Association for Behavior Analysis International

As the number of the newly certified behavior analysts increases each year (BACB, 2024), it has become one of the critical elements for the applied behavior analysis (ABA) organizations to ensure the clinical quality of the services and the clients are making the appropriate amount of progress. In order to keep up with the needs of clinicians to serve the clients, maximizing the training platforms while monitoring the outcome data has been key to success for the organizations. The important questions are 1) how we should set the clinical standards by operationally defining the quality services and 2) how to measure them. The leaders of the organizations must also identify the steps to address the issues by developing remedial plans based on the outcome data. This identification process must be completed efficiently in a timely fashion. Within the presentation, the process of setting the clinical standards and methods to collect data of the clinical outcomes will be reviewed. Additionally, the presenters will discuss the results of the interventions and changes to improve the outcome data.

The audience should have basic knowledge of behavior analytic practice, autism services and measurement of client outcomes.

In recent years, there has been an increased number of training variations available to each level of clinicians. Balancing the immediate needs for the clinicians to start working with the clients and ensuring those individuals are competent to perform their tasks while reducing the burnout has always posed some challenges. As improving staff retention while maintaining clinical quality remains an important aspect of successful ABA organizations, investigating the training intervention efficacy, social validity of those interventions, and client outcomes must be closely monitored together. During the present study, the training objectives and methods were clearly outlined and training outcome data were collected to monitor the effectiveness. Additionally the steps to establish the clinical standards and outcome measurement system will be reviewed. The collaboration with the quality assurance team played a critical role to ensure the quality services across the organization. The presenters will discuss the implications and limitations of the current training interventions for the various levels of clinicians.

A central goal of behavior analytic services for individuals with autism and developmental disabilities is improving their overall quality of life and well-being. One of the most basic aspects of quality of life (QoL) is individual enjoyment, joy, or happiness (Carr, 2007). Monitoring happiness has important implications in practice. Taking the time to understand what makes one happy may help foster trust and improve relationships (Gover et al., 2022), facilitate the identification of effective reinforcers, support assent-based practice, and provide a key measure for evaluating and advancing programming (Green & Reid, 1996). Although idiosyncratic indices of happiness (IOH) and unhappiness have been accepted as valid and reliable assessment of QoL, a limited number of studies have focused on enhancing or measuring IOH within the autism community. In this symposium we describe a methodology for identifying, measuring, and validating IOH and discuss ways these data can be used to guide clinical practice.

The target audience includes clinicians, researchers, and practitioners in ABA interested in enhancing quality of life and promoting client assent through person-centered, ethical, and evidence-based practices.

Behavior analysts often work with vulnerable populations whose needs are complex and multifaceted; as such, it is usually the case that comprehensive care requires the input of professionals from several disciplines. Despite discussing the need for collaboration for many years, and the inclusion of a call for collaboration in the Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts (BACB, 2020), there is little published research investigating training skill sets necessary for collaboration and the impact of collaboration of behavior analysts with other disciplines. There are ample opportunities for collaboration within applied work, with great potential impact on learner outcomes. The purpose of this symposium is to present data on training and implementation of collaboration, as well as to provide data-based recommendations for educational and clinical applications.

-behavior technicians, Masters students, BCBA/BCBA-Ds

Interprofessional practice (IPP) is necessary to ensure assessment and interventions are designed and implemented both efficiently and effectively. We sought to investigate how Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) and Speech Language Pathologists (SLPs), engage in IPP. Both professionals may provide evaluations and interventions related to communication, both in schools and community-based healthcare systems. We disseminated a survey across the United States to BCBAs and SLPs to understand how and how often they collaborate with members the other profession. We asked participants about their confidence engaging in eight sub-competencies from the four 2016 Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) core competencies for IPP. We also asked about the training they had received to engage in IPP. Participants also rated factors that support or hinder collaboration and their willingness to accept recommendations from the other professionals. Our findings indicate that both BCBAs and SLPs want further training on how to communicative effectively to designate tasks and execute treatment plans, which was the area they both reported being least confident in. SLPs identified lack of a shared philosophy as a barrier to collaborating with BCBAs. Both professionals are more likely to accept the other’s recommendation when they are already collaborating frequently. Additional findings, recommendations for practice, limitations, and areas for future research are discussed.

Though behavior is a product of environmental circumstances, those environmental circumstances are complex. Skinner suggested that phylogenic, ontogenic, and socio-cultural selection interact to produce the behavior of organisms. Humans are organisms that sometimes become behavior analysts. The ontogenic and socio-cultural circumstances that led the speaker to become a behavior analyst include a variety of clinical (and personal) challenges that have shaped a perspective. This perspective remains aligned with the assumption that behavior is a product of environmental circumstances. In so far as a behavior analyst can assess (or assert) value judgments, when behavior occurs there is no blame to ascribe to the person. However, socio-cultural practices demand attributions of causality and/or assertions of blame. As a field, behavior analysis is experiencing many challenges, from society at large, small segments of society (e.g., social media groups), and from within behavior analysis. This address will examine values from the perspective of our field as they pertain to ethical practice and will consider the views of social groups outside and within behavior analysis. There will be a discussion of how clinical practice should be both sensitive to and, occasionally, insulated from social movements.

This presentation is geared towards practicing behavior analysts but anyone interested in behavior analysis may be interested.

John Wixted is a Distinguished Professor in the Department of Psychology at UC San Diego. He earned his Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Emory University in 1987 and has been a professor at UC San Diego ever since. His research addresses fundamental mechanisms of human memory, both in the lab and in the real world. In recent years, his work has focused on signal-detection models of recognition memory, the neuroscience of memory and amnesia, and eyewitness identification. Professionally, he has served as editor-in-chief of Psychonomic Bulletin & Review (1998-2002), and he later edited the 5-volume 4th edition of the venerable Stevens' Handbook of Experimental Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience (2018). In 2011, he was the recipient of the Howard Crosby Warren Medal for distinction in contemporary research in experimental psychology, and in 2019 he was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Diversity in practices within academic behavior analytic spaces promote a more representative and inclusive science. This symposium analyzes diversity across key behavior analytic spaces: the Society for the Quantitative Analysis of Behavior (SQAB), the Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior (JEAB), the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis (JABA), Perspectives on Behavior Science (PoBS), Behavior Analysis in Practice (BAP), and the Journal of Organizational Behavior Management (JOBM). The first presentation assesses the growing participation of Latina women as authors in JEAB, JABA, PoBS, and BAP. The second presentation highlights gender and geographic diversity among JOBM editors, stressing inclusivity. The third presentation explores gender and country representation among SQAB presenters, identifying improvements and ongoing challenges. The final presentation examines the underrepresentation of female non-human animals in JEAB publications, emphasizing the need for better zoographic reporting. Together, these talks address representation gaps that influence the generalizability and impact of behavior analytic research. The symposium provides practical recommendations for integrating diversity into conference presentations, journal authors, journal editorship, and participant selections. Dr. Thomas Szabo will conclude with a discussion on the broader impacts of diversity in behavior analysis.

the necessary prerequisite skills and competencies the audience should have, would be to have an understanding of the terms diversity and cultural competence in behavior analytic practice. These topics will be discussed in brief during the talks, but coming in with these skills would be helpful.

Zoographics, or the characteristics of non-human animal subjects, were examined in the Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior (JEAB) up to the last complete year (1958-2023). Because females are commonly not included in research in other disciplines, animal sex in particular was evaluated to understand if this exclusionary trend extends to JEAB. Systematic coding of all non-human empirical articles within JEAB uncovered inconsistent reporting of zoographics and the disproportionate use of male over female subjects. Additionally, equal inclusion of both males and females was rare and animal sex was also commonly unreported. Although inclusion has improved in recent years of the journal, greater efforts are needed. To increase the replicability, generalizability, and translatability that suffers when female research subjects are excluded, we provide suggestions and resources to guide future research.

It is well-established that providing clinical services to persons with Neurodevelopmental and related disabilities requires specialized knowledge and substantial resources. Additionally, the provision of high-quality, compassionate care in service delivery requires the establishment and ongoing guidance of foundational values. Regardless of the setting, these values should be centered around promoting the self-determination, independence, dignity, well-being, and safety of the individuals receiving services. To address this, the current symposium will include speakers representing clinical, residential, and educational settings. Presenters will discuss the values that have guided the design of their educational, clinical, or residential programs, respectively. Information about these programs will include the individuals who are served, the delivery of services, and each program’s goals regarding staff training and professional development. Finally, the discussant will review common themes and highlight shared values across programs. Also, the discussant will emphasize how a program’s mission and services are ultimately an expression of their values.

The target audience for this symposium includes behavior analysts who provide services to individuals who are both diagnosed with a neurodevelopmental disorder and engage in severe challenging behavior.

Resurgence refers to the recurrence of a previously reduced target response when reinforcement conditions for an alternative response worsen. Differences in resurgence can be influenced by the reinforcement histories of both the target and alternative responses. When target responding is reduced by degrading its reinforcement contingencies, resurgence is mitigated compared to when the target response is eliminated via extinction. This study compared resurgence following the degradation of target responding through varying timeout durations and extinction. Resurgence was assessed in a 3-component schedule across two experiments with three rats, where target responding was reduced by extinction or by 2-, 5-, and 30-second timeouts. In Experiment 1, Phases 1 and 2 ended after 15 reinforcers, while in Experiment 2, the phases ended after 15 and 30 reinforcers, respectively. Preliminary results indicate that when phases ended after an equal number of reinforcers, resurgence was mitigated following 2- and 5-second timeouts in two subjects but occurred at similar levels following extinction and the 30-second timeout. In contrast, greater alternative reinforcement in Phase 2 mitigated resurgence across both timeout and extinction conditions. These findings suggest that extending alternative reinforcement contingencies during the degradation of target responses could help in reducing resurgence.

Renewal is an increase in the rate of responding of a previously eliminated behavior due to a change in context. These context changes typically occur when the target behavior may be reinforced in one context (A). Then, an alternative response in a novel context is reinforced, while the target behavior is eliminated (B). Finally, treatment encounters either a familiar context (A) or a new context (C). When a familiar context is encountered, this is considered ABA renewal, whereas a novel context is considered ABC renewal. Previous prevalence studies regarding renewal of targeted behaviors have commonly included extinction and they have not examined treatments without extinction. Therefore, we examined the prevalence of renewal where extinction was not used. We used a consecutive case series analysis of clients admitted to an intensive day treatment program between 2021-2024. Individuals were included if they received a treatment that did not incorporate the use of extinction (e.g., differential reinforcement of alternative behavior, token economy; N=13) and if they experienced at least one context change during their admission. Of the 32 cases where extinction was not used, bursts of target behavior were observed in seven cases (21.88%).

Human-laboratory experiments of behavioral resurgence often show human responding lacking sensitivity to extinction contingencies. The current experiments aimed to evaluate whether baseline phase length or the presence of competing activities during a three-phase procedure influenced target response elimination and resurgence in a novel, gamified arrangement. Across both experiments, participants played an arcade style “space shooter” video game on a laptop computer, earning points as reinforcers for destroying either the target or alternative spaceship on the screen according to a variable-interval 3-s (VI 3) schedule of reinforcement. During Experiment 1, exposure to baseline contingencies for three minutes relative to four minutes was compared across two groups of participants for the potential impact on resurgence of target responding. In a second experiment, we evaluated the presence or absence of competing activities (e.g., collectible gems, speed boosts) on target response elimination. Participants experiencing longer baseline durations exhibited more persistent target responding during Phase 2 and 3 as well as higher levels of resurgence. Additionally, we observed quicker response elimination with participants who did not have access to competing activities. Results will be discussed in terms of the implications of this arrangement on future human-laboratory research on response relapse.

Discounting refers to decreases in the subjective value of an outcome with increases in some attribute of that outcome, including its delay, probability, effort, or sharing (social). Discounting has offered a fruitful conceptual and methodological framework for the understanding of impulsive behavior, including developing interventions. Despite mounting expansion on the list of variables tested for associations with discounting, some areas of research remain less studied. The symposium will discuss four of them: associations between discounting and respondent behavior, early-life adversity, academic procrastination, and assessment methods. The first presentation focuses on how the number of sessions that rats experience in autoshaping and delay discounting tasks moderates the relationship between sign-tracking/goal-tracking responses and impulsive choice. The second study tested the effects of combined early-life adversity (maternal separation and resource scarcity) on rats’ behavior during autoshaping, test and retest of delay discounting, and training and extinction of a VI15s-VI60s multiple schedule. The third study tested the associations between self-report and direct behavioral measures of academic procrastination and delay and academic discounting. The fourth presentation describes a study that compared the fit to hyperbolic discounting equations, the area under the curve, the frequency of nonsystematic data, and the participants' perceptions about the friendliness of the traditional social discounting questionnaire versus visual analog and graphic rating scales.

Undergraduate and Graduate students, Researchers, and Practitioners. No prerequisite skills needed.

Pavlovian learning has been studied in rodents using autoshaping procedures (ASH) in which a Conditioned Stimulus (CS) is paired with an Unconditioned Stimulus (US). Most rats develop sign-tracking and/or goal-tracking responses. In a delay discounting task (DDT), subjects choose between a smaller-sooner reinforcer (impulsive choice) and a larger-later reinforcer (self-control choice). Evidence of a relationship between sign-tracking/goal-tracking and delay discounting performance is inconsistent. Some studies have shown that higher sign-tracking correlates with lower impulsive choice, while others have reported no associations. Sign-tracking is typically quantified using a Pavlovian Conditioned Approach index (PCA) calculated with data of the last sessions. A limitation of the PCA is that it varies as a function of the number of ASH trials experienced by each subject. This increases the risk of finding spurious associations between sign-tracking/goal-tracking responses and other measures. We explored the relationship between sign-tracking/goal-tracking and impulsive choice of 40 rats across 10 sessions of ASH, followed by 28 sessions of DDT. Faster development of sign-tracking predicted faster establishment of steady responding during the discounting task and lower impulsive choice during the first five DDT sessions; however, this latter association disappeared by session 20.

Extensive research with rodent models has shown detrimental effects of early-life adversity (ELA) on behavioral (e.g., impulsive behavior, anxiety, and depression) and neurobiological processes (e.g., alterations of neuroendocrine processes and maturation of brain areas). However, heterogeneous methodologies, including types and variations of ELA manipulations seem responsible for inconsistent findings. Maternal separation (MS) and limited bedding/nesting (LBN) are widely implemented rodent ELA protocols. Orso et al. (2020) concluded that combined MS+LBN produce consistent and robust effects due to the joint increase of the challenging conditions imposed on both the dam and the offspring. We tested the effects of MS+LBN on processes linked to both ELA and behavioral disorders in later stages of life. We used an autoshaping task (AUT) to assess incentive salience of reward cues, a delay-discounting task (DDT) to assess impulsive choice, and a multiple schedule of reinforcement with long and short variable intervals (VI15s-VI60s, respectively) to assess impulsive action and persistence/perseverance. As compared to No-ELA rats, ELA rats displayed higher goal tracking during the AUT, higher impulsive choice during test and re-test of the DDT, and less efficient responding during the long-interval component of the multiple schedule (VI60s). No ELA effects on response persistence/perseverance during extinction of the multiple schedule were observed. Associations between AUT and reinforcement-schedule performance were identified, with ELA moderating the relationship between ST and efficiency during training and persistence/perseverance during extinction.

Delay Discounting (DD) has been proposed as one of the key processes involved in procrastination (Ainslie, 2010; Zentall, 2021). DD is the tendency for consequences of behavior to be devalued as they occur more remotely in the future (Odum, 2011). According to Zentall (2021), procrastination entails choosing to delay an aversive event for more immediate access to a non-aversive, less aversive, or appetitive consequence. Despite the promise of a DD framework to understand and intervene on procrastination, the relationship between DD and procrastination has not been studied extensively. Of special relevance is the case of academic procrastination (APRO) because of its high prevalence and association with negative outcomes (e.g., grades, and physical and mental health). There is some indirect and inconsistent evidence of a DD-APRO relationship. Muñoz-Olano and Hurtado-Parrado (2017) found that an antecedent intervention reduced both self-reported APRO and monetary DD, but no DD-APRO association was tested. Olsen et al. (2018) developed the Academic Discounting Task (ADT) in which participants chose between working for money or working on an assignment due at various times. Despite evidence of ADT’s validity to measure academic DD, Olsen et al. did not test for ADT-APRO associations. Eyre (2023) replicated the ADT and found a positive correlation between ADT and time-to-deadline of an assignment (TTD). This finding was unexpected, since participants who submitted assignments earlier (lower APRO) displayed higher rates of academic discounting. It was also not cohesive with a preliminary finding by Concepcion (2020) who reported DD predicted higher latency to submit assignments (LTA). On a systematic replication of Eyre (2023) we found higher monetary DD in women than men, and a higher proportion of latency to submit assignments over TTD on participants with higher monetary discounting, i.e., participants with higher monetary DD submitted assignments with shorter latencies and further away from deadlines. A moderation analysis indicated the latter effect was only observed in men. No ADT-DD-APRO associations were observed. Evidence overall suggests an DD-APRO association, but it is inconsistent with previous findings and the proposed role of DD (i.e., higher DD predicting higher APRO). We argue that more research on the role of both appetitive and aversive factors in procrastination is needed.

