Association for Behavior Analysis International

Normal hormonal fluctuations produce measurable, differential outcomes in experiments with female participants. However, the effects of circulating gonadal steroid hormones and the menstrual cycle on human decision-making, specifically, loss aversion, remain undetermined. We used the SubSearch Game to examine loss aversion to determine if womens loss-averse behavior in a monetary gain/loss procedure varied as a function of the menstrual cycle. Twenty-five college-age, regularly-cycling females participated in 12 sessions wherein they played the SubSearch videogame. Each session corresponded to either menses onset, ovulation or the mid-luteal phase. The SubSearch Game involves a concurrent-operants method in which the player uses a mouse to move a submarine icon to retrieve underwater objects. The screen is divided vertically in half. The player can switch between the half-screens at any point. Occasionally, according to concurrent variable-interval variable-interval (VIVI) schedules, the retrieval of an object results in the delivery of points via an on-screen counter and which are exchanged for money following the session. Retrieval may also produce the loss of points. Each session consisted of four 9-min components in which the reinforcer ratio varied, as did the background color on the screen. Punishers were delivered in half of the components.

Adding reinforcers into a context, whether contingent on behavior or not, typically results in increased persistence of behavior in extinction. Increases in reinforcers occur when differential reinforcement of alternative behavior is used to reduce problem behaviors. Whilst there is often success at reducing problem behaviours, research also suggests that persistence of the problem behaviour may actually increase due to the increased reinforcement in the context. Training the alternative behavior in a separate context does not increase the reinforcers in the target context and can prevent the increased persistence of the problem behavior when the alternative behaviour is introduced. An analogue of this procedure, with domestic hens, confirmed that training the analogue alternative behavior in a separate context resulted in the analogue of the problem behavior being less persistent during extinction than when the alternative had been trained in the same context (i.e., under traditional differential reinforcement conditions). It is however, often unfeasible to implement extinction completely in applied contexts, so investigation as to whether such differences in the persistence of the problem behavior would be seen with other disruptors, such as alternative sources of reinforcement, were carried out.

In this investigation, we used an approach-avoidance paradigm to examine how different methods of presenting cues correlated with aversive stimulus presentation (or threat) modulate control by positive reinforcement. Using a between groups design, we examined the effects of impending or immediate threat on avoidance behavior. Two versions of a novel approach-avoidance choice task were used. On a trial, both tasks presented a monetary reward alongside a discriminative stimulus (CS+ threat) that signaled the current probability of a money loss (range= 0-1.0). Pressing an approach button produced the reward or probabilistic loss, while pressing an avoidance button prevented loss. Each trial of the Immediate Threat task presented a CS threat level during the choice period. In contrast, each trial of the Impending Threat task began with the lowest CS threat level which increased one level every 2 s until the choice period. Results showed impending compared to immediate threat was associated with increased avoidance to low threats and decreased avoidance to higher threats. Choice reaction times also showed a decreasing trend under impending threat while reaction times showed an increasing trend under immediate threat. These findings suggest aversive control and avoidance in humans is modulated by how threats are encountered.

Two experiments with four rats each were conducted to investigate the resistance to change of responding maintained under conditions of response-independent food and delayed reinforcement. In both experiments, lever pressing was maintained under a three-component multiple schedule in baseline. Variable interfood intervals programmed the same rate of food in each component. In components 100% and 10%, the percentage of response-dependent and immediate food was 100 and 10, respectively. In Component Delay, a tandem variable-interval (VI) fixed-time (FT) schedule (Experiment 1) or a tandem VI differential-reinforcement-of-other-behavior (DRO) schedule (Experiment 2) was in effect. Across baseline sessions, the delay value (i.e., FT or DRO) was yoked to that obtained in Component 10%. Responding was disrupted by extinction tests in both experiments. Responding generally was more resistant to change in Component 10% then in Component 100% in both experiments. In Experiment 1, resistance to change in Component Delay was assistematic. In Experiment 2, for three rats, resistance to change in Component Delay was similar to that in Component 10%. These results indicate that resistance to change can be affected by conditions in which the response-reinforcer relation is altered but reinforcement rate is equated across multiple-schedule components.

Every individual has a tolerance level for environmental threat and aversive stimulation that aids self-preservation. As threat intensity escalates, a tipping point is reached whereby behavior switches from being under the control of positive reinforcement (approach) to negative reinforcement (avoidance). Approach-avoidance conflict paradigms are commonly used to understand the competition between appetitive (e.g., food) and aversive (e.g., shock) contingencies. In this investigation, we examined the effects of increasing the magnitude of positive reinforcement on human choice to approach or avoid (N=5). We developed a novel approach-avoidance task where a monetary reward appeared in the presence of a conditioned stimulus (CS+ threat) that signaled increasing probability of a money loss. Across trials, reward was fixed while CS threat level varied unpredictably. Approach produced the reward or probabilistic loss, while avoidance prevented loss. Results showed increasing the CS threat level produced the desired switch from approach to avoidance. However, increasing the magnitude of positive reinforcement for approach only marginally increased approach responding. These results provide important insights into the competition for control over behavior that can occur between appetitive and aversive contingencies and highlights the disproportional control often exerted by aversive events.

Resistance to prefeeding was studied under three different variability requirements. Across three baseline conditions, four lever-press sequences by rats were maintained on a two-component multiple schedule. In the VAR component, a threshold contingency of 0.1 was in effect. In the REP component, only one sequence was reinforced. In the YOKE component, no variability requirement was in effect. Reinforcement probabilities were equated across multiple schedule components in each baseline condition. In baseline, U values were greater in the VAR than the REP and YOKE components, and similar between the latter two. In the prefeeding test after the multiple VAR YOKE baseline, resistance of U values was greater in the VAR than in the YOKE component. In the prefeeding test after the multiple REP YOKE baseline, resistance was similar between schedule components. Finally, in the prefeeding test after the REP VAR baseline, resistance of U values was greater in the VAR than in the REP component. Thus, baseline variability levels were directly related to the behavioral persistence, regardless of whether this level was required (VAR and REP) or allowed (YOKE) by reinforcement contingencies in each schedule component.

The Madagascar Hissing Cockroach (MHC) (G. portentosa) has been studied extensively by ethologists, with a principal focus on several innate behaviors, like mating behavior and the eponymous alarm call they emit when startled or in distress. These animals have the potential of becoming an advantageous animal in operant research, particularly at a time when vertebrate laboratories are becoming prohibitively expensive and the regulatory environment increasingly onerous. With their simple nervous systems, they might also become excellent subjects for coordinated behavioral-neurobiological inquiries. While there seems to be a growing interest in this species among operant researchers, there is relatively little lab lore nor relevant behavioral information about the MHC. The present study represents an initial foray into simple avoidance behavior by these animals. The experiment involves simple choice in a T-maze between escape arms with either light or an electromagnetic field.

The present experiment examined the relation between alternative rates of reinforcement and resurgence by using the within-session procedure. Each session consisted of the following three phases: In the Acquisition phase, lever-pressing response of rats was reinforced on a variable-interval (VI) 20-s schedule until 40 reinforcers were delivered. In the Elimination phase, this target response was eliminated while the alternative response to the other side lever was reinforced according to either VI 5-s, 20-s, or 80-s. This phase lasted for until 40 reinforcers were delivered and the number of target response decreased less than 3 for each of the last three 30-sec bins. The Resurgence phase ended after 10-min during which all reinforcers were withheld. Rats were exposed to each of three alternative reinforcement conditions (i.e., VI 5-s, VI 20-s, or VI 80-s) for five times, but the order of each condition was randomly assigned for each session. Although all rats showed resurgence in all conditions (Figure 1, left panel), the magnitude of resurgence increased as a function of the reinforcement rates (Figure 1, right panel). These findings were consistent with previous studies and supported the prediction of models of resurgence based on behavioral momentum theory.

Timeouts are sometimes used in applied settings to reduce target responses, and in some circumstances delays are unavoidably imposed between the onset of a timeout and the offset of the response that produces it. The present study examined the effects of signaled and unsignaled timeouts in rats exposed to concurrent fixed-ratio 1 fixed-ratio 1 schedules of food delivery, where each response on one lever, the location of which changed across conditions, produced both food and a delayed 10-s timeout. Delays of 0-38 s were examined. During longer delays, multiple reinforcer deliveries were available. Delayed timeouts often, but not always, substantially reduced the number of responses emitted on the lever that produced timeouts relative to the number emitted on the lever that did not produce timeouts. In general, larger effects were observed with signaled timeouts. These results demonstrate that delayed timeouts, like other delayed consequences, can affect behavior, albeit less strongly than immediate consequences.

The effects of different percentages of response-dependent food on resistance to change were investigated in two experiments with rats. In Experiment 1, percentages of 100, 50 and 10 of response-dependent food were in effect in a three-component multiple schedule in baseline. In components 50% and 10%, dependent and independent food were programmed dependently. Responding was disrupted by a variable time 30 s in each component. In Experiment 2, the effects on resistance to change of how food was programmed were investigated by using a three-component multiple schedule. In one component, 100% of the food was response-dependent and in the other two, 10% of the food was response-dependent. In components 10%-I and 10%-D, respectively, dependent and independent food were programmed independently and dependently. Responding was disrupted by extinction tests. In Experiment 1, responding generally was more resistant to change in Component 10% than in components 50% and 100%. In Experiment 2, resistance to change was similar in components 10%-I and 10%-D, and greater in these components than in Component 100%. These results indicate that resistance to change is affected by the response-reinforcer dependency and that the effect is not specific to how the response-dependency was programmed and how responding was disrupted.

Fear conditioning procedures are widely used to study fear and anxiety. During fear conditioning (FC), a neutral stimulus is paired with delivery of an aversive stimulus, such as electric shock or money loss. Over trials, the neutral stimulus becomes a conditioned aversive stimulus (CS+) that elicits fear indexed by an increase in autonomic responses, in particular, skin-conductance responses (SCRs). A second neutral stimulus never paired with an aversive stimulus (CS-) is used as a control. In this investigation, we used a within-subject design (N=20) to examine two questions about FC and SCRs: (1) Can SCRs be maintained to a 12 s CS+? (2) Do equivalent SCRs occur to a CS paired with aversive money loss and a CS paired with money gain? We found that a 12 s CS+ presentation produced a sustained SCR, but a 12 s CS- presentation and 12 s CS paired with money gain did not. These findings suggest SCRs can be maintained for a substantial time period, which may index anxiety rather than fear, and SCRs were restricted to stimuli paired with an aversive stimulus.

Treatment integrity failures are commonly studied by measuring response rates when errors are consistently made during intervention implementation. For example, St. Peter Pipkin and Vollmer (2010) programmed commission errors by specifying a constant probability of reinforcement for problem behavior during an intervention based on differential reinforcement of alternative behavior (DRA). Consistent commission errors have detrimental effects on DRA. The consistency of these errors may not always be the case in real-life situations. An intervention agent may implement treatment perfectly for a couple of days and then the next day or two implement treatment with low integrity. Effects of inconsistent treatment integrity have not yet been compared to those of consistent errors, but emerging evidence suggests that periodic exposure to interventions implemented with high integrity may reduce detrimental effects of low-integrity implementation. The current study uses nonclinical participants engaging in arbitrarily selected responses to evaluate consistent and inconsistent treatment integrity failures when commission errors occur during DRA applied to an arbitrary response. Results support emerging evidence by showing that inconsistent integrity failures are less detrimental to treatment effects than consistent integrity failures.

In order to evaluate the effect of the amount of information provided before and during the solution of the Tower of London task. This study included three groups: General Instructions group, which presented global aspects of the task; Specific instructions group, which also described conditions of response and its relationship with feedback; and Precise instructions group, these included the previous aspects of the other groups but added to each trial the number of moves required. After training, all groups performed two tests, both without feedback or additional instructions, Test 1 only changed the number of movements required and Test 2 only color stimuli was changed. At the end of each phase they were asked: 1) What did you do to solve the task? and 2) How would you explain to another what to do to resolve it? The results show that all groups exceed by at least 40% of the trials the number of moves, however the general instructions produced lower latency. Verbal reports showed a relationship between the quality of the report and the type of group. These findings are discussed in light of the evidence in the area with matching to sample and reinforcement schedules.

Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders (EBD) perform lower than their peers across subjects, age groups and settings (Reid, Gonzalez, Nordness, Trout, & Epstein, 2004). There is a continual need to implement effective instructional strategies to increase student learning. The purpose of this study was to explore the implications of using response cards in a self-contained classroom with students identified as having emotional behavior disorders. The specific questions addressed were: What are the effects of response cards on the on-task behaviors of students with EBD during large group instruction?, What are the effects of the response cards on participation of students with EBD during large group instruction? and What are the effects of response cards on scores of next session quizzes? A single subject A-B-A research design was used to study the effects of using response cards on student participation, academic achievement and off-task behavior. Participants for this study were selected from a self-contained classroom for students with EBD in a western state. Four 8th grade students ages 13-14 were selected for participation in the study. The dependent variables for this study included participation, engagement in off-task behaviors, and correct answers on next session quizzes. Across all participants, off-task behavior decreased 23.54% from baseline to intervention. Participation for all four students increased 64.5% from baseline to intervention. The percent of correct answers on quizzes increased 34.65% from baseline to intervention. Student off-task behavior decreases and participation increases when response cards are used.

The purpose of this study was to observe the effects of individualized student-teacher conferencing on mathematics performance of three, sixth-grade students at risk for academic failure in a middle school general education setting. For the purpose of this study, Student-teacher conferencing includes teacher-student interactions resulting in (1) self-monitoring or self-goal setting, (2) error correction, and (3) corrective feedback or self-evaluation. Data were analyzed using a single-subject multiple baseline design across the three students. Results showed that Student-teacher conferencing, when paired with components of self-regulation, increased the accuracy of mathematics problem completion as measured by a web-based, performance-leveled academic assessment tool.

eCarrot is an application that provides contingent access to free time on a tablet by quickly and correctly answering arithmetic questions. Students across two second grade classrooms completed addition problems in a multiple baseline design. Standardized computation and application probes were used to evaluate the effects of the tablet contingency

Mathematics is very important in daily living in modern society. Most students master the fundamentals of math through traditional teaching in school but there are some students in every class that have difficulties and fall behind their peers in math. It is important to help them by using instruction that is effective and accelerates their learning. Direct Instruction (DI) and Precision Teaching (PT) are methods that have been shown to be very effective in math instruction. In this study, a multiple baseline across participants and changing criterion design was used to assess the effects of using DI and PT in math instruction with Icelandic students who have math skills below their age average. 4 students, aged 8 to 15, received individualized DI and PT instruction in basic math. They all showed progress when these methods were used. These results indicate that DI and PT are effective in math instruction with Icelandic students.

Students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) often experience academic difficulties in mathematics; however, there is a need for additional research identifying effective academic interventions with this population (Hodge, Riccomini, Buford, & Herbst, 2006). An alternating treatments design was used to investigate the differential effects of a worksheet condition and an iPad condition on math fluency and active academic engagement during a high school math class in an alternative school setting for students with challenging behaviors. Following group instruction, the three participants engaged in independent seatwork either by completing problems on a worksheet or completing problems presented on an iPad. Based on visual analyses, students solved more math problems correctly in less time and demonstrated higher levels of active engagement in the iPad condition as compared to the worksheet condition. Social validity assessments indicate that the teacher and three students preferred the iPad condition to the worksheet condition during the math lessons. The positive outcomes suggests that iPad technology may be a viable intervention to increase the use of effective independent work time by promoting extended practice opportunities, immediate feedback, and integrating previously presented content matter.

Students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) that struggle to construct sentences stand a high likelihood for continued academic difficulty across content areas. Several studies have used sentence instruction with picture-word prompts to improve sentence level writing skills, including construction of simple sentences, capitalization, and punctuation. Research in other academic areas, such as mathematics and reading, have found students benefited from deliberate practice procedures stemming from a behavioral fluency perspective. The present study combined sentence instruction with a practice procedure emphasizing behavioral fluency and measured its impact on the writing performance of four elementary-aged students with EBD and behavioral concerns. The study used a single case experimental design: multiple-baseline across participants. The intervention produced gains in the frequency of simple sentences and other sentence level writing skills across participants, suggesting a functional relation between intervention and dependent measures. Results suggest instruction and practice procedures stemming from a behavioral fluency perspective have potential to impact the written behavior of students with EBD.

It is a current understanding that Cover-Copy-Compare procedures promote math fact accuracy and fluency in students with low cognitive functioning. However, studies have found that it is difficult to achieve the generalization of fluent response to addition and subtraction facts. This study investigates the effect of training with the focus on a calculation strategy designed to promote the generalization of fluent response. Responses of eight addition facts to eight unrelated addition facts and eight subtraction facts to eight unrelated subtraction facts were measured. The training comprised derived fact strategies: decomposing and compensating. Kenan elementary school fifth grader without disorders but with low math calculation skillswas the participant. He was required to verbally respond to accuracy and fluency derived fact strategies while a PowerPoint slideshow displayed calculation processes. Results successfully demonstrate that generalized fluency promotes the calculation of addition and subtraction facts. In addition, a students strategy of calculation changes from counting on/up to automaticity. This study discusses future directions of the generalization of fluent response in addition and subtraction, focusing on calculation strategies

It is understood that differential reinforcement can be applied to select successive approximations toward a target behavior (shaping) and that schedules of reinforcement may be manipulated to influence the rate of responding. The percentile schedule [k=(m+1)(w-1)] standardizes shaping allowing the practitioner to systematically apply differential reinforcement and schedule thinning in concert. However, published research on the percentile schedule is sparse, which has resulted in few outlets for practitioners and researchers to consider incorporating this in their activities. The goal of this poster is to share clinical outcomes achieved by manipulating k, w and m values in the percentile schedule formula. At Fit Learning we have observed that a k5 schedule has been effective in reducing response variability as well as decreasing errors in responding. Whereas a k7 schedule has been successful in increasing frequency. Overall, the implementation of a k schedule has been correlated with a reduction in problematic behavior. Our participants have diagnoses of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, Down Syndrome, or autism. Possible implications for both research and practice are discussed.

We examined the interaction between attention and task preference in maintaining on-task behavior of a fourth-grade girl who displayed frequent off-task behavior in the classroom. We administered a multiple-stimulus choice assessment, varying the amount of attention and the task preference, to determine under what conditions the student would select a task when negative reinforcement was continuously available. The results indicated that it was possible to bias responding towards academic tasks using attention, and that more attention was necessary to maintain on-task behavior for low preference tasks than for high preference tasks. An intervention was implemented based on these data. This extends previous literature on choice assessment procedures by demonstrating that a multiple-stimulus assessment can be used in the classroom to analyze the relative influence of attention and task preference, and that data from a multiple-stimulus choice assessment can be used to design an intervention that increases on-task behavior in the classroom.

In university class, a simple observing system, which continuously measures, instantly processes and visualizes the behavior of students and a teacher, would provide clues for educational improvement. This study developed and tested a prototype of apparatus for time-series measurement of teachers activity in class. A micro-vibration sensor, connected to a click circuit of a wireless finger mouse, was used to count teachers locomotion (steps) in classroom. The signals are converted into click events. Each occurrence time was acquired and a cumulative record of steps was graphed in real time by Microsoft Excel VBA. Laboratory tests and field tests in real class were conducted. Subjects were the author and a male adult. The laboratory tests compared the prototypes and typical pedometers counts. Pearsons r between both counts was higher than 0.95. The prototype could detect subjects step with high accuracy. It was also found that the value of sleep in VBA, setting for preventing misdetection by chattering, was appropriate around 300msec. The field test showed that the prototype could monitor teachers activity, however recording stability decreased partly because of deviation of the sensors position. For practical use, more reliable way should be developed in mounting the sensor to a human body.

We compared accumulated and distributed reinforcer arrangements to determine which arrangement produced the highest rate of academic responding and lowest amount of problem behavior in children diagnosed with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) who engaged in chronic and severe problem behavior. The experiment expanded on previous research by using tokens to signal the amount of time they will have with the reinforcer when access is given. The most efficacious and preferred reinforcer arrangement was the accumulated condition for the one child in the experiment so far. The current study expands on the current research through using a different population that is prone to engaging in impulsive choice making. Previous research has shown that children with ADHD preferred reinforcer arrangements that are not the most efficacious. The current study hopes to expand on the current research and evaluate if using tokens can allow children with ADHD make a more self-controlled choice for reinforcer arrangement.

This study compared the efficacy of 2 reading programs in increasing the literacy skills of children who were "at-risk" of reading failure. The evidence-based programHeadsprout™ which adopts the main principles of Behavior Analysis was compared with Reading A-Z™which adopts a more widely used guided reading approach. Participants were 30 children (aged 5 to 6) from low socioeconomic backgrounds attending a mainstream inner city school. Participants' literacy skills were assessed prior to intervention using 2 standardised reading attainment tests. They were then randomly assigned to eitherHeadsprout™ treatment group,Reading A-Z™ treatment group or a waiting list control group. Participants in both treatment groups completed 5 20-minute literacy intervention sessions weekly, while the waiting list control group completed their classroom instructed literacy programs as usual. Results showed that participants in theHeadsprout™ group, made greater improvements from pre to post-test on measures of pre-phonics awareness and word/non-word recognition than participants in theReading A-Z™ treatment group and those in the waiting-list control group. For 7 out of 20 children across theReading A-Z™ treatment group and control group, performance on pre-phonics awareness measures actually declined throughout the 4-month intervention period.

Team organization is an integral part of many scholarly and work related tasks. Typically it`s dependent upon un-controlled, un-known or random factors. These series of studies presented here take a different approach to team organization and management: The direct identification of member specific competence and its contribution to the fulfilment of team goals. The concept of competence primacy is used to describe the prevalence, persistence or priority of a certain type of competence which each team member brings to the table in the solution of team based tasks. First, results that pin-point the primary competence of different university students are presented with in a five level model. Secondly, a general methodology for the construction and application of team based virtual tasks (such as, matching to sample, nonsense syllables and path completion) is presented given that each task is designed in terms a five level model of goal complexity. Finally, initial results are presented which describe the general success or failure to meet team objectives under three general conditions of correspondence between competence primacy and team goal complexity: a) total correspondence, b) partial correspondence and c) non correspondence. General conclusions point to the possibility of a behavioral driven methodology for the organization of efficient work or scholarly teams.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of individual and group feedback on work performance (both quantity and quality), feedback acceptance and group cohesiveness. Ninety participants were randomly assigned to one of three experimental conditions: individual feedback, group feedback, and no feedback condition. Participants had to perform a conjunctive work task that required them work cooperatively in a group of three. The experimental sessions consisted of one 20 min baseline session and five 20 min treatment sessions. That is, 3 x 2 mixed design was adopted. The results showed that the group feedback was more effective than the individual feedback in improving the quantity of work performance although the two types of feedback did not produce a difference in the quality of performance. In addition, the group feedback produced higher level of group cohesiveness. However, the individual feedback produced higher level of feedback acceptance. These findings suggest that individual feedback is not always superior to group feedback and the relative effectiveness may depend on the types of work task.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of social interaction and group size on work performance under an equally distributed group incentive system. Participants were 120 undergraduate students and randomly assigned to one of four experimental groups: (1) 3-member group with social interaction, (2) 10-member group with social interaction, (3) 3-member group without social interaction, and (4) 10-member group without social interaction. A simulated work task which resembled online banking money transfer was developed and participants were asked to perform the work task. The dependent variable was the number of correctly completed work tasks. All participants performed six 15 minute sessions. For the participants who had social interaction opportunities, the different group size did not produce a significant difference in performance. For those who did not have social interaction opportunities, on the other hand, the performance of 3-member group was significantly higher than that of the 10-member group.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of self-monitoring accuracy on safe sitting posture. Participants in this study were sixty undergraduate students. During 30 min baseline phase, participants were asked to perform typing task and their safe sitting posture scores were obtained. Based on the scores, participants were divided into two groups through the matching procedure so that the mean scores of the two groups could be approximately equivalent. In one group, participants received self-monitoring training with accuracy training. In the other, participants received self-monitoring training without accuracy training. After the training, the self-monitoring phase started. This phase lasted for 60 min and participants were asked to self-monitor their own sitting postures and their sitting posture scores were obtained. The results indicated that safe posture scores in both group were significantly higher in the self-monitoring phase compared to the baseline. More importantly, safe posture scores of the group with accuracy training were significantly higher than those of the group without accuracy training.

