Undergraduate Group
APPLIED RESEARCH
Start Recording! Teaching Job-Related Skills with Point-of-View Video Models
Lauren Revelle; Kayla Jenssen, PhD, BCBA-D, Alyvia Anaple, & Jessica Van Stratton, PhD, BCBA-D (University of North Alabama)
Despite the benefits of employment for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), employment rates are low and require continued focus (Almalky, 2020; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2021). For adults diagnosed with Down syndrome specifically, employment opportunities are frequently limited to a small number of fields and part-time paid or volunteer roles (Kumin & Schoenbrodt, 2016). One strategy that has been used to teach a variety of work-related skills is video modeling (Boles et al., 2019). However, additional research is needed to better understand how different features of video models, such as video perspective, impact skill acquisition (Gardner & Wolfe, 2013). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of first-person point-of-view video modeling for teaching job-related skills to a 25-year-old man diagnosed with Down syndrome and mild cognitive impairment. Performance was analyzed based on the percentage of steps correctly completed on job-related tasks, including wrapping silverware, writing his full name, and frying an egg. Generalization of skills to other settings, situations, and materials was also assessed. Data collection is currently ongoing and preliminary results will be presented.
Individualized Heart Rate Assessment in College Aged Adults as a Measure of Physical Activity
Emily Hutchinson, Emma Auten, MA & Carole Van Camp, PhD, BCBA-D (University of North Carolina Wilmington)
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends adults engage in moderate intensity physical activity (MPA) for a minimum of 150 minutes per week or vigorous intensity physical activity (VPA) for a minimum of 75 minutes per week (CDC 2022). The individualized heart rate assessment (IHRA) is a method used to determine individualized heart rate (HR) zones for light physical activity, MPA, and VPA (Van Camp 2021) in children, but to date has not been evaluated with adults. The study replicated the IHRA by having three adult participants wear a HR monitor and engage in four activities: standing, walking slow, walking briskly, and running. In addition, steps were measured with a Fitbit and participants reported their perceived exertion (Yelling, 2002) for each activity. Results indicated some individual differences in how differentiated HR and steps were across all 4 activities.
THEORY
School-Based Mental Health Services: Disparities for Youth with ASD
Alicia Ringgold, BT, Jeannie Golden, PhD & Mekenzie Meador, BS, BT (Honors College at East Carolina University)
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that is characterized by impaired social/communication skills, repetitive behaviors, and limited areas of interest (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). People with ASD are commonly diagnosed with mental health disorders as well, such as anxiety, depression, and ADHD (Brown et al., 2020). Despite the high rates of mental health disorders in this population, they lack adequate mental health resources and treatment options. School-based mental health services (SBMHS) are widely accepted as an efficient and effective way to deliver these services to students, but youth with ASD are continuously overlooked in these programs (Dickson et al., 2021). In order to better understand the disparities in delivering SBMHS to students with ASD, we have developed a survey for school personnel to assess their knowledge of and willingness to participate in training about mental health conditions and services in this population. The long term goal of the study is to provide training to teachers, administrators, and student support staff regarding the mental health needs of students with ASD.
Graduate Group
APPLIED RESEARCH
Effects of Setting on Individualized Heart Rate Assessments
Sophia Barsanti & Carole Van Camp, PhD, BCBA-D (University of North Carolina Wilmington)
Physical activity is proven to be beneficial for children’s physical and mental well-being. The CDC recommends that children and adolescents ages 6-17 receive 60 minutes of physical activity each day. Despite these recommendations, many children do not meet these requirements. In the literature, there is little consistency on how physical activity is measured. An Individualized Heart Rate Assessment (IHRA) determines heart rate zones of light, moderate, and vigorous physical activity using a heart rate monitor (Van Camp et al., 2022). The assessment involves completing four activities (standing still, walking slowly, walking briskly, and running) for two minutes each in a random order, with periods of rest periods in between. In the current study, we also measured steps via accelerometers and asked participants for their verbal reports of exertion. Due to weather conditions, we performed this assessment indoors for four sessions with an individual and were unable to achieve the typical differentiation in heart rate and step count between walking slowly, walking briskly, and standing. Upon completing four additional sessions outdoors with the same participant, we achieved distinct heart rate and step count zones for each activity. This implies that the assessment is only valid when performed outdoors.
