Association for Behavior Analysis International

Although Direct Instruction (DI) has been shown to be an effective teaching method for building a variety of critical skills (language, reading, spelling, and mathematics) across a variety of populations (general education students, economically disadvantaged students, and special education students), the most recent reviews from The National Professional Development Center on Autism Spectrum Disorders (2015) and The Association for Science in Autism Treatment (ASAT, 2018) do not yet identify DI as an Evidence-Based Practice for individuals with autism. As such, are behavior analysts and behavior-analytically oriented schools missing out on a valuable tool? This symposium will include three presentations that will 1) provide a review of the published research evaluating the effectiveness of DI programs for individuals on the autism spectrum, 2) describe a single-subject study evaluating the effectiveness of the Language for Learning program for individuals with developmental disabilties who use high-tech augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) speech generating devices as a primary mode of communication , and 3) review lessons learned following 5 years of a site-wide implementation of DI programs at a public charter school serving youth and young adults with autism.

The target audience for this presentation is Master's level (or above) Board Certified Behavior Analysts and School Psychologists

Direct instruction (DI) is an intensive fast-paced instructional method that can be used to teach skills to students including those with learning and developmental disabilities. Direct instruction incorporates behavioral principles including concise sequenced instructions, immediate reinforcement, and error correction (EC) procedures (Head, Flores, & Shippen, 2018). DI curricula include several academic areas such as reading decoding, reading comprehension, language arts, and math among others. Although DI has been shown effective across various age groups, socioeconomic backgrounds, and presenting disabilities, less is known about the utility of DI for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The following review of the literature summarizes 9 experiments published between 2000 and 2018 that use DI with children with a diagnosis of ASD. Studies were analyzed across various participant and procedural variables. Results suggest that DI can produce improvements in targeted skills for individuals with ASD. Recommendations are provided for future researchers about information to report and future research endeavors.

The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of using Direct Instruction-Language for Learning (DI-LL; Engelmann & Osborn, 1976; Engelmann & Osborne, 1999) curriculum with children (10 to 15-years-old) with developmental disabilities who use high-tech augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) speech generating devices as a primary mode of communication. Overall performance of three students was evaluated using identical pre- and post-test measures in a concurrent multiple probe design across participants. Additionally, we evaluated the feasibility of DI-LL with AAC learners by evaluating: 1) responses to target exercises (independent, error), 2) number of repetitions needed to complete lessons with fluency, 3) average duration of exercises, 4) and participant affect during DI-LL exercises. Results show increased correct responding on the post-test measure, lending preliminary support for the effectiveness of this approach. Results for measures1-4 further support the feasibility of the intervention for this population. These preliminary findings have implications for the use of DI-LL with students utilizing AAC in a classroom setting.

The Autism Model School, located in Toledo, OH, is a public charter school providing educational services to approximately 110 students with autism- ranging in age from 5 to 22 years of age. In 2013, the school initiated a site-wide implementation of Direct Instruction programs in the areas of oral language, reading, writing, and mathematics. Specific programs forming the core of the academic portion of the school’s curriculum include Language for Learning (Engelmann & Osborn, 2008) , Language for Thinking (Engelmann & Osborn, 2002), Language for Writing (Engelmann & Osborn, 2002), Headsprout Reading® , Reading Mastery (Engelmann & Bruner, 2003), Corrective Reading (Engelmann et al., 2008), Reasoning and Writing (Engelmann et al., 2001), Connecting Math Concepts (Engelmann et al., 2014), and Read-To-Achieve (Marchand-Martella & Martella, 2010) . Five years after the initial roll-out, this presentation will describe the experiences and lessons learned of those who lead, and continue to lead the implementation. Results of annual outcome testing of students using the Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement-Second Edition- Brief Form as well as the Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals- Fifth Edition will be shared.

Behavior analysts are increasingly called to serve culturally and linguistically diverse populations. However, it is unclear the extent to which race, gender, and linguistic diversity are addressed in ABA practice (Talk 1). In addition, it is unclear the extent to which language of instruction affects skill acquisition for individuals from dual language households (Talk 2). After focusing on the role of diversity and language in practice, we will present the results of two studies. The first study evaluates the effect of interventionist’s language on speech generating device language output and challenging behavior for a child with Down syndrome. The second study presents the results of a culturally adapted behavioral consultation framework for the Latino population. Finally, as a leader in this area of Behavior Analysis, Dr. Jeannie Aguilar, will discuss the studies, findings, and implications for research and practice.

Researchers in Applied Research (graduate students, doctoral students, post-doctoral and professors) and practioners working with culturally and linguistically diverse populations.

Diversity may be defined along a number of dimensions including, but not limited to the presence of a variety of genders, races, ethnicities, languages, and socio-economic statuses (Silverman, 2010). As a field, ABA has made great strides in some areas of diversity. This study investigates the results of survey polling individuals in the field of ABA related to racial and gender identity, linguistic diversity (e.g., primary language), and presence of diversity related coursework in training programs either in progress or completed. Results related to formal training on diversity training within programs (e.g., BACB Verified Course Sequences), recruitment of traditionally underrepresented populations, and continuing education will be discussed, as well as recommendations to address areas of need.

Recent research has suggested language of instruction may have an effect of the behavior of children with autism spectrum disorder during instructional sessions. This study aims to add to the literature base by evaluating effects of instructional language on skill acquisition during instructional settings. There were two participants for this study. Both of the children were diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Both of the participants came from a Spanish speaking family but received instruction primarily in English. Skill acquisition was evaluated using novel responses in both English and Spanish with the schedule of reinforcement held constant. Results indicate that language of instruction did not have an impact for the participating students. Potential moderating factors will be discussed

Individuals with disabilities whose family members speak a language other than English and communicate using speech generating devices (SGDs) require assessment of instructional language and programmed language output of the SGD. In this study, an alternating treatment design was used to examine the effect of interventionist language as a putative motivating operation (English or Spanish) on the (a) choice of SGD language output, (b) frequency of mands, and (c) frequency of challenging behavior for a 10-year old non-verbal child with Down syndrome. Results indicated a slight increase in manding when the interventionist spoke Spanish compared to the English or control conditions. The participant also manded most frequently in Spanish on the SGD, suggesting a preference for Spanish output. These results indicate a potential preference for instructional language and expressive language using an SGD. Challenging behavior was observed more frequently in the English and control conditions. The implications of this research were discussed in the context of potential motivating operations for communication. The ethical practices and standards of Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) and educators were also addressed.

Functional analysis involves presenting putative reinforcers contingent on problem behavior to understanding the influence of environmental events and inform subsequent function-based treatment. Safety during a functional analysis of problem behavior is a common concern among clinicians and caregivers because a rich schedule of continuous reinforcement is programmed for the occurrence of problem behavior in the test condition. We conducted this study to determine if safety during a functional analysis could be improved by reinforcing a larger functional class of responses with less severe topographies. Participants were children with autism who exhibited severe forms of problem behavior such as self-injurious behavior, aggression, and property destruction. We conducted two functional analyses for each participant: one targeting multiple severe topographies of problem behavior and another targeting a collection of the severe topographies and less severe topographies reported to co-occur. The results suggest that opening the functional class to include less severe topographies can improve the safety of the functional analysis.

Five adults diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) participated in a 7-week summer training program that targeted conversation skills using computer-based training (CBT) and role-play with peers. Computer-based training provided the definition, rationale, and video demonstrations of one or two individualized targets for each participant (e.g., decreasing interruptions; increasing the duration of utterances). Participants then spoke with other participants during 5-min conversations and received delayed feedback from an experimenter who observed the conversations remotely through the internet. The experimenter used covert audio coaching (CAC) to provide immediate feedback if the initial intervention did not improve performance. The experimenter assessed generalization of the skills to novel adults and in novel settings throughout all phases and maintenance of the skills after the training concluded. Results were inconsistent across participants, suggesting that some conversation skills will require more intensive intervention.

Impairments in social-communication for individuals with autism limits the ability to engage in meaningful and socially reinforcing social interactions leading to social isolation and loneliness. Unfortunately, research on effective social interventions for adolescents and adults with autism is limited. Further, typical interventions aimed at supporting social skill acquisition and maintenance while also fostering independence for adolescents and young adults with autism can be challenging and stigmatizing, particularly given the need for the close proximity of the interventionist. Yet, few studies have capitalized on the use of covert audio coaching (CAC) to deliver evidence-based practices within a natural setting. This study employed a multiple-baseline design across participants to evaluate the impact of CAC with prompting to increase social communication skills in typical social setting for four young adults with autism. Implementation of CAC resulted in increases in the targeted social skill(s) for all participants. Additionally, social validity measures indicate the intervention was viewed favorably by participants. Challenges as well as implications for practice and future research will be discussed.

The purpose of the study was to evaluate effects of a multicomponent training package (scripted self-questions, modeling, and feedback) to establish appropriate stimulus control over social initiations. Participants were three college-age males diagnosed with ASD who were referred to the study based on a history of either initiating or avoiding conversations at socially inappropriate times. First, participants and a sample of typically developing peers completed assessments to inform the development of target scenarios and standards for scoring correct and incorrect performance. Second, we taught participants a self-questioning technique to classify written vignettes as either appropriate or inappropriate conditions to initiate a conversation. Finally, we assessed participants’ initiations under contrived (e.g., scripted interaction between trained research assistants) and naturalistic conditions (e.g., group activity in class). Results indicated that vignette-based training was efficacious for teaching participants to classify untrained written scenarios with preliminary evidence of generalization to interactions with faculty and peers.

Dogs are well known for their superhuman olfaction and audition. Applying behavioral principles and techniques, we can explore the limits of dogs’ sense modalities. Perceptual limitations, however, are rarely a limiting factor when it comes to field or laboratory applications with dogs. Instead, the main challenge is to reliably and precisely bring an identifiable and useful behavior under the control of the relevant stimulus. For example, in a scent-detection scenario, an ideal training outcome is that the dog emits an “indication” response each time a target scent is encountered and never emits the response when the target is not encountered. Because dogs, like people, are never operating in the presence of a single stimulus but, instead, in the presence of a “stimulus soup,” it is also important to know whether stimuli operating through specific modalities are more or less likely to gain control over behavior than those operating through other modalities. In this series of presentations, the topic of stimulus control is explored in the context of basic and applied canine research. Although these presentations are related to canine behavior, researchers and practitioners in other areas may benefit from attending.

Practitioners and Applied Researchers

The development of differential stimulus control has long been of interest since the seminal paper by Reynolds (1961). The responses of dogs to a compound stimulus, composed of visual and auditory elements, was investigated. Twelve dogs were trained to perform a simple behaviour in response to a compound stimulus composed of a hand signal and a voice command. Then during test trials each modality was presented alone and the dogs’ responses were recorded. These test trials were interspersed with standard training trials of the compound stimulus. It was found that for eight dogs the voice command came to control the behaviour more than the hand signal, and for the remaining four dogs the hand signal controlled the behaviour more than the voice command. Each dog, therefore, showed a strong preference in responding to one modality over the other. The learning of the voice command overshadowed the learning of the hand signal for the majority of dogs. For the minority of dogs the learning of the hand signal overshadowed the learning of the voice command. The results suggest that individual dogs may show differences in their response to certain stimuli. These differences are discussed in relation to differences in prior experience and possibly to inherited characteristics of the dogs. The ways that the dogs in this study learned about the relevance of elements of compound stimuli has implications for the methods that are used in training dogs and these are discussed.

Scent-detection research and practice is often compromised by cuing and subjectivity. With cuing, stimuli other than the target scent gain control over behavior and can lead to erroneous experimental results or ineffective applications. Subjectivity in scent-detection research stems from application of topographical, rather than functional, response definitions. These issues can be resolved to some extent by training and testing under blind conditions, but such conditions can be difficult to arrange. We have been conducting research with an automated apparatus that, apart from an initial shaping period, requires no human involvement in the training or testing procedures and can accommodate a wide variety of samples. A brief description of this automated approach is provided, followed by a description of some results obtained from a series of research projects carried out using this approach. Basic research carried out with 5 dogs focusing on the indication response itself is highlighted, as this was demonstrated to be a critical factor in determining hit rate and false indication rate. Outcomes from an applied research project carried out with another 5 dogs aimed at evaluating dogs’ ability to identify water samples that have contained a target fish species (koi carp) are also summarized.