Providing feedback is a critical component of supervision. One commonly recommended feedback procedure is the feedback sandwich (FBS; Henley & DiGennaro Reed, 2015). The purpose of this research was to examine the degree to which supervisors delivery of FBS continues post-training with high levels of fidelity over the course of three months. Videotaped feedback sessions following FBS training of 16 supervisors were coded to assess procedural fidelity. Data show that the average percent of correct implementation across sessions range from 75-100%, and that the average duration of a feedback sandwich across sessions ranged from 44-58 seconds. These results suggest that with relatively brief training that introduces the concept of the feedback sandwich, supervisors maintain acceptable levels of fidelity in use of FBS over time. Importantly, these results occurred in the absence of feedback to the supervisor regarding the implementation of FBS, suggesting that this method is easy to learn and implement. Implications for training and future research on types of performance feedback will be presented.

Behavior analysts commonly rely on caregiver report for information on an individuals sleep which is disrupted in up to 77% of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) (Rzepecka et al., 2011). Few studies have looked into the validity of commercially available accelerometers, like the FitBit, which could provide an alternative method for obtaining this information. Participants in the current study were children and adolescents who were diagnosed with developmental and intellectual disabilities, admitted to a residential program for the assessment and treatment of severe challenging behaviors. Sleep data were collected using direct observation or a FitBit fastened to the participants wrist. Some agreement was observed between direct observation of sleep and FitBit report. Although overall agreement between the two measurements was variable across observation periods, comparisons between the methods did not appear to consistently over or underestimate total sleep. Results will be discussed in terms of sleep measurement calibration, and the clinical utility and validity of data gathered by sleep measurement devices.

Consistent use of antiretroviral medications by people living with HIV can reduce the amount of HIV in the body (viral load) and sustain good health, but most people living with HIV do not maintain adherence to antiretroviral medications. Participants were enrolled in a clinical trial to evaluate the effectiveness of monetary incentives for reduced viral loads in promoting adherence to antiretroviral medications. Initially, participants completed a computer-based training course on HIV and antiretroviral medication adherence that was delivered in ATTAIN, a program that allows for easy course development, repeated and random presentation of questions, delivery of immediate feedback for responses, and provision of monetary incentives for performance. A multiple-baseline across sections of the course was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the course in teaching participants the course content. Participants took three tests that tested the material presented in the first (Modules 1-7), second (Modules 8-14) and third (Modules 15-19) sections of the course. All tests were administered before training began and then again after each participant completed each section of the course. Preliminary results (see figures) show some degree of improvement following completion of the first two course sections. Future work should identify course features that can improve outcomes.

The tobacco use is a public health problem both in the world and in Mexico as it is associated with chronic degenerative, irreversible, disabling and deadly diseases. According to the National Survey of Addictions (2011) 21.7 of the population aged 12-65 years is active and on average smoker, states that started the daily consumption at 20.4 years. Although there are treatments to stop smoking standardized and research in Mexico which have proved their effectiveness it is essential evaluate the effectiveness of treatments for smoking cessation for women, particularly aimed at students as it is known that in the college a significant percentage women start smoking and them become occasional smokers or daily smokers of tobacco. Therefore, this study was aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a cognitive behavioral intervention for smoking cessation in college women. Participants were 15 college students who smoked less than 10 cigarettes daily, aged between 19-25 years. The intervention consisted of an evaluation session, four sessions of treatment and follow-up at 3 months. In such intervention techniques of self monitoring, problem solving, relaxation, exposure and nicotine fading were used. The pattern of consumption was obtained and compared before, during treatment and at three months follow-up. The results are discussed in terms of abstinence rates obtained at the end of treatment and at follow-up at 3 months and that set the tone for the establishment of effective strategies for early detection college women.

The effectiveness of smoking cessation treatments depends on the treatment used and the characteristics of patients. It is possible to improve the effectiveness of smoking cessation treatments by identifying predictors of treatment success and working on them. This study aimed to identify factors that predict consumption reduction when using a cognitive-behavioral treatment for smoking cessation. Participants were 24 women and 22 men in a smoking cessation treatment, with a median age of 42.74 years. The age of first use was 17.30 years; the mean years of regular consumption was 22.91 years. The average consumption pattern before treatment was 15.28 cigars, the average consumption at the end of treatment was 5.96 and the average cigarette consumption follow-up at six months was 6.83 cigarettes. 23.9% of participants have tried to quit once and the same percent of participants have tried three times. 84.4% of them have not used nicotine replacement therapy. Smoking is considered a major problem by 41.3% of participants. 52.2% have severe nicotine dependence. The mean level of anxiety at baseline was 15.96 points, after the treatment, 10.98 and follow-up level of 10.39. Regarding the level of depression, the average baseline was 14.70 points, after the treatment was 10.22 and 8.93 in follow-up. There were statistically significant associations between the variables age and age of onset (r=0.470, p=0.001), age and years of regular consumption (r=0.794, p<0.000), educational level and years of regular consumption (r=-0.444, p=0.002), age of onset and baseline anxiety level (r=-0.344, p=0.019), age of onset and baseline depression level (r=-0.324, p=0.028), use of nicotine replacement therapy and baseline anxiety level (r=-0.321, p=0.029), perception of smoking problem and dependence level (r=-0.308, p=0.038), dependence level and baseline consumption pattern (r=-0.746, p<0.000), dependence level and consumption pattern at the end of treatment (r=-0.575, p<0.000), dependence level and consumption pattern at follow-up (r=-0.476, p=0.001), baseline consumption pattern and consumption pattern at the end of treatment (r=0.492, p=0.001), baseline consumption pattern and consumption pattern at follow-up (r=0.479, p=0.001), consumption pattern at the end of the treatment and consumption pattern at follow-up (r=0.757, p<0.000). When comparing the averages of the consumption pattern, there was a statistically significant difference between the measurements of consumptio

The use of tobacco is considered a public health problem both internationally and nationally, being one of the first preventable causes of death worldwide. Several studies suggest that there are differences between men and women with regard to psychological factors related to smoking cessation. Therefore, the objective of this research was to compare the psychological factors such as depression, anxiety, consumption risk situations, consumption pattern and level of dependency on men and women, obtained at baseline and the end of treatment. Participants were 46 smokers (22 men and 24 women), aged between 22 and 61 years. The treatment was a cognitive behavioral intervention for smoking cessation and consists of 6 sessions, the results show that there are significant differences in the Beck Anxiety Scale both at baseline (t = -2.918; p <0.05) as the end of treatment in men and women (t = -2.296; p <0.05) it is the greatest anxiety in women in the two measurements. For other factors, no significant differences were found. However, this factor must be taken into account since at the time of the intervention can determine the effectiveness of treatment depending on gender.

Pediatric feeding disorders can be common in children with autism or other development disabilities, however; issues with feeding can also arise in typically developing children with complex medical histories. For instance, children with moderate to severe food and environmental allergies can experience harmful side-effects after food consumption which can make eating aversive. The aversive properties of eating can result in higher levels of food refusal and potentially total food refusal. This can cause poor weight gain, vitamin/mineral deficiencies, liquid dependency, and poor oral motor development. Therefore, the purpose of this case study was to increase regular textured food intake while decreasing liquid and puree dependency in two children with severe food allergies. In addition, we monitored their weight gain and growth across the course of treatment. By using basic principles of behavior (i.e., escape extinction, non-contingent reinforcement, and positive reinforcement) and skills training procedures, to address oral motor deficits, we successfully reduced liquid dependence and increased overall volume of regular textured food.

Behavioral assessment and treatment can be delivered in a variety of settings and be applied to a diversity of presenting concerns. A model of service delivery that is particularly well suited to a behavioral analytic orientation is Integrated Behavioral Health Care (IBHC). IBHC models embed a behavioral health specialist within a primary care clinic and are characterized by a problem-focused and solution oriented approach to treatment. Further, treatments are evidenced-based and originate largely from the behavioral literature. Given the behavioral nature of treatments provided and the problem-focused approach to assessment, clinicians with training in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) are well prepared to provide IBHC services. To demonstrate the fit between IBHC and ABA, medical chart review data were collected from two pediatric IBHC clinics (N=394) based in a mid-west university medical system. Data collected summarizes percentages of patient presenting concerns and treatment protocols used across patients. Patients presented with a wide range of concerns and the majority of protocols delivered were based on behavior principles. A case study is presented to show how functional assessment, implementation of behavioral principles, and data collection methods are used in the IBHC setting, demonstrating the suitability of this model for individuals trained in ABA.

Background: Rumination Disorder is the chronic regurgitation, rechewing, and reswallowing of previously digested foods. This condition is associated with many negative outcomes, and is considered to be one of the least understood functional upper gastrointestinal disorders. Persons with intellectual/developmental disabilities are the most at risk for rumination; however, rumination can occur in other patient populations. Traditional therapeutic interventions for rumination include teaching an incompatible behavior, thickened liquids and starch satiation, aversive/punishment procedures, and noncontingent reinforcement. Mindfulness is a philosophy that emphasizes introspection regarding physiological/psychological processes; mindfulness-based techniques have been found to be effective in combination therapy for a variety of medical and psychological conditions (e.g., chronic pain, depression, nicotine dependence). Methods: A novel treatment, Differential Reinforcement of Incompatible Behavior + Mindfulness-Based Self-Awareness Training (DRI + M-SA), was compared to DRI-only with a 10-year-old typically developing child with chronic rumination since infancy. Results: DRI + M-SA was more effective at significantly decreasing rumination when compared to baseline (BL; 98.7%) versus DRI-only (64.5%). Reductions in rumination were maintained at 1-month and 3-month follow up. Results suggest that mindfulness-based strategies may be an effective component for treating rumination for some individuals.

Teaching noncompliant children to engage in compliant behavior has long been a goal for many parents, teachers, and therapists (Patterson, Shaw, & Ebner, 1969). This goal has driven the development of behavioral technology, including entire manualized treatment programs, specifically intended for the treatment of noncompliance (Forehand & McMahon, 1981; Hembree-Kigin & McNeil, 1995). However, despite advances in treatment, these programs have continued to include punishment-based interventions that are associated with resistance to instruction (Roberts, 1982; Roberts, 1984; Roberts & Powers, 1990). A modified version of incidental teaching (Hart & Risley, 1974) termed naturalistic compliance training (NCT) may have particular value during compliance training with children because it has the potential to reduce resistance to instruction. As incidental teaching is conducted in the childs natural environment, and instruction is based on child-initiated interactions (Hart & Risley, 1974), it often serves to reduce childrens resistance to instruction. The purpose of the current study is to evaluate the effectiveness NCT procedures to increase the rate of child compliance and result in maintenance of compliant behavior in a non-teaching setting. Data collection for one participant is complete and additional data sets are expected to be complete before May, 2016.

Token economies are used with a variety of populations for many purposes including behavioral treatment, education, and in social settings. Furthermore, modifications to the value of the reinforcers and frequency of delivery increase responsiveness to these programs. (Kazdin, 1982). Tokens are conditioned reinforcers that are paired with established reinforcers to potentially increase appropriate behavior (Fiske et al., 2015). Token economies take on many variations when applied to the classroom setting for behavioral purposes. A group contingency such as the Good Behavior Game has been used across classrooms with successful decreases in problem behavior (Tingstrom, Sterling-turner, Wilczynski, 2006). Additionally, token economies work through the process of behavioral economics to determine functional relationships between the reinforcement contingencies and behavior (Hackenberg, 2009). The current study seeks to examine the effectiveness of an individualized token economy for behavior reduction in the classroom. As tokens are earned for appropriate behavior and absence of problem behavior, higher levels of tokens earned indicate lower levels of maladaptive behaviors. Overall, the treatment package data show an increase in tokens earned as well as a decreasing trend in all problem behaviors.

Residential treatment facilities are commonly known to be understaffed, prone to high staff turnover rates and often limited to hiring staff with limited qualifications. These facilities are often limited in terms of resources and have difficulty motivating staff to engage in appropriate staff behavior. As a result the staff are less likely to respond to the appropriate behavior of residents and more likely to overrespond to inappropriate behavior limiting the opportunity for the generalization of replacement behaviors that are often the focus of treatment. An increase in the use of restraints has been noted within residential treatment facilities posing a potential risk to both residents and staff alike. Staff are often unaware of the implications of using punishment-based procedures and often use them incorrectly. Many facilities are now moving toward reducing the use of restraints, but still experience difficulty improving staff behavior to prevent the escalation of inappropriate resident behaviors. Iwata and colleagues (1976) evaluated the use of a performance-based lottery system in a residential treatment facility to improve staff task completion using a multiple baseline design. Results indicated an improvement in overall staff behavior with the use of the weekly lottery. The present study sought to extend previous research to use a performance-based reinforcement system to improve staff-resident interactions within the classrooms of a rural pediatric psychiatric treatment facility using a multiple baseline design. Additionally, the present study evaluated the schedule of reinforcement and provided audible prompts at fixed intervals to address staff behavior. Results of the present study indicated an increase in staff-resident interaction within the classroom in a pediatric psychiatric residential treatment facility. Staff-resident interaction continued to increase and maintain across treatment phases, as the audible prompt was faded. These findings provide preliminary support for the use of reinforcement-based techniques to improve staff engagement in a psychiatric residential treatment facility. The use of performance-based lottery may be beneficial in increasing the use of positive reinforcement by staff members with residents potentially decreasing the likelihood of staff overresponding to problem behavior and the use of physical restraints.

The purpose of this project was to investigate the efficiency, accuracy, and timeliness of an electronic data collection, management, and documentation system compared to pen and paper to computer-based software systems. The study took place at an adult day habilitation program and with home based consultation services for children. Timeliness data were collected for one month to determine the time between when the behavior occurred and when data were graphed. To track accuracy of transferring written tally marks into typed numbers, staff members from outside the day program entered data into spreadsheets, and percentage of agreement between day staff and outside staff was calculated. Efficiency was determined by timing one staff member entering 7 individuals data from paper sheets to computer spreadsheets. To measure documentation efficiency, 8 clinicians were timed while documenting services by hand and then in the electronic system, using a sample vignette. Results indicated notable differences between traditional data management and documentation compared to the electronic system across efficiency, accuracy, and timeliness in both settings. The time saved using the electronic system will allow time for staff to provide more direct services, make more timely decisions regarding progress, and act using more accurate data.

Discriminate before you generate is a common mantra among Precision Teachers. This poster will demonstrate how this idea can be practically implemented in reading instruction. The act of reading requires the reader to generate a wide variety of rule-governed textual responses accurately and fluently. For a fluent reader, subtle differences in textual stimuli come to exert discriminative control over the vocal or subvocal textual responses emitted. When an aspiring reader demonstrates dysfluency in textual responding, Precision Teachers commonly employ strategies to systematically isolate and measure the accuracy and fluency of the critical conditional discriminations required for a functional reading repertoire. These operant sub-classes of reading behavior are called tool skills or component skills. When dysfluency on the component skills of reading is identified, the adage Discriminate before you generate informs the most efficient, generative path to remediation. Case studies from Fit Learning are included to show how prioritization of fluency building on simple textual discrimination tasks can produce rapid improvements in the composite reading repertoire and readily generalize to novel text.

Maintaining competence through professional development is critical in this knowledge-based industry. The purpose of this study is to inform how, and to what extent, certified behavior analysts maintain competence by means of consuming research and obtaining continuing education. We sent a survey to all certificants through the Behavior Analyst Certification Board email campaign system. Questions addressed the methods, extent of access in various domains, and barriers to accessing literature. Questions regarding continuing education focused on the sources and domains of obtained continuing education units and the benefits and barriers to accessing online and on-site continuing education events. Based on the data reported from the 560 respondents of this survey, most board certified behavior analysts reported reading between 6 and 20 articles per year, and most certificants at the doctoral level reported reading 20 or more articles per year. The most commonly reported barrier to maintaining contact with scholarly literature was access to databases and the cost of relevant articles. Despite most continuing education opportunities currently being obtained on-site, the costs and effort of attending conferences were significant barriers providing ongoing motivation for interactive online continuing education events. Understanding the current trends in our field has important implications for its future. Additionally, approved continuing education providers can use these data to inform development of engaging continuing education opportunities that play to the benefits of the delivery format.

Decreasing behavioral independence levels is the most problematic aspect for patients with dementia. Despite the necessity of behavioral trainings, little is known about the changes in behaviors during the trainings. We examined the time course of changes in amount of cues given by the therapist in training to learn upper-body dressing, toileting and transferring. Four patients with dementia were enrolled in the study. The patients received behavioral trainings based on the time-delay method. If the patient responded with inadequate component actions or did nothing for 10 seconds, the therapist offered cues at four levels in the following order: verbal cue, gesturing, tapping, and physical assistance. When the patient carried out each component action, the therapist praised the patient. The results of the data of amount of cues fitted an exponential function gradually decreased during learning of the behavioral skills (dressing, t = 380.1, R2 = 0.59, p = 0.006; toileting, t = 1.7-2.2, R2 = 0.83-0.90, p < 0.0001; transferring, t = 0.4, R2 = 0.99, p < 0.0001). These results suggest that the amount of cues could be described by an exponential function, and dressing, toileting, and transferring were difficult to accomplish in a stepwise fashion.

The ultimate goal of rehabilitation in patients with schizophrenia is to optimize their participation in society. Restrictions to participation are problems an individual may experience in involvement in life situations or roles. In order to achieve the patients goals in his/her own life situations or roles, the behavioral intervention process is required to use collaborative approaches that always maintain a focus on the patients needs and desires and to ensure that the patient is actively involved in making decisions about the process of patient-centered. The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of patient-centered behavioral intervention on participation in a patient with schizophrenia. The AB design treatment single subject experimental design was implemented, where baseline with interview about patients goals related individual life situations, intervention with collaborative approaches focused on patients goals related individual life situations. The target behavior was frequency of participation related to patients goal. Patient-centered behavioral intervention increased the frequency of participation related to patients goal (p = 0.001). These results suggest that the patient-centered behavioral intervention had an effect on the frequency of participation in a patient with schizophrenia. The present findings may serve to optimize participation of patients with schizophrenia.

A reversal design was utilized to evaluate the effectiveness of a DRL procedure on the reduction of challenging behaviors across two participants. The DRL procedures were implemented within the context of regular home-based service delivery. Both participants engaged in high rates of challenging behaviors prior to the implementation of the procedure. When the DRL procedure was in place, reinforcement was delivered contingent upon the number of responses within a period of time occurring below a predetermined criterion. In the reversal condition, the DRL was removed and modified behavior guidelines were implemented. For both participants, this plan consisted of high-probability request sequences paired with either a token economy or functional communication training. The reversal yielded differentiated results between conditions. In conditions where the DRL procedure was present, challenging behaviors decreased to low rates below the set criterion across both participants. In conditions where the DRL procedure was not present, challenging behaviors increased to differentially higher rates above the set criterion. Experimental control was demonstrated across both participants as a result of the reversal design, which indicated an effective intervention in a home-based setting.

We reviewed and analyzed studies that used environmental enrichment as treatment for automatically maintained self-injury and motor stereotypy. A search of behavior analytic journals produced 33 articles that included 57 cases of self-injurious behavior and 33 cases of stereotypy. We found that environmental enrichment was used alone or in conjunction with one or more of the following: prompting, reinforcement, response blocking, restriction, restraint, and punishment. Environmental enrichment, as a sole intervention, was effective for 26% (5/19 cases) of stereotypy and 38% (21/56 cases) of self-injury. Non-intrusive interventions (i.e., prompting and reinforcement) were added and effective for 65% (17/26 cases) of stereotypy and 29% (2/7 cases) of self-injury. Intrusive interventions (i.e., blocking, restriction, restraint, and punishment) were effective for 100% (9/9 cases) of stereotypy and 100% (34/34 cases) of self-injury. Preliminary results indicate that environmental enrichment alone was effective for a higher percentage of self-injury cases. When environmental enrichment was ineffective, stereotypy required less intrusive interventions compared to self-injury; thus, intrusive procedures were used more frequently with self-injury compared to stereotypy. This poster will summarize trends using environmental enrichment as an independent variable and will describe implications for future research.

Evidence-based treatment for problem behaviors is ABA, which is typically delivered in an individual format as a tertiary prevetion. Recently, several behavioral parent trainings have been identified as effective methods to deal with problem behaviors. Yet, these programs are still demanding in terms of training length and intensity. Therefore, continuous effort to search a more cost-effective training program (e.g., a shorter and more effective program) is still in need, mainly due to practical reasons. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a short-term parent training program to manage problem behaviors among persons with DD. A 4-week behavioral parent training program was developed and administered to 13 parents of children with DD. The training program included basic learning principles, functional assessment and function-based treatment. Data on the degree of problem behaviors, parents stress, parenting efficacy and knowledge of behavior principles were collected through the self-reported questionaries before and after the training. The results showed significant differences between pre and post total scores on knowledge of behavior principles. No differences were found in other measures. This suggests that a 4 week short-term behavioral parent training is effective to enhance the knowledge of behavior principles only. Implications and limitations are further discussed.

Previous research has indicated that multiple-respondent anecdotal (indirect) functional assessments of problem behavior can produce agreement across 80% of raters in roughly half of cases and, when agreement is obtained, the results often match those from functional analyses (Smith, Smith, & Dracobly, 2012). We replicated and extended previous research in this area by evaluating outcomes for the Motivation Assessment Scale (MAS) and the Questions About Behavioral Function (QABF) and comparing results for 7 additional cases in which agreement was obtained on either anecdotal assessment. Correspondence between functional analysis and anecdotal assessment results was found in all 7 cases. A further analysis was conducted for 12 individuals, including 5 participants from the Smith et al. (2012) study. The scores for functional categories on the MAS and QABF were ranked by averaging the scores for the raters who agreed on the primary maintaining variable. Functional analysis results were ranked by examining average responding across all conditions. A comparison showed a correspondence between the highest category and the functional analysis condition for 9 out of 10 cases for the MAS and 8 out of 10 cases for the QABF. Correspondence for the category and condition ranked second was found for 2 out of 10 cases for the MAS and 2 out of 10 cases for the QABF. The magnitude of difference between categories on the MAS/QABF did not appear to predict the amount of difference in responding in the corresponding functional analyses.

