Association for Behavior Analysis International

Transfer of stimulus control is an essential feature of many acquisition procedures, such as in errorless learning, fading, treatments for prompt dependence, and skill learning. Learning new behavioral skills often involves the transfer of stimulus control from discriminative stimuli present during early training to new endogenous cues that gain stimulus control with extended practice, often leading to skill autonomy. Four studies examined how behavioral skills may become autonomous by developing reliable practice cues when the originally predictive cues were modified or eliminated. As exteroceptive cues were degraded and eliminated over four successive phases using multiple schedules, pigeons solved the discrimination problem by transferring stimulus control to other available exteroceptive and endogenous cues. By measuring and comparing conditional discriminations in signaled vs. unsignaled components, we quantified the degree of stimulus control and measured changes in discriminative control across sessions. The final phase eliminated all discriminative stimuli. Pigeons achieved autonomy by ingeniously developing a new behavioral skill that could always yield reinforcement, but not via the transfer of stimulus control observed in Phases 1-3. Transfer of stimulus control to other available exteroceptive and endogenous cues is one process that may lead to skill autonomy, but it’s not the only one.

This study compared operant behavior on fixed ratio (FR) and random ratio (RR) food reinforcement schedules in enriched and non-enriched female Sprague-Dawley rats. The enriched rats were given post-session access to enrichment objects and other rats; non-enriched rats were kept in standard housing. Demand functions were generated for all subjects under both FR and RR schedules, with schedule order counterbalanced across subjects. Rats from the enriched group consistently responded at higher rates and at higher prices than did rats from the non-enriched group. Additionally, non-enriched rats showed the typical schedule difference, with higher levels of responding on RR than comparable FR schedules. Such differences were absent for enriched rats. For enriched rats, there was correlation between response rates on the FR schedule and social dominance in the enrichment setting. The results both join with other findings on the facilitative behavioral effects of enrichment, and add a much-needed level of quantitative rigor to the analysis of enrichment effects.

Obesity is one of the most prevalent behavioral disorders in the United States affecting approximately 40% of the adult population. Nearly 93.3 million individuals suffer from aversive clinical issues comorbid with obesity, including heart disease, diabetes, and certain types of cancer (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2018). Currently, the role of motivating operations (MO), or the stimulus control that alters the value of a commodity, in obesity is unknown. Further, present technology used to explore genetic and behavioral interactions in obesity remains subpar. Fatty Zucker rats are widely used to model and test genetic obesity as they are Leptin-deficient; Leptin being a chemical mediator of energy balance and food intake suppressor. In this study, a reversal design was used to analyze the effects of deprivation on food motivated responding using 6 fatty and lean Zucker rats. Motivation was assessed via lever-pressing demand tasks following baseline (deprivation) and experimental condition (satiation). Data analysis suggests elevated food motivation in the fatty rats across many work requirements despite food satiation. This is significant as it addresses the role of MOs in genetic obesity and provides potential behavioral targets to address satiation and obesity.

Prior research has shown that responding can be maintained under concurrent food and social reinforcement in rats, but little is known about interactions between these reinforcers. In the present study, we approached the problem from a behavioral economic perspective, using demand-curve methods to analyze interactions between food and social reinforcement. Four rats were given repeated choices between food and 10-s of social access to a familiar rat on concurrent schedules. Social access was arranged by lifting a door to a restraint, within which the partner rat was held. The price of social access was held constant at fixed ratio (FR) 1 across all conditions, while the price of food was systematically increased from FR 1 to FR 64. Of interest was cross-price elasticity, or demand for social reinforcement as a function of changes in the price of food reinforcement. Food responding was maintained at lower to moderate prices but declined to low levels at higher prices. Social responding was relatively constant at the lower to moderate food prices but increased when food responding dropped at the higher FR food prices, suggesting a substitutable relationship. The methods show promise as a way to quantify interactions between qualitatively different reinforcers.

Some problematic human behavior occurs when a single choice produces consequences that include both reinforcing and aversive outcomes. The present experiment explored this type of choice situation with rats by investigating how the value of an immediate food reinforcer followed by a shock changes as a function of the delay to the shock. The rats chose between two food pellets delivered immediately and followed by delayed shock, and two food pellets delivered alone after a delay. Within each condition, the delay to food was adjusted based on the rats’ previous choices until both consequences were chosen equally often and the delay to food was stable. At this “indifference point,” the delayed food was equal in value to the immediate food followed by shock. Across conditions, the delay to shock was manipulated. Generally, the shock devalued the immediate food to the greatest extent when the delay to shock was short, and the effects of shock weakened as the delay was raised in a pattern resembling a hyperbola. The finding that effects of aversive events on choice are weakened by delay parallels research on temporal discounting of positive reinforcers.

We describe the implementation of five different measures of behavior: directionality, vigor, preference, variation and persistence to analyze and represent the effect of food delivery according to Fixed-Ratio and Fixed-Interval schedules of reinforcement. The subjects were 4 rats, divided in two groups. We used an enlarged experimental chamber of 92 cm x 92 cm with three levers and one food dispenser. Responses on any lever produced reinforcers according to the current schedule. In different phases, the location of levers (on the same or different walls) and schedule of reinforcement (Fixed Ratio-1 or Fixed Interval-30s) varied. We found that the five measures of behavior were sensitive to the current schedule of reinforcement and that changes in some of those dimensions did not correlate with changes in other measures of behavior. The importance of analyzing different dimensions of behavior and thinking of new forms of representing behavioral data will be discussed.

Sexual behavior and feeding have been described separately without specifying the interaction of both under the same contingencies. It has been affirmed that the analogous behavioral repertoires described in both behaviors could be to the manipulation of the same variables. The purpose is to analyze sexual and feeding behavior through the manipulation of reinforcement parameters: magnitude, delay and novel sexual stimulation. Four experiments were designed that are logically concatenated. In Experiment 1, the effect of a novel sexual stimulation on sexual behavior and feeding will be described. In Experiment 2, the effect of the deprivation of sexual activity will be analyzed according to the receptivity of the females. Experiment 3 will describe sexual behavior based on Lee's Body Mass Index and Experiment 4 will compare the copulatory efficacy of standard males versus a common male rat. The design of the experiments follows the Mixed Factorial Design, fully covering the sources of internal disability and obtaining external validity, show effect and interaction of the manipulated variables. The contribution consists in showing the generality of the principles of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior to the case of sexual behavior and its interaction with food, two basic behavioral repertoires common to all organisms.

The empirical evidence about the use of different reinforcers still does not clearly show its replaceability. In the present study the effect of four reinforcers on feeding behavior in rats is described throughout three independent experiments. In Experiment 1 rats were food deprived and rolled pellets were delivered. In Experiment 2 the rats were water deprived and 0.10ml of water was delivered. For both experiments a CRF on a lever was used to feed rats during one-hour of experimental sessions. In Experiment 3 rats were food-deprived and industrial pellets or tapioca was delivered according to a VI 10, 20 or 30 seconds on successive experimental phases. The temporal distribution for all the reinforcers used was similar to the typical patterns for food commonly used in experimental chambers. Response rate was higher for industrial pellets, followed by tapioca, rolled pellets and water, in this order. These findings suggest that it is feasible to replace the traditionally used industrial pellets by cheaper ones to generate evidence comparable with both, operant and motivation literature. It is analyzed the usefulness of cheaper reinforcers with different palatability.

Behavioral variability has been proposed as a dimension of operant behavior that is vulnerable to environmental manipulations. For example, it has been demonstrated that variability of 4-lever press sequences can be affected by dopamine drugs such as amphetamines and SKF-38393. In a previous experiment, we tested the effects of over-the-counter energy drinks on variability of rats sequential responding. Three rats were trained on a procedure similar to that of Neuringer (1991) and Pesek et al. (2011) where sequences of four level presses were reinforced if they were novel compared to the past eight response sequences, referred to as a lag 8 condition. While the OTC energy drink Red Bull did not appear to have any discernible effects on U (entropy – the variability of emitted sequences), a control component from the experiment was missing. In this experiment, we will directly replicate those of Pesek et al. (2011) using a multiple schedule which includes a control condition. In addition, we will provide doses of energy drinks determined by body surface rather than weight, as indicated by current literature.

Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is an in vitro fertilization (IVF) method that involves the direct delivery of spermatozoon into the ooplasm of an egg. Since its introduction in 1992, ICSI has grown in popularity and is now the most commonly used IVF method worldwide. Despite this, some concerns have arisen regarding the procedure, namely that it circumvents natural sperm selection at the level of conception and could therefore lead to adverse postnatal outcomes. These concerns have led researchers to begin investigating ICSI outcomes in both humans and mouse models. This poster describes the first stage of an interdisciplinary collaboration in which we investigated operant learning in ICSI mice. First generation ICSI mice (n = 26) and naturally-conceived controls (n = 28) were compared across a battery of operant conditioning procedures: nose poke acquisition, a discrimination task, a do-not-match-to-position (DNMTP) recognition memory task, and retention assessments to measure the extent to which DNMTP performance was maintained across longer periods of time. The main finding was differences between ICSI and same-sex controls in nose poke acquisition and the discrimination task performance. We consider the implications of these initial findings for further behavioral research with ICSI mice.

The availability heuristic (reliance on recent events or information for decision making) is a systematic bias in human cognition. Few studies have been conducted to determine if the availability heuristic impacts risky decisions or if animals utilize such heuristics. This experiment sought to determine if recent events influenced risk sensitivity in rats. Sprague Dawley rats were randomly assigned to a Win and Loss Group. Both groups chose between a constant option that delivered 2 100% sugar pellets following a 3 s delay (p = 1.0)and a variable option that delivered 2 pellets 100% sugar pellets after a 1 s or 5 s delay (p = .5). In the Win Group (n = 10) subjects experienced a run of good luck or short delays prior to choices while the Loss Group (n = 10) experience a run of bad luck or long delays prior to choice. No statistically significant difference in choice was observed between groups (see Figure 1). These findings indicate that recent events or the availability heuristic do not drive variable or risky decision making. Rather, data is best described by the sequential choice model, which predicts that animals make choices in a chronological manner as they encounter different choice options.

This research has the purpose to investigate the influence of the use, chronic and acute, of caffeine in insight learning process on albino Wistar rats. The research was divided on six stages: 1) Discriminative training to signalize reinforcer availability; 2) an open field test; 3) a pre-test with each animal in the experimental cage; Then the animals will be divided into three groups, a control group (GC), an acute-use caffeine group (GCA) and a chronic-use caffeine group (GCC), each one with four animals; 4) consists on an independently training of dig and climbs repertoire; 5) individuals of each group were displayed to a puzzle that needed previous learned repertoire to be solved; 6) they were placed on the open field teste for the second time. Results shown that in the training stage all group had similar results, although GCC showed a better result on both repertoires then GCA. On GCC group all subjects were able to solve the problem, but in the GC and GCA only two animals solved the problem. Overall the acute-use of caffeine may produce a better performance on problem solving situations and it also can affect some process of learning.

Operant responding may habituate (decreased responsiveness over time) or sensitize (increased responsiveness over time) to repeatedly-presented reinforcers (McSweeney & Murphy, 2014). These within-session changes have been studied as they relate to broader behaviors such as addiction and food intake. 16 male Wistar rats were classified as either sign-trackers (n = 8) or goal-trackers (n = 8) in a Pavlovian conditioning task and then trained on a variable interval 7.5-s schedule of reinforcement. Groups did not differ in habituation, sensitization, or response rates when food restricted. Free-feeding decreased responding similarly in the two groups and did not affect habituation or sensitization. Additionally, because of previously documented increases in sensitization caused by aversive stimuli, 6 subjects were tested the day of a magnitude 7.1 earthquake. Within-session patterns of responding differed significantly between the day of the earthquake and the previous day F(29, 145) = 2.23, p = .001, with larger increases and smaller decreases observed after the earthquake. Taken together the current results are consistent with previous findings that (1) within-session decreases in operant responding are attributable to habituation rather than satiety, and (2) aversive stimulation can increase responsiveness to unrelated stimuli, including positive reinforcers.

Delay discounting is sometimes discussed as a trait variable – a pre-existing characteristic people bring to a situation. A trait approach suggests an association between discounting across outcomes characteristics (e.g., amount, commodity, and gain/loss). A trait approach would predict related, but not necessarily equivalent, discounting across characteristics. In contrast, a specificity approach suggests people do not possess an underlying discounting trait and there should be little-to-no relationship between discounting across outcome characteristics. In this study, we used traditional quantitative analyses and machine learning to describe data obtained from 23 cocaine- and 24 never-using individuals. Participants completed 16 total discounting tasks spanning: gains and losses; money, health, and cocaine; and, amounts of $10, $100, and $1000. When traditional models incorporate independent parameters for amount, commodity, gain/loss, and discount rate, we found that a single discount parameter described discounting well only across amounts, but not across the other domains (commodity, gain/loss). In contrast, machine learning suggested a single discounting parameter could describe discounting well across all domains.

In probability discounting research, comparing real and hypothetical outcomes has mixed results. Furthermore, it seems necessary a test that asserts the understanding of the probability concept before the discounting tasks. The aim of this study was to compare the probability discounting (i.e., choose for probabilistic bigger rewards vs. certain smaller rewards) with real and hypothetical outcomes. Thirty-two teenagers (12-15 years old) participated. First, a condition for training the probability and certainty concept was conducted. The probability discounting tasks followed an adjusting amount procedure. Four trials were used in five levels of probability: 10%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 90%. The standard amount was 16. The real outcomes were programmed in a video-game. In one option the smaller certain reward was delivered (i.e., medals and trophies). In the other option, a tombola was presented, and the reward was delivered or not depend on the probability programmed. The hypothetical probabilities and rewards were programmed in a traditional probability discounting task. The order presentation of the probabilities and each task were randomized. In both tasks, higher adjustment was observed with hyperboloid (R2> .80) than hyperbolic model. No differences were found between tasks. Video-games could facilitate the identification of risk-taking in a target population.