A Differentiated Access Time Multiple Stimulus without Replacement (MSWO) Preference Assessment
Emma Auten, MA & Carole Van Camp, PhD, BCBA-D (University of North Carolina Wilmington)
A hierarchy of preferred items can be identified through an MSWO assessment (DeLeon & Iwata, 1996). In a multiple stimulus without replacement (MWSO) preference assessment, items are simultaneously presented equidistant to each other, and individuals are prompted to select one item. Following a selection, participants gain access to all items for a consistent amount of time (typically 30 s to 1 minute). Items are not replaced after a selection. However, individuals may not always select their most preferred item first from the array, as they eventually contact all items for equal amounts of time throughout the assessment. As a result, hierarchies could be unstable. In addition, individuals “saving the best for last” is a phenomenon that has recently been reported in the literature (Borrero et al., 2021; Castillo et al., 2022). Differentiating the access time during an MSWO may result in more stable hierarchies and be a method for identifying preferred items when it is suspected that individuals are saving their most preferred item for last. Three neurotypical children were exposed to a consistent access time MSWOs. For two of the participants, the stable preference hierarchies were observed only when the differentiated access time MSWO was conducted.
Using Strategic Incremental Rehearsal with Word Sheets to Teach Sight Words
Taylor Kennedy, BA, Tom Cariveau, PhD, LP, BCBA-D, Alexandria Brown, MS & Paige Ellington, BA (University of North Carolina Wilmington)
Teaching readers to quickly recognize high-frequency words is an important intervention strategy for increasing fluency for struggling readers. Strategic incremental rehearsal (SIR) is a flashcard intervention that includes the systematic presentation of known and unknown instructional targets and has been shown to produce rapid sight-word learning by struggling readers. Other stimulus arrangements (e.g., word sheets) may allow for similar procedural arrangements to SIR and be similarly effective, more socially valid, and result in greater generalization to natural reading contexts. In the current study, elementary-aged children at risk for reading failure were taught sight words using SIR presented on a word sheet. Words were introduced incrementally and prompted during initial presentations. The learners were required to respond correctly to all words in a row before a new word in the set was introduced. SIR was consistently found to be effective, and the learner’s performance generalized to handwritten and tablet-based modalities. Performance maintained during one-week maintenance probes in two evaluations and following brief re-trainings in five evaluations. The current findings suggest that introducing sight words incrementally using word sheets may be an efficacious and efficient method of sight-word instruction.
The Effects of Functional Communication Training and Access to Preferred Items on Rates of Escape-Maintained Behavior in a Community Setting
Charla Hutchinson, BCBA, Nicholas Platt, RBT, & Samuel Akinade, RBT (ABC of NC)
A high proportion of individuals with autism spectrum disorder engage in challenging behaviors (i.e., physical aggression, elopement, self-injury), particularly in community settings. These behaviors often lead to a narrowing of experiences and severely handicap the individual’s ability to integrate into community settings. These behaviors also lead to social stigmatization and strong feelings of discomfort for families. As a result, it is pertinent to continue to explore strategies to support tolerance of daily living skills that may reduce caregiver burden and facilitate meaningful community participation for individuals with autism. This study explored whether using functional communication training to access an item associated with indices of happiness will reduce rates of elopement while grocery shopping for an individual with autism spectrum disorder and severe intellectual disability. The results indicated strong instructional control between using functional communication training to access preferred items and the individual’s ability to participate in a community setting. Implications for generalization include using this intervention across other community settings where challenging behaviors have historically occurred (e.g., hair salon, doctor’s offices, dentist).