The current study serves an importance as it may aid in the emergence of social interactions and potential friendships with individuals with intellectual disabilities. This study aims to evaluate the effect of interlocked behavioral contingencies embedded in group activities, on social interactions of adults with intellectual disabilities. This metacontingency package will be evaluated by using a reversal design. Baseline data are being collected on the frequency of reciprocal interactions, defined as both participants engaging in a reciprocal gesture/response to each other, which will be recorded as a unit, and the frequency of individual initiations, defined as the participant who first engages towards the other participant. Intervention will consist of four homemade activities: 1) lemonade and pizza, 2) candles, 3) facials and 4) flower arrangements. Instructions for each activity were created in such a manner that required the behavior of one participant to be dependent on the behavior of the other participant, therefore the behavior of each participant will serve as a discriminative stimulus for all steps of the activities. Preliminary data include baseline and a generalization probe and are not yet complete. It is expected data collection will be completed within 3 months.

One common ongoing challenge regarding the functional assessment of problem behavior is the presence of undifferentiated results. It is possible that the presence of novel therapists or contrived environment contributes to these results (Hanley, Iwata, & McCord, 2003). An additional explanation involves the presence or absence of preferred therapists during functional analysis sessions. We investigated the relationship between therapist preference and the function of an individuals problem behavior. Two versions of a social avoidance functional analysis (Harper, Iwata, & Camp, 2013) were conducted with a child diagnosed with an intellectual disability. First, a non-preferred therapist implemented social avoidance (test) versus ignore (control) conditions in a reversal design. Then, a preferred therapist implemented social avoidance (test) versus contingent attention (control) in a reversal design. Results showed that problem behavior was maintained by both access to attention and escape from attention, with these functions dependent on which staff member served as therapist. The implications of these findings may inform subsequent treatment options, and potentially clarify inconclusive results of previous assessments.

Function-based intervention is a hallmark of Applied Behavior Analysis. Behavioral function is most often identified through the use of a functional behavioral assessment, with the Functional Analysis as the gold standard (Iwata, Dorsey, Slifer, Bauman, and Richman, 1982/1994). A participants reactivity to a highly controlled environment and standard conditions may impact the potential for clear, differentiated functional analysis results. The current study assessed the problem behavior of an 8-year old female diagnosed with mild intellectual disabilities, progressing from more controlled to more natural assessments. A standard functional analysis yielded inconclusive, undifferentiated results but the highest and most consistent rates of target behavior occurred in the attention condition. However, the participant also commented on the unusual environment frequently and began to engage in avoidance behavior with respect to the session room. To further evaluate the variables that maintain problem behavior, a modified trial-based functional analysis was conducted. Four test conditions were evaluated, and each compared with a relevant control. The conditions were quasi-randomized to correspond with the establishing operation that was present. Latency to problem behavior in each condition was recorded. The results were significantly more differentiated than in the standard functional analysis, and indicated multiply-maintained problem behavior (attention, tangible).

Differential reinforcement of other behavior and differential reinforcement of alternative behavior was used as a behavior intervention for a 20 year-old male living that lives in a residential group home. Through direct and indirect observation it was identified that this individual has type I diabetes insulin dependent, and was not eating meals defined as healthy for an individual with diabetes throughout the day. Frequency data was used to assess the frequency of healthy eating and the effects it had on blood sugar levels. Results showed an overall decrease in blood sugar levels from 244 to 225, a 9% decrease is average blood sugar level.

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate and promote the visual attention of children with (ASD) (4- to 5 years-old) using Head Mounted Camera wearing on the head of the therapist during Discrete Trial Teaching in early behavioral intervention. The therapist conducted the following two tasks; imitation task which needed the visual attention to the therapist and auditory comprehension task which did not need the visual attention. Head Mounted Camera could take motion picture of childs face including the eye direction to the therapist. The dependent measures were eye directions to the therapist and percentage of correct response in each trial. The result showed that children with moderate ASD directed their visual attention to the therapist more in imitation task than in auditory comprehension task. On the contrary, children with severe ASD directed their visual attention to the therapist less in imitation task. The scores of inter observer agreement were quite high in both tasks. These results suggest that we can accurately detect childrens visual attention by Head Mounted Camera and improve the procedure of teaching method using the motion picture data in behavioral early intervention.

Covert self-injurious behavior presents unique challenges for assessment and treatment, especially in non-clinical settings (e.g., home or school) where observation behind a one-way mirror is not feasible. In the current study, we evaluated the effects of a momentary differential reinforcement of other behaviors procedure (M-DRO;Toussaint & Tiger, 2012) on the treatment of covert skin picking maintained by automatic reinforcement, with all assessment and treatment taking place in a home setting. Reinforcement was provided for the absence of skin picking as well as the absence of new permanent product injuries. Initially, treatment was implemented by the caregiver, and later contingencies were transferred so the client self-monitored her own behavior and recruited reinforcement. The results indicated a significant decrease in skin picking based on direct observation of permanent product injuries using a frequency count and the Self-Injury Trauma (SIT) scale (Iwata, Pace, Kissel, Nau & Farber, 1990). These results extend past literature by incorporating reinforcement for the absence of injuries, transferring the intervention to a self-monitoring format, and utilizing the SIT scale as an outcome. Limitations related to difficulties conducting reversals in a home context will be discussed.

Functional Analysis methodology is a valid clinical tool for assessing function of challenging behavior in children with Autism (Wallace & Iwata, 1999). In a typical functional analysis, rates of behavior are assessed in test conditions and compared to control conditions (Wallace & Iwata, 1999). Many idiosyncratic variables have been assessed when evaluating behavior in a functional analysis. Previous studies have been conducted in which differing rates of challenging behavior and different functions of challenging behavior were assessed based on the therapist running the session (Ringdahl & Sellers, 2000). The current study evaluated the function of the individuals challenging behavior in correlation with the therapist running the session. One of the therapists was a novel staff member who did not interact with the individual on a regular basis, while the second therapist is a familiar staff member who interacted with the individual daily. After analyzing the data, it can be hypothesized that the individual engaged in challenging behavior to escape from demands when a novel staff ran functional analysis sessions and the individual engaged in challenging behavior to gain access to attention when a familiar staff ran functional analysis sessions.

Previous research has supported functional communication training (FCT) as an effective intervention for reducing problem behavior across socially mediated functions (Greer, Fisher, Saini, Owen, & Jones, 2015). In this study, an 11-year-old female diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder was taught to use a functional communication response (e.g., card touch; FCR) to access preferred activities. The FCR was then placed on a multiple schedule and thinned. We compared schedule thinning across two conditions; (1) when a visual stimulus signaled both components of the multiple schedule indicating the availability of reinforcement (e.g., the discriminative stimulus) and the nonavailability of reinforcement (i.e., the S-delta); and (2) when a visual stimulus signaled only the component of the multiple schedule indicating the availability of reinforcement (e.g., discriminative stimulus). The results indicated that schedule thinning occurred at similar rates in both conditions. In addition, the participant�s preference for signaled versus unsignaled s-delta multiple-schedule components was evaluated and a clear preference for signaled multiple-schedule components was identified.

Noncompliance with routine dental procedures can have detrimental effects on a persons ability to maintain dental hygiene. The current intervention initially provided a four-year-old boy who has a diagnosis of Autism with a systematic dental desensitization program aimed at increasing his ability to calmly tolerate routine dental procedures. This intervention was subsequently replicated with a seven-year-old boy who has a diagnosis of Autism. The intervention contained use of video models, stimulus control, shaping and desensitization procedures. Prior to the onset of treatment both clients demonstrated challenging behaviors at the dentist which resulted in routine dental procedures not being performed, or, the use of restrain was required. A task analysis was taught to each client. Once mastery of the task analysis was achieved (mastery of 90% or more of the task analysis for at least three consecutive sessions) the setting changed to the dentist office. Mastery of the task analysis took between four and fourteen weeks. Both clients were able to complete a routine dental visit without engaging in high-intensity challenging behaviors. Data indicate the intervention was effective with a high degree of confidence. The ability to tolerate routine dental procedures will likely result in improved dental hygiene for both clients.

A lot of children with autism have problems with sensory integration and repetitive behaviors that has big influence on children's everyday functioning. In previous research we evaluated sensory profile and repetitive behaviors in 18 children with autism. Sensory profile evaluation was made by the infant/toddles sensory profile (ITSP) , also other variables were evaluated by The Autism Spectrum Rating Scales (ASRS), Repetitive Behaviors Questionnaire 2 (RBQ-2) and The Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist (ATEC). Research showed that sensory integration problems represents predictor variable for repetitive behaviors. Now we want to test if sensory integration intervention program combined with Applied Behavioral Analyses (ABA) therapy will be more useful when single ABA for coping with repetitive behaviors. In this research are involved 3 children with autism. In this case we use Multiple Baseline Design to compare influences of single ABA and ABA plus sensory integration program. In addition we use ABLLS, ASRS, RBQ-2 and ATEC questioners to evaluate repetitive behaviors and general functioning. According to previous research results we expect that ABA therapy with sensory integration program will be more effective when single ABA in case of repetitive behaviors. Our research is now in process and will be finished in few months so we can't mention result now.

This study evaluated the accuracy of parents and teachers as predictors of preferred items for children with autism. One child with autism and his parent and teacher participated in the study. The parent and teacher were each given a checklist of items which they indicated preference on a scale of one to five; a selection of five indicated a most preferred item. If the items included in the survey were not highly preferred, five blank spaces were included for recording of preferred items. The items indicated as preferred by both the parent and teacher were assessed with a multiple-stimulus without replacement preference assessment to determine the accuracy of parents and teachers predictions and determine which items were most preferred by the child. The most preferred item as indicated by the parent survey, teacher survey, multiple-stimulus without replacement assessment, and a neutral stimulus were then utilized in instruction to determine the reinforcement value of the item using an alternating treatment design. The research sought to determine not only whether parents or teachers were more effective predictors of preference, but also whether or not the results of parent surveys, teacher surveys, and a multiple stimulus without replacement assessment demonstrate high-preference throughout instruction.

Many programs treating childhood noncompliance include a parent training component to teach effective command delivery and consequences. These programs are often delivered in clinic-based settings and focus on typically developing children and their parents. Research is lacking regarding parent training components in the home setting for parents of children with autism who display noncompliance. Behavioral skills training in a home environment was used in a multiple baseline design across participants to effectively teach four parents how to deliver an effective command sequence to children diagnosed with autism, whom also displayed low levels of compliance. The command sequence taught focused on command delivery, physical follow through following child noncompliance, and behavior specific praise following child compliance. Results indicated that behavioral skills training was an effective way of teaching command sequence delivery to parents of children with autism in the home, and overall, delivery of a proper command sequence by parents increased compliance for the children with autism.

For individuals who engage in severe self-injurious behavior (SIB), mechanical restraint devices, e.g., arm splints, may be used to restrict the behavior or to minimize the potential for damage. Wallace, Iwata, Zhou, and Goff (1999) evaluated a procedure to determine optimal levels of splint rigidity that produce both low levels of SIB while allowing for adaptive responding. DeRosa, Roane, Wilson, Novak, and Moolenschot (in press) replicated and extended the findings of Wallace et al. by assessing childrens ability to complete multiple adaptive responses while also comparing random versus progressive levels of rigidity. In the current investigation, we extended the findings of DeRosa et al. by including leisure tasks in addition to consumption and academic tasks with a two year old diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder who was receiving treatment for severe SIB. Response opportunities, including food consumption, pre-academic skill tasks, and toy play, were presented at each level of rigidity in a random order while measuring compliance and SIB. The results of this assessment allowed clinicians to select a level of splint rigidity that allowed the child to engage in the adaptive responses presented but resulted in low rates of SIB.

A potential manifestation of Restrictive and Repetitive Behavior (RRB), an inclusionary criterion item for the diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), is the engagement in stereotypic vocalizations (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Stereotypy involves repetition, rigidity, and a level of inappropriateness (Turner, 1999). Regarding maintenance of this behavior, the literature is shifting from that of solely automatic reinforcement or self-stimulation towards an operant function including positive and negative reinforcement (Cunningham & Schreibman, 2008). This supports the need for more assessment of these behaviors, including inappropriate vocalizations and vocal stereotypies using procedures such as functional analyses (Iwata, Dorsey, Slifer, Bauman, & Richman, 1994) in order to develop function-based interventions. In the current study, self-monitoring is investigated as a function-based treatment used to reduce inappropriate vocalizations displayed by an adolescent female diagnosed with ASD. The researchers seek to further support the growing stance that vocal stereotypies can serve alternative functions to automatic reinforcement, as well as to explore the utility of a function-based self-monitoring intervention for an individual with ASD using a multiple-baseline design, behaviors were intervened across changing topographies of tasks (e.g., reading, math, and leisure). While data collection is well under way, data are currently still being collected. References American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: DSM-5. Washington, D.C: American Psychiatric Association. Cunningham, A. B., & Schreibman, L. (2008). Stereotypy in autism: The importance of function. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 2, 469-479. Iwata, B. A., Dorsey, M. F., Slifer, K. J., Bauman, K. E., & Richman, G. S. (1994). Toward a functional analysis of self-injury. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 2, 197-209. Turner M. (1999). Annotation: Repetitive behavior in autism: A review of psychological research. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 40, 839849.

Children with autism can have difficulties attending and responding in classroom settings. Hand-raising is one skill that can help students with autism to respond effectively during group instruction as well as to ask for assistance. One study (Charania, LeBlanc, Sabanathan, Ktaech, Carr, Gunby, 2010) demonstrated an effective method of teaching students with autism to raise their hands in the presence of specific stimuli. The current study aimed to teach a child with autism to raise her hand under two distinct conditions: to answer known questions and to ask for assistance. During the Answers condition, trials in which the answers to questions posed by the teacher were known were interspersed with trials in which the answers were unknown. During the Assistance condition, trials in which the assigned task could readily be completed were interspersed with trials in which additional materials were needed to complete the task. A time-delay prompt procedure was used to teach the participant to raise her hand when a known question was asked and to keep her hand down when an unknown question was asked in the Answer condition and to raise her hand when she needed assistance and keep it down when she did not in the Assistance condition. A multiple baseline across conditions was used. Generalization probes with novel teachers and in a group setting were also conducted. Treatment resulted in the discrimination of hand-raising in both conditions and a group setting.

Children with feeding disorders may not develop appropriate chewing skills without intervention. Currently, there is an overall paucity of research evaluating treatments to teach age-appropriate chewing skills with a couple notable exceptions (Volkert, Peterson, Zeleny, & Piazza, 2014; Volkert, Piazza, Vaz, & Frese, 2013).In the present study we used a multiple baseline design across food groups (i.e., fruits, vegetables, proteins, and starches) to evaluate a treatment package consisting of feedback and a prompt to teach appropriate chewing in an 18-year-old young man with dysphagia, failure to thrive, food selectivity, and autism spectrum disorder. This young man persistently chewed his food using his anterior teeth (i.e., front teeth) ostensibly resulting in inefficient meals and texture selectivity (i.e., he would eat only soft or meltable solids). The treatment package resulted in an increased percentage of posterior chews (i.e., the food remained on the adolescents molars while chewing) relative to anterior chews for all four food groups.

Historically, children with autism spectrum disorder have difficulty with medical procedures including, but not limited to, routine dental exams. Lee, Graham, and Hughes (2008) found that more than half of the patients with autism exhibited uncooperative/negative behavior during dental exams. Due to limited cognitive functioning and communicative abilities that many children with autism present, medical procedures including dental exams can cause confusion, resistance, and challenging behaviors (self injury, aggression, property destruction). Research has shown that reinforcement schedules and shaping procedures can be effective in increasing positive behaviors and teaching skills. The current study examined the use of differential reinforcement during a dental desensitization program to increase compliance with dental cleanings across several students diagnosed with autism. Baseline was conducted for each individual to determine toleration of dental cleanings. Preference assessments were conducted to determine potential reinforcers. Differential reinforcement was implemented for completion of steps within a task analysis comprised of actions that are completed during a routine dental exam based on a set schedule of reinforcement. As progress was achieved, the schedule of reinforcement was thinned. Reinforcement has been thinned completely for one individual in the study. Differential reinforcement has proved to be effective within this desensitization program.

Although there has been a proliferation of research supporting the efficacy of early Intensive Behavioural Intervention (IBI) for young children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, little research has explored whether treatment gains are maintained over time. Considering the time and money being poured into this intervention, research into long-term outcomes is critical, especially in community-based programs. The purpose of the current study is to compare developmental and diagnostic changes (IQ, adaptive skills, autism symptom severity) at four time points: prior to IBI (T1; from file review), upon completion of IBI (T2; file review), at follow up between 1 and 6 years after the completion of IBI (T3; new data collected), and at follow up between 9 and 14 years after the completion of IBI (T4; new data collected). Participants (estimated n=20) are aged 14 to 20 years at T4. Preliminary analyses based on three cases suggest that IQ increased during IBI, declined somewhat from T2 to T3 but was generally maintained from T3 to T4. However, maintenance of adaptive changes were more variable at follow-up (T3, T4). Autism severity generally decreased across the four time points. Individual data will be presented and implications of the results discussed.

In the treatment of challenging behaviours, there is strong evidence for using interventions that are informed by Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA). There is currently a paucity of research investigating the use of FBA to inform treatments for sleep disturbance in children with autism spectrum disorder, and a lack of evidence-based, effective treatments for sleep disturbance among such children. Multiple, individual variables can impact upon childrens sleep making it necessary to maintain consistent links between assessment and treatment. This presentation reports the results of three case studies that investigated the use of FBA to develop individualized, comprehensive, parent-implemented interventions for sleep disturbance in children with ASD. FBA was conducted using a combination of clinical interviewing and Video Somnography. FBA-based individual case formulations guided the development of specific, multiphase interventions for each child and the dependent variables measured included the frequency and duration of night wakings, sleep onset latency, and early awakenings.. Data will be presented on the effectiveness of behavioural-based interventions, the short- and long-term maintenance of treatment effects, the impact of successful treatment on parent and child well-being and quality of life, and parents perspectives on the treatment process.

In 2009 the National Autism Center published its initial National Standards Project (NSP) report detailing a list of existing treatments for individuals with autism. Recently, the report was updated and was made available to the public in April 2015. The 2015 report divided treatments into three categories: established, emerging, and unestablished. Among the 11 treatments identified as established, self-management interventions for children with autism were included. Although self-management was found to be effective, the NSP did not evaluate the extent to which this treatment has been studied in natural settings versus clinical/laboratory and mixed settings, nor the social validity of the treatments. Having knowledge on the effectiveness of a treatment in the natural setting and its social validity can assist teachers and parents in making better decisions regarding the adoption of a treatment. The purpose of this review is to extend the NSP report by evaluating the social validity of self-management interventions for individuals with autism, evaluate the extent to which these interventions have been conducted in the natural setting (as opposed to a clinical setting), and to provide a second evaluation of the methodological quality of these studies. Results of this review suggest that, self-management interventions for individuals with autism are effective in natural, clinical, and mixed settings. However, few studies have provided a formal evaluation of social validity. There are also some limitations to the methodological quality of the studies that should be considered for future research.

Spontaneous communication, the initiation of communication without prompting, is difficult for most children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD; Duffy & Healy, 2011). Research has shown that children with ASD can acquire social-communication skills when they receive interventions based on applied behavior analysis (Sundberg & Michel, 2001) and developmental models (Rogers & Dawson, 2009). This poster describes a study that examined teaching paraprofessionals to implement a naturalistic behavioral social-communication intervention to children ages 3-6 years with ASD in a home setting. The researcher trained paraprofessionals using online modules, in-vivo coaching and ongoing feedback to apply specific strategies to increase spontaneous communication in young children with ASD. The researcher completed multiple baseline across behaviors designs for three paraprofessionals. Child measure was type and frequency of spontaneous communication. Mastery criterion for paraprofessionals included both frequency and treatment fidelity components. With ongoing feedback paraprofessionals quickly demonstrated mastery and maintained a higher level of strategy use after intervention ended. Child spontaneous communication increased in frequency and complexity for all three children. Interobserver agreement was 91-97% agreement in all measures. The results indicate that a model of initial training with ongoing feedback can increase paraprofessional use of naturalistic behavioral strategies for children with ASD.

The following literature review highlights the various components of functional communication training (FCT) that can be applied to serve a variety of functions. In the current evaluation of past research, we will elaborate on the amount of self-injury reduction exhibited within a population of individuals diagnosed with intellectual disabilities once FCT was implemented, as well as a number of behavioral techniques that comprised the intervention. The effects of mode(s) of communication, non-contingent reinforcement, and extinction implementation on self-injurious behavior as replacement strategies through differential reinforcement of alternative behavior (DRA) will be analyzed through a comprehensive method. This study provides the primary components that have comprised successful interventions in previous studies in order to implement successful behavioral protocols to target more specific populations of individuals with autism and effectively reduce self-injury as quickly as possible while also providing a lasting impact. It is meant to be used as a tool to summarize the strategies that have provided significant results in the past, while simultaneously demonstrating the gaps that can be addressed in future research that is targeted specifically to expanded this research in the realm of autism.

The effect of task types on a participants maladaptive behavior was tested. The participant was a male adult diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and profound level of intellectual disability (ID). The target maladaptive behavior was his self-injurious eye poking, aggression, and/or noncompliance. The sessions were run in his day habilitation program. To identify the participants preferred and nonpreferred tasks, preference assessment (multiple stimulus presentation without replacement) sessions were run with functional activity program materials (e.g., iPad operation to listen to music, making an ice tea) and nonfunctional activity program materials (e.g., ripping cellophane paper, sorting chips according to their colors). Two preferred and two nonpreferred activities were identified for the functional and nonfunctional activity program materials. Accordingly, there were four different tasks presented-preferred functional, preferred nonfunctional, nonpreferred functional, nonpreferred nonfunctional tasks-throughout the sessions of 5-min duration. Also, no task condition was presented as a control condition. The five different conditions were alternated across the sessions. Among the task conditions, the participants maladaptive behavior measured by the percentage of 10-sec intervals in each session occurred the most under nonpreferred functional tasks (i.e., wiping face, cleaning table) and occurred the least under nonpreferred nonfunctional tasks (i.e., filing word cards according to the first letter of the words, sorting chips according to their colors). The participants mastery of the task seemed to have played a role in producing low rates of problem behavior in the nonpreferred nonfunctional task condition. The difficulty of teaching functional skills, especially when the tasks are nonpreferred, is discussed for ASD and ID population, including the way to decrease the problem behavior under that task teaching situation.

A hallmark characteristic of autism is an insistence on sameness and rigid thinking (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). In the following case study an adolescent with autism was referred for assessment and treatment of rigid thinking and routine-based behaviors that resulted in noncompliance, aggression, or destruction when other family members did not adhere to his routines (e.g. watching the family TV only at a certain time of day, completing homework only at night). Results of a functional analysis indicated that he would engage in problem behaviors, especially noncompliance, to escape watching TV and doing homework during the day at clinic. The participant showed limited interest in the items and activities available during clinic sessions. Previous research has suggested that aberrant behaviors can be used as a reinforcer to treat escape-maintained behaviors (Charlop, Kurtz, & Casey, 1990). A treatment was developed in which the participant was expected to tolerate events that did not correspond with his rigid thinking/routines in order to earn time to engage in his rigid behaviors. Results indicated that with the treatment in place, all problem behaviors abated. Our results suggest that cognitive rigidity can be used as a reinforcer to increase compliance to family changes in routine.