Complex odor mixtures are thought to be perceived configurally, implying that there is little identification of the individual components in the stimulus mixture. Prior research has suggested that the chemical and or perceptual similarity of components in a mixture may influence whether they can be detected individually; however, how training influences the identification of individual components in odor mixtures is less clear. Identification of individual odorants is critical for dogs tasked with discriminating between Home Made Explosives and very similar, but innocuous, complex odor mixtures. In a cross-over experimental design, we evaluated the effect of two training procedures on dogs’ ability to identify the presence of a critical oxidizer (i.e. component in explosives) in complex odor mixtures. In the “Mixture training” procedure, dogs received trial variable odor mixtures with and without an oxidizer. In the more typical procedure for canine detection training, dogs were presented with the pure oxidizer only, and had to discriminate this from decoy mixtures (“target-only” training). Mixture training led to above chance discrimination of the oxidizer from variable backgrounds and dogs were able to readily generalize performance, with no decrement, to mixtures containing novel odorants. Target-only training, however, led to a precipitous drop in hit rate when the oxidizer was presented in a mixture background containing either familiar or novel odorants. Furthermore, by giving Mixture training to dogs previously trained with the target in isolation, they learned to identify the oxidizer in mixtures very quickly. Together, these results demonstrate that the training method has significant impacts on the perception of components in odor mixtures and highlights the importance of olfactory learning for the effective detection of Home Made Explosives by dogs.

Behavior analytic service is highly demanded as indicated by an exponential increase in certified behavior analysts (Deochand & Fuqua, 2016). Although the American Psychological Association requires graduate programs to train students in cultural competence, this type of training is not a requirement in the verified course sequence to certify behavior analysts. The need to integrate cultural assessments into the functional behavior assessment will increase as services are delivered to a broader community. Unfortunately, there is a dearth of data on the demographics served by behavior analysts in practice and in research. Li, Wallace, Erhart, and Poling (2017) indicate that only 10.7% of behavior analytic research reports racial or ethnic characteristics. This issue coupled with the paucity of guidelines regarding training cultural competent practitioners requires the community to start building the framework for such initiatives. This panel will define social justice, discuss how we meet the needs of an evolving consumer base while developing successful cultural and linguistic competency training programs. The field of applied behavior analysis could be uniquely positioned to lead discussions regarding culturally competent services due to its focus on individualized client-centered treatment.

Board Certified Behavior Analysts, Graduate students, verified course sequence program coordinators

What is the impact of shifting focus in coaching and performance management from behavior to valuable accomplishments, as encouraged by Thomas F. Gilbert in his seminal book, Human Competence? This panel, chaired by the creator of an accomplishment based coaching and performance improvement methodology called Six Boxes Performance Thinking, reports on initial effects of an accomplishment based approach in a large ABA company, already known for its effective use of ABA with clients, employees, and OBM consultation with outside organizations. Executives from Brett DiNovi and Associates will describe how a focus on accomplishments has “changed the conversation” about performance and enabled them to more directly link the behavior of their people to business results through the valuable accomplishments that they contribute to the organization, while helping to prioritize their own efforts leading and managing organizational performance. Panelists will describe and respond to questions about the impact of a paradigm shift from behavior-based management to accomplishment based performance improvement. In an organization passionate about growing while maintaining quality service and optimal employee engagement, an accomplishment based approach focuses everyone on the valuable contributions needed for business success while connecting people more directly to the natural consequences of their day-to-day activities

The target audience includes BCBA's, professionals in leadership roles that supervise employees, and professionals responsible for the training of employees.

Medical error is the 4th leading cause of death in the United States. The majority of these preventable events are attributed to miscommunication among healthcare teams. Medical students and nursing students currently receive healthcare communication trainings in a siloed fashion and are often taught differing ways to communicate the same information. Interprofessional trainings that bring medical professionals together early in their education may reduce the prevalence of miscommunication once students enter their respective clinical fields. TeamSTEPPS is a promising communication training package that has been developed to decrease medical errors related to miscommunication. However, methods for assessing the effectiveness of TeamSTEPPS are lacking in their precision and often depend on indirect, self-report measures. This symposium will provide an overview of the TeamSTEPPS model and will present data on the technical feasibility of virtual reality and eye-tracking as assessment tools for more precisely measuring the impact of a TeamSTEPPS training package.

Behavior Analysts working in Healthcare and Medicine; Behavior Analysts working with Virtual Reality

Self-control can be conceptualized as preference for a larger delayed reinforcer over a smaller immediate reinforcer. Researchers have examined how to alter an individual’s preference between these types of reinforcers. In this study, the researcher examined the impact of reinforcer quality on preference for immediate or delayed reinforcers. Three 8- to 10-year-old students with Autism Spectrum Disorder participated. Researchers defined reinforcer quality as the reinforcer being available for its preferred duration. A participant chose between two response-reinforcer arrangements: continuous or discontinuous. The continuous arrangement entailed 5 m of access to a delayed reinforcer. The discontinuous arrangement entailed 30 s of access to a more immediate reinforcer. Only one arrangement entailed the preferred duration of reinforcer access. All three participants showed a consistent preference for one type of arrangement, regardless of the manipulation of reinforcer quality. Future research may re-examine the impact of reinforcer quality.

Token economies are commonly implemented in educational settings with individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders. Tokens stores are used to display available backup reinforcers, but the effects of array size on choice are unknown in this population. Choice overload is a phenomenon in typically developing populations in which an abundance of options leads to suboptimal choices. Recent research on the effects of array size on preference and toy engagement suggests that larger arrays may shift both preference and item engagement in typically developing children (Miller, Kaplan, Reed, and White, 2016), which may be consistent with choice overload effects. However, this preparation did not examine preference between array sizes and included duplicate items in the large array, which is not likely to occur in the natural environment. In the present study, we assessed preferences for small arrays, large arrays, and arrays in which the therapist selected the backup item (no choice) in individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders. We then assessed preference for array size across presentation modalities and varying levels of response effort. The results to date suggest that (a) larger array sizes were preferred to small arrays or no choice conditions, and (b) presentation modality does not affect preference for array size.

The majority of youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) do not engage in recommended levels of daily physical activity (PA). The motivation to select or engage in PA may contribute to low levels of PA in this population but should be considered in relation to the concurrent motivations to engage in sedentary activities. Researchers observed increased selection of PA in typically developing adults when more PA options were made available and increased selection of appropriate activities as the effort required to access less-appropriate activities increases. The number of options and amount of effort required appear to influence motivation to select sedentary activities, but these effects have not been evaluated in the context of PA in children with ASD. Contrived reinforcement has been shown to increase PA engagement but may also influence the selection of physical over sedentary activities. We manipulated the number of PA options, effort required to access sedentary activities, and/or reinforcement contingency for engaging in PA on PA selection and engagement in 4 children with ASD. Increased PA options and effort to access sedentary activities increased PA selection for two of four participants. Delivering tokens contingent on PA increased selection and engagement for the remaining two participants.

Schedule thinning is an essential step in treating problem behavior, yet little research has been conducted to determine the method associated with sustained treatment effects throughout thinning. A frequently used method for thinning reinforcement involves providing the reinforcer following a programmed response requirement and progressively increasing that requirement (i.e., contingency-based progressive delay [CBPD]). This response requirement during CBPD could be dependent on (1) contextually appropriate behavior (e.g., math completion) or (2) the absence of problem behavior. We designed a computer program for college students to determine the effects of these two response requirements of CBPD on three behaviors: previously reinforced behavior (analogue problem behavior), currently reinforced alternative behavior (analogue functional communication response), and contextually appropriate behavior during the delay. Low rates of responding to the previously reinforced response (problem behavior) were sustained regardless of thinning method. For most participants, undifferentiated high rates of alternative behavior and contextually appropriate behavior were observed. Higher rates of contextually appropriate behavior were observed when the response requirement for math completion was in place during reinforcement thinning. These results support the use of a response requirement for behaviors that are expected of the individual when reinforcement is not immediately forthcoming.

Resurgence is the transient recurrence of a previously reinforced, but not currently occurring activity, when reinforcement conditions of some ongoing Alternative response are worsened. The degree to which reinforcement conditions need to be worsened to evoke resurgence, however, is not fully understood. This experiment assessed resurgence when the Alternative response was extinguished, in different phases, when an empty food hopper was presented dependent on keypecking and when the hopper presentations were omitted. Three pigeons were exposed to a three-phase resurgence procedure in which the Resurgence Test phase consisted of a single 6-hr session. Two cycles of the three-phase procedure were studied. During the first cycle Resurgence test, hopper presentations (without food) were delivered according to a VR 40 schedule of reinforcement during the Resurgence Test session. During the second cycle Resurgence Test session, the Resurgence Test occurred without any consequence for Alternative responses, that is, conventional extinction. Resurgence occurred during both Resurgence test conditions; however, generally more resurgence occurred in the absence of the hopper presentations and the time course of resurgence differed between the two conditions.

Resurgence is the increase in performance of an extinguished instrumental (operant) response that coincides with the extinction of a response that had been reinforced to replace it. Resurgence may involve processes relevant to relapse in applied and clinical behavioral interventions. While resurgence is a robust phenomenon in human operant extinction, the processes that control it remain unclear. We examined whether methods that reduce resurgence in animals also reduce it in humans. Undergraduate participants first learned to emit an operant response (R1) for a reinforcing outcome (snack food; O1). In a second phase (Phase 2), extinction was introduced for R1 and a second response (R2) was simultaneously introduced and reinforced with a monetary reward (USD $0.10 coins; O2). In a test phase, extinction was then introduced for R2 and resurgence of R1 was assessed. In Experiment 1, periodic exposure to R2 extinction during Phase 2 attenuated resurgence. In Experiment 2, response-independent presentations of O2, but not O1, during the test prevented resurgence. The results identify a role for generalization from Phase 2 to the test in determining resurgence in humans. Evidence suggests that resurgence may result from common processes in animals and humans, and it supports a contextual account of resurgence.

We present two sets of studies that evaluate teaching procedures for early acquisition of social behaviors in two populations: children with neurotypical development and children with Autism. This symposium extends the findings of Pelaez and colleagues (1996, 2011, 2012) by presenting parent-training procedures where the caregivers implement protocols that involve a number of behavior analytic tactics. The first presenter presents studies conducted with neurotypically developing infants that test the 1) effects of two forms of contingent vocalizations as well as control condition on the acquisition of vocalizations, 2) effects of three different caregiver bids on the acquisition of joint attention responses, and 3) effects of a behavior skills training approach on the acquisition of social referencing. The second presentation extends the first presenter’s findings to toddlers with autism. She tests the1) effects of social reinforcement versus no social reinforcement on the acquisition of eye contact, 2) effects of two forms of contingent vocalizations as well as control condition on the acquisition of vocalizations and 3) the effects of three different caregiver bids on the acquisition of joint attention responses. The discussant highlights the developmental sequencing of these social skills as well as prerequisite repertoires for early learning of communication and other more complex social skills such as perspective taking. The operant procedures and the data reported have significant implications for future research and for effective interventions with children with ASD.

This study consists of three experiments. The first experiment tests the effectiveness of social reinforcement on the emission of eye contact in toddlers with autism in an ABAB design. The second experiment examines the effectiveness of two forms of contingent social reinforcement (vocal imitation and Motherese speech) on increasing the overall frequency of vocalizations in toddlers with autism using an alternating treatments design across participants. Additionally, a third experiment tests the effectiveness of behavior analytic teaching procedures on the acquisition of joint attention responses in a multiple baseline design across participants. The findings extend previously published efficacy of these procedures in the training of eye contact, vocalizations, joint attention modeled after Pelaez and colleagues’ (2012) operant learning paradigm. The results of the study provide valuable information about identifying reinforcers for social responses as well as the sequencing of behavior chains as they relate to the development of more complex social responses.