An Evaluation of a Transfer of Stimulus Control Toilet Training Protocol
Juliette Maykovich, MA, RBT (Carolina Center for ABA and Autism Treatment)
The purpose of this research study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a toilet training protocol conducted by Luiselli (1996) because there are few studies evaluating the effectiveness of this toilet training procedure. The protocol developed by Luiselli (1996) involved transferring stimulus control from a pull-up to the toilet through gradual fading of the pull up, a dense sit schedule, and reinforcement. The participant was a five-year-old male with autism spectrum disorder, who received intensive behavior analytic services in home. Two behavior technicians and three board certified behavior analysts (BCBA) were trained on the protocol. Prior to the implementation of the toilet training protocol the client did not successfully void in toilet. After implementation of the toilet training protocol, the client was able to successfully void on the toilet and the pull-up was completely faded out. The toilet training protocol was effective in toilet training a five-year-old male with autism spectrum disorder. The client did start to mand to use the restroom, which was not a part of the intervention. Limitations of the study include several changes in BCBAs from February to August and the client was allowed to wear a pull-up during the daytime outside of session.
Teaching Autistic Children to Initiate Joint Attention: A Single Case Research Study
Trudy Georgio, MEd, BCBA, LBA (Texas A&M University)
Using a Multiple Probe Design, the research study Teaching Autistic Children to initiate Joint Attention utilized a differential reinforcement and time delay treatment package to teach three children with autism spectrum disorder to initiate joint attention. Joint attention is the ability to initiate social interaction with others and respond to bids for social interaction from others. Joint engagement interactions are social processes that facilitate language acquisition by creating a shared referential network. The absence of joint attention before the first year of age is one of the earliest indicators of autism; impaired joint attention is a primary characteristic feature of this developmental disorder. Teaching autistic children these pivotal behaviors can greatly enhance their social competence as well as language and learning abilities and mitigate the development of problematic behaviors often inherent in children with minimal language. Using a naturalistic language approach, the interventionists taught joint attentional skills promoting generalization and maintenance of this socially significant behavior. Results of the study demonstrate that overall the participants initiated joint attention 27% of the time in baseline, and 54% after invention, demonstrating that the study was effective. Furthermore, client assent and assent withdrawal behavior was measured to assess the social validity of the treatment goals and procedure.
Preliminary Evaluation of a Hypothetical Texting Demand Task in the Classroom with College Students
Devon Bigelow, MA, Justin Van Heukelom, MA, Megan Redmile, & Wendy Donlin Washington, PhD (University of North Carolina Wilmington)
Behavioral economic framework can be used to examine problematic behaviors. Specifically, suboptimal cell phone use in classrooms can be examined using a hypothetical texting demand task (HTDT), a subtype of a hypothetical purchase task (HPT). College students completed an HTDT, in which a vignette describes they just received a text message in class and asks how likely they are to respond now versus waiting until the end of class if there is a high likelihood of getting caught by the professor. Within subject manipulations were made with time until the end of class (5 min and 30 min), and points deducted by the professor (spanning 0.1-60) from the current grade of 100. The HTDT provided demand indices including demand intensity (Q0) indicating likelihood to text at the lowest point loss value, Pmax representing the point loss value where demand becomes elastic, and breakpoint representing the highest point loss tolerated. The overall purpose of this study was to examine how sensitive students are to losing points from their grade to gain access to their cell phone after various delays of no access. This is useful such that it can inform classroom policies and characterize suboptimal cellphone use.
A Comparison of Learning by Exclusion and Delayed Prompting to Teach Auditory-Visual Conditional Discriminations
Paige Ellington, BA, Tom Cariveau, PhD, LPA, BCBA-D, Alexandria Brown, MS, & Delanie F. Platt, MS & Taylor Kennedy, BA (University of North Carolina Wilmington)
Matching-to-sample arrangements, commonly used to teach auditory-visual conditional discriminations (AVCDs), are prone to the development of persistent error patterns described in the basic and applied literatures. One understudied approach for targeting AVCDs is learning by exclusion (LBE). During LBE tasks, the learner is expected to select the unknown target when presented with known comparisons, thereby responding correctly by excluding the known comparisons. Previous research suggests that children begin to respond by exclusion early in life and may also exhibit emergent responding of the symmetrical (i.e., tact) relation. The present study extended previous research by assessing the relative efficacy of LBE in comparison to a delayed prompting procedure to teach AVCDs with three children enrolled in a high-poverty school. Both prompting procedures with additional modifications produced responding at mastery levels in three of four comparisons. In two comparisons, LBE was the most efficient procedure and the only effective procedure in a third comparison. These findings suggest that LBE may be a promising method to target AVCDs; however, additional research is needed on the components required to increase the efficiency of LBE-based instructional programs.
