Using Behavioral Skills Training to Teach Functional Assessment Interviewing, Cultural Responsiveness, and Empathic and Compassionate Care to Students of Applied Behavior Analysis.

Within the field of applied behavior analysis, there is a recognized need for increased training for practitioners on cultural responsiveness, as well as to improve behavior analysts' demonstration of compassion and empathy towards the families with whom they work. The present study used behavioral skills training via telehealth to teach three skillsets-functional assessment interviewing, empathic and compassionate care, and cultural responsiveness. Participants were seven graduate students who had no previous coursework in behavioral assessment and whose caseload mainly included clients who did not share the participant's cultural, ethnic, or religious backgrounds. The results showed that behavioral skills training was effective in improving performance across all three skillsets. In addition, high levels of responding maintained following the completion of the training for the majority of the participants. Several levels of social validity measures support the utility and impact of this training. The findings have implications for training practitioners on these vital skills.

How Might Indices of Happiness Inform Early Intervention Research and Decision Making?

Objectives: The child-caregiver relationship is the foundation for which intervention occurs. Therefore, the acceptability of the intervention should be considered for both parties. Indices of happiness (IOH) have shown to be effective in assessing social validity and providing insight to improving interventions to promote better quality of life. However, to date, there is limited attention to the integration of IOH in very early caregiver-led intervention. The purpose of this study is to explore how researchers and clinicians might collect direct data on IOH to assess the acceptability of an intervention. Methods: Participants in this study included 4 children, ages 19-26 months old, identified as "at-risk" for autism, and their caregivers. Caregiver-led intervention focused on pairing, play, and following the child's lead. IOH data was collected on both child and caregiver using 10 s partial-interval recording. Data analysis from the intervention is presented using three different approaches: pre/post-analysis on an individual level, pre/post-analysis on a dyad level, and during intervention as a primary dependent variable. Results: Variations were seen in levels of happiness, both on an individual level and dyad level. IOH for caregivers increased in relation as their fidelity increased but child IOH decreased as they acquired the targeted skill. Conclusions: Direct observation of happiness data is likely to provide valuable insight into participants perception of an intervention. And retrospective analysis may be a valuable tool for reflection and guidance and planning of future interventions. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s41252-022-00288-0.

Social Justice is the Spirit and Aim of an Applied Science of Human Behavior: Moving from Colonial to Participatory Research Practices.

It is time for a paradigm shift in the science of applied behavior analysis. Our current approach to applied research perpetuates power imbalances. We posit that the purpose of applied behavior analysis is to enable and expand human rights and to eliminate the legacies of colonial, oppressive social structures. We report the findings from our examination of the content of our flagship applied research journal. We reviewed 50 years of applied experiments from the standpoint of respect, beneficence, justice, and the participation of individuals and communities. Although there is some promise and movement toward inclusion, our findings indicate that we have not prioritized full participation across all segments of society, especially persons and communities that are marginalized. Social justice rests on the belief that human life is to be universally cherished and valued. In this article, we suggest that policies, strategies, and research practices within our field be interwoven with a commitment to social justice, including racial justice, for all. We offer recommendations to neutralize and diffuse power imbalances and to work toward a shift from colonial to participatory practices in the methods and aims of our applied science.

The Big Four: Functional Assessment Research Informs Preventative Behavior Analysis.

Current practice guidelines suggest that the assessment and treatment of challenging behavior should consist of conducting a functional behavior assessment following the onset of problem behavior. This assessment process can include indirect and direct assessment, as well as manipulation of variables to determine function. The purpose of this article is to outline a proposal that would add prevention practices to early intervention guidelines for problem behavior. Based on decades of research, the suggestion is to proactively teach children at risk for problem behavior to navigate four of the most common conditions that have been demonstrated to occasion problem behavior. Prevention is made a possibility because a large body of research examining the conditions under which challenging behavior occurs has been reliably replicated. Preventative approaches are an emerging phenomenon and reflect a progression in the practice of behavior analysis. Prevention may lead to acquisition of prosocial behavior before problems arise, to expedited and enhanced treatment, to increased access to favorable learning environments, and, we hope, to improvement in the quality of life for many children at risk for the development of problem behavior.

Applied Behavior Analysis is a Science and, Therefore, Progressive.

Applied behavior analysis (ABA) is a science and, therefore, involves progressive approaches and outcomes. In this commentary we argue that the spirit and the method of science should be maintained in order to avoid reductionist procedures, stifled innovation, and rote, unresponsive protocols that become increasingly removed from meaningful progress for individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We describe this approach as progressive. In a progressive approach to ABA, the therapist employs a structured yet flexible process, which is contingent upon and responsive to child progress. We will describe progressive ABA, contrast it to reductionist ABA, and provide rationales for both the substance and intent of ABA as a progressive scientific method for improving conditions of social relevance for individuals with ASD.

Using blended and guided technologies in a university course for scientist-practitioners: teaching applied behaviour analysis to autism professionals.

Although the incidence of autism spectrum disorders is increasing worldwide, there is a shortage of professionals trained to provide effective interventions. The article describes an advanced university course in Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) and autism tailored to meet the needs of Swedish professionals from multiple disciplines. The course implemented both blended-learning technologies (web, telecommunication, and in vivo) and guided-design (problem-solving) exercises to promote the scientist-practitioner model. Overall, students advanced their skills related to identifying extant scientific literature, choosing appropriate single-subject design evaluation methods, and critically analysing the effects of attempted interventions. Students rated the course as having high social validity and predicted the course content would positively affect their professional practice. The relevance of the course and future directions are discussed in the context of meeting the global need for effective autism intervention professionals.

The effects of graduated exposure, modeling, and contingent social attention on tolerance to skin care products with two children with autism.

Children with autism may display unusual or fearful responses to common stimuli, such as skin care products. Parents of children with autism have often reported that their children will not allow the application of these types of substances to their skin and if the parent persists, the children become extremely upset and anxious. Such responding can interfere with adaptive functioning. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a treatment package involving graduated exposure to steps in an avoidance hierarchy, modeling, and social attention on the responding of two children with autism who displayed fearful responses to skin care products. Both avoidance and acceptance responses to skin care products were measured. Both changing criteria and multiple baseline experimental designs were employed to assess the effects of the intervention package. The results suggest that the package was successful in teaching tolerance of skin products for both children.

Training and certifying behavior analysts.

Proper professional certification and training of behavior analysts who work with individuals with autism is critical in ensuring that those individuals receive the highest quality behavior analytic services. This article discusses the current issues surrounding certification of behavior analysts and describes the important features of the Behavior Analyst Certification Board and its credentials. The article also reviews approaches to the training of professional behavior analyst practitioners and discusses appropriate training content for behavior analysts who work with persons with autism. The interrelationship between training and certification is explored.