This research demonstrates a relationship between instruction and student progress. A quantifiable measure of the implementation level in the classroom of research-based practices was established. The teachers participate in training on the methods measured. Support staff reviews findings from the Enhancing Instructional Context tool with the teacher and provides ongoing support to improve instruction. This information assists the teacher in strengthening areas of need while making the process meaningful. The comparison of the two lowest implementation levels and low student progress requires further consideration. A closer examination of the difference between a students chronological age, developmental level and barriers may show additional challenges experienced by the students. This may be a variable deserving further consideration in determining teacher effectiveness. It also demonstrates the necessity for effective instruction with the students of greatest need. These same measures taken over time could aid in isolating possible confounding variables. Teachers of this public school system Autism program have been instrumental in demonstrating a tentative relationship between the implementation of research-based practices and a higher level of student progress.

Independence is such an important skill to teach. Our aim was to teach a nine year old boy with Autism how to follow a visual activity schedule to complete a range of preferred tasks. The child was participating in an individualised home based Applied Behaviour Analysis program in Sydney, Australia. Using a multiple baseline design across behaviours, we chose three activities that were age appropriate, and matched the clients interests: (1) play with puzzles and blocks, (2) making a snack, and (3) creating a craft. We then created a task analysis of the steps involved with accompanying visual activity sequences, using photographs of the items to be used in the activities. Each activity schedule was probed to gather a stable baseline, before teaching took place, using backwards chaining with leaps ahead. We established stable baseline data across all three activities, and are now working to target the first activity schedule - independent play with puzzles and blocks. After mastering the three targets in this study, we plan to work on generalising these skills to completion of non-preferred tasks that can be transitioned into employment-based activities.

A Functional Behavioral Assessment and Environmental Analysis was conducted with a twelve-year old student with Autism in a public school setting. The student engaged in high rates of off-task behavior during high demand academic activities. His off task behaviors although initially escape motivated appeared to be maintained by teacher attention. A multi-component intervention was employed to teach to the function of escape and attention maintained behaviors. Self-monitoring and Functional Communication Training were employed and assessed utilizing an ABAB withdrawal design. The student's off-task behaviors decreased from an average of 66% during baseline to 11.8% during treatment phases. His on-task behaviors increased from an average of 33.8% during baseline phases to average of 88.2% during treatment phases.

The present study examined effects of video modeling on acquisition of social skills in toddlers with ASD. For this study, Experiment ? and Experiment II were conducted in an Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention program of childrens hospital run by the Seoul City government. Two 4-year old male and one 4-year old female participated in both of the experiments. A multiple baseline across participants design was used and each session was composed of one trial. In Experiment I, the targeted social skill was saying thank you during a snack time when teachers delivered snack to the participants. During the baseline phase, the teachers delivered snack to the participants saying have a good snack The children were required to say thank you within 3 seconds. A 3-second time delay procedure was used to provide partial vocal prompts during the baseline phases. During the intervention phases, the participants watched a video clip in which the targeted skill was demonstrated within the snack time setting. The video lasted 5 seconds. Other aspects of the experiment were same as the baseline condition. 2 weeks after the completion of the training, the target behavior was tested to see if the participants maintained the behavior. All of the participants began to show independent target behavior within 3 trials and the behavior was maintained after the intervention. In Experiment II, the first target social response was seeking out an adult for help and saying help me, please. Another target response was saying thank you after they received assistance from the adult. During the baseline, a teacher placed a transparent square plastic container which held participants preferred items inside in the free play area. No prompts were provided during the baseline condition. During intervention phases, partial physical prompts and partial vocal prompts along with video modeling were provided for the target responses. All of the participants began to show independent target responses within 4 trials and the behavior was maintained after the intervention.

The present study examined effects of using a mirror on inducing imitation responses in young children with ASD. The study was conducted in an 1:1 instructional setting of an Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention program of a childrens hospital in Seoul. Two 3-year old boys with ASD who didnt have generalized oral imitation or gross motor imitation in their repertoire were participated. A delayed multiple baselines across behaviors and participants design was used in the study. For Min, vocal imitation of oo was targeted during baseline and intervention phases and sets of other sounds was used during a generalization phase. For Jin, different sets of gross motor actions were targeted during each experimental phase; a baseline, an intervention, and a generalization phase. During the baseline conditions, learn units which included antecedents with prompts (when necessary), consequences (corrections or reinforcement) to the childrens responses were provided in order to teach the target vocal imitations for Min or gross motor imitations for Jin. During the intervention conditions, antecedents were presented with a mirror in front of the participants such that the participants could see their responses themselves in the mirror. All other aspects of procedure were same as the baseline conditions. Generalizations of imitation behaviors were tested with novel sets of vocal sounds or gross motor actions without using the mirror. Both of the participants demonstrated acquisition of target imitations when a mirror was used. They also showed generalization with new sets of vocal sounds or gross motor actions.

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often display avoidance responses (e.g., head turning) during oral hygiene routines (e.g., tooth brushing, flossing). Previous research found a stimulus fading hierarchy effective for decreasing avoidance responses and increasing compliance with tooth brushing in children with ASD (Bishop et al., 2013). The current study sought to replicate the findings of Bishop et al. (2013) by using a modified stimulus fading hierarchy to teach tooth brushing or flossing with two children with ASD. Following an escape baseline, we evaluated the effects of reinforcement for compliance, which did not substantially increase compliance for either participant. Therefore, we added stimulus fading. After reinforcement plus stimulus fading failed to produce clinically acceptable levels of compliance, we added escaped extinction to the treatment package. Results showed that the addition of escape extinction rapidly increased compliance to clinically acceptable levels. In addition, we observed rapid generalization of treatment effects to novel interventionists when we introduced the treatment with novel clinicians and caregivers. We discuss these findings relative to the treatment of other avoidance responses that typically require treatment with escape extinction.

In the current study, we examined the preferences of four different classes of reinforcement (i.e. edible, social, tangible, and sensory) on the rate of skill acquisition for a child diagnosed with autism. Results of a multiple-stimulus-without-replacement preference assessment determined the rank of stimuli. A second preference assessment used the top three preferred stimuli from each class in order to determine preference of reinforcement class. The most and least preferred class compared the rate of skill acquisition during a reinforcer assessment. Results showed higher rates of mastery with the most preferred reinforcement class.

Preliminary studies demonstrate that telehealth can be used to remotely coach parents to implement behavioral interventions for challenging behavior for individuals with autism.1,2,3 Group home settings need support with addressing challenging behavior among residents. To date, there have been little to no studies conducting assessments for challenging behavior via telehealth in a group home setting. The purpose of this study was to coach staff via telehealth (i.e., Google Hangout) to implement behavioral assessments and a reinforcement-based intervention to address aggression exhibited by a 17-year old with autism. A structured descriptive assessment (SDA) was conducted and the results were used to implement a treatment package of shortening demands, a token board to signal amount of demands, and differential reinforcement of alternative (DRA) behavior with an ABAB reversal design. Multiple staff members implemented the sessions and procedural fidelity was measured with a checklist for treatment sessions. The SDA results showed higher rates of aggression during demand conditions. The treatment package results indicated decreases in aggression and latency to comply with demands. Data were variable across staff and aggression was observed when procedural fidelity was below 85%. Ongoing coaching via telehealth may thus be needed to facilitate effective service delivery.

Children diagnosed with autism may engage in limited variety in vocal production. There are a variety of procedures used to increase rate of engagement in vocal production as well as to increase variety of vocal phonemes including direct reinforcement, vocal imitation and echoic control procedures, and stimulus-stimulus pairing. Stimulus-stimulus pairing involves repeated modeled presentations of a neutral stimulus (specified vocal phonemes, or combinations of phonemes) with tangible reinforcers. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate stimulus-stimulus pairing with a direct reinforcement modification, delivering reinforcers immediately upon echoed models, to increase three low-frequency vocalizations using a multiple-baseline across behaviors design with three children diagnosed with autism with limited vocal repertoires. The results include a substantial increase in rate of spontaneous utterances of targeted vocalizations with one participant and low-to-moderate increases in two participants which are still in progress. Tentative results regarding the rate of production of targeted vocalizations validate the procedures applicability to individuals with limited vocal repertoires.

Delay discounting is the behavioral process that represents the extent to which an individual will shift their preference from the larger/delayed reward to the smaller/immediate reward (Dixon, Marley and Jacobs, 2010). The current study is an applied application of delayed discounting in relation to arranging a task to break schedule. The individual in this study engaged in escape maintained challenging behavior and preliminary data indicated that he preferred the larger/delayed reinforcer. The current assessment was conducted to determine which type of schedule, more tasks (delayed)/larger break vs. fewer tasks (immediate)/smaller break would decrease levels of challenging behavior. Previous studies in applied research have primarily examined gamblers and drug users to see what type of reinforcement would be likely to increase the gambling behavior (Dixon, Marley and Jacobs, 2010). To analyze the effects of delayed discounting on challenging behavior both types of schedules were compared in a reversal design in the natural setting. The results of this study were undifferentiated and warrant further investigation. In additions the analysis provides practical considerations for the use of delay discounting with escape maintained behavior and schedules of reinforcement.

Very young children are increasingly diagnosed with autism, yet they represent a relatively small percentage of youngsters for whom strategies and interventions have research base. Use of traditional ABA approaches, particularly discrete trial training, are often difficult with very young children. Further, because play is so important to early development, the instruction of play is of potential benefit for children with autism. The authors theorized that we could both teach youngsters to play and through play using play-based discrete trials and other ABA technologies. This case study presents results from a play-based applied behavior analysis intervention used with 2 two-year-olds with autism. Positive results were seen within 3 months for both youngsters, with greatest gains made by both children after a year. Improvements were made across several domains, including play, communication, receptive language, and verbal operants. At our poster we will share examples of programming, discuss theoretical and practical issues and solutions, and present videotaped examples of the use of play-based ABA for very young children with autism or other developmental disabilities.

Providing contingent access to videos may be effective at teaching and maintaining behavior in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). As such, evaluating procedures to effectively assess preference for videos appears important. Given their increased availability and affordability, computer tablets are an interesting option for clinicians aiming to identify preferred videos. That said, research on assessing preference for videos is currently scarce and most researchers did not conduct a reinforcer assessment. The purpose of our study was to compare the effects of most preferred and less preferred videos identified using a tablet-based preference assessment in five children with ASD. We provided access to most preferred and less preferred videos contingent on sitting on one of two chairs within a concurrent schedule design. All participants spent consistently more time sitting on the chair associated with the video selected the most often during the preference assessment. With the increased presence and affordability of tablets and their use for educational purposes, using computer tablets to assess preference may expose children to a tool (i.e., tablet) that may also be used for other purposes (i.e., teaching), which may eventually reduce the clients' dependence on practitioners and favor greater social and educational integration.

Previous literature has shown that problem behavior may be maintained by escape from social interactions (Harper, Iwata, & Camp, 2013). The current study involved one participant who was referred for the assessment and treatment of aggression. During an initial functional analysis, elevated rates of behavior were observed in the control condition. Based upon this observation, we added a social escape condition during which the therapist left the room contingent upon target behavior. The results of the functional analysis showed differentially higher rates of aggression in the social escape and escape conditions. A treatment involving environmental enrichment was effective at decreasing behavior. An extension to classroom activities including demand fading is ongoing.

The current study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of Functional Communication Training (FCT) in the Singaporean Special Education (SPED) school system. Specifically, the effectiveness of FCT was examined in terms of a) maintenance of treatment effects across languages (i.e., English and Malay) b) maintenance of treatment effects across different people (i.e., teachers and caregivers) and c) acceptability of the intervention across teachers and primary caretakers. A concurrent multiple baseline study within an analogue experiment was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of FCT. This study was conducted with 2 children with Autism Spectrum Disorders and their respective teachers and caregivers. Assessment and treatment sessions were initially conducted by the teachers with coaching from a behavior consultant. After treatment effects were obtained, caregivers conducted sessions with coaching from the teachers. Results revealed that treatment effects of FCT were maintained across language and people. A reduction in challenging behavior and an increase in functional communication was observed across both children. Procedural integrity across teachers and parents for assessment and treatment sessions continued to remain high. Additionally, teachers and caregivers rated FCT as an effective and acceptable intervention that could be used in home or school setting.

In the present study, we examined the effect of instruction of accompaniment to rhythm of piano playing for Autism Spectrum Disorder using alternating treatments design. All of musical notes used in the study were unified at the same level by a task analysis. As a result, it has been suggested that instruction of accompaniment to rhythm of piano playing is more effective than other instructions.

Treatment outcome studies have shown direct observation measures of parent-child interaction can be particularly sensitive to changes in both parent and child behavior following intervention; however, relatively little is known about the effects specific tasks used during the observation have on the sensitivity of detecting behavior change over time. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of the task demands given to the parents during parent-child interaction on rates of joint attention and verbal behavior emitted by children diagnosed with autism. The task demand conditions included 1) Free Play, 2) a directive to have the child tact at least 6 items (i.e., Tacting), and 3) a directive for the parent and child to play a set of drums together (i.e., Joint Activity). Relatively high rates of child responding to bids for joint attention were occasioned during the free play and joint activity conditions whereas relatively high rates of responding verbally were occasioned during the tacting condition. None of the three conditions evoked high rates of initiating forms of joint attention or verbal behavior. Results suggest that the tasks used during the direct observation of parent-child interaction influence the rates of child behavior and may confound treatment outcomes.

Lack of social communication is remain to be one of the core deficits of children with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. Spontaneous communication in children with autism occurred at a lower frequency compared to typically developing individuals. Children with autism tend to face challenges and difficulties in understanding situations and to engage in social interactions. In the current study, four children aged from 4 to 6 with autism participated in a social skills training programs for a total of 8 sessions in Hong Kong. Activities including parallel play, constructive play, circle time, paired games, group games were included in the training program. Data on spontaneous verbal communication were taken over the 8 sessions. In the baseline session, there were zero spontaneous verbal communication observed. Throughout the 8 sessions, there were an increase in spontaneous verbal communication observed in all 4 participants.

Visual activity schedules (VAS) are commonly used instructional interventions for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Visual schedules can include picture schedules, written lists, picture or text prompts as well as schedules using apps on tablet devices. They are often implemented across multiple environments and conditions, and may be used with or without direct teaching. The effectiveness of these interventions on acquisition of the targeted skills has been well documented. However, anecdotal evidence has suggested collateral gains in learner independence as well as reductions in problem behavior. A multiple baseline design and pre/post test data were used to evaluate the effects of the acquisition of a visual activity schedule on the use of physical prompts and rates of interfering behavior. Results from three subjects suggest that acquisition of the VAS was correlated with reductions in problem behavior as well as increased independence in both targeted and non-targeted play conditions.

Symbolic play is a fundamental milestone in the developmental sequence of play for children that influences a child's language, cognition, and social skills. Children on the autism spectrum frequently exhibit a deficit in symbolic play. Role-play, dress up and object substitution are all components of symbolic play, with object substitution specifically being linked to future language development. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of priming as an intervention to teach generalized object substitution paired with corresponding vocalizations within play schemes to a 6-year-old boy diagnosed with autism. Two play schemes were selected in which the participant currently engaged in a minimum of seven actions and corresponding vocalizations. Three items from each play scheme were removed and replaced with items similar in geometric shape to the original items. Priming was used to teach the participant the pre-determined object substitutions within the two play schemes simultaneously. The results of this study support the use of priming as an effective intervention for teaching object substitution. Additionally, generalization of object substitution with trained and novel items was evaluated.

Receptive language skills are important for early learners to develop. Failure to develop a receptive language repertoire can hinder the development of both social and communication skills. To teach receptive identification, the present study utilized a selection-based imitation procedure recommended for individuals who have not developed receptive language skills through traditional teaching procedures. Selection-based imitation targets the development of prerequisite skills for learning receptive identification, including scanning, attending to stimuli, and attending to the actions of others. The participant was a 10-year-old girl diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and Phelan-McDermid Syndrome. The selection-based imitation program was modified for this participant with the addition of data collection procedures to control potential side bias and confounds across therapists delivering the intervention program. Specific prompting procedures were designed for each of the 6 phases of the program. Since beginning the program, the participant has successfully learned to select a picture based on imitation from an array of 6 in a linear configuration and has demonstrated progress toward the ability to select a picture based on imitation in a linear configuration when the pictures differ in position between the clients and instructors stimulus array. Development and strengthening of the prerequisite skills targeted in this program can lead to effective teaching of word-object relations for receptive identification.

Approximately 30% of individuals diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are also diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) (Mannion et al., 2013). It may be difficult to objectively determine treatment efficacy when pharmacologic treatments are applied to reduce the symptoms of ADHD. Khroyan et al., 2012 found success in using a digital activity tracking system to evaluate the effectiveness of psychotropic medications in lab mice. The current study utilized data from a Fitbit activity tracker to evaluate the efficacy of medications prescribed for the purpose of reducing hyperactivity in children diagnosed with both ASD and ADHD. Steps recorded by the device were divided by the number of wake minutes that the device was worn. Steps recorded during a baseline period were compared to steps recorded while medications were added, reduced, or removed. Results indicated that Fitbit measurement was differentiated across baseline and medication adjustment phases. This data also matched anectdotal reports of medication effectiveness.

Relapse of Crack Cocaine use is attributed by former users to the strong cravings elicited by Conditioned Stimuli associated with drug administration. This study aims to (1) characterize the health of fomer Crack Cocaine users now under the care of a Brazilian Psychosocial Attention Center (PAC) and a Mental Health Institution (MHI) and (2) determine if using biofeedback training to induce relaxed respiration decreases cravings for the drug. Health was assessed using the Addiction Severity Index Scores (ASI-6). Thirteen participants from the PAC and 1 from the MHI completed the ASI-6 instrument, the MHI participant volunteered for the biofeedback training. The biofeedback protocol consisted of repeatedly showing 6 photos related to Crack Cocaine use (Baseline) while monitoring respiration, galvanic skin response (GSR), heart rate (HR) and skin temperature. The respiration training was arranged in repeated 10 min. sessions, where breathing with a rate of 6 cycles/min and having a given amplitude was differentially reinforced (feedback). Initially both visual and auditory feedback were provided. When the participant maintained breathing in the reinforced range for 80% of the time in 5 consecutive sessions, the visual feedback was discontinued and training continued for 5 additional sessions with auditory feedback only. Subsequently, the Baseline protocol was reinstated and she was encouraged to use the respiration technique she had learned. Results: Average ASI-6 scores for each factors were Drugs (0,62 0,14), Alcohol (0,55 0,07), Legal Difficulties (0,52 0,09), Psychiatric Diagnosis (0,58 0,001), Medical Problems (0,38 0,01), Employment Difficulties (0,36 0,05), Family/Child Problems (0,66 0,001), Social Problems (0,42 0,06) and Social Support (0,36 0,07). Biofeedback for respiration produced the criterion performance for the participant after 7 sessions, she maintained this level for the remainder of the sessions. Though with a decreasing trend after withdrawal of the visual feedback. Visual inspection shows GSR was lower in pos-testing. Temperature was qutie stable, but with a slight increasing trend, just the opposite of the trend seen in the initial baseline. Changes in HR were not clear. Taken together, the data reveal that the training was successful in decreasing craving-related measures in a former Crack Cocaine user.

The aim of this study was to determine whether employment-based reinforcement of naltrexone adherence increased opiate abstinence. In three previously-reported randomized clinical trials with unemployed heroin users, employment-based reinforcement increased adherence to oral and extended-release naltrexone. However, effects on opiate abstinence were not significant in those within-study analyses with small per-group Ns ranging from 17 to 35. Here we analyze effects on opiate use with larger Ns by combining data from all three studies. Recently detoxified, heroin-dependent unemployed adults participated in a therapeutic workplace for 26 weeks where they could earn wages and receive job skills training. Participants were randomized to a Prescription (n = 68) or Contingency (n = 72) group. Contingency group participants were required to adhere to naltrexone to gain access to the workplace. Prescription group participants could access the workplace independent of their naltrexone adherence. Naltrexone formulation and dosing varied across trials: 3x/week (oral), 1x/3 weeks (Depotrex injection), or 1x/4 weeks (Vivitrol injection). Adherence was measured as the percentage of doses directly observed to be accepted (injection studies) or by monthly urinalysis for naltrexone (oral study). Analyses showed that Contingency group participants had significantly higher rates of naltrexone adherence than Prescription group participants (78.0% vs. 35.0%) and significantly higher rates of thrice-weekly opiate-negative urine samples (missing-missing: 87.4% vs. 75.6%; missing-positive: 68.9% vs. 55.6%). Employment-based contingencies for adherence to naltrexone are effective and can increase opiate abstinence among unemployed heroin-dependent adults.

Smokers who are obese have a 6-11 fold increased risk of circulatory disease mortality compared to non-smokers of normal weight (Freedman et al., 2006). Despite exercise being used to aid in some smoking cessation programs, the relationship of physical activity to smoking topography is not well understood. Our study attempts to increase physical activity in smokers by providing money for meeting step goals. Four adult smokers wore a Fitbit accelerometer for 7 weeks. During the first week, baseline stepcounts were measured. During a three week intervention, monetary reinforcers were earned for meeting individualized goals. The final week was a return to baseline condition. Participants texted each time they smoked a cigarette. Smoking topography (e.g., puff count, duration, interpuff interval, flow) was measured several times over the course of the study. Three participants increased their steps by around 2000 steps/day. Smoking topography correlations varied across participants, and will be presented.

In social transmission of food preference a demonstrator rat that has consumed flavored food will increase preference for that flavor in nave observer rats. Studies in behavioral pharmacology have shown that cholinergic antagonists may produce deficits in acquisition and recall in different tasks. It is important to assess the difference between central and peripheral effects with methylscopolamine. Control and saline groups were compared with a group that received a dose of 8 mg/kg methylscopolamine after demonstration; two groups that received a dose of scopolamine each, 4 mg/kg and 8 mg/kg. Twelve observers interacted with a list of three demonstrators that had eaten different flavored foods, position was counterbalanced. Testing was made after 24 hr. Results showed a decrease in primacy and an increase in recency in the 8 mg/kg group. Methylscopolamine group was similar to control and saline groups but preference for the middle item increased. A mixed ANOVA showed a significant effect of group F(1, 55) = 3.385, p = 0.15. A test of within-subjects contrasts revealed a significant quadratic trend for position F(1, 55) = 5.314, p = .025 and medium effect size r = .30. We concluded that central and peripheral effects are different.

The Odor Span Task (OST) is a procedure that is increasingly used to study remembering in rodents. The procedure involves placing the rat in an arena in which odor stimuli can be presented using cups filled with scented materials or covered by a scented lid. An incrementing non-match to sample procedure is used such that selection of each odor produces food reward when first presented, but not on any subsequent presentations. Thus, correct selections depend on the subject remembering which stimuli have already been presented. The present study assessed the effects of two positive allosteric GABA modulators, flunitrazepam and zolpidem, on OST accuracy. Both drugs impaired OST accuracy in a dose-dependent fashion, but the effects of zolpidem were generally non-selective; doses that impaired OST also impaired simple discrimination performance. In contrast, flunitrazepam effects were selective to the OST in most rats; that is, some doses of flunitrazepam impaired OST but not simple discrimination performances.