Using Compound Class-Specific Consequences with a Differential Observing Response to Establish Emergent Textual Relations
Alexandria Brown, MS & Tom Cariveau, PhD, LP, BCBA-D (University of North Carolina Wilmington)
Failure to respond class consistently during initial equivalence tests is frequently observed (e.g., Grisante et al., 2014; Rosales et al., 2014). Modifications to baseline training procedures may allow for the more rapid development of emergent relations. For example, Brown and Cariveau (under review) found that the addition of a differential observing response (DOR) to the compound class-specific consequence during baseline discrimination training produced increases in performance on equivalence tests. The current study sought to extend the work of Brown and Cariveau by evaluating the effectiveness of a simple discrimination training arrangement on sight-word reading by two first-grade students. The participants completed simple discrimination training with intermodal compound class-specific consequences. The S+ included a correctly oriented lowercase sight word and was presented with three incorrectly oriented versions of the same word. Selections of the S+ produced an intermodal (i.e., visual and auditory) compound class-specific consequence. Participants were required to differentially respond to both components of the class-specific consequence. Following mastery of simple discrimination training, emergence of the textual relation was observed for both participants. These results suggest that the addition of a DOR during baseline training procedures may serve as an effective method for rapidly teaching novel sight words.
Prediction of Response Patterns Across Data Recording Methods
Delanie Fetzner Platt, Tom Cariveau, PhD, BCBA-D, LPA, Paige Ellington, BA, & Alexandria Brown, MA (University of North Carolina Wilmington)
The effectiveness of an intervention is tied to the degree to which a program is implemented as described and the behavior analyst’s ability to individualize the program based on client-specific factors. LeBlanc et al. (2020) found that training clinicians to use enhanced data sheets, which represent both the antecedent and response, resulted in higher procedural integrity when compared to standard data sheets. Additional benefits of enhanced data collection systems include the representation of potential error patterns, which may be used to modify the intervention program. The current study compared naïve participants’ accuracy in predicting a client’s performance when represented on standard and enhanced data sheets. Participants consistently identified error patterns on enhanced data sheets; however, performance did not differ across data collection methods when accurate responding or unpredictable controlling relations were shown. These findings suggest that enhanced measurement may be needed for behavior analysts to identify error patterns during instruction.
Teaching Color Tacts to a Child Diagnosed with ASD
Jordayn Price & Kaitlin Faassen (Carolina Center for ABA and Autism Treatment)
According to prior research, mand and tact training alone were not successful in teaching identification of colors. The multi component treatment package utilized examines the effectiveness to teach color tacting using cold probes, listener discrimination training and tact training to teach colors and to expand the language repertoire more effectively than previous interventions. The present intervention also focuses on generalization skills using multiple exemplar training for a tact to mand transfer procedure to account for generalization and maintaining of colors taught. Results displayed effectiveness for identifying colors and increase of communication when utilizing listener discrimination training, tact training, and a tact to mand transfer procedure. The young child was able to identify five of the six colors taught by the end of the intervention. During a follow up phase, the individual was able to identify all six colors taught and was able to generalize to other preferred and novel items.
