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| Opening Event |
| Saturday, August 8, 2009 |
| 8:00 AM–8:50 AM |
| Sonja Henie Ballroom |
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| Autism Paper Session 1 |
| Saturday, August 8, 2009 |
| 9:30 AM–10:50 AM |
| Madonna |
| Area: AUT |
| Chair: David L. Holmes (Lifespan Services, LLC) |
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| Delivering ABA Services Throughout the Lifespan of Individuals with Autism |
| Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| DAVID L. HOLMES (Lifespan Services, LLC) |
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| Abstract: Upon diagnosis, children with autism require early and intensive ABA services. Such ‘early and intensive’ services have proven to have the best outcomes with many children becoming ‘indistinguishable’ from typically developing children.
Even with early success the majority of children with autism will require specialized educational services. Such services should continue to form the foundation of children with autism's educational experience across academic training; activities of daily living; behavioral/impulse control; and, leisure and recreational skill development.
Upon becoming adults, those that continue to require specialized supports in employment, residential and recreation/leisure activities, an ABA approach continues to be indicated; although usually of a less intense nature and generally very difficult to find.
This presentation will address the needs of children and adults with autism throughout their lifespan and will present a community based ABA model that has demonstrated success for 35+ years.
Opportunities for questions and interactive exchanges with attendees will occur throughout the presentation. |
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| Generalization of Tacting Actions in Children with Autism: Replication and Further Analysis |
| Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| MICHELLE P KELLY (NUI Galway), Geraldine Leader (National University of Ireland), Gladys Williams (CIEL, Spain) |
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| Abstract: This replication study compared the effects of two procedures on the generalisation of a tacting repertoire in an Irish sample of three children with autism spectrum disorder. In one procedure, the antecedent stimulus was a person performing an action, sleeping or crying. In the other procedure, the verbal antecedent stimulus “What is she doing?” was provided together with the presentation of the action. Initially, each child emitted tacts only when the action was presented with a verbal stimulus. Each participant then learned to tact an action without the verbal antecedent and tests were provided to evaluate generalisation to another action. In order to obtain generalisation of tacting actions, it was necessary to learn to tact the action with the verbal antecedent as well as learning to tact other actions without the verbal antecedent. These findings highlight the importance of shifting stimulus control by verbal antecedents to natural conditions and the production of spontaneous language. Maintenance probes and further generalisation probes to tact waving and clapping were also conducted. Contextual effects, tact frames and implications for mand training are discussed. |
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| Extinction and its Effects on Over-Selectivity in Participants with Moderate-Functioning Autism |
| Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| MICHELLE P KELLY (NUI Galway), Geraldine Leader (National University of Ireland), Maria Makrigianni (Swansea University) |
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| Abstract: Four participants from an Irish sample with moderate functioning autism were presented with a trial-and-error discrimination card task using two, two-element compound stimuli. Each of the participants was found to over-select. The over-selected stimulus was extinguished by reinforcing a novel stimulus but behavioral control by the previously under-selected cue emerged in only one participant. These findings suggest that extinction of over-selected stimuli may only be a potential effective clinical intervention for some children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder. |
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| Clinical, Family, Behavioral Medicine Paper Session 2 |
| Saturday, August 8, 2009 |
| 9:30 AM–10:50 AM |
| Salome |
| Chair: Jens Erik Skår (Institute of Applied Behavior Analysis) |
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| Treatment of Water Phobic Behaviors Among Offshore Oil Rig Personnel |
| Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| JENS ERIK SKÅR (Institute of Applied Behavior Analysis) |
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| Abstract: A small percentage of oil rig personnel do not pass certification tests because of water phobic behaviors. These persons are often well-educated and highly motivated to comply with the certification regulations, but experience severe anxiety and avoidance behaviors during initial training. Some have not passed the certification tests. A treatment program was designed to help persons pass the tests. The treatment package consisted of the use of an individual trainer, a step by step exposure procedure, the last steps simulating the most anxiety provoking test (the helicopter under-water turnover-test) and elementary training in the use of scuba diving breathing devices. Side effects in the form of avoidance behaviors, periodically lowered treatment motivation, sleeplessness and milder forms of depressions will be discussed. Establishing treatment contracts, the use of explanations and rule governing behaviors and the interaction between respondent (emotional) and operant behaviors will be addressed through the presentation of a single-subject treatment course.
Descriptors: water phobia, systematic desensitization, treatment motivation, rule governing, interaction of respondent and operant behaviors |
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| New perspectives in the treatment of behavior problems; the role of covert (invisible) behaviors |
| Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| JENS ERIK SKÅR (Institute of Applied Behavior Analysis), Arild Karlsen (Akershus University College) |
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| Abstract: It is a well known fact that one component of any problem behavior is the accompanying emotional responses. Perceptual behavior like seeing, hearing, smelling and feeling is invisible behavior, but it is always connected to other types of behaving. Invisible behavior must be accepted for theoretical reasons, but also for any effective treatment purpose. There is today no question that respondent and operant contingencies do interact in controlling behavior. The question is how they interact. If we are to target emotions, we have to some extent expose the individual to the stimuli that precede the occurrence of these behaviors, in attempts to weaken the emotional reactions. As in the procedures described as systematic desensitization and trigger training. We also argue that rules the individual might follow, also often is invisible behavior that can be targeted in any treatment plan. A special kind of invisible behavior can be labelled resistance behavior. Resistance behavior can free the person from getting into contact with aversive stimulation. Both covert and overt responses can be controlled by S? configurations. We learn to avoid certain objects and situations, as well as the act of withholding responses. But the person who resists behaving is the sole observer of his covert responses. The resistance in it’s mature form can rarely be observed. The concept of resistance will be useful in the analysis of behavior chains in the organism as a whole.
We will argue that the treatment of problem behaviors must take into account invisible behaviors like emotions, rules and resistance behavior, and that consequence strategies must be accompanied by strategies for modifying respondent reactions. This might prove crucial in the treatment of severe behavior problems like OCD, aggressive behavior, self injurious behavior, eating disorders etc. Single subject treatment results will be presented.
Descriptors: problem behaviors, invisible behaviors accompanying overt behaviors, interaction of respondent and operant contingencies, rule governing |
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| Timeout versus positive practice correction |
| Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| MARITA KVIA (Institute of Applied Behavior Analysis), Marita Kvia (Institute of Applied Behavior Analysis) |
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| Abstract: This experiment is comparing the relative effectiveness of positive practice correction versus timeout procedure. The subject was a 15 year old boy with severe problem behaviors. The problem behaviors included among others sexual approaching behaviors toward staff and children, aggressive behaviors and running away. The experimental procedures was implementet contingent on the early signs of any defined problem behavior.
The results showed that positive practice correction were effective in reducing the unwanted behaviors to the degree that the subject again could be taught at school and attend a classroom setting. During the timeout procedure the problem behaviors increased to more than average before implementation. The presentation will discuss problems in designing treatment plans with a multiple use of different, combined procedures, and pitfalls in the use of what we commonly think of as time out from reinforcement based procedures.
Descriptors: timeout, positive practice correction, autism. |
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| How are conditioned reinforcers most effectively established? Pairing versus an operant discrimination procedure |
| Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| JANNE MARI AKSELSEN SØRENSEN (Stavanger University Hospital ), Else Marie Grønnerud (Oppland Habilitation Services), Monica Vandbakk (Ullevaal University Hospital ), Jonny Finstad (Oppland Habilitation Services), Per Holth (Akershus University College) |
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| Abstract: The literature on conditioned reinforcement has most typically described pairing procedures as the common procedure for establishing new or conditioned reinforcers. However, clinical observations suggest that the pairing procedure may not be the most effective procedure for establishing new stimuli as conditioned reinforcers. The purpose of the present experiment was to compare the effectiveness of a procedure based on pairing with a procedure based on establishing a stimulus as a discriminative stimulus. Eight children were exposed to a sequence of two different training and test procedures. First, a previously neutral stimulus was established as discriminative stimulus for a response that produced a reinforcer, and then tested for conditioned reinforcer effects when being presented contingent upon an arbitrary response. Second, another previously neutral stimulus was repeatedly paired with a reinforcer, and then tested for conditioned reinforcer effects. No additional reinforcers were presented during the test conditions. The results suggest that conditioned reinforcers can be more effectively established through the discriminative stimulus procedure than through simple pairing with an unconditioned reinforcer. |
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| Experimental Analysis of Behavior Paper Session 4 |
| Saturday, August 8, 2009 |
| 9:30 AM–10:50 AM |
| Base 1 |
| Chair: Sinead Smyth (University of Ulster, Coleraine) |
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| A Behavioral Analytic Investigation of Interpretive Bias: The effects of modelling. |
| Domain: Experimental Analysis |
| Georgia Dalto (University of Ulster, Coleraine), SINEAD SMYTH (University of Ulster, Coleraine), Maurice Stringer (University of Ulster, Coleraine) |
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| Abstract: Researchers studying the acquisition and maintenance of anxiety have investigated the tendency of anxious individuals to demonstrate a number of cognitive biases. Negative interpretive bias refers to the tendency to respond to ambiguous stimuli as if they are threatening, rather than neutral or positive. A negative interpret bias is typically induced in the laboratory by giving participants feedback about their performance on an ambiguously valenced task. The current study tested the use of a novel procedure to induce interpretive bias. Specifically, non-anxious participants were shown the negative responses of other supposed participants in order to determine if they would model this type of responding. Stage 1 was a baseline measure of tendency to choose a negative rather than a neutral associate for a given homograph. During Stage 2, participants in the experimental condition were exposed to computer simulated responses of other supposed participants on the associate task, before giving their own response. Participants in the control condition simply repeated the task as before. Stage 3 was the same for both groups of participants and probed for negative v neutral responding in the absence of the responses of others. The implications of the findings for our understanding of the acquisition of anxiety will be discussed. |
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| The Modern Theory of Matching is an Emergent Property of
A Computational Theory of Selection by Consequences |
| Domain: Theory |
| JACK J. MCDOWELL (Emory University) |
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| Abstract: A computational theory of selection by consequences has been shown to generate behavior that is similar in many respects to the behavior of live organisms. The theory implements Darwinian principles of selection, reproduction, and mutation to cause a population of potential behaviors to evolve in response to selection pressure from the environment in the form of reinforcement. In a separate line of work, it has been argued that the theory of matching based on Herrnstein’s original matching equation is false, and should be replaced by a modern version that is fully consistent with experimental findings. A complete statement of each version of the theory includes at least a concurrent schedule equation, a single schedule equation, and single schedule forms for the components of a concurrent schedule. New experiments and analyses show that the computational theory generates behavior that is accurately described by the modern version of matching theory, and that violates the original version in the same way that the behavior of live organisms does. This means that the evolutionary behavior dynamics and the modern theory of matching together constitute a comprehensive mechanics of adaptive behavior that accurately describes and fully accounts for a large body of data. |
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| A Conceptual and Methodological Alternative for Studying Referential Behavior |
| Domain: Experimental Analysis |
| HERNAN CAMILO HURTADO PARRADO (University of Manitoba), Telmo Eduardo Peña Correal (Universidad Nacional de Colombia) |
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| Abstract: Some human verbal interactions are characterized by the possibility of a listener/reader to respond in a conventional manner to the relation between the actions of a mediator (i.e. what a "speaker" says or what an "author" writes) and objects/events absent, not apparent properties of objects, or future situations (e.g., someone is describing another person events or objects not present at that moment or someone explains another person how he must behaves when he arrives to a place he has never been before).