The Odor Span Task (OST) is a procedure that is increasingly used to study remembering in rodents. The procedure involves placing the rat or mouse in an arena in which odor stimuli can be presented using cups filled with scented materials or covered by a scented lid. An incrementing non-match to sample procedure is used such that selection of each odor produces food reward when first presented, but not on any subsequent presentations. Thus, correct selections depend on the subject remembering which stimuli have already been presented. The use of an arena setting with manual stimulus presentation makes the OST labor-intensive and limits experimental control; thus an automated version of the OST would be of value. The present study used an operant chamber equipped with a 15-channel olfactometer. Rats were trained on successive conditional discrimination procedures (Go-No-Go) under the incrementing non-matching-to-sample contingency and developed high rates of responding to odor stimuli when they were initially presented and relatively lower rates of responding on subsequent presentations of that stimulus. NMDA antagonist MK-801 decreased the discrimination ration in a dose-dependent fashion. These findings support the use of this automated version of the OST to study remembering in non-human subjects

Alcohol dependence specifically and addiction more broadly are often considered to be a problem of overvaluing immediate rewards associated with drug and/or alcohol use while undervaluing delayed rewards associated with abstinence. Contingency management treatments arrange immediate, tangible rewards contingent on abstinence, thereby replacing the immediate reward of alcohol or drug use with an incompatible reinforcer. Delay discounting rate has been shown to predict treatment success and/or change with successful treatment, although the results in this area are somewhat mixed. In the present ongoing experiment, delay discounting rate was collected before and after a remotely delivered contingency management treatment to promote alcohol abstinence. Data thus far show that delay discounting rate at intake significantly predicts treatment outcome (proportion of days of verified abstinence). Additionally, treatment group (contingent versus noncontingent incentives) and abstinence rate during treatment are both significantly associated with a reduction in discount rate at the end of treatment. These results suggest that delay discounting rate in this sample is both a predictor of and consequence of successful treatment.

A survey conducted in Mexico in 2011 found out that 58.4% of current smokers have attempted to quit smoking during the last year. Several studies have found that relapses are common in smokers and have been associated with the perceived intensity of the withdrawal symptoms. This study aims to identify whether there is a relationship between the presence and lavel of intensity of the withdrawal symptoms and relapse in smoking behavior. A checklist with 16 items was applied to 30 current smokers and 30 ex smokers. Significant differences between groups were found in 10 of the 15 symptoms investigated (p between .001 and .028), in the perception of the intensity of whether the withdrawal symptoms difficult the maintenance of abstinence (p = .000), and in the total score (p = .000). These results may contribute to the development and improvement of current treatments for smoking cessation for the Mexican population.

Nicotine dependence causes smoking behavior to become repetitive, hindering the abandonment of tobacco withdrawal symptoms, can be reason to return to consume, without success for the maintenance of abstinence, even in those people who have been attending treatment for smoking cessation. However there is little information concerning the level of nicotine dependence and the discontinuation of treatment that intends to identify if the level of dependency affects the treatment and abandoned. Took place the application an initial interview and was identified as a main substance for treating tobacco, was evaluated the level of dependency through the scale of Fagerstrm (FTND, Fagerstrm Test for Nicotine Dependence;) Heatherton, Kozlowski, Frecker and Fagerstrm, 1991), this began with sessions of treatment. Found that the group with a very high level of dependence was significantly greater (p =. 012) to cessation treatment, levels low and medium.

RATIONALE: In animal models, nicotine enhances responding maintained by non-pharmacological reinforcers, and discontinuation of nicotine devalues those same reinforcers. OBJECTIVE: The intention of this study was to assess the interaction of nicotine and opioid receptors and to evaluate the degree to which nicotine enhancement and nicotine-induced reward devaluation are interrelated behavioral phenomenon. METHODS: Nicotine (0.4 mg/kg) or 0.4 mg/kg nicotine plus naloxone (0.3 or 3.0 mg/kg) were delivered to rats prior to progressive ratio (PR) schedule sessions in which sucrose was used as a reinforcer for 10 consecutive days/sessions. Nicotine-induced reward devaluation was then assessed for three sessions after nicotine dosing was discontinued. Control groups for this investigation included a saline-only condition, and naloxone-only (0.3 or 3.0 mg/kg) conditions. RESULTS: Nicotine produced discernible and significant increases in responses for sucrose. When administered in conjunction with nicotine, the 0.3 mg/kg naloxone dose prevented nicotine enhancement of the sucrose reinforcer. The combination of the larger dose of naloxone (3.0 mg/kg) with nicotine produced significant impairments in sucrose reinforced responding. When administered alone, neither dose of naloxone (0.3 & 3.0 mg/kg) significantly altered responding in comparison to saline. Furthermore, when nicotine dosing was terminated after 10 once-daily doses, all nicotine groups (nicotine and nicotine/naloxone combination) demonstrated significant decreases in responding for sucrose compared to the saline control group. CONCLUSIONS: Reinforcement enhancement by nicotine may be due, in part, to its action on opioid receptors. However, withdrawal-related reward devaluation seems unrelated to the opioid action of nicotine; therefore, reinforcement enhancement and devaluation may not be interrelated.

Neurophysiological research has traditionally focused on understanding the brain mechanisms of reward or threat processes independently. This has left a substantial gap in our understanding of how identified brain mechanisms respond under conditions where reward and threat compete for behavior. In this investigation, we used functional MRI (fMRI) to track dorsal and ventral frontal activation while appetitive and aversive contingencies competed for human choice (N=23). A novel approach-avoidance choice task was used in which a monetary reward appeared alongside a conditioned aversive stimulus (CS threat) that signaled increasing probability of money loss. Across trials, reward was fixed while CS threat level varied unpredictably. On each trial, choosing to approach produced the reward or probabilistic loss, while choosing to avoid prevented US delivery. Increasing the CS threat level produced a switch from approach to avoidance. Importantly, inverted U-shaped changes in activation were found in dorsal frontal regions while U-shaped changes in activation were observed in ventral frontal regions. These new findings show parallel dorsal-ventral frontal circuits support gating of human approach-avoidance behavior where dorsal signals inversely correlate with value differences between contingencies while ventral frontal signals correlate with response-outcome predictability. Such results also highlight operant behavior is supported by multiple parallel brain circuits.

Pediatric anxiety disorders are characterized by increased brain activation in limbic brain structures, such as the amygdala. However, findings are routinely obtained using tasks that present threatening faces or provocative words, which may limit the search for biomarkers of anxiety. New approaches are especially needed for assessing regions farther downstream from the amygdala which support behavioral regulation. This investigation used functional MRI (fMRI) to examine dorsal and ventral frontal lobe reactivity in children diagnosed with (N=30) and without (N=18) an anxiety disorder. Using a discrete trial procedure, we measured activation to a threat cue that prompted avoidance maintained by negative reinforcement and a reward cue that prompted approach maintained by positive reinforcement. Critically, a conflict cue was also presented in which both threat and reward cues were presented, creating a competition for behavior. Anxious children compared to controls exhibited hyperactivation in dorsal and hypoactivation in ventral frontal regions to the conflict cue, even though group performances were similar. Our findings suggest pediatric anxiety is associated with altered dorsal and ventral frontal lobe processes and illustrates how responses to contingencies can contribute to anxiety research.

In the care of elderly people with dementia is one of the main schalenges how to treat problem behaviour. The medical model dominates the treatment of people with dementia who exhibit different types of problem behaviour. Use of psychotropic medication is often the main solution, despite there is growing evidence that this type of medication are contraindicated in many cases. Possibilities for dangerous side effects and increase in the mortality is high with increased dosages to prevent problem behaviour (Weiner, 2009). One of the reason for abundant use of medication is that doctors often regulate type of medicament and the dosage from verbal feedback from caretakers or relatives. Disturbing behaviours, ana specially attacks on staff or fellow patients increase demand for drug treatment. This poster is presenting how to use an easy administered scatterplot in a ward for people with dementia and problem behaviour to track changes in behaviour during a 20 weeks discounting of sobril� and risperdal�, for one patient. The result show that this method is useful and easy to administrate in the wards without increased workload to the staff, and methods like these, can support the verbal reports in the medical treatment of people with dementia and difficult manageable problem behaviour.

Psychotropic medications are frequently utilized in the treatment of challenging behavior in children diagnosed with autism (Weeden, Ehrhardt, & Poling, 2010). In combination with the potential for adverse side effects (Matson & Dempsey, 2008) and a lack of consistency in evaluating medication effectiveness on behavioral progress (Matson & Neal, 2009) demonstrates a need for additional research on medication effects in combination with behavioral treatment. The current review utilizes number of psychotropic medications and percent reduction in target behaviors at discharge for children with developmental and intellectual disabilities residing in a facility for the treatment of severe problem behaviors. Preliminary results demonstrate that the majority of participants had decreased psychotropic medications at discharge. Additionally, greater reductions in target behaviors were associated with fewer psychotropic medications at the time of discharge for the majority of participants.Medication effects will be discussed in terms of both number and classification of medications from admission to discharge, as well as differentiated terms of behavioral function (i.e., social or automatic).

Alcohol consumption has been linked to heightened risk-taking and aggression, and alcohol-related accidents, violence, and crime continue to be considerable public health problems. Understanding why alcohol increases problem behavior is an important step towards preventing harmful outcomes that can occur when people consume alcohol. Many studies have investigated alcohols effects on response inhibition in go-stop and go/no-go tasks in which participants must inhibit a pre-potent response. Alcohol typically increases this type of inhibited responding. There has been very little research with humans investigating alcohols effects on punished responding. Studying the effects of alcohol on punished behavior is important for understanding why alcohol increases problem behavior in situations in which responding produces rewards but also potentially dire consequences (e.g., driving while intoxicated, engaging in risky sexual behavior). This project will investigate the effects of alcohol on responding during a conflict (punishment) task. Performance will be measured concurrently on a response inhibition task (i.e.,a stop-signal task) to determine whether alcohol affects performance on the two task types similarly. This comparison will indicate whether response inhibition should be conceptualized as a unitary construct. Four adults have completed the study so far. On the punishment task participants pressed buttons on a multiple schedule of money gain and money gain plus losses (reinforcement only or reinforcement plus punishment). On the stop-signal task, participants were instructed to respond to target stimuli to earn money, but to withhold the response when a stop signal (tone) was presented. Performance was compared across placebo and alcohol conditions (0.45 g/kg). Three of the participants showed increases in punished responding under alcohol. Only one showed an increase in stop-signal reaction times (greater disinhibition); thus the measures did not appear to be well correlated. Although preliminary, these data suggest that punished behavior and response inhibition may not be similarly affected by alcohol.

Under multiple fixed-ratio (FR) schedule arrangements, extended pausing may occur when an organism transitions from a rich context (e.g., large magnitude reinforcer) to a lean context (e.g., small magnitude reinforcer). In application, when the time to complete the ratio requirement is essential to positive clinical outcomes, pausing can be maladaptive. Children with pediatric feeding disorders often pause during transitions between preferred and less-preferred foods. Preliminary data by Luffman, Borrero, and Borrero (2015) demonstrated that an increase in other inappropriate behavior may coincide with pausing and that excessive pausing may drive meals to exceed clinically acceptable durations. In the current study, we replicated the procedures used by Luffman et al. to highlight problematic transitions during meals. Subsequently, a meal restructuring intervention was implemented in which the number of pause-inducing transitions during mealtime will be decreased. Results support the utility of restructuring meals to include less pause-inducing transitions during meals to produce orderly pause duration across transitions, reduce overall meal duration, and reduce other inappropriate mealtime behavior. To date, one individual has participated in this study.

A growing body of research has shown mindfulness-based interventions to be related to reduced stress, increased psychological flexibility, and increased job satisfaction in health care professionals. The current preliminary investigation sought to investigate and extend previous findings by examining the short-term effects of a mindfulness training in undergraduate psychology students. By replicating the procedures developed by Steven Hayes (2012) and Kabat-Zinn (1982), the study evaluated heart rate change in response to a brief mindfulness-based intervention. The Acceptance and Action Questionnaire and the Perceived Stress Scale were also used as pre and post measures to evaluate perceived changes in stress, mindful attention and psychological flexibility. The results found for some individuals, participation in the mindfulness intervention helped regulate emotions and heart rate. Findings suggest more frequent, but brief interventions incorporating mindful attention can be an effective means of managing stress. Results also warrant further investigation of physiological measures to evaluate mindfulness-based interventions.

Atypical gaze behaviour in response to a face has been well documented in individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs). Eye movements are a uniquely promising target for studies investigating gaze behaviour and are measured, objectively, using eye-tracking technology. However, eye-tracking studies to date have been restrictive in the quality and scope of social stimuli used to assess gaze behaviour in children with ASD, often using static black and white faces or a coloured image of a face. The present eye-tracking study used an original compilation of static black and white, colour, 3D and anime faces when assessing the gaze behaviour of eleven participants with ASD and eleven Typically Developing (TD) controls. Additionally, an intervention was implemented in an attempt to teach participants with ASD and TD participants to increase their gaze behaviour towards faces using principles of behaviour analysis. Therefore, each time a participant looked at a face, this behaviour was immediately reinforced by showing a cartoon clip of their preferred choice. Results of this single-subject design showed that all but one TD participant and half of ASD participants gaze behaviour increased between baseline and re-test. Participants now fixated towards faces more quickly and dwelled on them for longer. For those participants who did not show an overall improvement in gaze behaviour between baseline and re-test, analyses during the training stage showed that they still responded to reinforcement by fixating towards faces with reduced latency despite this behaviour change not being maintained in the re-test stage. Results also found that 90% of participants with ASD fixated on anime faces the most compared to other face stimuli. These findings suggest that including a broader range of face stimuli allows a better understanding of what determines the gaze behaviour of children with ASD. Most importantly, these findings confirm that gaze behaviour of children with ASD can be improved using principles of behaviour analysis and hold promise in enhancing the quality of social interactions in their daily lives.

Headbanging is a self-injurious behavior clinically associated with developmental and personality disorders, as well as a variety of mental illnesses. Initial suggestions that such disturbing behavior might have been influenced by its consequences was met often with vigorous counter-arguments; clinical observers often denied any social benefits that might have maintained such self-injury. Nevertheless, a number of successful interventions have been devised on the basis of functional analyses revealing some self-injurious behavior as producing important reinforcing consequences for individuals engaging in it. The present study systematically replicates the initial findings of Layng, Andronis, & Goldiamond (1997), and Hahn & Andronis (2010), and extends them to include a substantially different history of behavioral contingencies, potentially strengthening the heuristic value of this animal model for the study of self-injurious behavior. The animals were trained to bang their heads without ever having had their headbangs reinforced by food, only by presentation of lights associated with inception of a VT schedule of food deliveries.

Timeout from positive reinforcement is a component of common behavioral interventions in homes, schools, and clinical settings. Our research explores the aversive function of timeout and adds to previous research by incorporating some experimental controls. Rats lever pressing was maintained by a variable-interval 30-s schedule of food reinforcement. On a variable-ratio 2 or 5 schedule, some presses were followed by a 30-s timeout during which the lever was retracted, a tone sounded, and the food schedule was suspended (extinction). To assess the effects of the stimulus events associated with the timeouts, a control condition replaced the timeouts with sham timeouts in which the lever was retracted, a tone sounded, and food was delivered according to a variable-time 30-s schedule. The timeouts reduced lever pressing rates relative to those under both the variable-interval baseline condition and the sham-timeout condition. To assess the effects of the overall reduction in reinforcement rate caused by the timeouts, another control condition currently underway removes the timeout schedule and yokes the food schedule to the interreinforcement intervals in the timeout condition. These outcomes will help to clarify the conditions under which timeout from positive reinforcement functions as an aversive event in a punishment paradigm.

Studies done in our laboratory using a discrete-trials procedure have shown that food accumulation by rats is an increasing function of lengthening delay of reinforcement. In our latest experiment a retractable lever was intruded periodically into the chamber for 20 s. Presses only programmed the delivery of an equal number of pellets after a wait period of either 0, 1, 4, 16 or 32 s, when the lever was intruded again. We found that the number of pellets (and responses) increased as the wait period was lengthened, suggesting that delay of reinforcement may result in increasing response gradients. The present investigation tried to replicate these results using a free-operant situation, with a lever constantly available. A mixed schedule alternated a 30 s food-procurement component with a wait component of either 0, 2, 4, 8, 16 or 32 s. For three rats each pressing during the procurement component programmed delivery of an equal number of food pellets after the wait component. For three different rats pressing during the procurement component resulted in the delivery of a single pellet after the wait period. We found an increasing response gradient for the food-accumulation condition and a decreasing gradient for the single pellet condition. Our findings suggest that the effects of reinforcement delay depend on reinforcement magnitude.

Several studies have investigated the relationship between spatial dimensions of responses and reinforcement schedules. For example, Kono (2015) investigated the spatial location of pigeons responses under a fixed-interval (FI) schedule. Results showed that the response location pattern had a clumpy distribution, and variability of response location increased as FI requirement. These results suggest the possibility that response location might be a useful index for analyzing performance during certain reinforcement schedules. The present study investigated pigeons response location during a variable-interval (VI) schedule. Two pigeons (MP1101 and MP1201) were exposed to VI 30s schedule. A circular response area (22.5 cm in diameter) was used so that pecking responses would be effective over a wide range. Results indicated that non-reinforced responses were distributed around the reinforced responses. Additionally, an L-function, which was calculated based on Ripleys K-function, revealed that the response location pattern had a clumpy distribution, as noted by the positive L(r) value. These results suggest that VI schedules produced the clumpy pattern as with FI schedules.

Newly hatched chicks emit their approach and/or following behavior towards artificial objects they first encountered. Skinner (1969) suggested that only chicks susceptibilities to contingencies of reinforcement were innate. His suggestion remains to be tested experimentally. The present study aimed at investigating whether newly hatched chicks approach responses to their imprinted stimulus could be reinforced by reduction in distance between them and the stimulus. Eight chicks were divided into two groups after hatching. Group AT (n=4) could approach to a stationary red cylinder and touch the stimulus during six experimental sessions. Group ANT (n=4) could approach the stimulus but could not touch the stimulus. After the sessions, all chicks were tested on their imprinting using both the stimulus and a novel green ball. Figure 1 shows the probability of approach response for each chick of both groups over the sessions. Most of them showed increasing tendencies of the response. From the results, the chicks approach responses could be reinforced by decrease in distance between them and the stimulus. The chicks whose approach responses were reinforced showed strong imprinting. From these results we conclude imprinting is a behavioral process established by contingencies of reinforcement for chicks approach responses to their imprinted stimulus.

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of two types of instructions -General vs. Accurrate- on the execution in the Tower of London task in children and adults. 20 children and 20 college students were assigned to one of two experimental groups. An 2X2 factorial design was used, defined according to the two types of instruction evaluated: general and accurate and; two populations, children and adults. As dependent variables were measured: a) the latency and, b) correct trials. The experiment consisted in one training session of 24 trials divided into three blocks of eight trials each one, and two test sessions, divided into two blocks of six trials the first one, and three blocks of four trials the second one. The data was analyzed in terms of: 1) a descriptive analysis based on mean and standard deviations from the correct tests and instructional latency condition and age group, and 2) an inferential analysis with the aim of: two types of data analysis were conducted assess potential data differences referrals. The adults had a higher average of correct trials [t = -2.85 (df = 18), p <.01] and latency [t = -2.70 (df = 18), p <.01], regardless of the type of instruction to which they were subjected, compared with children.

In this study, we analyzed the performance of college students writing abstracts of experimental papers with exposure to an implicit achievement criterion. Forty college students were asked to read an experimental paper, to select sentences from it, and to write an abstract for that paper. After that, they were exposed to a compendium of five abstracts of experimental papers (implicit achievement criterion) and were asked to repeat the task with another paper. One group of participants could read the compendium of abstracts only once, whereas another could review the compendium while drafting the abstract of the second paper. Participants allowed to review the compendium permanently showed the best performance in the number and order of the elements included in the abstract (objective, sample, task, results, etc.). The importance of further studies to identify the variables involved in drafting abstracts of experimental papers is discussed. Keywords: abstract, experimental papers, implicit achievement criteria, college students.

The present concern about questions on human impact on environment is related to the exacerbated consumption. Services and product consumption has become permanent and inevitable everyday. It's increasingly the amount of products that recycling materials are needed. But, the use of new technologies demand industrial investments, and so, more expensive products. So, nowadays, sustainable reinforcers have a higher prices to those non sustainable substitutes, and the technology lonely will not be the only way, unless the consumers are concerned about other parameters than price. In order to estimate the amount of money the consumers are disposed to pay for a sustainable parameter, 80 Brazilian participants were asked to inform how much they would pay for a long neck beer. The group with minimal instruction was confronted with the question the long neck beer costs R$8,00. It the bottle was refundable, in the case you give the bottle to have a beer, how much did you pay for the beer? For the group with full instructions, the experimenter previously showed an instruction that informed the environmental problems due to the time needed for the glass decomposition. The results showed that only five participants in the full instructions group responded to pay more money due to the bottle refunding, while the others responded they pay an amount smaller than R$8,00. The group data showed that the participants in the full instructions payed a significative higher amount for the beer than the minimal instructions participants. These results showed that in this case, the sustainable behavior was related to the individual monetary consequences instead the impact to the environment.

The purpose of this study was to find out the effects of individualized positive behavior support(PBS) on the aggressive behavior and on-task behavior of a male high school student with Autism Spectrum Disorder(ASD). The research questions were whether individualized PBS intervention affects the on-task behavior and aggressive behavior of a high school student with ASD. The subjects of this study showed the self-injurious behavior and aggressiveness toward others physically. The on-task behavior in this study involves following direction, and task performance in classroom. Functional behavior assessment was conducted using direct observation, interview with parents and teachers, motivational checklist and student's personal file. For intervention the antecedent strategies were environmental reconstruction, increasing probabilities of responses, and modifying the task contents. Alternative behavioral strategies were funtional communication training and differential reinforcement of alternative behavior (DRA). Consequent strategies were differential reinforcement. As a research design, this study utilized multiple probe baseline design across settings(cafeteria, gymnasium and classroom). Twenty minutes of observation using a partial interval recording was utilized as a recording system. The results showed that individualized PBS intervention increased the rates of on-task behavior and reduced the rates of aggressive behavior of a student with Autism Spectrum Disorder in 3 settings, cafeteria(lunch time), gymnasium(the P.E. class) and classroom(the Korean language class). Further study need to examine of behavior analyzing the functional relationship between on-task behavior and aggressive behavior across various settings and subjects.

