Association for Behavior Analysis International

Clinical behavior analysis involves the application of strategies derived from behavioral concepts and principles to traditional (outpatient) psychotherapy settings and populations. Like many of the different domains of behavior analysis, clinical behavior analysis strives to efficiently disseminate effective treatments, understand the process and effectiveness of treatments, and accurately measure behaviors of interest. This symposium takes a broad look at issues that impact the science of clinical behavior analysis in the aforementioned domains. In the first study the authors investigate the efficacy of dissemination of behavioral activation via a one day training. The second study investigates the dissemination of motivational interviewing techniques through a single day training. The third study is designed to evaluate the efficacy of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in a depressed high school student population. The fourth study is designed to evaluate the predictive validity of a measure of classes of behavior that can function as target behaviors.

Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a brief, evidence-based psychosocial intervention for increasing behavior change tendencies. The approach in MI is consistent with behavior analysis (Christopher& Dougher, 2009). Dissemination of MI to practitioners requires evaluation of training procedures. In the present study novice therapists received training in MI during an 8 hour workshop following the Behavior Skills Training model (Miltenberger, 2008). The efficacy of the workshop was evaluated at the lower levels of Kirkpatricks model for training evaluation: satisfaction and acquisition of knowledge, reasoning that evaluation at higher levels would not be warranted if the training failed at lower levels. Across 2 trainings, 35 participants received training for which they reported high satisfaction (M = 4.11 [.63] on 1-5 Likert scale), which was significantly higher than a neutral score of 3, t(34) = 10.45, p = .000. In addition, participants knowledge from pre-workshop scores (M = 9.14, SD = 6.55) was significantly different from post-workshop (M = 23.28, SD = 5.114), t(35) = 17.42, p < .001, and 1-month follow-up, t(14) = 5.57, p < .001. The workshop, based on the BST model, appeared to be appreciated by participants and resulted in a significant increase in knowledge of targeted MI principles.

The Functional Idiographic Assessment Template Questionnaire (FIAT-Q) is a questionnaire that allows a clinician to assess the interpersonal strengths and weaknesses of a client. The scale was designed in such a way to assess the extent of client problem behaviors and suggest improvement response classes that may be a focus of treatment (Callaghan, 2006). To date, there has been no research published on how scores in the FIAT-Q relate to behaviors in day to day life. In the current study, students from a large Midwestern university were given an online version of the FIAT-Q. After completing the online questionnaire, participants were invited to participate in a second phase. The second phase of the study consisted of participants filling out a brief demographics questionnaire, a questionnaire assessing psychological characteristics (the Outcome Questionnaire-45) and complete 13 brief role plays derived from the Simulated Social Interactions Test. The relationship between participants scores on the FIAT-Q and the Simulated Social Interactions Task will be reviewed during the course of the study. Currently 93 participants have completed phase one of the study, and 12 have completed phase two. It is expected to have 300 in the first phase and 50 in the second by presentation.