It has been found that people with obesity tend to choose smaller-immediate amounts of money instead of greater-delayed ones, which reflects impulsive instead of self-controlled behavior according to the delay-discounting procedure. In previous studies conducted in the laboratory of the authors, the relation between the participants’ weight and their delay-discounting rates for different kinds of consumable rewards was shown. Globally, teenagers with higher body mass index (BMI) showed more self-controlled behavior, measured with delay-discounting rates, for soda and fast food than for water and healthy food, respectively. However, different results were found with body fat percentage (BFP). The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the generality of the delay-discounting findings of our previous studies, with adults and with both health indices, BMI and BFP. Sixty-one adults between 18 and 50 years old were exposed to a delay-discounting task, which tested five rewards that varied in its calorie level: water, soda, healthy food, fast food, and money as a control. The amounts of the rewards were varied according to an adjusting-amount procedure. The results were like those of our previous studies; that is, adults with higher weight showed more self-controlled behavior, measured with delay-discounting rates, for soda and fast food than for water, healthy food, and even money. These results were similar for both, BMI and BFP and contribute to the study of self-control as a state behavior, which changes according to features of both rewards and participants.

Progressive ratio (PR) schedules are often used to identify the value of a reinforcer, which is often defined by the point at which an organism stops responding. This point, the breakpoint, however, can be impacted by procedural considerations such as the starting response requirement, the algorithm used for increasing the response requirement, the rate of reinforcement, the criteria for identifying the breakpoint, and the context in which the PR schedule is arranged. The current presentation uses PR schedules to assesses the effectiveness of two putative reinforcers for completing a ratio requirement under varying contexts. Manipulations such as the response required to access the reinforcer and the use of a progress bar are focused on primarily and are assessed through measuring the total responses emitted and the total ratios completed per reinforcer. Results suggest that contextual variables such as the progress bar and response type impacts measurement of the reinforcer value.

A number of nonoverlap methods to calculate treatment effect estimates have been developed for single-subject experimental research studies. Although extant literature contains several studies comparing some of these methods with each other and visual analysis, there is no study in the literature investigating most of the available nonoverlap methods in a single study using same graphs and visual analysts. Purpose of our study was to compare 12 commonly-used nonoverlap methods with each other and visual analysis. Data were obtained from 25 studies focused on embedded instruction and schema-based instruction and included a total of 101 graphs. Treatment effect estimates using 12 nonoverlap methods were calculated for each graph by hand or using an online calculator. Five experts conducted visual analysis of each graph. Results showed that strong agreements existed between visual analysis and Percentage of Nonoverlapping Data (PND), TauNOVLAP, and Tau-U when raw data were analyzed, and PND, Percentage Of Non-Overlapping Corrected Data (PNCD), and Percentage of Data Exceeding a Median Trend (PEM-T) when categorized data were analyzed. Among 12 methods investigated, PND had the highest agreement rate with visual analysis, followed by PEM-T, Percentage of All Nonoverlapping Data (PAND), PNCD, Improvement Rate Difference, Nonoverlap of All Pairs, and TauNOVLAP. Overall, visual analysis appeared to be more conservative as most nonoverlap methods overestimated treatment effect. Additional research is needed to replicate findings of the present study.

Schizophrenia involves debilitating and pervasive symptoms that can cause the persons manifesting them significant functional impairments in nearly every aspect of their lives. Traditionally, schizophrenia is considered a primarily biological presentation, which is reflected in the use of antipsychotics as the most preferred therapeutic intervention. Alternative to the biomedical model, “psychotic” behavior patterns can be conceptualized as the presence of behavioral excesses and/or deficits that are maintained by social positive, negative, and/or automatic-sensory reinforcement rather than relevant neurochemical, neuroanatomical or gene abnormalities. By contextualizing an individual’s verbal or motoric bizarre behavior, oppositional responses, perseverative or hallucinatory speech, and stereotypies employing functional analytic methodology, behavior analysts can destigmatize the persons behavior and develop effective interventions, such as social skills training, that improve the impairments while simultaneously addressing limitations of the pharmacotherapeutic treatments. Functionally-based treatments support the idea that the primary goal should not be reducing symptomatology, but rather increasing the frequency of alternative more functional behaviors. Most importantly, they reinforce the view that schizophrenia can be sufficiently understood when considering the purpose behaviors serve in the person’s environment.

The Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis (JABA) periodically publishes articles meant to summarize an aspect of the journal as it relates to the broad mission of “publishing research about applications of the experimental analysis of behavior to problems of social importance.” Journal editors review and shape the work of authors, and in so doing, influence the journal’s direction and quality. They also serve as authors themselves contributing to the body of knowledge within a field. Mathews (1997) illuminated the role of editors of the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis by analyzing the annual publication rates of 55 editors and associate editors, which showed an increasing trend of postdoctoral experience and greater number of publications prior to appointment as editors. The current paper extends the previous analysis over the subsequent two decades, including 44 editors, adds editor alma mater and gender, and allows multiple comparisons between the original work and current project.

Behavior analysts employ a function-based approach to the analysis of behavior. Responses are defined not by their topography, but by the relations that exist between individual responses and environmental variables. This kind of functional categorization has been fundamental to the development of an effective science of behavior. Although behavior analysts have established a conceptual system that allows for the categorization of many behavioral responses, some classes of behavior require further examination. Of specific interest is the notion of generalized operant classes. Typically defined by the observation of responding in untrained contexts, it appears that this term has been used in a variety of ways. A review of published literature shows that generalized response classes are invoked in the explanation of complex behavior (imitation, match-to-sample, language) for which first-order environmental variables may provide a more precise account. To begin, this poster will analyze the functional use of the terms “generalized” and “higher-order” response class. In addition, the poster will provide alternative accounts based on the concepts of atomic behavioral repertoires and abstracted stimulus dimensions.

One of the eminent standards set by Sidman’s (1960) Tactics of Scientific Research for behavioral research was to avoid inferential statistics in the form of null hypothesis statistical testing (NHST). Foster, Jarema, and Poling (1999) documented a growing trend in reporting of such inferential statistics in the Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior (JEAB) through 1995. Zimmermann, Watkins, and Poling (2015) confirmed the trends into the 2010s. The present study examined articles appearing in JEAB volumes from 2011 to 2018 for use and reporting of NHST, species, and experimental design. Results show continued high reporting of between-subject designs (8-38% across the years), experiments with human participants (17-50%), and increasingly high reporting of NHST in Small-N design studies (24-60%). Whereas the former findings are consistent with previous predictions by Foster et al. and Zimmermann et al., the latter finding has not been reported previously. As we did not examine their appropriateness, it remains unclear what is behind this new trend of combining NHST with Small-N designs.

Skinner discussed a type of controlling response that has an effect on the probability response that follows. In his work The Technology of Teaching (1968), he termed this response as precurrent behavior, which he describes as a type of behavior that functions to make subsequent behavior more effective. Polson & Parsons (1994) further emphasized that this type of behavior does not produce the reinforcer itself but produces stimuli that affect the likelihood of behavior that follows, and therefore increases the likelihood of behavior resulting in reinforcement. Though most research about this operant pertains to precurrent behavior in the acquisition of problem solving skills, it can also play an important role in the acquisition and maintenance of precursor behavior that precedes problem behavior. In this conceptual analysis, we will review empirical literature on the topic as well as define the core features of precurrent behavior, discuss the altering effects precurrent behavior has on the current operant being observed, and discuss how precursor behavior that precedes problem behavior may be maintained by a precurrent operant contingency.

Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly) has long been a model organism in genetics research. Behavioral genetics research with these organisms has relied on the use of neural activation or negative reinforcement by use of aversive stimulation (heat) to analyze behavioral contingencies and the effects of organisms’ phylogenetic endowments. Additionally existent research has required the constraint of the organism in a flight chamber. Optical neural activation of reward pathways has been demonstrated. However both of these paradigms prevent evaluation of naturalistic responding in the context of positive reinforcement contingencies. Drosophila melanogaster’s status as model organism in other fields like genetics means the ability to demonstrate positive reinforcement and schedule control with this organism will help to contextualize modern behavior analytic models alongside her sister sciences. Presented will be this laboratories initial designs, successes and failures at designing an operant chamber which permits free response to positive reinforcement. While the organism’s size and lifespan and present problems for traditional operant chamber design we hope that our designs open avenues for positive reinforcement research.

A large constraint placed on operant research with nonhuman organisms is the existing apparatuses which investigators use. These constraints may be purposeful, as with Skinner’s boxes, which were originally meant to control for confounding variables as best as possible. But many experiments are ran with prototypical Skinner boxes simply out of convention, instead of out of sensitivity towards the potential influence of confounding variables. An unfortunate side-effect of this is that many researchers—at least those fortunate enough to still have animal laboratories—feel obligated to spend a large amount of money on pre-made chambers to ask any number of research questions. The time and effort it would take to create one’s own chamber—or variations on it—may seem immense and overwhelming. However, work within the NRRL laboratory at the University of North Texas over the past year has indicated that it is feasible to build and program one’s own chamber cheaply. Additionally, our lab has created a “supercage” capable of housing at least a dozen rats that allows for social enrichment and the examination of nonlinear contingencies.

Massed trial instruction (MTI) and task interspersal (TI) are frequently used variations of discrete trial training. Available research suggests that TI is less efficient in facilitating response acquisition than MTI but has not yet addressed which procedure facilitates better maintenance of skills. The present study was designed to compare MTI and TI with respect to response acquisition and maintenance. Parents selected two skill sets. Four children were taught targets from skill 1. Skill 2 was taught using MTI and TI. TI also used targets from skill 1. All targets within skill 1 were probed prior to each session. Acquisition of skill 2 and maintenance of skill 1 during MTI versus TI were compared using an alternating treatments design. Data collection is ongoing but will be completed by December 1st. Results thus far replicate previous findings that TI produces slower acquisition than MTI (Figure 1). Results also suggest both procedures may produce equivalent maintenance (Figure 2). Final conclusions will be made when all data are collected. Implications for behavioral programming will be discussed.

Feedback is critical for learning (Hattie & Timperly, 2007), however, many times students with disabilities struggle to obtain or understand the feedback they are given. The purpose of this poster is to disseminate findings of a systematic literature review designed to determine the effects of interventions designed to recruit feedback or praise. Authors will discuss identified articles, and results from the synthesis, including participant demographics and characteristics of interventions. Additionally, authors will discuss whether the literature meets the quality indicators set forth by the Council for Exceptional Children to determine whether this is an evidence-based practice.

This study examined the effects of using positive reinforcement and negative reinforcement to increase appropriate question-asking in a 10-year old student. A functional assessment suggested an escape to tangible function to off task behaviours in the classroom. The study used visual, gestural, and verbal prompts to encourage appropriate question-asking behaviours to reduce work avoidance. Question/body-break cards were placed on the student’s desk and the student was encouraged to use these cards to request body breaks or ask questions throughout the day. As the child progressed the cards were reduced. The intervention took place over a 5-day period. The student’s appropriate question-asking behaviour accelerated from 0.3 instances per minute to 1.5 instances per minute. The question-asking/body break cards became a desired item to the student, increasing the probability of success for the intervention. The student’s average off-task behaviour decreased from 12.1 instances per minute to 9.4 instances per minute. The question-asking/body break cards became a conditioned reinforcer, and the student began to economize the use of the cards. These findings support the use of positive reinforcement of appropriate question-asking behaviours and their beneficial impact on a student’s relationship with educators and on future academic success.

Although lying is a major concern for many caregivers (Alwin, 1989; Gervais, Tremblay, Desmarais-Gervais, & Vitaro, 2000), there is little behavior analytic research on effective, practical interventions. Studies have shown that a moral story, instruction, or rule implying reinforcers for honesty produced statistically significant improvements in children admitting a transgression (Lee et al., 2014; Talwar, Arruda, & Yachison, 2015; Talwar, Yachison, & Leduc, 2016). We evaluated an intervention package comprised of this moral story, instruction, and rule in combination with praising honest reports when reinforcement favored lying. A failure to replicate the initial increase in honesty using this treatment package in a reversal design was observed for one participant. To date, using the logic of a multiple baseline design across participants, the intervention package has shown increases in honest reports. We are in the process of further evaluating the within-subject reliability of our current findings. Moreover, we are evaluating reinforcement of correspondence (i.e., Differential Reinforcement of Honesty) as an alternative intervention to increase honesty.

Daily Behavior Report Cards (DBRCs) have shown to be a successful intervention for improving classroom behavior for students considered to display challenging behaviors. DBRCs have been used for students with emotional/ behavioral disorder in an effort to improve academic and social outcomes. Few studies have examined the use of DBRCs for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Even fewer studies have examined the intersection of young (i.e., early childhood) students with IDD in extended school year settings (ESY). The authors examined the effectiveness of DBRCs for young students with IDD in ESY settings. The research questions were: 1. Are DBRCs an effective intervention for improving behavior during ESY services for young students with IDD? 2. Can teachers of young students with IDD effectively implement DBRCs as a behavior intervention during ESY services?

Students who are identified deaf/hard of hearing struggle with social skills largely because of their limited access to a social community with whom they can interact fluently (Cawthon et al., 2015; Shogren, 2013). For example, if a student is fluent with American Sign Language (ASL) but spends most of the day interacting with hearing peers who use vocal speech to converse, communication breakdowns may cause frustration. Video modeling is an effective strategy for teaching a variety of skills and social behaviors. Video modeling has its origins in Bandura’s (1977) theory of social learning. The approach is for participants to view appropriate behaviors exhibited by peer models. This study used a multiple baseline across participants design to evaluate the effects of video modeling to teach coping strategies to students identified as DHH. Students were taught different coping strategies to use throughout the day. Percent of opportunities data was taken on the number of opportunities a student had to engage in a coping strategy versus how many times they engaged in a coping strategy. Results of visual and Tau-U analyses indicated increases in the use of coping strategies after the intervention was implemented. Social validity measures indicated the students enjoyed the intervention.

The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of Behavioral Skills Training (BST) with peer models on the interactive play with students with moderate to severe disabilities in the classroom. Four students with disabilities and four typically developing students participated in this study. Two separate multiple baseline designs across participants were used in this study. The first multiple baseline design focused on the accuracy of peer models’ implementation of the play intervention steps, and the second focused on the students with multiple disabilities and the percent of intervals of interactive play. In the first intervention phase, experimenters used BST to teach peer models to implement three interactive play activities with target students. During the second intervention phase, peer models implemented the previously mastered procedural steps using picture task analyses as cues in order to teach target students to engage in interactive play activities.