The presentation will discuss the design of a theoretically coherent methodological alternative for studying the referential behaviour phenomena; and the findings of a research project interested on giving an experimental answer to the question "Does the experience of being trained to generate references (i.e. being trained to produce coherent "phrases" which refer past occurred relations between objects, using a very simplified conventional system) produce any effect over the later performance during a transference phase constituted by the exposition to references that specify relations between objects?. |
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| Versatility of Precision Teaching Principles. The Use of PT Principles in Academics, Sports, and Leisure Activities |
| Saturday, August 8, 2009 |
| 9:30 AM–10:50 AM |
| Vampyr |
| Area: EDC; Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| Chair: Gunn Lokke (University College of Ostfold, Norway) |
| Discussant: Gunn Lokke (University College of Ostfold, Norway) |
| Abstract: Precision Teaching strategies and fluency based training techniques are readily used and generally accepted in behaviour analytic academic circles. Data show that Precision Teaching strategies work very well in combination with most effective teaching and treatment programmes (Lindsley, 1997). Through systematic frequency building in time limited training intervals, PT strategies often yield more efficient, applicable and generalized knowledge and skills than traditional teaching methods. Some teaching programmes have shown a 100% increase in effectiveness with simultaneous use of Precision Teaching (Kubina, Morrison & Lee, 2002). It would be interesting and important to extend the use of these strategies to more untraditional areas, such as sports and leisure activities.
The continuous monitoring of learning processes necessary for effective decision making found in PT (Binder, 1996; Lindsley, 1992; West & Young, 1992), and the emphasis on fluent performance make the PT framework a perfect fit for all types of activities demanding accuracy and speed for expert performance. The symposium aims to extend the usefulness of PT principles, and presents three widely different areas where PT principles were successfully implemented; speed reading and paired reading, pétanque and basic driver training. |
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| Precision Teaching and Basic Car-Driver Training |
| TORUNN LIAN (Akershus University College) |
| Abstract: Manual gear shifting; the correct use of the gas and clutch pedals and gear lever, are component skills combined in different ways in competent car driving. Beginner behavior repertoires are typically characterized by slow and inaccurate performance. Deficiencies may inhibit, or at least, delay the acquisition of more complex repertoires, such as driving in accordance with traffic conditions, and economic and environmental friendly driving. In addition, automaticity in these skills are necessary to free attention for other activities essential to traffic safety, such as correct use of car mirrors. To increase the efficiency of driver training and ultimately the traffic safety, gear shifting skills should be established at fluent levels during the early phases. In the present study, two participants practiced clutching, gear shift and use of gas pedal using the principles of Precision Teaching. The presentation will account for design, training methods and results. |
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| Precision Teaching and Shooting in Pétanque |
| JON A. LOKKE (University College of Ostfold, Norway), Gunnar Salthe (Ostfold University College) |
| Abstract: Pétanque is a French game of bowls (boules) in which teams throw boules as close as possible to a jack. This throw is called pointing and is one of the two main techniques of the game. The other main technique is shooting; in which the player tries to hit a boule of the opposing team, thus knocking it away from the jack. Precise and effective shooting requires much practice. The topic of this presentation is how efficiently precision teaching (PT) and high rate training enhances the performance of the shooting technique. The purpose was to develop an efficient program for teaching this technique in pétanque. We want to demonstrate that PT, although most commonly used for academic purposes, could be well suited for development of sporting skills. Our training program requires simple and inexpensive equipment. The two participants, the authors, took turns as observers and trainees. One of them has practiced the game for several years, in a club. The other participant has trained pétanque sporadically as a leisure activity. In this presentation we will explain the design, training program and results. |
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| Speed reading, paired reading and the use of Precision Teaching |
| GUNN LOKKE (University College of Ostfold, Norway) |
| Abstract: Rate of reading is important for academic functioning. Slow readers use more energy in reading, read less than other students in the same amount of time, and have reduced comprehension of written text. In addition, low reading rate may cause frustration in the reader. Faster readers show more comprehension and tend to be more proficient readers. In addition, slow reading results in frustration.
The techniques of speed reading and paired reading are widely used and generally accepted. Efficiency studies report a 100 % increase in reading speed when implementing speed reading techniques. Paired reading leads to gains in fluency, word recognition and comprehension.
The reading strategies include fewer eye fixations with a wider horizontal extent of text processed by each fixation and smoother and more efficient scanning patterns.
We present the use of speed reading, paired reading and Precision Teaching strategies in one 14 year old boy with mental retardation and attachment disorder, and one 14 year old normally developing boy. |
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| Applications of Behavioral Contingency Analysis to Verbal and Motor Behavior, Economics, and Education |
| Saturday, August 8, 2009 |
| 9:30 AM–10:50 AM |
| 301 |
| Area: TPC/EDC; Domain: Theory |
| Chair: Philip N. Chase (Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies) |
| Discussant: M. Jackson Marr (Georgia Tech) |
| Abstract: Several examples of the application of a formal symbolic language for analyzing and codifying behavioral contingencies will be presented and explained. One application is the precise specification of independent variables in behavior research and neuroscience research. Another is a demonstration of how the language’s small vocabulary and simple grammar can reveal relationships among seemingly unrelated phenomena and processes. To illustrate, parallels will be shown to exist between essential features of all locomotion, certain complex verbal behavior, and skilled performance; between property transfer, lending practices, securitization, and pyramid schemes; between various instances of deception; and between various manifestations of temporal discounting, including some economic and social consequences of educational practices. These examples demonstrate how behavioral contingency analysis, by the use of this formal language, can reveal parallels between behavioral phenomena that seem highly diverse on the surface but whose contingency structures share certain important features.
The formal symbolic behavioral contingency language specifies the possible actions of the involved parties, the actions’ consequences—positive, negative, or neutral—for all the parties, and such subtle nuances as parties’ likely perceptions, predictions, misperceptions, non-perceptions, wrong predictions, or non-predictions of consequences, as well as time lags, probabilities, and magnitudes of consequences. Being a formal language, it cuts across all natural languages. |
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| Frequently Recurring Modular Units in Behavioral Contingency Analysis |
| LAURILYN DIANNE JONES (The Mechner Foundation), Francis Mechner (The Mechner Foundation) |
| Abstract: The formal symbolic language for analyzing and codifying behavioral contingencies (Mechner, 2008) has a small vocabulary and a simple grammar. Practical applications of this language to a wide variety of behavioral contingencies in both experimental and applied behavior analysis, as well as in areas such as education, economics, therapy, sociology, law, or public affairs, involve the formulation, using this small vocabulary and simple grammar, of a relatively small number of recurrent modular units or standard templates that can serve as generally applicable building blocks. The counterpart of such building blocks in natural languages are combinations of words and symbols that correspond to commonly used phrases. The identified modular units recur repeatedly in diagrams of contingencies in highly diverse areas involving very different types of contingencies. Becoming familiar with these templates and/or modules makes diagramming contingencies using the formal language considerably easier and faster. A number of the most common of these templates and/or modules will be presented and discussed, with demonstrations of how they appear in various familiar contingencies, like deception, promises, agreements, cooperation, competition, game rules, temporal discounting situations, property transfers, misperception, threat, avoidance, risk taking, and other common situations. |
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| Diverse Applications of Behavioral Contingency Analysis |
| FRANCIS MECHNER (The Mechner Foundation) |
| Abstract: Behavioral contingency analysis can reveal parallels between seemingly disparate behavioral processes, and can serve as a tool for specifying and clarifying the behavioral contingencies as serve as independent variables in behavioral science research. Several examples of parallels between superficially diverse behavioral processes will be examined: All types of locomotion have important structural parallels with reading out loud, listening, copying, reading music, and simultaneous interpreting. The terrain about to be traversed in locomotion is analogous to an upcoming section of text, in that each is perceived and processed while the preceding motor phase is still in progress. In both, the smooth concatenation of the motor phases for successive segments requires buffering of the formulated upcoming motor behavior. Both involve corrective or digressive responses to obstacles or unanticipated stimuli encountered during the motor phases. For both, the size, entropy, and familiarity of the upcoming segment are important parameters. These parallels suggest that locomotion may be the phylogenetic prototype and evolutionary ancestor of these and other complex processes.
