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Review
. 2023 Nov 27;40(1):1-12.
doi: 10.1007/s40616-023-00197-w. eCollection 2024 Jun.

Procedural Fidelity Reporting in The Analysis of Verbal Behavior from 2007-2021

Elizabeth J Preas  1 , Mary E Halbur  2 , Regina A Carroll  2
Affiliations
Review

Procedural Fidelity Reporting in The Analysis of Verbal Behavior from 2007-2021

Elizabeth J Preas et al. Anal Verbal Behav. .

Abstract

Procedural fidelity refers to the degree to which procedures for an assessment or intervention (i.e., independent variables) are implemented consistent with the prescribed protocols. Procedural fidelity is an important factor in demonstrating the internal validity of an experiment and clinical treatments. Previous reviews evaluating the inclusion of procedural fidelity in published empirical articles demonstrated underreporting of procedural fidelity procedures and measures within specific journals. We conducted a systematic review of The Analysis of Verbal Behavior (TAVB) to evaluate the trends in procedural fidelity reporting from 2007 to 2021. Of the 253 articles published in TAVB during the reporting period, 144 of the articles (168 studies) met inclusionary criteria for further analysis. Our results showed that 54% of studies reported procedural fidelity data, which is slightly higher than previous reviews. In comparison, interobserver-agreement data were reported for a high percentage of studies reviewed (i.e., 93%). Further discussion of results and applied research implications are included.

Keywords: Interobserver agreement; Procedural fidelity; Treatment integrity; Verbal behavior.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing interestsThe authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Percentage and number of studies reporting procedural fidelity and interobserver agreement data by year. Note. PF = Procedural Fidelity; IOA = Interobserver Agreement
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Number and percentage of studies coded as high, low, or no risk of procedural inaccuracies
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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