The Effects of a Multicomponent Intervention on Treatment Integrity of Counterconditioning for Aggression in Dogs

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of consumer management procedures on dog owner treatment integrity. A within subjects comparison was made. The primary dependent variable was treatment integrity. Errors were analyzed as either omission or commission. Secondarily, dog aggression and precursors to aggression were measured. Lastly, owners and experts rated goals, procedures, and effects to assess acceptability. Owners were trained with consumer management procedures to use classical counterconditioning (CC) which reduces aggression in dogs. Consumer management procedures included verbal instruction, modeling, and performance feedback. Performance feedback was delivered in the form of praise for correct implementation, corrective feedback, and sharing process and outcome data. The intervention was divided into two main phases: instruction and generalization programming. Instruction targeted a relatively simple context for owners. During instruction treatment integrity was targeted with verbal instruction, modeling, and performance feedback. During generalization programming the integrity with which owners implement CC in more complex contexts was targeted with performance feedback. The intervention was effective during both phases with the result of increased treatment integrity. Secondarily, there was a dramatic decrease in aggression and a minor decrease in precursor behavior. Lastly, goals, procedures and effects were rated as highly acceptable by owners and experts. Implications for use are discussed.