Friendlier tasks should facilitate the participants' engagement in social discounting studies. Researchers on social discounting have used primarily questionnaires, initially in a paper and pencil format. As personal computers became popular, researchers adapted the original instruments and put them on computer screens and Internet browsers, primarily as radio button questionnaires. In these studies, participants choose between options that offer a variable amount for them and a constant amount for the people they put on the social distance list. The indifference points result from the median value when participants switch from altruistic to selfish. Computers allow for friendlier instruments. Sliders as visual analog or graphic rating scales are friendlier than questionnaires, requiring less participants' time. Empirical evidence from delayed discounting research suggests that sliders produce more nonsystematic data than other instruments; however, web and marketing researchers have found that the sliders’ usefulness and nonsystematic data in social discounting research might depend on their format. This study compared the fit to hyperbolic discounting equations, the area under the curve, the frequency of nonsystematic data, and the participants' perceptions about the friendliness of the traditional social discounting questionnaire versus visual analog and graphic rating scales.

Early literacy and language skills have consistently been an indicator of future academic and life success. Research (Greer & Han, 2015; Buttigieg, Greer, & Pedrero-Davila, 2024) has shown that conditioning two-dimensional stimuli leads to faster rates of acquisition for educational objectives. In the first experiment, respondent and operant conditioning were used to condition books and two-dimensional stimuli and replace interfering stereotypy. The rate of acquisition of early literacy objectives was then compared. The second experiment found that there was a significant group difference in reading outcomes in different demographics, but these differences were no longer significant once the experimenters controlled for the degree of conditioned reinforcement for reading. In the third experiment, the experimenters tested the effects of the establishment and subsequent increase in strength of stimulus control of incidental uni- or bi-directional Naming on the number of correct listener comprehension questions, conditioned seeing selection responses, and preference for listening to story. In the fourth experiment, experimenters evaluated the strength of stimulus control for uni- or bi-directional Naming and the emergence of untaught object function intraverbal relations. We discuss the importance of establishing learned reinforcers, maximizing strategy and efficiency, and making instruction equitable and accessible for all learners.

BACB certification

We tested the effects of conditioning books as learned reinforcers on the rate of acquisition of pre-literacy objectives for toddlers and preschoolers with developmental delays, and with and without interfering stereotypy. Nested in this, we tested the efficacy of operant and respondent conditioning in conditioning book stimuli as learned reinforcers. Other dependent variables included visual match-to-sample, partial interval recording for emission of interfering stereotypy, and two-dimensional observing responses. Results thus far indicate that operant conditioning was not effective in conditioning books to criterion level, but respondent conditioning was effective in conditioning books and replacing stereotypy for 4 participants. Additionally, participants who did not observe or match two-dimensional stimuli at the onset of the experiment did so after books were conditioned as learned reinforcers. Results are discussed in terms of reinforcement value, early literacy skills, and the correlation between cusps and effective methods of conditioning new reinforcers.

Previous research has highlighted the reading achievement gap for students with disabilities, as well as the correlation between the reading preference, or conditioned reinforcement for reading (CR+ Reading) and reading outcomes. However, how CR+ Reading affects the reading outcome for students in different demographic groups differently remains a gap in our literature. The current brief report investigated how CR+ Reading affected the reading outcomes for 48 elementary school students in 4th and 5th grade inclusion classrooms. Consistent with existing literature, we found a significant group difference for the reading outcomes between students with or without disabilities and those who did or did not receive free/reduced lunch. However, when we controlled for the students’ degree of CR+ Reading, the differences were no longer significant. The results suggested that teaching the ‘love’ for reading might be a way for us to bridge the gap in reading outcomes between students from different demographic groups. Future research should collect more data to investigate how CR+ Reading affects the reading outcomes for other marginalized groups and establish effective interventions to teach CR+ Reading.

Young readers are often encouraged to “picture” what they read; a phenomenon commonly referred to as conditioned seeing in the behavior analytic literature. This cusp may be critical in improving reading comprehension outcomes and can be established early, even with children who have not yet started to textually respond. Six preschool students classified with disabilities were selected to participate in this study because they did not demonstrate Incidental Bidirectional Naming (Inc-BiN) and emitted low numbers of correct selection responses for conditioned seeing when told age-appropriate stories out loud. Using a combined pre-post and multiple probe across participants design, we tested the effects of the establishment and subsequent increase in strength of stimulus control for Inc-UniN or Inc-BiN on the number of correct conditioned seeing selection responses and listener comprehension responses. Preference for listening to story content was also assessed. Results demonstrated that following intervention, the number of correct conditioned seeing and listening comprehension responses increased for all participants, and, when stimulus control for Inc-UniN or Inc-BiN was strengthened, correct responses for both measures increased even more significantly. Increases in story preference were variable. These findings suggest that Inc-UniN alone may play a critical role in the development of conditioned seeing.

We present data on 10 to 12 students’ object-function intraverbals and reverse intraverbals. Students were selected to participate if they had tact and point discrimination responses in repertoire and did not emit object-function intraverbals (e.g. What do you do with a pencil?; What do you write with?). We determined the strength of stimulus control of unidirectional (UniN) and bidirectional (IncBin) naming for all participants prior to the study. Students were taught to tact items in pictures and point to the items in a field of four when told their function. Once they responded correctly to each task for each item with 90% accuracy, we went back and assessed their object function intraverbals and the reverse intraverbals. Students who still did not emit correct responses were taught a different set of tacts and point by function responses, but for this phase we also directly taught the intraverbal and reverse intraverbal for each item in the set within the instructional rotation. Once criterion was met, we again assessed the original intraverbal set to determine if the second instructional rotation resulted in learning the relations. Results are presented in terms of possible prerequisite repertoires or cusps for the emergence of these early intraverbal responses.

The language skills of a typically developing toddler accelerate rapidly between 18 and 36 months of age. At the root of this language burst is an effect Wittrock (1974) termed generative learning. Wittrock suggested that toddlers are active learners who generate linguistic meaning and understanding by integrating new information with their existing cognitive frameworks. A behavioral interpretation (Skinner, 1957) of this important linguistic effect suggests that the contingencies of reinforcement establish generative linguistic meaning and understanding for a toddler. However, some children with autism or other intellectual disabilities have trouble acquiring new language skills through generative learning. For these children, an assessment of the various types of generative learning may reveal that a child is missing a prerequisite or component repertoire of a generative learning skill or that there is some other cause of the problem. The first two presentations in this symposium will describe a generative learning assessment tool based on Skinner’s (1957) analysis of verbal behavior. The next two presentations will focus on applying the assessment results to developing intervention programs that can help establish generative learning repertoires for those who fail to acquire them. These presentations will be followed by comments from our discussant, David Palmer.

Participants should be familiar with Skinner's analysis of verbal behavior and the VB-MAPP assessment.

Once a child demonstrates speaker and listener generative learning repertoires, her language acquisition accelerates rapidly (e.g., observational learning, generative manding, bidirectional naming). However, some children with autism or other intellectual disabilities have trouble acquiring new language skills through the process of generative learning. For these children, an assessment of generative learning may reveal that a child is missing a prerequisite or component repertoire or that there is some other cause of the problem. If these causes can be identified and rectified, they can potentially lead to improved generative learning (Aragon et al., 2024; DeSouza et al., 2019; Rodriguez et al., 2022). The VB-MAPP Generative Learning Assessment (GLA) uses Skinner’s (1957) analysis of verbal behavior to identify, define, and measure generalized and generative learning repertoires that provide a foundation for a typically developing child’s rapid language acquisition. The GLA Guide contains definitions, examples, supporting research, and scoring instructions for several different generative learning domains, and the GLA Protocol contains the scoring forms for an individual child. The assessment tool will be described, and examples of completed scoring forms will be presented and analyzed.

In 1953, Skinner argued that those practicing behavior analysis have the opportunity, and beyond that, an obligation to save the world. To work to save the world and those who inhabit it, dissemination of behavior analysis to novel sectors is a must. To initiate change, individual action is needed; however, system changes are imperative for a large-scale impact. A system is a set of elements or individuals working together as an interdependent and interconnected entity like a family, department, institution, or country. Throughout history, there have been systems of oppression at various levels based on characteristics like race, ethnicity, religion, gender, and sexual orientation, which have resulted in unfair, unjust, and illegal treatment of humans. Behavior analysts can disseminate into scopes relating to public policy and utilize the science to dissect system components through a scientific methodology, identify individual influences, tact societal influences, and advocate for the shared ethical responsibility to humanity.

(1) intermediate-to-advanced level of competence in organizational behavior management methodologies, including, but not limited to behavioral systems analysis, (2) fluency with interlocking-behavioral contingencies and process analysis, (3) intermediate competence with organizational behavior management tools, such as the total performance system.

Audience members should have an understanding of applied behaviour analysis that includes conceptual and applied competency with functional analysis and functional reinforcement contingencies.

This symposium presents four innovative studies exploring the acceptability and effectiveness of the teach-back method in enhancing communication and training within behavior analysis and healthcare contexts. The first talk investigates participants' acceptability of clinicians using teach-back and plain language in doctor-patient interactions, revealing a strong preference for plain language and teach-back, particularly for unfamiliar topics like multiple sclerosis. The second presentation evaluates the teach-back method in training research assistants on processing simulated blood samples, with all participants achieving mastery and reporting positive experiences. The third study replicates previous research on teach-back to train college students in a behavior analysis program to implement multiple schedules. The findings demonstrate that students learned the skills to mastery and retained them after two weeks, highlighting the practicality of teach-back via telehealth. Finally, the fourth talk extends these findings by applying teach-back to train behavior therapists to implement naturalistic environment training with children with disabilities.

All people who train others.

Different teaching methods (e.g., behavioral skills training [BST], video modeling, video modeling plus feedback, instructions) have been used for decades in the field of applied behavior analysis to train a variety of individuals or behavior change agents new skills. Recently, Sleiman et al. (2023) assessed the use of the teach-back method to train college students how to implement behavior analytic procedures (e.g., preference assessments, token economies). Teach-back, is when a trainer explains one chunk of information at a time and asks the learner to repeat it back to them using their own words. If there is no correspondence the trainer explains the chunk of information again using different words until the learner can accurately explain the information. The purpose of this study was to replicate Sleiman et al. (2023) evaluating teach back as a training method to teach how to implement multiple schedules to college students enrolled in a behavior analysis program. In addition, a second purpose was to assess the practicality of using teach-back via telehealth. Three college students participated in the study. All participants learned the skills to mastery and retained the skills after a 2-week follow-up.

The target audience would be behavior analysts who are responsible for staff training, school administration that is responsible for professional development, and ABA agency directors who have to develop staff training protocols.

Multi-component toilet training packages and procedures for toilet sit schedule thinning often establish and maintain urinary continence (Greer et al., 2016; Perez et al., 2020). Monitoring the rate and correspondence between urinations and self-initiations (SIs) can inform decision making for toileting independence (Perez et al., 2021). This study recruited children who previously experienced a multi-component toilet training package that established in-toilet urinations (ITUs) with a dense sit schedule. They progressed to a drop-out component analysis that incorporated a sit schedule evaluation to identify if (a) urinary continence would maintain and (b) SIs would emerge without a sit schedule. We used a BAB reversal design to compare the effects of a sit schedule on urinary accidents, ITUs, SIs, and correspondence between SIs and ITUs among children on the autism spectrum. We calculated the rate of urinations to serve as the criterion for ideal SI rates. Overall, ITUs remained high with minimal accidents during a lean sit schedule and variable or no ITUs occurred without a sit schedule. Additionally, participants often exhibited higher rates of urinations relative to SIs. SIs often co-occurred with ITUs, indicating perfect correspondence. We discuss the implications of these outcomes when focusing on toileting independence.

Most contemporary research on toilet training in behavior analysis focuses on young children with autism spectrum disorder, typically in clinical or school settings (e.g., Cagliani et al., 2021; Perez et al., 2020). Current trends in the toilet training literature emphasize the use of reinforcement-based approaches, typically component-lean treatment packages including the manipulation of undergarments, sit schedules, and differential reinforcement. In the current study, the authors replicated the procedures from Perez et al. (2020) but with students in a therapeutic day school for individuals with severe challenging behavior. Four participants with autism spectrum disorder completed the current study and ranged in age from 8-11 years old. Three of the participants communicated using augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices. Additionally, the authors added a least-to-most prompting procedure to increase self-initiations. Results supported the use of this toilet training package in a novel setting to increase appropriate urinations and self-initiations. Implications for research and practice will be discussed in the current presentation.

Navigating challenging situations is a core part of working in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), yet these critical skills often aren’t covered in textbooks or graduate classes. Whether mediating team dynamics, addressing payer concerns, or guiding families through their child’s first ABA experience, these conversations can be stressful and overwhelming for clinicians. It has been found that long-term exposure to work-related stress leads to poor job satisfaction, contributing to turnover in our field (Plantiveau, C. et al., 2018). Furthermore, Blackman A. (et. al., 2024) mentions that some of the contributing factors for BCBA turnover were clinicians reporting a lack of supervision, collegiality, professional relationships, and professional development. Our objective is to better equip BCBAs with antecedent-based strategies, so they can access resources and conquer challenges with confidence. This panel will explore a variety of difficult scenarios encountered by practitioners across different roles in ABA and autism services. The panelists will share their hard-earned strategies with the intent to help you sustain your career over the long term.

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Skinner opened the door for behavior analysts to apply the principles of behavior to a variety of areas (Skinner, 1953), and issues pertaining to mental health are no exception. More recently, the field of behavior analysis has focused on trauma informed practice and compassionate care training; however, questions on how this translates for behavior analysts on a practical and ethical level still remain. For Example: How do behavior analysts approach and intervene on the behaviors of individuals who present with co-occurring mental health issues and/or do not have a developmental disability? As behavior analysts begin to contact new information aimed at expanding or practicing beyond developmental disabilities, they may struggle to access specific training and supervision to best meet the needs of diverse clients who have not been represented in the behavior analytic literature. This panel will discuss recent applications of compassion on a practical and ethical level focusing on examples outside of developmental disabilities. This will include examples of education on trauma informed care, compassionate training and assent focused interventions, and understanding of psychological terms like "attachment" as delivered by and written for by behavior analysts.

Attendees should have a basic understanding of behavior analytic principles including verbal behavior. Awareness or interest in mental health diagnoses is recommended.

This symposium will include four recently completed projects by the 2022 and 2023 Behavior Analysis in Health, Sport, and Fitness Special Interest Group (HSF SIG) research grant recipients. The purpose of the HSF SIG Small Research Grant is to support experimental research that demonstrates the application of behavior analysis to address human behavior in the areas of health, sport, or fitness. Additional goals of this program are to disseminate behavior analytic research and practice and to expand research opportunities for students of behavior analysis. The first presentation will describe a study that used TAGTeach to teach beginner yoga skills. The second presentation will discuss an evaluation of steps per minute thresholds for moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. The third presentation will analyze the effects of self-management on portion control consumption. The fourth presentation will review self-management and exercise adherence. Following the presentations, the Discussant will provide general commentary on individual presentations and discuss how the studies help advance the research within the areas of health, sport, and fitness. Recipients of the 2026 HSF SIG Small Research Grant will be announced at the end of the session.

graduate students, researchers, behavior analysts interested in the application of behavior analysis to health, sport, and fitness

Free-operant preference assessments rank engagement with potential reinforcers in an unrestricted environment. Data for these assessments are commonly collected using either continuous or discontinuous measures, but it is unclear which measure results in more reliable data. This study compared the results of free-operant preference assessments between data collected using partial-interval and duration measures. Specifically, we investigated a) agreement of the highest-preferred items between measures b) correlation between all rankings across measures c) interobserver agreement for each system, and d) whether outcomes varied across 5-, 10-, and 15-min assessment durations. Participants were trained observers who each scored recordings of 10 free-operant preference assessments. They scored each assessment twice, once using duration and once using partial-interval recording. They collected duration data by recording the total duration that the individual interacted with an item. They scored partial-interval data by recording whether the individual interacted with each during any part of a 10-sec interval. Findings suggest ranking of potentially reinforcing items is similar across partial interval and duration methods of collecting data in a free-operant preference assessment. Agreement between both measures increased as the duration of the assessment increased. Additionally, we found notable differences in assessment outcome as a function of assessment duration.

In today’s changing educational environment meeting the need for appropriate experiential learning for students in behavior analysis can prove to be extremely challenging. This panel will discuss the unique challenges that arise in providing high-quality experiential learning for behavior analysis students across multiple settings. The first issue encountered by most programs is finding and fostering relationships with experiential learning sites. This issue is followed quickly with concerns regarding quality control and oversight. Maintaining consistency of experience across programs when each site offers different training protocols offers additional difficulties. Many solutions to these concerns require levels of staff and support that are not possible for most programs. Panelists will offer insights into the specific difficulties encountered by their programs and propose solutions that align with current educational standards and technology. Panelists will review challenges related to experiential learning for an on-campus undergraduate program, an on-campus graduate program, and for an online graduate program.

N/A

Functional Analytic Psychotherapy (FAP) stands as a clear example of how Clinical Behavior Analysis (CBA) can be applied with precision and fidelity to promote meaningful change in one-on-one interactions, including the therapeutic relationship. While many behavioral therapies have adopted mid-level terms to explain their effectiveness, FAP has remained firmly rooted in behavioral analytic principles. The theoretical underpinnings of FAP have consistently aligned with behavioral principles, focusing on the contingencies of reinforcement present in the therapeutic interaction. Research on FAP has particularly emphasized in single-case designs, which measure the interactional contingencies and demonstrate their covariation with client behavior both within and outside the session. In many ways, FAP fulfills the "dream of the therapeutic session as a laboratory" envisioned by C. Ferster, bringing the rigor of behavior analysis into the therapy room. This presentation will explore how FAP exemplifies the power of behavioral principles and procedures when applied to the therapeutic context, showing that clinical change is not only possible but also measurable when behavioral principles are used with care and precision.