Another analysis shows that the contingencies involved in all transfers of property, including lending, securitization, and pyramid schemes share important features, as do many instances of deception and of temporal discounting, including some that involve economic and social consequences of educational practices. |
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| Behavioral Contingency Analysis of Complex Skill Performance |
| PARSLA VINTERE (Queens College, CUNY) |
| Abstract: The behavioral structure of the performance and practicing of complex skills is analyzed using a formal symbolic language for codifying behavioral contingencies. Two physically dissimilar skills that require deliberate practice, taking a multiple-choice exam and performing a balance exercise, were examined. The structure of the behavioral contingencies of the two skills was found to have certain similarities. The analysis provides insights into the possible reasons for the occurrence of repeated errors and for their prevalence in students’ performance. In addition, the analysis suggests reasons why deliberate practice alone might not produce improvement in performance. This type of analysis might be helpful for teachers, coaches, and various skill instructors in (a) designing ways to present information (b) programming multiple opportunities for teacher-learner interactions; (c) utilizing various types of performance feedback; and (d) educating learners in the utilization of performance feedback and its function during practice. The implications and potential benefits of this type of behavioral contingency analysis in education settings are discussed. |
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| Some Effects of Procedural Variables on the Dynamics of Operant Choice |
| Saturday, August 8, 2009 |
| 10:00 AM–10:50 AM |
| SHB (Olympia) |
| Chair: Per Holth (Akershus University College) |
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| Some Effects of Procedural Variables on the Dynamics of Operant Choice |
| JAY MOORE (University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee) |
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| Abstract: This presentation will review data from several studies showing how procedural variables influence the outcome of operant choice experiments. The studies involve the way the subjects receive reinforcement distributed over time in simple concurrent and concurrent chain schedules. Often these studies explain their data using such parameters as overall rate of reinforcement as an independent variable and develop quantitative models using such parameters. An important theoretical issue raised by these data is whether researchers have correctly identified independent variables that they incorporate into their quantitative models. Assuming that researchers want to maximize the generality of their independent variables and theoretical concepts, it seems important that their conceptions of those independent variables and theoretical concepts not be limited to only particular procedures. The meaning of rate of reinforcement is examined to provide a case history.
Dr. John C. (Jay) Moore is recognized as one of the discipline's most erudite scholars in the philosophy of radical behaviorism and conceptual issues in behavior analysis, Dr. Jay Moore has published 40 papers on radical behaviorism and philosophy of science in a wide variety of behavioral and psychological journals. His recent book, The Conceptual Foundations of Radical Behaviorism, provides the field with a comprehensive and sophisticated look at the philosophical underpinnings of the discipline. Dr. Moore has also contributed significantly to the experimental analysis of behavior, most importantly with a series of papers, beginning in 1975, on choice and reinforcer variables. His dedication to the Association includes work with its accreditation board, with the editorial board and as Editor of The Behavior Analyst, and as its President. The ABA Fellows program itself was one of his contributions. Dr. Moore has presented over 100 papers at conferences world-wide and has also served on editorial boards of the Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, Behaviorism, Psychological Record and the European Journal of Behavior Analysis. He was recently appointed to the Board of Trustees of the Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies. |
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| Autism Paper Session 6 |
| Saturday, August 8, 2009 |
| 10:00 AM–11:20 AM |
| SHB (Kunst) |
| Chair: Smita Awasthi (ABA India) |
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| The Effects of Learning a Series of Intraverbals in the Description of Objects |
| Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| Gladys Williams (CIEL, Spain), Luis Antonio Perez-Gonzalez (University of Oviedo), MONICA RODRIGUEZ MORI (CIEL, Spain), Anna Beatriz Muller Queiroz (Applied Behavioral Consultant Services), Daniel Carvalho de Matos (Applied Behavioral Consultant Services), Kimberly Vogt (Columbia University Teachers College), Amy Davies Lackey (Hawthorne Country Day School) |
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| Abstract: The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effectiveness of a procedure based on intraverbals (“Where does the cow live?- In the farm”) and their symmetry (“Which animal lives in the farm?- The cow”) to teach children with autism to describe novel objects. The procedure consisted of selecting one stimuli belonging to a category (i.e., animals), and selecting a total of ten intraverbals about that stimuli. First, we run a baseline phase with different stimuli within and out of the category. The training was done with only one of the stimuli and it consisted of teaching the intraverbals, the symmetry and a probe where the child had to say all the characteristics of the stimuli with visual cues. After the child learned the objective, we run the baseline again to see if the learned behavior emerged with the untrained stimuli. |
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| Teaching a Tact Repertoire from Words to Full Sentences in Children with Autism |
| Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| Gladys Williams (CIEL, Spain), MONICA RODRIGUEZ MORI (CIEL, Spain), Kim Vogt (David Gregory School), Amy Davies Lackey (Hawthorne Country Day School), Heather Kinney Carew (David Gregory School), Gina Elizabeth Vinueza (Applied Behavioral Consultant Services, NY), Eliana Angulo (Applied Behavioral Consultant Services, NY) |
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| Abstract: The purpose of this intervention was to teach a tact repertoire to children with autism who had some basic repertoire of verbal capabilities but did not emit tacts when looking at books, magazines or in the natural environment. Four children with autism participated in this study. We used a multiple baseline design across children. The intervention consisted of teaching each child – using echoic and physical prompts - to point, name and turn the page of colorful magazines with pictures of common objects. Each correct response was reinforced with favorite edibles using a FR1 schedule of reinforcement. When the transfer of stimulus control from echoics to tacts occurred, we began to collect data on the tact repertoire. When the child emitted tacts at a rate of 3 per minute, the schedule of reinforcement was thinned out. Our objective was for the subjects to emit at least 5 tacts per minute for two consecutive sessions. The results indicated that the procedure was effective and the children emitted tacts in the natural environment too. |
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| Applications of the VB-MAPP Barriers Assessment in Applied Settings for Children with ASD |
| Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| JAMIE HUGHES (Autism Consulting Services), Karen E. Flotkoetter (Autism Consulting Services) |
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| Abstract: It is important to find out what a child can so, but it is also important to know why they can’t do it, and analyze why they can’t do it. The VB-MAPP Barriers Assessment (Sundberg, 2008) provides an analysis and assessment of 21 common language and learning barriers faced by children with autism. Once a specific barrier has been identified a more detailed analysis of that problem is required to determine what the nature of the problem is, as well as what intervention program might be appropriate. Research utilizing this assessment in applied settings for children with ASD will be presented. Three case studies will be discussed, addressing the assessment, treatment, and outcomes for learners with defective receptive, echoic, and intraverbal repertoires. |
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| Using The Sign Protocol To Evoke Speech in Children With Autism - A Case Study |
| Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| SMITA AWASTHI (ABA India) |
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| Abstract: Most Children with Autism show evidence of a lack of a natural ability to develop speech. They have to be trained using specific teaching models to evoke speech. In the present study, the sign protocol was used across four children. The study on 4 Indian families living in Dubai, involved parent training in using the sign protocol. Parent monitoring and retraining in the correct use of protocol in two of four children. And training for contriving situations for increasing the total number of mands per day. All children were on an early intervention (IBI) program between the ages of 2 ½ - 3 ½ years of age. The mand training was conducted by the mother in three cases and both parents in one case. Results in all four cases exhibit, an increase in vocalization in all four cases followed by vocal mands. Evocation of speech led to an immediate drop in need for signs, and the child switched to vocal mands in all four cases. |
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| Cognitive and behavioural approaches to performance management. Different approaches, or just different levels of explanation? |
| Saturday, August 8, 2009 |
| 10:00 AM–11:20 AM |
| SHB (Film) |
| Area: OBM; Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| Chair: Ingunn Sandaker (Akershus University College) |
| Discussant: Ingunn Sandaker (Akershus University College) |
| Abstract: Psychological constructs like Perceived Self-Efficacy, Future Time Perspective and Self control are concepts from motivational psychology and attributional theory, in which cognitions, attitudes, perceptions and motivational structures all are considered causes of behavior. The research questions in these fields concern phenomena that are of interest to behavior analysts. This symposium presents three examples of empirical studies within a cognitive tradition. The concepts and the findings will be discussed from a behavior analytical perspective, and the discussant will outline alternative explanatory models. |
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| Self-leadership, - some empirical findings |
| RITA KYLLING (Norvegian ABA) |
| Abstract: In a research project (Matre & Kylling 2009; Kylling & Matre 2009) we will try to;
a) Explore the relational crossovers between Personal Goal Setting, PSE and Explanatory style / Proactive coping and discuss the impact our findings have when working with personnel in natural settings.
b) Explore the relational impact PSE and self leadership has on work engagement, well being and work satisfaction.
c) Establish relations between central components of a and b.