This review addresses the use of peer-mediated interventions (PMI) to promote social interaction between early childhood students with disabilities and their peers (aged 3 to 8). The purpose of this review is to (a) identify the characteristics and components of peer-mediated social interaction interventions, (b) evaluate the effectiveness of PMI by conducting an analysis of research designs and intervention results, and (c) suggest directions for future research. This review includes 13 English language peer-reviewed studies published between 2008 and 2018 and will highlight the increasing contributions of recent research to this field. The method for search process was aligned with the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) statement. Preliminary results indicate participants in the majority of the reviewed studies demonstrated an increase in social interaction (e.g., initiations, responses, and continuation) when peer training occurred. This poster will also present limitations of reviewed research, directions for future research, and implications for practice.

We followed sixteen male high-school students practicing a short game "tailored" for the purpose of this study once per week throughout a full semester. Students were placed in four stations, each containing an equal number of items (e.g., bean bags). The game challenges participants to collect as many objects as they can from other stations within a limited time frame and to place these objects in their own station. When this brief game ends, the number of objects inside the boundaries of each station determines the score of the game and the winning team. Rules of the game were manipulated through four different "difficulty domains": Duration, Intensity, Complexity and Distracters during performance. Dependent variable was students' misbehavior. A multielement design showed that the highest levels of misbehavior occurred during intensity sessions, a pattern that became more pronounced as the task prolonged. The poster presents the game structure, data reflecting the variability of misbehavior rates across the different versions and recommendation for implementing the game for assessment as well as treatment purposes.

In a setting where all students in the classroom are diagnosed with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD), teachers are often faced with frequent disruptive behaviors, highlighting the need for effective classroom management strategies to promote student on-task behavior and decrease disruptive behavior. Given that students with EBD often lack appropriate social skills, as well as frequently emit challenging behavior, combining group contingency and positive peer reporting interventions may represent an efficient way to address student needs and promote positive student outcomes. It was hypothesized that students would benefit from the structured opportunity to discuss positive behaviors and to practice prosocial skills, while also working to earn rewards through a randomized dependent group contingency to improve behavior. An ABAB design across three classrooms was implemented in an alternative school setting with students in first through sixth grade students diagnosed with EBD. Results indicated an increase in engagement and decrease in disruptive behavior during intervention phases. There was also a decrease in negative peer interactions and an increase in positive peer interactions during intervention phases. Given high interobserver agreement, adherence data, and clear changes in behavior across phases, I have a high degree of confidence that the intervention led to behavior change.

Problem behavior in children with an autism diagnosis can be a barrier to successfully participating in an inclusive setting with same-aged peers. It can also prevent children with autism from creating meaningful relationships and friendships with their peers. For this study, we introduced three yoked-contingency protocols in to an inclusive Kindergarten classroom to determine their effectiveness at reducing problem behaviors for a student with autism. The participants are nine students in a kindergarten classroom at a private day school between the ages of five and six years old; one of whom has an autism diagnosis. The protocols introduced in the classroom were SLR (Social Listener Reinforcement), Peer Tutoring, and Empathy Training. The protocols were run in small groups of two peers at a time. The protocols were run until our target peer with autism had reached predetermined mastery criteria. The problem behaviors that were measured included: inappropriate comments, aggression, uncooperative behavior, yelling, non-functional vocalizations, crying, and physical stereotypy. Data is currently continuing on two of the three protocols, but to date we have noted a decrease or low rates in the student’s occurrence of aggression, crying, uncooperative behavior, and physical stereotypy, and non-functional vocalizations.

Schools often provide emotion-regulation intervention support prior to or after behavior incidents occur. However, there is a lack of research on school-based interventions used in-vivo during pre-curser behaviors (e.g., off-task behavior and increased heart rate) to decrease the likelihood of more severe problem behavior. This study used an ABABCBC design to analyze the effectiveness of self-monitoring behavior and physiology in addition to several emotion-regulation lessons from the Zones of Regulation curriculum. Interval time sampling recording was used to track students' on-task, non-disruptive off-task, and disruptive off-task behaviors. After a baseline phase, portions of the Zones of Regulation curriculum were taught to help students learn how to identify, categorize, and regulate their emotions. In the first intervention phase, students self-monitored their behavior and physiology (i.e., heart rate). In the second intervention phase, students participated in the same self-monitoring intervention while wearing a heart rate monitor smartwatch set to vibrate when their heart rate rose above average resting rate. Findings suggest self-monitoring classroom behavior and self-monitoring heart rate helped students increase on-task behavior and reduce off-task behaviors, and the addition of smartwatch heart rate notifications had little influence on student behavior.

Normative data can help educators identify atypical behavior, develop goals for underperforming students, and evaluate social validity outcomes for children following intervention. However, most published data on the normative “behavior” of school children is in fact collected through indirect rating scale measures. This lack of direct observation or use of standard dimensions of behavior could lead to imprecise assessment and goals, and does not lend itself to the application of behavior analysis. This poster will describe duration data of attending to teaching materials, frequency of verbal operants used in response to teaching materials, duration of independent and peer play, and rate of corrections provided by a teacher. These data were taken from five different preschools and one first grade classroom on the island of O’ahu. Children observed were presumably neuro-typical. It is recommended to increase the number of subjects within current demographics and expand data collection to other age groups.

Alternative seating is an environmental arrangement with limited evidence for individuals with developmental disabilities. Educators are often asked to incorporate strategies despite empirical evidence. Alternative seating is one strategy with limited evidence for individuals with DD commonly found in classrooms. The current study examined the effects alternative seating versus traditional seating of on task behavior and problem behavior for four elementary school students.

When a token economy is not appearing to create the desired degree of motivation and reinforcement of desired behaviors for its targeted elementary school students, the 'automatic' response of "Just go get better backup reinforcers!" is often not an option, and arguably, shouldn't be. Other aspects, including individual components, and the strengths of associations between behavior, token, and backup should be assessed systematically. Similarly, the extra effort of assessing for, in a systematic fashion, alternate (especially non-material, no cost) backup reinforcers can identify intangible social and attention based reinforcers that middle school kids might actually really want far more than yet another plastic spider ring or cartoon character pencil sharpener. This poster presents a framework for systematically evaluating the salience of tokens and back up reinforcers currently in use in an elementary school token economy, prompting teacher ideas for additional tokens and reinforcers to add, and improving the impact of both the new and currently used ones. Noteworthy aspects of THIS proposed framework include integration of systematic guidelines for such evaluation, including those in Foxx's fundamental "Increasing Behaviors.." text, the "Components, Connections, Consequences, and Context" model, as well as the fundamental "Antecedent-Behavior-Consequence" 3 part contingency, Donabedian's "Structure-Process-Outcome" model, and behavioral analysis modifications of Haddon's Injury Control Strategies and Matrix. Additionally, and very importantly, this rubric is powered by its grounding in and development by the perspectives of the middle school student first author.

Anxiety is a multi-component construct involving affective states (e.g., subjective fear), cognitions (e.g., thoughts, beliefs) behavioral patterns (avoidance), and associated physiological arousal (e.g., increased heart rate, changes in respiration patterns) (Moskowitz et. al 2017). Behavior analysts frequently rely on direct observation measures to quantify observable behaviors associated with anxiety, agitation, and/or stress for individuals with limited verbal skills (e.g., increased rocking, change in tone of vocalizations) while also attending to environmental variables associated with anxiety or stress. Although direct observation is effective for identifying behavioral manifestations of anxiety, this type of measurement may result in incomplete information as anxiety and stress are internal states that may not be accessible through direct observation. The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness and utility of using wearable biomarker devices, combined with functional assessment screening and behavioral observations, to develop interventions to increase the coping and self-management skills of high school students who experience significant anxiety. We identified five high school students, with a diagnosed anxiety disorder, who were reported by their teachers and therapists as engaging in challenging behavior associated with anxiety. We then conducted an initial screening using the Functional Assessment Screening Tool (Iwata et al.2013) and the Functional Assessment Interview ()’Neill et al., 1997). We then conducted direct observations using an adapted version of the Functional Assessment Direct Observation Form (O’Neill et al., 1997). In addition, each participant wore a Spire device and an Empatica E4 Wrist band to monitor and record physiological indicators of stress and anxiety. We then combined data from behavioral observations with data form the wearable devices to 1) determine if each participants challenging behavior was associated with physiological indicators of anxiety and 2) develop an appropriate function-based intervention in collaboration with the school-based team. Data from the wearable devices indicated that two of the five participants showed increases in physiological indicators of stress and anxiety that were associated the occurrence of target behaviors. Interventions for these two individuals were implemented in the contact of an alternating treatments design. The intervention consisted of a calming activity using a visual app with the Spire device. Both participants were prompted to use the app at the beginning of class periods and activities associated increases physiological indicators of anxiety. The participants were also prompted to use the calming app whenever they experienced anxiety. Although both students used the consistently and independently, neither showed a decrease in physiological indicators of anxiety. In fact, one participant showed an increase in levels of anxiety on days he used the app. The results suggest that wearable devices may be a useful tool in identifying situations in which school-age students experience significant levels of anxiety. However, more research is needed to identify effective interventions for these individuals.

Disruptive behaviors such as elopement, calling-out, and aggression are often a major barrier to instruction in preschool classrooms. One widely used class-wide behavior management system built around an interdependent group contingency is Class-Wide Functionally-Related Intervention Teams (CW-FIT). To date, the first author has only been able to find one study on CW-FIT used in a preschool setting, by Jolstead et al. (2017), which found a therapeutic change in on-task behavior and rates of teacher praise statements and reprimands. The current study used a withdrawal design to evaluate the effectiveness of CW-FIT in a preschool classroom in both large and small group settings on both on-task student behavior and teacher praise and reprimand behaviors. Using visual data analysis consistent with single-case design, results suggested that the implementation of CW-FIT increased on-task group behavior in both the large and small group settings. Results for rates of teacher’s praise and reprimand statements were, however, variable for the two settings. Limitations are also discussed.

Task interspersal (TI) is a discrete trial training variant in which a number of mastered targets are presented prior to each acquisition target. Previous studies have demonstrated that TI leads to increased learning relative to massed trial training as measured by the number of sessions required for mastery. Recent literature however has suggested that, given the amount of time necessary to conduct additional trials of mastered targets, TI is less efficient when examining overall time spent in instruction. Given its procedural similarity to the high-p sequence, TI may serve to increase the probability of responding for children with high rates of escape, and thus be more efficient for this group of individuals by increasing time on task. Very little research has examined the effects of TI on escape maintained behavior, however. The present study compared TI to massed trial training using a parallel treatments design for two children with high rates of escape behavior during instruction. Initial data indicated that escape maintained behavior decreased during TI; however, escape decreased to low levels across both conditions during subsequent acquisition targets. Implications for future research on TI and escape maintained behavior will be discussed.

Many children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or Developmental Delay (DD) have difficulty with communication. Caregivers, such as parents, often spend a great deal of effort understanding their children and helping them to communicate. Behavior Skills Training (BST) is a didactic instruction procedure that includes the following steps: instructions, modeling, role-play, and feedback. Research has shown that BST is an effective method for training caregivers such as parents, teachers, and paraprofessionals. This study examined the effects of BST on parent implementation of a constant time delay (CTD) procedure for her three children (ages 2-6) with autism or developmental delay. The experimenter trained the mother to use CTD to teach her children to tact pictures. The mother of the three participants was diagnosed with an intellectual disability (ID). Results of the study suggest BST was effective for training the parent to implement the BST steps correctly and was effective for improving each child’s tacting skills.

There is limited research evaluating strategies being used to train pre-service behavior analysts. A review of the literature was conducted to identify studies that examine the effects of teaching strategies on pre-service behavior analysts acquisition of behavior analytic skills. Studies were included if participants were graduate students training to become behavior analysts, the dependent variable was a behavior analytic skill, a single-case research design was used, and individual participant data was reported. A systematic search identified seven studies that met the aforementioned inclusion criteria. The purposes of this review were to: 1) identify and summarize literature on training pre-service behavior analysts, (2) evaluate the quality of existing literature by applying the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) single-case research design standards to the included studies, and (3) obtain an effect size of the strategies that met the WWC single-case research design standards. Results of the included analyses are summarized and implications for future research are discussed.

Recently, applied behavior analysis (ABA) has seen dramatic increases in university training programs, experimental and applied research studies, and certified practitioners (Burning Glass, 2015; Carr & Nosik, 2017; Deochand & Fuqua, 2016), mirroring increasing nation-wide demand for credentialed behavior analysts (BACB, 2018). However, little research focuses on understanding our professional workforce, including their introductions to the discipline. Behavior analysts across Pennsylvania (n = 98) completed an in-depth quantitative and qualitative survey. Several researchers conducted both the analysis and coding, and measures were taken to ensure sufficient accuracy. Questions focused on a variety of issues/experiences, including their own pivotal experiences with ABA and motivating factors for becoming a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). Results highlight that behavior analysts are introduced to the field through working with clients, professional trainings, and during undergraduate or graduate coursework. After learning about the field, the respondents described career opportunities, a desire to gain both knowledge and skills, a connection with the science and practical applications of ABA, and enjoyment of the work and clients as key in pursing their BCBA. The results from study provide important preliminary information about our workforce and the professional and personal experiences which brought them to the field.

Recent empirical research and special issues have focused on determining appropriate training program ranking metrics, including faculty productivity and pass rates. Arguably, an important way to judge the quality of a training program is by talking with its graduates. Field leaders have recognized the critical importance of student voice in understanding program quality (Iwata, 2015). However, to date no research has focused on understanding the program or supervision experiences of our behavior professionals. A mixed-methods survey was send to over 1,200 behavior analysts across Pennsylvania to understand a variety of professional issues, including questions about their program selection considerations, and strengths and needs of their training program. The respondents (n = 98) also described the type(s), strengths, and needs of their supervision experiences and supervisors. Results from this survey are still being analyzed; however, preliminary findings suggest that future behavior analysts select their training program based on location/convenience, program reputation, and specific program characteristics (e.g., able to work while completing the program). Results from this survey will add an important missing voice into our fields’ conversations regarding training program quality and can provide critically important information for those responsible for training the next generation of behavior analysts.