Behavior analysts interested in mental health

Amanda Muñoz-Martínez received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Nevada, Reno. She is a Certified Functional Analytic Psychotherapy Trainer (FAP trainer) and member of the FAP Certification, Policy, and Ethics Board (FAP CEP). Amanda is currently an Associate Professor at the Universidad de Los Andes (Colombia).

Amanda’s main research interest is optimizing and evaluating principle-based therapies for improving clients’ and stakeholders’ well-being, particularly, in Latin America. She is the director of ContigoLab that focused on the following research areas in clinical behavior analysis: (a) assessment of mechanisms of change in behavioral-based interventions, and (b) optimization and evaluation across diverse contexts and populations of contextually-based intervention such as Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), FAP, and so forth. From her research efforts, she has published several articles in peer-review journals (Q1 to Q4, SJR index). She has also written books with recognized book editorials such as Routledge.

As a FAP trainer, she has facilitated several trainings for English- and Spanish-Speakers to enhance interpersonal skills and create meaningful relationships.

This address provides a review of the work of Christopher Martell, 2025 recipient of the ABAI Diversity Award. Dr. Martell was first author of a 2004 book on providing Cognitive Behavioral Therapies in an affirmative manner with Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Clients, the first such book to do this. Affirmative therapies not only apply to sexual or gender minority individuals. The admonition “nothing about us without us” from various disability and diversity advocates is relevant in work with any minoritized or marginalized groups. Affirmative behavior analysis accounts for the role of culture and can provide insight into behavioral change that is relevant to individuals and non-discrimatory. Dr. Martell will speak to the process by which affirmative CBT for LGB clients was begun, and how taking an affirmative stance can extend to functional analytic treatments like behavioral activation.

Attendees should have strong foundations in behavioral philosophy and basic familiarity with behavioral concepts and phenomena such as observing responses, automatic conditioned reinforcement, and establishment of covert behavior.

While research shows that augmentative and alternative communication intervention can effectively support communication from children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), research on its impact on school readiness skills is limited. In a series of two studies, we evaluated the effectiveness of an AAC intervention, including a high-tech AAC with a personalized color photo visual scene display (VSD) with modeling, time delay, prompting and social praise to teach two preschool aged children with IDD to respond to personal information questions and tact colors. Both objectives were consistent with the participants’ state kindergarten readiness standards. In Study 1, both participants mastered the skill of responding accurately and independently to questions, including “What is your first name?”; “What is your last name?”; and “How old are you?”. In Study 2, both participants acquired the ability to independently tact three different colors. In addition, all skills generalized to novel settings with novel instructors for both participants. These two studies demonstrate that children with IDD may begin to build communication skills that align with school readiness standards, providing them increased opportunities to participate fully and meaningfully in general education curricula upon entering kindergarten.

Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) can play a role in cultivating initial communication skills for individuals with complex communication needs. It can come in multiple forms, such as signs, communication boards, speech generating devices, and mobile technology with AAC applications (Light, J., et. al., 2019). AAC is designed to assist individuals who have difficulty with vocal output. The purpose of the study was to compare the usage between two different communication applications during a shared activity. This study depicted a replication with a variation, looking at the frequency of turns taken and interaction among two different interventions. Phase one consisted of standard care with the participant’s own personal augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) device with Proloquo2Go that displayed a grid layout. It was customized for their own personal use. The second phase consisted of the Scene and Heard application, with a personalized visual scene display (VSD). The VSDs depicted pictures of the book pages, with different hot spots that portrayed sounds that aligned with the book when pressed. Overall, the study's results indicated it is possible to improve peer interactions among children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) without disrupting the balance in their relationships.

The opioid landscape has recently shifted to include xylazine, a veterinary anesthetic, as an adulterant in the illicit fentanyl supply. The health impacts of xylazine as an emerging fentanyl adulterant has raised alarm, warranting research on the impacts of xylazine on fentanyl’s behavioral and biological effects. Thus, we evaluated the effects of xylazine on fentanyl demand and withdrawal as compared to the FDA-approved opioid withdrawal medication, lofexidine (Lucemyra®). This is important because lofexidine and xylazine are both adrenergic α2a agonists, however, lofexidine is not a noted fentanyl adulterant. Using a rodent self-administration model, we evaluated the effects of xylazine or lofexidine on fentanyl demand, body weight, and withdrawal. Evaluations of effects as a function of sex as a biological variable was important because clinical experiences indicate that women experience more severe fentanyl withdrawal symptomatology compared to men, and we have previously shown that females are more susceptible to withdrawal compared to males. We next evaluated body weight changes and determined that body weight loss may be an important translational indicator of withdrawal severity from xylazine and fentanyl. Finally, we evaluated gastrointestinal consequences of xylazine/fentanyl co-use to determine if fentanyl pharmacokinetics can be therapeutically targeted to reduce withdrawal severity.

Intermediate

Dr. Cassandra Gipson-Reichardt is a tenured Associate Professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences at the University of Kentucky. She is currently the Program Chair-Elect for the College on Problems of Drug Dependence and the President-Elect for Division 28 of the American Psychological Association. Her research program focuses on elucidating neurobehavioral mechanisms underlying substance use by leveraging preclinical rodent models, focusing on translation of clinical substances use patterns. From these efforts, Dr. Gipson-Reichardt developed the first intravenous self-administration model of xylazine/fentanyl co-use in rats, deriving aspects of the model directly from surveillance signals from the illicit drug supply. Her lab studies neurobehavioral underpinnings of addiction, focusing on factors that impact glutamatergic and dopaminergic signaling and neural circuit adaptations during drug use, including endogenously cycling and synthetic contraceptive hormones as well as neuroimmune dysfunction within the brain reward pathway. Her lab also focuses on nicotine self-administration as well as polysubstance use involving opioids and psychostimulants and ethanol and nicotine. 

The mission of Behaviorists for Social Responsibility Special Interest Group (BFSR SIG) is to expand applications of behavior analysis and cultural analysis addressing global issues such as social justice, environmental justice, and human rights. For the past several years BFSR has been using a matrix analysis (Biglan, 1995; Mattaini, 2013) to identify the practices that support, oppose, motivate, and select the development and utilization of scientific behavioral systems to address social issues. Upon identifying 28 societal sectors, work groups comprised of SIG members have been applying the matrix analyses to various issues of social importance. The symposium aims to highlight the work of two of those work groups, the Public Health Work Group, and the Public Policy Work Group. Each of these presentations will provide an update on recent actions taken by each work group as members carry out the mission of the BFSR SIG and the matrix project. Implications and future directions will be discussed.

A basic understanding of the fundamental concepts and principles of behavior analysis (i.e., principles of reinforcement) would support audience members in understanding the content discussed in this presentation. Additionally, while it is not required to understand, some knowledge of the Behaviorists for Social Responsibilities Matrix Analysis may be beneficial.

The purpose of the Behaviorists for Social Responsibility (BFSR) Public Health Work Group is to explore the intersection between behavioral science and public health. This Work Group explores the ways in which behavioral and public health scientists can collaborate and learn from one another to develop strategies that improve population level outcomes. Previous work by the Work Group includes creating a fact sheet for public health as an ABA subspeciality area for the BACB website, presenting posters and symposium at the ABAI’s Annual Convention, and developing a special section on human behavior and public health for Behavior and Social Issues. Currently, the group is collaborating with other BFSR chapters to facilitate communication and create learning opportunities, identifying faculty who may provide opportunities for students to work in public health areas, building a comprehensive database that contains information on behavioral friendly public health programs, highlighting people who are working in both public health and behavior analysis, listing language that is necessary to work in both areas, and creating panels and posters for behavior analytic conferences.

The Behaviorists for Social Responsibility (BFSR) recently established the Public Policy Work Group to strengthen the role and influence of behavioral science and practice in public policy, and facilitate large-scale social change. This group aims to collaborate with key stakeholders and promote policy engagement, thereby increasing the visibility and impact of behavior analysis on pressing societal issues. Since its formation at ABAI in 2024, the group has connected with other ABAI-affiliated public policy organizations, expanded its membership, and launched subcommittees focused on specific policy areas such as education and healthcare. Additionally, efforts are to cultivate relationships with government officials and lobbyists to further its mission. This presentation will provide an overview of the Public Policy Work Group’s establishment, highlighting its current goals and outlining future directions for fostering greater involvement of behavioral science in public policy initiates. Ultimately, the group aims to establish behavioral science as a vital resource in addressing complex social challenges.

According to recent demographic studies, emergency physical restraints (PR) are still widely used, with prevalence rates ranging from 11%–78% across service sectors (Fitton & Jones, 2020). Behavior analysts may recommend PR when severe challenging behavior (CB) poses significant safety risks (e.g., intense aggression causing severe tissue damage; Behavior Analyst Certification Board, 2020, Ethics Code 2.14 & 2.15; Vollmer et al., 2011). Most PR literature features inpatient psychiatric populations despite the prevalence of restraints among individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The current study partnered Rutgers University and Brock University. The multilevel analysis was informed by retrospective outpatient data (N = 12) from children and adolescents with intellectual and developmental disability who required emergency PRs. The study aimed to a) examine participant and restraint application characteristics and trends, and b) determine if CB severity at intake predicted latency to restraint application. Descriptive analysis results suggested most participants were experiencing polypharmacy, received moderate to high scores on the partnering agency’s CB severity tool, and primarily exhibited tangible or multiply controlled CB. Regarding restraint characteristics, the average restraint rate was 0.091 per hr. Regression results indicated that the median CB severity score significantly predicted latency to the first restraint applications. Clinical implications will be discussed.

This symposium explores the application of Constructional Coaching, based on the collaborative approach described by Goldiamond (1974) and Liden and Rosales-Ruiz (2024) to promote meaningful and sustainable behavior change across diverse settings. Constructional Coaching builds skills and expands repertoires to access reinforcers, rather than directly eliminating problem behaviors so that individuals autonomously set goals, develop strategies, and implement plans that align with their values and needs. The symposium illustrates how Constructional Coaching principles, applied through directive and non-directive strategies, can be adapted to online educational settings to support student engagement in completing online programs and improve elementary school teachers’ decision-making. Data from various case studies, including learners of public elementary schools, illustrate how Constructional Coaching enhances participants’ ability to manage their lives and achieve goals. Two presentations demonstrate how Constructional Coaching principles, applied to identify and build upon current repertoires, resulting in improvement and greater autonomy. This symposium highlights the effectiveness of Constructional Coaching as a scalable, evidence-based model for those working to foster independence, competence, and long-term satisfaction in their clients. By providing a flexible and collaborative framework, Constructional Coaching supports a diverse range of individuals in creating and maintaining progress using Nonlinear Contingency Analysis (Layng, et al., 2022).

For Intermediate level, participants should have: 1. Basic Understanding of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Principles: Attendees should be familiar with core ABA concepts, including reinforcement, punishment, shaping, stimulus control, and behavior-analytic techniques. 2. Experience with Data Collection and Analysis: Participants should have experience in collecting, recording, and analyzing behavioral data using methods such as direct observation, frequency recording, and preference assessments. 3. Experience in supervised practice or previous coursework related to the delivery of behavior-analytic services, including goal-setting, intervention planning, and monitoring progress.

This study investigates the variables that maintain student engagement in online programs through the lens of constructional coaching, following the collaborative approach outlined by Goldiamond (1974) and Liden and Rosales-Ruiz (2024). Engagement is a critical factor in academic success, particularly in online learning, where maintaining consistent participation can be challenging. The research aims to identify and analyze the reinforcers and contingencies that sustain engagement, using constructional coaching strategies to strengthen and expand these variables. A cohort of undergraduate students in an online program will be studied using qualitative and quantitative methods to gather data on factors influencing engagement, such as task completion, participation, and satisfaction levels. Constructional coaching techniques, including goal-setting, self-monitoring, and tailored reinforcement schedules, will be applied to increase engagement and build autonomous, adaptive repertoires. The presentation demonstrates how these strategies promote sustainable behavior change by expanding existing strengths rather than eliminating deficits. The study contributes to developing a scalable, evidence-based model that enhances student autonomy, competence, and long-term academic success in online education. This aligns with the symposium’s emphasis on applying constructional coaching principles across diverse settings, illustrating how these techniques can effectively foster meaningful, self-sustaining behavior change.

In the field of behavior analysis, we often say the “learner knows best”, in that the learners’ behavior should guide the teacher’s decision making. The same philosophy should be adopted when teachers themselves are the learners. Professional development designed by PEER International (Partnerships for Educational Excellence and Research) utilized a Constructional Approach whereby the training goals are set by the teachers, informed by their repertoires, and their report of learner performance. Implementation strategies were guided by the current relevant repertoire of the teachers. With over a hundred learners per grade, the common Department of Education procedure allows for samples of learners and not a full classroom to be assessed. As the need for data of all learners became apparent, PEER created an assessment for every learner to complete with a Diagnostic Prescriptive grid for each class that followed. A second assessment, a Word Problem reading assessment was designed and administered to inform the teaching of specific objectives related to solving Word Problems. PEER designed instructional material and shared other materials from Morningside Press, Spring Math, and other publishers. Video conferencing and one in-person visit to South Africa provided modeling and practice of Precision Teaching with frequency building and direct instruction.

Challenging behavior in the classroom setting can negatively impact teacher implementation of classroom management strategies and lead to poorer student outcomes and increased risk for teacher burnout (Fernet et al., 2012; Garwood et al., 2017; Gilmour et al., 2022). When challenging classroom behaviors are targeted through antecedent-based interventions, such as physical exercise or relaxation techniques, improved academic and social outcomes have been observed. Moreover, evidence-based strategies such as differential reinforcement have been shown to be effective at reducing challenging behavior (Boniecki & Moore, 2003; Petscher et al., 2009). This symposium will focus on three presentations highlighting interventions that have been successful in reducing disruptive behavior and increasing appropriate behavior in school-based settings. The first presentation will be an evaluation of the effectiveness of brief video-based PMR to increase academic engagement in the classroom. The second presentation will focus on using brain breaks® to increase on-task behavior and decrease disruptive behaviors of elementary school students. Finally, the third presentation evaluates antecedent physical exercise on elementary school students' academic engagement and task completion. Collectively, these studies represent school-based intervention approaches to decrease challenging behavior and promote optimal academic engagement exhibited by students in the classroom setting.

teachers or school-based behavior analysts interested in interventions to promote academic and behavioral excellence

As Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) expands its reach and impact, it is essential to focus on developing leaders, not just practitioners, who can drive the field forward with integrity, innovation, and a commitment to behavior analysis. This session delves will focus on the importance of cultivating leadership skills in emerging behavior analysts, equipping them with the qualities needed to not only provide effective interventions but also to inspire, guide, and improve the field of Applied Behavior Analysis as a whole. Panelists will discuss mentorship, strategies for fostering independent thinking, and the cultivation of skills that go beyond clinical competency, such as ethical decision-making, effective communication, and collaborative problem-solving. Attendees will gain insights into creating training environments that encourage personal growth, resilience, and professional excellence, fostering a culture of lifelong learning and leadership among new professionals. This session will provide practical tools for supervisors, mentors, and educators looking to nurture the next generation of leaders. By shaping practitioners into capable, motivated leaders, we contribute to a brighter, more sustainable future for the field and those it serves. Join us in building a legacy of leadership within Applied Behavior Analysis.

Those attending will either have experience as a supervisee or supervisor who The target audience includes: BCBA Supervisors and Managers, Clinical Directors, Program Coordinators, Those who oversee the work of newly certified practitioners or supervise trainees. These individuals will benefit from strategies to elevate their supervisory practices beyond clinical skill-building, focusing on leadership, ethical decision-making, and fostering independence. Experienced BCBAs Interested in Mentorship: Seasoned practitioners looking to contribute to the next generation of ABA professionals will benefit from learning effective mentorship techniques that emphasize leadership and professional growth. ABA Students and Early-Career Professionals: While not the primary audience, emerging professionals may also find value in understanding the expectations and skills necessary to become effective leaders within the field.

The target audience includes individuals with a basic knowledge of stimulus control.

Though caregivers of females with disabilities commonly express concerns about teaching feminine hygiene and other related skills, there is limited applied research focus in this area (Veazey et al., 2016). Additionally, many adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) face increased adversity in coping with and understanding the rapid physical, cognitive, emotional, and social changes experienced during puberty compared to neurotypical peers. Independence with feminine hygiene routines can potentially also impact access to social relationships and employment. As such, it is critical that clinical practitioners, caregivers, and other professionals can skillfully support individuals with ASD in acquiring this skill repertoire. To this end, this symposium will discuss ethical, compassionate intervention approaches developed in one-to-one behavior analytic school settings to prepare and support individuals with ASD to independently attend to their menstrual hygiene needs. Specifically, we will discuss (a) partnering with medical providers and caregivers to engage in ethical and culturally sensitive pre-menarche planning, (b) case studies illustrating individualized task analysis, intervention procedures, and modifications across learners with a variety of skill repertoires prior to and following menarche, (c) ancillary self-management skills taught to support learners’ independence, and (d) analysis of associations between menstrual symptoms and interfering behaviors, leading to subsequent individualized environmental modifications.

The target audience is behavior analysts serving individuals with autism spectrum disorder nearing or experiencing menarche and/or experiencing menstruation as well as those in training roles such as supervisors, clinical directors, or executive directors in organizations providing behavior-analytic intervention services.

