ABSTRACT

Ethics guidelines, trainings, and continuing education requirements are frequently updated to reflect the ongoing need to better prepare behavior analysts to face ethical dilemmas in their daily practice. In terms of the ethics trainings that behavior analysts are currently experiencing, they are potentially encountering a narrow and rigid set of trainings and resources, which may then necessitate an expanded approach to ethics. If behavior analysts are not adequately trained and are not supported in developing their ethical repertoire, then these gaps in training can detrimentally impact clients served as well as the field at large. The present study aimed to survey practitioners in the field on their ethics training experiences in supporting their ethical daily practices using questions targeted toward pre-certification ethics coursework, ethics continuing education units, and ongoing environmental supports. Data suggest that several factors significantly impact practitioner's perception of their ethics trainings (e.g., preparedness and relevance) to complete their job responsibilities in compliance with the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) Ethics Code. Implications for ethics guidelines and training requirements for the field are discussed.

ABSTRACT

Responding effectively to verbal stimuli requires auditory-visual conditional discriminations (AVCDs), which some learners with severe language delays struggle to acquire. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of transferring control over object selection from a modeled action to a spoken word. The participants were two six-year-old twins who already had generalized object imitation skills but had not successfully acquired any listener discriminations. During the object imitation to AVCD transfer procedure, the instructor initially modeled a play-based functional action with each object and reinforced object imitation. Correct object imitation was then followed by an AVCD trial. Effects on acquisition were evaluated in a two-tier multiple baseline design across participants with replication across stimulus sets. Both the participants not only acquired the AVCD targets across 4 sets, but showed generalization and maintenance across other AVCD targets during and following the study.

ABSTRACT

Behavioral interventions have demonstrated group-level benefits for a variety of behavioral presentations and conditions. The ability to capture and quantify reliable individual-level change during the course of behavioral interventions is essential for making rational clinical management decisions. Recently, the neurobehavioral evaluation tool (NET) was developed and revised for use within behavioral intervention outcome assessment. Traditional, practice-adjusted, and standardized regression-based reliable change indices (RCIs) were calculated for the NET domains to provide reliable change norms. In two samples (Ns = 498 and 125), traditional RCIs indicated that reliable symptom reductions and skill improvements needed to be +/− 0.7 to 1.3 SDs across domains. Standardized regression-based change norms indicated that slightly smaller magnitude changes are required to be considered reliable. NET-derived RCIs can be used to inform clinical management during behavioral interventions. Regression-based RCIs may be particularly useful for guiding clinical management for individuals with very high symptoms/very low skills at baseline.

ABSTRACT

Autistic children often have difficulties learning to transition out of diapers and controlling continence. Due to this, children on the spectrum may require a more systematic toilet training protocol than what parents may use with typically developing children. Most published toilet training procedures with this population include some form of punishment as a component of the treatment package, which may raise ethical concerns. Thus, the purpose of the present investigation was to examine the effects of a standardized behavior analytic toilet training package without a punishment that included the following components: 1) preference assessment, 2) request training, 3) differential reinforcement for staying dry, 4) underwear, and 5) progressive sit schedule on the successful urinations in the toilet by young children with autism. For students who did not meet mastery criteria with the standardized training package, we implemented a contingent progressive sit schedule followed by the individualized interventions when necessary. Three of the five participants successfully learned how to urinate in the toilet with the standardized toilet training package alone. One participant required a contingent progressive sit schedule phase, and one participant required an individualized intervention to reach mastery. Four of the five participants maintained responding when the package was faded out over a 4-week period.

Abstract

Behavior analysis is facing criticism based on its historical use of restrictive procedures and reliance on punishers to change behavior. A review of punishment procedures in behavior analytic literature has not been conducted since 2014; a more recent review can clarify whether the aforementioned criticism is substantiated by current research. In this review, we examined 59 studies published between 2014 and 2023 and extracted data on participant characteristics, procedural characteristics, and efficacy of procedures. We found an increase in the use of response interruption and redirection procedures, as well as more frequent evaluation of social validity, generalization, and maintenance as compared to previous decades. We also observed a decrease in functional assessment of target behaviors. Most importantly, we observed a decrease in physical forms of punishment, which may be considered more restrictive. We provide recommendations for future research, clinical practice, and advocacy.

No abstract is available for this article.

ABSTRACT

There is limited research concerned with the physical appearance of persons who have intellectual and developmental disabilities. This study evaluated a clothing and grooming measurement checklist and care provider intervention to improve the physical appearance of four students (18- to 21-years-old) with neurodevelopmental disabilities. The measurement checklist was easy to administer, time-efficient, and associated with good interobserver agreement (IOA). Implemented in a multiple baseline design, the care provider intervention had an immediate and sustained positive effect with all students. We discuss measurement and intervention considerations, outcome objectives, and research directed at physical appearance among dependent populations.

Behavioral Interventions, Volume 40, Issue 1, February 2025.

