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| Expanding the Scope of Applied Behavior Analysis: Interventions With Childhood Trauma, Pediatric Pain, Families, and Mental Health |
| Monday, May 31, 2010 |
| 10:30 AM–11:50 AM |
| Crockett C/D (Grand Hyatt) |
| Area: CBM/CSE; Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| Chair: Jeannie Golden (East Carolina University) |
| Abstract: The presenters in this symposium will discuss issues that are not commonly addressed by behavior analysts in an attempt to highlight the contributions that behavior analysts can make to these areas. The first presenter will discuss the impact that trauma and attachment have on the effectiveness of traditional behavioral treatment programs for children who have been diagnosed with psychological disorders and methods for promoting generalization of treatment effects with this population. The second presenter will discuss the impact that positive and negative reinforcement and other operant and classical conditioning principles have on the treatment of pediatric procedural pain. The third presenter will discuss the use of behavioral principles to improve rapport between the behaviorist and the parents and their children’s other direct care givers to increase the chance of successful implementation of behavior change plans. The fourth presenter will discuss the effectiveness of an integrated, multi-disciplinary approach in providing school-based mental health services of which ABA is an essential and central component. |
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| Treating Children With Trauma and Attachment Difficulties: Redefining Trauma-Based Therapy in Behavioral Terms |
| JEANNIE GOLDEN (East Carolina University) |
| Abstract: Many children who experienced early abuse/neglect, multiple placements and multiple caregivers have experienced trauma and attachment issues. The impact that this may have on the child’s behavior is likely to cause continued problems for the child and those providing care and treatment. Inappropriate behaviors may be related to learning histories and contingencies that are not observable in the immediate environment. Feelings may be establishing operations for the salience of particular reinforcers and punishers. Certain adult and peer behaviors may be discriminative stimuli for particular reinforcers and punishers in children’s learning histories. Negative peer models and naïve adults may provide inadvertent reinforcement for inappropriate behaviors such as lying, stealing and cheating. The presenter will discuss the impact that this learning history has the effectiveness of behavioral treatments as well as generalization of treatment effects. Alternate treatment approaches, such as trauma-based therapy, which are more likely to promote change that will generalize to the natural environment, will be presented in a behavioral framework. |
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| Principles of Learning: Understanding and Treating Pediatric Procedural Pain |
| LYNN OLSON PAGE (Regent University) |
| Abstract: Undermanaged procedural pain has been shown to have short and long term effects on children. While significant progress regarding empirically supported treatments has been made, theoretical bases for the development and management of procedural pain are lacking. This presentation examines the role of classical and operant learning principles in our current understanding of the development, expression, and maintenance of pediatric procedural pain. For example, the role of positive and negative reinforcement in maintaining pain and the role of classical conditioning in pain enhancement and attenuation are examined. Conditioned stimuli include the anxiety and distress that emerges either emotively or vicariously when being told of the procedure or pain. The conditioned response involves the distress, fear and anxiety that precede the procedure. Generalization across settings and situations can occur via classical conditioning. Negative reinforcement (escape or avoidance of from the feared situation) later maintains the behavior. These principles contribute not only to our theoretical understanding of pain, but also provide insight into the mechanisms of effective treatment. Implications for practice and future research recommendations will be discussed. |
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| Behavioral Marriage and Family Therapy: Factors for Successful Interventions |
| BRYAN CRISP (Private Practice) |
| Abstract: Without the necessary support for parents and other caregivers, even the most well-written behavior plans can be compromised. By the time parents appear for therapy, they have often become exhausted with the demands of their role and have little patience, time or energy to consistently implement behavioral plans. Successful intervention depends on the parents’ faithful implementation of the behavior plan and the ongoing relationship between analyst and parent. In this address, it will be shown how the behavior analyst’s attention to rapport between parents and their children’s other direct care givers can increase the chance of successful behavior change. This can be accomplished by conducting functional behavioral assessments and applying the principles of positive and negative reinforcement with parents and other caregivers. Family-wide interventions using these principles beginning with the marital dyad will be discussed as will specific case histories taken from families of children with various mental health diagnoses. |
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| A University and Community Partnership: Implementing Applied Behavior Analysis Within School-Based Mental Health Services |
| JEANNIE GOLDEN (East Carolina University) |
| Abstract: Students with unmet mental health needs are at risk for gang membership, juvenile delinquency, teen pregnancy, substance abuse, continuing the cycle of poverty, relationship violence, academic failure and dropping out of school. School-based programs are providing needed mental health services to children and their families at a time when community-based mental health services are diminishing. A school-based mental health program was developed from a grant awarded to the presenter which incorporates a doctoral practicum student from East Carolina University (ECU) as part of a university-community partnership. Faculty and graduate students from ECU will work with health center staff, school personnel and families to reduce the aforementioned risks. Although “mental health” services sounds like the traditional medical model, this is a new concept in many schools and can be an excellent opportunity for the integration of ABA. The presenter will present data regarding the effectiveness of an integrated, multi-disciplinary approach to providing mental health services of which ABA is an essential and central component. |
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