The ongoing research project is developed from a collection of data in natural settings. During an eight year period (2000 – 2008) a total of 350 informants from a relative homogenous group of social / child welfare workers have answered the Goal Setting Questionaire - GSQ (Locke & Latham 1990) and General Self Efficacy Questionaire – GSEQ (Røysamb, Schwarzer & Jerusalem 1998). Most of the participants have answered two or tree times (annually over a tree year period for each organisation). |
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| Self-leadership-an extended approach |
| PER JOSTEIN MATRE (Norwegian ABA) |
| Abstract: A new and expanded survey constructed on the basis of the GSQ, GSEQ, Proactive Coping Scale – PCS (Greenglass, Schwarzer, & Taubert, 1999), Explanatory Style Questionaire (Seligman 1995), Self Leadership Questionnaire – SLQ (Boss & Sims2008 work in progress, University of Maryland), Utrecht Work Engagement Scale – UWES (Schaufeli & Bakker 2003) and Bergen Burnout Indicator (Matthiesen & Dyregrov 1999) will be carried out from January till March with participants from a broad field of employees covering amongst other primary and secondary school teachers, oil industry workers, data engineers, child welfare workers, social workers and a survey company.
This is done both to establish more solid and hopefully more reliable data. We will also try to establishing a practical easy organized organisational survey form that can serve both as a practical assessment tool and as an effect measurement (pre – post) instrument when working with staffs.
The presentation will focus on the findings and view the results from a practical angle were we discuss the significance and practical implications on goal setting practice and training of staff in organisational settings. |
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| The Beck Diet Solution, - focusing behavior, not food |
| RUNE ANDREASSEN (Norwegian ABA) |
| Abstract: The Beck Diet Solution is different from other diet programs because it is a psychological program, not a food plan. During the step-by-step program participants learn specific techniques to stay on their diet, lose weight, and maintain their weight loss for life. The Beck Diet Solution is based on clinical research in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
The Beck Diet Solution teaches participants what they need to know in order to lose weight, and how to maintain weight reduction. The program is taught over a six week period, emphasizing eating the right things, how to avoid temptations and how to say no, identification and restructuring of sabotaging thoughts, and more.
Agape Meso is conducting a research into the program starting March 2009. The research is done on four different groups, with 11 participants in each group, and is among other things looking into self-efficacy, satisfactoriness, weight reduction, well being and health. |
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| A Formal Language for Analyzing Behavioral Contingencies |
| Saturday, August 8, 2009 |
| 11:00 AM–11:50 AM |
| SHB (Olympia) |
| Chair: Jon A. Lokke (University College of Ostfold, Norway) |
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| A Formal Language for Analyzing Behavioral Contingencies |
| FRANCIS MECHNER (The Mechner Foundation) |
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| Abstract: Behavioral contingencies are at the heart of the phenomena that concern educators, economists, psychologists, sociologists, public policy makers, lawyers, and business managers. That is why a formal language for analyzing behavioral contingencies can create meaningful bridges between behavior analysis and other disciplines. “If a certain act, then a certain consequence” is a simple behavioral contingency statement. It states that what the consequence would be if certain behavior occurred in any particular situation, not what behavior will occur. The formal contingency language can codify the agents of possible acts; the magnitudes or probabilities of the positive or negative valences of the acts’ consequences for the various involved parties, and other vital details. Since behavioral contingencies often serve as independent variables in behavioral or neuroscience experiments, their analysis can often be helpful in such research. But contingency analysis can also reveal surprising parallels between familiar behavioral phenomena that appear, on the surface, to be unrelated: For instance, locomotion—a behavioral capability present throughout the animal kingdom—is seen to have many nontrivial parallels with reading, copying, listening, and other skills. For example, locomotion, reading, and copying all have in common that the individual perceives and processes an upcoming stretch (of terrain or text) before actually reaching it, while still executing the motor phase of the previous stretch of terrain or text, and the farther the individual looks ahead, the more efficient the performance. Contingency analysis also sheds light on the behavioral dynamics at the cores of such economic and financial phenomena as securitization, derivatives, mortgage bundling, and various other types of property transfer, all of which involve obfuscation of the contingencies that defined the transferred property. Ponzi schemes and the formation and bursting of bubbles are seen to involve elaborate consensus dynamics. The multiple implications for public policy will be discussed. |
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| Clinical, Family, Behavioral Medicine Paper Session 1 |
| Saturday, August 8, 2009 |
| 11:00 AM–12:20 PM |
| Salome |
| Area: CBM |
| Chair: Martti T. Tuomisto (University of Tampere, Finland) |
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| Guided Imagery – A Tool of Pain Management |
| Domain: Service Delivery |
| YASH P. MANCHANDA (Retired- Part-Time Practice) |
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| Abstract: The Mental Health Providers in the institutional are facing a new challenge with the developmentally disabled clients. It is important for them to be able to assess and manage their own pain, but of those of cognitively challenged clients. Many tools are available to the providers for their personal well-being and that of their clients. Guided imagery is one of such tools which can be used to manage pain. This experiential session includes a short Power Point presentation giving the definition of pain, pain perceptions, assessments, treatments and management of pain, which will be followed by a guided imagery exercise. During this portion, the attendees will be able to experience two ways of relaxation and three ways of pain management. |
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| Behavior Analysis in Bariatric Behavioral Medicine |
| Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| MARTTI T. TUOMISTO (University of Tampere, Finland), Lauri Parkkinen (Department of Psychology, University of Tampere) |
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| Abstract: The treatment of choice for people with morbid obesity (BMI over 40) is bariatric surgery. All treated individuals do not improve, however. Behavior analysis (BA) may help those people first with the assessment of behavior and second with interventions for different important behaviors. BA may be applied before the surgery to reduce problematic eating behavior and increase adaptive behavior in combination with low energy diets. Bariatric surgery leads to forced reduction in eating behavior that may be difficult to adapt to, because eating behavior may have been negatively reinforced to reduce negatively motivated emotional states. New eating behavior needs to be developed. Interventions such as acceptance-based methods, values work, stimulus control, contingency management, and others may be used. Positive reinforcement of all adaptive behaviors is important. In this theoretical paper, we outline a behavior-analytic approach for bariatric behavioral medicine. We apply Cipani’s system of Functional Behavioral Assessment, Diagnosis, and Treatment on problem behaviors at the University Hospital of Tampere, Finland. These functional diagnoses may be used to identify the individuals who need more help after the surgery. Self-monitoring of eating behavior before the treatment may be used to test hypotheses regarding the functional diagnoses. |
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| Practical Applied Behavior Analysis for Pediatric Medicine |
| Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| KEITH J. SLIFER (The Kennedy Krieger Institute/ Johns Hopkins Univ.) |
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| Abstract: Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is used at the Kennedy Krieger Institute and Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine to address behavioral impediments to health care for children. It was hypothesizes that aversive and classical conditioning play significant roles in the development of negative emotional and behavioral responses to medical stimuli. Data from illustrative case examples will be presented and discussed including: (1) training motion control during neuroimaging and radiation therapy, (2) counterconditioning aversive medical procedure-related distress (“needle phobia”), (3) teaching children with Autism or related developmental disabilities to cooperate with EEG examinations and sleep studies, (4) teaching patients with obstructive sleep apnea to adhere to respiratory assistance devices (positive airway pressure), and (5) teaching children with ADHD or Autism to swallow pills. These examples will show that ABA is well suited for designing and testing the effectiveness of specific “hands-on” interventions for various dilemmas in pediatric medicine. The presentation will emphasize the generality of behavioral interventions based on task analyses, stimulus fading, counterconditioning and shaping procedures. Finally, the positive reception given these interventions by pediatric professionals, and the many challenges and opportunities that exist in pediatric medical settings, will be discussed. |
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| Contingency Management in the 21st Century: Technological Innovations to Promote Smoking Cessation |
| Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| JESSE DALLERY (University of Florida), Bethany R. Raiff (University of Florida), Maxine Stitzer (Behavioral Pharmacology Research Unit), Michael Grabinski (Red 5 Group, LLC) |
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| Abstract: Cigarette smoking is the largest preventable risk factor for morbidity and mortality in developed countries. The Internet provides an excellent opportunity to increase access to science-based behavioral interventions such as abstinence reinforcement therapy. We developed and tested an internet-based monitoring system to verify and reinforce smoking abstinence by breath carbon monoxide (CO) output. The Internet-based model circumvented obstacles associated with frequent monitoring of smoking status via breath CO output (e.g., making twice daily visits to a clinic). Reinforcers consisted of vouchers exchangeable for merchandise on the Internet. We found that participants were highly compliant with the treatment (over 97% of the 1,120 scheduled CO samples were collected), and that voucher reinforcement produced high rates of sustained abstinence in a group (n=20) of high-risk, heavy smokers (over 65% of the 400 CO samples were negative during treatment). The intervention may address some of the major limitations (access, cost, sustainability, dissemination potential) inherent in traditional abstinence reinforcement delivery models. More generally, information technologies offer unprecedented and rapidly expanding opportunities to promote behavior change. |
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| Recent Advances in the Treatment of Problem Behavior Using Functional Communication Training |
| Saturday, August 8, 2009 |
| 11:00 AM–12:20 PM |
| Madonna |
| Area: AUT/DDA; Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| Chair: Joel Eric Ringdahl (University of Iowa) |
| Discussant: F. Charles Mace (University of Southern Maine) |
| Abstract: Functional communication training (FCT) is a commonly prescribed and highly effective treatment for problem behavior reinforced by social-positive or social-negative reinforcement. When a functional analysis has shown that an individual’s problem behavior is maintained by social consequences, FCT involves teaching the individual to access the reinforcer responsible for maintenance of the problem behavior via a simple communicative response (e.g., touching a picture card, saying “Break please”). FCT is one of the most researched and empirically validated treatments for problem behavior. The current symposium review the relevant literature on FCT and focus on ways of: (a) improving the efficiency and effectiveness of FCT, (b) establishing a variety of verbal response and tying them to appropriate controlling variables, and (c) facilitating the long term effectiveness of FCT. |
