One of the key challenges facing instructors of undergraduate introduction to behavior analysis courses is helping students learn to identify the environmental variables that control behavior. Goldiamond frequently employed exploratory and targeted logs to help his clients understand the environmental controlling variables that supported their behavior. We describe a preliminary analysis of the use

A Correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-021-00637-w

An important dimension of Direct Instruction (DI) programs involves teaching conceptual behavior related to broadly applicable generalizations of a content domain. The current article outlines the necessary components for teaching a concept in any domain. The first step (1) is to conduct a concept analysis of the critical features that define the concept, as well as the features that vary from instance

Examining behavior within the context of applied behavior analysis (ABA) from the perspective of acceptance and commitment training (ACTr), while understanding the role of relational framing and the transformation of stimulus function, can better equip behavior analysts to effectively address complex behavior that may be influenced by covert verbal behavior. This approach may lead to a more comprehensive

With the abrupt transition to observing physical distancing as a result of COVID-19, applied behavior analysts were faced with the sudden need to modify their service delivery model, while at the same time managing personal difficulties brought about by the pandemic. The present article provides a description of the impact of COVID-19 on the behavior analyst workforce currently providing clinical services

Relational frame theory and extensions (e.g., relational density theory; Belisle & Dixon, 2020a, 2020b) provides a behavioral model for top–down attentional processing, where attention is oriented in terms of arbitrarily applicable verbal relations through the transformation of stimulus function. Children’s games may provide a strategy for testing transformations of stimulus function when developing

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are considered an at-risk population for reading delays and challenges. In recent years, there has been emerging support for the computer-assisted instruction (CAI) Headsprout with respect to reading outcomes in children with ASD. CAI, often used within classrooms, is designed using automated and carefully sequenced instruction. A randomized controlled trial

A Correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-021-00615-2

Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and its counterpart, relational frame theory (RFT), represent emerging areas of research and professional interest for behavior analysts. We extend traditional RFT approaches by emphasizing relational framing as a dynamic pattern of behavior with implications for ACT-based strategies implemented by behavior analysts in practice and in research. We borrow from

Interdisciplinary collaboration is challenging, but necessary, to meet the needs of individuals with autism spectrum disorder. Among the dyadic interactions in interdisciplinary teams, the relationships between occupational therapy practitioners and board certified behavior analysts are uniquely challenging. The disciplines define evidence-based practice differently and approach intervention from different

Collaborative service delivery models have gained considerable popularity in health care, education, and clinical settings. Despite the unique opportunity that this new popularity provides for the dissemination of applied behavior analysis, the majority of practicing behavior analysts have received little or no formal professional development on how to participate in teams with nonbehavioral colleagues

Direct Instruction (DI) is a method of education that has historically been applied to improve academic behaviors. Though DI has a modest history of teaching musical literacy skills, its application in teaching music performance skills has been limited. This article presents two methods derived from DI principles to teach the advanced musical skill of absolute pitch using the theremin as a unique musical

Acceptance and commitment training (ACT) has received support for addressing a number of difficulties within clinical behavior analysis, organizational settings, caregiver support, and other behavior change efforts. ACT is distinguished from many other approaches in its emphasis on values: aspects of life that clients find meaningful and important. Working with values lets behavior analysts draw on

The goal of Direct Instruction (DI) is to teach content as effectively and efficiently as possible. To do this, instructional designers must identify generative relations or strategies that allow the learner to respond correctly to untaught situations. The purpose of content analysis is to identify generative relations in the domain to be taught and arrange the content in such a way that it supports

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience feeding dysfunction at a substantially higher proportion than their neurotypical peers. Feeding concerns can provide considerable challenges for parents, and as such, helping parents of children with ASD provide effective mealtime interventions for interfering behavior is critical, especially if parents have individual circumstances that affect

One common best practice recommendation for teaching receptive labels to individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder is for the stimulus array to be arranged outside of the view of the learner. Another strategy that may have benefits would be to arrange the stimuli in view of the learner. The purpose of this study was to compare the relative effectiveness and efficiency of arranging the stimulus