Wraparound professionals are typically masters-level service providers who work with individuals with autism in home and community settings. However, as this study shows, some may lack the necessary skills to do so using applied behavioral analytic (ABA) strategies. This study discusses a competency-based training designed to bridge this gap. At the present time, eight participants have received training on how to define behavior, write behavioral goals, and collect and analyze behavioral data visually. Twenty more professionals are projected to complete the training by the end of the project. Preliminary results show that prior to training on average most participants score at 34% competency level. Currently, after fully training two participants, the average competency level increases to 84%. Likewise, participants and administrators report greater satisfaction with this approach as compared to traditional training.

Students in an undergraduate applied behavior analysis (ABA) course were asked to develop and implement a behavioral self-management program in which they pinpointed a single target behavior within one of six dimensions of wellbeing. Students were provided with instruction on ABA principles and strategies and received guidance from the course instructor while crafting action plans for their behavior change projects. The purpose of this project was to enhance students' learning experience while learning the basic principles of behavior analysis. Students were asked to apply ABA principles in order to demonstrate their ability to effectively use self-management strategies to change their own behavior, as well as evaluate the effectiveness of their behavior change strategies. This poster will illustrate the step-by-step process through which the course instructor guided students, share data-based results from individual student projects, as well as share a summary of students' reflections on their experiences and students' perceptions of their ability to use what they learned in the course in future behavior change applications.

We extended Mitteer, Greer, Fisher, and Cohrs (2018) by examining the effects of a video model on inputting data into GraphPad Prism, which is a necessary skill for graph construction. We also replicated Mitteer et al. by examining the effects of a graphing video model with each participant following acquisition of data input. We used a concurrent multiple-baseline-across-skills design with two behavior technicians to assess input and graphing skills separately prior to and during access to relevant video models. We evaluated the generality of the training procedures by assessing both skills during input-plus-graphing sessions without access to the video models. The video models resulted in mastery of input and graphing skills when assessed individually. We observed training effects generalize to input-plus-graphing sessions once behavior technicians experienced all relevant video models. These results suggest that individuals should view both input and graphing video models prior to depicting single-case design data in Prism but that these skills can maintain at high levels of accuracy without continued access to the training materials.

In this research the psychological aspects that participate in a teaching-learning situation are analyzed and discussed. That is, the modes of language, as a medium of conventional contact and the abilities, aptitudes and competencies. The functional contact emphasizes the psychological phenomenon, as an activity defined from an individual and at least one object or another individual; the individual is not separable, as part of the relationship of the other entities. The term contact, as a logical category, specifies the means that makes the functional relationship possible. Sixteen children of both sexes of the fifth grade with and without special education requirements from a public elementary school participated in the study analyzed. An intrasubject design was used with a diagnostic test, initial test, intervention phase and a final test. The analysis of the psychological dimension in a teaching-learning situation can be an alternative to transfer from a traditional conception that emphasizes the products and results, to another centered on interdependent relationships in which the complementary modes of language (speaking-listening, reading-writing, observing-pointing/gesturing), are integrated as multimodal episodes and make possible the interaction between people, actions, objects and events pertinent to the situation.

This research aims to find a suitable replacement for rats in experimental behavior analysis discipline on undergraduate courses. To achieve this objective the game Portal 2 ® test chamber creation tool has been utilized on naive psychology students as a way to teach them basic behavior analysis concepts, such as modeling, all the participants had to solve a questionnaire before and after the experiment as well as attend to theoretical classes, then they were divided into two groups one of them had practical modeling and extinction classes with a Portal 2 ® test chamber created by the authors and the other had a standard approach with Wistar rats and Skinner boxes. The results showed that both groups had similar results on their post-test which may classify Portal 2 ® test chambers as a suitable alternative to traditional teaching on experimental behavior analysis.

Criminal behavior is a persistent social problem. Nationally, nearly 68% of individuals released from prison return within three years (National Institutes of Justice, 2014). There is increased interest, including by researchers and federal agencies (e.g., National Institute of Justice) to examine the neurocognitive deficits of offenders. However, additional research advancing the science and practice of examining decisions to commit or abstain from crime, is needed. Individuals who have been convicted of criminal offenses often have co-morbidities or co-occurring conditions such as alcohol and substance abuse, disease, and/or mental illness (Jaffe, Huang, & Hser, 2012). Behavioral economics provides a promising approach for evaluating a variety of reinforcer pathologies including substance abuse, problem gambling, alcohol abuse, and obesity (see, MacKillop, et al. 2011). However, few studies have specifically examined behavioral economics methodology with individuals who have been convicted of criminal offenses. In the present study, participants were recruited from a community-based re-entry program in Kansas City, Missouri. Participants completed computerized assessments including a delay discounting task. Data are presented on delay discounting rates among different types of offenders. Delayed discounting values were analyzed based on offender types including violent offenses, non-violent offenses, sex offenses, and drug offenses. Based on pilot-testing of the computerized assessment, overall the hyperboloid functions seemingly fit the data well for the discounting of money by individuals who had been convicted of multiple offenses (r2=.94), or committed more severe crimes such as sex (r2=.90) and drug-related (r2=.89) offenses. The monetary valuation for sex, drug, and multiple offenses decreases with the delay in time. Additionally, it was found that criminal offenders, particularly those with more severe offenses, displayed similar patterns of delay discounting as identified in previous studies for other maladaptive behaviors (e.g., drug use, gambling). The lessons learned and practical recommendations for advancing behavioral economic research toward reducing criminal behavior and recidivism are presented.

Increases in the use of alternative, unsupported treatments have been observed in multiple countries, including the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom (Eisenburg, Davis, et al., 1998; Coulter & Willis, 2004; Segar, 2011). When used as an alternative to empirically-supported treatments, these treatments represent a suboptimal use of time and resources. Using the Amazon Mechanical Turk (mTurk) platform, this study evaluated the demand for an empirically-supported treatment for child behavior problems with and without the availability of an alternative, treatment option unsupported by research. Participants were caregivers who endorsed difficulties with child behavior and a willingness to pursue behavioral treatment. Preliminary results indicated that a high degree of caregivers elected to substitute an evidence-based treatment for an alternative, unsupported treatment to varying degrees. These findings represent a novel extension of the applied behavioral economic framework and support continued efforts to use operant demand methodology to inform policy regarding evidence-based treatments.

Delay discounting has been shown to be related to psychological flexibility, social discounting, and substance-use disorders, suggesting that addiction and social processes are related. While relations between delay discounting and the valuation of various commodities have been extensively examined, relations between such commodities and social discounting have not. This study aims to assess such relations, primarily those between social discounting, delay discounting, psychological flexibility, and valuations of food, alcohol and firearms. Eighty U.S. adult participants were recruited using Amazon MTURK and administered questionnaires using Qualtrics. Adjusting-amount procedures were used to measure delay discounting, social discounting, and commodity valuations (i.e., where participants had to choose between an adjusting, smaller amount of money for anything or a fixed, larger gift card for a particular class of commodities). Social discounting was also measured using a monetary-choice questionnaire and a novel slider assessment procedure. Results support previous findings between delay and social discounting and magnitude effects on commodity valuation. However, the tendency for shallow social discounters to value firearms higher than steeper discounters and the lack of relation between delay discounting and firearm valuation suggests important differences between the two forms of discounting and further contextualizes the utility of such procedures.

Most questionnaires in the game fields were developed based on experiences and opinions, limiting their usage in terms of understanding human behaviors and identifying effective factors to make game successful. The purpose of this study is developing a new scale for game developers based on learning theory, in order to identify game elements that affect game behaviors among users. Through previous research analysis, interviewing game experts and applying ABC framework based on learning theory to items, total of 46 items were developed: 10 items of natural rewards from playing games, 13 items of reward systems within games, 23 items of game design and construct element. And, 450 adult participants ages from 20 to 49 completed the questionnaires for the games they were familiar with. The exploratory factor analysis showed two factors (intrinsic and extrinsic reinforcement) in natural rewards, three factors (predictable reward, unpredictable reward, and punishment) in reward systems, and three factors (game management, influencing, and game design) in game design and components. The confirmatory factor analysis showed acceptable fit indices (CFI, TLI and RMSEA). Also, internal consistency falls in the acceptable range. These indices indicate that the new scale is a reliable and valid instrument. Finally, implications were discussed.

Behavioral skills training has been shown to teach firearm safety skills to children (Miltenberger et al., 2004), to teach blackjack skills to adults (Speelman, Whiting, & Dixon, 2015), and to teach accurate pouring to college students (Hankla, Kohn, & Normand, 2017). Behavioral skills training may also be effective for teaching interview skills to adolescents who have been adjudicated. Improved interview skills in this population may result in future employment, leading to decreased likelihood of recidivism (Visher & Courtney, 2007; Visher, Debus, & Yahner, 2008; Yahner & Visher, 2008) and increased access to reinforcers such as social interactions and income. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of BST to improve the interview skills of adolescents who had been adjudicated. Effects of BST were evaluated in a nonconcurrent multiple baseline across behaviors design. Procedures implemented were adapted from Stocco, Thompson, Hart, and Soriano (2017).

There is an increasing awareness of the imbalance of power that exists between men and women, exemplified by wage gaps, lower incidence of women CEOs, and prevalence of sexual harassment towards women in all settings. Sexual harassment is a prevalent problem in the workplace, despite the availability of harassment trainings required in many companies. Because behavior analysts have the expertise to change behavior, general societal problems such as sexual harassment can and should be addressed by behavior analysts. This poster will review research on sexual harassment trainings done in institutions. A small amount of research has examined perceptions of the effectiveness of trainings, but insufficient research has been done on how trainings decrease sexual harassment behaviors. Based on the research and common procedures for trainings on sexual harassment, limitations will be addressed and directions for future research will be presented. Potential improvements for sexual harassment training procedures, based on proven behavioral training procedures in other areas, will be discussed and proposed.

Disruptive behavior in childhood and adolescence requires immediate attention due to the high incidence of this behavior and its direct association with aggressiveness and antisocial behavior. The purpose of this research was to apply a behavior modification program for disruptive behavior in adolescents and adults. The participants are five adolescents from a youth integration center and five adults in the south-southeast regional justice center. Record sheets are used for the occurrence of behaviors and an application for a mobile device for behavioral registration. The initial records operationalist the disruptive behaviors of the program and were carried out by two observers who met at least 80% of agreement. A stimulus preference evaluation was conducted and subsequently a multiple baseline design consisting of a behavioral contract and token economy. The program lasted four weeks and a follow-up phase. The predicted results include the decrease in disruptive behavior after the intervention in both groups. The results will be discussed in relation to the importance of intervening on disruptive behaviors in populations that are difficult to access and with behavioral problems such as aggression and addictions. Identify strategies and early intervention for this type of behavior will be proposed.

The Performance Diagnostic Checklist (PDC) is a tool developed to identify the environmental variables that affect poor employee performance. Research has supported the utility of the PDC across a variety of settings and, more recently, the Performance Diagnostic Checklist – Human Services (PDC-HS) was created to address the need for such a tool specifically in human services settings. We identified three staff members that exhibited a need for improvement in their performance during in-home applied behavior analysis sessions. The PDC-HS was administered with 2 supervisors to assess the variables that may have affected poor performance in the area of functional communication training by staff that those supervisors were responsible for. The PDC-HS identified that Behavioral Skills Training (BST) would be an appropriate intervention for all participants. BST was evaluated to determine its effectiveness in improving employee performance. Data collection is ongoing, but the initial results suggest that BST may be effective and that other intervention components may be needed for individual staff.

Within the human services field, staff are required to do a variety of tasks while still caring for children. High levels of fidelity across tasks is essential to student outcomes. Self-monitoring coupled with supervision has been effective in managing staff performance (Richmond, Riordan, Reiss, Pyles, and Baily, 1988). The current study examined the impact of self-monitoring and supervisory checks on the completion of IEP objectives across two classrooms. During baseline, focus sheets were provided to staff in the absence of self-monitoring or supervisory checks. Moderate levels of completion were observed across both classrooms. During intervention, staff were required to record completed IEP objectives on a focus sheet across each student. Staff then computed the percentage of completed programs over the week period and turned in focus sheets to the supervisor. Results of the intervention indicated that self-monitoring and supervisory checks are adequate to improve and maintain high rates of IEP completion. Levels of completion again dropped during a reversal phase. Interobserver agreement was conducted across 71% of sessions and averaged 100%. Future investigations might include a component analysis to see if self-monitoring alone or systematic fading of supervisory checks would maintain high levels of completion.

Behavior Skills Training (BST) has been demonstrated to be an effective method in training staff to perform skills with high fidelity in a relatively short amount of time. In the current study, three components of Direct Instruction (DI) were trained using BST. The participants were two classroom instructors with prior experience implementing DI with students with autism. The targets for staff training were accuracy with signal delivery, error correction, and reinforcer delivery. BST was provided to the participants for each component skill and a multiple baseline design across skills was used to evaluate the effects of BST. Generalization probes were conducted with a student with autism during baseline and after mastery with each skill was demonstrated. BST rapidly increased staff performance across skills with generalization demonstrated during classroom probes. This study extends the use of BST to implementation of DI and the results suggest that BST delivered in role-play scenarios resulted in improved teacher performance of the targeted skills in generalization probes with students.

Burnout literature remains inconclusive due to variable methods and few study/result replications (Skirrow & Hatton, 2007). The purposes of this systematic review were threefold: 1) to determine the trend of direct care staff (staff) burnout since 2004; 2) to identify and review the correlates of burnout and effective treatment interventions and; 3) to identify the current gaps in the literature. This systematic review followed the inclusion criteria and graphing procedures by Skirrow and Hatton (2007). The 37 studies included mean subscale scores from the Maslach Burnout Inventory (Maslach, Jackson, & Leiter, 1996), recruited staff who worked directly with adults with disabilities, and were written in English. Results show that personal accomplishment (M = 32.22; range = 4.88-43.7) has increased, emotional exhaustion (M = 17.19; range = 2.09-28.12) has remained stable, and depersonalization (M = 4.74; range = 0.67-11.1) has decreased since 2004. These results suggest that burnout among staff has decreased overtime. Further analyses are still in progress, therefore correlates, effective treatments, gaps, and future directions for research will be discussed on the poster. Understanding correlates of burnout, effective treatment strategies, and gaps in the literature is important to develop a best practice for preventing and treating burnout in staff.