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| An Assessment of Mand Proficiency and Its Effect on Functional Communication-Based Treatment of Severe Behavior Problems |
| JOEL ERIC RINGDAHL (University of Iowa), Terry Falcomata (University of Iowa), Tory J. Christensen (University of Iowa) |
| Abstract: We conducted an assessment to determine the relative proficiency with which 3 individuals with developmental disabilities used different types of communication modalities. The effects of varying levels of proficiency were then assessed during implementation of functional communication training (FCT). During Phase 1, 10 trials were conducted with each of at least three modalities of communication including (e.g., manual sign, card hand, and microswitch activation). Data were collected on the level of prompting needed to occasion the response. During Phase 2, the modalities associated with the highest and middle percentages of independence were incorporated into FCT. Results of the proficiency assessment combined with FCT outcomes suggested FCT was most effective when the high proficiency modality was used. Results have implications for determining what response should be included as part of FCT-based treatment of severe behavior problems. Interobserver agreement was obtained during at least 20% of sessions and averaged above 90%. |
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| Long-term Effects of Functional Communication Training |
| DAVID P. WACKER (University of Iowa), Wendy K. Berg (University of Iowa), Jay W. Harding (University of Iowa), John F. Lee (University of Iowa) |
| Abstract: During the last 16 years, we have conducted long-term treatment of destructive behaviors (e.g., self-injury) displayed by young children with developmental disabilities. For all children, treatment involved functional communication training, which was implemented in the children’s homes by their parents. Thus far, 85 children have received treatment and showed an average decrease of 88% in destructive behavior during weekly to monthly probes conducted within a reversal design in their homes. These probe sessions were videotaped and coded using a 6-s partial interval (destructive behavior) or frequency (task completion) recording system. Interobserver agreement was conducted across 30% of the sessions and averaged over 90%. In this presentation, we will provide a summary of outcomes and emphasize the results from long-term maintenance probes conducted at the completion of treatment for a subset of the children. |
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| Training of Different Verbal Classes to Reduce Aberrant Verbal Behavior |
| MONICA VANDBAKK (Norwegian Association for Behavior Analysis), Terje Gundhus (Norwegian ABA), Erik Arntzen (Akershus University College) |
| Abstract: The purpose of the present study was to train different verbal classes in a young woman with autism to reduce aberrant verbal behavior. Assessment of her verbal behavior showed that a small amount was adequate verbal behavior, whereas much of the repertoire of verbal behavior could be characterized as aberrant verbal behavior (‘psychotic’ verbal behavior), and this behavior was mainly maintained by social reinforcement. The treatment program going to be based on results from the assessment results and focus on establishing relationships between a variety of verbal response responses and proper controlling variables. She is going to be trained to produce different verbal classes, mainly mand, tact, intraverbal, textual, transcription, and dictation responses. |
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| Determinants of Early Imitation: Matching Training, Object Affordances, and Naming. |
| Saturday, August 8, 2009 |
| 11:00 AM–12:20 PM |
| Base 1 |
| Area: EAB/DEV; Domain: Experimental Analysis |
| Chair: Mihela Erjavec (Bangor University) |
| Discussant: David C. Palmer (Smith College) |
| Abstract: Imitation is thought to be one of the driving forces in child development, but there are differing opinions as to its provenance. This symposium presents a series of studies that explore the multiple determinants of imitation in infancy and early childhood. The first experiment employed modeling of conventional, object-directed actions. The results showed that 1-year-old infants’ responses are determined by their history of object manipulation rather than the topography of the modeler’s behaviour. In the second experiment, 1- to 2-year olds were presented with modeling of empty-handed novel gestures. The repeated exposure to modeling, skills training, and multiple exemplar matching training were not sufficient to establish generalized imitation of novel gestures—infants matched all their targets only after extensive matching training. In the third experiment, 2- to 3-year olds were presented with modeling of novel hand-to-body touches. Their matching improved as a result of learning to name the novel body parts, but matching training was necessary to establish the remaining target relations. Overall, the results show that young children’s imitative abilities have hitherto been overestimated in the behavior analytic and developmental literature: Generalization of imitation responses may only occur to modeled behaviors that already feature in the trained matching repertoires. |
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| Can Infants Imitate Actions-on-Objects: The Role of Objects’ Affordances. |
| MIHELA ERJAVEC (University of Wales, Bangor), Pauline Horne (University of Wales, Bangor) |
| Abstract: The role of objects’ affordances in infant imitation of actions-on-objects was investigated in a repeated measures factorial design. Thirty 1-year-old infants participated in this experiment. Over 16 trials, infants’ manipulation of objects, half of which had specific affordances (toys) and half of which were affordance-neutral (novel shapes) was recorded; half the objects were presented with modeling and the remaining half with no modeling. The order of presentation was counterbalanced across infants; identical target actions were performed on both sets of objects. The fewest target responses were emitted on novel shapes presented without modeling, and the most on toys presented with modeling of afforded actions. Overall, more target actions were emitted on toys than on novel shapes. Statistically, modeling was effective in evoking target actions on toys, but not on the affordance-neutral shapes. These results show that (i) infants’ responses were not influenced by the topography of modeler’s behavior, and (ii) previously learned discriminative properties of objects can result in false positives in tests of infant imitation. We argue that these findings add to our growing understanding of the individual and combined roles of the multiple determinants of young infants’ matching behaviors, which at present appear too broadly classified as imitative. |
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| Do Infants Show Generalized Imitation of Gestures: The Effects of Skills Training and Multiple Exemplar Matching Training. |
| VICTORIA ELIZABETH LOVETT (University of Wales, Bangor), Pauline Horne (University of Wales, Bangor), Mihela Erjavec (University of Wales, Bangor) |
| Abstract: The determinants of generalized imitation of manual gestures were investigated in 1- to 2-year-old infants. Eleven infants were first trained eight baseline matching relations; then, four novel gestures that the infants did not match in probe trials were selected as target behaviors. Next, in a generalized imitation test, infants matched the intermittently reinforced baseline behaviors, but did not match unreinforced target behaviors. To ensure this was not due to motor constraints, the infants were trained, in a multiple-baseline procedure, to produce the target responses under alternative stimulus control, but there was no evidence of generalized imitation in subsequent tests. When the infants were next trained to match each target behavior to criterion under 0% reinforcement in a multiple-baseline-across-behaviors procedure, only 2 infants continued to match all their targets in subsequent tests; the remaining infants matched only some of them. Seven infants were next given mixed matching training of the target behaviors and subsequently matched these without reinforcement when interspersed with trials on which matching responses to baseline models were intermittently reinforced. The infants continued to match their targets in follow-up tests. The results support a trained matching account, but provide no evidence of generalized imitation, in 1- to 2-year-old infants. |
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| The Impact of Body-Part Naming Training on the Accuracy of Children’s Imitative Performances. |
| VERA C COSTA (University of Wales, Bangor, UK), Pauline Horne (University of Wales, Bangor), Mihela Erjavec (University of Wales, Bangor) |
| Abstract: The role of naming of body-parts on matching of hand-to-body touches was investigated in 2- to 3-year-old children. In blocks of generalized imitation tests, children were presented with modeling of four trained and intermittently reinforced hand-to-body baseline responses, interspersed with four novel untrained and unreinforced targets. Repeated exposure to modeling, staggered over children, evoked consistent matching of baseline hand-to-body touches but did not evoke generalized imitation of target behaviors. Next, the children were trained to label (in response to the experimenter’s pointing) and/or to point to (in response to experimenter’s labeling) the corresponding target body-parts to a criterion, under 0% reinforcement, in a multiple-baseline-across-behaviors procedure. Training was administered in a series of steps, each followed by a generalized imitation test block. Training the components of the naming relation in the absence of modeling increased the rates of children’s matching of some, but not all, target behaviors in the subsequent generalized imitation tests. Therefore, children were next given mixed matching training of the target behaviors and subsequently matched their targets without reinforcement in the final generalized imitation tests. These results indicate that naming may be one of the determinants of imitation in young children. |
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| Education Paper Session 1 |
| Saturday, August 8, 2009 |
| 11:00 AM–12:20 PM |
| Vampyr |
| Chair: Suneeta Kercood (Butler University) |
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| Listening Comprehension and Attention Disorders |
| Domain: Experimental Analysis |
| SUNEETA KERCOOD (Butler University), Kathryn Brooks (Butler University) |
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| Abstract: Research has demonstrated that children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorders (ADHD) have deficits in listening comprehension, irrespective of language development (McInnes et al., 2003). The purpose of our studies was to evaluate classroom based strategies that could be applicable to all educational listening tasks. Single subject design studies were conducted with students with ADHD in the elementary grades, that evaluated the effects of added motor and tactile stimulation activities during short and long listening tasks. Listening recall and comprehension were assessed by students’ verbal and written responses. Results of these studies will be discussed with implications for classroom educational practice. |
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| A Model for School Behavioral Program for Promoting Compliance with School Rules, as Part of Municipal Anti Violence Programs in an Israeli Town. |
| Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| MICHAEL BEN-ZVI (Private Practice), Hagit Berlinsky (keshet - Israel) |
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| Abstract: Town wide school program is implemented in 5 schools in the town of Nazareth Ilit, Israel, as part of national program to decrease Violence. A model for municipal such intervention is implemented, while adjustments are made for each school. The program is classroom based point collection system that is functioning throughout the day, by all school staff for all students. All behavioral rules are operatively defined, posted and learned. Data is filled into computer based data collection System, for data-based interventions. Behaviors recorded are classroom attendance in time, student equipment on table, sitting to study, compliance with academic and nonacademic instructions, proper talk and avoiding violence. Positive reinforcements are delivered on target behaviors. Gradual Punishing System is implemented upon verbal and physical violence. Behavioral Staff training is part of school routine system. Difficulties in applying such wid- range programs are discussed. |
