Association for Behavior Analysis International

The primary focus of this session will be on the implementation of applied behavior analysis in scales of social significance. The principles and practice of applied behavior analysis have dramatic relevance for our society. The goals of American education, health care, and business are tied to understanding and improving behavior. Yet even compelling research demonstrations of the impact of applied behavior analysis have not become an accepted part of major institutions. One emerging exception is adoption of school-wide positive behavior support. As of August 2011 more than 16,000 schools in the USA were actively engaged in implementing school-wide positive behavior support. Two important messages for ABAI members are that a) school-wide positive behavior support is implementation of applied behavior analysis and b) the reasons why schools are adopting school-wide positive behavior support are central to better understanding how to make applied behavior analysis more accessible. Data will be presented from a recent review of seven states that now implement school-wide positive behavior support in more than a third of their schools. Four key features were identified from this review as central to scaling up implementation of school-wide positive behavior support. The relevance of these features for extending applied behavior analysis principles and practices across U.S.A. institutions will be explored.

Certified behavior analysts, behavioral consultants, behavioral therapists, clinicians, educational consultants, psychologists, special education teachers, and individuals working with children with autism or other developmental delays.

1. Define six variables needed to make ABA more accessible       

2. Define Positive Behavior Support as an example of ABA 

3  Define a research agenda for expanding the implementation of ABA on a scale of social importance

The lecture will provide an overview of the design, procedures, and results of what is to date the largest randomized trial conducted on any comprehensive early intervention model in the autism field. Inclusive classrooms from around the USA were randomly assigned to receive either intervention manuals alone or manuals and two years of intensive coaching to ensure high fidelity use of all LEAP practices. In all some 300 children participated in the study. At the end of 2 years large, statistically significant differences were found on all measures in favor of the full implementation group. Specifically, children who experienced full LEAP implementation showed significant reductions in autism symptoms; improved verbal language, social skills, and cognition; and sharp reductions in problem behavior. These data will be contrasted with the four other randomized trials available at the early childhood level.

Certified behavior analysts, behavioral consultants, behavioral therapists, clinicians, educational consultants, psychologists, special education teachers, and individuals working with children with autism or other developmental delays.

Severe problem behavior among individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is a significant public health problem. In addition to individual-level costs including restrictive environments, reduced learning opportunities, and compromised quality of life, there are substantial costs to family, educational, and health systems. The past three decades have seen tremendous advances in behavioral assessment technology and its translation into efficacious and effective behavioral interventions. Despite this, severe problem behavior in the form of self-injury persists for a significant number of individuals. One approach to increasing our scientific understanding of persistent self-injury is to adopt a "biobehavioral" approach that examines relevant environmental determinants in the context of biological systems. Based on this, our group has focused on biological markers relevant to pain and stress. The specific objectives of this presentation will be to 1) provide an overview of the clinical problem of self-injurious behavior (SIB) among individuals with I/DD and ASD, 2) review current findings from ongoing studies trying to bridge the gap between pain-relevant biomarkers and sensory features associated with chronic SIB, and 3) suggest that nociceptive and immune mediated activity may be relevant to unraveling some of the mystery surrounding chronic SIB.

Certified behavior analysts, behavioral consultants, behavioral therapists, clinicians, educational consultants, psychologists, special education teachers, and individuals working with children with autism or other developmental delays.

The Autism Special Interest Group (SIG) brings together individuals who specialize in, or are interested in, the application of behavior analysis to the education and treatment of individuals with autism across the lifespan. The Autism SIG promotes behavior analytic research and the exchange of scientific information in the area of autism treatment, advocates for and promotes high standards in the application of behavior analytic treatments, and supports consumers of applied behavior analysis services. The Parent-Professional Partnership SIG was created in response to the growing number of parents seeking information from the Association of Behavior Analysis International (ABAI). This SIG is intended to serve parents of children with autism and related disabilities as well as interested professionals. The Parent-Professional Partnership SIG attempts to address the specific needs and concerns of parents, particularly those who attend the annual ABAI convention. For more information about the Autism and Parent-Professional Partnership SIGs, please visit www.autismpppsig.org. The Autism and Parent-Professional Partnership SIGs are honored to present a tribute to the life and work of Dr. Jerry Shook, founding CEO of the Behavior Analyst Certification Board, who passed away in November 2011. Dr. Shooks contributions significantly advanced the field of applied behavior analysis and helped countless numbers of individuals with autism and their families.