Determining when, what, how, and whose input to incorporate into teaching menstrual hygiene skills to learners with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a responsibility fraught with ethical implications. To put it mildly, balancing the ethical responsibility to advocate for learners’ needs with sensitivity to caregivers’ cultural and personal expectations, experiences, and comfort level discussing menstrual hygiene is no easy task. Yet, it is our duty as behavior analysts to address the needs of those we serve regardless of the challenges, unfamiliarity, or discomfort we may face in having such conversations or designing such procedures. In this presentation, we discuss our multi-site procedures and experiences incorporating the input and facilitative roles of school medical personnel and the value of rich histories of rapport-building with learners’ caregivers in productively navigating conversations and clinical timeline decision-making regarding the implementation of menstrual hygiene skills instruction for learners with ASD. We will specifically highlight considerations in individualizing conversations and discussion across learners and follow up by connecting these to pre-menarche intervention data across multiple learners.

The use of self-management interventions for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) increases opportunities to engage in actions that will change one’s environment, and ultimately, lead to changes in their own behavior (Skinner, 1953). Incorporating self-management strategies may provide a client with autonomy, enhance their receptivity to intervention, and accelerate skill acquisition and independence, thereby maximizing benefits to the client. This presentation will review intervention procedures introduced for two females with autism in a one-to-one behavior analytic school setting to teach independent self-management of feminine hygiene skills during menstruation, and strategies used to promote generalization and maintenance of these skills. We will further discuss the importance of self-management in the context of menstrual hygiene skills with respect to potential impact beyond individual personal care to areas of life such as social relationships and employment, and how this may impact broader decision-making by practitioners, caregivers, and other professionals providing services to individuals with ASD.

Decades of research and clinical service delivery support the use of treatments based on applied behavior analysis to decrease challenging behavior (e.g., aggression, disruptive behavior, self-injury) and teach skills (e.g., social, academic, verbal behavior). Although highly efficacious, behavioral treatment can be time- and resource-intensive. Technology is one way to improve efficiency and reduce costs. The presentations in this symposium will focus on using technology to augment, improve, or maintain treatment outcomes in behavioral treatment. The first presentation will describe the use of an artificial intelligence notetaker to increase efficiency and accuracy of clinicians’ treatment notes. The second presentation will discuss research on using virtual reality in parent and staff training. The third presentation will explore gamification of behavioral interventions. Finally, the fourth presentation will compare outcomes of a digital parent training tool to treatment by a clinician. Collectively, these presentations cover various ways to incorporate technologies into behavioral service delivery.

The target audience is BCBAs, BCaBAs, or students training to become BCBAs. Audience members should broadly understand the principles of ABA and basic approaches to assessment and treatment.

LeBlanc and colleagues (2019) note that inefficiency in managing caseloads can have significant adverse impacts on the quality of services, development of therapeutic relationships, and agency finances. Tools that increase fluency and efficiency are important to the effective work of behavior analysts. This study investigates the use of an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Notetaker by students studying Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). A pilot participant summarized two brief simulated parent interviews, once with and once without the AI Notetaker. The participant strongly endorsed the AI Notetaker in that it allowed for easier and more efficient task completion (~20 min time savings). Next, we will conduct a multiple-baseline-across-participants design; data will be collected on duration of task completion, quality of work (as assessed by a rubric), and social validity. Although current data are limited to one participant, our findings are promising; data from the multiple-baseline study will be presented at the conference. Additionally, presenters will share promising applications of the AI Notetaker to mealtime interventions. Its usefulness will be considered in the context of the complex qualitative information gathered during caretaker interviews and how this might help assessment of past and present narratives that shape caregivers’ feeding experiences and subsequent interventions.

In Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), the gamification of interventions—particularly through video games—represents an exciting yet underexplored frontier. Over the past two years, Simcoach Games, a leader in transformational game development, has partnered with behavior analysts to integrate evidence-based practices into the game design process. This collaboration merges expertise from both fields, resulting in video games grounded in well-established ABA interventions, assessments, and research-based strategies. This presentation will showcase the step-by-step process of translating applied behavior analytic literature into engaging, transformative games. Through live video demonstrations, we will highlight the effectiveness of using technology to enhance skill acquisition and streamline behavioral assessments. The presentation will also explore data produced by learner behavior within these games, illustrating how gamified interventions offer not only educational engagement but also rich, actionable data for clinicians. Attendees will gain valuable insights into how these digital tools can be employed in clinical and educational settings, delivering data-driven, interactive experiences that enrich both the teaching process and learner outcomes. This integration of technology and ABA interventions promises to drive innovation and enhance the effectiveness of behavior analysis for practitioners and clients alike.

The study of behavior at the neuromuscular level presents numerous opportunities for current and future behavioral scientists. These opportunities span both the basic and applied domains of the science of behavior. This talk aims to highlight some initial forays into the investigation, application, and conceptualization of neuromuscular responses with examples coming from the basic and the applied laboratory. The first study examines the mechanisms surrounding extinction at the neuromuscular level. Working with healthy undergraduate student participants, this study specifically examines the role of instructional control as it relates to response patterns and extinction bust probability. The second study moves out of the laboratory and into the clinic, specifically a physical therapy clinic. This portion of the talk will highlight how physical rehabilitation can be re-imagined through a behavioral lens. Data will be presented on the impact behaviorally informed approaches to biofeedback can have on the trajectory of post anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction recovery. For both studies, surface electromyographic technology serves as the primary measure of neuromuscular activity. The work aims to highlight a relatively unexplored area of behavioral science. An area of behavioral science likely to advance our understanding of basic behavioral processes and enrich applied practice for the betterment of patient quality of life.

Functional analysis methods have been extended to a) improve efficiency and ecological validity and b) increase effectiveness and adoptability. The researchers in this symposium will report on a range of recent research in the assessment of challenging behavior. Researchers will report on an extension of the functional analysis screener approach to automatic and socially mediated behavior in an effort to a) identify subtypes of automatically reinforced SIB and b) develop hypotheses about socially mediated reinforcers based on results of the enhanced screener. A second study describes the potential interaction between states of discomfort and the occurrence and function of challenging behavior and proposes a model to evaluate such interactions. Finally, two separate studies report on advances in competing stimulus assessments including (a) a method for identifying competing responses for a high-rate alternative response (i.e., FCR) and (b) validity and efficiency of a latency-based measurement approach. Implications for future research and practice will be discussed.

Intermediate; practitioners; researchers

The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility of a method to repeatedly measure both pain and discomfort symptoms and challenging behavior. Multiple pain and discomfort states were evaluated (i.e., gastrointestinaI distress, fevers and cold symptoms, bug bites and mouth pain). A trial based functional analysis (TBFA) was utilized to identify the relation between pain and discomfort symptoms and challenging behavior. The results suggest that (1) direct measures of pain and discomfort can be collected repeatedly and reliably for multiple known pain and / or discomfort states, and (2) the Trial Based Functional Analysis is a feasible assessment tool for identifying fluctuations in response allocation and response latency when symptoms are present or absent. The current methodology serves as a viable and fluid assessment package for identifying the influence of pain and discomfort on challenging behavior. Results are discussed in terms of Implications for future research and practice.

With the growing demand in the applied behavior analysis (ABA) service industry, there has been a push for master’s level mass education to rapidly increase the number of Board Certified Behavior Analysts. Given that the massification of education may have led to larger class sizes while the number of resources may have remained the same, research is needed to determine the status of and field members’ preference for current quality indicators. This study utilized an information-gathering survey to identify current graduate training components and preferences for these components as reported by masters-level faculty, current master’s students, and masters-level graduates. Results indicate that preference for graduate training components may vary across participant type and with additional masters-level experience. These findings have important implications for continuing to improve ABA graduate training programs, informing faculty decisions, and guiding prospective master’s students. Variables that affect satisfaction with graduate training components will be discussed and the need for further research highlighted.

This study evaluated the research productivity of invited presenters at Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) state-chapter conferences from 2022 to 2023. Research productivity was utilized as a quantitative metric for evaluating speaker expertise. Results showed that 78% of invited speakers had authored one or more publications. While this suggests that many conference presenters have a history of literary achievement, the wide variability in publication highlights a need to consider additional variables beyond publication history in invited speaker selection and further quantifying those variables in accordance with the definition of “substantial expertise” notated in the Approved Continuing Education (ACE) handbook. The findings emphasize the importance of recognizing diverse expertise, such as clinical skills or community involvement, in the selection process for invited and keynote speakers. However, the degree of confidence in these conclusions is somewhat limited by the descriptive nature of this analysis, which lacks deeper examination of causal factors. Future research should investigate additional criteria used in speaker selection and assess their impact on conference outcomes and attendee satisfaction, ensuring a more balanced approach that reflects the broad range of contributions in the ABA field.

As behavior analysis expands, particularly in public schools where many children receive critical services, the need for high-quality, ethical practice is more important than ever. BCBAs in these settings face unique ethical challenges that differ from those in clinical environments, yet current literature offers limited guidance on navigating these complexities. This study explored the ethical dilemmas public school BCBAs encounter and their preparedness for working in this setting. Results highlight the gaps between formal behavior-analytic training and the realities of school-based work. Participants expressed difficulties in collaborating with interdisciplinary teams, working under resource limitations, and managing large caseloads, all of which complicate their ability to maintain high ethical standards and provide effective treatment. The study highlights the urgent need for more specialized training for BCBAs working in schools and calls for the development of practical decision-making models to guide practitioners through the ethical challenges they face. Additionally, it emphasizes the need for further research into the unique barriers public school BCBAs encounter to better support ethical and effective practice in educational environments.

Board certified behavior analysts (BCBAs) can face a variety of barriers to caseload management including time management, lack of resources, and overall profile of clients and intensity of cases (LeBlanc et al., 2019). An acuity scale is a tool that provides an objective measure of a patient's condition and the resources required to maintain their care (Klett et al., 2014) and is commonly used in healthcare fields such as nursing and social work. However, there has yet to be such a scale developed for practicing BCBAs. The BCBA Acuity Scale for Interpreting Caseload Severity (BASICS) is a tool developed to assess the overall intensity of caseload management by analyzing areas such as challenging behavior, communication, medical needs, and parent training needs. This study evaluated BASICS scores, burnout, and psychological flexibility of practicing BCBAs’ across various settings. Practicing BCBAs completed a survey which included the BASICS, the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), a social validity questionnaire, and the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire Version 2 (AAQ-2). The BASICS offers a potential solution for interpreting caseload severity by providing a systematic approach and may be a useful resource for BCBAs to determine, manage, and maintain an ethical caseload within their available resources.

Previous research demonstrated that preschool-aged participants with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can learn tacts in two languages (bilingual condition), but often require more extensive instruction to meet the mastery criterion as compared to learning tacts in one language only (monolingual condition; Zhao et al., under review). Additionally, error analyses indicated failures to discriminate between languages in the bilingual condition. Repeated exposure to instruction in two languages may dissipate these differences. We aimed to determine whether within-subject replications across repeated sets of tacts would reduce discrepancies in learning and examine how error patterns may change. Four sets of targets were taught to each of the three participants with ASD across monolingual and bilingual conditions. Initially, participants learned more efficiently in the monolingual condition than in the bilingual condition. However, these differences diminished across within-subject replications. Error analyses further supported this finding, revealing a decrease in the number of errors emitted across sets. Overall, our findings highlight the potential of within-subject replication to enhance language acquisition in children with ASD and suggest that initial difficulties in bilingual learning may be temporary.

The one-person one-language (OPOL) approach (i.e., each parent speaks a different language to the child) is often suggested by professionals and parents when teaching a vocabulary in two languages. However, few researchers evaluated its effectiveness and efficiency while controlling for language exposure from caregivers. We taught college students to tact pictures in Chinese and Japanese using the OPOL approach (i.e., one experimenter taught tacts in Chinese, and the other one taught tacts in Japanese) and a control, mixing approach (i.e., a third experimenter taught tacts in both Chinese and Japanese). We also probed for the emergence of bidirectional intraverbals before and after the participants demonstrated mastery in tacts. Preliminary data indicated that both approaches were effective in teaching tacts and promoting the emergence of untrained intraverbals; however, no differences were detected with respect to efficiency of the two conditions. Future research should evaluate the external validity of this line of research with other populations, such as children.

There are millions of people who speak multiple languages (U.S. Census Bureau, 2019), yet there is a common misconception that teaching a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) more than one language will cause delays in language acquisition (Trelles & Castro, 2019). It is imperative that a child from a bilingual home can communicate (e.g., respond to instructions) in both languages. However, because many children with ASD acquire skills at a slower rate than neurotypical children (National Institute of Health, 2020), selection of instructional procedures for children with ASD must consider their efficiency. Instructive feedback has been demonstrated to be effective and efficient in teaching multiple targets to children with ASD without requiring additional teaching (Werts et al., 1995). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of instructive feedback, implemented in a second language, on the acquisition of listener responses of children with ASD from bilingual homes. Results indicate that direct training let to the acquisition of primary targets (i.e., Spanish listener responses) for the three of the participants. Additionally, the inclusion of instructive feedback resulted in the acquisition of English listener responses for all three participants and the emergence of some tacts for all participants.

Previous research conducted in our laboratory showed that the go/no go-successive matching-to-sample procedure effectively establishes equivalence relations between native and foreign words. Teaching two language vocabularies sequentially – Mandarin Chinese dictated word (A) to picture (C) and Korean dictated word (B) to picture (C) resulted in fewer trials to criterion compared to teaching simultaneously (AC and BC). However, simultaneous teaching produced a higher percentage of emergent intraverbals, tacts, and conditional relations during tests of symmetry (CA/CB) and transitivity/equivalence (AB/BA). Given the small differences between conditions, we increased task difficulty by teaching 4 rather than 3 stimulus classes per condition. We taught eight participants AC and BC relations sequentially and simultaneously and tested for emergent intraverbals, tacts, and novel conditional relations during tests of symmetry and transitivity/equivalence. Simultaneous teaching resulted in participants reaching criterion in fewer trials compared to sequential teaching. All participants passed transitivity/equivalence tests after simultaneous teaching, whereas one failed after sequential. Moreover, for 4 participants, simultaneous teaching produced a higher percentage of correct intraverbals. Our results suggest that simultaneous teaching leads to higher percentages of emergent tacts, intraverbals, and novel conditional relations than sequential teaching, possibly because during sequential teaching, the first relation may not be intact during testing.

Practitioners and researchers with a basic understanding of social validity and preference assessments

Deficits in social engagement are among the core diagnostic criteria observed among children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). In particular, joint attention and social referencing are critical skills for developing more complex social interactions and occur at a lower rate in those with autism spectrum disorder. Behavioral strategies and brief parent-infant engagement training have successfully promoted these social skills. Data will be presented, showing the acquisition of joint attention and subsequent social referencing in the natural environment, both in person and over telehealth, using caregivers as therapists. The current presentation reviews and extends previously published procedures for training joint attention modeled after Pelaez and colleagues’ (2012) operant learning paradigm with data from toddlers with an older sibling with autism spectrum disorder. A model for expanding previous findings to the natural environment with a population at a higher likelihood of qualifying for an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis due to familial history is proposed, offering new potential support.

The Latinx population is one of the fastest growing communities within the United States. It is expected that by 2045, the Latinx population will grow up to 24.6% (Frey, 2018). The BACB (2024) has also reported on the growing representation of Latinx ABA professionals with 24.8% of current credentialed providers (RBT, BCaBA, BCBA, BCBA-D) identifying as Hispanic/Latinx. Professionals not only have an ethical obligation to promote cultural responsiveness and diversity (BACB, 2020, 2021), but fostering cultural awareness directly promotes best clinical outcomes for the children and families we serve, while building rapport with the family most effectively. The purpose of this panel is for applied practitioners to describe their personal experiences focusing on the cultural variables specific to the Latinx community such as language identity, personalism, and familism (Baires, et al., 2023). The contributions and insights of Latinx professionals can positively impact ABA, supporting it to become more inclusive by integrating cultural values and competence. By doing so, the field enhances its ability to serve a wider range of clients in an efficient and ethical manner. Audience members will leave with strategies and recommendations (Rosaleon, et al., 2023) to best serve Latinx families as well as a better understanding of the barriers and cultural values they may face(Castro-Hostetler, et al., 2022).

Beginner

The efficacy of the application of behavior analytic principles to supports for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities has been demonstrated across the life span (Kurtz & Lind, 2013) and has been a hallmark of applied behavior analysis for decades. Although a great deal of literature has provided guidance on behavior analytic support for children and young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, considerably less literature has focused on how those supports can be adapted and provided across a person’s lifespan, particularly into older adulthood. As medical advances continue to extend the expected lifespan and improve the quality of life for all people including those with intellectual or developmental disabilities, we are faced with a growing older adult population in need of supports. Advancements in certification, licensure, and funding for behavioral services mean that more individuals have received support at an early age and increasingly more are receiving supports throughout life. This presents a complex intersection of training needs for specialized staff supporting the needs of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities who are experiencing aging-related changes. This presentation will review the existing literature on staff training and intervention for older adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. It will then present existing resources that can be readily adopted into training, as well as ideas for the development of specialized trainings. Finally, these resources will be incorporated in identifying staff training needs for both direct support staff and clinical staff.

BCBAs or upper management in agencies providing services to adults with autism and/or intellectual and developmental disabilities who are supervising staff, aspiring BCBAs, and BCBAs. In particularly, agencies serving an aging population, but any adult agency would be relevant.