The purpose of this study was to train a behavior therapist to code video examples of the primary verbal operants (e.g. mand, tact, echoic, and intraverbal). Using Train to Code© software, the participant progressed through an automated seven-level training program which systematically faded out prompts. Pre-test and post-test consisted of a printed worksheet with 32 statements in multiple choice format. Prior to beginning coding, the participant was exposed to definitions (e.g. auditory and textual) for each operant. During training, the participant responded by coding each video exemplar with a keystroke and the software automatically advanced and remediated training levels according to set criteria. Pre-test results indicated the participant was able to code mand and echoic statements with 100% accuracy, but only 32% accuracy on tact and intraverbal trials. Training results, thus far, demonstrated that the participant accurately coded 262 of 337 trials (78% accuracy) across the first three faded prompt levels across two sessions. A post-test probe after level 3 suggested modest improvement with tact and intraverbal coding (50% accuracy) and continued demonstration of 100% accuracy on mand and echoic exemplars. Preliminary results provide implications for the efficacy of automated training programs to teach behavior analytic concepts.

Children's Postinfectious Autoimmune Encephalopathy (CPAE) is a condition where an infection triggers an autoimmune reaction which can affect neurological function, mood, and behavior. It has been suggested that behavioral interventions may decrease the frequency of disruptive, aggressive, or oppositional behaviors in children diagnosed with CPAE disorders, despite the onset of symptoms relating to bio-behavioral influence (Thienemann et al., 2017). The current study was threefold: 1.) The Function of Behavior - Medical Screening Tool (FOB-MED) was utilized in a clinic setting to determine a hypothesized function of a child’s behavior diagnosed with CPAE and Autism Spectrum Disorder. 2.) A brief functional analysis (BFA) of challenging behavior was conducted to confirm the function identified by the FOB-MED, and 3.) function-based treatment was provided in the home setting with care providers. Data demonstrated the frequency of challenging behaviors pre and post interventions. The current study examines the impact of both biological and behavioral interventions for a child dually diagnosed with CPAE and ASD, adding to the limited available research for this population.

The Children's Postinfectious Autoimmune Encephalopathy (CPAE) Center of Excellence at The University of Arizona assesses children for Pediatric Acute-Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS) and Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Syndrome Associated with Streptococcal Infection (PANDAS). Although medical treatments can be crucial in alleviating symptoms, research has suggested that psychological and behavioral interventions are also beneficial both in the acute and chronic stages of illness, due to the bio-behavioral influences that arise (Thienemann et al., 2017). A total of 62 children are summarized, with 48 children (ages 4 to 17) receiving a diagnosis of PANS/PANDAS/CPAE. The Function of Behavior – Medical Screening Tool (FOB-MED), a brief screener for medical settings, was utilized to determine the function of patients’ behaviors for efficiency. Data indicated comparable functions of behavior (i.e. attention, tangible/preferred activities, escape, and automatic) across groups (see table) with some variations. The current data indicates that children with a PANS/PANDAS diagnosis may benefit from comparable, function-based interventions as other children. Treatment acceptability data were also collected via the TARF-R. Thus, the FOB-MED can assist practitioners with screening and identifying functions of challenging behavior, and more effectively provide brief treatment recommendations to families in primary care settings.

The Function of Behavior – MEDICAL Screening Tool (FOB-MED) was developed to streamline a functional behavior assessment administered by medical professionals. A functional analysis can take approximately two hours for a professional to conduct (Roane, Ringdahl, & Falcomata, 2015), but the FOB-MED only takes fifteen minutes to complete and can identify hypothesized function of behavior (i.e. escape, automatic, tangible, attention). It is administered by a medical professional (i.e. nurse, nurse practitioner, pediatrician) in interview format and consists of eight questions. In the current study, after the FOB-MED was administered, a functional analysis was conducted to establish comparative validity between the results (FOB-MED results to an in-vivo Functional Analysis of challenging behavior). The results for children in diverse medical settings were compared. These initial results indicate matched functions (validity) between the hypothesized function from the FOB-MED and the confirmed function through an in-vivo functional analysis. As validity data for the FOB-MED tool is established over time, the tool can be used in medical settings by primary care professionals to help focus efforts on function-based intervention.

Several studies have related neuropsychological impairments with behavioral, cognitive, emotional and personality disorders derived from chronic drug-use. Research on executive functions has contributed to the neuropsychological understanding of the frontal lobe. The damage of this area implies problems in the control and regulation of behavior. Therefore, the objective of this study was to compare performance patterns in three cognitive tasks (Shifting, Updating and Inhibition) and six tasks of delay discounting of monetary gains and losses considering three magnitudes (3000, 6000, 9000) for each condition in adolescents and adults with moderate and severe dependence and their contrast with control group. We worked with 20 adolescents and 20 adults (20 drug-users and 20 controls), the control subjects were in school environments, while the clinical sample was in treatment centers for problems of drug use and behavior. A positive correlation was found among delay discounting gains, shifting and updating tasks, whereas inhibition task and delay discounting of losses were correlated. A magnitude effect was found for the delay discounting gains and not for the losses in both groups. Low performance was observed in the shifting, updating tasks, and steeply delay discounting in drug users. These findings suggest that discounting tasks could be associated with the same executive function process as shifting and updating tasks, which converts the discount into an objective indicator that could suggests alterations of the frontal lobe.

Tinnitus affects approximately 1 in 10 Americans. However, traditional treatment approaches have shown limited efficacy. This study combines the concepts of lateral inhibition and positive reinforcement learning in an innovative way to alleviate tinnitus. Lateral inhibition is a phenomenon where neurons activated by their characteristic frequency will not only exhibit enhanced excitatory response to that frequency, but will also have an inhibitory influence on surrounding neurons. Lateral inhibition-based mechanisms have been targeted for modulating tinnitus perception and N1m response to the tinnitus frequency.The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of providing positive reinforcement to tinnitus subjects when they respond to sound stimuli centered 1/8th octave away from their tinnitus frequency. We hypothesize that this training will reinforce neuroplasticity and provide relief from tinnitus. Preliminary behavioral and neural data are presented.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of the Intensive Tact Instruction (ITI) on the ability related to social interactions. The participants of the study were three 5-year-old males with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) in Busan, South Korea. For this study, a multiple probe design across participants was used to identify a potential functional relationship between independent and dependent variables. As an independent variable, the Intensive Tact Instruction (ITI) was implemented in which 100 additional tact Learn Units were presented in addition to the mean number of daily Learn Units received by the participants. The social interaction was measured as a primary dependent variable which consisted of initiative and responsive social behaviors (e.g., joint attention/activity, tacts, mands, etc.). The dependent variable was measured in two non-instructional settings: hallway and play. The result indicated that the dependent variable significantly increased during the post-intervention probes comparing to the pre-intervention probes. These results suggest that the Intensive Tact Instruction (ITI) is effective to improve the social interaction of the participants with ASD.

Independent tacting is an essential repertoire of verbal behavior that many students diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder are missing. There is ample research on teaching tacts to students with ASD, but far fewer on examining effective tactics for increasing the rate of acquisition of tacts therefore, we conducted an experiment using an A-B-A-B reversal design with counterbalanced conditions to compare the effects of specific versus non-specific praise on the rate of tact acquisition. Specific praise, where the name of the stimulus was repeated, and non-specific praise, general praise, was delivered as a consequence when participants correctly tacted. Researchers also used the specific name of the tact during the correction procedure. The experiment is still underway, but the data indicate there are no differences between the use of specific and non-specific praise on the acquisition of tacts. Participant attendance and setting events were a limitation of this study. Future research should be conducted to determine whether the level of verbal behavior or having BiDirectional Naming influences the rate of acquisition of tacts.

Stimulus-stimulus pairing is a procedure intended to produce vocalizations in children with language delays, especially those for whom standard echoic training failed. The procedure was effective in some studies, partially effective in others and ineffective in some. Two groups of variables might explain such mixed results, characteristics of participants and procedural variables. This study aimed to investigate the effects of vocal pattern during pairings over frequency of novel vocalizations. Participated 3 girls and 6 boys with autism, 2 to 8 yo. Procedure included a pre-assessment screening for existing vocalizations, a baseline session and 10 treatment sessions. In baseline session, 2 vocal sounds were presented in a 1-minute VI schedule without pairing, 5 times each. In treatment, the same sounds were paired with preferred items or social stimulation. Procedure was ineffective for 5 participants (AG, DV, LA, MA, RA) and partially effective for 4 (DA, JV, LN and LP). For those whom the procedure was partially effective, differential results on the vocal pattern during pairings were not consistent. Previous studies used motherese pattern relying on the premise this pattern would have conditioned value due to pairings in early childhood. These results does not support this assumption for children with autism.

Previous research has proven that stimulus-stimulus pairing is an effective form of intervention for increasing vocalizations. However, few research studies replicate variables used during stimulus-stimulus pairing (SSP) in order to create a systematic and technological method of implementation for SSP. This research study evaluated the effects of varying the number of presentations of target sounds presented during stimulus-stimulus pairing to bring echoics under echoic control, replicating similar variables of Miliotis et al. (2014). Two conditions, three presentations of a target sound and one presentation of a target sound, were compared using multiple baseline across two participants. The results of the study concluded that 1 presentation sound produced higher rates of producing echoics brought under echoic control.

A mand is a key component of verbal behavior training for individuals with language deficits. Mand training provides these individuals with an opportunity to access a variety of reinforcers when a relevant establishing operation (EO) is in place. However, poor articulation of these mands may hinder the individual’s ability to access these reinforcers. Despite the importance of clear articulation when emitting mands, there is limited research evaluating the efficacy of various procedures for teaching this skill. The purpose of the present investigation was to evaluate nondifferential reinforcement (NDR), shaping, and echoics as procedures for improving articulation of mands. Current results show the mixed echoic mand training condition was the most efficient. This procedure was then added to both other conditions, formerly depicted as shaping, and NDR. Results are currently ongoing for these conditions; however, there has been greater acquisition for the target mand in both conditions. Potential training difficulties (i.e., co-articulation skill deficits) and other implications will be discussed, and future research ideas will be provided.

Following a functional analysis, Functional Communication Training (FCT) involves arranging extinction for problem behavior and reinforcement for a more desirable functional communicative response (FCR). Although effective under ideal arrangements, the introduction of delays following the FCR can result in increased problem behavior. For individuals whose problem behavior is sensitive to multiple sources of reinforcement, providing access to alternative reinforcers during delays may mitigate this increase in problem behavior. We evaluated the effects of providing alternative positive reinforcers during delays periods with an 8-year-old girl displaying multiply controlled problem behavior (i.e., sensitive to attention and access to tangibles). Providing alternative reinforcers (i.e., noncontingent attention during delays to tangibles and noncontingent tangibles during delays to attention) immediately reduced problem behavior to near-zero levels during delays; delay fading was not necessary to sustain reductions in problem behavior. These results extend prior research on developing delay tolerance.

Previous studies reported on the effectiveness of using Functional Communication Training (FCT) with individuals with autism and other developmental delays Rosenberg, OShea, & OShea, (2002). In the current study, the use of FCT with an individual with Hemispherectomy—brain procedure that involves removing half of the brain-to reduce instances of aggression. ) Peacock, Wehby-Grant, Shields, Shewmon, Chugani, Sankar, & Vinters (1996).The FCT intervention used in this study, was based on a procedure described by Hanley, Jin, Vaneselow, & Hanraty (2013) with a revision. Specifically, instead of the learner saying “my way”, the leaner was taught to show“cool hands”. This intervention was carried out in a clinic-based setting as part of the weekly applied behavior analysis therapy sessions. Overall, the data showed a decrease in the occurrence of instances of aggression. This study helps expand the application of FCT to children that underwent a Hemispherectomy who engage in severe instances of aggression. Keywords: Hemispherectomy, Functional Communication Training, applied behavior analysis

It is important to establish methods that promote the persistence of a functional communication response (FCR) under adverse conditions (e.g., extinction) to prevent the loss of an FCR. An individual with developmental disabilities was taught an FCR based on the results of a functional analysis. Then, the individual was given access to high magnitudes (120 s) and low magnitudes (20 s) of the reinforcer (access to preferred items) to determine if magnitude would have an effect on the mand’s resistance to extinction. Reinforcement conditions were followed by extinction in a reversal design. Resistance to extinction was assessed in three different ways: change in rate, change in rate expressed as a proportion of the average rate from the preceding reinforcement condition, and cumulative frequency of responses across sessions. Interobserver agreement was collected by a second observer for 41% of sessions from the functional analysis, 40% of sessions from functional communication training, and 33% of magnitude and extinction sessions. Results showed that there was no significant difference in the persistence of the FCR during extinction following differing magnitudes. These findings contrast with the findings in basic literature that suggest greater reinforcement magnitudes promote greater persistence during extinction.

Functional communication training (FCT) is the most commonly prescribed treatment for socially reinforced destructive behavior (Tiger, Hanley, & Bruzek, 2008) and involves teaching a functional communication response (FCR; e.g., “Break, please”) in order to access the reinforcer maintaining destructive behavior (e.g., escape from academic demands) while programming extinction for destructive behavior. Although FCT is highly effective, frequent reinforcement can be impractical for caregivers and, in the case of escape functions, could deter academic progress with excessive breaks from work. Recently, researchers have used multiple or chained schedules during FCT to rapidly reduce FCRs and destructive behavior (Greer et al., 2016) and mitigate treatment relapse (Fuhrman et al., 2016; Fisher et al., 2015). However, the aforementioned FCT treatments occurred in tightly controlled clinical settings for up to six hours per day. In the current study, a behavior analyst consulted two hours per day using chained FCT to rapidly reduce severe destructive behavior and FCRs with two students with intellectual disabilities in a special-education classroom. These findings suggest that behavioral consultants can use FCT with discriminative stimuli to efficiently and effectively treat destructive behavior even within a less-controlled classroom setting and at a relatively low treatment dose.