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| A Service-Provider/Practitioner Model of Graduate Training in Autism and Early Childhood Developmental Delays |
| Domain: Service Delivery |
| RICHARD W. MALOTT (Western Michigan University), Breanne K. Hartley (Western Michigan University), Kristen L. Gaisford (Western Michigan University), Woan Tian Chow (Western Michigan University) |
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| Abstract: Most graduates of PhD programs in behavior analysis (basic, as well as applied) become practitioners, not researchers, though much of their training is designed to produce researchers. Therefore, we are developing a practitioner model of graduate training and research, not only at the MA level, but also at the PhD level, as there is great need for service-providers/practitioners at all levels. Thus our goal for our theses and dissertations is that the related research trains the graduate students to become more effective practitioners and not just more effective researchers. The first goal is that this research benefits the very preschool children who participate in these studies. The second goal is that the research benefits the Early Childhood Developmental Delays classroom at Croyden Avenue School, where the research is being conducted. This is to be accomplished by requiring that, after the researchers develop and demonstrate improved training procedures and practices, they implement the improvements classroom wide, to the extent appropriate, as part of the requirements of their theses and dissertations. Publication is only the third goal, not the first goal, as seems to be the case with most thesis and dissertation research. Oh, yes, and another goal is that the students complete their research and receive their PhD degrees in a timely manner. We will illustrate this approach with research on manipulative imitation, concept formation, and most-to-least prompting. |
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| Theoretical, Philosophical, and Conceptual Issues Paper Session 3 |
| Saturday, August 8, 2009 |
| 11:00 AM–12:20 PM |
| 301 |
| Chair: Per Holth (Akershus University College) |
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| Skinner – Watson parallel quotations: Setting another record straight |
| Domain: Theory |
| PER HOLTH (Akershus University College) |
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| Abstract: The steady misrepresentation of behaviorism and behavior analysis has been a problem of continuing concern to behavior analysts. In efforts to correct misrepresentations, it has become a common practice to point to John B. Watson’s allegedly extreme views to explain the origin of the misunderstandings, and to blame the secondary literature, which seems uniformed by the original sources and does not clearly distinguish radical behaviorism from Watson’s classical behaviorism and, finally, to explain how Skinners views significantly deviate from Watson’s. However, much of this is feasible only through equally serious misrepresentations of Watson’s writings. This presentation sets out to correct common misrepresentations of Watson’s views and to redirect credit to Watson where such credit seems due. Parallel quotations show that Watson expressed views that were identical or very similar to Skinner’s on a great diversity of topics, such as regarding psychology as a natural science and a part of biology, on physiology, the world within the skin, introspection, relations between overt and covert responding, the «misconception» of the mental, on childhood amnesia, Freudians, the Freudian unconscious, consciousness and verbal behavior, thinking and creativity, on «development», and psychological tests. Watson even expressed views very similar to what Skinner would later do, regarding «responding to critics», regarding the failure of traditional psychology, and with respect to the issue of eternal scientific truths. Parallel quotations also demonstrate that inconsistencies within the writings of each of the two great behaviorists were sometimes more conspicuous than the differences between them. |
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| Title: A Review of the Literature on the Establishment of Conditioned Reinforcement |
| Domain: Theory |
| JONNY FINSTAD (Oppland Habilitation Services), Monica Vandbakk (Ullevaal University Hospital), Else Marie Grønnerud (Oppland Habilitation Services), Janne Mari Soerensen Akselsen (Stavanger University Hospital), Per Holth (Akershus University College) |
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| Abstract: Conditioned reinforcement plays an important role in behavior-analytic theory as well as in practice. Stimuli that accompany reinforcers may themselves acquire conditioned reinforcing properties. The current presentation will review (1) the experimental literature on different procedures for establishing conditioned reinforcement, (2) techniques for studying conditioned reinforcement, and (3) prescriptions in applied behavior analysis texts for how to establish conditioned reinforcers, such as praise, tokens, etc. Behavior-analytic research has identified at least two different procedures that can establish new stimuli as conditioned reinforcers, but still missing is research that directly compares the effectiveness of these different procedures. |
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| THE SURPRISING ORIGINS OG B.F.SKINNER'S THEORY OF OPERANT BEHAVIOR |
| Domain: Theory |
| KRISTJAN GUDMUNDSSON (EABCT) |
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| Abstract: It is generally believed that B.F.Skinner advanced his theory of operant behavior by way of extrapolating the results already contained within the field of animal behavior to the field of human behavior, and eventually to human verbal behavior. This paper shows that this is the other way around, and that even Skinner himself was unaware of this.
Actually Skinner did do other research, apart from his well known research on rats and pigeons. In this paper I show that in this little known research Skinner for the first time researches the field of operant behavior, even though he does not at that time manage to use that term. The term operant comes up later in a debate with two polish physiologists. Late in life Skinner did admit this to me in an unpublished interview.
In this paper I analyze Skinner's research first 10 years, from the time (1928) he enters Harvard as a graduate student upto the time he publishes his first book in 1938, The behavior of Organisms. |
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| Norwegian Track Paper Session 1 |
| Saturday, August 8, 2009 |
| 11:30 AM–12:20 PM |
| SHB (Film) |
| Chair: Gunnar Ree (Akershus University College, Norway) |
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| An Investigation of the Relative Effects of Different Kinds of Supervision in the Acquisition of Self-help Skills |
| Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| LINDA TEIKARI (Institute of Applied Behavior Analysis) |
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| Abstract: Individuals have the right to receive treatment by a competent behavior analyst, which should include adequate and effective supervision (Van Houten, et al., 1988). In the present study the relative effects of three different kinds of supervision was investigated, with regards to acquisition of both trainer and client behaviors. The subjects included bachelor students in social welfare who was trained to establish self-help skills in juveniles with mental retardation. After baseline measurements of trainer behaviors the subjects first attend a staff meeting where main principles in ABA and programs concerning self-help skills was explained. The trainer behaviors were afterwards tested again. The subjects then received either hands-on-supervision or scriptual supervision by the use of a self-instructional manual. Follow up data were collected. Dependent variable was the accuracy with which the participants conducted training in self-help-skills, as specified in a check list for trainer behaviors. In addition to data concerning treatment integrity data collected includes social validity data, client mastery data and pre- and post tests over theoretical knowledge in ABA. The study constitutes a Master's thesis in behavior analysis at Akershus University College in Norway.
Running titles: Supervision, staff meetings, self-instructional manual, hands-on-supervision, treatment integrity. |
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| Implementing behaviorally based intervention programs: examples of meta-contingencies and systems selection. |
| Domain: Theory |
| GUNNAR REE (Akershus University College, Norway) |
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| Abstract: The paper discusses aspects of the history of adoption and implementation of three research-based intervention strategies in the Norwegian state child protection agency as an example of arranging a meta-contingency. It is suggested that this is a case of systems selection. |
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| Title: Challenges in Reliability Recordings of Verbal Behavior |
| Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| SILJA NICOLAYSEN (Norwegian Association for Behavior Analysis), Lena Barbo Selbaek (Norwegian Association for Behavior Analysis), Monica Vandbakk (Norwegian Association for Behavior Analysis) |
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| Abstract: Abstract: A major approach to recordings in applied behavior analysis is the use of human observers to record the occurrence or nonoccurrence of specific behaviour. The reliability is usually assessed by comparing the recordings of two independent observers. Some types of target behavior can be more difficult to measure. To increase the reliability of the six trainers’ recordings in this study, we used videotape recording in a number of sessions. The target behaviors were the duration of a clients rational and aberrant verbal behavior. Six different videotape recordings were used in the training, each had a duration from two to four minutes and with a mix of rational and abberant behavor. The first step was to identify the target behaviors, and the second step was to identify the beginning and the end of the target behaviors. Interobserver agreement were established among the six trainers after four sessions of individual training in a novel videotape recording. The percent agreement was determined by shorter duration X 100/longer duration= % agreement |
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| STAMPPP:
Science and the treatment of autism: A multimedia package for parents and professionals |
| Saturday, August 8, 2009 |
| 11:30 AM–12:20 PM |
| SHB (Kunst) |
| Area: AUT/TBA; Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| Chair: Børge Strømgren Strømgren (Høgskolen i Akershus/Akershus Univertsity College) |
| SVEIN EIKESETH (Akershus College) |
| NEIL T. MARTIN (The Treehouse Trust) |
| LUIS ANTONIO GONZÁLEZ (Universidad de Oviedo) |
| Abstract: Currently there is a serious mismatch between increasing rates of autism diagnosis and the availablility of professionals trained in Behaviour Analysis. The main aim of this project is to address this mismatch by developing multimedia training resources. The target audience includes professionals in the field of psychology, medicine, education, and social work, who are concerned with autism, and, importantly, parents of children with autism. This aim will be met in two ways. Firstly, adaptations will be made of a unique multimedia training resource (SIMPLE STEPS) developed by parents and professionals in a parent-led charity in N. Ireland (www.peatni.org). Secondly, additional material for this resource will be generated through dialogue with partners that takes into account curriculum development issues in professional training in the science of behaviour analysis as well as cultural issues that are specific to each of the partner countries. The package will be trainslated into the native language of each partner country (Norway, Spain, Germany, UK). It is envisaged that the finished product will be made available to parent groups in the partner countries and that it will be promoted by the European Association for Behaviour Analysis for use in Masters level training. |