Implementation of Procedures for Effective Wiping Hygiene
Jessamine Crespo, MA, RBT, MacKenzie Foster, BA, RBT, Francesca Jauregui, BA, RBT, Rose Merritt, MS, RBT, & Caison Smith, MA, BCBA (The Carolina Center for ABA and Autism Treatment)
There is a clear lack of literature regarding how to teach wiping hygiene after a bowel movement. The present study is a comparative analysis between two clients with the same need to learn how to wipe using prompt level specific to each client to teach wiping in the bathroom. Additionally, wiping was taught in the natural environment to increase the independence of proper wiping hygiene after a bowel movement. This study included two participants, a 4-year-old male and 9-year-old female both diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. The intervention took place primarily in the clinic for the 4 y/o participant and strictly in the home setting for the 9 y/o participant. This study focused on wiping skills after a bowel movement while using prompt levels specific to each client. The data from this intervention indicates progress in relation to the skill of wiping. There is zero graphical progress that has been demonstrated in bathroom wiping hygiene. However, observations across clinicians indicate anecdotal progress is being made by both clients when demonstrating bathroom wiping hygiene. While the clients may not be making graphically supported progress, it is still early in the intervention phase. There is not enough supporting data to conclude whether or not the intervention is effective at its current stage. The team will continue to collect data and modify the program as needed to meet client specific needs.
BASIC RESEARCH
An Exploratory Study of Observing Responses in Dyadic Competition
Lucille Gates, Tom Cariveau, PhD, BCBA-D, LPA, & Casey Irwin Helvey (University of North Carolina Wilmington)
Competition is said to be arranged when reinforcers are distributed unequally based on the participants’ performances. Responses that produce access to the participants’ score and/or the score of their competitor(s) are commonly included in human operant research on competition and are referred to as audits. These responses are analogous to observing responses, which produce discriminative stimuli and have been extensively evaluated in the experimental literature. The current study sought to bridge the experimental and dyadic competition literatures by extending previous research on observing (i.e., audit) responses in a human operant arrangement. Sixteen undergraduate students participated in one of three experiments arranged in Minecraft Education Edition on a desktop computer. A single participant competed in successive 3-min contests against one of two automated confederates that differed in their rate of responding. Participants’ rate of competitive, audit, and contest termination responses were measured. Differentiated performances were only observed when participants auditing during contests. Implications for experimental research on competitive contingencies will be discussed.
Effect of Response Effort on the Resurgence of Academic Responding
Kyla C. Stephens, Emma M. Auten, Elizabeth P. Thuman, & Emily L. Baxter (University of North Carolina Wilmington)
Resurgence is the recurrence of a previously reinforced response following a decrease in the reinforcement conditions of an alternative response. Previous literature has looked at how different dimensions of reinforcement (e.g., rate, magnitude, and effort) affect the level of resurgence using a three-phase procedure. The present study investigated how response effort affects the resurgence of academic responding. To determine effort level, participants completed a preassessment of four brief math tests in division, addition, subtraction, and multiplication prior to the experimental sessions. The math operation with the lowest score was designated the “high effort” response (i.e., target) and the math operation with the highest score was designated the “low effort” response (i.e., alternative). In Phase 1, points were delivered for the target response. In Phase 2, points were delivered for the alternative response. In Phase 3 (i.e., extinction), no points were delivered for any response. We hypothesized that in extinction we would observe an initial persistence of alternative response rate and increased responding on the target response. Current results demonstrate resurgence of the target behavior during extinction. Persistence of the alternative response, however, was not observed during extinction. Implications of response effort and resurgence will be discussed.
Effects of Reinforcer Magnitude on the Resurgence of Academic Responding
Kayla Braccio, Emma Auten, Elizabeth Thuman, & Emily Baxter (University of North Carolina Wilmington)
Resurgence is a behavioral phenomenon in which a previously reinforced target behavior recurs following a decrement in the reinforcement conditions for an alternative behavior. Several studies have look at the effect of dimensions of reinforcement (e.g., rate, magnitude, and response effort) on the level of resurgence using a three-phase procedure. The goal of the current study was to replicate and extend the literature on manipulations of reinforcement magnitude in a resurgence procedure with academic responding. One child and three college students were recruited as participants. In Phase 1, academic responses (i.e., answering math problems on flashcards) were reinforced with two points when participants were responding in a target component (e.g., standing on a blue mat). In Phase 2, academic responses were reinforced when participants were responding in an alternative component (e.g., standing on a yellow mat), with either 1 point (small magnitude) or 3 points (large magnitude). In Phase 3, both behaviors were placed on extinction. It was hypothesized that resurgence would occur at a higher level in the large magnitude condition. Results and implications for research will be discussed.