Values represent qualities or beliefs that are of high priority to individuals or society and represent one of the core processes within acceptance and commitment therapy or training (ACT or ACTr). The current article discusses values and valuing not only as a centralized process in ACT but also as a core process guiding the field of applied behavior analysis with applications that extend across several

This study used an alternating treatments embedded within a nonconcurrent multiple baseline across participants design to evaluate the effects of a stability ball chair on the on-task and in-seat behavior for three children with autism in a clinic setting. Results indicated increases for both in-seat and on-task behavior with the stability ball chair compared to a standard table chair, however, results

Chronic health conditions are increasing at an alarming rate worldwide, and many could be prevented if people were to engage in specific lifestyle behaviors. Intervening on lifestyle behaviors is challenging due to the fact that the consequences associated with unhealthy behaviors are temporally distant and probabilistic, and the aversive functions of covert stimuli may interfere with people’s engagement

This article tells the story of how a public charter school serving students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) adopted Direct Instruction (DI) as their primary form of instruction. The journey from recognizing the need for evidence-based curriculum focused on academic skills to integrating DI on a daily basis was outlined using a common implementation framework. We measured results of the implementation

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder typically experience difficulties in finding and continuing to work. To address this issue, researchers have developed various interventions for these individuals to acquire social skills in the workplace. Social niceties such as saying “excuse me” and “thank you for your time” are especially important to continue work. Interventions that combine various procedures

Students with disabilities are less likely to be proficient with basic academic skills compared to peers, indicating a need for more quality instructional time. Parent tutoring has been identified as a promising practice for supplementing instruction to improve child outcomes. However, educators are not sufficiently prepared to collaborate with and provide guidance to parents in how to support academic

The field of applied behavior analysis (ABA) has utilized telehealth for clinical supervision and caregiver guidance with research supporting the use of both modalities. Research demonstrating effectiveness is crucial, as behavior analysts must ensure the services they provide are effective in order to be ethical. With the increased need for patients to access more services via telehealth, due to the

Direct Instruction (DI) teaches challenging academic content to a range of diverse learners. In order to do so, DI includes a complex system for organizing and directing teacher–student interactions to maximize learning. This system includes: instructional formats that specify the interactions between teacher and student, flexible skills-based groupings, active student responding, responsive interactions

An Retraction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-021-00623-2

The Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts (Behavior Analyst Certification Board, 2020a) states that behavior analysts must provide services based on the published scientific evidence (Code 2.01, “Providing Effective Treatment”) and maintain competence by reading relevant scholarly literature (Code 1.06, “Maintaining Competence”). Carr and Briggs (2010) acknowledged several potential barriers that might

The present article considers acceptance and commitment training (ACT) from the perspective of interbehavioral psychology. Specifically, J. R. Kantor’s (1957) explicit distinction between constructs and events is reviewed, with particular attention given to the use of ACT in the practice settings of applied behavior analysis. It is recommended that practitioners be especially sensitive to the distinction

Treatment for pediatric feeding disorders is imperative, so clinicians should alter the assessment and treatment process, making it is possible for caregivers to deliver via telehealth. Clinicians must first demonstrate that caregivers can conduct initial assessments in this format. We extended the literature on functional analysis of inappropriate mealtime behavior by demonstrating that caregivers

The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a rapid transition to virtual service delivery and supervision. This preliminary study examined acceptability and feasibility of virtual supervision for 94 BCBA/BCaBA trainees during COVID-19, including variables that affected perceived satisfaction, effectiveness, and supervision preference for this sample. Results indicate a decrease in accrual of direct client

Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is a rare genetic disorder typically characterized by hyperphagia, hypotonia, intellectual disabilities, insistence on routines, and obsession and compulsion related to food. Although current medical interventions primarily include growth hormones to address the biological symptoms of the individual, behavioral therapy is an alternative option for skill acquisition and decreasing

Providers of applied behavior analysis (ABA) services often deliver therapeutic interventions within their clients’ homes. Although the home environment offers numerous advantages for consumers, it can also pose unique threats to provider health and safety. When an unsecured firearm is discovered in the home of a client, service providers and agencies may not have the necessary knowledge to respond