Many meta-analytic reviews have misrepresented the literature evaluating interventions to promote social communication skills in children with autism. This is because they failed to include the bulk of the experimental research base, namely single-case experimental designs. This presentation will expand upon approaches to identify evidence-based practices (EBPs). A Consumer Reports framework will be used to evaluate social communication intervention studies and illustrate a way to fairly and comprehensively evaluate this literature. This framework evaluates the quality of both group and single-case experiments with respect to design characteristics and internal validity, measurement features, results, and external validity. The advent of effect size estimates also may improve the incorporation of single-case experiments into the EBP literature. The presentation will show how these analytic frameworks provide useful information that can be cross-referenced with descriptive information about the articles reviewed. This approach has the potential to improve the ease and effectiveness with which behavior analysts select efficacious practices that meet the particular needs of their clients.

Certified behavior analysts, behavioral consultants, behavioral therapists, clinicians, educational consultants, psychologists, special education teachers, and individuals working with children with autism or other developmental delays.

Beginning in the 1980s our work at the University of Kansas has focused on peer-mediated interventions for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). A series of related studies demonstrated that children with autism could learn academic skills in small groups with other students, and social behaviors within social and play groups with peers. Typical programs have included social skills groups, recess and lunch peer networks, and tutoring programs. We have consistently demonstrated that following participation in peer-mediated programs, children with ASD can learn to use similar communication skills and exhibit contextually appropriate initiations and responses during small groups with typical peers. Seventeen single case design studies including 48 participants have been published showing individual treatment gains. The presentation will describe peer networks, settings, and procedures for interventions. We will describe general findings of the research and discuss future directions.

Certified behavior analysts, behavioral consultants, behavioral therapists, clinicians, educational consultants, psychologists, special education teachers, and individuals working with children with autism or other developmental delays.

Many behavior analysts have regular contact with families of children or adolescents on the autism spectrum. In most families, neurotypical (NT) siblings may be valuable resources for modeling/teaching adaptive skills, and may themselves be in need of support in understanding their brother or sister with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Fortunately there is a body of research documenting the role NT siblings can play in supporting the learning of their brother or sister on the spectrum. This talk describes how the role of siblings has been studied, what we have learned about the contributions the children can make, and what we learned about supporting the needs of NT siblings. We will look at the clinical role of NT siblings in the late 1970s and early 1980s and consider several studies demonstrating the value of teaching NT siblings basic principles of applied behavior analysis (ABA). We will review how the childs knowledge of ASD evolves, and how these developmental changes influence the ABA role NT siblings can assume. Specific target behaviors include teaching play skills and joint attention skills using ABA techniques adapted to the NT childs understanding. We will also describe cognitive behavior therapy techniques enabling NT siblings to solve problems that arise in their relationship with their brother or sister, and we will report research on the benefits of sibling support groups for helping children implement ABA methods to understand the behavior of their brother or sister with an ASD.

Certified behavior analysts, behavioral consultants, behavioral therapists, clinicians, educational consultants, psychologists, special education teachers, and individuals working with children with autism or other developmental delays.

1. Understand the perspective of siblings of children with ASD.       

2. Have an overview of research on the skills siblings can acquire.      

3  Be familiar with the objectives of sibling support groups.      

There is a subset of Autistic Spectrum Disorder that exhibit severe behavioral and emotional control challenges, specifically aggression and self-injury. Frequently, to ensure the safety of self and others, residential treatment is required. The Intensive Behavioral Support (IBS) Program was created to provide treatment for this specific population of children with a dual diagnosis of an Autistic Spectrum Disorder and psychiatric disorder in a residential setting. The IBS program is developed based on Applied Behavioral Analysis interventions. The 6-18 month program is individualized for each child and implemented by Behavioral Support Specialist who provides 1-on-1 direct care support throughout the day. The typical child admitted into the IBS program average anywhere from 600-1,600 incidents of aggression and/or self-injury within a 30 day period prior to admission. The families are also trained to implement programming in the home so the child may transition successfully from residential treatment back into the home. Outcome data is available for three children who have completed the IBS program and the targeted challenging behaviors were reduced by 86-98% for all three cases. This research presents an overview of the children's programs, specific interventions used, and treatment results.

Summer camps serve a major support function for families of children with autism. Parents seek out opportunities for their children to have fun and gain social opportunities. During the summer there is enormous pressure on parents for their children not to lose ground on the social skills that were developed during the school year. However, summer camps are often merely experiential; offering social opportunities with minimal instruction. This presentation outlines our process of embedding social skills instruction into the activities of a summer camp for children with autism. The camp uses well-defined themes to increase the children's motivation and interest. Within the themes are activities with clearly defined expectations. Each activity is the foundation for social skills instruction. Evidence-based instruction is discussed. The process of embedding ABA methods into the daily routines of a summer camp is described in detail. Procedures for collecting outcome data are also discussed.

