PEAK: Electronic Manual for Teaching the Application of Pre-Assessment – Generalization Module

Abstract

PEAK is an assessment and curriculum protocol for individuals with autism spec­trum disorder (ASD), developed to be accessible and easily understood by therapists and caregivers. This study aimed to train three psychologists aged between 25 and 30 years, each with at least two years of experience working with individuals with ASD and skilled in dis­crete trial training (DTT), with no previous experience applying PEAK, to conduct the Pre- Assessment of the PEAK Generalization module (PEAK-G). An online instructional material (electronic manual) was developed, structured using Behavior Skills Training (BST) strate­gies, containing detailed instructions regarding the steps of the Pre-Assessment. A multiple baseline design was employed, consisting of four intervention phases (theoretical instruction, video modeling, error identification video, and practice exercise). Data collected were ana­lyzed as the percentage of correct responses, indicating a substantial increase in participant performance in the post-intervention phase, with accuracy scores exceeding 90%. Future research should investigate whether methodological adjustments can reduce intervention duration and enhance the generalization of these results to therapists and caregivers with less experience.