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| Applications of Inner Behavior—Where Are We Now? Where Can We Go? |
| Saturday, August 8, 2009 |
| 2:00 PM–2:50 PM |
| SHB (Olympia) |
| Chair: Gunn Lokke (University College of Ostfold, Norway) |
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| Applications of Inner Behavior—Where Are We Now? Where Can We Go? |
| ABIGAIL B. CALKIN (Calkin Consulting Center) |
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| Abstract: Inner behaviors are observable only to the person who is experiencing them. While sometimes difficult to observe they are not different in kind from overt behavior. Based on the principles of behavior analysis and the standard celeration chart, the theory and practices of learning apply to inner behavior equally as well as they do to academic and management learning. Their study involves the observation and change of thoughts, feelings, and urges. During the 1944 Symposium on Operationalism, Skinner introduced the term private events, and stated that public and private behaviors share the same physical range. Serendipitously in 1966, Lindsley, one of Skinner’s former students, tried to quit smoking. He counted cigarettes smoked and then became aware that when he reached for his cigarette pack, there was a third and inner level of his behavior—a “reach” that had no physical features. He called this an urge for a cigarette. Having found not only the urge but a way to count its frequency, he and his graduate students went on to define and count thoughts and feelings. This specific field of inner behavior has produced at least 15 researchers and 2,000 projects. Our current ability to count and chart inner behavior shows the importance of radical behaviorism and its relationship to the learning, health, and growth of the individual. Dr. Abigail B. Calkin began her research into inner behavior under the direction of O.R. Lindsley, and the field became the focus of her Ph.D. work at the University of Kansas (1979). Prior to this, she had received her M.A. at the University of Oregon with Barbara Bateman as her major advisor and had two years graduate study in philosophy at Scotland’s University of Edinburgh. She is chair of Og Lindsley’s Archives Committee. She has three books in special education, plus tens of articles about learning research on the standard celeration chart with both academic and inner behavior. In 1977, she developed and has researched a technique to help people improve their thoughts and feelings, and has also done original research in bereavement with numerous articles in these areas. A consulting editor for the Journal of Precision Teaching and Celeration for 20 years, consulting editor for The Behavior Analyst for a year, and a guest editor for a special issue of the European Journal of Behavior Analysis on precision teaching, she has also been the president of the Standard Celeration Society, an educational consultant, public school principal, college professor, school psychologist, and a special education teacher. She currently consults as a trainer with Morningside Teachers’ Academy in the US and Canada, and has recently consulted with the clinical staff of a PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) program that serves soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. In addition to her publications within behavior analysis and precision teaching, she also has had published 2 novels and 40 poems. |
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| Education Paper Session 3 |
| Saturday, August 8, 2009 |
| 2:00 PM–2:50 PM |
| Vampyr |
| Area: EDC |
| Chair: hafiz bek (researcher) |
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| Special training, professional competence and professional satisfaction, professional adequacy ,professional sufficiency |
| Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| HAFIZ BEK (researcher) |
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| Abstract: In this survey, relation between the Professional competence and the professional satisfaction of the educationists who works in the special training centrums has been analysed. In the exploration, Pearson Correlation Parameter and T Test Technics were used in comparing professional satisfaction and Professional sufficiency according to branches and genders, and F Test Technics were used in comparing relations according to occupational precedence. The survey group has been composed of special training teachers (N=44), psychological concellors and guides (N=35), infant evolution teachers (N=16) school teachers (N=15),preschool teachers (N=10),hand artifice teachers(N=11) , and a body training teacher (N=1) who works in this scope in Rehabilitation Centrums which are connected with The National Training Ministry and which are in Konya’s boundaries). In the search ‘Individual Knowledge Form’,’Professional Content Scale’ and ‘Occupational Competence Scales’ were used. In accordance with the findings of this survey, it’s found out that; there is an expressive relation between the Professional competence and Professional Satisfaction of the educationists who has different branchs and who works in this compass of special training. |
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| Enfant concept formation: successive and simultaneous discrimination acquisition. |
| Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| VIRGINIE HUS (Université Charles de Gaulle), Vinca Riviere (Universitie Charles De Gaulle), Jean-Claude Darcheville (University of Lille) |
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| Abstract: In a previous research, children without numersity were trained with two procedures, sequential and simultaneous discrimination tasks. The results showed that they were able to discriminate the stimulus numerosities not only when the samples were presented simultaneously but also in the sequential discrimination task, but significantly more important in the simultaneous task.
How explain these results? How make the children to discriminate the quantities? What controls their behavior in such kind of tasks?
We know that the number is always expressed in sequential; it is the sequences of behavior which make the quantity.
Data indicating less accurate matching-to-sample with fixed interval as compared to fixed-ratio schedules (Dews, 1963; Ferster, 1960) suggested that the differential reinforcement of all responses could be an important factor in controlling the distribution of responses to the stimuli.
That’s why we reproduce a Mintz and Al’s experiment done in 1968 where Fixe ratio schedules are compared.
Children were maintained on a fixed ratio (FR) schedule of reinforcement for correct matching-to-sample responses. Included in the test situation was a horizontal array of lights, illuminated in relation to the successive steps of the fixed ratio. |
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| Aggression Replacement Training and Autism Spectrum Disorders |
| Saturday, August 8, 2009 |
| 2:00 PM–3:20 PM |
| SHB (Film) |
| Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| Chair: Michael Keenan (University of Ulster) |
| Discussant: Michael Keenan (University of Ulster) |
| Abstract: In general children with Asperger’s Syndrome (AS) have problems with social interactions and social/situational perception; this deficit is a core symptom in all diagnosis groups comprising the term Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Problems with aggression are also common in children with ASD and overrepresented in AS. Typical treatment procedures involve medication. Social-cognitive treatments are considered effective for treating social skills deficits and/or aggression in typically developing children, but for the AS group such interventions are scarce and mainly constitute social skills groups or social stories. The program Aggression Replacement Training was administered to children with AS in their local school by their ordinary teachers. Results revealed that group-based ART training could increase social skills and reduce problem behaviours and aggressive behaviours. Results furthermore revealed that some children with AS showed the same improvement trends in social skills as well as aggressive reduction trends as their typically developing peers did. Experiment 6 investigated the possibilities of an adaptation of ART in a whole class social skills intervention with children with AS and their regular class. Results revealed that whole class ART training could have some effect on improved social skills, but not on aggressive behaviours for children with AS. |
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| Violence prevention in Asperger’s syndrome by means of skills training with typically developing peers |
| BØRGE STRØMGREN STRØMGREN (Høgskolen i Akershus/Akershus Univertsity College), Michael Keenan (University of Ulster) |
| Abstract: Aggression Replacement Training (ART) is an effective intervention for treatment of aggression I children and adolescents. It has also been shown to be romising when utilized with children with autism spectrum disorders. The possibilities of using ART in group-based training with children with AS together with typically developing peers was examinated . Results revealed that group-based ART training could increase social skills and reduce problem behaviours and aggressive behaviours. Results furthermore revealed that some children with AS showed the same improvement trends in social skills as well as aggressive reduction trends as their typically developing peers did. |
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| Whole Class violence prevention: ART intervention with children with Asperger's syndrome and children with no diagnosis. |
| BØRGE STRØMGREN STRØMGREN (Høgskolen i Akershus/Akershus Univertsity College), Michael Keenan (University of Ulster) |
| Abstract: The possibilities of an adaptation of Aggression Replacement Training (ART) in a whole class social skills intervention with children with AS and their regular class was investigated. Results revealed that whole class ART training could have some effect on improved social skills, but not on aggressive behaviours for children with AS. |
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| Tertiary level violence prevention in Asperger’s syndrome and High-Functioning autism. |
| BØRGE STRØMGREN STRØMGREN (Høgskolen i Akershus/Akershus Univertsity College), Michael Keenan (University of Ulster) |
| Abstract: In general children with Asperger’s Syndrome (AS) have problems with social interactions and social/situational perception; this deficit is a core symptom in all diagnosis groups comprising the term Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). The use of a social-cognitive intervention administered to children with AS in their local school by their ordinary teachers were therefore examined. The program Aggression Replacement Training (ART) was used, and tthe possibilities of used ART in one-on-one training with children with AS was investigated. Results revealed that one-on-one ART training could reduce aggressive and disruptive behaviours at school. |
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| The Pyramid Approach to Education: A effective school-based model |
| Saturday, August 8, 2009 |
| 2:00 PM–3:20 PM |
| SHB (Kunst) |
| Area: AUT/EDC; Domain: Service Delivery |
| Chair: Andrew S. Bondy (Pyramid Educational Consultants) |
| CE Instructor: Kelly G. Wilson, Ph.D. |
| Abstract: The Pyramid Approach to Education was developed by Bondy and Sulzer-Azaroff (2002) as a way to integreate behavior analysis and functional communication in public (and private) school settings. The model looks at elements related to what and how to teach within a data-based system and encourages integration from different areas of expertise typically found in school settings. We will describe the model, how it can be implemented and outcome data for students over several years. |
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| The Pyramid Approach: Base elements |
| LORI A. FROST (Pyramid Educational Consultants), Sonia Verdes (Pyramid Educational Consultants, Spain) |
| Abstract: This talk will describe the base of the Pyramid Approach to Education which involves four elements. The first involves issues related to selecting functional activities and materials for students. The second element involves motivational factors associated with using powerful, visually mediated reinforcement systems. The third element deals with the establishment of functional communication for both expressive and receptive skills. The last element addresses issues associated with contextually inappropriate behaviors and the functional analysis necessary to understand them. |