As replications of previous research conducted by Paleaz and colleagues (1996, 2011, 2012), a series of three experiments were performed to examine teaching procedures for increasing vocalizations, joint attention, and social referencing in young children. The first experiment examines the effectiveness of contingent social reinforcement in the forms of vocal imitation and Motherese speech on increasing the frequency of vocalizations in neurotypically developing toddlers. An alternating treatments design across participants was utilized and results demonstrated a functional relationship between the implementation of the teaching procedures and an increase in participant vocalizations. The acquisition of joint attention through the implementation of behavior analytic teaching procedures was examined in the second experiment. A multiple baseline design across participants was employed and findings show a functional relationship between the increase in toddler joint attention responses and the intervention procedures implemented. Lastly, the third experiment examines the effectiveness of a Behavior Skills Training approach involving written protocols, vocal directions, role play, in-vivo practice and immediate feedback on teaching caregivers to increase their child's ability to engage in social referencing. Overall, the findings extend the research previously conducted by Pelaez and colleagues’ (2012) in demonstrating that the operant learning procedures employed were successful in the training of vocalizations, joint attention, and social referencing.

Children are routinely exposed to potential hazards in everyday environments that may lead to injury, harm or even death. Safety skill instruction remains an important area of focus for scientist practitioners. This symposium will present four diverse papers focusing upon safety skills. The first paper will review strengths and gaps of safety skills research of individuals with ASD. The second paper will present research evaluating the extent to which BST conducted in a single context would evoke the safety response across a range of contexts. In the third paper, research on the use of social referencing to teach safety skills to toddlers with autism will be presented. The fourth paper will present findings on the use of videomodeling to establish differential responding to lures across known and unknown people. This symposium will commence with comments from an expert in safety skill instruction, Dr. Ray Miltenberger. Effective instructional strategies and areas of additional research will be discussed.

scientist practitioners

Teaching individuals a safety response when they encounter a firearm may be one way to prevent accidental injuries or death. Previous researchers have used behavioral skills training (BST) with and without in-situ training to teach individuals with and without disabilities to engage in a safety response in the presence of a firearm. However, few studies have arranged BST to ensure the safety response occurred in response to a representative sample of all relevant stimulus features for which a response should be evoked. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the extent to which BST conducted in a single context established stimulus control that would evoke the safety response across a range of contexts under which a dangerous stimulus could be encountered in a room in a house. All participants demonstrated a discriminated safety response following BST. Further, safety responses generalized across all contexts not associated with training for all participants.

The purpose of this study was to teach safety skills to 2 toddlers with autism through a social referencing chain. Experimental control came from a concurrent multiple probe design across stimulus categories within subjects, and a concurrent multiple probe design across stimulus sets. Participants were trained using differential reinforcement and least-to-most prompting to gaze shift from an item in a bin or a lunchbox to an adult and reach or use an “all done” response based on the adult’s facial expression. Mastery of the skill with the stimuli used in training were followed by social referencing probes where the child could not see the items within the bin or lunchbox and a novel items probe where unfamiliar items were presented in the bin and lunchbox. Results show acquisition of both discrimination between safe and dangerous stimuli and the maintenance of a social referencing chain in the presence of novel stimuli. Interobserver agreement was calculated for 31.6% of sessions and averaged 91.4% (range 75%-100%). These findings are discussed as they relate to the implications of teaching socially valid safety skills to toddlers with autism.

Deficits in safety skills and communication place individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) at risk of danger. Abduction prevention remains an understudied area. Video modeling has effectively resulted in the acquisition of safety skills for individuals with developmental disabilities and ASD. Existing research has yet to evaluate responding to lures from known people. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of video modeling to teach appropriate responding to lures from strangers using a multiple probe across participants with an embedded adapted alternating treatments design. We extended research by assessing responding to lures from known people by securing a code word using video modeling as the sole intervention. In addition, we programmed for and assessed generalization using multiple lure types, confederates, and locations. Participants learned to appropriately respond to lures from strangers and known people after viewing a video model and generalized responding to novel community settings, people, and lures. Maintenance was assessed for three participants at least one week following mastery criteria and maintained the skills. Procedures, goals and outcomes were considered socially valid among parents, clinicians, and educators.

The treatment of rumination disorder in neurotypical adolescents has received an increase in attention over the past 10 years. Behavioral interventions have been shown to be the mainstay of treatment, with approaches studied such as the use of diaphragmatic breathing, biofeedback, habit reversal therapy (HRT), distraction, gradual refeeding, and habituation. Most demonstrations of efficacy, however, have utilized case studies or a group of patients undergoing non-standardized treatment protocols. As such, the utility and generalizability of results has remained difficult to ascertain. The current paper demonstrates the challenges in outcome variable selection, data collection, and presentation of results by presenting three case studies. Each adolescent took part in an inpatient intensive treatment program specifically designed to treat adolescent rumination syndrome. While the general approach to treatment was similar across patients, each patient’s rumination presentation, individual needs, and treatment goals were distinct enough to make similar data collection across patients a significant challenge. Treatment and data from each admission will be presented to highlight these challenges and the need for a methodology to compare results across patients and studies.

Meta-analysis of single case experimental designs (SCEDs) can uniquely advance the scientific literature and guide evidence-based service delivery–particularly for comparatively rare populations and/or syndromes (e.g., rumination disorder). Notwithstanding these potential benefits (e.g., cross-field interoperability, identification of moderators and mechanisms of change, increased external validity of ideographic results), meta-analysis of SCEDs has been stymied by a lack of feasible, valid, and translational methods. For instance, visual analysis of time-series data, especially data with autocorrelation, can be unreliable and prone to overestimating the presence and/or level of an effect. Additionally, the ubiquitous autocorrelation in SCEDs’ time-series data contraindicate conventional statistics, including common meta-analytic computations of statistical significance and effect size. Although some extant methods do address autocorrelation, they typically require an oft-prohibitive number of data points per phase. One notable exception is simulation modeling analysis (SMA), a free, user-friendly bootstrapping technique designed to perform both univariate effect-of-phase and multivariate process-change analyses with autoregressive data streams while maximizing power and minimizing Type I error rates. Prior studies have demonstrated SMA’s utility with individual SCEDs, but the current presentation will propose and illustrate a novel application of SMA for meta-analyses with SCEDs and discuss potential implications for behavior analytic scholarship, practice, and policy.

The purpose of the current meta-analysis was to assess the efficacy of common treatments for rumination disorder in an intellectual/developmentally disabled population with limited verbal abilities. No publication to our knowledge has yet to statistically evaluate and compare these treatments in one comprehensive study. Our literature search resulted in a total of 45 articles and 72 individual cases receiving treatment. The mean age for participants was 22 years and 30% were female. We used simulation modeling analysis (SMA) to determine the effect size of the change in rumination between baseline and treatment phases. The cases were categorized into establishing operations (EO), punishment (PU), and reinforcement (RE). The effect sizes were then combined within each group and an ANOVA was used to determine statistical significance between groups. Results of this study can inform the field by identifying effective treatments to be implemented for rumination disorder as well as what treatments have been shown to be ineffective. The study also serves as a pilot of utilizing a novel methodology in the estimation of comparison of effect sizes in single case designs.

It is important for the experimental and applied domains of behavior analysis to collaborate. Recent basic and translational research has demonstrated that practitioners can use quantitative models (e.g., Behavioral Momentum Theory and Resurgence as Choice Theory) to improve applied treatments for socially significant behavior. The presentations in this symposium will discuss the implications of basic and translational research evaluating the effects of baseline and treatment duration on the resurgence of target behavior. The symposium will consist of four presentations followed by comments from Dr. Timothy Shahan. First, Holly Pericozzi will present on the effects of baseline reinforcement history as a mediator of the resurgence of target behavior in adults with developmental disabilities. Next, Madeleine Keevy and Kayla Randall will present studies evaluating the effects of treatment duration on the resurgence of problem behavior in children. Finally, Kaitlyn Browning will discuss the effects of treatment duration on the resurgence of target behavior in rats.

Practitioners, faculty, graduate students, and professionals

In functional communication training (FCT), resurgence of destructive behavior may occur when reinforcement is not delivered for the alternative functional communication response (e.g., when the caregiver is busy with a sibling). Researchers have used quantitative models such as Behavioral Momentum Theory (BMT; Shahan & Sweeney, 2011) and Resurgence as Choice Theory (RaC; Shahan & Craig, 2017) to make predictions about this type of treatment relapse. Both BMT and RaC suggest that more time arranged in extinction for target responding (e.g., destructive behavior) will lessen resurgence. Whereas BMT would predict time in extinction as a highly influential variable on the resurgence of target behavior, RaC would predict time in extinction may not be as influential. Basic and applied investigations (e.g., Wacker et al., 2011; Winterbauer, Lucke, & Bouton, 2013) have generated mixed findings about treatment duration and its effect on resurgence. In this study, we exposed participants with destructive behavior to three durations (i.e., short, moderate, and extended) of FCT which each consisted of three phases (i.e., baseline, FCT, and extinction) to clarify the necessary duration of treatment to produce the least amount of resurgence.

The four presentations in this symposium will illustrate evidence based practices in teaching higher order instructional objectives. The first two presentations examine teaching higher order thinking and planning repertoires, beginning with Vivian Mach, who will describe procedures for teaching children to generate questions when faced with a discrepant situation - the critical initial step in the reasoning process. Next, Shiloh Isbell will detail a a schoolwide extension of an executive functioning curriculum that assesses specific skill deficits, teaches students relevant planning and tracking repertoires, and probes self-reflection of students’ developing skillsets. In the third presentation, Drew Bulla will present a study that investigates how to select and craft specific active student responding questions to promote higher order conceptual learning. Finally, Aoife McTiernan will discuss the process of launching a learning center in Wales to teach a wide array of these foundational and higher order instructional objectives to typical learners. The chair will make comments on each presentation in turn as the symposium proceeds.

behavior analysts and other psychology and educational professionals

The Academics Intervention Service (AIS) at the University of South Wales provides academic tutoring to children between the ages of 6-11, using behavior analytic instructional approaches. An overview of the service is provided, as well as case examples, which demonstrate typical instructional components and outcomes. The AIS has recently been developed within the Behaviour Analysis Clinic at the University, and provides opportunities for both psychology and behavior analysis students to gain experience in the application of behavior analysis in educational settings. In addition to providing a description of services, we describe the clinical training provided, and discuss the advantages and potential barriers to growing such a service. Further analysis and data should be collected in order to evaluate long-term benefits for both clients and trainee professionals learning to provide behaviour analytic services. However, early data demonstrates benefits for each client in targeted academic domains and that the AIS a valuable setting for students and trainee professionals.

Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT) has been shown to be an effective treatment strategy for a range of populations, including individuals with autism. Recent behavior analytic attention has been paid to ACT, as evidenced by a recent surge of behavior analytic training/workshops, curriculum materials and protocols, research publications, etc. While promising, limited information is currently available for practitioners to assess their integrity with implementing ACT with their clients. Similarly, behavior analysts have minimal resources to consider ethical conduct when implementing behavioral therapies in general, and ACT specifically. Therefore, the current panel will discuss relevant scope of practice for behavior analysts when implementing ACT in their practice. The goal of the panel is to provide attendees with insight into specific areas, to ensure ethical and quality implementation of ACT. The following topics will be discussed: implementation strategies, ethical considerations, and strategies for targeting private events. All three panelists have published empirical studies using acceptance and commitment training and relational frame theory (RFT), and are board certified behavior analyst-doctoral.

Board Certified Behavior Analysts, Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analysts

A simple behavior usually occurs in the presence of a stimulus followed by a response. This response then obtains a reinforcer depending on the reinforcement contingency. In a sequence from a behavioral chain, the response serves as a stimulus for a different response. That response leads to reinforcement, depending on the reinforcement contingency. Multiple sequences make up a chain of behavior. The chain of behavior is complete when the “task goal” is met. Chained behaviors are often rule-governed. One essential rule is that each step in the sequence has to be completed in order to move to the next step. Completion of sequences eventually leads to completion of the chain of behavior. The failure to complete even one step in the sequence prevents the completion of that particular sequence, making it impossible to complete the chain or “task goal”. This paper will discuss what causes interruptions in or “breaks” chains of behavior in humans, in turn preventing them from achieving their goals. It also discusses the ways in which one can prevent long-term broken chains taking into account the value of completing tasks in the RIASEC (Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Entrepreneurial and Conventional) domains.