Renewal is defined as an increase in a behavior that has been reduced or extinguished as a result of a shift in environmental or social conditions. Understanding the rates at which renewal occurs provides clinicians, especially those focused on reducing rates of problem behavior, with the opportunity to provide a better quality of treatment by allowing them to address renewal effects in a proactive manner. In the current study, we used a consecutive case series analysis to investigate the probability and size of renewal effects. Of 220 context changes analyzed for this study, renewal occurred in 92 instances (41.8 %). We further analyzed if there were differences in renewal based on the function of the problem behavior (i.e., socially versus automatically maintained) and based on the type of change (i.e., environment versus person change). We used an inverse hyperbolic sine transformation to analyze these data. No significant differences were observed at individual time points (i.e. sessions) based on type of change or function of the problem behavior.

The purpose of the study was to test the effects of functional communication training (FCT) on the occurrence of crying and the acquisition of functional requests with a 3-year-old girl with Rett syndrome (RTT). A multiple probe design across three functional communication responses (FCRs) was used with a reversal embedded in the first leg. All sessions were conducted by the parent with coaching from a behavior analyst. Therapists provided coaching from a remote location via telecommunication for the parent to teach her daughter to use an augmentative alternative communication (AAC) device in the form of a microswitch to make each request. Different colored microswitches with a picture icon affixed with Velcro to each switch were used to signal the reinforcer for each of the three requests: ‘TV’, ‘Drink’ and ‘No thank you.’ Elevated levels of crying were observed with little or no switch pressing during baseline sessions. Preliminary intervention results demonstrate decreased crying and increased switch pressing when switch pressing is reinforced. Limitations and future directions will be discussed.

Clinicians often use functional communication training (FCT) in conjunction with extinction to increase desired response while decreasing problem behaviors. The current study retrospectively evaluated data for seven participants who were exposed to a functional analysis of problem behavior, FCT, and extinction as part of a larger project analyzing factors influencing the persistence of mands following FCT (Ringdahl, Wacker, and Berg, 2012-2018). Recent research suggested that exposures to extinction during FCT impacted later resurgence of problem behavior for participants whose behavior was maintained by negative reinforcement (Schieltz et al., 2017). The purpose of the current study was to replicate and extend Schieltz et al. (2017), by comparing the number of problem behavior-extinction pairings during FCT on the resurgence of problem behavior for participants whose problem behavior was maintained by positive reinforcement. The data revealed an inverse relation between the number of response-extinction exposures during FCT and the magnitude of resurgence during a subsequent extinction phase, similar to the results reported by Schieltz et al. (2017). The researchers collected interobserver agreement (IOA) data for reinforcement onset, offset and the occurrence of problem behavior during FCT for 20% of FCT sessions for all participants with a mean of 100% agreement for each participant.

Pica, or the ingestion of non-edible objects, is a dangerous behavior exhibited by some children with intellectual disabilities. The purpose of this study was to systematically examine a treatment for a 16-year-old male hospitalized on an inpatient unit for severe problem behavior with pica that was demonstrated during a functional analysis to be maintained by automatic reinforcement. The initial treatment of blocking and redirecting to preferred toys reduced pica attempts; however, continuous non-contingent access to toys is not feasible long-term. Therefore, a signal (a placemat) was introduced to establish stimulus control over eating (only items on the placement were permitted to be consumed; consumption of all other items was blocked). The participant was then taught an incompatible response, disposing of pica items, which resulted in access to one piece of a preferred edible. Finally, to reduce elopement to access pica items, a functional communication response, exchanging a card, resulted in access to picking up pica items; any attempts to pick up pica items in the absence of communication were blocked. Results indicate that the treatment reduced pica and related problem behavior (e.g., elopement).

Individuals with intellectual disabilities are characterized by significant impairments in cognitive functioning, and often engage in problem behaviors including: self-injury, bizarre vocalizations, aggression and property destruction. Problem behaviors typically persist for extended periods if left untreated, and even with effective intervention, treatment effects may not be maintained. In general, treatment effect maintenance as an objective is secondary to immediate intervention effects and often probes are administered no more than six-month post treatment. When maintenance does fail, few endeavor to explain why; leaving treatment maintenance failures a relatively understudied area in applied research. The current study uses data sets from seven cases collected during a previous study to examine the social and environmental variables maintaining problem behavior across extended periods, up to nine-months. Preliminary results suggest function stability may be observed across three, six and nine-month intervals. Clinical implications and future research direction are discussed in relation to participant outcomes.

Many individuals with disabilities require explicit vocational training to meaningfully access employment. Often, the pervasiveness of disability and associated deficits necessitates short- or long-term job coaching, and accepting of such support is a critical pre-requisite for future employment. However, the most effective interventions may also be intrusive, which can be stigmatizing and aversive to clients. Although numerous evidence-based interventions exist for skill acquisition, practitioners often rely solely on clinical expertise to inform treatment selection, leading to interventions that are overly intrusive, ineffective, inefficient, or which evoke problem behavior. The use of brief experimental analysis (BEA) may help incorporate data-based decision making into treatment selection, while minimizing assessment time. This study uses BEA to identify the least intrusive, most effective intervention package required for rapid acquisition of vocational tasks for four high school students with developmental and intellectual disabilities. Rates of problem behavior were evaluated to determine social validity. Results indicated that all participants performed vocational tasks to criterion or near-criterion levels with a less intrusive package than current program procedures, and a systems level change was implemented for the subsequent school year. Comparison of aggregated student skill acquisition data across school years will also be presented to evaluate long-term outcomes.

Blocking may be used to help prevent injury to an individual who engages in intense self-injurious behavior (SIB); however, in some cases, response blocking may function as positive reinforcement for problem behavior. Because blocking all SIB may be required to maintain the individual’s safety, it may be difficult assess the effects of blocking on problem behavior by manipulating this contingency. To determine whether blocking functions as a reinforcer, “arbitrary,” free operant behaviors may be blocked, and the rate of behavior before and during contingent blocking can be examined. If contingent blocking produces an increase in behavior, a reinforcement effect is demonstrated, suggesting that blocking could increase SIB. However, if arbitrary behaviors do not increase during blocking, this may represent a false negative outcome. The purpose of this analysis was to compare the effects of blocking on arbitrary responses and SIB hypothesized to be maintained by access to response blocking with an individual admitted for the assessment and treatment of self-injurious behavior. Arbitrary behaviors did not increase when blocked suggesting that blocking did not function as reinforcement; however, a subsequent assessment examining the effects of blocking on SIB suggested the presence of a functional relationship.

Self-injurious behavior (SIB) is a common challenging behavior exhibited by children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and other developmental delays. This SIB is maintained by automatic reinforcement in approximately 20% to 25% of cases (Beavers, Iwata, & Lerman, 2013). An even smaller percentage of these cases include behaviors defined as self-restraint, defined as topographically incompatible behaviors that decrease the occurrence of SIB. Self-restraint behavior is poorly understood and rarely studied in the literature. In cases of self-restraint, SIB can be difficult to assess using traditional functional analysis (FA) methods as SIB may occur in conditions where self-restraint items are restricted or SIB may not occur at all if self-restraint is not blocked. Results from these analyses may lead to false positives or negatives that could lead to ineffective or inappropriate treatments. This poster presents three case studies of individuals with developmental disabilities and self-restraint behavior. Assessments conducted within an intensive outpatient clinic utilized different individualized assessment techniques in each case to clarify FA results. Results of these assessments and implications on treatment and future research will be discussed.

Anecdotal assessments are used to help determine the function of behavior and are typically administered to caregivers, rather than directly with an individual for whom an intervention is being designed. However, individuals with advanced verbal skills could also provide information on the potential function(s) of their own behavior. Two common anecdotal assessments, the Motivation Assessment Scale (MAS) and the Questions about Behavioral Function (QABF), were administered to an individual, and his caregivers, living at a state center for individuals with developmental disabilities. Although this individual had advanced verbal and independent living skills, he emitted several behaviors that impeded his ability to remain in the community. After we administered separate MAS and QABF to his caregivers for aggression, property destruction, and verbal disruption, we administered the same assessments to the individual. We then compared outcomes, to determine if the individual could accurately pinpoint the potential function(s) of his behavior. Preliminary results indicate some correspondence between the individual’s and his caregivers’ anecdotal outcomes, at the level of class of reinforcer. If the individual’s anecdotal outcomes match those of their caregivers, this could foster a collaborative environment in which an individual provides valuable input in designing their intervention.

Functional Behavior Assessment consists of indirect assessment, descriptive assessment, and functional analysis. Conducting a functional analysis (FA) is the most empirically supported method of determining problem behavior, yet clinicians report various barriers to conducting FAs. A common concern associated with conducting FAs is that by reinforcing problem behavior during assessment, problem behavior may increase outside of the assessment context (Hanley, 2012). However, little research has validated this concern. In fact, behavioral contrast research suggests the opposite may be more likely. Behavioral contrast can best be described as a change in behavior in one context as a result of the rate of reinforcement of the behavior in another context (Reynolds, 1961). The purpose of the current study was to evaluate problem behavior outside of the FA context. Response-stimulus sequences were observed through descriptive analysis observations across days as well as immediately preceding and following-FA sessions to examine temporal relations and the extent to which caregivers may influence behavior prior-to and post-FA.

Previous studies show mixed results on discrepancies across the informants on the identification of the function of behaviors. The purpose of this study is to compare the functions of behaviors identified by three different groups of caregivers (teachers, staff/therapists, parents). Teachers (N = 309), staff/therapists (N = 65), and parents (N = 107) completed the Functional Assessment for the Challenging/Problem Behaviors (FAPB) questionnaires via online survey or offline written test to assess the function of behaviors in people with developmental disabilities, whose age ranges from 2 to 49. Results from the Chi-Square Test that the proportions of the six functions of problematic behaviors were significantly different across 3 groups. The proportion of tangible function was higher in the staff/therapist group than other groups, while the percentage of attention was higher in the parent group compared to others. However, in the teacher group, the difference was minimal in teacher group compared to other two groups. Further implications and limitations of this study were discussed.

The efficacy of functional analysis (FA) methodology to identify functions of problem behavior for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities is well-established. However, in some cases, typical antecedents and consequences need to be modified to account for idiosyncratic variables. For example, Kurtz et al. (2003) reported on three cases where a modified attention condition called the ‘caregiver-return’ condition was included in the FA. In this condition, the caregiver provided pre-session attention to the child. At the start of the session the caregiver left the session room; contingent upon problem behavior, the caregiver returned to deliver verbal and/or physical attention to the child. In the present study, a consecutive controlled case series design was employed to examine FAs where a caregiver return function was identified and treatment was prescribed based on these findings (n = 6). Function-based interventions resulted in a mean 81.3% reduction in problem behavior across the seven participants. For five participants, treatment consisted of functional communication plus extinction (see Figure 1). The contribution of indirect assessment in identifying idiosyncratic variables that will impact functional analysis methodology will be highlighted.

Wolf (1978) suggested that behavioral interventions should not only be evaluated on the basis of the behavior change associated with them, but also on the extent to which the consumers find the interventions to be acceptable. The treatment acceptability model (Kazdin, 1982) was developed to assess the acceptability of various behavioral interventions and has been explored in the research literature in various ways. The present study assessed the extent to which parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, residing in Saudi Arabia, found various behavioral interventions to be acceptable and preferred. Consistent with other studies, parents found interventions using positive reinforcement to be the most acceptable. Positive reinforcement was followed by response cost, time out, medication, and spanking. Generally speaking, less intrusive interventions were preferred to more intrusive interventions. Interestingly, treatment preference rankings corresponded to acceptability scores, suggesting that acceptability may be a valid reflection of preference. The present study is important as behavior analysts continue to work with various groups and cultures around the world, and better understand the extent to which interventions are found to be socially acceptable across different cultural groups. Implications for further research on social validity and treatment acceptability are provided. In addition, recommendations for practicing behavior analysts are reviewed.

The present study intended to verify the effects of a Functional Communication Training (FCT) plus a procedure to avoid escape of important activities (Fading Out Procedure), on disruptive behaviours, on the emission of verbal responses and non-verbal responses and to verify if there was a generalisation of the verbal and non verbal response to a naive experimenter. Participants were three children between three and six years old, diagnosed with autism. Initially, the results of the Functional Analysis showed that there was a considerably greater number of disruptive responses emitted by the three participants in the demand condition. In the Functional Communication Training (FCT) Phase, each participant was taught to request to stop a tasks through verbal responses. At the Fading Out Phase, the task execution response and a gradual decrease (most to least prompt): FP - total physical prompt, DL - partial physical prompt, DG - gestural prompt and I - independent response. The results showed that all three participants presented a decrease in the emission of disruptive responses after the acquisition of the verbal response to request a pause to perform tasks.The results from the Fading Out Fase indicated that the three participants acquired the response for the task execution, reducing the emission of verbal requests for execution and maintaining a low number of disruptive responses. At the Generalisation Test of the verbal response (mand) and the non-verbal response (to do the task) to a naive experimenter, it was verified that for all the participants there was generalisation of the verbal and non verbal responses.

Functional communication training (FCT) is a well-established treatment package used to reduce problem behavior by arranging extinction for undesirable responses and providing reinforcement for a separate, appropriate response. However, the utility of FCT in treating clients and families of different cultures has yet to be explored. The present evaluation replicated standard functional analysis and FCT procedures and subsequently introduced parent training implemented by English-speaking therapists to two Spanish-speaking caregivers of a young man with severe problem behavior through the assistance of an interpreter. After identifying attention as a functional reinforcer for problem behavior, FCT was completed with a manual motor response to recruit 30 s of therapist attention. Overall, we were able to assess and treat all referred problem behavior to near zero levels and subsequently train two parents of a different native language successfully on the implementation of our procedures through additional supports including a family translator. While small in scope, the successes of our treatment extension provide a possible avenue for future research on how to achieve significant clinical outcomes when working with non-English-speaking families, a growing, yet under-represented, population in the U.S.

In response to the growing needs to consider the cultural and contextual needs of stakeholders with disabilities in experiment, this study examined the effectiveness of video prompting using an iPad with a system of least prompts on three Korean American adolescents with autism. Through the replication of major procedures used in a study by Mechling, Gast and Fields (2008), researchers focused on teaching independent completions of cooking tasks to make their three preferred foods. Multiple probe designs across cooking recipes were utilized and replaced across the three participants. Results indicate that independent completion of multistep cooking tasks was increased with the use of video prompting using an iPad and maintained across all three participants.