SERVICE DELIVERY
Can Natural Environment Training Be Used to Teach Tolerance Skills Similar to an SBT Approach while Decreasing Problem Behavior?
Amanda Boling, BS, RBT & Kelly Creasman, MA, BCBA (Effective Interventions)
The current study uses repeated measures to gain functional control over the behavior. Once one behavior was stabilized, then another behavior was introduced. When targeting the specific items, the instructor contrived situations in which the participant was motivated to request the particular item, but not necessarily when the individual is happy, relaxed, and engaged. Ghaemmaghami et al. (2016) completed a multiple baseline design across contexts with 2 participants, and 1 participant completed a concurrent operant AB design. The purpose of this study was to replicate a program similar to Ghaemmaghami et al. (2016) because a contingency-based delay was used to teach tolerance skills for the delay of reinforcement. A contingency was presented, plus an alternative activity during the delay to learn tolerance skills. Beaulieu et al. (2018) discussed a multi-element design during the functional analysis and used a changing criterion design to evaluate treatment. The current study sought to replicate functional communication training similar to Beaulieu et al. (2018). Ruppel et al. (2021) used a nonconcurrent multiple baseline design to evaluate functional control over problem behavior. Functional control was gained by repeated measures for the functional communication response, tolerance, and cooperation (Ruppel et al., 2021).
Professional Group
APPLIED RESEARCH
A Preliminary Investigation of the Effects of the Length of the Echoic Utterance on Instruction following: A Joint Control Analysis
Mark Stafford, MA, LPA, BCBA, Matthew Heininger, MA, BCBA, & Amy Bukszpan, MS, BCBA, LBA (Butterfly Effects, LL)
Children are often taught to follow instructions of increasing length (Sundberg, 2014), without much consideration for joint control or the existing repertoires necessary to follow such instructions. Lowenkron (1984, 1988, 1989); Gutierrez (2006); and Tu (2006) have demonstrated that echoic and self-echoic behavior (rehearsal) is necessary for joint control. It follows that if a person/child has not displayed a length of echoic utterance (LEU) containing at least as many components (words/syllables) as an instruction, “rehearsal is not possible, and the instruction cannot be followed” (Sundberg, personal communication 5/17/2021). In the present case study, a five-year-old boy with autism was assessed to have a LEU of 3 words. A pre-intervention instruction following probe indicated a pre-existing repertoire across three named objects in an array. An echoic training intervention was utilized to increase responding to criterion across 4-word LEU’s. A post-intervention probe showed an increase in selecting four named objects compared to baseline. Implications for applied practice are discussed as are extensions for future research.
Adjusting Data Collection Procedures in Applied Settings to Account for Variables Influencing the Accurate Measurement of Client Mastery in Skill Acquisition Targets
Cassidy Leovic, RBT, Amberlea Villafane, & Melissa Monti, MEd, BCBA (Carolina Center for ABA and Autism Treatment)
There is currently a gap in the literature for quantifying influential variables outside of therapist control that affect the accuracy of our current data collection technology. Our intervention proposes a means of quantifying these variables and modifying data collection to accommodate them. The participant is a male in elementary school who displays great variability in skill acquisition and challenging behaviors related to the presence of numerous, previously unquantifiable variables. Each variable is scored independently and then a derived score is achieved which ranks the presence of these variables identifying “green”, “yellow”, or “red” data collection periods. We are currently in the beginning of our intervention teaching receptive identification of emotions via the stoplight procedure. “Green” stoplight data will be compared to a control of skill acquisition conducted using traditional means of data collection without consideration of influential variables. The long-term goal is to quantify the effect of influential variables as a means of reducing variability and increasing the success of all interventions. We hypothesize that “green” stoplight targets will show more stable responding and faster mastery than traditional methods.