This talk outlines the background, nature, explanations existential crises. About 75% of people have unresolved existential crisis. Existential crises occur in route to discovering meaning in life through successful resolution of conflicts. The route itself is explored as one which is identifiable due to historical periods of time increasing the overall availability of choice within societies. There is a further key differentiation between availability and accessibility of choice. Each crisis differs in their complexities and the goals that are pursued in desire of their resolution. These goals are further explored within the scope of their fulfillment or lack thereof. Furthermore, the explanations of existential crises are broken down into sociological, cultural and biological factors. They all play key and differing roles in how they structure not only the occurrence of existential crises but also a person’s likelihood to resolve their crises. Existential crises themselves should be regarded not negatively but positively for its allowing of people to find the meaning that they desire in their lives. People resolve for themselves what their true interest are and how to fulfill them through behavioral choice. Conformity and lake of “smarts” interfere with finding such meaning.

Misophonia is an understudied but relatively common respondent behavior condition, the effects of which range from annoying to debilitating. Misophonia is known as a condition where commonly occurring innocuous stimuli (e.g. chewing sound) elicit anger and accompanying physiological responses which function as motivating operations for overt aggression and escape. Although there are some common misophonic stimuli, each person has a unique set of stimuli, which often includes auditory and visual stimuli, but can be any sensory modality. Misophonia is similar to general sensory sensitivity which is common with autism, but the management and intervention for each are quite different. Misophonia was first identified and named by audiologists and has been considered a hearing disorder. Recently misophonia has come to be viewed as an anger disorder and the focus of psychiatrists, psychologists, and neuroscience. Behaviorally, misophonia may be considered a classically conditioned physical respondent phenomenon, and it may be more appropriate to view misophonia as a conditioned behavioral disorder.

Behavior analysts, psychologists, school counselors, and other clinicians

Misophonia is characterized by an autonomic response that is elicited by certain innocuous or repetitive sounds (Edelstein, Brang, Rouw, & Ramachandran, 2013), and individuals with misophonia may display an extreme, overt response commonly associated with rage, hatred, and a loss of self-control (Dozier, 2015). In this investigation, we used an operant approach to treat problem behavior evoked by bodily sounds (i.e., coughing, sneezing, sniffling, and clearing throat) for a young adult with autism spectrum disorder. The procedure involved pairing bodily sounds with preferred edibles at fixed intervals and withholding attention from the participant if he engaged in problem behavior (i.e., attention extinction). In addition, problem behavior did not produce any delays to the presentation of the next bodily sound (i.e., escape extinction). The intervention produced immediate reductions of problem behavior and the effects of treatment maintained during progressively lean schedules of reinforcement. A brief review of past research, along with implications for research and clinical practice will be discussed.

Several recent studies have compared the relative effects of, and preferences for, reinforcer arrangements that provided either a) immediate, but discontinuous, access to a reinforcer following a small response requirement (i.e., distributed reinforcement) or b) delayed, but continuous (or uninterrupted), access to the same total quantity of the reinforcer following a larger response requirement (i.e. accumulated reinforcement). Most (but not all) comparisons have revealed that learners prefer, and work more efficiently, under the accumulated reinforcement condition despite the inherent delay to first contact with the reinforcer. The studies in this symposium extend our understanding of these effects in multiple contexts and under multiple conditions. The themes collectively explored include implications for varying applied contexts (e.g., feeding disorders, skill acquisition, problem behavior); effects of effort permutations (e.g., task difficulty, task mastery), and effects of schedule requirements (e.g., reinforcer production schedules, token exchange-production schedules). Collectively, the studies contribute to our understanding of the determinants of choice and preference and advance our knowledge of best practices for individualized learning arrangements.

Intermediate

We evaluated preference for and efficacy of distributed and accumulated response-reinforcer arrangements during discrete-trial teaching for unmastered tasks. During the distributed arrangement, participants received 30-s access to a reinforcer after each correct response. During accumulated arrangements, access was accrued throughout the work period and delivered in its entirety upon completion of the work requirement. Accumulated arrangements were assessed with and without the use of tokens. In Experiment 1, four of five participants preferred one of the accumulated arrangements and preference remained unchanged across mastered and unmastered tasks for all 5 participants. Four individuals participated in Experiment 2 and we conducted replications with new target stimuli with three of these individuals (for a total of seven analyses). Target stimuli were mastered more quickly in one of the accumulated arrangements in six of the seven analyses. Partial correspondence between preference and efficacy outcomes was obtained for two of the three individuals for whom both experiments were conducted. These results support prior research indicating that many learners with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities prefer accumulated reinforcement and that accumulated arrangements can be as effective as distributed arrangements in teaching new skills.

Sleep problems are ubiquitous among children and adolescents diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). These problems are unlikely to abate without treatment, resulting in adverse long-term effects on the daytime functioning and wellbeing of people with ASD and their siblings, parents, and others. To effectively address sleep problems, it is important to first identify the variables controlling relevant behavior. Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) is a process that can help facilitate an understanding of the reinforcement contingencies that either disrupt or facilitate bed preparation, sleep onset, self-soothing behavior following night wakings, and waking at an appropriate time in the morning. From this process, caregivers and clinicians are more equipped to devise individualized and function-based treatment programs for individuals diagnosed with ASD whose sleep is chronically disturbed. This symposium contains a series of presentations as follows: (a) discussion of the core behavioral model of sleep with specific considerations of how this needs to be adapted for individuals diagnosed with ASD, (b) efficacy evaluation of function-based treatments with and without melatonin for sleep problems of children diagnosed with ASD, (c) effectiveness of adolescent-led or combined parent/adolescent-led behavioral treatments for sleep problems in 7, 9-15 year old participants diagnosed with ASD, and (d) outcome data for 40 participants diagnosed with ASD who have received function-based treatments for their sleep problems.

Board Certified Behavior Analysts, Graduate Students of Behavior Analysis, BCaBA, RBT, Clinical Psychologists, Psychiatrists, Pediatricians

Sleep is essential to health, wellbeing, and development and chronic sleep disruption has many adverse consequences. Children and adolescents with a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder have high rates of sleep disturbance. For typically developing children Blampied and France (1983; JABA, 26, 477-92) proposed a bio-social-behavioral model of pediatric sleep disturbance for typically developing children that explains sleep disturbance in terms of (a) stimulus control (or its lack) for sleep-interfering and facilitating behaviors, and (b) related contingencies of reinforcement for the behaviors. Going to sleep is a state transition supplying primary reinforcement for a terminal link in a concurrent chain, where choice of sleep facilitating or interfering behaviors is dynamically influenced by the salience of the stimuli for the concurrent chains and the associated schedules of reinforcement. This model guides functional behavioral assessment of sleep disturbances and the design of remedial interventions. This talk will outline the model and elaborate on those aspects that need particular attention to adapt it for children and adolescents with ASD, such as the impact of extended device use, stereotypic behavior and or high-intensity challenging behavior. This is intended to provide background information for papers to follow in the symposium.

Sleep problems are prevalent and persistent in young children, especially children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). These problems negatively impact the health and development of young children and are often challenging to address for caregivers and clinicians. Pharmacological interventions, such as melatonin, are commonly recommended for pediatric sleep problems despite limited research on their efficacy and social acceptability. Function-based behavioral interventions shows merit as a promising alternative but has yet to draw to focus of mainstream treatment providers. This present study evaluated the efficacy of personalized and assessment-based behavioral intervention with and without melatonin on the sleep problems of children diagnosed with ASD. Nighttime infrared video and sleep diary were used to measure sleep interfering behaviors, sleep onset delay, night and early wakings, the total amount of sleep, as well as other relevant variables in the participating children. Parents and caregivers were encouraged to assist with treatment development during the assessment process and served as interventionists at home following behavioral skills training. A multiple-baseline-across-subjects designed was used to evaluate the treatments. Parents also provided feedback on the acceptability of each treatment and on their satisfaction with the outcomes. The relative advantages and disadvantages of each treatment option, their comparative efficacy, and the extent to which parents can implement the strategies with integrity are discussed.

Young people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often exhibit significant sleep problems e.g., delayed sleep onset latency, and frequent and prolonged night wakings throughout their life, but there is little research into effective interventions for them. Previous research has largely focused on sleep problems in non-verbal preschool or school-aged children with autism, where parents are the primary intervention agents. We illustrate how behavioural sleep interventions can be adapted to include young people with ASD, who are verbal and have various levels of functioning, in therapy. The current study used a single-case multiple baseline design to evaluate the effectiveness of adolescent-led or combined parent/adolescent-led behavioral treatments for sleep problems in 7, 9-15 year old participants with ASD. Selected participants displayed sufficient communication abilities to participate in therapy, assessed by clinical judgement and the Communication domain of the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales; inclusion was not limited by IQ. Preliminary analysis indicates both young person-led and combined parent/ young person-led treatment approaches resulted in a reduction in target sleep variables for 6/7 participants. Parent and young person treatment fidelity and social validity data will also be presented. The process and implications of including young people with ASD within the therapeutic process will be discussed.

Sleep problems in children and adolescents with autism are often maintained by antecedent variables and reinforcement contingencies unique to the individual. Functional Behavioural Assessment (FBA) is a tool used identify this unique combinations of variables for each individual. To date, few large N studies replicating the evaluation of function-based interventions for sleep problems in people with autism exist. This presentation reports the outcomes of a series of single-case multiple baseline design studies evaluating the effects of function-based, parent-implemented interventions for 40 children and adolescents with ASD. Data was gathered using a combination of daily parent-reported sleep diaries, videosomnography and actigraphy and was used to calculate a Sleep Problem Severity score for baseline, treatment, and short- and long-term follow-up. Treatment fidelity, reliability and social validity data were also collected. Preliminary analysis indicates that FBA-based interventions led to a reduction in some or all sleep problems for all children who completed intervention. These gains were generally maintained at short- and long-term follow-up. The implications of these findings for clinical practice and future research will be discussed.

Most behaviors recommended to slow, prevent or adapt to global warming entail delayed consequences that may be inadequate to maintain behavior change. A challenge to any effort to organize behaviors responsive to climate change is increasing the current value of those behaviors to individuals, organizations and communities and consideration of their value to future generations. A framework for research and practice to govern consumption of community resources and preserve natural capital for future generations might consider what determines ‘sticky’ interventions that persist over time and attract others to invest in their expansion. Central to this framework are principles governing collective action, policies that define contingencies and organizational models that promote valuing of natural resources over unchecked consumption. Presentations in this symposium will highlight the emerging discussions and research associated with socially relevant issues.

Academicians, students, and practitioners who are interested in performance improvement in organizations.

Large populations in urban centers leads to increasing complexity and concurrency between contingencies that affect individuals and groups. Modern urban mobility debates focus on how to implement policies that address this issue in an environmentally conscious account. Private automobiles are the preferred transportation in urban centers, however bicycles are gaining attention as an environmentally friendly alternative. This presentation discuss methodological developments to measure the impacts of the implementation of bicycle lanes on the use of bicycles as a basic means of transport. Counting of individuals biking were conduct in two two-hour time intervals by two independent observers on four days before bike lane implementation and four days after implementation. Follow-ups with equal measures were made in two months after the bicycle lanes are open. Video feeds from public security cameras were obtained, which allowed the use of BORIS software. A complementary software was developed in PASCAL to increase measurement precision from the video feeds in BORIS. Preliminary results indicated precise measurement and high IOA (≥90%). These developments are important to discuss the difficulties of evaluating public policies in developing countries such as Brazil, which can have direct implications for efficient urban planning and sustainable development.

Solid waste management has often been target of interventions in behavior analysis therefore this research had the purpose to develop a cultural design to this practice. Two studies were made in a community. The first one followed a systematized guidance used to cultural designs and 21 people participated. The procedure was divided into two stages to gather information about the community demand for pro-environmental practices and about the inappropriate practice of solid waste management. As a result, the cultural design was planned. The second study consisted of the implementation of a cultural design and 33 children participated. It was divided into: environment modification, instruction activities, gamification strategy and a practical activity. A baseline procedure was performed before the interventions and at the end of the program, two follow-up sessions were held. After each phase, the products of behaviors were measured. The results showed that the proportion of correct discards in Follow Up I and II was significantly higher than the first baseline (p = 0,0001?5%), as well as the proportion of separations by recyclable and organic items in both Follow Ups was significantly higher than the second baseline (p = 0,0001?5%). It was concluded that the cultural design was effective.