The development of a vocal mand repertoire is often delayed or deficient in children with an autism spectrum disorder. Utilizing caregivers as behavior change agents to address this core deficit may be advantageous as more learning opportunities can be incorporated in daily routines. A plethora of literature exists on teaching caregivers to promote communication with their children; however, many of

Social deficits are a common feature in individuals with low incidence disabilities. Current solutions used to teach social skills are not always effective, especially when it comes to generalizing these skills to novel contexts. General case programming (GCP) is an instructional methodology founded on the science-based tenets of Direct Instruction, designed to clearly communicate the multiple contexts

Clients of applied behavior analysis (ABA), specifically Black, Indigenous, and people of color receiving treatment for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), regularly experience the effects of systemic racism via biases in the health care system. ABA as a science offers the necessary tools to support immediate, concrete actions to bring about social justice. This article offers a brief conceptual framework

It is time for a paradigm shift in the science of applied behavior analysis. Our current approach to applied research perpetuates power imbalances. We posit that the purpose of applied behavior analysis is to enable and expand human rights and to eliminate the legacies of colonial, oppressive social structures. We report the findings from our examination of the content of our flagship applied research

Although the popularity of animal-assisted interventions (AAI) continues to increase, an examination of these practices among clinician populations that may incorporate AAI in their clinical services are largely absent from the literature. This study examined the practices and desirability of incorporating animals into ABA services. A total of 544 ABA clinicians completed a web-based survey. Data revealed

The Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) annually publishes data on the pass rates of institutions with verified course sequences (VCS). The current study analyzed BACB-published data from the years 2015–2019 and explored relations among program mode, number of first-time candidates, and examination pass rates. In a correlation analysis of number of first-time candidates and pass rates, there

Disciplines establish and enforce professional codes of ethics in order to guide ethical and safe practice. Unfortunately, ethical breaches still occur. Interestingly, it is found that breaches are often perpetrated by professionals who are aware of their codes of ethics and believe that they engage in ethical practice. The constructs of behavioral ethics, which are most often discussed in business

Since the arrival of the novel coronavirus, recommendations for public masking have emerged to decrease infection rates. For a variety of reasons, tolerating wearing a mask is challenging for many individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs). Therefore, we evaluated behavioral strategies to promote compliance with wearing a mask with six hospitalized individuals diagnosed with

Tarbox et al. (2020) offered preliminary functional analyses and practical guidelines for incorporating acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) within the scope of practice of applied behavior analysis (ABA). Although we agree that this is a needed goal, the approach taken by the authors gives rise to important conceptual, ethical, and practical concerns that warrant further discussion. In particular

The purpose of the current study was to examine the effectiveness of implementing acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) with three students who displayed disruptive and off-task behaviors in a classroom. A nonconcurrent multiple-baseline across-participants design with an embedded reversal was used to compare the effects of individualized ACT exercises and treatment-control conditions on classroom

Applied behavior analysis (ABA) practitioners report high levels of burnout, exhibited as exhaustion and disengagement. Turnover, a stressful and costly experience for individual practitioners and the human service organizations that employ them, is a potential consequence of burnout. Work–life balance and work engagement are associated with lower burnout and lower intention to quit. Research concerning

Racism, recently referred to as another kind of pandemic, affects the health and safety of diverse individuals within the United States and around the world. Emotions are a powerful and integral aspect of the experience of racism; however, within the field of behavior analysis, we have been hesitant to acknowledge emotion or explore how it relates to behavior and behavioral contingencies. As a result

Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is a contemporary approach to dealing with unhelpful private events and improving psychological flexibility (Hayes et al., 2006) that is often used in psychotherapy (Szabo, 2019). Nonpsychotherapeutic uses of ACT have been referred to as acceptance and commitment training (ACTraining; Moran, 2011, 2015; Szabo, 2019), which refers to the use of one or more of