The purpose of this experimental study is to evaluate the effects of Enhanced Milieu Teaching (EMT) in two Korean American (KA) children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), replicating a previous study of EMT in preschoolers at risk for language delay (McLeod, Hardy, & Kaiser, 2017). Despite the recent increase in culturally responsive intervention research (Aceves et al., 2015), KAs have been underserved for mental health services (Yamashiro & Matsuoka, 1997; see also Becerra et al., 2014), including EMT. Using a multiple probe design across play materials, the two KA children with ASD engaged in home-based book reading and free play with an interventionist, 3 times every week. EMT techniques were used to teach five target vocabularies for each child. Maintenance of learned skills was also evaluated. Pre- and post-intervention language was measured using the Preschool Language Scale, Fifth Edition (Zimmerman, Steiner, & Pond, 2011). The findings suggest that EMT was effective in improving the vocabulary use in KA children with ASD. Implications for practice and research are discussed.

This present study combined the use of differential reinforcement of other behaviors (DRO) with a response-based token economy system, response cost, and a multiple schedule to reduce the interfering behavior of a seven-year-old girl with autism. The combination of interval DRO and DRA procedures combined with a token economy system had previously proved ineffective in meaningfully reducing high rates of aggression, elopement, tantrums, spitting, oral stereotypy, nose-picking, and non-compliance. In addition, skill acquisition of current programming remained markedly stagnant due to the presence of these behaviors. A response-based DRO procedure combined with a motivational system, response cost, and multiple schedule was introduced. Correct responding to skill acquisition tasks in the absence of interfering behavior were reinforced on an VR2 schedule. Any instance of the previously mentioned behaviors resulted in the removal of all tokens. In addition, a multiple schedule was implemented in which controlling behavior was reinforced contingent on earning all of her tokens. Within several days of beginning the intervention, changes in rates of the interfering behaviors were seen followed by a reduction to near-zero levels. These data suggest the effectiveness of Response-Based procedures combined with response cost and multiple schedules in the reduction of interfering behavior.

Teaching children diagnosed with Autism to discriminate common objects is one of the imperative receptive language skills. Discrimination training helps to establish a discriminative stimulus control across various stimuli. Although there is an ample literature on teaching discrimination using transfer of stimulus control (e.g., matching-to-sample to listener responding), there is a need for different techniques that can be used to teach discrimination to children with limited receptive skills and poor stimulus control. Thus, the purpose of the current study was to evaluate the effect of 1) teaching the component steps necessary for selecting the discriminative stimulus separately and 2) teaching discrimination across the already established reinforcers using errorless training on the acquisition of discriminative stimulus control. This technique was used to teach discrimination to one boy with Autism and significant language delays. The result suggests that the analysis and training of component steps and teaching discrimination across various edible and tangible reinforcers was effective not only in increasing the discriminative control across the trained reinforcers, but also across untrained common objects.

The purpose of this literature and quality review is to synthesize the intervention literature focused on infants and toddlers identified as “at-risk” for autism spectrum disorder. Searches were conducted in PsycInfo (ProQuest), ERIC, and Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection and combined search terms to describe autism (e.g., “autis*”, “global delay”, “mental retardation”, “at-risk”, “high-risk”, and “autism siblings”). The results were limited to peer-reviewed literature. A total of 30 articles were included and summarized according to (a) age of the children, (b) population type, (c) description of parent involvement, (d) intervention, (e) dependent variables, (f) child outcomes, and (g) other outcomes. Implications for practice and future research will be discussed.

Functional communication training (FCT) is designed to decrease problem behavior while increasing a functionally equivalent alternative communicative response (FCR). Although effective, this procedure tends to produce high rates of the FCR that may not be manageable for parents or teachers. The purpose of this evaluation was to evaluate the effectiveness of two common strategies (multiple schedules and chained schedules) to thin the schedule of reinforcement for the FCR with a young child whose problem behavior was multiply controlled. The young child was a five-year-old boy diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. We used a multiple baseline across functions design and found that FCT plus extinction produced an immediate decrease in problem behavior in both contexts. This decrease in problem behavior was accompanied by an increase in overall rate of prompted and unprompted mands. The schedule thinning evaluation is ongoing across both functions. Results will be discussed within the context of future areas of research and suggestions for improving the practicality of this intervention for parents and teachers.

Research has shown video modeling to be an effective procedure for training adult service providers to administer evidence-based practices to children with autism spectrum disorder (Brock & Carter, 2013; Catania et al., 2009; Lipschultz, Vladescu, Reeve, Reeve, & Dipsey, 2015; Vladescu, Carroll, Paden, & Kodak, 2012; Weldy, Rapp, & Capocasa, 2014). The present study extends previous video modeling training (VMT) research by teaching typical adolescents to administer naturalistic evidence-based practices to adolescents and young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This was accomplished by examining the effects of VMT on typical adolescents’ performance of peer mediated social interaction (PMSI), a 10-step procedure comprised of simplified behavioral practices, during roleplay with an adult actor. A multiple probe design across participants was used to evaluate the effects of VMT on delivery of PMSI by five typical adolescents. All participants demonstrated an immediate increase in PMSI as video modeling was systematically applied. Typical adolescents also generalized delivery to adolescents with ASD. Social interaction between two youths with ASD and typical adolescent participants was also evaluated within a peer mediated setting before and after VMT. Social interaction for both youths with ASD improved following VMT.

Fifty to 100% of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) experience difficulties with motor skills. Motor skill deficits can affect children’s abilities to engage in tasks of daily living and physical activity and may reduce opportunities for social engagement. Previous reports have suggested that task-focused physical activity interventions, including engagement in yoga, may be effective for improving motor skills in children with ASD; however, instructional methods are infrequently or inadequately described. The present study used a multiple-baseline design to implement an in-home yoga intervention and to examine its effects on yoga pose performance and general motor skills in two children with ASD. Prompting was used to instruct yoga poses. Access to a visual cue (i.e., stopwatch) was provided for participants to self-monitor pose engagement. Differential performance of yoga poses was systematically measured through video-coding by trained, independent raters. Visual analysis of the data suggests increased sustained engagement in the yoga poses and some improvement in the performance of yoga poses. Yoga may offer a socially acceptable medium for improving motor skills and increasing physical engagement in children with ASD.

In Quebec, early intensive behavioral intervention (EIBI) programs are offered by community-based services. To date, available studies have identified some components of EIBI that may influence children’s outcomes, including training and supervision. Supervisors need to be competent in several areas and must carry out various professional activities. However, it may be difficult for community-based EIBI programs to access skilled supervisors and to offer intensive supervision of staff. The purpose of this article is to present data concerning the training and the supervision models offered by organizations in Quebec (Canada) as described by practitioners that are applying EIBI. Quantitative and qualitative analyses were conducted on data collected through a survey adaptation of Love & al. (2009) and of Gamache & al. (2010). This communication focuses on the nature of the EIBI supervision models (e.g. frequency of supervision, content of supervision) and training received as described by the participants (n = 115). The results show some variability in supervision models. These data are part of a larger research project concerning the implementation and outcomes of EIBI offered by organizations in Quebec.

Understanding how clinical services are accessed and utilized by children suspected to have Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and identifying factors associated with early ASD diagnosis can assist in developing effective models of ASD care delivery in Saudi Arabia. METHOD: This descriptive study is a retrospective chart review of a convenience sample of children (N= 126; mean age= 54.55 months; median=49.00; Min. = 19.00; Max= 121.00) presenting for assessment at an autism research center in Riyadh, KSA over a 20 month period. RESULTS: 68 children (54.0 %) were diagnosed with ASD at the clinic; mean age was 47.63 months (SD 19.43; median= 42.5; Min.19.00; Max. 98.00); mean age at first parental concern was 20.22 months (SD 9.61; Median 18.00); time from first concern to ASD diagnosis was 13.60 months (SD 9.11; Median 12.00); 63.20% were previously seen by a physician or specialist for parental concerns; 64.70% were previously diagnosed with ASD; 66.18 % had received intervention services before clinic presentation. Sociodemographic, clinical, diagnostic and intervention service utilization characteristics are described. CONCLUSION: The study findings suggest there is a delay between parental first concerns and accessing diagnostic and intervention services in Saudi Arabia. More research will help guide development of improved pathways to care for children showing early ASD concerns in Saudi Arabia.

Students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often require intensive support in schools. Unfortunately, educators seldom have the requisite training to adequately address such concerns. For effective implementation, school-based interventions must be feasible and flexible enough to accommodate the needs of students. Students with Autism Accessing General Education (SAAGE) is a comprehensive, modular intervention that uses a systems approach and active coaching to provide evidence-based interventions grounded in behavior analysis to address student behavioral goals and build school capacity. We review the results of a year-long randomized controlled trial that compared SAAGE to enhanced services-as-usual. Due to limited statistical power, a group-by-time analysis did not reveal significant interaction effects. However, students in the SAAGE condition progressed from “moderate” to “slight” impairment on the Clinical Global Assessment Scale (DD-CGAS; a global rating of functioning that is specific to developmental disabilities), demonstrating the promise of the SAAGE model. An analysis of DD-CGAS subdomains revealed an advantage for the SAAGE group on the school/academic, social behavior, and communication scales, and that in some cases, this advantage had emerged by the midpoint of the intervention. Additionally, teachers were able to implement the modules with adequate fidelity and rated SAAGE as socially valid.

Current methods to teach certain safety skills, such as street crossing or fire safety, present multiple problems for the practitioner as well as for the learner. The environmental conditions for these skills are difficult to recreate in clinical settings and are typically too dangerous to engage with in vivo. As such, methods for skill acquisition involving in vivo training, in situ training, video modeling, and instructional narratives tend to be effortful for the practitioner to implement and/or may present limited generalization to target settings upon assessment. These limitations may be more readily addressed by the capabilities of emerging technology. Virtual reality is one such technology that allows for the simulation of difficult-to-recreate environments in the safety of a clinical setting. The present is an examination of the usability and feasibility of incorporating virtual reality technology for the acquisition of safety skills in a clinical setting with children with autism.

The current study examines how the multisensory approach of the Touch Math program is used in a Learning Centre that educates students with Autism and learning difficulties to improve their basic operation addition skills. The students who participated in this study struggled with traditional teaching of basic operation skills, and they were having difficulty maintaining fact knowledge. The current study used baseline assessments, which the two single digit addends without touch points, to determine the student participant’s individual single digit addend knowledge. Then the students explicitly taught the multisensory approach of how to use touch points to count up and all to create a sum of two single digit addends. After being taught how to use the touch points to help add two single digit addends, students were given post-intervention assessments, with touch points on the two single digit addends to determine their individual progress and possible improvement in basic operation addition skills. Although an individual’s results varied, all students showed improvement in their basic operation addition facts, by using the multisensory approach from the Touch Math program to add two single digit addend. Keywords –Touch math, Touch points,Autism, Addition meera@behaviourenrichment.com,rajashree@behaviourenrichment.com,girishhv11@gmail.com

Some individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) manifest hyper- or hypo-reactivity to sensory input (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition [DSM-V], 2013). Due to this, physiological measures that require contact with the skin may present problems for individuals with atypical responses to tactile stimulation. In order to address this concern, a habituation protocol was used to assess participants’ tolerance to wearing a vest for the collection of physiological measures. Specifically, a repeated presentation procedure was conducted to decrease possible sensitivity to a vest (Thompson & Spencer, 1966). The results indicated that all five participants in this study successfully completed the habituation protocol and none required a lengthy fade in protocol for wearing the vest. Based on these results, apparatus using these types of physiological measures are feasible for conducting research. These findings should encourage other researchers interested in assessing physiological responses with individuals with possible sensory sensitivities.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a modeling and self-monitoring intervention on the play skills and social initiations of two young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A multiple baseline design across play settings was employed. The experimental conditions included baseline, modeling and self-monitoring, self-monitoring only, and maintenance. The children were taught the appropriate play skills and social initiations related to the play context using the modeling and self-monitoring intervention, and then they used only self-monitoring after the modeling was removed. The results indicated that the modeling and self-monitoring intervention was effective in increasing the play skills and play-related social initiations of both participants. In addition, the participants maintained the increased play skills after removing the intervention. The social validity assessment data indicated that the intervention was meaningful and effective, and the procedures were acceptable. In each experimental procedure, an average of 25% of the sessions was randomly selected to measure inter-observer agreements, and the mean agreements were 97.5% for Child 1 and 96.7% for Child 2. This study supports that the modeling and self-monitoring intervention may be effective for teaching play skills and play related social initiations and maintaining the learned skills.

Establishing a relationship with a young child with ASD is an important variable in the course of successful behavioral treatment. The quality of relationship between two individuals is usually referred as rapport. In behavior analytic literature rapport is measured by its behavioral correlates: proximity, body orientation, eye contact, smiling, physical contact, manding, compliance to demands, etc. Most of the behavioral studies have implemented multicomponent interventions to establish rapport with individuals with disabilities, all of which involved delivery of highly preferred stimuli non-contingently on a time-based schedule (NCR). The current study examined the effect of the non-contingent delivery of reinforcement versus response-contingent delivery of reinforcement on building a relationship with young children with ASD. Multiple baseline design across participants with the alternating treatments component was used as an experimental design. The independent variables were: NCR with preferred edibles, NCR with preferred social stimuli, response contingent delivery of edibles, response-contingent delivery of social. Child-initiated proximity was a primary dependent variable; looking, smiling, physical contact and manding were the secondary dependent variables. The majority of the participants showed increase in proximity after the implementation of the interventions, but there was no clear differentiation between the treatments, which indicates that contingency or the lack of contingency was not a factor for improving rapport as long as highly preferred stimuli were delivered.

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) often have difficulty understanding social expectations and communicating with others. They may have a difficult time making social comments to peers that are on topic to the activity independently. These learners need additional assistance in order to participate in gameplay and commenting about the game being played to others. Visual prompts are a strategy that research has shown to decrease the number of prompts needed to independently make positive social comments during gameplay. Research has also shown that incorporating special interests with visual prompts are used together, the target skill or behavior quickly increases and prompts are able to be faded. Special interests can be characters, people, or things that the child really enjoys. The Power Card strategy is an antecedent strategy, which incorporates the child’s special interest into a script and steps to show how to engage in the appropriate target behavior. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of the Power Card strategy on the frequency of comments three children with ASD made to peers during a game. Results can be interpreted to support the Power Card strategy as effective in increasing the frequency of independent comments made to peers while playing a game. Additionally, novel responses and generalization occurred across all three participants.