A multiple baseline design across teachers was used to evaluate the effects of a systematic, Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) approach for decision-making to provide the optimal amount of instructional and intervention support to teachers as they implemented a schoolwide video-modeling social skills program. Participants included 59 students enrolled in an alternative school serving students with emotional and behavior disorders and seven teachers. Teachers who did not implement the program with high levels of adherence following schoolwide positive behavior support training for all staff (primary intervention tier) were provided with targeted training support (secondary tier), and, when necessary, more individualized assistance (tertiary tier). Secondary support included direct observations of intervention implementation twice per week and daily feedback meetings with the consultant while tertiary support included daily observations of intervention implementation and daily feedback meetings with both the consultant and a school administrator. Results of this study indicated that providing performance feedback within a MTSS approach is an effective method for improving adherence. In addition, data are being analyzed to examine relationship between adherence and student behavior.

This session is to present information regarding the process of practicing family-centered positive behavior support for pre-service teacher education students in Taiwan. Participants in this study are 21 pre-service teachers, 7 children with disabilities and their families. The process included two phases. The emphasis of first phase is to provide foundational knowledge. The second phase is to implement center-based practical trainings. The students received 42 hours of lectures related to behavioral techniques as well as positive behavior support approach. All students received practical trainings to strengthen their professional confidence. The Goal Attainment Scaling and self-made checklists have been utilizing to ensure the outcomes for each stage of trainings. By the end of this session, participants will gain information about: (a) identifying the importance of providing systematic training and support for potential professionals in the field of early intervention; and (b) understanding the needs of developing family-centered intervention program based on evidence-based practices.

Research investigating the use of video modeling has often been limited to highly controlled situations and rarely involved implementation by teachers or other school-based practitioners. We conducted two studies which evaluated use of video self-modeling (VSM) to increase compliance in school settings. Study one was conducted in a general education classroom with a 4th grade male diagnosed with ADHD. Study two was conducted in an alternative education classroom with 4th and 6th grade males, both diagnosed with ODD. A multiple baseline across settings, with an embedded reversal design was used in both studies. The primary dependent variable was compliance with school rules. Additionally, in study two, we assessed VSM distal effects on daily minutes of aggressive behavior directed towards staff and peers. Students in both studies presented low rates of compliance during Baseline, an immediate, marked, and sustained improvement in compliance during VSM, decrease of compliance rates during reversal, and an increase in compliance during second VSM condition. Changes in rates of aggression mirrored compliance results. Results from both studies suggest that VSM can (a) be developed and implemented by licensed school counselors, (b) have positive effects with students with multiple diagnoses, and (c) produce residual effects on non-targeted behaviors.

The current study evaluated the effects of an interdependent group contingency with randomized components on student behavior during the transition from lunch to class. The study was conducted in three high school classrooms in an alternative school setting for students with EBD using an ABAB withdrawal design. During intervention, the teacher informed students that it was time for class to begin and then scanned the room to count the number of students ready (i.e., seated at assigned desk, eyes directed at the teacher/front of room, and not being physically or verbally disruptive). The teacher randomly selected a criterion number of students who needed to be ready to start instruction. If the class met the criterion, the teacher randomly selected a reward. Dependent variables included the percentage of students ready to begin instruction within 5 min of the official class start time and the number of mins past the official start time that class actually began (i.e., teacher directed students to an academic task or explicitly said class was starting). Across all classrooms, results indicated significant improvements in student transition behavior. Discussion focuses on the practical implications for providing intervention supports to students with problem behavior.

Token economies are widely used within schools as a behavior management tool. Despite widespread use, more evidence is needed to establish token economies as an evidenced based practice. Many token economies utilize physical tokens, such as poker chips. Physical tokens can be cumbersome to administer and susceptible to counterfeit. ClassDojo is a widely used digital token economy system. ClassDojo allows teachers to give digital points to individual students contingent upon demonstration of preferred behaviors. Teachers can give points using the website or the mobile application on any smart device, which allows teachers to give points in any environment with relative ease compared to the effort required give physical tokens. Despite this, no research has been done on the efficacy of a digital token economy management system. The purpose of the current study was to identify the effect of a digital token economy management and token exchange system on student prosocial behaviors. This study was conducted in the general education setting in a public middle school. A multiple baseline across behaviors design was used to evaluate the effect on student behavior. Results indicate that the implementation of ClassDojo increased prosocial student behaviors in the classroom.

Interventions taking little time, effort, and few resources are highly sought after in the schools. Video-modeling, where the student watches a video of someone modeling proper behavior, is cost-efficient and easy for teachers to implement. This study used a video-model to teach a four-year-old boy how to share and respond to sharing requests appropriately. An ABA design was used where the intervention elements were presented and then removed. In intervention, the student was taught directly how to share and respond to requests using a model-lead-test format the first week, and each day he watched a one-minute video showing correct sharing before playtime. Compared to baseline, the students percentage of appropriate sharing increased and frequency of grabbing toys from other students decreased. Additionally, he played appropriately alongside peers rather than alone after the intervention was implemented, although this did not maintain once the video-model was removed. Overall, video-modeling was successful for increasing desired play behaviors and decreasing undesirable ones.

Token economy and self-evaluation are behavioral interventions documented in the literature as strategies implemented in special education classroom to promote academic engagement and social interactions. Active student responding (ASR) is a variable linked to increased academic engagement and learning. While each of the aforementioned behavioral interventions could impact students' active responding, the differential effects of each one compared to the other are unknown. The current research used an alternating treatment design to compare changes in ASR under a generalized reinforcer (GR) and a self-evaluation (SE) condition. The study was conducted in a fifth grade special education classroom during language studies over 41 days. Participants were two girls and two boys diagnosed with emotional-behavioral disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. ASR was measured using an event recording method and presented as percentage of response. Results show students' ASR improved from an average of 27% during baseline to 48% in the GR condition and 51 % in the SE condition. No clear and sustained differences were inspected between the GR and SE conditions. Discussion will offer suggestions for absence of differences between the two independent variables and discuss implications related to teaching self-evaluation to students with emotional and behavioral disorders.

This study compared video modelling with and without embedded narration on the social communication skills of four typical school children. Target behaviours were appropriate conversational turn taking and correct conversational body posture. The differential effects of the two video modelling procedures were assessed using Alternating Treatments with target behaviours and treatment conditions counterbalanced. Responding on both target behaviours was below normative levels during baseline assessment but improved across the alternating treatments phase, and remained at or above normative levels across an optimal treatments phase and in follow-up. Video modelling with narration was more efficient than video modelling without narration for all four participants and more effective for two. Implications of the findings and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Object: The preset study was designed to examine the effects of scoring feedback and verbal praise on the acquisition of the safe transfer assistance technique using a sliding board. Method: Thirty four students were assigned either to the intervention group (n=14) or the control group (n=20). In the former group, an intervention program, consisted of baseline and intervation phases, was provided, whereas in the latter group, only baseline phase was provided. For the baseline phase, verbal instructions and modeling the technique by using a video recording were given, while for the intervention phase, scoring feedback of the evaluation with verbal praise was given. There were two sequences of transfer assistance, that is, the transfer from bed to wheelchair (B?W) and from wheelchair to bed (W?B). The acquisition rate of transfer assistance technique was evaluated based on video scoring by two independent reviewers. Results: The averaged acquisition rates of the baseline phase were about less than 55% for the both groups and both sequences. In the intervention phase, however, it was more than 70% for the intervention group and less than 65% for the control group in the both sequence. Conclusion: These results reveal that the students skill for the safe transfer assistance can be improved by using scoring feedback and verbal praise.

Restrictive interventions are used to prevent aggression by children and adolescents hospitalized due to severe behavior disorders and mental illness. Positive reinforcement and organizational behavior management systems were used to reduce restrictive interventions without increasing the frequency of aggression. A behavior analyst, nursing manger, and staff for 3 patient care units (38 patient beds) designed a positively-based behavioral system (CALM). During baseline, staff were provided with competency-based training on delivering praise and working with groups. After baseline, patients were provided with frequent praise for pro-social behavior and also received back-up reinforcers. Staff were provided with performance feedback. An ABC design was used. The performance monitoring component of the system was the intervention. Frequency of restrictive interventions, behavioral incidents, and percent correct for staff performance were dependent measures. A reduction in the number of restrictive interventions in comparison to baseline occurred with the implementation of monitoring and feedback. An even greater reduction in use of restrictive interventions followed increased monitoring and feedback (see Figure 1). The ratio of restrictive interventions to behavioral incidents also showed clear improvement (see Figure 2). That is, while the number of restrictive interventions decreased, the number of behavioral incidents did not increase. Thus, the system reduced restrictive interventions without increasing behavioral incidents. Anecdotal evidence also suggests that a positive change in the culture of the unit also occurred.

The quality of treatment has a significant impact on the effectiveness of behavioral treatment for those on the autism spectrum (LeBlanc, Ricciardi, & Luiselli, 2005). Paraprofessional staff do not have the extensive training, both scholarly and clinical, that Board Certified Behaviors Analysts possess. However, the training of these staff is paramount in order to implement useful behavioral procedures to a greater population. As a result, treatment integrity is a worthwhile measure to implement as it can dictate the level of effective treatment (Peter, Horner, & Wonderlich, 1982; Gongola, Barton, Gongola, Rosales, and Speece, 2014; Wheeler, Baggett, Fox, and Blevins 2006). Self-monitoring procedures have been an effective tool to increase the treatment integrity among behavioral therapists (LeBlanc et. al, 2005; Mowery, Miltenberger, Weil, 2010; Richman, Riordan, Reiss, Pyles, and Bailey, 1988). This study examined the reliability and utility of using a performance development plan (PDP) to dictate the goals on staff and employer self-monitored Performance Matrix to increase treatment integrity among its participants.

The purpose of this intervention was to heighten staff awareness and increase the number of learning opportunities for children with autism receiving early intervention applied behavior analysis services at an outpatient program in southwest Michigan. The behavior technicians (staff) were provided a goal for the number of learning opportunities to provide in a half hour interval, a sheet to record the total number of trials per half hour interval, and a frequency clicker to track their current trial rates. Baseline data indicated that the children were receiving less than the target goal of learning opportunities, per half hour interval. Thus, a group goal was set for 80% of the children receiving services to have a five percent increase in learning opportunities over baseline per half hour. If staff met their group goal of 80% of children with the five percent increase across four consecutive weeks, they were entered into a prize drawing for a five dollar gift card of their choice.

Task interspersal is a common technique demonstrated to facilitate learning in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (Koegel et al., 2010; Chong & Carr, 2005; Kelly & Holloway, 2015). However, this technique can be difficult to implement, with some teachers attaining as low as 67% treatment integrity in controlled, internally valid studies. Errors in implementation can negatively impact outcomes for children (Worsdell et al, 2005). The present study examines the types of errors incurred, compares two methods of staff training as to how these impact treatment integrity, and assesses whether modified data sheets reduce implementation errors. Seventy-eight undergraduate participants were trained to implement task interspersal and then video recorded while conducting three task interspersal sessions. One third of participants received behavioral skills training (i.e., description, video modeling, live modeling, and role play with feedback), 1/3 received an abbreviated training (i.e., role play with feedback), and 1/3 received the abbreviated training with modified data sheets. Initial analysis for 10 participants (complete analysis will be completed before the conference) revealed task interspersal schedule, material layout, and reinforcement to be the most frequent errors (Table 1). Findings will inform methods to improve efficiency of training staff to minimize implementation errors.

The present study seeks to extend the current literature on utilizing behavioral skills training (BST) to teach practitioners how to implement functional analyses (FA). Using a multiple baseline design across participants, this study will measure the effects of using a remote BST package on accurate implementation of FA procedures. Specifically, researchers will use the latest HIPAA-secure teleconsultation technology and BST when training practitioners who have no previous training in FA methodologies. Each participant will experience four phases, which include baseline (only instructions with simulated clients), BST (instructions, modeling, rehearsal, and feedback with simulated clients), post training probes (probes with simulated clients), and generalization probes (probes with actual clients). We will evaluate the effects of a remote BST package on levels of performance in simulated conditions as well as the effects of the remote BST on performance in generalization probes with actual clients.

Psychiatric medication is frequently prescribed alongside behavioral intervention for individuals who engage in self-injurious behavior (SIB). The treatment intensity rating form (TIRF) is a 10-item scale with three sub-categories. One of the sub-categories includes measures of pharmacological intervention. The two scales of pharmacological intervention examine 1) the number of medication trials a patient had over the course of their admission; and 2) the number of medications that were in place at discharge. Participants included 74 individuals who received treatment on an inpatient unit for severe problem behavior including SIB. Variables related to function of problem behavior (automatic vs. social) were examined to determine if individuals whose SIB is maintained by automatic reinforcement undergo more intensive pharmacological intervention. Four broad classes of medications are examined in more detail including antipsychotics, benzodiazepines, antidepressants, and anticonvulsants. Results indicate that patients whose SIB is maintained by automatic reinforcement received significantly more medication trials during admission and were more frequently prescribed antidepressants. Patients whose SIB is maintained by social consequences were more frequently prescribed antipsychotics and anticonvulsant medications. Finally, medications at discharge are examined across subtype of automatic reinforcement (Hagopian, Rooker, & Zarcone, 2015).

The current pilot study compared the outcomes of four distinct service delivery modalities of Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), an evidence-based intervention for externalizing behavior disorders consistent with the principles of behavior analysis. Twenty participants ranging between ages 2 and 8 were recruited from a pediatricians office. Participants were eligible to take part in the study if they scored a 9 or above on the externalizing behavior section of Pediatric Symptom Checklist. Participants were randomly assigned to receive PCIT sessions either at their home, at the pediatricians office, in a university setting, or through a web-based video conferencing program. Outcome measures collected at baseline and 3-month follow-up included the Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory (ECBI) completed by the parent, and direct observation of parent behavior in three play conditions with the child. A satisfaction report regarding the study was also completed at the 3-month follow up. Results of the ECBI indicated that there was a significant decrease in the intensity of child problem behavior from baseline to 3-month follow up and a significant decrease in the problem behavior rating dependent on service delivery method. Results of the direct observations indicated an increase in parent skills from baseline to 3-month follow-up.

Saving Lifes and Greater Focus on Applying ABA to Mainstream Problems have been foci of recent ABAI presidents messages. Yet, as evidenced by the lectures and research presentations of past ABAI meetings, ABA, with its powerful behavior changing tools, is arguably underused in addressing many of the great public health problems, arguably crises, confronting societies today. The panels of this poster presentation will make a case for focusing greater attention upon these socially valid areas thru panels highlighting the epidemiology of such problems, as well as key facets of the application of ABA principles for public health crises including but not limited to smoking cessation, alcohol intoxication, injury control, domestic violence, family/marital dysfunction, and dementia. By presenting such information, this poster might serve as a motivation establishing operation for any of those who review or discuss it, by showing how ABA principles are directly applicable, and effective, in addressing component behavior chains in these complex public health problems. There is no reason to believe that programs and methodologies of ABA principles, well applied, could be as revolutionary and life altering for these problems and the individuals and societies that suffer from them as they have been for those with autism and other disabilities.

Individuals who engage in problem behavior are likely to experience a number of negative outcomes both for the individual engaging in the problem behavior as well as the caregivers/families of these individuals (Estes et al., 2013; Sikora et al., 2013). Several studies show that interventions employing applied behavior analysis techniques are effective at reducing the rates of problem behaviors in these individuals (Von Schulz, 2014). However, little research has examined the broader impact of these interventions (e.g., impacts upon adaptive behavior of the individual or family stress levels). The current study examined the use of structured observations, clinical interviews, and self-report indirect assessments to evaluate the global impact of interventions for problem behavior across the individuals adaptive behavior, social responsiveness, perceived severity of their problem behavior, and caregiver stress to measure the impact of interventions for problem behaviors beyond a reduction in the rates of targeted problem behavior. Results suggest that this preliminary effort at identifying the collateral benefits of behavioral treatments for problem behavior show that positive outcomes extend beyond reducing problem behavior. Future research may benefit from identifying further measures that capture the range of domains impacted as well as identifying optimal times to conduct such measures.

Functional Analytic Psychotherapy (FAP) is a relatively new and aspiring intervention which may improve the treatment of individuals with interpersonal difficulties. The fundamental element of FAP is its mechanism of change, wherein the therapist consistently provides the client with contingent shaping, which dually reinforces effective behavior and reduces counterproductive behavior. This study intends to add to the field of research with an analysis of therapist-client interactions that specifically tests the hypothesis that contingent responding is a highly effective mechanism of change due to its acute attention to the basic processes of learning. This hypothesis will be tested by coding every therapist-client interaction for a single subject over the course of treatment, and using a lag-sequential analysis to determine if contingent responding indeed leads to an increase in desired behavior compared to rates of change not induced by contingent responding. Expected results will indicate that contingent responding from the therapist optimizes behavioral output from the client for in-session behavior, with early data analysis showing a 95% confidence interval. Contingent responding produces positive behavioral change during therapeutic sessions, and in theory, such shaping will translate into the client's life outside the session, positing that contingent responding in therapeutic sessions could be a highly effective mechanism for improving overall client behavior.

Stress is a general problematic situation that impacts several work activities, but specifically in the case of teaching, has alarming evolutionary connotations. In a few years, the educative institution has been affected by numerous changes; these transformations have affected both, the teachers and the conditions in which they exercise their teaching. The main objectives were to identify the sources of stress in university teaching and analyze their impact on the teacher. 418 university professors participated in this study (men, women). They were selected through an intentional non-probabilistic sampling process. 59% of the participants work in a public university and the rest in a private university. The Inventory of Perceived Stress in University Teachers (IPEPU) and Stress Effect in University Teachers Inventory (EEPU) were used. The data showed that the mean score of the perceived level of stress is a little stressful. However, about 30% of teachers reported a significant amount of stress. Among the stressful situations, the organizations aspects are the most stressful, and the cognitive area is the one that has most of the effects. Currently it has been observed that stress occurs most often in people who work as teachers. The Teaching, one of the most widespread professions and more in touch with people, is considered a stressful and exhausting occupation.

Delayed discounting is the decrease in the value or effectiveness of a consequence when its presentation after the occurrence of a behavior is delayed. Delayed discounting has generally been studied with monetary reinforcers, but researchers have hypothesized that the concept would generalize to a wide array of potential consequences. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of delayed discounting on caregivers perception of treatment effects for high and low intensity problem behavior. A group of college students (N=112) were presented with hypothetical vignettes to evaluate choices made when delayed discounting is applied to the value of monetary rewards and to the effectiveness of treatment for problem behaviors. Participants selected a course of treatment based on both the immediacy of improvement and the degree to which the childs problem behavior improves. Results include a comparison of monetary discounting to discounting of treatment effects. The following variables within the treatment vignette were also evaluated: whether the participant responds as a parent or a teacher and whether the participant makes treatment choices for a child with high intensity or low intensity problem behaviors.

Function-based treatments are effective in decreasing refusal in children with pediatric feeding disorders. In order to determine the function(s) of refusal, conducting functional analyses is advised. However, conducting separate functional analyses for refusal of solids and liquids is not commonly described in the literature. And in practice, the results of the functional analysis for solid refusal may just be applied to liquids. But what if the functions differ? The purpose of this study was to determine if the function(s) for refusal differed for solids and liquids in three children with pediatric feeding disorders. Mark was a 13-year-old male with autism, intellectual disability, laryngomalacia, and hypotonia; Ally was a 4-year-old female with autism; and John was a 3-year-old male with autism. All participants were admitted to an intensive feeding program for treatment of food and drink refusal. Functional analyses for refusal were conducted separately for solids and liquids for each participant. Although the function(s) of refusal differed across participants, each participant�s own refusal of solids and liquids was maintained by the same function(s). John�s refusal of solids and liquids was maintained by escape, while Ally and Mark�s refusal of solids and liquids was maintained by escape and attention.

The current study aims to analyze the effect of a 4-session acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) intervention focused on disrupting worry and rumination in the treatment of emotional disorders. Both worry and rumination usually serve an experiential avoidance function and have been robustly identified as transdiagnostic factors implicated in the onset and maintenance of emotional disorders. A multiple baseline design was implemented with 5 participants suffering from depression and/or generalized anxiety disorder. Dependent variables were daily measures of repetitive thinking and weekly self-reports of emotional symptoms, worry, rumination, negative thoughts, valued living, experiential avoidance, cognitive fusion, and generalized pliance. This is an ongoing study that will collect data for a 3-month follow-up. To date, we have collected the posttreatment data from 3 participants who showed significant improvements in emotional symptoms for all participants. The results will be discussed highlighting the need to conduct a randomized clinical trial comparing the effect of this protocol with a standard ACT protocol to treat emotional disorders.

Reinforcer assessments evaluate the effects of stimuli on rates of responding, and may hold some utility as an analogue format for predicting rates of problem behavior under specific contingencies. The purpose of this study was to determine if a novel response, button pressing, was sensitive to the same consequences as attention maintained problem behavior, for a 16-year-old male. In phase 1, a button press resulted in one of four consequences (praise, statement of concern, physical, or no attention). During phase 2, problem behavior produced the specific consequences. Across phases, a reversal design was used to compare responding during high or low quality attention. When results were compared, differential responding was observed, but unique patterns emerged based on the target behavior. Specifically, for button pressing, regardless of the quality of the attention, responding was highest for praise and statements of concern. However, when low quality attention was provided for problem behavior, responding was elevated in all conditions except when attention was not provided. Discussion will focus on the advantages and disadvantages of using novel responses as an alternative to problem behavior to determine sensitivity to contingencies. The percentage of sessions with interobserver agreement averaged 39.4% and was adequate for all behaviors.

For children with feeding disorders, typical chewing patterns often do not develop naturally (Sheppard, 2008). Children with feeding disorders frequently engage in inefficient chewing practices such as mashing food, swallowing prematurely, packing food, or immature munching patterns. One major complication in the treatment of chewing skills is the measurement of functional chewing. Interobserver agreement (IOA) for chewing is complicated by patient use of atypical chewing patterns and closed-mouth chewing. Alternatively, methods such as mastication checks require teaching a child to delay swallowing and show the feeder the chewed bite (Volkert et al., 2013). This study explores the reliability of four measures of chewing: occurrence, frequency, duration, and mastication. Two groups of trained participants observed videos of children receiving treatment for chewing. One group of observers collected data on one specific chewing behavior (low demand) while the other group (high demand) coded all relevant behaviors during the feeding session (e.g., coughing, gagging, acceptance, etc.). IOA increased across all four measures for the low demand group; however, frequency and duration demonstrated relatively low IOA across both groups. Additional research will be presented exploring how a brief training for observers impacts the reliability of observations of these four measures of chewing.

As new Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) enter the field of behavior analysis, it is crucial to determine where, how, and what populations BCBAs are serving. We conducted an online survey to determine the potential gaps in behavior support services. The online survey link was disseminated through behavior service organizations/associations. The 94 participants in the survey were primarily white females with an average age of 36.74 years, who had been working for an average of 4.32 years as a BCBA in non-rural settings. While most BCBAs worked primarily in the top most populated counties, they reported traveling to provide services (76.1%), with a minimum distance of 12.83 miles and maximum of 61.90 miles. On a scale from 1 (never) to 5 (always), participants reported mostly working with younger children with autism, intellectual disability, and developmental delay. The results of this descriptive study show that there are different areas, both in population and location, where BCBAs can expand in regards to service provision. Service provision gaps still remain in regards to older adults, disabilities beyond IDD, and rural areas.