Research suggests that individuals with classic autism may have a low risk of engaging in criminal behavior, yet among forensic psychiatric patients or adults referred for forensic assessment, the incidence of High Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders (HF-ASDs) has been reported as up to 12%. There is little in the professional literature regarding the incidence of criminal behavior among youth with ASDs or what factors contribute to this behavioral pattern. Specific characteristics and symptoms of individuals with HF-ASDs have been raised as potential predisposing factors to involvement in the criminal justice system. Although rule followers who often experience distress when others violate rules, literature and clinical experience find that specific ASD-related patterns of thinking that may increase the risk of violation of rules/law: 1) when there is threat to the access, maintenance, or attainment of a particular fixation/obsession, 2) when the impaired representations of the mental states of others or social deficits lead to misinterpretation of social/environmental cues and subsequent unacceptable behavior, and/or 3) when social naivet and gullibility results in engaging in/going along with acts that most would consider unacceptable. Cases will illustrate the key issues that arise in dealing with ASD youth as they intersect with the juvenile justice system, including results of assessments and eventual disposition.

We compared the effects of early intensive behavioral intervention (children received treatment before the age of 4, 1 :1 adult : child ratio, more than 20 hours per week) to late intensive behavioral intervention (children received treatment after the age of 4, 1 :1 adult : child ratio, more than 20 hours per week). Independent examiners administered standardized tests of visuo spatial skillls and language after 2 years of treatment. The tests are Raven Matrice, Peaboby, Ecosse, and Boehm test. The statistical differences between the response profiles of the 2 groups were statistically different only for the vocabulary test.

The goal of educational programs for children with autism is to place the student in the least restrictive environment possible while maintaining an appropriate level of academic instruction. As a student with autism transitions from 1:1 instruction to higher ratio settings, a strong repertoire of behaviors considered 'compliant' is paramount to academic success. 'Noncompliance' behavior can serve as a roadblock to sufficient learning when in a group-instruction setting. The current study focused on the noncompliance behavior of several students with autism in a classroom setting. Noncompliance was defined individually for each student, dependent on topography. The participants were between the ages of 4 and 9 and attended school at a center-based school program. The students were in the same classroom with a 3:1 student-teacher ratio. The purpose of the current study was to examine possible functional relationships between the noncompliance behavior of these students with autism in the described classroom setting. A multiple baseline design was used to assess whether interventions designed and implemented for individual students' noncompliance behavior affected the noncompliance behavior of other students in the classroom.

As the demand for services for young adults with autism continues to increase, this project seeks to examine the unique needs and family experiences of young adults with autism during the critical period following high school when the IEP process is not successful, and examine how the services offered during a one-year individualized transition program facilitate the transition and improve the individual's future outcomes.. MOSTTM (Meaningful Opportunities for Successful Transitions), founded in 2008, is a transition program for individuals needing additional skill training, development and practice after finishing high school. MOST participants identify goals that become the basis of the individualized year-long program which establishes a meaningful plan for subsequent placements and activities. For our study, we will analyze intake, program and outcome data of young adults with autism who enroll in MOSTTM. We will compare outcomes for individuals with different characteristics at intake, and levels of individual functioning and family characteristics. This study seeks to increase our understanding of the needs of young adults with autism for whom the IEP transition process was not successful. Our findings will be shared with MOSTTM staff and administration, and other organizations developing similar programs for young adults with autism.

Functional assessments have predominantly been used in behavior analytic research to treat the aberrant behaviors of populations with developmental disabilities. There are similar assessments being used within the area of organizational behavior management, such as the Performance Diagnostic Checklist (PDC). However, there is not much research to support the validity of using the PDC as a functional assessment tool to determine the function and treatment of problem behavior (i.e., employee performance and compliance with basic task analyses) within a corporation. A previous study by the authors examined the validity of the PDC as a functional assessment tool by conducting a multiple baseline across participants. The study attempted to determine if using a function based treatment versus a contraindicated treatment increased the employee compliance behavior (following a predetermined agenda for a parent training) of employees at an ABA clinic for children with developmental disabilities. The present study is a replication and extension of the previous study and will continue to examine the validity of the PDC as a functional assessment tool by conducting a multiple baseline across participants; however, the sensitivity of the data collection procedures has been modified to better determine outcomes.

The presentation of escape maintained severe aggressive behavior poses a threat to the safety of the individual behaving aggressively, the safety of any staff or family member who is targeted or tries to manage the situation in attempts to prevent harm to others, and significantly impedes the ability of the individual behaving aggressively to engage in a significant number of learning opportunities related to all aspects of independent functioning. Previous studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of a variety of differential reinforcement programs for the treatment for a variety of socially inappropriate behaviors. However, few studies have looked specifically at the use of differential negative reinforcement (DNR) in the treatment of severe aggression in individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders. In the present investigation a 11 year old boy with autism presented with severe aggressive behavior toward staff and peers when demands were placed upon him in such a manner that differential positive reinforcement was not practically feasible. A DNR program was put in place with results indicating that DNR can be an effective treatment procedure for the decrease of escape maintained aggressive behavior.