Severe challenging behavior in individuals with neurodevelopmental disabilities is generally considered to be the product of interactions between dysfunction stemming from the primary disability and experiences that establish and reinforce challenging behavior. For some individuals, medical, neurological and psychiatric comorbidities can contribute to behavioral dysfunction and may interact directly with operant contingencies. Functional analysis can precisely identify the events in the environment that occasion and maintain the challenging behavior. The function of behavior not only guides targeted behavioral treatment but can contribute to the diagnostic process for identifying (or ruling out) comorbid medical and psychiatric conditions. The current presentation will describe a Neurobehavioral Model of Care that represents an integrative transdisciplinary approach for identifying the environmental and biological determinants of challenging behavior and other types of behavioral dysfunction - which guides the application of targeted behavioral, medical, and pharmacological interventions. Concepts and methods for this approach to transdisciplinary assessment and treatment will be discussed and illustrated with case examples. This includes discussion of how pharmacological agents can affect operant processes and alter motivating operations; and how such interactions have the potential to be synergistic or counter-therapeutic.

The demand for behavior analysts with the requisite training and experience to effectively serve public schools across the United States continues to rise. As integral professionals within the public education system, behavior analysts play a crucial role in consulting with school districts to improve student outcomes and address behavioral challenges. This panel will explore various pathways for behavior analysts to contract with school districts, offering insights into best practices for forming productive partnerships. Additionally, the discussion will cover how existing legislation shapes the allocation of resources and the implementation of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) services within schools. The panel will examine the limitations imposed by laws on the ability of parents and school personnel to advocate on behalf of students, clarifying the extent to which these stakeholders can influence educational decisions and interventions. Panelists will also share valuable lessons learned from their experiences working within the school system, offering key considerations for behavior analysts seeking to navigate these complex environments. Attendees are encouraged to engage actively by sharing their own experiences and posing questions to foster a collaborative and informative discussion.

The audience should have the basic behavior analytic skills of a BCBA.

It has taken us decades to become a discipline in our own right. Once simply a part of experimental psychology we now can act as behavior analysts across many environments: university departments, treatment centers, government agencies, businesses, communities, and so on. Where once we were a happy few mainly at a handful of academic institutions, we now have created major niches for our work not just nationally but internationally. What we do within our discipline ranges from teaching and research to applications and dissemination; what we do outside it reaches beyond our discipline to potential allies in the larger culture, in biology and medicine, in philosophy and secular humanism, and sometimes even in disciplines that once seemed competitive with ours, such as linguistics and cognition. We must beware of boundaries that separate us from other disciplines and from varied approaches within our own discipline. This presentation will use case studies to illustrate the range of our current and potential contributions to the broader culture and in some cases will suggest possible directions for further enhancing them.

I plan this presentation to be relevant to basic through advanced audiences.

Behavior analysts often work with learners with language and communication deficits. As such, it is usually the case that comprehensive care for maximal impact requires the input of both behavior analysts and speech-language pathologists. Yet, while both professionals work to promote communication skills, effective collaboration often fails to occur between these two disciplines. Despite discussing the need for collaboration for many years, and the inclusion of a call for collaboration in the Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts (BACB, 2022), there is little published research investigating the impact of collaboration of behavior analysts with other disciplines, including speech-language pathologists. The purpose of this symposium is to present a systematic literature review as well as applied clinical work (focused on increasing vocalizations and echoics of infants at risk for autism, implementing Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), and teaching mands for social information to later be recalled by children with autism) demonstrating successful outcomes of collaboration and areas for future teamwork between these two disciplines. Recommendations for clinical application and future research will be provided.

graduate students, BCBA/BCBA-Ds, SLPs

Behavior analysts have been discussing the need for collaboration for many years, however there is little published research investigating the impact of collaboration across disciplines. There are ample opportunities for such collaboration within applied work, with great potential impact on learner outcomes. In addition, collaboration offers opportunities for professionals to increase their knowledge base and to disseminate the science of behavior analysis. The purpose of this presentation is to provide a systematic review of the available literature on collaboration between the field of applied behavior analysis and other disciplines. The authors utilized the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) model and identified 12 articles that met criteria for inclusion. Results of the literature review yielded positive results across two themes: the impact of teaching collaboration skills and the impact of collaboration on learner outcomes. Future research should focus on systematically teaching component skills for effective collaboration to professionals and systematically evaluating models for collaboration.

Speech-language pathologists (SLPs), Board-Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs), and other professionals provide important support services to children who are candidates for augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). Current assessment practices often neglect critical socio-ecological factors that are necessary to inform communication-based interventions. By leveraging the unique knowledge, research, and expertise of related disciplines, an interprofessional approach to assessment may help to realize individualized or precision interventions and personalized supports that address the unique communication needs of each person. The purpose of this presentation is to introduce a process-based approach to assessment called the Applied Model of Interprofessional Collaboration – Assessment (AMIC–A). The AMIC–A will be defined and detailed including the rationale for development, a description of the approach, and recommendations for implementation. Case study examples and interactive figures will be provided to illustrate implementation of the AMIC–A. Participants will be able to state limitations of traditional assessment practices for clinicians who support individuals with communication needs, explain the steps of the AMIC-A, and discuss how the AMIC-A may help to identify important socio-ecological factors to inform individualized intervention.

Asking questions to others about their likes and preferences is a useful way to learn social information about others; but it is also important to recall the information once learned. The present study investigated the use of a Friend File (FF) for teaching children with ASD to mand for, record, then recall social information about others. We conducted a baseline with and without the FF in which participants were instructed to learn as much as they could about a friend by asking questions. The number of mands for information and facts recalled were recorded. In the FF Intervention, participants were taught to approach the named social partner, mand for information about topics with no circled answer (i.e., establishing operation trials), then record the answer in the FF. Several minutes later, the participants were asked to recall what they learned about the social partner with the FF available. Once mastered with two social partners, we evaluated generalization with an untrained adult social partner and peer. Results indicated that the procedure resulted in increased manding, recording, and recall of information about untrained partners. In the absence of the FF, performance improved from baseline but at lower levels than with the FF available.

Measurement is the cornerstone of any effective intervention in behavior analysis. Without accurately and continuously collected data, it is impossible to determine not only the effectiveness of an intervention but also its potential risks and benefits. Numerous studies highlight the importance of parental involvement in ABA interventions for children with autism, providing examples of interventions fully implemented by parents. Despite this evidence, parents are often excluded from interventions based on the unfounded belief that they cannot and should not implement evidence-based teaching procedures, and instead should simply 'act as parents.' But what does it mean to 'act as parents' when you have a child diagnosed with autism, if not to provide them with all the necessary tools to adapt to the world and interact with others? This symposium will present four cases of data-driven autism interventions entirely implemented by parents under the supervision of certified behavior analysts. The symposium aims to emphasize the critical importance of both data-based decisions and the direct implementation of interventions by parents.

The symposium is aimed at behavior analysts and assistant behavior analysts who are already capable of teaching new behaviors and reducing problematic behaviors using ABA principles and procedures. Basic skills in OBM (Performance Management) will also be beneficial for participants. Additionally, participants should have a solid methodological foundation in data measurement and graphical data processing. The symposium indeed offers an overview of how to use behavioral research methodology to document the progress of interventions and make decisions in the best interest of the client, and includes guidance on the use of Performance Management in parent coaching.

Behavioral pharmacology has benefited greatly from the experimental analysis of behavior. The prediction and control afforded by experimental analyses offer unique insights into how drugs affect behavior and operant responses. Advances in behavioral economics, specifically, have increased our understanding of drug abuse liability and the potential for misuse. Thus, it is unsurprising that translational efforts in behavioral economics and choice have begun to inform public policy surrounding drug labeling, marketing, and design. This translational symposium highlights the importance of experimental analyses in experimental public policy concerning drug marketing regulations. This symposium showcases work being done in both nicotine and cannabis control arenas, across the entire translational continuum: nonhuman experiments, preclinical translations, and applied behavior analysis. In particular, two presentations will focus on nicotine consumption in terms of vaping flavors and greenwashing. The remaining two will focus on the emerging issues related to THC-infused cannabis edibles. The event concludes with expert insights from Dr. Steven Hursh.

Behavior analysts with training or interest in behavioral pharmacology or public policy.

Cannabis packaging and labeling in the U.S. are regulated at the state level, leading to inconsistency due to the lack of federal standardization. While most states mandate labels to include product content, health warnings, child safety disclaimers, and a cannabis symbol, regulations on aspects like colors, fonts, and dosing information vary more widely. Research from tobacco control literature shows that packaging can significantly impact consumer behavior, particularly among younger individuals. This issue is especially concerning for young children since THC-infused gummies resemble regular gummy candies, unlike most tobacco products. With rising cases of pediatric cannabis ingestion resulting in hospitalizations, effective public health strategies are needed. This study aimed to examine how packaging affects consumer demand. We employed a 2 (colorful versus basic label designs; between subjects) x 2 (5mg vs. 30mg THC dose; within-subjects) design. 100 participants from states with legalized recreational cannabis completed a simulated purchase task after viewing experimental packaging. Findings indicated that demand for THC gummies was relatively unaffected by packaging variations. The results suggest further research is needed to explore effective ways to minimize risks associated with edible cannabis products, especially among vulnerable populations like children.

The roles, responsibilities, and experiences of behavior analysts working in schools remain unclear. Gaining an understanding of how behavior analysts experience school-based work is essential for addressing training and support needs for these professionals. In this symposium, we will present recent survey data from a national sample of behavior analysts working in schools, specifically related to the roles and responsibilities fulfilled by behavior analysts in schools and to the unique ethical challenges faced by these professionals. We will then share findings from research exploring experiences specific to behavior analysts who serve students with extensive support needs in school settings, with a focus on preparedness and implications for future training approaches. Finally, to illustrate the connection of the research to lived experiences of behavior analysts working in schools, we will share a case study in which a behavior analyst successfully worked within an educational system to deliver behavioral supports to students. Providing high quality applied behavior analysis in schools increases access to services for learners who are unable to access services in clinical settings; it is essential that research explores factors related to the implementation of ABA within schools, including the experiences of behavior analysts working in these settings.

Audience members should have a basic understanding of implementation of applied behavior analysis within educational systems (i.e., schools, school districts).

In 2023, 12.16% of the 66,339 board-certified behavior analysts (BCBA) worked in education (Behavior Analyst Certification Board, n.d). Many school-based BCBAs serve students with extensive support needs (ESN) and complex communication needs (CCN). Little is known regarding the roles BCBAs take in supporting the communication programming of these students within educational teams. To investigate BCBA’s perceptions related to these roles, we distributed a survey to BCBAs across the country and invited them to engage in an interview following the completion of the survey to answer the following questions: 1) How are BCBAs supporting students with ESN who have CCN in school settings, 2) What are school-based BCBA’s perceived level of confidence when working with students with ESN/ CCN, and 3) What are school-based BCBA’s perceived level of preparedness when working with students with ESN / CCN? Currently, 80 school-based BCBAs have responded to our questionnaire with results shown in Tables 1 and 2, and we are in the process of interviewing participants. Preliminary results from the questionnaire indicate that school-based BCBAs vary in their level of preparedness across communication assessment and programming for students with ESN and CCN, whereas confidence in the same set of skills was overall higher.

The increasing presence of behavior analysts in schools creates a critical need for systematic approaches to behavior support delivery. While many behavior analysts work primarily with special education populations, there is limited research on BCBA support systems for general education students. This case study examines the five-year evolution of a district-wide behavior specialist program supporting general education students in a large public school district. Analysis of referral data from 2019-2024 (N=283 students) reveals significant trends in service delivery and student needs, including a dramatic increase in K-2 referrals (from <50% to 75% of cases) and rising rates of physical aggression referrals. Implementation of a systematic three-tiered support model and behavior severity scale led to more efficient service delivery. This case study demonstrates how behavior analysts can successfully systematize support within general education settings while highlighting the critical need for proactive behavior support systems. This case study suggests important implications for scaling behavior analytic services in schools and preparing behavior analysts to support in educational settings.

The path of care for autistic individuals and their families remains a critical facet of the work the ABA community is so fortunate to influence. In the context of family guidance, however, much of those well-intended efforts rely on the clinician’s interpretation of qualitative data afforded by the family in service of architecting plans of care that are sensitive to cultural and diversity variables. The current symposium affords several quantitatively oriented assessments to address said familial needs, in service of highly individualized, collaborative plan of care development. Further, we aim to highlight the ways and degree to which related service providers’ input may be integrated into a holistic familial approach. Offerings of the ways in which clinicians may integrate diversity- and cultural humility-based practices with the families with whom they work as well as the extent to which they build systemic, clinical approaches are discussed, as we believe this is a particularly impactful aspect of our clinical practice going forward.

intermediate

Multiple schedules with contrived stimuli are commonly used for schedule thinning in Functional Communication Training (FCT). To my knowledge, there have only been two studies that have compared multiple schedules with contrived stimuli (e.g., colored cards) versus naturally occurring stimuli (e.g., reading a book, speaking on the phone, etc.) during schedule thinning. Both studies found that contrived stimuli produced more rapid discrimination of the functional communication response (FCR), than naturally occurring stimuli. Despite the success of contrived stimuli, their utilization may come with various limitations, such as an increase in response effort to implement the intervention and social stigmatization for the child. The purpose of the current study was to assess a stimulus-fading procedure to transfer stimulus control from contrived to naturalistic stimuli in a multiple schedule following FCT. The results suggest that stimulus-fading can produce discriminated functional communication with natural stimuli in multiple schedules. Clinical implications will be discussed.

Pediatric feeding difficulties represent a complex interplay of medical, nutritional, psychosocial, and skill-based challenges that can significantly impact oral intake (Goday et al., 2019). Behavior analysts addressing feeding difficulties must navigate these complexities by conducting comprehensive assessments to develop effective, individualized treatments aimed at decreasing inappropriate mealtime behaviors. However, as inappropriate mealtime behaviors decrease and bite or drink acceptance improves, new topographies of challenging behavior that interfere with bite or drink consumption may emerge, such as expulsion. These behaviors necessitate further evaluation and treatment (Sevin et al., 2002). This symposium will explore the function and topographies of challenging mealtime behaviors, emphasizing the role of assessments in guiding treatment decisions. The first presentation will focus on discussing the multiple topographies of expulsion and present findings on the impact of utensil manipulations in reducing wipe-out expulsions. The second presentation will examine the utility of including a tangible condition in feeding functional analyses. Together, these presentations will highlight evidence-based strategies to refine assessment practices and improve outcomes for children with PFDs.

advanced

Researchers and clinicians treating feeding difficulties have used functional analysis technology to evaluate the maintaining consequences of inappropriate mealtime behavior during the mealtime (Piazza et al., 2003). Saini et al. (2019) found that there were no differences between treatments that were and were not based on functional analyses of inappropriate mealtime behavior (IMB). However, Bachmeyer et al. (2009) and Kirkwood et al. (2020) suggested interventions should be matched to all functions of IMB identified in a functional analysis. Based on the literature, it is unclear how often functional analyses of IMB are currently being used. The current study aimed to a) discuss the current state of the literature related to functional analysis b) evaluate how often practitioners treating food selectivity utilize functional analyses in their practice and c) discuss other types of assessments that could inform treatments. Considerations for practice and future directions for assessment methodology research will be discussed.

This symposium explores innovations in addressing critical issues in society and the field of behavior analysis, focusing on the development of relational networks and their impact. The first presentation revisits Watt et al.'s (1991) equivalence model to assess advancements in research on social stereotyping. Through a systematic literature review of empirical studies on derived relational responding and social categorization, findings reveal that contextual factors may influence the perpetuation of social stereotypes. Insights and recommendations are provided to aid behavior analysts in mitigating harmful biases which can impact behavior analytic practice. The linkage between the strength of relational networks and how these relations can impact practitioners leading to challenges in navigating demands in the workplace is explored in the second presentation. This presentation addresses practitioner burnout which is a pervasive concern for ABA professionals. This study examines the potential of integrating Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) within Behavioral Skills Training (BST) to enhance psychological flexibility and reduce burnout in ABA practitioners. These talks provide an explanation as to how the establishment of some types of relational networks can lead to challenges within broad society and the smaller community of behavior analysis. Further we explore how our field can address issues.

Participants should have some familiarity with derived relational responding and how this is related to acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT).

Thirty four years have passed since Watt et al. (1991) proposed the equivalence model as a way of studying social categorization. This presentation aims to provide an update on the status of this line of research to support behavior analysts who are interested in this important research area. We conducted a systematic literature review of existing empirical studies on derived relational responding and social categorization from nine major behavior analytic journals. The current body of research demonstrates that variables such as pre-existing relations in line with social stereotypes, training and testing order, and other relevant context likely impact the formation of new stimulus classes. This is relevant to the formation of both implicit and explicit bias. A considerable amount of work remains if we wish to understand and target behaviors and practices that perpetuate harmful social stereotypes, which can impact society at large, as well as behavior analytic practice. Recommendations for future directions will be discussed.

In this panel, Dr. Nasiah Cirincione Ulezi, BCBA, Ed.D., and Dana Meller, MA, BCBA, continue their conversation from ABAI 2023. It’s a year later and the world and our field are even more divided. The two women continue to come together to share the realizations and lessons from their intimate weekly coffee date, reflecting on how they’ve navigated a friendship in this increasingly complex time. The conversation will address race, intersectionality, aging and the significance and role of partnership between Black and White women. As friends and colleagues, Nasiah and Dana observed each other navigate predominantly Black and White spaces, building a relationship grounded in honesty, compassion, self-awareness, and mutual respect. They approach challenging topics with necessary honesty, complexity, and empathy, offering unique perspectives: Nasiah, as a scholar and thought leader standing for transformation and human dignity; Dana, as an entrepreneurial visionary who is passionate about creating supportive and collaborative learning environments. This conversation aims to create a brave space where women can learn from and empower one another, ultimately contributing to the creation of a world where everyone can experience belonging.