For many practitioners, protecting clients’ sexual behavior rights and the safety of clients and others can be a challenging balancing act. Clear operational definitions of sexual behavior are a key component in choosing supports that best serve our clients and those around them. This symposium presents behavior analytic conceptualizations of defining problematic sexual behavior, and difference between sexual behavior and romantic behavior. This symposium also presents data on the implementation of interventions for treating harmful sexual behavior using best practice and technology. Presenters will discuss resulting data and their implications as applicable, and will discuss recommendations for future research, instruction, and applied projects.

For many individuals in the US, cultural and formal education conflate romantic interest with sexual interest. It is often taught that a sexual relationship necessitates a romantic relationship, and vice versa. Because of this, skill set needs may be assumed and training may focus on skills that don’t align with client desires. For clients with asexual or aromantic identities, there is still great room for growth in providing ethical and affirming services with skill building that validates these identities and their unique needs and that centers bodily autonomy. Examining cultural assumptions about interpersonal closeness, this talk examines tacting different components of desire, communicating desire, and skill building to meet idiosyncratic interpersonal goals.

Prior research has demonstrated that response rate pertaining to target responding can affect levels resurgence (e.g., Reed & Morgan, 2007; Da Silva, Maxwell, & Lattal, 2008). However, the effects of response rate have not been evaluated with clinically relevant populations. We conducted a two-experiment study in which we translated the results of Da Silva et al. (2008). In Experiment 1, we assessed resurgence of respective mands with distinct response rates (in Phase A) including a relative high response rate (i.e., under a FR 6 schedule of reinforcement) versus a relatively low response rate (i.e., under a FR 1 schedule of reinforcement) with an equal rate of reinforcement in individuals with autism. The results of Experiment 1 were idiosyncratic and inconsistent with basic findings. In Experiment 2, based on aspects of the findings in Experiment 1, we incorporated a discrimination procedure and subsequently evaluated relative resurgence of responding across conditions with different rates of responding. The results of Experiment 2 were consistent with the basic findings in that higher levels of resurgence were associated with higher rates of responding. Future avenues of research and potential implications of the current results will be discussed.

Putting a student at the appropriate academic place developmentally in a teaching curriculum increases their likelihood of success. This information is used to match the behavioral-developmental stages of a person in a domain. The Model of Hierarchical Complexity (MHC, 2008) is a framework employed to assign the Order of Hierarchical Complexity (OHC), i.e., difficulty, to the specific behavioral tasks. First, a set of conditions for a specific task must be provided. Each behavioral task must consist of these conditions: a) Level of difficulty; b) Reinforcement schedule/contingency; c) Positive/negative feedback; d) Presentation of discriminative stimulus (SD). In order to assign the appropriate MHC stage to the behavioral-developmental task, one needs to know whether positive/negative feedback was given immediately; if corrections are given for incorrect responses, what the reinforcement schedule/contingency is (i.e. fixed ratio/antecedent), if a verbal or nonverbal SD is present and how they were presented. Second, we pair this information with developmental milestones to accurately map the specified behavioral task to a MHC stage. Mapping teaching curricula onto the MHC will facilitate the creation of efficacious intervention plans. These curricula can be beneficial for both typically developing children and children with developmental disabilities across a variety of cultural settings.

Abstract Common to all personality disorders are long-term patterns of behavior falling on the following eight variables: 1) Attachment (strength of caring); 2) Empathy (social-perspective taking skills); 3) Impulsivity (acting without delay); 4) Anger (hostility and aggression); 5) Depression (feelings of sadness); 6) Narcissism (exaggerated dependence on self-serving reinforcements); 7) Psychoticism (paranoia); and 8) Awareness of boundaries (differentiating oneself from others). A self-report instrument was developed to measure these variables to predict the presence of personality disorders from a behavioral-developmental perspective. Item selection is generated from both previously established scales (Li, Duong & Going, in press) and novel scales. Scales for narcissism, psychoticism, and awareness of boundaries are developed in this study. The pilot study’s results are factor analyzed to see how well the items line up with the notions of each scale. The unidimensionality of the variables is also analyzed using Rasch analysis after the formal study is run. There were high factor loading values (≥ .700) for items in the five established scales. This brief and valid self-report measure is a valuable tool for improving further assessment of personality disorders and in planning optimal treatments. The proposed instrument is also necessary in understanding personality disorders from a behavioral framework.

Students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs) experience significant barriers to academic achievement. Parents of children will IDDs often feel overwhelmed in finding ways to effectively promote their children’s academic success. Behaviorally-based parent training has been shown to improve parents’ use of evidence-based behavior and academic strategies, and promote subsequent child outcomes. This symposium will include two presentations focused on methods implemented in the context of an academic evaluation and intervention clinic to provide parent training for the purposes of (1) improving parents’ behavior management skills, (2) promoting academic outcomes for children and adolescents with IDDs, and (3) increasing parents’ treatment integrity implementing academic interventions. Participants included parents and their child/adolescent with IDD. A series of multiple baseline designs were used to determine the effectiveness of the parent training program on parents’ behavior management skills and treatment integrity and child/adolescent academic outcomes. Collectively, results indicated that (1) parents improved their use of effective instructions with concomitant improvements in child/adolescent compliance and (2) parents improved their treatment integrity for delivering academic interventions with concomitant improvements children’s reading skills. Results obtained from this program inform both research and practice related to promoting academic achievement for children and adolescents with IDDs.

Behavior analysts who work with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, behavior analysts who work in educational contexts, clinical psychologists, school psychologists, and graduate students in applied behavior analysis, school psychology, and/or clinical psychology.

The present symposium explored relatively uncharted territory of PEAK. Specifically, the authors investigated the extent to which the system facilitated a basic musical repertoire in playing notes on a piano, empathetic responding supported by a scenario-based empathy training, and advanced verbal operants with typically-developing children.

beginner-intermediate behavior analysts or students of

Great behavior-analytic attention has been afforded to the better understanding of the core skills to an empathetic repertoire. However, these efforts have predominantly remained in the conceptual and theoretical domains of our science. To expand the extent to which behavior analysis has a place in the discussion of a more advanced skill, the current study sought to tease out theoretically-couched prerequisites to a typically-developing empathetic repertoire and, in the absence of said skills, propose a training for those skills.

The Prosocial process is rooted in economics, evolution science, and contextual behavior science and offers a process for teams and groups to identify core values, determine those behaviors most valued by the group, and in doing so facilitate cooperation and sharing of resources (Wilson, Ostrom, & Cox, 2013). The method is a six-step process, components of which include, the Acceptance Commitment Training (ACT) Matrix (Polk, Schoendorff, Webster, & Olaz, 2016), eight Core Design Principles (CDPs) for group interaction (Wilson, Ostrom, & Cox, 2013), and a planning for actionable goals, and measurement of team interactions (Atkins, 2018). This symposium will give examples of implementing the individual and group ACT Matrix to influence values clarification and behaviors related to employee engagement in a public service organization and cultural competence within clinical settings. Additionally, examples of a process for operationalizing the eight core design principles with different groups will be shared, making these principles observable and measurable within and across groups to facilitate flexible and healthy group dynamics to positively impact cooperation, performance, and well-being.

Behavior Analysts, Researchers and Practitioners

Creating and maintaining a positive and productive work environment has been the focus of researchers in various disciplines for decades, yet, research examining systematic methods for increasing job satisfaction and job performance remains limited. This study investigated how a brief 45-minute work group session utilizing The Prosocial Matrix (a visual tool representing psychological flexibility processes and grounded in Relational Frame Theory and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) impacted work task engagement and levels of psychological flexibility across three work groups in one public service organization. Defined work tasks were used to measure rates of employee engagement, in addition to using the Work-Related Acceptance and Action Questionnaire pre- and post intervention. Analysis of results will be shared along with discussion of suggestions for future applications and research. Results provide additional information regarding the potential benefits of utilizing the Prosocial Matrix as means for altering levels of work task engagement and psychological flexibility among work group populations.

Entrusted with the clinical, educational, social and/or behavioural progress of our clients in today’s culturally dynamic and ever-changing world can be challenging. The need for cultural competency, and thoughtful dissemination of Western therapeutic practices has never been greater. In this talk, participants will be exposed to a Psychological Flexibility model of cultural competency, with an emphasis on values as verbal stimuli which may alter the reinforcement function of those responses previously involved in direct and aversive conditions. The ACT Matrix will be explored as a tool for facilitating culturally-competent clinical practices amongst teams. It is hypothesized that an approach to cultural competency that is based in contextual behaviour science will be more meaningful and effective than traditional “rule-based” approaches (which may prove to be ineffective or even counter-productive). The presentation is applicable to all clinicians looking to increase the cultural competency of their team members.

The following symposium explores three different studies that targeted effective instruction across the areas of reading and writing within preschool populations through the perspective of the Verbal Behavior Development Theory. Longano, Hranchuk, and Greer (2018) present the effects of a preschool writer immersion instructional package on the structural components of writing and on affecting the behavior of a reader. Al Sharif and Dudek (2018) present the effects of establishing hear-do correspondence on read-do correspondence for children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Lastly, Morgan and Kim (2018) discuss a related topic in their presentation entitled The Effects of Reader Immersion on the Acquisition of Read-Do Correspondence for Two Preschool Students.

Practitioners and educators working with young children with and without disabilities

We tested the effects of a writing/spelling instructional package on the emergence of the writing of untaught constant-vowel-constant (CVC) words and the potential effects of the written word on a reader. Six preschoolers, all male, ranging in ages from 3- to 4-years-old participated. We used a multiple probe design across 3 match-paired dyads for the first dependent measure, writing/spelling of untaught CVC words. We also tested for a secondary dependent measure; the effects of the written word on a reader, using a delayed multiple probe design. The intervention consisted of a writing/spelling instructional package, in which participants were taught to independently write dictated CVC words to corresponding picture cards. We then asked the other participant in the dyad to read and match the written response to a picture from an array of pictures. If incorrect, participants rewrote the word until their peers matched the written response to the correct picture. The results demonstrated that the instructional package was effective in teaching all participants to independently write/spell untaught CVC words and evoke a reader response.

The experimenters conducted a study to establish hear-do correspondence and observe its effects on read-do correspondence in 3 children diagnosed with Autism using a delayed multiple probe design (Johnston & Pennypacker, 2008). Hear-do correspondence is defined according to Verbal Behavior Development Theory (2009) and Verbal Behavior Theory (1957) as speaker as his own listener. According to Skinner (1957) the behavior of the listener is automatically reinforced as the listener takes on the role of both the listener and the speaker. Read-do correspondence is defined as reading governs responding. The experiment was conducted in a self- contained classroom that is based on the CABAS® model. The experimenters included 4 dependent variables represented in 2 different tasks, writing and building. In addition, all probes were conducted in 2 topographies, listening and reading. In the listening topography, the participants listened to a recording of themselves reading a set of directions they had to follow, while in the reading topography, they had to read a set of directions on an A4 paper and follow the directions. The writing task consisted of completing a set of 3 steps that included 10 components that produced a drawing, while the building task consisted of completing 10 steps that produced a construction. The independent variable consisted of the reader immersion protocol (Greer & Ross, 2008; Mackey, 2017), however, it was presented in a listening topography, rather than reading where the participants recorded the treasure hunt used in the intervention prior to starting the intervention and listened to the recording of their own voices to follow the instructions and receive reinforcement or correction as a consequence. The results of the experiment showed that the intervention was effective in increasing both hear-do and read-do correspondence following the completion of the intervention for all 3 participants.