Significant racial and ethnic disparities in health care and service access exist. In the present article, we reviewed qualitative studies investigating the racism-related experiences of Black caregivers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the U.S. health care system. Specifically, we examined institutional racism (i.e., systemic racism) and individual racism directed toward Black families

Lindsley developed the “say all fast minute every day shuffled” (SAFMEDS) procedure in the late 1970s to enhance the typical use of flash cards (Graf & Auman, 2005). The acronym specifically guides the learner’s behavior when using flash cards. A review of SAFMEDS research indicates its successful use with children, college students, and older adults with and without disabilities. The literature also

One pervasive social issue that has received little attention within the behavior-analytic community is racism and the systemic oppression of Black, Indigenous, and non-Black people of color. The present article offers guidance and examples of how each of us as behavior analysts might build individualized self-management behavior change plans that support initiating and sustaining socially significant

Using fidget toys is one way to allow students with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to move while completing academic assignments in the classroom. This study investigated the effect of fidget spinners on the on-task behavior of three second-grade students with ADHD. Before beginning treatment, the rules of use were briefly explained and demonstrated to students by the researchers;

The racial differentiation of policing in America has been widely researched and documented (Walker & Katz, 2008; Wilson & Kelling, 1982). Although these discrepancies are largely documented, there have been few changes within the policies, procedures and laws governing police officers. The results of this are two-fold. First, it has led to the continuation of individual acts of racism of police officers

Behavior analysts acting as supervisors of individuals pursuing Behavior Analyst Certification Board certification are tasked with designing effective and ethical supervision and training systems. Behavior analyst supervisors and their trainees may face challenges fulfilling their responsibilities in the midst of barriers that include competing contingencies, transitions, and interruptions. In this

A critical component of becoming eligible to sit for the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) exam is the completion of fieldwork experience hours according to the BACB Experience Standards (2018). The accrual of experience hours must meet stringent criteria and is strongly recommended to be documented using the BACB Fieldwork Tracker. Thirteen graduate students in behavior analysis were taught

An Erratum to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-021-00601-8

Interprofessional collaboration has become an essential component in the treatment of individuals with autism spectrum disorder, as practitioners from a range of disciplines are often necessary to address the core features and co-occurring conditions. Theoretically, such cross-disciplinary collaboration results in superior client care and maximal outcomes by capitalizing on the unique expertise of

Treatment integrity is the extent to which procedures are implemented in a manner consistent with their prescribed protocols and is necessary for reaching accurate conclusions regarding functional relations between dependent (i.e., behavior) and independent (i.e., the environment) variables. Several studies assessing the frequency that studies report treatment integrity have been conducted. However

A stimulus preference assessment (SPA) is a fundamental tool used by practitioners to predict stimuli that function as reinforcers. The Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) requires that all certified behavior analysts and behavioral technicians be trained in SPA methodology (BACB, 2017). SPA procedures are used by nearly 9 out of 10 behavior analysts in the field (Graff & Karsten, 2012). Over

To address dangerous problem behavior exhibited by children while explicitly avoiding physical management procedures, we systematically replicated and extended the skill-based treatment procedures described by Hanley, Jin, Vanselow, and Hanratty (2014) by incorporating an enhanced choice model with three children in an outpatient clinic and two in a specialized public school. In this model, several

Recent research has emphasized the need for training and competency beyond the standard technical skills acquired by applied behavior analysis (ABA) practitioners, including essential relationship-building and compassionate care skills (Taylor et al., 2019). Clicker training is a well-established behavior-analytic method for improving performance via immediate feedback in the form of an audible “click

Direct-care staff are responsible for carrying out behavior-analytic services in a culture that perpetuates systemic racism and other problematic systems that can lead to the mistreatment of clients. Limited data exist on factors that influence the mistreatment of clients, so behavior analysts must look to better studied comparison contexts as a way to identify risk factors. Police brutality is one

Remote delivery of language and cognitive training is becoming increasingly prevalent within special education settings, and the recent COVID-19 pandemic has challenged many providers to pivot to telehealth models. This technical article outlines a procedure for developing computerized discrete-trial training programs using commonly available software, as well as a description of how to adapt this