Behavior Analysts, Graduate Students, and Practitioners

As Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) continues to embrace more compassionate, trauma-informed approaches, the need for crisis management procedures remains both critical and controversial in supporting individuals with moderate to severe disabilities and who engage in significant problem behaviors. Some practitioners and advocates misinterpret crisis management as inherently incompatible with trauma-informed care. However, crisis situations—such as continuous severe aggression, self-injurious behavior, or safety risks—may still arise, requiring immediate and judicious responses to ensure the safety of all involved without compromising dignity or respect. For instance, unplanned/unknown Establishing Operations, limited resources, and establishing safe boundaries could set the occasion for crisis behaviors to occur. A continuum may exist between behavioral stabilization and critical treatment outcomes. This presentation will explore how all of these approaches align with the compassionate ABA principles and trauma-informed frameworks. We will discuss the risks of neglecting crisis protocols, address common misconceptions, and present strategies for integrating proactive crisis management into our practice. It will highlight how appropriate crisis management strategies showing good clinical judgment can mitigate long-term trauma by preventing escalation and enhancing our skill-based model. Trauma-informed models will be emphasized as key in refining our crisis management procedures. Participants will leave with a deeper understanding of the nuanced role crisis management plays, as well as how to integrate it with existing models of Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) and compassionate practice to balance safety and compassion in their work.

The audience should have foundational understanding of the PFT/SBT assessment and treatment model, the Essential for Living assessment and curriculum, and the implementation of crisis management systems to best benefit from the nuances of this examination. The audience should have some experience assessing and treating severe problem behavior in individuals with moderate to severe disabilities

As Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) continues to embrace more compassionate, trauma-informed approaches, the need for crisis management procedures remains both critical and controversial in supporting individuals with moderate to severe disabilities and who engage in significant problem behaviors. Some practitioners and advocates misinterpret crisis management as inherently incompatible with trauma-informed care. However, crisis situations—such as continuous severe aggression, self-injurious behavior, or safety risks—may still arise, requiring immediate and judicious responses to ensure the safety of all involved without compromising dignity or respect. For instance, unplanned/unknown Establishing Operations, limited resources, and establishing safe boundaries could set the occasion for crisis behaviors to occur. A continuum may exist between behavioral stabilization and critical treatment outcomes. This presentation will explore how all of these approaches align with the compassionate ABA principles and trauma-informed frameworks. We will discuss the risks of neglecting crisis protocols, address common misconceptions, and present strategies for integrating proactive crisis management into our practice. It will highlight how appropriate crisis management strategies showing good clinical judgment can mitigate long-term trauma by preventing escalation and enhancing our skill-based model. Trauma-informed models will be emphasized as key in refining our crisis management procedures. Participants will leave with a deeper understanding of the nuanced role crisis management plays, as well as how to integrate it with existing models of Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) and compassionate practice to balance safety and compassion in their work.

This talk aims to address the reality that even with robust trauma-informed models like Practical Functional Assessment (PFA), Skill-Based Treatment, and the Essential for Living Curriculum, crises can still arise. These situations may be driven by a variety of factors, like unanticipated establishing operations (EOs), EOs that are hard to contrive for analysis, or hard to avoid. Additionally, resource limitations in certain settings can further complicate these efforts, underscoring the need for a comprehensive approach that integrates analysis, treatment, and safety considerations. The presentation will review specific case studies to illustrate how crisis management can be integrated into a trauma-informed assessment and treatment process. Strategies for advancing analysis and treatment will be discussed, as well as ways in which trauma-informed models can better inform our approaches to crisis management. Key topics will include: Adapting trauma-informed models to include crisis management without deviating from the goals of treatment, balancing treatment goals with the need for safety in moments of crisis, while ensuring dignity and care for individuals, and Improving collaboration across teams to make sure resources are used efficiently.

Individuals who show self-control are better able to delay gratification, opting for choices that lead to improved long-term outcomes. A well-developed self-control repertoire is closely linked to safer, healthier, and more responsible behaviors, contributing to overall well-being and life satisfaction (Amlung et al., 2016). In self-control research, subjects are typically presented with a choice between a smaller, immediate reward and a larger, delayed one, often within tightly controlled experimental conditions. While researchers have explored various methods to increase preference for the delayed reward, many of these approaches require considerable time, precision, and effort to implement effectively. Recently, Madden et al. (2023) suggested that Pavlovian conditioning may enhance self-control techniques by first conditioning a stimulus, which is then applied in a self-control framework. This symposium will present data from both basic and applied evaluations of Pavlovian conditioning techniques in fostering self-control. The implications for teaching self-control on a larger scale, with fewer resources and greater efficiency, will also be discussed.

The audience should have an understanding of research in Pavlovian conditioning, self-control, and related terminology. Researchers and clinicians are welcome.

Impulsive choice is the preference for a smaller-sooner reward over a larger-later reward. Mahmoudi and Madden (in press) reported that a Pavlovian conditioned stimulus when presented before and after a larger-later reward choice increased self-control choice in rats. In a follow-up experiment, male and female Long-Evans rats were randomly assigned to Pavlovian, unpaired, or truly random control groups. During an eight-session training phase, a lever insertion signaled a food for Pavlovian rats, and rats sign-tracked to this conditioned stimulus. The lever did not acquire a conditioned stimulus function for rats in the unpaired and truly random control groups. An impulsive choice assessment followed. For half of the rats, the lever from the training phase served as the larger-later reward lever and, when it was pressed, it was retracted during the delay to the larger-later reward. There was no difference in choice across the Pavlovian, unpaired, or truly randomized control rats. For the other half of the rats, the lever was presented before choice and remained in the chamber during the delay to the larger-later reward. Among these rats, preliminary visual analysis shows that Pavlovian-trained rats made more self-control choices than unpaired or truly random control groups; the latter were undifferentiated.

Teaching self-control to children involves presenting a choice between a smaller, immediate reward and a larger, delayed reward. One approach to developing self-control, known as delay fading, starts with no delay for either reward. As the child consistently chooses the larger reward, the delay is gradually increased. Although delay fading can be effective, some children still struggle to choose the delayed reward (e.g., Fisher et al., 2000). Madden et al. (2023) suggested an alternative method by incorporating a bridging stimulus with a prior history of Pavlovian conditioning. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a pre-conditioning procedure on the self-control responses of kindergarten children, both with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities. Pilot data showed increased positive emotional responses and conditioned stimulus attraction when using a visual card as the conditioned stimulus in the classroom. This visual stimulus was then used in an intertemporal choice task to determine the indifference point. Preliminary findings indicated no effect on self-control, and further analysis will focus on modifying the conditioned stimulus.

A new approach to documenting the intellectual skills and repertoires of professionals is emerging in several fields of study, including education, medicine, and information technology. The technology is called micro-credentialing. A micro-credential is an award, based on a short, verifiable presentation that demonstrates that a scientist-practitioner has mastered a specific skill in a content area. An individual with a micro-credential can demonstrate competent, mastery-level performance of its corresponding skill— on demand. Three presenters will describe a micro-credentials process for documenting the intellectual skills of behavior analysts. First, Kent Johnson will present a behavior-analytic view of micro-credentials, and describe some “best practices” in instructional design that one could incorporate when building a micro-credential learning program. Next, Andrew Bulla will present examples of micro-credentials for behavior analysts from both the experimental- and applied-behavior analytic domains. Finally, Jennifer Ninci and Marija Colic will describe a micro-credential program to document a behavior analyst’s fieldwork supervision skills. Establishing skill-based credentials across the field of behavior analysis would provide additional reassurances about the skills of potential employees or supervisors and may provide a data-based way for individuals to demonstrate specific expertise in an area.

introductory instruction level

I will describe a behavior analytic view of the concept, micro-credential. I will focus on micro-credentials relevant to intellectual skills and repertoires—skills related to “doing” vs. recitation or “saying” repertoires. Intellectual skills require teaching for generative responding. The learner must go beyond what has been taught and demonstrate mastery of responding in new situations, those never seen before. I’ll give examples of some intellectual skills of behavior analysts engaged in basic and applied research, theoretical and conceptual work, and service delivery. I will focus upon micro-credentials relevant to applying principles and procedures in the situations that a behavior analyst encounters in their work each day, whenever a situation requires their application. Then I’ll use the context of intellectual skill development to describe some “best practices” in instructional design that one could incorporate in a micro-credential learning program, including component-composite analysis, task analysis, defining antecedent conditions that should control responding, and mastery of underlying concepts and pre-requisite component skills. Finally, I will relate my discussion of intellectual skills to a new analysis of generalization, breaking it into two kinds of active processes—simple and complex generative responding.

Several service-delivery fields have begun using micro-credentials and similar badge systems to verify and document an individual’s ability to engage in specific skills and repertoires necessary for their success in their professional role. The Association for Behavior Analysis International has recently rolled out a new initiative to establish micro-credentials in the field of behavior analysis across all domains of the science (e.g., basic investigations, applied techniques and procedures, etc.). The current presentation will build on the prior presentation and give examples of how one can construct rubrics for evaluating behavioral performances demonstrating competent performance for common behavior-analytic techniques. I have selected examples of how we can create rubrics for specific repertoires in both basic and applied areas of behavior analysis, with an emphasis on the learners actually engaging in the necessary behavior and submitting a permanent product of their performance for evaluation. I will also demonstrate sample videos of learners and how we can use the rubrics to evaluate their performances to see if they meet the criteria to issue a badge for the micro-credential.

Behavior analysts play a critical role in education, training, and research, with their work often extending beyond the clinical setting to influence the broader professional landscape. Despite the growing focus on effective training methods and engagement in research, there remains a need to better understand how different instructional approaches impact learning outcomes, the efficacy of online training platforms, and the barriers that prevent practitioners from engaging in research. This symposium will present findings from three studies that address these important areas. The first presentation will explore the comparative effects of interteaching and discussion forums on student performance in a master’s level applied behavior analysis course. Using an alternating treatments design, the study found that interteaching resulted in significantly higher quiz scores than discussion forums, demonstrating the potential of interactive pedagogical methods in enhancing student learning outcomes. The second presentation will focus on the effectiveness of asynchronous online training for Registered Behavior Technicians® (RBT®s). This study evaluated whether online training could effectively prepare behavior technicians in the measurement competencies required by the RBT task list. The results indicate that most participants successfully mastered the tasks after initial training, with supplemental modules proving effective for those who did not immediately pass. These findings suggest that online training platforms may be a practical and efficient solution for training behavior technicians. The final presentation will discuss the barriers preventing behavior analysts from engaging in research. This study replicated a previous survey and found that while the majority of behavior analysts are interested in conducting and disseminating research, factors such as time constraints, lack of knowledge, and limited opportunities are significant obstacles. The organization featured in the study developed a plan to support research engagement by creating research communities and mentorship opportunities, and preliminary findings show increased research productivity. This symposium will provide evidence-based recommendations for improving training methods, enhancing online learning for behavior technicians, and increasing research participation among behavior analysts, with implications for the continued advancement of the field.

The target audience for this symposium includes practicing behavior analysts, professors, and students currently pursuing degrees in behavior analysis. This diverse group combines practical experience, academic expertise, and emerging knowledge, fostering a collaborative environment to explore advancements in training and research within the field. Practitioners will gain insights into innovative instructional methods and effective online training platforms to apply in clinical and educational settings, while professors can examine new pedagogical strategies to enhance student engagement and learning outcomes. Students will deepen their understanding of the critical skills necessary for clinical competency and research engagement. Collectively, attendees will leave equipped with evidence-based strategies to elevate educational practices, research productivity, and professional growth.

There are currently approximately 180,000 Registered Behavior Technicians® (RBT®s) (Behavior Analyst Certification Board, n.d.) To become an RBT, one must complete 40 hours of training and pass a competency assessment and an exam. The initial training is frequently conducted though asynchronous online platforms. There has been little research on the effects of the initial training for RBTs. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of asynchronous online instruction on a portion of the RBT Competency Assessment – specifically, the effects of training on the measurement section of the task list on the measurement competencies (continuous measurement, discontinuous measurement, and data and graphs). The training utilized computer-based instruction including video modeling, behavioral observation and ratings (having the participant view another person implementing the task and rating the accuracy of the implementation), and active student responding. The training was administered through a learning management system. The initial training resulted in most participants passing most of the tasks. When a task was not passed immediately upon the completion of the initial training, one supplemental module consisting of one additional video model and one additional behavioral observation and rating activity resulted in passing the competency. These results suggest that online asynchronous training may be effective for the initial training of behavior technicians. Implications and future research directions will be discussed.

TThe need for qualified Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) supervisors in educational settings is critical as schools strive to address diverse behavioral and learning challenges. This panel discussion, "Essential Supervisory Skills for Overcoming Challenges and Shaping the Next Generation of BCBAs in School Settings," will provide insights into the unique role of BCBAs within the complex school ecosystem, which includes interactions among students, teachers, administrators, and parents. A structured framework for supervision will be presented, outlining best practices in mentorship, collaboration, and communication tailored to school environments. Through an interactive framework, panelists will present strategies for creating robust supervision models tailored to the unique challenges of school settings. Additionally, the discussion will highlight the importance of modeling ethical decision-making and fostering professional development opportunities for supervisees, ensuring that emerging BCBAs are equipped to navigate ethical dilemmas and contribute meaningfully to educational communities. Attendees will gain valuable strategies for fostering ethical behavior, promoting skill development, and supporting professional growth. This session is intended to equip supervisors with essential tools to prepare future BCBAs for effective practice, ultimately enhancing behavioral support systems within schools.

The target audience is BCBA that currently supervising or considering to supervise trainees in a school setting.

Many individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) require continuous healthcare and social services to meet their evolving needs, with lifetime costs estimated at up to $2.4 million (Buescher et al., 2014). While many treatment modalities exist, Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is considered the gold standard and remains the only evidence-based practice for treating ASD. As a result, there is increasing discussion around meaningful outcomes associated with ABA services for individuals with ASD. However, there is still no industry consensus on what outcomes should be measured or how to assess meaningful impact. This session will explore two frameworks—ICHOM and BHCOE—that have been developed to drive consensus on the measurement of outcomes. Additionally, the session will provide an overview of key terminology, including a discussion of quality, quality control, and quality assurance. An Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention (EIBI) model will be used as an example to offer practical guidance for measurement in practice. Finally, barriers to implementation and the need for alignment among providers, patients, and payers will be addressed.

This presentation is intended for behavior analysts and senior leadership overseeing ABA service programs for individuals with ASD. Attendees should have an understanding of common measurement practices used in ABA services, including norm referenced and skill based assessments.

Many variables related to the functional analysis (FA) have been largely investigated since its inception in 1982. However, less attention to certain variables such as the demographic characteristics of participants has occurred, despite a rich history of FA studies. Moreover, since its inception, the FA has demonstrated its utility by identifying idiosyncratic antecedent and consequence variables that contribute to the maintenance of challenging behavior. Once a function of behavior is identified, a variety of different function-based interventions can be selected. Differential reinforcement of behavior is often prescribed based on its focus on increasing alternative behaviors. Less attention has been given to one specific differential reinforcement procedure, differential reinforcement of incompatible behavior (DRI). The first paper reviews the FA literature from 2018-2023 by examining participant demographics and idiosyncratic variables reported in the literature. Preliminary findings show that few studies report on demographic variables and that about a quarter of studies reported identifying idiosyncratic variables within the FA test conditions. The second paper reviews the treatment literature specific to DRI. Unfortunately, the evaluation of DRI effectiveness was complicated by several common factors. Both papers will discuss the implications of their findings and areas for future research and directions.

Knowledge of the Iwata functional analysis methodology Knowledge of differences among the differential reinforcement procedures Some knowledge of how to identify idiosyncratic variables within the Iwata functional analysis test conditions

This panel will explore the ethical and cultural considerations critical to delivering Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) services in diverse contexts across Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico. As the demand for ABA grows worldwide, adapting practices to fit local values and social frameworks becomes increasingly important. The discussion will cover organizational efforts to establish robust ethical codes that reflect regional norms and address unique cultural needs. Additionally, the role of public advocacy in broadening access to ABA services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities will be a central focus. Panelists will provide valuable perspectives on the progress and obstacles faced in disseminating ABA practices within these regions, emphasizing the role of culturally responsive approaches that respect each country’s distinct context. Through shared experiences, the panel will offer insights into achieving ethical, inclusive service delivery. Attendees are encouraged to actively participate and engage with panelists to explore these vital topics further.

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In addition to unique areas of strength, autistic individuals experience different needs than their neurotypical counterparts across the lifespan. Higher rates of medical and psychiatric concerns have been reported in the autistic population, leading to higher rates of healthcare access than non-autistic individuals. Autistic patients and caregivers largely report negative experiences and identify extensive barriers to high-quality medical care. Negative healthcare experiences may have negative effects on patient's long-term healthcare access, and consequently, their health. Throughout this symposium, presenters will focus on experiences and needs of care providers and solution-focused behavioral strategies to better support this patient population. Reidinger and colleagues will share perspectives from registered nurses on their knowledge of autism and behavioral function and preparedness to care for autistic patients. Shanker and colleagues will present their findings from the development and pilot test of a digital application to support autistic individuals transitioning to adult medical care. Results from these studies indicate barriers to quality, compassionate medical care for autistic individuals, contributing to healthcare disparities, especially as autistic individuals transition to adulthood. Presenters describe behavioral supports, provider trainings, and interventions that may contribute to improvements in healthcare.

