Association for Behavior Analysis International

Behavior is explained by Behavior Analysis through the interaction between the subject and its environment. The variables that control behavior are in the environment and are determined through a functional analysis. Recently, Neuroscience, which object of study is the nervous system, has also aimed at the study of human behavior through its high-technological instruments and methods. It explains behavior through the clarification of neurophysiological mechanisms that occur within the organism. The aim of this study is to show the current relation between Neuroscience and Behavior Analysis and discuss whether these two sciences may complement each other and contribute to the scientific advance in general. Some studies in Neuroscience were presented, its explanation about the behavioral process based on biological variables and Skinner's objections to such explanations. These objections are based on the different realm of each science and, mainly, on the impossibility of determining through the technology that was known until the 1980s which processes were occurring under the skin. Such limitation may be overcome through the new current technology that can show precise data about the neurobiology of behavior, without invalidating the principles of Behavior Analysis.

Early life experiences have been consistently related to alterations in the genetic expression through epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA methylation or DNA histone modification. The present study aims to investigate the effects of the maternal care on the development of the stress vulnerability on the infant through epigenetic alterations and its relation as well as the relation of other studies on neurodevelopment, to Behavior Analysis. Dam's behavioral responses of licking, grooming and arched-back nursing their offspring have been related to epigenetic mechanisms that regulate stress reactivity through alterations in the HPA axis function. Offspring of high rates LG-ABN dams showed low vulnerability to stress because of the hypoactivation of the HPA axis mediated by low rates of corticotrophin hormone (CRF), high rates of novelty seeking, low rates of DNA methylation and high rates of DNA deacethylation of glucocorticoids receptor gene promoters as well as GABA and benzodiazepinic receptor gene promoters. The epigenetic mechanisms that operate on the offspring show the importance of post-natal maternal care and also relate to B. F. Skinner's statement about the possible physiological alterations related to the operant conditioning. It also signalizes to effective intervention based on the plasticity of the epigenome formation.

This presentation describes a risk and resiliency trans-disciplinary team approach to diagnostic evaluation and assessment of at risk and developmentally disabled children, birth to five. The evaluative process involves multiple settings, multiple opportunities to respond and multiple informants in an overlapping format compressing evaluation time to minimally tax children and families plus yield higher reliability and validity of findings. Widely available instruments to assess parent, family and child status, risk and protective factors were further operationalized and used by simultaneous observers to yield high inter-observer reliability and data based profiles as well as functional narrative descriptions of current functioning and next steps in development and family support. Video samples of team functioning as well as illustrations of child profiles will illustrate how these methods improve diagnostic precision as well as enhanced specificity in intervention recommendations for families and their children.