The present symposium investigates the extent to which Derived Relational Responding (and related tests for) has implications to the overall acquisition of trained relations for individuals with autism and symptom severity. Further, the symposium provides an exploratory analysis of the oft-cited competing viewpoints concerning the independency or interdependency of Skinner's verbal operants.

intermediate-advanced behavior analysts

The present study sought to examine the use of two teaching procedures as methods of increasing relational responding in children with developmental disabilities. We compared one procedure that presented test probes for combinatory entailment and transformation of function probes throughout the acquisition of directly trained A-B and B-C relations. In the second procedure test probes were withheld until the learner achieved mastery criteria for the directly trained A-B and B-C relations. Results show that all three participants achieved mastery criterion across both procedures and demonstrated the emergence of mutual entailment, combinatory entailment, and transformation of stimulus function. The presentation of entailed and transformation probes resulted in faster acquisition of directly trained and test relations. An account of current research and implications of these findings is provided.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) symptom severity has been linked with lower IQ (Mayes & Calhoun, 2011). The prevalence of maladaptive behavior may change as a function of IQ as demonstrated by Ando and Yoshimora (1978). Belisle, Dixon, and Stanley (2018); and Dixon, Belisle, and Stanley (2018) recently demonstrated the relationship between derived relational responding skills and intelligence in individuals with ASD. Derived relational responding provides a behavior analytic conceptualization of intelligence and how these skills develop. The current investigation extends the work of Dixon, Belisle and Stanley (2018) by evaluating the relationship between participants’ abilities to engage in derived relational responding and ASD symptom severity as indicated by the Gilliam Autism Rating Scale-Third Edition (GARS-3). Derived Relational Responding skills were assessed using the Promoting the Emergence of Advanced Knowledge Transformation Assessment (Dixon, 2016). Assessments were conducted across 13 individuals (more data is being collected, targeted sample size is 35) with ASD. The current results indicated a negative correlation between PEAK-T Expressive Pre-Assessment scores and GARS-3 (r = -.594, p < 0.05), 28 % variance in GARS-3 scores were also predicted by PEAK-T Expressive Pre-assessment scores (r2 = .283). These findings provide some preliminary implications for the treatment of individuals with ASD.

The utility of lag schedules for increasing varied responding has been established in basic research with animals since the 1980s. This symposium aims to disseminate the latest research investigating lag schedules in applied settings. The first paper, a comprehensive research synthesis, will “set the scene” by providing an overview of the recent developments in applied, basic and translational research on lag schedules with human participants. This will be followed by three empirical papers describing lag schedule research for increasing variability in play behaviours of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The first of these increased variation in selection of toys, remediating a common problem among children with ASD, namely that they perseverate on a limited number of toys, missing out on opportunities for social and tangible reinforcement. The next paper describes the use of lag schedules to increase variation in appropriate play behaviors and the impact of this on stereotypy. This is timely as it represents a potential shift in how restricted repetitive behaviors are conceptualized. If we frame them as low behavioral variability then reinforcement-based strategies are indicated. The third paper outlines a lag schedule intervention to increase variability in play actions with toys, with a focus on generalization and maintenance effects and how these may be maximized. Together with the discussant, these papers will provide an engaging insight into the practical aspects of using lag schedules to increase variability in humans, with an emphasis on play.

BCBA, BCBA-D Post graduate students, practitioners, researchers

Research has demonstrated that children with ASD engage more in stereotyped, repetitive movements during play and demonstrate limited interest in varying the toys they play with. Therefore, evidence-based interventions are necessary to assist with widening the community of reinforcers and improving variability and flexibility of play among this group. In Phase 1, a stimulus-stimulus pairing intervention was successfully implemented to condition three toys as reinforcers for four children with ASD. In Phase 2, lag schedules of reinforcement were implemented in a non-concurrent multiple baseline across participants design to increase variability in toy selection for three children with ASD using the toys that were conditioned in Phase 1 along with three novel toys. Results indicated that lag schedules are an effective intervention for increasing variability in toy selection for children with ASD and that the toys that had been previously conditioned were not selected more frequently under lag conditions than the novel toys. Implications of this work for early intervention programs will be outlined.

The tendency of individuals with autism to engage in excessive repetitive and stereotyped behavior may be conceptualized as a deficit in variable responding. Basic and applied studies in the behavioral literature have demonstrated that, similar to other operant dimensions of behavior, variability can be impacted via the manipulation of reinforcement contingencies using lag schedules. Lag schedules have been demonstrated to positively impact variability across a variety of skills with individuals with autism including verbal behavior such as mands, tacts, and appropriate answers to social questions. Lag schedules have also been demonstrated to increase variability with toy play behaviors. In this study, we evaluated the effects of applying lag schedules to appropriate toy play behaviors on object-based stereotypy, appropriate toy play behavior, and novel play responses. We utilized an ABAB embedded in a non-concurrent multiple baseline design across participants. Results suggested that applying the lag schedule increased the cumulative number of novel responses and engagement in appropriate play. It also resulted in decreased time engaged in object-based stereotypy. The potential utility of lag schedules for decreasing object-based stereotypy in individuals with autism will be discussed.

Restricted repetitive behaviors are frequently demonstrated by children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Invariable behaviors, along with limited play skills, may result in little contact with social sources of reinforcement. Research has demonstrated variability to be an operant element of behavior, sensitive to reinforcement contingencies and lag schedules are gaining increasing attention in the research literature. The current study adds to previous work by investigating the use of lag schedules of reinforcement to occasion novel play actions with toys with three children diagnosed with ASD in the United Arab Emirates. A non-concurrent multiple baseline design across participants was utilized to evaluate the effects of lag 1 and lag 2 schedules of reinforcement. During baseline conditions, play behavior with was observed in the absence of intervention. During intervention conditions, reinforcers were delivered contingent on responses that met the lag criterion. Furthermore, prompts were introduced and faded to further increase variable toy-play behavior. The data indicate that the procedure was effective in increasing novel toy-play responding for all three participants. Additional data on generalization, maintenance and social validity will be presented and discussed as these factors are likely to influence the adoption of lag schedule interventions in applied settings.

Data have suggested that delayed MTS (DMTS) is more effective in establishing equivalence classes than simultaneous MTS (SMTS), in addition to providing stronger associations among stimuli within classes. A possible explanation for these results is that the delay allows the participant to be exposed to the sample stimuli for longer time. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of different delays in MTS tasks on the formation of equivalence classes and on temporal parameters of eye fixations regarding the sample stimuli as assessed by eye-tracking apparatus. Nine undergraduate students were exposed to a conditional discrimination training in order to establish classes A1B1C1, A2B2C2, A3B3C3 and A4B4C4. Each of these classes was associated with one of the following condition: SMTS and DMTS (delay 0 s, 2 s and 4 s). Seven participants demonstrated the formation of stimulus classes. Regarding eye tracking, no remarkable differences had been observed regarding the fixations to the sample stimuli during the acquisition of conditional discriminations as well as during equivalence tests in any of the experimental conditions.These results suggest, therefore, that the longer exposure to the sample stimuli in a MTS task may be not enough to explain the differences observed in the establishment of equivalence classes in DMTS compared to SMTS tasks.

Theoretical developments in the inductive sciences come about when a sufficient amount of data has been collected to warrant a conceptual organization or reorganization of known empirical facts. When cast precisely, theories can also delimit their domain and, thus, serve to create the conditions for their modification and development. Sidman’s (1994 and 2000) papers serve as excellent examples of this kind of theory making. In this address, I will attempt to describe how developments in Sidman’s conceptualization of equivalence relations have created the conditions for a re-evaluation of the procedures and criteria by which equivalence relations are assayed and measured. In brief, Sidman’s recognition that equivalence relations include all positive members of a contingency or reinforcement allows for the possibility that equivalence relations can emerge from systematically arranged two- and three-term contingencies. This presentation will explore the implications of this shift in thinking for how equivalence relations are defined and measured.

The current study evaluated whether instructional control over learning readiness behavior could be established and reversed as a result of trained augmentals. Six typically developing second grade students participated in the study. First, coordination relations were trained and tested for a network of learning readiness behavior. High value, minimal value, and negative value augmentals were then established for two arbitrary stimuli. Instructional control tests with trained augmentals in place resulted in rapid control over student responding under the negative value augmental condition with varied responding under the high and minimal value augmental conditions.

One way an individual can control another person's behavior is through aversive consequences, such as threats of punishment. In behavioral research this is referred to as aversive control. Aversive control is widespread in our culture and its use is concerning because it frequently evokes negative side effects. Countercontrol is one of these negative side effects. Countercontrol is an operant response that is evoked by aversive control and that functions to punish the user of aversive control. This may take the form of acts of rebellion, revolution, protest, sabotage, and terrorism. Organizational settings frequently utilize aversive control and more research is needed to determine under what conditions the side effects of aversive control, such as countercontrol, may be evoked. The purpose of the current study was to create an organizational analogue in which statements made by a manager may evoke countercontrol responses. The study used an ABCDCD reversal design, and a total of 14 participants completed the procedure. Results indicated that the majority of participants did not engage in countercontrol, however, the procedure may have resulted in countercontrol responding by several participants. How individual results may inform managerial practices and future research will be discussed.

The authors use the standard celeration chart to examine behavioral phenomenon that are not only underappreciated in behavior analysis, but in America more generally. Police suicide and killing and nefarious behaviors including terrorist attacks, hate crimes and school shootings have unfortunately become commonplace in America. But the application of science to analyzing these is far less common, making solutions to these elusive. While newspapers print trends of various crimes against humanity, these are not always listed in the most helpful and accurate terms for understanding what story the data are telling. One paper examines recent trends in use of force and people killed by police. An update is offered regarding current acceleration or deceleration rates of people killed by police and law enforcement officers who have died via suicide. The second paper depicts a more meaningful depiction of trends in school shootings, hate crimes and terrorist attacks to help convey a more cogent conclusion about these phenomenon. By applying behavior analysis to these phenomenon, there is potential for the field of ABA to develop solutions. The authors use celeration to understand and interpret these trends over the last several years. Broader implications of these trends and possible solutions are discussed.

The audience is intermediate to advanced ABA practitioners.

School shootings, hate crimes and terrorist attacks appear to be on the rise despite numerous public efforts to increase awareness of these deviant behavioral phenomena. Examining the celeration of these offers an advantage to traditional graphing methods because celeration is a derivative of rate and serves as an earlier indicator of change. Using the standard celeration chart, the author illustrates how these detrimental social phenomena are changing over the last several years and what behavior analysts can offer in the way of contributions to preventing or decreasing these. The lack of applied science used to target reduction of these behaviors are a tragedy, particularly considering the effectiveness of ABA interventions, be they at the organizational, community or population level or the individual level (e.g., individual treatment). Uniquely, standard celeration enables professionals to compare the trends of phenomenon that may not be measured in the same unit. This is because celeration is a standard property of all behavior change and underlies the trends. The author concludes by suggesting how standard celeration may offer previously unrealized solutions to understanding and curbing these phenomenon.

This discussion cover both conceptual issues that drive the formulation and analysis of attending, joint attending and social referencing repertoires and provide video demonstrations of behavioral operations that work to establish such repertoires in individuals in which they are weak or missing. The primary focus of the discussion is to provide practitioners with current intervention tools and approaches to effect exponential change and growth in clients.

BCBAs and clinical practitioners providing services to young children with autism and ASD

Applied behavior analysis is deeply rooted in the natural sciences – as a natural science, description, prediction, control, objective observation and data-based decision-making necessarily run paramount. The application of our technology to matters of social significance, albeit important, is not complete without consideration of the other aspects that make up a scientific system – namely, the philosophical and theoretical underpinnings that inform our methodology. Baer, Wolf, and Risley (1968) clearly laid out the dimensions of which our applied science should be comprised, while cautioning practitioners against several pitfalls – a critical one being the consideration that: “The differences between applied and basic research are not differences between that which ‘discovers’ and that which merely ‘applies’ what is already known. Both endeavors ask what controls the behavior under study.” As behavior analysts working in applied realms, area we continuing to operate within the foundations of our scientific system? This symposium will be comprised of three papers directly addressing this question.

Practitioners, students, basic and applied researchers

A scientific system is comprised of four parts (a) philosophy, (b) theory, (c) methodology, and (d) technology. The strength of a scientific system can be evaluated by its ability to have increasingly organized statements that are consistent and cohesive and allow for depth and precision (Hayes, Hayes, & Reese, 1988; Pepper, 1942). With the recent increase in demand for applied behavior analytic services, an emphasis has been placed on training in technology with little emphasis on the philosophical and theoretical roots of behavior analysis. All four parts of a scientific system inform and influence each other. As such, it can be argued that not only is the scientific system weakened, but the technology being used and the methodology used to analyze the effectiveness of technology are also weakened by not developing scientist practitioners who have an understanding of the entire scientific system. This presentation will describe areas in which our ability to describe behavioral phenomenon with precision and scope has been deterred by the lack of training in philosophy and theory, and how this has also impacted the quality of our technology.

