The Effect of Error Correction Procedures on Skill Acquisition and Maintenance: A Component Analysis of Prompt-Transfer-Distract-Check (PTDC)

Abstract

While certain error correction procedures are well-supported by existing research, others - such as the Prompt-Transfer-Distract-Check (PTDC) procedure - require further investigation to determine the conditions under which they are most effective. This study conducted a component analysis of PTDC to examine its effects on skill acquisition, maintenance, and participant preference relative to a prompt-transfer only (PT-only) condition. An adapted alternating treatments design was used to compare the two procedures across three preschool-aged children during discrete trial training (DTT) targeting novel tacts. Dependent variables included percentage of correct responses, various efficiency measures, and maintenance performance. All participants acquired skills in both conditions, with PT-only demonstrating slightly greater instructional efficiency for two participants. However, these differences were minimal and may be even less pronounced under typical instructional conditions that include antecedent instruction. Preference for PTDC may have been influenced by variability inherent in the procedure, suggesting that variability itself could function as a reinforcer and potentially influence preference. Limitations related to target set equivalency are also discussed.