Behavior Skills Training as a Technology to Teach Behavior Technicians to Implement Natural Environment Training
Roxanne Toussaint, MEd, BCBA, Catie Eason, MA, BCBA, & Jessica Piazza PhD, BCBA-D, LBA (Endicott College; Behavioral Consulting for Autism)
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of behavior skills training (BST) as a method to increase both the quality and frequency of natural environment training (NET) trials by behavior technicians. Participants were registered behavior technicians working in an early-intervention clinic for children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. A nonconcurrent, multiple-probe design was conducted across three participants. Each participant was instructed to conduct NET to target mand, tact, and motor imitation operants with their client. Dependent measures included participant adherence to a performance checklist, frequency of teaching opportunities, and frequency of maladaptive behaviors displayed by the clients. In addition, participant feedback regarding training experience and utility was collected via survey. Subject 1 responded positively to intervention and maintained competency of target skills three weeks post-training. Generalization measures required each participant to demonstrate learned skills with a novel client. Results suggest BST has potential to serve as an effective technology to improve the method of delivery of NET.
Client Choice in Selecting Treatment Methods
Grace Dailey, MA, BCBA, Michelle Moore, MA, BCBA & Abbey Jordan, BA, RBT (Carolina Center for ABA and Autism Treatment)
An unfortunate reality is that practitioners often select treatment methods for their clients based on feasibility for the practitioner and/or stakeholders. Historically, stakeholders have been the main recipients of questionnaires used to measure the social significance of treatment methods selected. Including direct recipients of treatment in the social validity evaluation process is arguably as imperative as stakeholders and practitioners, if not more so. Dr. Greg Hanley published a paper (Hanley, 2010) detailing an approach to objectively measure social validity with direct recipients of programming. Social validity is essential to effective programming because, in the words of Dr. Hanley, “efficacy without adequate social acceptability is a recipe for marginalization,” the antithesis of the work of behavior analysts. This work explores one way to incorporate non-vocal individuals into social significance assessments by pairing treatment options or items with a certain color based on Kelly et al (2014). Inviting direct recipients to participate in the social significance evaluation process involves permitting them time to experience certain treatments or treatment items and then allowing them to choose which they prefer, thus increasing acceptability of treatment methods used for those directly participating in treatment.
BASIC RESEARCH
Controlled v. Free-Operant Responding in Sessions for a Man with Autism
Kaitlyn Hancock & Martin Ivancic, PhD, BCBA-D (J. Iverson Riddle Developmental Center, Morganton, NC)
The rate of stereotypy for a man with autism during an on-going activity was measured after four novel requests unrelated to the stereotypy were introduced. The stereotypy reduced dramatically with the introduction of each new requirement and gradually rose to higher stable levels after increased experience with the demand condition. Lindsley (1996) suggested that operant behavior experiencing external influence (occasion, form, speed, repetition) may be less free to occur. Treatments using external conditions to reduce stereotypy might require varying those requirements (e.g., Charlop et al., 1986) to minimize satiation that might allow the stereotypic response to occur more freely.
SERVICE DELIVERY
The Use of Noncontingent Reinforcement and Differential Reinforcement of Alternative Behaviors to Reduce Self-Injurious Behaviors and Aggression
Lauren Broadwell, MS, BCBA, Charles Keefe, BA, RBT, and Jordayn Price, MS, BCBA (Carolina Center for ABA and Autism Treatment)
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by impairments in social communication and interactions, and restricted and repetitive stereotyped behavior (DSM-V, 2013). These deficits often appear across multiple areas, such as communication. Communication deficits may lead to the development of challenging behavior. This team sought to decrease the rate of self-injurious behavior and aggression maintained by escape and aggression in a 9-year-old client they served. These behaviors often led to injury of the client and others, and restricted the community environments the client was able to enter (school, stores, restaurants, etc.). Noncontingent reinforcement and differential reinforcement of alternative behaviors were utilized to reduce the rate of these behaviors. This treatment package successfully reduces the rate of SIB and aggression.