This symposium will feature two papers pertaining to brain injury and treatment. The first paper will review effective behavior analytic applications and address potential areas of expansion for researchers and practitioners. The second paper will present a case study of a male individual diagnosed with both viral and autoimmune encephalitis presenting with significant problematic behaviors including sexual advances, suicidal ideation, engaging in physical altercations, and frequent crying. Results and limitations based on behavior analytic programming will be reviewed. Implications and future directions will be discussed for both papers.

brain injury practitioners; applied researchers

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), it is estimated that 2.5 million Americans sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI) that results in hospitalizations, long-term disability, and even death, with approximately 5.3 million men, women, and children currently living with a TBI-related disability. TBI occurs when there is sudden trauma or force upon the brain and can result in changes to behavior, emotion, motor and executive functioning. There is limited research supporting the use of behavioral approaches in the traumatic brain injury community, however existing research suggests that behavioral interventions are effective in decreasing maladaptive behaviors for traumatic brain injury survivors. This paper reviews research on behavioral interventions to reduce maladaptive behaviors in individuals with traumatic brain injury and suggests directions for expanding behavior analytic research and practice in this critically needed area.

This paper reviews behavior analytic applications with a 34-year-old male diagnosed with both Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) 1 meningeal encephalitis and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor encephalitis in a post-acute Neurorehabilitation program. Neurobehavioral problems included socially inappropriate behaviors (i.e., sexually aberrant behaviors), excessive eating, initiating verbal and physical altercations, exiting therapeutic area, emotional lability (i.e., crying), and suicidal ideation. Treatment package included significant antecedent modifications, differential reinforcement of other behavior, contingent access to normalized setting, and brief over-correction procedures. Cooperation at admission improved from 47% to 100% at discharge. Socially inappropriate behaviors also improved from 63% at admission to 0% at discharge. Data and graphical analysis along with case specifics, insurance and treatment hindrance, and general limitations will be presented.

Single-case designs are one of the main tools used for evaluating applied behavioral interventions. Although single-case studies can be highly informative about the efficacy of an intervention for the individual participants, single studies provide a limited basis for generalization. The tools of research synthesis, meta-analysis, and effect sizes provide a stronger basis for establishing evidence-based practices and drawing broader, more defensible generalizations than what is possible from single studies considered separately. For single-case studies that use systematic direct observation of behavior to measure behavioral outcomes, response ratios, hedges' g, and multiple-regression based effect sizes are often used. We provide a general overview of each, benefits and drawbacks when using with single-case studies, along with intuitive ways to calculate each effect size.

Researchers

Single-case designs are one of the main tools used for evaluating applied behavioral interventions. Although single-case studies can be highly informative about the efficacy of an intervention for the individual participants, single studies provide a limited basis for generalization. The tools of research synthesis, meta-analysis, and effect sizes provide a stronger basis for establishing evidence-based practices and drawing broader, more defensible generalizations than what is possible from single studies considered separately. For single-case studies that use systematic direct observation of behavior to measure behavioral outcomes, response ratios are a simple and intuitive way to quantify effect sizes in terms of proportionate change from baseline. This presentation will review recently developed methods and tools for estimating response ratio effect sizes. Methods will be described for the simple scenario where the level of the outcome is constant within each phase and for the more challenging scenario where treatment has gradual effects, which build up and dissipate over time. The presentation will highlight interactive web-based tools for calculating response ratios under both scenarios.

In single-case research design (SCRD), experimental control is demonstrated when the researcher’s application of an intervention, known as the independent variable, reliably produces a change in behavior, known as the dependent variable, and the change is not otherwise explained by confounding or extraneous variables. Recently, researchers and policy organizations have identified evidence-based practices (EBPs) for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) based on systematic reviews and meta-analyses of SCRD studies (e.g., Odom, Collet-Klingenberg, Rogers, & Hatton, 2010). Effect sizes determined from SCRD meta-analyses allow for a sound basis when determining EBPs. A popular ES determined from SCRD meta-analyses is Hedges' g. This presentation will review Hedges' g, the benefits and limitations, and an intuitive way to calculate the ES once SCRD data has been extracted.

Traditional psychological research and applications have relied on unobservable phenomena and behavior-behavior relations to predict various variables in individuals' lives. Behavior analysis has much to offer in terms of improving these predictions and furthermore effectively influencing behaviors to improve the lives of individuals and groups. This symposium will include talks that focus on using behavioral strategies to collect indirect data in order to make both research and clinical work more effective. One of the talks will discuss how to use linguistic analysis to make the concept of psychological flexibility directly observable. The second talk will discuss how indirect self-report data can be used to make interventions for children. The last talk will discuss how to use behavioral principles to improve data collection from hard to reach populations, such as men of color who have sex with men. The varying topics in this symposium are linked by the emphasis on using behavioral and behavior analytic methods to improve traditional psychological research and interventions.

BCBAs RBTs Other professionals working in applied settings Researchers conducting applied research in any psychology domain

Traditional psychology has much to benefit from behavior analytic methods. One of these areas is the process of scale construction to measure verbal reports of behavior. This project aimed to use behavior analytic methods to influence data collection for a scale construction study, from content area experts, and a hard to reach population (men of color who have sex with men). We collected data from experts three times, via an online survey. We used verbal praise delivered online to reinforce survey completion. If experts did not respond within an expected time frame, we used prompts to increase likelihood of responding. Prompts were successful about 40% of the time in influencing experts’ behavior. Next, we collected data from two large samples of men of color, through Amazon mTurk in two different studies. We varied reinforcer strength (compensation in dollars) within each study to influence response rate. For study 1, response rate increased from 8.35 per hour to 29.4 per hour upon increasing the reinforcer by $.20. Interestingly, response rate in study 2 dropped from 19.7 per hour to 10.7 per hour upon increasing the reinforcer by $.25. Implications for using behavior analytic techniques to enhance traditional psychological methods will be discussed.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) has been shown to be an effective treatment strategy, and behavior analysts are beginning to use it in their clinical practice. However, minimal resources exist to assist clinicians with selecting psychometric tools and implementing ACT with novel populations. Further, behavior analysts must consider ethical conduct when using ACT, to ensure they adhere to their code of ethics. Therefore, the current symposium will focus on considerations for using ACT in practice across three domains: ethics, psychometrics, and innovative ways to use ACT with novel populations. The first paper will discuss how a brief 4-session ACT package was developed and implemented for a novel population, female university students with anxiety. The second paper will discuss a new psychometric survey, the Children’s Psychological Flexibility Questionnaire (CPFQ), and the convergent validity of the CPFQ with caregiver report. The third paper will focus on the effects of ACT on staff engagement in positive interactions when implementing behavioral programs for children with autism. Finally, the fourth paper will discuss ethical considerations for behavior analysts using ACT, and will highlight strategies for using ACT consistent language and functional intervention techniques while adhering to the ethical code of conduct.

Board Certified Behavior Analysts, Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analysts, Registered Behavior Technicians

As a new tool for measuring psychological flexibility in children and adolescents, the Children's Psychological Flexibility Questionnaire (CPFQ; Dixon & Paliliunas, 2017) constitutes 24 items across the six core clinical processes used in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT; Hayes, Strosahl, & Wilson, 2012). Moreover, the CPFQ: Caregiver Report mirrors items from the Child Report, with the exception that it is completed by an adult (e.g., caregiver, provider, educator, etc.) who is familiar with the child or adolescent. In addition to measuring progress and growth over time, the CPFQ is also used in intervention planning to determine which ACT areas to target as part of the Accept. Identify. Move (AIM) curriculum (Dixon & Paliliunas, 2017). Although AIM blends mindfulness, ACT, and applied behavior analysis, it is still in its early introduction and little research has been done assessing the curriculum or its measures. In the current study, the convergent validity of the CPFQ: Child Report and CPFQ: Caregiver Report were compared. Child Reports were completed by individuals 12 years and older who have a diagnosis of autism or a related developmental disability, whereas caregivers or providers completed Caregiver Reports, depending on whether participants were their own legal guardians or not. Preliminary results indicated that at least one item in the present moment, defusion, values, and committed action categories had a strong positive correlation between Client and Caregiver Reports. The findings suggest that scores from the CPFQ: Child Report and Caregiver Report are related and support high validity for the CPFQ.

Therapists for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are exposed to high levels of work-related stress that are associated with negative interactions and emotional exhaustion among workers. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) has been explored as a treatment to decrease levels of perceived work-related stress among direct care staff (Bond and Bunce, 2000; Flaxman and Bond, 2010; Kurz et al., 2014; Veage et al., 2014). However, ACT-based interventions are not improving scores on burnout and it is necessary to develop a better understanding of the specific goals of ACT in work settings. Therefore, the purpose of this presentation is to evaluate the effectiveness of ACT and mindfulness techniques, on improving interactions and intervention techniques towards clients with developmental disabilities. Preliminary results indicated that the percentage of positive interactions and psychological flexibility improved across participants. Our results suggest that using ACT-based exercises may increase psychological flexibility of ABA therapists as well as increase positive interactions among ABA therapists with their clients. Potential implications for organizations who provide ABA services as well as for ABA therapists to improve the psychological well-being and quality of services delivered are discussed.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) has been researched over 20 years, with overwhelming positive effects. For instance, ACT has been shown to improve job interview skills in adults with disabilities, smoking cessation in typically developing adults, and reduction of off-task related behaviors in school-aged children. Recently, ACT protocols for behavior analytic interventions have begun to emerge, as ACT can easily be utilized to assist BCBAs with identifying and treating experiential avoidance behaviors. While research to date supports ACT as an effective intervention for BCBAs, minimal guidelines exist for ethical considerations for practicing ACT in behavior analytic practice. Therefore, the current presentation will outline the role and importance of behavior analyst’s implementation of ACT, including adhering to an ethical code of conduct. The following strategies will be discussed: practitioner use of ACT consistent vs. inconsistent language; functional vs. non-functional intervention techniques; and ethical considerations throughout implementation.

Resurgence is the return of a previously extinguished response due to discontinuation or reduction in rate of reinforcement of a more recently reinforced alternative response. Resurgence has been used to model treatment relapse due to treatment-integrity errors resulting from the failure to reinforce alternative responses. In this symposium, we will consider several approaches to modifying differential reinforcement of alternative responding (DRA) and the effect on the mitigation of resurgence in basic and translational research. The first presentation compares the effect of five concurrently available alternative responses to a single alternative response on the mitigation of resurgence using rats. The second presentation compares the effect of serial-DRA training with more typical single-DRA in a laboratory experiment with children. The third presentation compares the effect of serial-response training with concurrent-response training in a laboratory setting with university students. The final presentation examines multiple-mand training and a lag schedule with functional communication training in an applied setting involving participants diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Practitioners, teachers, applied researchers, translational researchers, and basic researchers

This symposium summarizes novel research on interventions to improve treatment integrity as well as extensions of parametric analyses of treatment integrity. Bergmann will share results from a parametric analysis of treatment integrity to determine at which level of error most participants acquired a skill. The second presentation by Hodges evaluated an assessment to identify barriers and solutions to effective parent implementation of behavioral programming. Luck will describe findings from a study that measured teacher’s integrity of function-based treatments for escape-maintained problem behavior in the presence and absence of environmental distractions. The fourth presentation by Erath will summarize findings of a study evaluating the efficacy of antecedent- and technology-based training procedures on the integrity with which staff used behavioral skills training to teach colleagues how to implement a behavioral procedure. The symposium will conclude with discussant remarks by Dr. Linda LeBlanc.