Relational Frame Theory is a contemporary behavior analytic account of complex language and cognition which proposes that language is the result of Arbitrarily Applicable Relational Responding (RFT; Hayes, Barnes-Holmes, & Roche, 2001). Over the past decade, several assessments have been developed in an attempt to provide a quantifiable measure of an individual’s ability to engage in relational responding. One recently developed assessment, the PEAK-Screener (Dixon, 2018), was designed to provide a measure of an individual’s performance prior to the implementation of programs targeted at building derived relational responding skills. To date, no research has been conducted on the utility of this assessment. The current investigation sought to assess the relationship between scores on the PEAK-Screener and PEAK-T pre-assessment scores in individuals with ASD. Assessments were conducted across 35 individuals with ASD. The results indicated a positive correlation between PEAK-Screener scores and PEAK-T pre-assessment scores (r = .843, p = .017). These results provide some preliminary evidence of the utility of the Screener as measure of skills for individuals with ASD. Additionally, the brevity of the PEAK-Screener may provide a cost effective and time sensitive method to evaluate skills prior to the implementation of behavior analytic programming.

The PEAK Relational Training System Autism Screening and Behavioral Observation Summary (PAS-BOS) is a recently developed assessment tool developed to assist clinicians in planning treatment for skill acquisition, challenging behavior reduction, and potential dosage of treatment based on severity of behavioral deficits. Currently, no published research exists on the PAS-BOS, or the extent to which the measure produces valid results. The current study aimed to address this limitation by assessing the convergent validity of the PAS-BOS by comparing it with results obtained from the Social and Communication Questionnaire, a previously validated autism screening tool. To evaluate the convergent validity of the two measures, both assessments were administered to individuals with autism, and then the scores for each were compared to determine the extent to which similar results were obtained. Preliminary evidence showed a strong, significant relationship between the two measures, which suggest the PAS-BOS is a valid measure. Implications include potential use of the PAS-BOS to help justify quantity and intensity of ABA services for clients.

Study objective:The purpose of this study was to allow ASD children with intellectual disabilities to be able to the assessment and training of three relationships by discrimination training based on stimulus equivalence. Setting: This experiment was conducted individually in a laboratory of university. Participant: A 14 years old child diagnosed with ASD and intellectual disabilities participated. Procedures: The multipurpose Matching to Sample Task (MMTS) that was an application for PC was used the assessment and training of three relationships of feeling temperature(cold or hot), clothes (upper: 4 types of photos, bottom: 2 types of photos) , number of room temperature gauge(24°or 40°). Concretely, the MMTS was used to train the distinction of number of suitable room temperature gauge corresponding to feeling temperature . Then I trained distinction of clothes corresponding to number of room temperature gauge Results: It became possible to choose a suitable clothes corresponding to feeling temperature, and the three relations became equivalent.

Safety skills for individuals with autism is mostly in pamphlet form from organizational websites which target school-aged children rather than adults. University settings pose increased safety concerns for adults with disabilities as many more vulnerable situations can be presented. Participants who filled out the Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire in Pfeffer’s 2012 study reported being a victim of property theft. If these individuals had adequate safety skills, these incidents may not have happened. The intervention had three teaching pieces: teaching the different types of relationships using the PEERS program, teaching which types of relationships are okay to give money to and using skills during scenarios to practice skills in situations. When teaching which types of relationships can have money, photos were used. The participant had to place red or green paper over photos to indicate who could or could not have their money. The participant was provided with a decision tree to guide responses during the second and third teaching pieces. All three steps used an ABAB design. Data demonstrates an immediate increase in trend for all three portions. Data during intervention for all intervention phases is above baseline data suggesting an effective intervention.

Stimulus preference assessments are used to identify a stimulus hierarchy in which stimuli are ranked according to their relative reinforcing efficacy. Paired-stimulus preference assessments (PSPA; Fisher et al., 1992) are a common method used in clinical practice. A PSPA functionally arranges experimental control in a multielement design across trials, controlling for the presentation of stimulus position. However, little research has analyzed reliability of selection within PSPAs. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the reliability of PSPA data within each administration across participants. We found that, on average, there was a moderate degree of replication across three PSPA data sets (mean percentage of selections that were replicated: 67%, 68%, 80%). We also found that the higher ranked a stimulus is within an individual PSPA, the higher probability the selection of that stimulus would be replicated (mean probability of replication by stimulus rank: 1) 85%, 2) 69%, 3) 68%, 4) 53%, 5) 27%, and 6) 0%).

Arm immobilizers have been used in order to prevent and limit injury in individuals who engage in severe self-injurious behavior (Griffin, Williams, Stark, Altmeyer, & Mason, 1984). However, once stability has been maintained fading arm immobilizers can pose challenges if they have taken on reinforcing properties (Sungwoo, Leak, Vu, & Mishler, 2008). The current study expanded the current literature by increasing of systematically fading arm immobilizers. This study utilized a multi-element design to identify competing stimuli and latency to head directed self-injury and then a changing criterion design to systematically increase the duration of the removal of arm immobilizers (Fisher, Piazza, Bowman, Hanley, & Adelinis, 1997; Sungwoo, K., Leak, J.M., Vu, C., & Mishler, B., 2008). Latency to challenging behavior was first obtained through a multi-element design in order to determine phase lengths across various potentially competing activities. Latency to the first instance of head direct self-injury was assessed across activities of daily living (ADLs), chores, leisure, and meals. The changing criterion design will increase the time this individual is independently engaged in functional competing activities and decrease the time spent in restrictive mechanical arm restraints.

The re-emergence of extinguished behavior following treatment poses significant threats to the long-term efficacy of interventions designed to reduce and maintain reductions in problem behavior. Renewal is a type of relapse observed in both basic and applied literature and refers to the return of previously extinguished behavior following a change in context. Parameters observed within the basic literature on renewal include those suggesting that higher rates of reinforcement during baseline procedures lead to larger ABA and ABC renewal effects (Berry, Sweeney, & Odum, 2014). We conducted a consecutive case series analysis of 29 participants whose treatment data indicated renewal and 38 participants whose data did not indicate renewal. As an estimate of reinforcement levels during baseline, we defined high rates of reinforcement as participants with an average rate of problem behavior more than two per minute and low reinforcement rates as participants with an average less than two. We then calculated the percentage of individuals in each group who exhibited renewal during later context changes. Preliminary findings suggest that higher levels of problem behavior did not equate to more renewal (see Table 1).

Skill-Based Treatment (SBT) uses synthesized contingencies to teach alternative responses that will compete with problem behavior (Hanley et al., 2014). When manual guidance is prohibited, unsafe, or non-preferred by caregivers, the Enhanced Choice Model of SBT (ECM-SBT; Rajaraman et al., 2018) may be employed to mitigate collateral effects of extinction. Within ECM-SBT, trained responses (e.g., functional communicative responses [FCR]) and two additional alternatives to problem behavior operate concurrently. These two alternatives include (a) entering a ‘hangout’ area, in which evocative conditions are suspended and the client may access all preferred items and activities as well as low-quality attention from the therapist and (b) leaving the session entirely. We replicated ECM-SBT procedures with three elementary students in a public special day school for children who engage in severe and persistent problem behavior, in which manual guidance by non-district personnel was prohibited. We present procedures, including methodological deviations from the Rajaraman study, results of Interview-Informed Synthesized Contingency Analyses, SBT, and generalization protocols, as well as client response allocation among alternatives within the ECM-SBT model.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a toilet training package on the successful voids of young children with autism spectrum disorder. This study used a multiple probe across three participants to evaluate the toilet training package in a preschool classroom setting in northeast Georgia. The participants included in the study were four years of age, diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, and demonstrated incontinence prior to the implementation of the toilet training procedures. The toilet training package consisted of multiple components such as putting the participants in regular underwear, increasing their fluid intake, scheduled toilet trips, dry checks, neutral experiences for accidents, and reinforcement for successful voids. Following the use of this toilet training package the data indicated a decrease in accidents and an increase in successful voids for each participant during the school day when taken to the restroom on a schedule consistent with other preschool classrooms. Two participants reached criteria after the implementation of the toilet training procedures; however, one participant required additional components during the “off-toilet” times. Maintenance data was also collected, and results indicated that these skills have maintained despite reinforcement for successful voids being faded out.

Abstract: Treatment of automatically maintained behavior can be challenging at times do limited ability to complete with the quality of reinforcement that is generated by engagement in the challenging behavior. In addition, research is limited in relation to treatment of operant spitting, particularly when it is automatically maintained. This study utilized a non-matched form of idiosyncratic reinforcement, and its contingent removal, to treat automatically maintained spitting behavior in one individual with Autism. Specifically, access to environmental manipulation, such as requesting staff to change the placement of items or the phrasing of communication, served as reinforcement within this individuals repertoire. Accordingly, if the participant was following a given rule, to have a healthy mouth (i.e., abstain from spitting), FR1 reinforcement was delivered in the form of honoring such requests. When honoring of such requests was removed contingent on the target behavior, spitting, a punishment effect was observed. Results were replicated across additional topographies of challenging behavior from multiple functional response classes. Statement of Reliability: Interobserver agreement data were collected throughout this study, with agreement near 100%.

There is limited research evaluating academic interventions to improve oral reading fluency (ORF) in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the use of a brief experimental analysis (BEA) for selecting interventions to improve ORF in students with ASD. Two elementary school students with ASD participated in the study. Both participants had an educational classification of ASD and ORF scores at least one grade below their current grade level. The primary outcome measure was correct words per minute (CWPM). A direct skills assessment was conducted to identify instructional and frustrational ORF levels. Next, a BEA was conducted to identify the most effective intervention components for each student. Reading interventions included components of repeated readings, listening passage preview, and/or error correction and were selected using a brief multielement design. CWPM on an instructional probe was compared to scores on high content overlap probes. Based on the BEA, repeated reading was selected for Participant 1 and listening passage preview with error correction was selected for Participant 2. The intervention was implemented for both students and progress monitoring data at the grade level and instructional level were collected on a weekly basis.

Children with autism may engage in stereotypy. Stereotypy may interfere with learning skills such as engagement in appropriate social play, attending to task and other related skills. Response interruption and redirection (RIRD) alone has shown to be an effective treatment for stereotypy (Ahrens, et. Al. 2011) however, according to Laprime, 2014, “the combination of punishment procedures with differential reinforcement has been demonstrated to be more effective at reducing problematic behavior than differential reinforcement alone.” This study used a DRO plus a visual and motor focus punishment procedure to increase on-task behavior with a 5-year-old student who displayed high rates of stereotypy during discrete trials. Using a changing criterion design, duration of on-task was increased by 15 seconds when student met criterion. During baselines, student’s on-task behavior ranged between 5-15 seconds. When DRO and punishment procedure was implemented, student’s on-task behavior increased from 10 seconds to 3 minutes during discrete trials. Results from the study indicate that a combination of a DRO plus a punishment procedure is effective at increasing on-task behavior and is considered more practical than a punishment procedure alone. This procedure was later transferred to the classroom setting, where on-task also increased from 0 seconds to 2 minutes.

Development of independent toileting skills is a critical goal for pre-school and kindergarten students. The acquisition of independent toileting skills can lead to an increase in sanitation and comforts, substantial monetary gain, and access to various services and settings. Operant conditioning procedures have been used to successfully train toileting skills. Within the LeBlanc et al. (2005) procedure, participants were exposed to 6-15 instances of positive practice with no schedule modifications reported and no procedures specified for excessive accidents. Frequent exposures of positive practice increase the probability of evoking problem behaviors, which in turn, can decrease the effectiveness of intensive toilet training. Thus, the purpose of this manuscript is two-fold. First, it describes a replication of the LeBlanc et al. (2005) procedures using a nonconcurrent multiple baseline across participant design to evaluate the success of the intervention. Second, it evaluates the effects of schedule modifications on accidents for children who were previously nonresponsive to toilet training.

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may demonstrate problem behavior around changes in schedules of activities (Jamieson, 2004). Although implementing a structured schedule is one recommendation for addressing this issue, unanticipated schedule changes may occur at times. Therefore, it may be beneficial to incorporate schedule interruptions and skills related to flexible schedule-following during treatment for problem behavior occasioned by schedule changes. The participant for this study was a 16 -year-old male diagnosed with ASD, Intellectual Disability, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder. He was admitted to an outpatient clinic for the assessment and treatment of problem behavior. A functional analysis (FA) confirmed that problem behavior was occasioned by a variable time (VT) schedule of activity interruptions. Problem behavior was maintained by regained access to the interrupted activity. Treatment to reduce problem behavior was evaluated within an ABAB withdrawal design and included functional communication training, extinction, and a multiple schedule of reinforcement. The VT schedule of interruptions was faded-in until variability in interruptions resembled the FA baseline, while problem behavior remained minimal. Treatment resulted in clinically significant reductions in problem behavior and high levels of compliance with demands during activity interruptions. Implications for clinical application will be discussed.

Minimally-verbal individuals with autism who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) often do not surpass single-word responses for requesting and labeling. A mobile AAC application was developed for matrix training to systematically build up vocabulary and teach longer word combinations. Linguistic elements were presented in systematic combination matrices, arranged to induce generalized rule-like behavior. Multiple probe designs were implemented to assess acquisition of action-object combinations. Generalization probes were taken during intervention to assess performance on combinations not taught before. Participants included five individuals, 8-15 years old, with an official diagnosis of severe autism and no more than 10 spoken words. Performance was measured as the percentage of correct symbol combinations. Magnitude of effect was quantified by calculating the Non-overlap of All Pairs index (NAP). Three learner profiles emerged: “High Performance” participants scored above the mastery level of 80% along with strong effect sizes (average NAP=97%). “Medium Performance” participants needed more time to mastery but steadily increased their performance on generalization (average NAP=93%). One “Low Performance” participant was shifted from a 6x6 to a 4x4 matrix showing low-medium effects (average NAP=64%). Findings suggest matrix training can enhance learning and generalization of semantic relationships in learners with varying levels of language delay.