Association for Behavior Analysis International

Evidence-based practices help no one unless they are disseminated. Dissemination is, at its core, a process of communicating to recruit buy-in (from consumers, third-party payers, extramural funding agencies, policy makers, and so forth). Curiously, behavior analysts have shown relatively little interest in understanding dissemination as a scholarly topic. Not so curiously, behavior analysts have often complained about their relative lack of acceptance among non-behavior analysts. How we talk about our science and, especially, our practice, is a major facet of dissemination, but it’s a complex facet. To illustrate some of the underlying fundamentals, I’ll discuss a growing body of research showing that the technical terms that behavior analysts use for semantic precision can have visceral (i.e., emotional, nonsemantic) effects that probably interfere with dissemination. Time permitting I’ll mention a few other aspects of how we communicate that probably also are important. Those seeking best practices from my remarks are bound to be disappointed, because at present we know too little to define best practices. But it pays to at least be aware of some of the issues, and my hope is that some listeners will take up the challenge of making the language of dissemination a topic of formal study.

Board certified behavior analysts; licensed psychologists; graduate students.

To acquire functional language, children with autism need to be able to respond to complex verbal discriminations. However, there is relatively little research to guide the process of teaching such skills. The purpose of this talk is to explore various considerations that should be taken into account when teaching verbal conditional discriminations such as intraverbal tacts and convergent intraverbals. We will do so in the context of a practice-driven research question, challenges that arose when teaching these skills, and the inevitable research questions that followed.

Board certified behavior analysts; licensed psychologists; graduate students.

Functional communication training (FCT) is among the most commonly cited reinforcerbased treatments for problem behavior in the applied behavior analysis literature. Following the publication of the seminal article by Carr and Durand (1985) numerous second-generation studies have evaluated FCT and the components that impact its effectiveness in the treatment of severe problem behavior. Elements that have been studied in terms of their effects on FCT outcomes include antecedent-based variables, aspects relating to target alternative communicative responses consequence-based variables, and factors that impact generalization of treatment effects. Recent studies have also begun to evaluate treatment relapse (e.g., resurgence) pertaining to FCT both in terms of conditions under which it occurs and ways to modify FCT to prevent or mitigate relapse. The current presenter will review the conceptual basis for FCT as well as research pertaining to variables shown to influence FCT outcomes including treatment relapse. He will also present relevant applied and translational findings (including studies in progress and published works) from his applied-based and human operant laboratories.

Board certified behavior analysts; licensed psychologists; graduate students.

Matthew T. Brodhead is an assistant professor at Michigan State University and the Research Director at the Early Learning Institute. A Board Certified Behavior Analyst-Doctoral, his research examines focused social skill interventions for children with autism. He also writes about conceptual issues relating to the ethical and professional behavior of practicing behavior analysts. He is on the editorial board of multiple journals, including the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, Behavior Analysis in Practice, The Analysis of Verbal Behavior, and Behavior and Philosophy. He is also the co-guest editor for the forthcoming special issue in Behavior Analysis in Practice on diversity and equity in the practice of behavior analysis. Through workshops and consultation, he has established multiple school-based programs for children with autism, and he has provided training to teachers, related service providers, and behavior analysts both nationally and internationally. Finally, he specializes in program evaluation for both applied behavior analysis and public school placements for individuals with autism.

The field of behavior analysis has defined its scope of practice through credentialing and licensure efforts. However, scope of competence in behavior analysis has received little discussion. Scope of competence refers to activities that the individual practitioner can perform at a certain criterion level (e.g., the functional analysis is conducted accurately and safely, a skill acquisition program includes critical program components and establishes accurate stimulus control). Given the successful efforts of behavior analysts in growth and recognition of the field, it is time for a robust conversation about scope of competence for the field of behavior analysis. This discussion can clarify how behavior analysts self-evaluate their own scope of competence and how they might expand their scope of competence if the needs of consumers requires practitioners to expand into new areas.

Board certified behavior analysts; licensed psychologists; graduate students.

Modern social movements are acknowledging inequity and encouraging discourse and action to bring about change for disenfranchised communities. The ivory towers of academia, and intellectualism specifically, have contributed to an alarming separation of research from the real-world experiences of people living with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Biases that lead to inequity exist within the discipline and application of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). Practitioners of ABA can harness society's drive to address such inequities by critically analyzing our field and establishing new repertoires of professional behaviors. Systemic change in the field can promote social justice and improve access to effective ABA services. Promoting professional learning and application of cultural humility, directly addressing diversity, and focusing on socially significant behaviors, can increase the effective, equitable application of the science of ABA.

Board certified behavior analysts; licensed psychologists; graduate students.

B. F. Skinner’s Verbal Behavior has had significant influence on behavioral interventions for individuals with ASD. Yet, questions are still raised about the extent to which Skinnerian behavior analysis can account for a flexible and generative verbal repertoire. However, careful attention to basic behavioral principles, including stimulus control, can lead to outcomes that go beyond what was directly taught. The stimulus control preparations that are arranged during acquisition have great implications for generalization, as well as the emergence of novel (untrained) verbal behavior. Assessment of stimuli that influence behavior in the everyday environment is equally important. In the current talk, I will discuss research on establishing appropriate stimulus control over verbal behavior (particularly tacts and intraverbals). I will also discuss the implications of stimulus control for establishing a generative verbal repertoire (e.g., emergent intraverbals) and programming for generalization and maintenance across a variety of environmental contexts.

Board certified behavior analysts; licensed psychologists; graduate students.