Practitioners working within healthcare settings or supporting autistic individuals in accessing healthcare

Applied behavior analysis (ABA) has developed a plethora of empirically validated technologies with the capacity to improve the lives of others through behavior change. These technologies are frequently utilized in service to individuals with a diagnosis of intellectual disability or autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Application of these same principles within clinical settings to address behavioral issues typically associated with mental health disorders has become a more prominent topic in recent years (Danforth, 2016). Residential treatment settings offer a unique opportunity to demonstrate the effectiveness of behaviorally based interventions across a wide-ranging level of severity within that population but may be criticized for the restrictive nature of these settings. This is especially relevant considering the recent emphasis on assent-based treatments in the field and the underlying absence of assent in many or most aspects of residential treatment programs. The purpose of this symposium is to 1) Describe the application of effective behavior analytic technologies to improve a range of severe behavioral issues to several individuals with mental health disorders 2) To examine the use and limits of assent-based treatment in these settings, and 3) to offer a conceptual analysis of assent as it relates to clinical and real-world conditions.

Participants should have already obtained BCBA certification and have independent experience practicing while upholding the Ethical Code of Conduct. This panel is targeted to behaviour analysts who have already developed strong ethical practice skills but who are seeking further development with the changing guidelines.

Clinical application of behavioral technologies to address behaviors typically associated with mental health disorders has garnered increased attention in recent years. Demonstrating the effectiveness of behaviorally based procedures within clinical populations further illustrates the range and efficacy of behavioral science. A portion of this work takes place within residential treatment centers. These settings are often populated by individuals with well-established repertoires of dangerous or potentially dangerous behaviors and who carry a variety of diagnoses from Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders-Fifth Edition (DSM-5). Some of these individuals do not possess legal decision-making authority due to their juvenile status or the lawful appointment of a guardian. These factors limit the scope of individual control that is central to assent-based treatment and can occasion countercontrol behavior. Countercontrol is human operant behavior that occurs in response to socially mediated aversive control (Fontes & Shahan, 2019). Engagement in countercontrol is a challenging aspect of service delivery within this population which is impacted by the ineffectiveness of prior interventions. Data will be provided across multiple participants in support of a function-based treatment. Discussion will encompass development of such repertoires, assessment, and treatment planning.

The Ethical Code for Behavior Analysts introduces the term ‘assent’ under 2.11 (Obtaining Informed Consent), stating that behavior analysts are ‘responsible for obtaining assent from clients when applicable’. Client assent is broadly thought of as agreement and voluntary participation in treatment procedures, but there is limited research describing assent procedures or studying the implications for treatment outcomes (Morris, Detrick, & Peterson, 2021). This presentation will provide a conceptual analysis of assent, discuss where assent was derived from, and examine some of the challenges and unintended consequences with its use within the ethical guidelines of behavior analytic practice. Embedded within this analysis is a commentary about choice behavior, as well as considerations about how to maximize and honor client assent to the greatest degree possible in settings or contexts that typically preclude or limit the scope of assent-based treatment options. Reasonable alternatives to assent when obtaining it is difficult, questionable, or in conflict with other ethical guidelines will be presented.

The three talks in this symposium describe basic research studies in equivalence-based instruction (EBI) in which different instructional variables were investigated. The first study examined the effects of lecture, interdependent group contingency EBI, and individualized EBI to teach equivalence classes of abstract stimuli to elementary-school-age children. Results showed that the interdependent group contingency EBI yielded better results in less time than individualized EBI and lecture. The second study compared effects of two types of compound configurations for incorrect (negative) comparisons during equivalence class formation using abstract compound stimuli with adults. Negative comparison compounds contained either stimuli from only one class or from both classes. Results showed that class formation was high and equally likely for both groups. The third study compared video-based observational learning (OL) to traditional match-to-sample (MTS) to establish equivalence classes of abstract stimuli with adults. OL training used video models depicting progressive increases in correct responding (OL-Mixed) or 100% correct responding (OL-Expert). Results showed that OL-Mixed training resulted in the highest yield of equivalence classes when compared to traditional MTS and the OL-Expert training. Collectively, these studies further our understanding of procedures that can be used to facilitate equivalence class formation.

Intermediate Attendees should have a working knowledge of what equivalence classes are.

In a previous study, Ostrosky et al. (2022) compared the effects of equivalence-based instruction (EBI) with an interdependent group contingency, individualized EBI (no group contingency), and a PowerPoint lecture to teach equivalence classes with adults. All three effectively established classes, but written multiple-choice tests performances for the two EBI groups were significantly higher than for the lecture group, and the group-contingency EBI was significantly more effective for a fill-in written test than was lecture. The present study extended Ostrosky et al. by evaluating the effectiveness of EBI using three group-based instructional models. The results compared lecture-based instruction with Interdependent Group Contingency and Individualized EBI with 10- and 11-year-old children in an elementary school. The study used a multiple baseline design across three groups and included pre-assessment, EBI training, testing, lecture instruction (control), and post-assessment. Training used a linear class structure with a simple-to-complex training/testing format using match-to-sample tasks on Quizizz.com. Findings confirmed EBI's superiority over lectures in improving test performance, with Interdependent EBI yielding better results in less time than Individualized EBI or lecture instruction.

In a recent study, Colasurdo et al. (2022) taught equivalence classes in which the samples and comparisons were compound stimuli (i.e., pairs of abstract symbols). One potential problem when presenting compound stimuli during the establishment of equivalence classes, however, is that one element may overshadow the other, thereby interfering with class formation. To address this, the current study replicated and extended Colasurdo et al. by using two different types of compound configurations for incorrect (negative) comparisons during MTS. One group of participants was exposed to negative comparison compounds containing stimuli from only one class (referred to as Type 1 trials) while the other group was exposed to negative comparison compounds containing stimuli from both classes (Type 2 trials) along with Type 1 trials. Class formation was assessed with a test block containing single-element-to-single-element, single-element-to-compound, compound-to-single element, and compound-to-compound derived relations trials. A card sorting test with single elements was also conducted. Results showed that class formation was high and equally likely for both groups; therefore, overshadowing did not occur for either group. Thus, Type 2 trials may be unnecessary during class formation with compound stimuli, and their omission would likely increase efficiency of instruction.

The current study compared the efficacy and efficiency of video-based observational learning (OL) to traditional match-to-sample (MTS) training to establish three 3-member equivalence classes of abstract visual stimuli with adult participants. Video models used during OL depicted a first-person perspective of a computer screen with modeled on-screen movements of a mouse cursor making comparison selections. Participants were randomly assigned to three different groups. Participants in the OL-Mixed group received training in which the video models depicted progressive increases in correct responding of modeled baseline relations across five blocks of trials. Participants in the OL-Expert group received identical training except that the models always depicted 100% correct responding across the five modeled trial blocks. Participants in the MTS group actively responded while completing five blocks of traditional MTS training. Posttest results showed that OL-Mixed training resulted in the highest mean percentage of class-consistent responding and yield of equivalence classes when compared to traditional MTS and the OL-Expert group, despite minimal differences in total duration during training. Across the groups, nearly all who successfully demonstrated equivalence class formation during the computerized posttest also showed generalization of class-consistent during the card sorting posttest. Implications of these results are discussed.

This symposium examines the role of behavior analysis in fostering equitable assessment practices and enhancing assessment tools. The first presentation explores how the Classroom Learning Screening (CLS) system ensures fairness by utilizing Precision Teaching to monitor student learning, offering a non-discriminatory framework for student progress. The second presentation highlights the revitalization of the REFER framework, an essential tool for conducting effective functional assessments and interventions. Together, the two presentations offer a comprehensive discussion on advancing equitable and scientifically sound practices in behavior analysis. The data from initial studies involving diverse educational settings and functional assessment environments demonstrate that these tools significantly enhance the accuracy and fairness of assessments. Preliminary results suggest that these innovations can greatly improve outcomes for all learners and clients, especially those from traditionally underserved communities. By focusing on measurable improvements and leveraging robust methodologies, these tools aim to set new standards for equity in behavioral assessment, ensuring that interventions are both effective and inclusive

Behavior analysts, educators, researchers, and practitioners interested in equitable assessment practices and behavior analytic tools. The symposium is suitable for professionals at intermediate to advanced experience levels.

Behavior analytic interventions and procedures implemented in the school setting have historically relied on reactive, coercive and compliance tactics to decrease behaviors that might be contraindicated in promoting an appetitive learning environment. When school staff incorporate antecedent-based procedures that align with the principles of trauma-informed care with all students, it increases the likelihood that individuals with diverse needs will be supported and integrated into their school community. By infusing procedures that embed the principles of trauma-informed care into all three tiers of the multi-tiered system of support, we can create a trauma-sensitive environment that increases options for less intensive support without assessing student's exposure to adverse childhood experiences (Goldenthal et al., 2024).This can in turn ameliorate staff burnout and administrative resources to address interfering and challenging behaviors in the long run. Panelists will share how they have incorporated supports and interventions that are aligned with the principles of trauma-informed care into the various tiers of their schools’ multi-tiered system of support. The chair will pose questions to panelists organized by the principles of trauma-informed care (Safety; Trustworthiness & Transparency; Peer Support; Collaboration & Mutuality; Empowerment & Choice; And Cultural, Historical & Gender Issues- SAMHSA, 2014) at each tier of support. After panelists have answered the questions posed by the chair for each tier, the chair will set aside 5-7 minutes for audience questions and discussion. The dedicated audience participation time will occur three times during the panel, at the end of each of the three tiers of support.

Those with a depth of understanding as to the history of behavior analysis and the ability to apply the science in a school setting.

Those attending should have taken at least one course in behaviour analysis and/or worked in behaviour analysis in one year or more.

We will present outcome data on a large sample of participants from the Lovaas Institute in Minneapolis, Minnesota and the First Bridge Center in London, United Kingdom. Furthermore, we will present outcomes in adulthood for the participants in a study published in 2007 (Eikeseth et al., 2007). Lastly, we will present a review of individual participant data from the published outcome literature on the importance of intensity in early intensive behavioral intervention for children with autism. In general, outcomes will focus on clinical significance, such as achieving scores within the normal range on intelligence, adaptive behavior and autism severity following intervention. We will supplement our analyses with another measure of clinical significance the Reliable Change Index. This index tells us how large change you need to have for the change to be statistically reliable. In other words, it tells us how large the change needs to be for you to be certain that the change can be explained by the intervention and not some other variable. Implications of the findings for general implementation practices will be discussed.

Intermediate

A centre-based model of service delivery developed over the last 4 years at the First Bridge Centre in London will be presented. Recently published frameworks recommended standardized measures of autism severity, adaptive behavior, challenging behavior, quality of life and social validity, along with criterion referenced measures to evaluate services and outcome. We will present data on the time and resources needed to implement these measures and the possible benefits of it. Outcome after 6 months on skill acquisition, autism severity and preferences for social stimuli will the presented for 24 children. And outcome after 12 and 24 months on adaptive behaviors, autism severity and problems behaviors will be presented for 18 children and compared to proposed benchmarks of outcome following EIBI. Lastly, we will present the results from a social validity questionnaire. Possible pros and cons of a centre-based provision compared to other models of service delivery will be discussed.

This paper is an updated report of the results of EIBI with 246 children treated between 2003 and 2020 at the Lovaas Institute Midwest. Independent assignment to groups was based upon intervention intensity, age at intake, parental involvement, and staff training. Three groups received the high-quality treatment model described in Maurice, Green, & Foxx (2001) and a comparison group which did not receive high-quality treatment was matched on non-treatment variables. A comprehensive set of child measures was utilized to assess participants at intake, and yearly thereafter until each child was discharged after an average of three years. These evaluations were selected and carried out by independent external assessment centers, separate from the Lovaas Institute. In addition, on a weekly basis, the number of treatment objectives and exemplars mastered was recorded, along with the number of intervention hours and supervision hours. On a six-month basis, the following was conducted by internal clinicians: long-term goals, short-term objectives, and transition plans were developed and revised mutually between the parents and clinicians; mastery of specific treatment objectives was assessed; mastery of the Early Learning Measure was assessed; a 45-minute, structured video-taped assessment was conducted with the parents in the home; quality of treatment intervention was assessed using a standardized checklist; mastery of developmental milestones was assessed using an internally standardized version of the Learning Accomplishment Profile; mastery of a standardized curriculum assessment was assessed; progress against an internally standardized diagnostic checklist was assessed; and measures of significant behavioral challenges and transition planning was assessed using a variety of internally developed measures. Results of individualized treatment planning will be presented.

There is limited knowledge about the long-term outcomes in adulthood for children with Autism who received EIBI during their preschool years. This study was designed to explore this question by conducting a follow-up with a group of adults who received EIBI during their early childhood. The participants were individuals from the Eikeseth et al. (2002) study, evaluating outcomes after one year of EIBI (n = 13) compared to a comparison group (n = 12) who received eclectic special education treatment of similar intensity (M = 28.52 hours per week). Children in the EIBI group made significantly larger gains on standardized tests than did children in the eclectic treatment group. Subsequently, outcome was examined for the same children after they had received approximately three years of intervention (Eikeseth et al., 2007). The EIBI group continued to show larger increases in IQ and adaptive functioning than did the eclectic group. Children in the EIBI group also displayed fewer aberrant behaviors and social problems at follow-up. While results indicate that EIBI was effective for children with autism, it remains unclear how these improvements persist into adulthood. This is the primary focus of the current study. We invited the participants in both groups to participate in the long-term follow-up, and 10 responded, 7 from EIBI group and, 3 from Eclectic group. Assessment instruments were: ADOS-2, WAIS, Vineland-3, Psychopathology in Autism Checklist, and a Questionnaire addressing education, housing, employment, medical condition, etc. Participants averaged 33.5 years of age at this follow-up. Results show that the mean intake scores for cognitive and adaptive functioning were 60 and 57 respectively for the EIBI group, which increased to 91 and 74 respectively in adulthood. In contrast, for the Eclectic group, the mean intake scores for cognitive and adaptive functioning were both 60, which remained approximately the same in adulthood (60 and 55 respectively). We also examined comorbid psychiatric conditions in adulthood for participants in both groups. One participant from the Eclectic group scored within the clinically significant range. Three participants from the EIBI group scored below the Autism cut-off according to ADOS-2. During the presentation, individual data for each participant will be presented.

We gathered individual participant data on 564 children from 15 clinically controlled studies on behavioral intervention for children with autism. The participants were between 2 and 7 years of age at intake and had received behavioral intervention for a minimum of 1 year. placed in a behavioral intervention group or in a comparison group. We divided the EIBI group into three levels if intensity and checked if intensity was related to the clinically significant outcome. In addition, we computed the Reliable Change Index for IQ, adaptive behavior, and autism severity and checked if the proportion of participants that met the RCI criteria was related to intensity. Significantly more children receiving behavioral intervention achieved reliable change in IQ, adaptive behavior, and autism severity. Moreover, a significantly larger proportion of the children receiving behavioral intervention scored within the normal range on IQ, adaptive behavior and within the non-clinical range on autism severity following intervention. The most consistent predictor of outcome was intensity in terms of the weekly intervention hours provided. The implications are discussed in terms of recommendations for intervention implementation and measurements of outcome.

This symposium brings together cutting-edge research on teaching tacts and exploring naming relations in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Each study highlights advances methods for improving communication and language skills in children with ASD through targeted interventions. First, Megan Ruffo will present a study focused on teaching tactile tacts to children with ASD, exploring tactile-based learning strategies and their effectiveness in enhancing verbal behavior. Second, Meral Koldas will discuss research on teaching reciprocal tacting to children with autism, investigating how reciprocal interactions can be used to improve back-and-forth communication. Third, Lauren Schexnayder will present findings on emergent listener and tact relations among children using speech-generating devices, examining the development of these skills in children who use alternative communication devices. Forth, Victoria Verdun will explore bi-directional naming and the emergence of listener and tact relations, shedding light on how these relations develop and impact language acquisition in children with ASD. Finally, Judah Axe will conclude the symposium with a discussion on the implications of these studies and potential future research directions.

Practitioners, professionals, BCBAs, BCBA-Ds, RBTs.

There is limited research on teaching non-visual tacts (e.g., auditory, olfactory, tactile) to children with autism spectrum disorder, and minimal current research on tact training for tactile stimuli. In the current study, four children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder were taught to verbally tact and one participant to tact via their speech generating device, tactile stimuli in the compound condition (i.e., tactile stimuli presented with visual cues) in a multiple probe design across stimuli sets. Throughout teaching in the compound condition, we conducted isolated probes (i.e., tactile stimuli presented without visual cues). Results showed that the compound training condition was effective in teaching tacts of tactile stimuli to the three participants who have completed the study thus far. In addition, the compound training condition also appears to be effective in teaching tacts of tactile stimuli to one ongoing participant who is completing the study via a speech generating device. Furthermore, generalization occurred in the isolated context in the absence of any programmed prompting for all participants. This study emphasizes the need to implement training procedures for tacts of tactile stimuli and stimuli of other modalities to children with autism both verbally and with speech generating devices. Keywords: Tact, tactile stimuli, autism, verbal behavior, labeling, speech generating device

Expanding tact repertoires in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is often a central focus of early intensive behavioral intervention due to its critical role in language development. While there are empirically validated teaching strategies for increasing tact repertoires in learners with ASD, strategies to support the use of acquired tacts within a shared social experience is an area that is less established. This study addressed that gap by employing a multiple probe design across participants to teach three children with ASD to engage in reciprocal tacting, where they not only labeled items themselves but also responded to tacts emitted by a social partner by using discrete trial teaching (DTT). The results showed that reciprocal tacting with a social partner was successfully established across all participants. Importanty, after reciprocal tact training, all participants generalized the skill of tacting in a novel and naturalistic social experience. The findings contribute to the limited but growing body of research on promoting socially reciprocal verbal behaviors in children with ASD, which is crucial for improving their social communication outcomes.