Supervisors

Treatment integrity is the extent to which components of an intervention are implemented as intended (Gresham, 1989). Recent behavior-analytic literature has begun to evaluate the effects of treatment integrity on efficacy and efficiency of skill-acquisition interventions. We extended current literature on the effects of errors of omission and commission of reinforcement by replicating and extending Hirst and DiGennaro Reed (2015). We compared instruction implemented with varying degrees of integrity in a parametric analysis using a randomized-control group design with undergraduate students. A computer program made errors on 0% to 50% of trials. The purpose was to identify a level of error at which most participants could still acquire the task. Most participants assigned to integrity levels at or above 85% acquired the skill; therefore, errors of reinforcement on 15% or fewer trials did not hinder acquisition for most participants. The potential implications for training teachers, parents, and therapists to implement behavior analytic interventions with integrity will be discussed.

Implementing behavior analytic interventions requires many skills, including the ability to collect data, graph data, and then analyze data to make decisions. Applying a behavior analytic approach to designing and implementing training and clinical decision-making models can produce desirable results. In the first study, results indicate that a training package that include Behavioral Skills Training components (i.e., instruction, modeling, rehearsal, feedback) is an effective method to train day-treatment center staff to implement a multiple stimulus without replacement preference assessments. In the second and third studies, results indicated that computer-based instruction was an effective method for training behavior analytic skills. In the second study, participants were trained through computer-based instruction modules, to create simple line graphs with embedded phase change lines. In the third study, behavior technicians were trained through computer-based instruction to analyze functional analysis data to decide whether more sessions were necessary or not. Finally, a fourth study demonstrated the efficacy of a data-driven process to analyze undifferentiated functional analysis results to inform modifications to session variables.

Direct care staff working in adult day treatment centers typically receive didactic training to learn various behavior change and assessment procedures. Didactic training however, is not an empirically supported training method for achieving reliable treatment integrity. This study compared the effects of didactic training and behavioral skills training on the treatment integrity scores of direct care staff implementing a stimulus preference assessment with adults with disabilities in a day treatment center using a multiple baseline design across participants. Direct care staff were trained, in both methods, to implement a multiple stimulus without replacement assessment with confederates and clients with disabilities. Results indicated that behavioral skills training resulted in treatment integrity mastery for all participants, while no participants reached mastery criteria following didactic training. Implications for staff training will be discussed.

Functional analyses (FAs) identify variables that evoke and maintain target behaviors. Clinicians use FA results to introduce function-based interventions, increase the effectiveness of reinforcement-based procedures, and decrease reliance on punishment. The benefits of the FA are well established; however, many clinicians rarely conduct FAs due to time constraints. Therefore, interventions that decrease the time to conduct an FA are valuable to the field. Structured criteria increase the consistency (Hagopian et al., 1997) and efficiency of FA interpretation when applied in an ongoing manner (i.e., Ongoing Visual Inspection [OVI]; Saini, Fisher, & Retzlaff, 2018). Module-based training maximizes teaching opportunities while minimizing constraints on a behavior analyst’s time. During pretests, participants inspected FA graphs by viewing one series of the FA at a time and selected to continue the FA or to end the FA. During OVI training, participants accessed module-based training and referenced a sheet of rules. Posttests were identical to pretests except the participant had their rules sheet, and FA graphs contained criterion lines from the training. Training alone increased correct responding to the mastery criteria for five participants. One participant required the addition of feedback and programmed reinforcement. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of module-based OVI training.

Despite numerous studies outlining broad categories of best practices in the functional analysis (FA) of problem behavior (e.g. inclusion of programmed antecedents and consequences [Hanley, Iwata, & McCord, 2003]), sometimes FA outcomes are inconclusive. Recently, investigators have provided guidelines for best practices when FAs are inconclusive (Rooker, DeLeon, Borrero, Frank-Crawford, & Roscoe, 2015), and evidence for FA modifications that are most likely to produce differentiated outcomes (Hagopian, Rooker, Jessel, & DeLeon, 2013). Currently there are no data-informed strategies to guide clinician’s decision-making for selecting categories of FA modifications such as design (i.e. pairwise), antecedent, and/or consequence variables to obtain differentiated FA results. In the current study, we utilized a controlled consecutive case-series design within a clinical database to identify cases that included multielement and pairwise FAs. We used structured criteria evaluation to derive a data-informed process for making FA modifications to produce differentiated results. Structured criteria quotients (SCQs) were analyzed to determine if multielement FA SCQs were predictive of differentiated outcomes during subsequent modified FAs. Preliminary results suggest that a positive predictive quotient score may be used to inform FA changes to produce differentiated outcomes. Between and within subject analyses will be presented, as well as possible recommendations for practice.

Telehealth, an exciting and promising service delivery model, has changed significantly in the past two years. It is now evident that this model can be a viable option for providing ABA services by increasing the availability of providers within the United States and on an international scale. Our expert panel will provide a comprehensive overview of recent advancements relating to demand and insurance coverage in the United States, as well as international opportunities. A thorough analysis of providing ABA services using the telehealth model will also be discussed, as it requires careful considerations to yield interventions that are both effective and ethically sound. Several critical areas needed to successfully implement the telehealth model on a global scale will be examined which are inclusive, but not limited to, the BACB’s standards. We will explore how to successfully use HIPAA-compliant technology in order to effectively provide clinical services, including supervision. Business perspectives will be examined, in addition to a family systems approach that supports ethical and evidenced-based practices in ABA. Each of the panel members will contribute their own unique experiences as it pertains to each of these key areas.

The target audience is BCBA's and LBA's providing direct services, supervision, and parent training. Those who are interested in learning about advancements in the Telehealth delivery of service would benefit from this presentation.

Gender inequality can be defined as girls or women not having equal access to education, health care, protection, well-being, or opportunities in the labor market. Despite some progress, society and science remain institutionally sexist. Women face gender-related problems worldwide and are still underrepresented in important areas. In light of the importance of the topic, the status of women in behavior analysis has been investigated. Although female representation has increased substantially over time, women continue to face serious challenges. The purpose of this panel is to empower women by discussing the gender gap and what can be done to close it. Three prominent behavior analysts will share their experiences as successful women and leaders in both academia and clinical settings. Panelists will also discuss strategies to handle barriers imposed by the gender gap, achieve goals, and manage professional and personal life.

Behavior analysis has a specific commitment to establishing principles of behavior that generalize to allow for prediction and influence of a number of distinct behaviors across a range of contexts. One of the newest contexts we are having to contend with is that of social media platforms. These come in a variety of forms and serve numerous expressed purposes, some unintended and potentially problematic. At the individual level, the rise of social media has introduced a host of concerns regarding adolescent exposure to abusive or coercive interactions. Further, social media platforms have been implicated in terms of their considerable influence on the current political climate, including influence of voter behavior. Behavior analysis has much to offer on how to investigate functional relations between social media contexts and user behaviors of social relevance. Yet, our contribution has been limited. Panelists will discuss behavior analysis might approach the study the complex world of social media so as to understand and improve it.

BCBA

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) has been shown to be an effective treatment strategy for a range of populations and behaviors. For instance, ACT has been shown to be effective with children to reduce bullying and other maladaptive behaviors, decrease food refusal, and increase attention during class activities. Recent behavior analytic attention has been paid to ACT with school aged children, as evident by a surge of behavior analysts interested in and using ACT in their practice. The current symposium will focus on three papers all using ACT with school aged children, across academic performance, classroom disruption/maladaptive behaviors, and psychological flexibility. The first paper will highlight the efficacy of PEAK-Transformation module for assisting children out of traditional behavior analytic services to ACT. The second paper will focus on the effects ACT had on three boys’ classroom engagement in a range of disruptive and maladaptive behaviors, and on-task behaviors. The final paper will explore the new AIM Curriculum (Dixon, 2017), and showcase outcomes on student academic performance and psychological flexibility. Attendees will gain first hand knowledge about three unique ways to bring ACT to school aged children, as well as see the effects of ACT on a range of behaviors.

Board Certified Behavior Analysts, Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analysts, Registered Behavior Technicians

The current study evaluated the effects of implementing eight PEAK-T modules that targeted aspects of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to two individuals who had been previously receiving ACT services. The participants had been targeted as struggling with the transition from traditional Applied Behavior Analytic services to ACT, with high levels of maladaptive behaviors, low ACT Quantitative Analysis Scale (AQAS) scores, and low scores on psychological flexibility assessments. Individuals were introduced to treatment in a staggered fashion according to multiple baseline across participants. Behaviors were recorded according to rate, and the assessments were conducted initially at baseline, prior to treatment, and at the conclusion of the study. Preliminary data suggests that the PEAK-T modules have been successful at achieving stable and/or increased scores for the AQAS. Additionally, maladaptive behaviors have displayed stable and/or decreased rates. Finally, it appears that there has not been a significant difference in scores between the beginning and the end of baseline for the psychological flexibility assessments. This may would suggest that the PEAK-T modules would be an effective tool for transitioning individuals from traditional Applied Behavior Analytic services to ACT.

The AIM curriculum (Dixon, 2017) was developed to facilitate social-emotional development in children. Given its novelty, little research of any scope has been conducted exploring the efficacy of the curriculum. To that end, the current study seeks to explore the efficacy of the AIM program on student performance related to promoting psychological flexibility and increasing overall academic performance, while decreasing experiential avoidance and challenging behavior-related issues. We implemented the Mindfulness and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy portions of AIM with students aged 5-12. Additionally, we assessed the extent to which infusing these approaches within classrooms would impact teacher and instructional aid (IA) psychological flexibility and overall job satisfaction. Results suggest that student psychological flexibility increased over the duration of their exposure to AIM.

Numerous behavioral researchers have made explicit connections between metacontingencies and behavior systems analysis (see, for example, Abernathy, 2009; Glenn & Malott, 2004; Malott, 2003), emphasizing common theoretical underpinnings based on systems theory. There are some distinctions between these two approaches. Behavior systems analysis has primarily focused on organizational contexts, while research into metacontingencies has often transcended organizational boundaries to examine social behavior and cultural practices in a broader context. In the present symposium, three papers (one theory based, one research based, and one application based) will explore the link between metacontingencies and systems, and the social and organizational contexts within which recurring interactions, jointly maintained by shared consequences, may take place. These interactions may be engineered, as is often the case in formal, organizational contexts, but are also often spontaneous and self-organized in the broader, cultural context. Further, the shared consequences are often inequitably distributed among participants in the chain of interlocking contingencies, leading to suboptimal functioning at individual and/or systems level. Identification and resolution of such inequities is often a key leverage point in creating positive organizational and cultural change.

Within organized interactions, whether organisms, physical elements or whole eco systems, there are three fundamental properties for defining those interactions as a system. There is the (overall) function, the processes underlining the function, and there is a structure by which the coordinated channels of the processes may be traced (Sandaker, 2009). We may say that the function of a system is its raison d’être. In much the same way, the relation between aggregate product and receiving system in a metacontingency describes its function. The interlocking behavioral contingencies (IBCs) are the processes that maintain the functioning of l, or its overall function. The structure of the system will, to a certain degree, tell us which type of contingencies members exposed to. Structure will therefore be essential to analyze which pattern of behavior and social dynamics contingencies will maintain. We define two kinds of structures based on the work of Todorov (2013); Conservative and Transformative. In the Conservative, links in the IBCs are well established, with little or no room for variation. In the Transformative, patterns of IBCs are more flexible and variable. Conservative structures may become recurrent in highly stables environments or became transformative as environmental demands changes. This presentation will make a parallel between metacontingencies and the three fundamental properties to define it as a system; Function, Process and Structure, focusing on the rules of structures for understanding and changing systems overall function.

Cultural and Behavior Systems Analysis demand a strong interface with studies about social behavior. Recent data show that humans and animals may present an aversion to disadvantageous or advantageous distributions of gains. Advantageous inequity (AI) aversion may be more dependent on social and cultural cues than disadvantageous inequity (DI) aversion. Our focus was on how interactions within a dyad may modulate inequity aversion, with attention to the way in which local experience with AI constrains aversion to DI. The experimental procedures involved two phases. In Phase I, we manipulated confederate behavior in a game task (i.e., helpful on 100%, 75%, 50%, 25%, or 0% of trials). In Phase II, participants could allow or not allow DI. The data suggest an aversion to inequity: participants did not allow themselves to gain more points in Phase I and were unlikely to let the confederate gain more in Phase II, regardless of how helpful the confederate was in Phase I (see Figure 1). This procedure permitted us to test social influence on DI, which may be important for providing a psychological explanation of cultural differences in aversion to DI. We discuss some theoretical implications of these results.