores for staff on the nursing station bulletin board. During C conditions the Co-ordinator posted the performance scores of the residents on the target behaviours. Feedback conditions were 16 days long, and the baseline and withdrawal conditions were 20 days each. -- Results showed that Assistants’ completion of assigned tasks increased in the four experimental phases (two kinds of feedback) relative to baseline and withdrawal phases. The differences were sufficient to support the conclusion that both kinds of feedback produced increases in completion rate. Details of the results are reported. Interpretations of the findings and the functions of performance feedback are discussed. Implications of this research, particularly a practical consideration of feedback as a staff management strategy, are discussed and suggestions for future research are made.

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