For some autistic children, the emergence of untrained skills is absent or delayed; and when this occurs, language must be taught directly, and the overall rate of learning can be significantly impacted. A line of research has assessed the efficiency of teaching language skills by measuring the emergence of untrained skills (e.g., Delfs et al., 2014; Conine et al. 2021). One general finding from this research is that tact instruction is more efficient than listener instruction (e.g., Frampton et al., 2017). However, this research has not yet included nonvocal participants who communicate via augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) modalities such as a speech-generating device (SGD). Given that a recent review noted that the effectiveness of intervention with learners who use an SGD may differ significantly for certain operants (Muharib et al., 2023), further investigation with these learners is warranted. Participants were taken through a series of training comparisons wherein one set was assigned to listener training and another set was assigned to tact training, and probes were conducted to test for the emergence of the untrained operant. Results provide preliminary information on the efficiency of tact and listener instruction with participants who communicate via an SGD.

Autism intervention staff training has been the focus of numerous publications in the applied behavior analytic literature. Although recent publications have focused on behavior skills training (cf., Parsons et al., 2012), the work of Mont Wolf and his colleagues (Wolf et al.,1995) was seminal in articulating the steps of a teaching interaction found to be effective for working with adjudicated youth. ASAI agency members have been operating from the elements of those teaching interactions (cf., McClannahan et al.,1982; Leaf et al., 2015) for decades, teaching staff at all levels to use them with colleagues to celebrate praiseworthy performances and to instruct on performances which need to be different. Despite the uniform agreement of the value of these interactions, no data to date have been published that quantify the use of these procedures nor have there been demonstrations of a functional relationship between them and staff performance. This paper will present 6 months of data from the five international ASAI members displaying the use of these dimensions while providing hands-on training to teachers employed at ASAI member agencies. The data will be discussed in terms of its generality to educating autism interventionists and future research questions in need of answers.

The science-based autism intervention model used by the Alliance for Scientific Autism Intervention (ASAI) agencies , originally developed by Drs. McClannahan and Krantz, has a number of advantages in establishing skillful clinical and professional repertoires. The model includes not only didactic teaching but also hands-on training, both of which are necessary to establish the highest quality professional and clinical skills in those instructing individuals with autism. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the Institute for Child Development’s (IWRD) model of training and supervision in IWRD-Recommended Institutions throughout Poland to achieve positive outcomes for children and teenagers with autism. The systematic supervision and training model provided by IWRD specialists is used to develop skills of clinicians in various agencies to use effective, science-based teaching techniques; data collection tools, and individualized motivational systems. The training model also helps staff to involve families in the educational process and teaches program leadership to conduct professional evaluations annually for all therapists. Data will be presented across a 7-year period from all IWRD-Recommended centers documenting the number of children in therapy, educational programs, supervision hours, and evaluations conducted (with average evaluation scores).

Understanding Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) interventions, evidence-based assessments, writing behavior intervention plans, and data collection are critical components of becoming a behavior analyst and are all required areas of training per the Behavior Analyst Certification Board’s® Task List. While the task list and mandated training in these technical competencies are critical, the importance of interpersonal skills must not be overlooked (Taylor et al., 2018). Interpersonal skills, also known as “soft skills”, include effective communication, empathy, active listening, and establishing safety and rapport with stakeholders. While little research exists on best practices for training adults in professional interpersonal skills, the new 6th edition of the BACB® has added an Ethics Code E.8, stating that trainees and behavior analysts should be able to “Identify and apply interpersonal and other skills (e.g., accepting feedback, listening actively, seeking input, collaborating) to establish and maintain professional relationships”. These interpersonal skills are pivotal for fostering stakeholder buy-in and ensuring continued success for clients (Roher et al., 2021). Still, they are often inadequately addressed in traditional training programs, which primarily emphasize the technical aspects of ABA. This research aims to evaluate the effectiveness of video modeling as an innovative training tool to enhance the interpersonal skills of trainees pursuing certification as behavior analysts. Video modeling bridges the gap between theoretical knowledge and real-world application by providing visual and practical demonstrations of desired interpersonal behaviors (Parsons et al., 2012). This research aims to provide practical and evidence-based solutions for behavior analysts to meet BACB® Ethics Code 4.08 regarding performance monitoring and feedback and Code 4.06 regarding providing supervision and training. The interpersonal skills addressed in this research are specific to conducting an intake appointment when a behavior analyst first meets with the caregiver of a new client. These skills are crucial in intake meetings to build rapport and trust with the client, especially as this is often the first impression of the behavior analyst and/or agency. This study features a nonconcurrent multiple baseline across participants design, with baseline data collected for each participant before the introduction of the video modeling training. The intervention is evaluated across three participants of varying ages and experience levels who each received the training. Assessments are conducted using an interpersonal skills checklist to measure the impact of the training. Qualitative feedback is also gathered through participant surveys and interviews to assess their perceptions of the training methods.

Beginner and intermediate

In 2023, 1.8 million people were incarcerated in the US and 48.5 million struggled with problematic substance use. Current systems for caring for people in prison or struggling with substances tend to be focused on stopping problematic behaviors rather than constructing more effective and flexible repertoires. This symposium will apply behavioral concepts to exploring alternative contexts for building the repertoires of those in recovery or rehabilitation. The first talk will offer a conceptual analysis of how psychedelic-assisted therapy might work to build more freedom and flexibility into the lives of people struggling with substances. The second talk will offer a conceptual analysis of how restorative justice could be integrated into the current penal system to heal both justice-involved individuals and their communities. The symposium will close with a discussion of the advantages of viewing recovery and rehabilitation through a behavioral lens, and barriers to implementation of behaviorally-informed interventions in these contexts.

BCaBAs, Individuals offering direct therapy, Individuals beginning training in behavior analysis, Individuals who have recently completed baccalaureate-level work

Over the past two decades, practitioners and researchers have recognized the benefits of technology to support intervention and education of individuals with autism and developmental disabilities and those that support their care. In fact, the National Autism Center designates “Technology-based Treatment” as a category of emerging evidence-based treatment. Such technology-based programs and supports have demonstrated success at addressing behavioral, communication, social, and adaptive skill goals and in delivering training to caregivers and clinicians. Innovative technology interventions and supports span a range of modalities, including computers, handheld electronic devices, and virtual reality. Throughout this symposium, presenters will focus on how technology can enhance teaching and learning, with a specific focus on video-based instruction delivery. Yanchik and colleagues will present findings on how portable virtual reality can extend classroom-based learning of clinical skills for students of applied behavior analysis, with video-based instruction embedded in the virtual reality context. Herting and colleagues will present their findings comparing static pictures and video prompting on independent completion of cooking tasks. Results from these studies indicate that technology-delivered and supported instruction led to skill acquisition for both types of adult learners. Presenters will describe benefits of video-based instruction and factors influencing preference for technology.

Educators and practitioners

Within the field of applied behavior analysis (ABA), students must demonstrate mastery of critical clinical skills. Coursework typically includes didactic instruction with minimal opportunities to practice clinical skills, receive individualized feedback, and reach mastery. In-person training barriers reported by students include unrealistic adult role plays and reactivity to being observed. Virtual reality (VR) has the potential to address time and quality barriers. Our research team developed a VR training on core behavior analytic skills. This study incorporated self-guided in-home VR training within clinical coursework and evaluated its feasibility, acceptability, and usability. Participants were first year M.A. In ABA students. In Study 1, 11 participants completed a pre-pilot acceptability survey, took home a portable VR headset, watched a tutorial video, proceeded through four training levels during a 2-week period, and completed post-pilot usability and acceptability measures. In Study 2, 15 new first-year students completed all procedures from Study 1 with the addition of an in-person role play with a researcher on implementation of core clinical skills before and after VR training. Results indicate that the majority of participants completed the training independently, rated the training high in acceptability and usability, and improved in their clinical skill implementation after the VR training.

Differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO) is a strategy commonly used to address challenging behavior but can be difficult to implement with high treatment integrity. While it is ideal that behavioral treatments are implemented with perfect treatment integrity, previous research has demonstrated that treatment effects can be observed even with occasional treatment integrity errors. However, the impact of various degrees of treatment integrity on outcomes of DRO is still unclear. The purpose of the current study was to conduct a parametric analysis of treatment integrity level (100%, 80%, 60%, 40%, 20%) in DRO in a human operant arrangement using a multiple treatments reversal design. Participants engaged with a computer program in which mouse-clicks on a moving button on the screen served as the target response and a proxy for challenging behavior. Rate of target responding was compared across baseline, DRO with 100% treatment integrity, and during reduced-integrity DRO (i.e., 80%., 60%, 40%, and 20% treatment integrity). Results indicate that DRO may be robust despite some level of treatment integrity error. These findings will inform future evaluations of treatment integrity errors in DRO and may inform mediator training practices.

Differential Reinforcement of Alternative Behavior (DRA) effectively reduces challenging behavior by reinforcing an alternative behavior. However, its efficacy can be compromised if implemented with errors. With other procedures (e.g., RIRD, DRO), interspersing high- and low-fidelity sessions has reduced negative effects of fidelity errors, but this has not yet been demonstrated with DRA. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to identify how experimental design (phase-wide errors or interspersed high- and low-fidelity) impacted responding when fidelity was reduced. To address this question, we used a within-subject translational model. Undergraduate students engaged in arbitrary responses on a computer-based task that were analogous to challenging and appropriate behavior. Participants experienced three conditions: baseline, DRA 100%, and DRA 50%. During the phase-wide errors, participants experienced an extended period of DRA 100% followed by an extended period of DRA 50%. During the interspersed high- and low-fidelity phase, participants rapidly alternated between the DRA 100% and DRA 50% conditions. Fidelity errors had differential effects based on the experimental design. In some cases, DRA was still effective when implemented with interspersed errors.

A limitation of the parametric literature regarding procedural errors is that individual stimulus sets or tasks are typically implemented with one level of fidelity throughout a study. Currently, no studies have investigated how implementing procedures with varying levels of fidelity affects learning. In addition, a small body of research indicates that a history of errors may impact future learning (e.g., Bergmann et al., 2021; Hirst & DiGennaro Reed, 2015). In Experiment 1, we varied the levels of procedural fidelity across one of three stimulus groups during a matching-to-sample task. Subsequently, we implemented a 100% fidelity phase for the varying group of stimuli to evaluate how initially exposing learners to varying levels of fidelity affects ongoing performance once errors are corrected. In Experiment 2, we systematically replicated Experiment 1 and included an incentive component to further investigate how including a cumulative point system and the opportunity to obtain additional reinforcers would affect learning. Overall, the results showed that the varying levels with which procedural errors are introduced can be detrimental to learning. However, when errors are corrected, individuals can master the task.

As higher education evolves, institutions must recognize and honor the diverse cultural experiences students bring to the classroom by adapting teaching methods and support services to meet their unique needs. Tennessee Tech University's unique ABA learning community in rural Tennessee primarily includes international scholars and first-generation rural graduate students. In this session, our students will showcase a qualitative study and share their journeys, challenges, and triumphs as they navigate cultural transitions, balance family responsibilities, and pursue their academic goals. International students will discuss their experiences adapting to American academic culture, while rural students will reflect on how their backgrounds inform their approach to behavioral healthcare. Attendees will gain insights into creating more inclusive and supportive environments for diverse student populations through these firsthand accounts. Join us to hear directly from students bridging cultures and building careers in behavior analysis while maintaining strong connections to their global origins and rural roots.

N/A

The origins of verbal behavior are said to lie in toddler-caregiver interactions. Recent research has argued that these instances of cooperation serve as a context to build preverbal skills including orienting, imitation and vocalizations, and drive derived relational responding and complex verbal behavior. I will discuss the continuum from preverbal behavior to relational responding in young children, focusing on the methods to facilitate foundational skills for language-learning. Specifically, I will present data on the impact of contingent vocal imitation on vocalizations, orienting and preverbal turn-taking. In addition to these foundations, Relational Frame Theory postulates that nonarbitrary relations (i.e., relations based on formal properties) are a key precursor for complex language. I will demonstrate ways to assess and teach nonarbitrary relations across listener and speaker response topographies to neurotypical and neurodivergent children.

Graduate students, practitioners, and researchers in ABA

This symposium focuses on enhancing staff and student performance through training and various performance management strategies in preschools, community organizations, and academic settings. We begin by presenting findings from a study that used graphic feedback to reduce stationary behavior among practicum teachers, highlighting the importance of physical movement in preschool classrooms. Next, we explore a study designed to equip preschool teachers with effective behavior management skills through workshops and coaching, emphasizing the implementation of healthy behavioral practices. Third, we report on research aimed at optimizing graphing skills by comparing different instructional interventions, including video modelling, with implications for approaches that best improve performance. Finally, we examine the effects of training practitioners to conduct indirect assessments with high fidelity, leading to discussions that highlight the disconnect between “knowledge” and performance of clinical skills and the need for practitioners and researchers to use best practices to ensure high fidelity in implementing indirect assessments. Together, these studies showcase the diverse applications of performance management in behavior analysis across various settings.

teachers, aba practitioners, graduate students

Recent research shows that general education teachers often struggle with implementing effective behavior management strategies, particularly those involving consequences. A systematic review by McGuire et al. (2024) revealed that many teachers continue to have difficulty with consequence-based strategies even after training, and general education teachers report receiving less training in this area than those in specialized settings. A recent study found that general education teachers are often unprepared to manage students with challenging behaviors. To address these gaps, it is essential to equip teachers with foundational classroom management skills and supplement their training with strategies that promote long-term retention. Healthy behavioral practices—including frequent positive interactions, clear instructions, appropriate responses to disruptive behaviors, and access to preferred activities—are key strategies. In this study, preschool teachers were trained to apply these strategies in response to behaviors serving various functions. We collected data on their use of healthy behavioral practices, conducted a 2-h workshop, and provided written feedback and coaching across three classrooms and four teachers. Results from this approach, along with practical implications for classroom management, will be shared in the presentation.

While indirect assessments are commonly used in research and practice by behavior analysts, the existing literature does not describe how practitioners are trained to use these tools. Accurate implementation of indirect assessments is important for identifying possible functions of behavior that may be used to inform functional analysis conditions or, in cases in which functional analyses are not conducted, for developing function-based treatments. The current study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of behavioral skills training (BST) to train professionals (BCBAs, BCaBAs, and behavior technicians) to implement indirect assessments (QABF, MAS, FAST) with high fidelity. Pre- and post-training evaluations consisted of a written knowledge test and accurate implementation of the assessments. Performance on the pre-intervention written knowledge test was high, with 5 out of 6 participants meeting mastery criteria (90%). However, participants were not able to implement the indirect assessments with high fidelity prior to training. Instructions alone were not sufficient for participants to implement assessments with high fidelity. Participants required modeling, rehearsal, and feedback to improve performance. These findings highlight the disconnect between “knowledge” and performance of clinical skills and the need for practitioners and researchers to use best practice for ensuring high fidelity of implementation of indirect assessments.

Audience members should have a basic understanding of B.F. Skinner's (1957) analysis of verbal behavior, especially the characteristic controlling variables for the elementary verbal operants, and an understanding of the multiple control of verbal behavior.

This symposium seeks to discuss the efficacy of different teaching procedures to increase complex verbal repertoires across three research studies. The purpose of the first study was to extend Jennings et al. (2023) by comparing the training of component skills (multiple tact, multiple listener, intraverbal categorization, listener compound discrimination) consecutively or a subset of components skills trained simultaneously on the emergence of convergent intraverbals. The second study describes the findings of recent comparison studies on optimal Differential Observing Response (DOR) arrangements for children exhibiting reading deficits. Implications for DOR arrangements to foster coherent stimulus control topographies and methods to individualize reading interventions will be discussed. The final study compares the effectiveness and efficiency of two different training procedures used in matrix training to produce recombination generalization for three children with ASD. A concurrent-operant arrangement procedure was also conducted to determine if participants preferred either teaching procedure. All studies emphasize the implications of their findings and the need for further research in the field of verbal behavior.

Participants should have a basic understanding of verbal operants and teaching procedures to increase verbal repertoires.

Matrix training is a teaching method that has been used to maximize teaching time for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) by producing recombinative generalization. Recombinative generalization allows individuals to produce and understand novel stimuli, from previously trained stimuli components (e.g., color-shape, noun-preposition, noun-verb combinations) for both vocal and non-vocal individuals. However, the percentage of recombinative generalization individuals produce after matrix training has been found to range from 0% - 94%. With such a wide range, it is difficult to identify what prerequisites or procedural modifications are necessary for recombinative generalization to occur. The primary purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness and efficiency of simultaneous and combination training procedures on recombination generalization for three children with ASD. All three participants demonstrated recombinative generalization with only the simultaneous training procedure. Simultaneous training also required the least amount of training blocks. A concurrent-operant arrangement procedure was also conducted to determine if participants had a preference for either teaching procedure. Participants preferred either the combination or simultaneous procedure and one had no preference. Implications for the findings as it relates to children with communication delays and best teaching practices will be discussed.

Darwin explained how purposeful and foresightful design could be unhinged from natural selection. Skinner followed suit for selection by reinforcement. These complementary selectionist ideas together with cultural selection now represent the prime pillars of evolutionary thought in biological and behavioral science.