ABSTRACT

Differential reinforcement (DR) procedures involve systematically arranging the environment to increase the future frequency of socially important behaviors while minimizing or eliminating problem behaviors. The purpose of the present study was to compare the effects of computerized stimulus equivalence-based instruction (EBI) to a pre-recorded voiceover PowerPoint lecture to teach definitions and examples of differential reinforcement procedures to college students. The three classes comprised textual stimuli characterizing differential reinforcement of other (DRO), alternative (DRA), and incompatible (DRI) behavior. Each class contained three members: name, definition, and short vignette examples. To program for generalization, two vignette exemplars were used during training while a third exemplar was used to assess stimulus generalization. We used a between-subjects group design to compare pretest and posttest performances of EBI and lecture participants across (a) computer match-to-sample (MTS), (b) card sorting, and (c) written tests (fill-in and multiple-choice), with the latter two used to determine the degree to which class-consistent responding generalized from selection-based responding to other response topographies (i.e., sorting and writing). Results demonstrated that EBI produced greater score increases than lecture for MTS and card sorting tests, but increases were comparable for the two groups for both fill-in and multiple-choice written tests. Another posttest at 1 week showed maintenance of performance gains. Implications for using EBI to teach behavior analytic content are discussed.

ABSTRACT

The high-probability instructional sequence has been shown to be effective to increase cooperation with low-probability requests. However, for some individuals, it may be difficult to identify high-probability instructions, and some high-probability instructions may become less likely to evoke cooperation over time. Thus, under some circumstances medium probability instructions, or instructions which may be less likely to evoke cooperation than high-probability instructions, may be a useful temporary alternative to increase cooperation. In the current study, we compared medium probability instructions to high probability instructions to increase cooperation among three children with autism spectrum disorder. The results showed that for two participants, the medium probability instructions improved cooperation as much as the high-probability instructions. For a third participant, the medium probability instructions improved cooperation over baseline, but not to the level observed with the high-probability instructions. Results are discussed in terms of the mechanisms responsible for the effects of instructional sequences.

ABSTRACT

Students commonly engage in problem behaviors, yet teachers report handling difficult behavior as their biggest challenge. Over the last few decades, some research has used functional analyses (FAs) to determine the function of student's problem behavior and then developed function-based interventions based on the FA findings. Despite the success of the studies, research has indicated that traditional FA methodologies are not always feasible for teachers and schools. Therefore, a need exists to develop better and more efficient ways to train teachers to conduct FAs. Thus, the study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of using virtual video models to train future teachers to conduct trial-based functional analyses (TBFAs) and assess if the skill could generalize into an in-person setting. A concurrent multiple baseline design across participants was used, and results indicated that the videos effectively taught participants to conduct a TBFA. The virtual training generalized well into an in-person setting, with only one participant needing additional feedback. Additionally, results indicate that the virtual intervention was socially valid for all participants.

ABSTRACT

Access to behavior analytic services is limited and often unavailable for many in areas with a dearth of qualified providers. Tools to support behavior-change agents located in the natural environment of consumers may be a way to provide behavioral interventions. An artificial intelligence (AI) platform that guides the implementation of behavioral interventions may be useful for supporting procedural fidelity. The current studies evaluated whether an AI platform was effective at increasing and maintaining high levels of procedural fidelity in individuals with little to no prior training. Participants were two behavior technicians in training (Exp. 1) and three caregivers (Exp. 2). Introducing guidance provided by the AI platform GAINS improved the procedural fidelity with which behavior technicians and caregivers implemented behavioral interventions with children with autism, except for one caregiver. These results suggest AI platforms may be useful tools for supporting high levels of procedural fidelity by novice users.

ABSTRACT

The current study was a replication and extension of previous research using a translational evaluation of the traditional isolated FA and SCA. Four participants experienced differential reinforcement for alternative behavior (DRA) based on FA and SCA results, and a concurrent-chains arrangement was used to evaluate preference for the DRA conditions. Results showed that the isolated FA only identified the trained function. Across participants, DRA resulted in similar decreases in the surrogate destructive behavior across synthesized and isolated conditions and increases in the alternative response. Preferences for synthesized and isolated conditions differed across participants.

ABSTRACT

When teaching discriminations, clinicians may choose to teach one target at a time, repeatedly, until mastery (blocked-trial instruction), or they may choose to teach multiple targets, interspersed, simultaneously (mixed-trial instruction). Historically, it was recommended clinicians use mixed-trial instruction at the onset of teaching as blocked-trial instruction may produce faulty stimulus control. However, a recent study demonstrated that a modified blocked-trial instructional arrangement was more efficient than mixed-trial instruction and block-size fading was unnecessary to maintain discriminated performance in adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The generality of these results to early learners is unknown. This study extended the aforementioned research to early learners diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Using an adapted alternating treatment design, we compared the rate of acquisition with both instructional formats across two foundational early learner skills. Comparable learning across both formats for all four early learners was observed.

ABSTRACT

Synthesized contingency assessments often arrange multiple stimulus changes (e.g., terminating instructions and providing interactive toy play) to follow problem behavior and to occur response independently across test and control conditions, respectively. A central premise of this approach to functional behavior assessment is that individual contingencies interact when delivered together, producing a reinforcing effect greater than the sum of its parts (i.e., the reinforcing effects of the individual contingencies programmed). Across three studies, we evaluated how often within-participant evaluations from the published literature are consistent with this assumption during (Studies 1 and 2) and following (Study 3) the assessment process. Our results suggest that although such interaction can occur, it appears to do so only in a minority of cases. Implications of these findings for practice are discussed.