Differential reinforcement for low rates of behavior (DRL) and token reinforcement were used as a behavior intervention protocol for an eleven-year-old female who engaged in speaking to imaginary people and animals. A brief functional assessment consisting of behavioral interviews and direct observation suggested non-functional vocalizations was maintained by automatic reinforcement. A changing criterion DRL procedure backed by a token economy was implemented and partial interval recording method was used to assess the percentage of intervals the individual engaged in vocalizations from baseline (83%) to termination of the intervention (-0%).

Patients with schizophrenia who cannot perform daily living behaviors independently become a burden to their family members and show poor integration into the community. The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of self-reinforcement on daily activity and participation in a patient with schizophrenia. The target behaviors were bathing frequency related to daily activity and work time related to participation. A single subject experimental multiple baseline design where baseline with verbal prompts by occupational therapist, intervention with self-reinforcement using checklists of bathing and working was implemented. Self-reinforcement using checklists increased the bathing frequency (baseline: 1 time per week, intervention: 1-3 times per week; change in level = 3.0; binominal test, p = 0.006) and working time (baseline: 0-60 hours per week, intervention: 60-180 hours per week, change in level = 1.0; binominal test, p < 0.001). These results suggest that the self-reinforcement using checklists had an effect on bating frequency and working time in a patient with schizophrenia.

It is common that children with feeding disorders lack age-appropriate eating skills, as they may have missed opportunities to develop typical feeding skills, such as self-feeding. Intervention may be necessary to teach these skills regardless of whether refusal results from a motivational or skill deficit. When a target behavior is rare or absent, tasks can be shaped using forward or backward chaining by targeting a pre-existing step within an individuals behavioral repertoire. Research has shown that backward chaining can shape cup-drinking and using manual guidance to complete the chain familiarizes clients with the untrained steps and may increase mastery. Therefore, the purpose of the current study was to extend the use of backward chaining to increase self-feeding of solids for a child with a feeding disorder when alternative methods failed to increase consistent self-feeding. Participation criteria and self-feeding steps were established, and backward chain procedures were initiated. Once the participant accurately completed the targeted step in the chain at least 80% of the time for 3 consecutive sessions, a baseline probe was conducted to establish experimental control, and then the subsequent step was introduced. This procedure was effective in teaching to self-feed independently when other methods failed.

In recent years, behavior analysts have conducted several comparative analyses that have examined the efficacy of two or more procedures designed to produce the same outcome, as well as participants preferences among the procedures. We aggregated these studies to ask questions about the relation between treatment efficacy and treatment preference. Twenty-one published studies met our criteria for inclusion in the analysis, yielding 92 distinct data sets for 83 participants. Roughly 74% of the sample showed clear differences in both efficacy and preference for the procedures. When we considered only those data sets that showed a clear difference in both preference and efficacy, the participants preferred the most effective intervention in over 75% of the analyses, with correspondence as high as 90% when data sets were further divided into categories of behavior. We discuss these results, several secondary analyses, and observed trends in preference in terms of possible reasons for this high degree of correspondence and potential implications for the selection of behavioral interventions.

The current study aims to identify Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) experiences with experimental functional analyses (EFAs). Additionally, data collected will evaluate the impact of a training protocol on BCBAs ability to generalize skills necessary to conduct a trial-based functional analysis. Specifically, BCBAs reporting no experience implementing an EFA will participate in a one-day training on implementation of a traditional EFA protocol. Data will be collected regarding the participants ability to conduct an EFA with a client. Participants will then conduct a trial-based EFA to determine whether or not acquired skills generalized to a different EFA technique (i.e., traditional EFA and trial-based EFA). Results of the current study indicate that of 33 practicing BCBAs surveyed only 39% had experience implementing an EFA and 21% received training in EFA methodology outside of graduate level coursework. Preliminary results indicate in-vivo training is necessary to implement an EFA with acceptable levels of integrity. Additional results will be discussed in terms of generalization of skills and the need for EFAs to be completed during practicum placements.

Caregivers are frequently involved in the assessment and treatment of problem behavior. As part of this process, clinicians may charge caregivers with collecting data on the occurrence of problem behavior. However, data collection can place an additional burden on caregivers and accuracy of obtained information may be questionable. This investigation sought to examine caregivers' accuracy using a simple data collection procedure as compared to data collected by trained observers. Four caregivers of children with intellectual/developmental disabilities recorded data using a simple rating scale while observing and participating as therapists in the assessment (functional analysis) and treatment of their child's problem behavior. Caregivers were not provided feedback on accuracy of data, but did receive feedback concerning correct implementation of session contingencies when serving as therapist. Trained observer data were converted to the rating scale used by caregivers and served as the gold standard. Caregiver ratings were compared to trained observer ratings prior to (Inexperienced) and following (Experienced) serving as therapist. Results suggest that accuracy increased following experience as a therapist for 3 of 4 caregivers. We hypothesize that experience providing consequences contingent upon problem behavior in sessions may have enhanced caregiver discrimination of the behaviors and thereby increased accuracy.

In 2014, Western Michigan University began collaborating with the Van Buren Intermediate School District, and worked with various teachers in different classrooms to identify students in need of services. The student, whose data are represented on the graph, was selected because of the severity of his self-injurious behavior (SIB) during independent mastered tasks. Upon assessment, it was determined that the behavior was part of a response chain. Systematically, the WMU team faded from a dense schedule of blocking and delivery of praise to a time-based schedule. The team incorporated a MotivAider to serve as a prompt to praise the student after an average of 30 seconds had passed. Although reported from the teacher to be more feasible, the MotivAider prompt schedule did not reduce SIB to near zero rates. The team then included a priming period at the beginning of instruction along with the MotivAider prompt schedule. The priming period included praising the student on the first two tasks during the independent work time (i.e. each priming period took no longer than 15 to 20 seconds). The incorporation of the priming and prompt schedule reduced SIB to near zero levels.

Children with feeding disorders may be able to consume age-appropriate volumes of a variety of foods with function-based treatment of refusal; however, implementation of the childs treatment is not always possible, such as when the child is at school or in the community. In these settings, modifications to the treatment or foods provided may be needed. The purpose of the current study was to determine whether identification and provision of more preferred foods during free access meals would assist in generalization of treatment. The participant was a 5-year-old girl with autism admitted to an inpatient feeding program for the assessment and treatment of feeding difficulties, who consumed an age-appropriate volume of a variety of foods using a function-based mealtime protocol consisting of escape extinction and differential reinforcement of alternative behavior. Three preferred (i.e., consumption = 60%) and three non-preferred (consumption = 40%) foods were identified through a paired-choice edible preference assessment. When presented with these foods in free access meals, consumption of preferred foods averaged 87.5% and consumption of non-preferred foods averaged 6.2%. These results suggest that following effective treatment of food refusal, more preferred foods may be used to generalize meals to more natural settings.

Trichotillomania is the recurrent pulling out of ones hair resulting in noticeable hair loss that cannot be better accounted for by another condition, and the disturbance causes clinically significant distress/impairment in important functional areas. In both typically developing adults and those with intellectual and developmental disability (IDD), symptoms can persist across the lifespan with varying severity and can cause alopecia, skin infections, scalp bleeding or irritation, and carpel tunnel syndrome. While there is evidence that 5% of those with IDD in residential facilities engage in this behavior, there is no consensus on best course of treatment. The authors systematically reviewed the literature and fourteen studies matched inclusion criteria. These studies were evaluated based on participants, settings, use of functional assessment, treatment, results, certainty of evidence, and social validity and included 16 participants with ages 3-57 years. Seven studies attempted to address operant function, but only 4 used functional analysis. Treatment methods included: (a) punishment procedures, (b) reinforcement procedures, (c) response blocking or interruption, (d) awareness training, and (e) environmental enrichment. While few interventions met criteria for evidence-based best practice, reinforcement strategies/interventions appear to be effective. Recommendations for treatment are made based on available evidence, and future research suggestions are offered.

Restrictive and repetitive behaviors (RRBs) frequently dominate the daily activities of individuals with developmental disabilities, and often significantly impact these individuals ability to learn and develop adaptive behaviors and skills. RRBs may interfere considerably with these individuals successful inclusion into broad societal contexts. Identifying effective techniques and interventions to assess and treat RRBs is a worthy area of research to improve the academic, behavioral, and social outcomes of individuals with developmental disabilities. The purpose of this poster is threefold: 1) to present the findings from a comprehensive literature review conducted; 2) describe research on the treatment of RRBs in individuals with developmental disabilities; and 3) make recommendations for practitioners/researchers in identifying effective treatments, and gaps in this literature. Reviewed studies were published between 1970 and 2015, employed a single-case experimental design, and included individuals 363 years old. Findings suggest that several antecedent-based and consequence-based interventions are effective in reducing lower order RRBs (e.g., stereotypies) and increasing socially appropriate behaviors (e.g., engagement) in individuals with developmental disabilities. However, there is a lack of research focused on interventions aimed at decreasing higher order RRBs (e.g., circumscribed interests) in these individuals. Directions for future research and practice will also be discussed.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of a token system that incorporated functional communication training (FCT) to decrease screaming behavior and increase communication with a 3 year old non-vocal/verbal boy. The study measured screaming behavior within a single subject reversal design. Communication skills such as manding tacting, listener responding, motor imitation, and match to sample were part of a treatment package designed to improve communication skills. The researcher used the Verbal Behavior Milestones Assessment and Placement Program (VB-MAPP) to assess current performance (pretest) at the beginning of the study and again at the end of the study (posttest) to identify general progress. The study found that the token system combined with FCT was effective at reducing screaming behavior to acceptable rates (less than 10%). During the reversal, screaming behavior returned to baseline rates. When intervention was reapplied, appropriate levels of screaming behavior reduced back to less than 10%. Some areas of the VB-MAPP were not directly trained, yet results still showed marked improvement from baseline. All communication skills improved on the VB-MAPP assessment from pretest measures.

Providing the individual with a rule regarding consequences for behavior has been suggested to increase the efficacy of differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO) procedures in the treatment of severe problem behavior. Watts et al. (2013) demonstrated this phenomenon targeting high preferred toy play as an analogue for automatically maintained problem behavior in children. The purpose of the current study was to replicate and extend the experiment by Watts et al. by assessing the efficacy of rules and statements of reinforcer loss (SRL) in DRO procedures in the treatment of severe problem behavior. Conditions included baseline, no rule DRO, rule DRO, and rule DRO with SRL. For two participants, neither the no rule DRO, nor rule DRO condition produced reductions in problem behavior. For the third, problem behavior was reduced during the no-rule DRO and rule DRO conditions, with a more rapid reduction observed in the rule DRO condition. A substantial decrease from baseline was observed in problem behavior for all participants in the rule with statement of reinforcer loss DRO condition suggesting that a consequent rule enhances the efficacy of DRO procedures.

The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether three mentally disabled adults in a welfare facility could sort appropriately coffee beans into good and bad ones by listening to an instrumental music while they sorted beans. The participants engaged in the sorting task as a task for job assistance. They received two experiments. The first one was based on ABAB design with multiple-baseline-across participants design. The second experiment was based on a version of alternating-treatment design. In both experiments, the independent variable was the presentation of an instrumental music which was favorite one to all participants. The music was presented via earphone to each participant. The dependent variable was a total amount of beans classified appropriately by each participant during the sorting task. In the baseline phase of each experiment, the participants engaged in the sorting task without the music. In the intervention phase, they were exposed to the music during the task. Fig. 1 shows the results of the first experiment and Fig. 2 shows those of the second experiment. From these results, it is clear that all participants could sort more coffee beans appropriately with the music than without the music.

Bandura (1961) defined observational learning as the ability of an organism to acquire new behaviors as a result of viewing the behavior of a model. While the ability to acquire new behaviors through observation has been identified by individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, it has yet been focused the type of models that are typically used for learning new skills. The purpose of the current study was to examine whether learning a daily living skill would be acquired faster by observing a peer or a staff model. An alternating treatment design across participants was used to determine the acquisition skill of making coffee and oatmeal by a peer or staff model. Results may demonstrate that a daily living skill may be easier to learn when an individual observes peers in a naturalistic setting.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect on observational learning abilities of children with autism spectrum disorder by contingency discrimination training. The participants were two 6-year-old children with autism. A single-subject experimental design of multiple baseline design across subjects was used. The independent variable of the study was contingency discrimination training. The dependent variables were the percentage of correction in the performance, maintenance and generalization of discrimination and progression of observational learning abilities. Visual analysis and the information from observation was used to analyze the effect of contingency discrimination training on the participants. Through the questionnaires and interviewed the subjects parents and teachers to confirm the social validity of the study. The results showed that the contingency discrimination training: (1) could enhance, maintain and generalize the skills of discriminating contingencies, (2) could enhance the observational learning abilities in acquiring new skills, and (3) provided social validity to show the agreement of this outcomes from the caregivers of the participants. Implications for teaching discrimination of contingencies to children with autism are discussed. Key words:

Food selectivity and inappropriate meal time behaviors occur at higher rates with individuals with autism spectrum disorder than typically developed individuals. Food selectivity may lead to an inadequate calorie intake, malnutrition, weight loss, delay in development, and when severe, more medically invasive treatments may be needed. We implemented an escape extinction and differential reinforcement of alternative behavior (DRA) procedure to successfully treat food selectivity and inappropriate meal time behaviors in a 4-year-old student diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Baseline data indicated the student did not consume foods that were presented during meal times. Results from the intervention indicated that the escape extinction and DRA increased food acceptance, decreased the latency of food consumption, as well decreased inappropriate mealtime behaviours. A post intervention follow up demonstrated that the student consumed all foods presented by caregivers within a mean latency of 6s, and inappropriate meal time behaviours had decreased to rates of 0 events. Caregivers also reported the student acquired a net weight gain of 6 pounds following the intervention.

The purpose of this poster was to demonstrate the effects of using escape extinction for escape maintained negative behaviors and the effects of using replacement behaviors or FCT (functional communication training) for attention maintained behaviors. This poster will be based on one subject. He was evaluated using an A-B treatment design. When a demand was placed on the subject and negative aggressive behaviors were displayed, escape extinction was used. When another patient went into a negative behavior and caused the subject to display negative aggressive behaviors, then the desensitization program was utilized. Finally, for attention maintained negative aggressive behaviors, replacement behavior or FCT (Functional Communication Training) was used and was functionally equivalent to their negative aggressive behaviors, but were easier for them. Results showed that during the treatment phase, the aggressive behaviors that were displayed decreased in rates. This proves that Escape extinction, desensitization programs, and replacement behaviors are effective in decreasing negative aggressive behaviors.

Social skill deficits in autism impact an individuals ability to form meaningful friendships, to participate in a fully inclusive setting, and to participate in community activities with peers and family (e.g., sports events, restaurants). Although a known deficit significantly impacting quality of life for these individuals, social skills are often not the focus of significant clinical attention for children with high functioning autism when successful academically and not displaying significant disruptive or dangerous behaviors. This presentation describes a model for providing social skills instruction to children with autism imbedded in a full-inclusion summer day camp. Clinical goals were selected to increase peer engagement and activity participation for campers with autism to levels commensurate with typically developing peers. Specifically, five sub-goals representing component skills of each were defined in hierarchical levels from foundational to advanced. Intervention packages addressed individualized goals for each camper through use of behavioral skills training, social stories, and systematic in-vivo prompting. Partial interval data were simultaneously recorded for both target camper and typically developing, same age/gender peers to allow for comparison while controlling for setting and other environmental factors. These data are shown as evidence of effective approaches to increasing participation and engagement in a natural environment.

Approximately 90% of individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) engage in some form of repetitive behavior that appears to serve no adaptive function. The Repetitive Behavior Interference Scale-Revised (RBIS-R) is a questionnaire developed as a brief rating scale to capture the degree to which repetitive behaviors interfere with functioning in specific contexts. Caregivers of 13 individuals with ASD admitted to an inpatient unit were asked to complete the questionnaire independently. Results from the questionnaire indicated that the individuals repetitive behaviors interfered severely within the social and learning contexts. Specifically, these behaviors interfered with the learning of novel tasks, completing academics, and participating in leisure and group based activities. Of the 13 participants, direct observation data of repetitive behavior were collected for 8 individuals in leisure and academic settings. Operational definitions of repetitive behaviors were formed based on the information provided by caregivers on the questionnaire. Results indicate that on average, ratings on the RBIS-R scale matched the observations of repetitive behaviors with academic tasks and leisure activities.

For learners with autism spectrum disorder and speech-language delays, deficits in speech sound production have an immense impact on their ability to communicate effectively with familiar and novel listeners. Nearly all of the current literature on behavioral interventions for improving articulation in learners with ASD reports on the use of discrete-trial teaching or naturalistic approaches (cf. Dyer, 2010). There currently is limited research on use of frequency aims and outcome checks for skill retention, endurance, stability, and application (RESA) (Johnson & Layng, 2002; Fabrizio & Moors 2003) as criteria for mastery of speech sounds. This poster presents the effects of the use of fluency-based instruction on increasing the speech sound inventory of a 5-year-old boy diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and a severe speech and language delay. Treatment targets included direct imitation of all consonant-vowel (CV) and vowel-consonant (VC) combinations in Standard American English, in addition to single and multisyllabic functional words that the learner would likely encounter in his environment. The learner received daily practice of imitating these targets, given a daily improvement goal based on the previous days performance. Data were charted on the Standard Celeration Chart, and were validated across therapists and supervisory staff.

Food selectivity is a common problem among children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) (Bandini et al., 2010). A significant amount of research has looked at procedures for increasing food acceptance among individuals in in-patient or day treatment settings for severe cases of food selectivity. Less research has examined the use of procedures to expand an individuals diet in school settings where time and resources may be limited. The current study investigates the use of a picture schedule with access to a highly preferred food to expand the food repertoire of a 14-year-old girl with ASD exhibiting food selectivity. All treatment sessions are being implemented in her school setting. Intervention procedures are systematically introduced for increasing amounts of each target food using a multiple baseline design across foods. The consumption of four target foods is being assessed. Once acceptance of a novel food is demonstrated, the picture schedule will be removed and foods will be presented in a more natural meal-time arrangement. Preliminary data suggest that the use of this procedure is effective in increasing the acceptance of novel foods by the participant in the school setting.

Applied research focusing on adults with autism is underrepresented in our field. As the number of individuals diagnosed with autism continues to increase, more emphasis will need to be put on the lifespan of the individual and ways to find meaningful engagement with the community. The purpose of this program was to determine if a behaviour skills model (BST) was effective at teaching job skills to a young man with autism. The behaviour skills training model was applied one hour per week to three jobs in our centre. Skills were explained and modelled before the learner practiced the skill and received feedback. The learner acquired all three jobs within 12 weeks and maintained at least 80% of the steps in follow up probes. We found the behaviour skills training model was easy for the staff to implement and resulted in the acquisition of job skills in a short period of time. However, ways to assure maintenance of the skill and generalization to other environments is necessary.

It has been well-established that children with autism need consistent programming across environments to learn and maintain skills. Difficulties in picking up cues from the environment, as well as generalizing across environments, make well coordinated, systematic interventions essential. The National Research Council points to programming for generalization as a necessary feature of best practice (National Research Council, 2001). Combining home and school services allows consistent delivery and generalization across settings, which is well supported within the literature (Stokes & Baer, 1977; Rincover & Koegel, 1975; Valdimarsodottir, Halldorsdottir, & Sigurdardottir, 2010). The data from this study further adds to the body of research showing successful learning and generalization across settings for an eight-year old boy with autism. With a collaborative approach that allowed for consistent teaching procedures across settings and instructors, the student showed progress with several acquisition programs in the areas of daily living and leisure skills, such as tooth brushing and following a leisure schedule. These findings support home consultation services and effective home-school collaboration for students with autism. Correlation was found between initiation of home services and positive outcomes in regards to rate of acquisition and generalization of skills across settings.

The current study examined the preference for fixed-ratio (FR) or mixed-ratio (MR) schedules of reinforcement in two preschoolers with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Preference for the MR or FR schedules was evaluated using a repeated-measurement concurrent-operants design for the reinforcement schedules. In the first analysis, a comparison of FR10 vs. MR10 was completed. Both participants demonstrated undifferentiated responding. The second analysis compared FR10 vs. MR5 schedules of reinforcement. In the second analysis Child 1 demonstrated undifferentiated responding between the FR10 and MR5 schedules of reinforcement, however, Child 2 demonstrated a strong preference for the FR10 schedule. These results suggest that Child 2 engaged in more work behavior to access the FR10 schedule. The MR5 schedule resulted in a denser schedule of reinforcement overall, however, the characteristic Insistence on Sameness (IS) behavior in children and adults with ASD may result in a preference for a predictable FR schedule rather than an unpredictable VR or MR schedule. The results from the second analysis indicate that individuals with ASD may have unique preferences for schedules of reinforcement and that social validity measures should be implemented to evaluate these preferences and the results applied to intervention and treatment packages.

It has been estimated that as many as one-third of children diagnosed with autism will display problem behavior at clinically significant levels. Treatments based on formal functional analyses have been proven as the most effective for these behaviors (Campbell, 2003), however functional analyses are not often used as a primary assessment in clinical settings due to multiple variables. Based on procedures described by Hanley, Jin, Vanselow and Hanratty (2014), this study examines the effectiveness and accessibility of completing a formal functional assessment in a clinical setting. This study also outlines a comprehensive and effective assessment and treatment process for the severe problem behavior of a child with autism that was completed during home therapy sessions. After a 16-week intervention process, significantly lower levels of problem behavior were recorded. Appropriate replacement behaviors that did not occur during baseline (i.e. functional communication and compliance with demands) occurred regularly after delay tolerance training. Generalization data demonstrate a continual decrease of problem behavior throughout therapy sessions in the home. Keywords: functional analyses, autism, problem behavior, functional communication, delay-tolerance

Determining the most effective and efficient teaching procedure for children with ASD is of great importance. The present study is investigating the collateral behavioral effects produced during two mand training procedures; in vivo and video modeling for three preschool children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) through video analysis. The present investigation obtained videos from a previous study whose purpose was to compare in vivo and video modeling mand training procedures on acquisition of mands for children with ASD. This study seeks to determine differences between the two mand training procedures for the collateral behaviors of increased engagement and decreased disruptions and tantrums for each participant. Visual inspection of graphed data will be used to determine social significance. The hypothesized outcomes for this study are more frequent and longer periods of engagement, fewer disruptions and shorter durations of tantrums in the video modeling condition over the in vivo condition.

A multiple probe design was replicated across four individuals with severe, non-verbal autism to investigate the efficacy of a modified protocol of the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) implemented via an iPad application. Target measures included increases in requesting skills, natural speech production, and social-communicative skills. Results suggest beneficial effects of such a treatment package, if implemented with high fidelity. All four participants were able to consistently request for desired items by activating the tablet device. Generalization probes suggest that the newly acquired requesting skills generalize to untrained items. However, individuals may not be able to complete all phases of the modified PECS protocol. Facilitative effects are more noticeable for social interaction than for natural speech development; if speech improvements occur, they seem more likely for participants with some pre-treatment speech ability (such as early vocalizations or babbling). For the three participants that made speech gains, they occurred during phase 4 of treatment. Although these speech effects may seem negligible, such patterns are consistent with previous PECS research. These results provide evidence-based support for the efficacy of this treatment package combining the instructional framework of the PECS approach with an iPad application.

As an Intervention Specialist, we look for ways to include our kids with special needs in inclusion settings as much as possible. However, it is often challenging for students who display behaviors. The procedures discussed in this poster were used in both inclusion and a Specialized Learning Center to decrease problem behaviors. Three positive behavior support plans were put in place that used strategies such as Differential Reinforcement of Other Behaviors and Differential Reinforcement of Low Rates of Behavior, use of a how does your engine run scale, and social stories. Behaviors targeted in these plans include out of seat behavior, off task behavior, and disruptive behaviors. All three of the students who were included in this poster have a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Two students spent between 20-60% of their day in inclusion and the third student participated in full inclusion with aide support. Outcomes showed a decrease in problem behaviors and an increase in appropriate behaviors for one of the students.

Symbolic play, which encompasses role play, dress-up, and object substitution, is the foundation for children's development in sustained independent play and sociodramatic play. Children on the autism spectrum commonly engage in preservative and stereotypic play, which often leads to a deficit in language, appropriate play interactions, and social engagement. The purpose of this study was to evaluate errorless teaching as an intervention to improve the independent play skills of a six-year-old boy diagnosed with autism. The participant was taught to combine two different play schemes and switch between character roles. Play combinations involved the participant maintaining engagement in the current play scheme while incorporating a second play scheme. Character role switches involved the participant switching between two characters in different play schemes while maintaining the overall play theme. Errorless teaching was used to teach the participant a sequence of 12 actions and corresponding vocalizations, including four character role switches. The outcome of this study demonstrated the efficacy of errorless teaching as an intervention to teach combining play schemes. Additionally, generalization to new play scheme combinations was evaluated.

Parenting a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is often associated with reduced quality of life, high stress, depression and anxiety due to the ongoing nature of care. This review systematically investigated the efficacy of mindfulness interventions in reducing stress and increasing psychological wellbeing in parents of children with ASD. A comprehensive electronic database search was conducted for relevant articles. Only studies investigating parental stress or a measure of psychological wellbeing in parents of children with ASD post a mindfulness-based intervention were included. Ten studies met inclusion criteria; each was examined for treatment fidelity. All included studies contributed at least one self-report finding supporting the efficacy of mindfulness interventions in reducing stress and increasing psychological wellbeing. Three studies included physiological measures of reduced stress and emotional responses. Two reported concomitant improvements in child behavior. Mindfulness-based interventions potentially have long-term positive effects on stress levels and psychological wellbeing of parents of children with ASD, in addition to enhancing their childs behavior. Future research is needed to develop a cost and time effective intervention aimed at maximising efficacy of current interventions in children with ASD and their parents.

The increasing need for accessible early behavioral intervention warrants further investigation into the effectiveness and social validity of caregiver and provider training protocols within existing community-based services. Through this study, children, caregivers, and early intervention providers received brief behavior analytic services focused on building caregiver and provider capacity to teach young children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Eligible families participated in a diagnostic evaluation for a child between 18 and 34 months of age, and lived within 120 miles of the originating clinic site. Three caregiver training models varying in length and location of service were examined. Each training session focused on providing caregivers with descriptions, models, and guided practice using behavior analysis to support child skill acquisition. Early intervention providers attended at least one-third of caregiver sessions. Pre/post data were collected on caregivers, early intervention providers, and behavior analysts perceptions of change as a result of participating in these services. Preliminary results suggest caregivers, their children, providers benefitted from participation in each service model. The results suggest caregiver training supported by trained early intervention providers may play some role in mitigating the inaccessibility of behavioral services. Data will continue to be collected on approximately 50 families through May, 2016.

There is a growing need to consider the cultural responsiveness of behavioral interventions for individuals with disabilities, given increasing diversity in the United States. The primary purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of peer-mediated pivotal response treatment (PRT) on social behaviors of Korean-American children with autism, an understudied yet growing part of the group of Asians who have been overrepresented in autism. In addition, this study also investigated the social validity of the intervention, using a post-treatment questionnaire to gather stakeholders' perceptions (i.e., members of the focus children’s community who had a direct relationship with the children). A multiple baseline design across four dyads was used. Results indicated that peer-mediated PRT effectively increased social interactions between focus children and their peers. Additional findings implied that stakeholders were satisfied with the intervention procedures and outcomes, particularly for the intervention’s flexibility and applicability as well as children’s natural social experiences with peers. Recommendations and implications for future researchers and practitioners are presented.

One of the characteristics of children with autism is their lack of social interaction with their peers. There is extensive research on strategies to promote social interaction with this population, many of which focus on peer training. There is also extensive research on methods to determine the preference of children with autism and other disabilities for certain stimuli, typically in preparation for using those stimuli as reinforcers during training. In the present study, stimuli (toys) preferred by a child with autism were identified to determine the extent to which those stimuli might set the occasion for, or affect, social interaction with typically developing peers. Specifically, a multi-element analysis was undertaken to examine the impact of most-preferred versus least-preferred stimuli (determined using a brief multiple stimulus without replacement preference assessment) plus peer training on the cooperative and isolate play of a three-year-old boy with autism. The results indicated that his most preferred stimuli was associated with higher levels of cooperative play and less isolate play than least preferred stimuli. The effects were observed both during structured period of play facilitated by the therapist and free play situations that did not involve a therapist. The findings suggest the preference of an item can increase the occasion for a child with autism to participate in cooperative play with peers.

To examine the effectiveness of a treatment package aimed at increasing the probability of holding hands while walking appropriately. The participant has a diagnosis of autism and a history of squatting on the floor and refusing to walk when instructed to hold his mothers hand. Transitions typically required intrusive physical guidance or carrying. Design: A multiple-probe design across situations was used. Participant: A 4-year-old boy with autism and his mother Target behavior: Appropriate walking while holding hands in two contexts: 1) walking from the parking lot to kindergarten, 2) walking from kindergarten to the parking lot. Baseline: We measured distance walked while holding hands in both targeted contexts (i.e., in both directions between kindergarten and the parking lot). Intervention 1: In his kindergarten facility, teachers who were supervised by the behavior analyst trained the child and his mother to walk a distance of 5 meters while holding hands. Probe 1: When leaving school for the day, the childs teacher brought him to a location approximately 25 meters away from the parking lot. From here, she handed him off to his mother and measured the distance that he appropriately walked while holding his mothers hand. Probe 2: Same as Probe 1, but the approximate distance from the parking lot was increased from 25 meters to 55 meters. Result: The child successfully walked 55 meters to the parking lot while holding his mothers hand during 100% of probes following training. However, this performance did not generalize to the context of walking from the parking lot to the school. Intervention 2: At a distance of approximately 25 meters from the kindergarten, the teacher provided verbal prompts to the mother to guide her through successfully transitioning the child from the parking lot to the kindergarten facility while holding hands. Probe: We measured the distance the boy and mother were able to walk from the parking lot to the school while holding hands. Result: The child successfully walked from the parking lot to the kindergarten facility while holding his mothers hand during 100% of probes following training. This performance was maintained during 1-month follow-up probes. Discussion: To facilitate maintenance of appropriate walking and generalization to novel contexts, additional parent training and support is suggested.

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often display feeding problems, and food selectivity, defined as consumption of a limited variety of foods (Schreck, Williams, & Smith, 2004), is the most commonly reported feeding problem. Results of studies have shown that treatments based on applied behavior analysis (ABA) are effective as treatment for feeding disorders in the general pediatric population (e.g., Piazza, Patel, Gulotta, Sevin, & Layer, 2003; Volkert & Piazza, 2012). Although ABA treatments have empirical support for feeding problems, and ABA also has empirical support for the treatment of the core symptoms of ASD, there are no ABA randomized clinical trials with a well-defined cohort of children with ASD and food selectivity. We are currently conducting a randomized clinical trial of ABA treatment of food selectivity in children with ASD relative to a wait-list control group. Data for the 2 children who completed the trial showed that the ABA treatment increased acceptance of 16 novel target foods.

Although echolalia has been recognized as a significant challenge to overcome, little literature related to the reduction and elimination of the behavior is available. The purpose of the present study is to investigate the use of a planned ignoring procedure and its effects on the production of echolalia of therapist instructions. Participants were two children (one sighted, one visually impaired) with echolalia maintained by automatic reinforcement who both independently engaging in frequent appropriate bids for attention. Our procedure systematically utilized two sets of instructions, one which was highly likely to result in an echolalia response and a second that was unlikely to result in an echolalia response. Participants were provided with therapist attention for occasions in which echolalia was not emitted following an instruction. When echolalia was emitted, participant responses were ignored. Results indicate that, for individuals with whom attention is highly reinforcing, removal of attention following production of automatically reinforced echolalia may result in reduced instances of echolalia. Behavior change was shown to occur more quickly and with more complete reduction of behavior for the sighted participant, as opposed to the visually impaired participant. Possible explanations for particular behavior reduction challenges with the visually impaired participant will be discussed.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a token system to treat problem behavior maintained by mand compliance. Prior to the treatment evaluation, a functional analysis was conducted and it was determined that the function of problem behavior was mand compliance, which was first identified in the literature by Bowman and colleagues (1997). After that a token system with response cost will be implemented following procedures similar to Eluri, Andrade, Trevino, & Mahmoud (in press). Treatment will be evaluated using a multiple baseline design across behaviors. Results of the treatment evaluation will be presented and the implications of this treatment will be discussed as it relates to increasing tolerance of adult directed mands.

An analogue functional analysis is used to determine the reinforcing consequences of problem behavior. In the current project, we conducted a standard functional analysis, following procedures published by Iwata and colleagues (1982/1994), of a 13-year-old Hispanic male with autism who was considered to be high functioning and exhibited severe aggressive behaviors, property destruction, and elopement. We then incorporated a mand compliance condition following procedures first implemented by Bowman and colleagues (1997) to evaluate the differences in problem behavior when provided one tangible reinforcer or a variety under the mand compliance condition. Results will be evaluated under both conditions and among other potential functions. Last, we will discuss the implications of using alternative functions that allow for more flexibility in offering reinforcing consequences for high functioning children with autism.

Abstract: Applied behavior analytic (ABA) services for children with autism in Saudi Arabia are presently scarce, and many children who could benefit from such services are unable to obtain them. Parent training in the implementation of certain ABA techniques is a potential means by which more children may benefit from ABA treatment. This poster describes our initial efforts to establish a parent training program at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centres Center for Autism Research in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. We conducted an additive component analysis with counterbalanced teaching phases to compare the respective effects of instructions only, modeling, and corrective feedback to teach four parents to conduct discrete-trials teaching (DTT) with their children diagnosed with autism. Measures of parent performance were compared with child progress in the skills being taught. Our results indicated that instructions and modeling produced moderate improvements in parents DTT performances, but these improvements were relatively small compared to gains achieved through in situ corrective feedback. Improvements in child performance commensurate with improvements in parent performance were observed for 3 of the 4 children. We discuss the implications of these outcomes in expanding the reach of the limited ABA resources in Saudi Arabia.

Transitions have been noted to present challenges for children and adults with autism and related disabilities (Davis, 1987). The present study assessed problem behavior during transitions from activity to activity using a functional analysis. Three students, aged 13-21, two diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder and one diagnosed with traumatic brain injury who were reported by their teachers to engage in problem behavior during transitions participated. We conducted questionnaires, direct observations, and a preference assessment to identify activities of varied preferences. We then conducted a functional analysis of problem behavior occurring during transitions between the identified activities. Transitions were arranged from either a preferred, neutral, or nonpreferred activity to either a preferred, neutral, or nonpreferred activity and problem behavior during the activity and transition between activities was measured. Problem behavior was maintained by negative reinforcement in the form of escape from the nonpreferred activity for all three participants and also by positive reinforcement in the form of access to the preferred activity for two participants.

The present study examined effects of using echoic-to-mand procedure with establishing operation (EO) in place on inducing first vocal word (mands) (in approximations). The study was conducted in an 1:1 instructional setting of an Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention program of a childrens hospital in Seoul. Four 3 - or 4-year old boys with ASD who didnt have prior reinforcement history with echoics or functional uses of vocal words were participated. A delayed multiple baselines across behaviors design was used in the study. Data on independent or prompted vocal requests were collected. First, preferred items such as edibles or books were identified with naturalistic free operant observations for each participant. During the baselines, EOs for target items were contrived with brief deprivations of the items by withholding them before the sessions started. During the baselines, the target items would be provided contingent upon emissions of vocal words (or in approximations) for the items and no prompts or error corrections were provided. During intervention phases, echoic prompts were provided and faded. For incorrect responses or no response, echoics were provided as a correction procedure and corrected responses were not reinforced. For correct responses, target items were delivered immediately. The results of the study demonstrated that utilizing echoic-to-mand procedure along with EO in place was effective in inducing their first vocal words ( or in approximations) with all of the participants.

The present study examined effects of providing learn units to establish reinforcement history for using full-sentence mands. Establishing operation (EO) was in place as an antecedent condition. The study was conducted in an Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention class of a childrens hospital in Seoul. Three 4-year old boys and one 3-year old girl with ASD participated. A delayed multiple baselines across settings design was used and data on independent or prompted vocal requests in full sentences were collected in 1:1 settings, in a small group activity, and in free-plays. Target items for mands in 1:1 settings and free-plays were identified with naturalistic free operant observations for each participant. For a small group activity, an art activity in which participants were required to cut, paste, color, and use stickers was provided. During the baselines, EOs were contrived with brief deprivations of the preferred items or with interrupted chain procedures by withholding the target preferred items or items they needed in order to complete the activity or play. During the baselines, the target items would be provided contingent upon emissions of full-sentence mands. No prompts or error corrections were provided during the baselines. During intervention phases, learn units were delivered by providing participants with three-term contingencies for using full sentence mands. That is, echoic prompts were provided using 1-second time delay procedure with EOs for target items in place; for incorrect responses or no response, a vocal modeling was provided as a correction and no reinforcement was provided for the corrected response; for correct responses, target items were delivered immediately. The results of the study demonstrated that providing learn units along with EO in place was effective in expanding vocal mands across settings with all of the participants.

Much research exists supporting the efficacy of naturalistic behavioral interventions on increasing social communication skills for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), however; these evidence based interventions are not consistently utilized in preschool classrooms. Prelinguistic Milieu Teaching (PMT; Yoder & Warren, 1998) was used to teach early intentional communication (i.e., purposeful and coordinated use of vocalizations, gestures, and eye contact) to three preschool students with or at risk for ASD. The present study extends prior research demonstrating the effects of PMT in increasing intentional communication (e.g., Yoder & Warren, 1998; Yoder & Stone, 2006) through implementation in a preschool special education classroom, measurement of collateral gains related to PMT targets, and measurement of maintenance and generalization of gains. Teacher use of naturalistic behavioral strategies and student communication during interactions with their teacher were also explored. Results indicate students increased their rates of intentional communication upon introduction of PMT. These gains maintained over time for two students. Teachers were observed to use strategies both consistent and in conflict with PMT. Present study results have implications for future research and practice regarding teacher training and the efficacy and feasibility of implementing PMT in preschool classrooms.

Because of the social deficits that people with autism may experience and the potential associated negative impact on the individual, it is imperative teachers and clinicians alike find effective, researched-based programs for teaching socials skills. To this end, this study examines the effects of modified Skillstreaming and video-modeling on social skills maintenance and generalization, specifically during game-play with peers. Participants are 3 males (7 and 9 years old) diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (data collection is ongoing and expected end March 2016). Participants range from intermediate- to high-functioning (VB-MAPP Levels 2 and 3) and were first taught correct game play. Appropriate game play, appropriate interactions with peers during game play, and problem behavior exhibited during game play were operationally defined and recorded during each of 3 conditions: Baseline, Modified Skillstreaming, and Video Modeling. Baseline levels of the dependent variables have been established and the introduction of the skillstreaming intervention has occurred (see Table 1). Upon completion of this study, the data may support use of skillstreaming and/or video modeling as potentially effective ways to teach social skills to children with autism, thereby increasing their interactions with others and, in turn improving their overall wellbeing and quality of life.

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) exhibit deficits in appropriate and functional play. Studies show typical play skills facilitate language and cognitive skills, as well as foster social interactions with peers (Pierucci, Barber, Gilpin, Crisler, & Klinger, 2015). For two children with ASD functional engagement was evaluated using free operant preference assessments. The pre and post-free operant preference assessments were conducted and staggered in accordance with a multiple baseline design across participants. An intervention to increase functional engagement, consisting of backwards chaining, was provided to teach participants correct play with three common toys. A changing criterion design was used to evaluate the effects of the functional engagement intervention for each toy. Following mastery of all toys results showed participants demonstrated an increase in functional engagement during free operant preference assessments. These results have important implications regarding the role of functional engagement in facilitating a functional play repertoire for children with ASD.

Many individuals with developmental disabilities engage in pica (i.e. the consumption of nonfood items). Pica can have many consequences, including damage to or blockage of the digestive tract, and/or the ingestion of toxic substances, which can lead to illness and even death. We present data from an outpatient clinic on a 6-year-old boy, Trent, diagnosed with autism, intellectual disability, and traumatic brain injury who engaged in pica with a variety of nonfood items (e.g., leaves, cardboard, paper). An antecedent analysis was conducted in a baited room (e.g. multiple pica items in room) and two conditions were evaluated: Free Play and Alone. Trent engaged in pica during both conditions, indicating that pica was not maintained by social variables. A pica exchange treatment was implemented in which Trent was taught to hand a caregiver a pica item in exchange for a preferred edible. A most-to-least prompting sequence was used and resulted in a reduction in pica and increase in independent exchange. Generalization probes were conducted to ensure that Trent would exchange pica items in more natural contexts.

Preference assessments are widely utilized to determine items and activities with which individuals may readily engage, with an unproven assumption that those highly preferred stimuli will actually function as reinforcers in increasing future rates of the behaviors they follow. However, the ability of those stimuli to actually function as reinforcement requires further support. The purpose of this research was to assess the efficacy and strength of preferred items to function as reinforcement for given tasks. Researchers utilized a forced-choice preference assessment to rank order known preferred items of an 18 year old adolescent female with Autism. The top three items were compared in an alternating treatment design to assess the efficacy of these items when made contingent on completion of a simple assigned task (sorting items by color). For the items that increased rates of responding, the complexity and effort required to complete the assigned task was systematically increased in order to determine the strength of each item to function as reinforcement and at what point contingent access to the item no longer resulted in increased task completion. Results will be discussed in terms of behavioral economics and relationship between value and effort.

Finger sucking is a behavior that is seen in 23% to 46% of children ages 1-4 and 55% of children age 6 (Ellingson, Miltenberger, Stricker & Rapp,2000; Saloviita, Pennanen, 2003). This behavior is common among children and can have long term risks if the behavior is not decreased. Previous research has found that the most common function for finger sucking behavior is sensory stimulation (Ellingson, Miltenberger, Stricker, Garlinghouse, Roberts, Galensky, & Rapp, 2000). Researchers have treated this behavior with a combination of procedures or treatment packages such as response cost and DRO/A and simplified habit reversal (includes social reinforcement, DRI, and awareness training). These procedures can be difficult to implement in a larger classroom which calls for the development of simpler procedures. The current studys purpose was to evaluate the effectiveness of a gestural cue and response blocking on finger sucking behavior in a 4 year old child with autism.

High rates of requesting food and drink items can impede a person's ability to engage in other activities and may occasion behaviors targeted for reduction as a consequence of denied access. The current intervention provided a nonverbal, seven-year-old boy who has a diagnosis of Autism discrimination training signaling when the behavior of requesting food and drink items would (discriminative stimulus) and would not (stimulus delta) be reinforced. During baseline this client requested food and drink items an average of 4.64 times per hour. Following intervention this client demonstrated understanding of discriminative stimulus and stimulus delta by reducing the rate of requesting food and drink items to an average of 0.54 times per hour when the discriminative stimulus was present, and an average of 0.34 times per hour when the stimulus delta was present during the last 30 days of treatment. The data show this intervention as effective in reducing the rate of requesting food and drink items with a high degree of confidence. The effective reduction in the rate of requesting food and drink items provided more opportunities for the client to engage in other activities during his day and likely contributed to decreased rates of behaviors targeted for reduction.

Childrens dependence on adult prompts may lead to low levels of independent responding and decrease the efficiency of treatment. The current study compared the efficacy and efficiency of three treatments during matrix training to increase independent responding for a 14-year-old male with ASD. We verified that the participant could tact each animal and action prior to treatment. Correct responses in differential reinforcement, vocal prompt fading, and extended response interval conditions were compared to a control condition in an alternating treatments design during matrix training. We arranged similar 3x3 matrices of animal-action tacts across conditions and trained three of the nine exemplars in the matrix in each condition. Probes of untrained matrix exemplars occurred prior to intervention and following mastery. The participants correct, independent responding reached the mastery criterion (two consecutive sessions with correct independent responses during at least 90% of trials) in the differential reinforcement condition. The participants responding has not yet reached the mastery criterion in the other intervention or control conditions. The participant responded correctly to 67% of untrained matrix exemplars from the differential reinforcement condition during the post-intervention probe. We are currently conducting differential reinforcement with the remaining conditions to replicate the efficacy of this procedure.

Parent-implemented interventions for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have the ability to increase access to effective behavior analytic interventions; however, the necessary training for parents is not readily accessible. Web-based technology has the potential to remove barriers to dissemination of effective parent-implemented treatment. The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate the web-based delivery of a parent-implemented intervention based on the science of Applied Behavior Analysis and Skinners analysis of verbal behavior (ABA/VB). Three parent-child dyads were provided with an individualized ABA/VB intervention via a web-based videoconferencing platform. Parents were coached over the course of 10-sessions in the implementation of verbal acquisition strategies for 1 hour each session by trained graduate student therapists. Dependent measures included parent implementation fidelity and child language outcomes. In addition to single-subject data collected during the intervention, pre- and post- data from the Dyadic Parent-Child Interaction Coding System-3rd edition (DPICS-3) including codes for verbal behavior, vocal behavior, and physical behavior will be presented from direct observation of parent-child interactions. Finally, the DPICS-3 outcomes of the ABA/VB intervention will be compared with data from three separate parent-child dyads receiving Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) via a web-based video conferencing platform.

Studies have found pronoun reversals as a noted deficit for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD; Wilkinson, 1998). Matrix training has been used to produce generalization of untrained skills and involves direct teaching of diagonal targets followed by probes of untaught targets (Pauwels, Ahearn, and Cohen, 2015). In the following study, a multiple baseline design across participants was used to evaluate the effects of matrix training on the acquisition of third person pronouns. Baseline data were collected for three sets of pronoun matrices. Each matrix consists of nine targets, three verbs (e.g., sleeping) and three third person pronouns (e.g., he, she, and they). Three diagonal targets were targeted for intervention and six non diagonal targets were used to assess generalization. Once baseline data for Matrix sets 1, 2, and 3 were collected, training for the diagonal targets of Matrix Set 1 (e.g., he is eating) began. Following mastery of diagonal targets in set 1, post test data were collected for all targets in Matrix sets 1-3. Non-diagonal targets in set 1 were taught until correct responding occurred for untrained targets. Results of one participant demonstrate generalization to untrained sets following Matrix training. Additional results are forthcoming and will be discussed.