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| The Pyramid Approach: Top Elements |
| JULIE TUIL (Pyramid Educational Consultants, France), Andrew S. Bondy (Pyramid Educational Consultants) |
| Abstract: Once the Base issues of the Pyramid Approach are in place, then we describe the elements related to How to teach. These four elements include: 1) Generalization, 2) Types/formats for lessons, 3) Teaching strategies using prompting and shaping, and 4) Errorless strategies and error-correction stratagies. All elements are evaluated through a data-based decision model. |
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| The Pyramid Approach: Research on outcome |
| ANDREW S. BONDY (Pyramid Educational Consultants) |
| Abstract: The Pyramid Approach has been implemented in many classrooms in different countries. We will review the outcome for preschool and school-aged children within a state-wide public school system in the USA. Outcomes in terms of placement, language development and long-term community based changes will be described. |
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| The Pyramid Approach: How to get staff to implement the model |
| ANNA PLESSA (Pyramid Educational Consultants, Greece) |
| Abstract: The Pyramid Approach blends broad spectrum behavior analysis with an emphasis on functional communication. This talk will describe how to train staff to implement the model. We will describe an ABC analysis of how staff training can utilize the basic Pyramid principles to help all staff successfully implement the model. We will describe data on gradual staff performance changes. |
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| Autism Paper Session 3 |
| Saturday, August 8, 2009 |
| 2:00 PM–3:20 PM |
| SHB (Kunst) |
| Chair: Svein Eikeseth (Akershus College) |
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| Teaching Staff to Shape Medication Acceptance and Program for its Generalization |
| Domain: Service Delivery |
| KATRINA J. PHILLIPS (University of Auckland) |
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| Abstract: Medication refusal, especially tablet refusal, has been reported to be a common problem across a variety of populations. Common techniques designed to increase individuals’ acceptance of medication have included physical coercion, verbal cajoling, and hiding medication in food. However, these techniques can have negative side-effects including aberrant behaviors, increased food selectivity, and diminished effectiveness of medication. This presentation will provide data from a staff implemented shaping intervention and show how they were initially taught to use a generalization map, in order that they could plan and effectively program for generalization. The intervention was conducted in class during school time, with a child who had a diagnosis of autism and ADHD, who was required to take medication twice daily, had a history of unsuccessful interventions to increase medication acceptance, and currently showed aggression and avoidance behaviors during medication administration. The utility of training staff to use the generalization map and conduct the intervention will be discussed, along with the outcomes for the child and future research. |
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| A Behavior Analytic Account of Autistic Behavior |
| Domain: Experimental Analysis |
| SVEIN EIKESETH (Akershus University College) |
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| Abstract: Autism is defined and diagnosed behaviorally. The current presentation will describe how the behavioral excesses and deficits displayed by children with autism can be understood using operant principles. It is argued that children with autism have a deviant reinforcement system, and that this problem is biologically based. Because of the deviant reinforcement system, automatic sensory/perceptual stimuli have stronger reinforcing properties than social stimuli. As a result, children with autism work to maximize access to automatic sensory/perceptual reinforcers by engaging in stereotyped behaviors. Conversely, they avoid exhibiting social behaviors and language as such behaviors produce social reinforcers rather than automatic, sensory/perceptual reinforcers. As a result, children with autism fail to acquire age appropriate social and language skills while exhibiting high frequent/intensive stereotyped behaviors and/or ritualistic behaviors. |
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| Meta-analysis of Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention for Children with Autism |
| Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| SIGMUND ELDEVIK (Akershus University College, Norway), Richard P. Hastings (University of Wales Bangor), J. Carl Hughes (Bangor University, Wales), Erik Jahr (Akershus University Hospital, Norway), Svein Eikeseth (Akershus College), Scott C. Cross (Lovaas Institute) |
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| Abstract: A systematic literature search for studies reporting effects of Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention (EIBI) identified 34 studies, nine of which were controlled designs having either a comparison or a control group. We completed a meta-analysis yielding a standardized mean difference effect size for two available outcome measures: change in full-scale intelligence (IQ), and/or adaptive behavior composite (ABC). Effect sizes were computed using Hedges’ g. The average effect size was 1.10 for change in IQ (95% confidence interval (CI) = .87, 1.34); and .66 (95% CI .41, .90) for change in ABC. These effect sizes are generally considered to be large and moderate, respectively. Our results support the clinical implication that at present, and in the absence of other interventions with established efficacy, EIBI should be an intervention of choice for children with autism. |
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| Clinical, Family, Behavioral Medicine Paper Session 3 |
| Saturday, August 8, 2009 |
| 2:00 PM–2:50 PM |
| Salome |
| Chair: Terje Ogden (Norwegian Center for Child Behavioral Development) |
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| Large scale implementation of evidence based programs targeting conduct problems in children and youth |
| Domain: Service Delivery |
| TERJE OGDEN (Norwegian Center for Child Behavioral Development) |
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| Abstract: The paper gives an overview of the Norwegian experiences with and results from ‘going-to-scale’ implementation of evidence based treatment programs (EBP) targeting children and adolescents with conduct problems. This includes outcomes from randomized controlled effectiveness trials and some of the strategies used in order to promote widespread use and ensure fidelity. A national commitment to implement EBP with a long term funding constitute a long term strategy for building and maintaining competence. In presenting these studies, we want to emphasize the importance of high fidelity and continous quality assurance for positive child and adolescent outcomes. The Norwegian experiences and results might be considered a case study spanning over 9 years illustrating how evidence based programs like Multisystemic Therapy and Parent Management Training, developed in the US were transported across geographical and language borders, implemented nationwide, tested for effectiveness in regular practice and examined for sustainability. The generalizability of the implementation strategy is discussed along with the implications for policy, research and the organization of services. |
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| ABA programs in socio-community based interventions with Severely and Chronically Mentally Ill subjects in Madrid |
| Domain: Service Delivery |
| JESUS SAIZ GALDOS (EASC-Fuencarral, Grupo 5 Gestión y Rehabilitación), Maráa del Valle Rodráguez (EASC-Fuencarral, Grupo 5 Gestión y Rehabilitación), Mónica Tejedor (EASC-Fuencarral, Grupo 5 Gestión y Rehabilitación), Maráa Eugenia Gómez (EASC-Fuencarral, Grupo 5 Gestión y Rehabilitación), Gladys Williams (CIEL, Spain) |
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| Abstract: The purpose of this intervention was to determine if some specific behavioural interventions were effective to teach basic survival skills to two males with schizophrenia. They were taught skills to live in an outpatient support based community. The 49 years old male (Subject A) diagnosed with “paranoid schizophrenia” was living with his parents prior to the onset of this study. The 35 years old male (Subject B) was diagnosed with “residual schizophrenia” since he was 14 years old. At the onset of this study the patient was living in a clinic for severely and chronically mentally ill patients. Both had pharmacological treatment supervised by their psychiatrist. Subject A was taught personal hygiene skills and skills to go outside the house independently. We used contingent reinforcement, family participation, prompting and progressive fading. Subject B was taught appropriate community skills including leisure activities to be able to live with his family and have an “open doors” policy from the psychiatric institution. We utilized the activities schedule (Krantz & McClanahan, 1985) using a Power Point program (Rehfeldt, Kinney, Root & Stromer, 2004). The results indicated that the procedures were effective. |
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| Relational Learning and Stimulus Equivalence in Humans and Non-Humans |
| Saturday, August 8, 2009 |
| 2:00 PM–3:20 PM |
| Base 1 |
| Area: EAB/VBC; Domain: Experimental Analysis |
| Chair: A. Celso Goyos (Fed. Univ. of S. Carlos) |
| Discussant: Deisy G. de Souza (Universidade de São Carlos) |
| Abstract: Relational learning has greatly benefitted from stimulus equivalence research with both humans and non-humans participants, and has shed light on the comprehension of complex behavior related to class formation, categorization and concept formation. This symposium presents three papers relevant to this topic. The first paper investigates acquisition of selection-based and topography-based tacts, through conditional discrimination tasks and manipulation of motivational operations, to lead to the emergence of mands and tacts controlled by covered stimuli. The second paper taught naturally-ocurring and arbitrary relations to capuchin monkeys as a basis for reliable learning by exclusion. The third paper shows that controlling relations in conditional discrimination baselines are an important determinant of equivalence class formation. |
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| Relational Learning of Tacts and Mands and Emergence of Behavior Controlled by Covered Stimuli |
| A. CELSO GOYOS (Fed. Univ. of S. Carlos), Daniela Mendonca Ribeiro (Special Education Graduate Program - UFSCar), Nassim Chamel Elias (Federal University of Sao Carlos) |
| Abstract: Motivational operation is described as an environmental variable which momentarily alters the reinforcement effectiveness of a stimulus. The concept of motivational operation is crucial for the understanding of the concept of the verbal operant mand. Mand may be defined as a verbal operant reinforced by specific consequences and controlled by motivational operations. The objective of this study was to teach selection-based and topography-based tacts and test for the emergence of behavior controlled by motivational operations and covered stimuli. Three mentally disabled participants were taught selection-based tact responses through conditional discriminations through video presentations of signs and their corresponding pictures. They were then tested first on the emergence of topography-based tacts and secondly on mands. During tact tests, participants emitted a sign in the presence of a corresponding picture. During mand tests, they were shown an object which stored a preference item, which was not visible. By emitting a sign corresponding to the absent object the participant was given access to the preference item. It was observed the emergence of three signs, as topography-based tacts and mands. Results suggest that acquiring selection-based tacts through conditional discriminations may give rise to topography-based tacts and mands, and that motivational operation manipulation may facilitate mand response emission with no need of direct teaching. |
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| Cebus apella Exhibits Rapid Acquisition of Complex Stimulus Relations and Exclusion |
| Ana Leda Brino (Federal University of Para), Ana Paula Assumpção B. (Federal University of Para), Fabiane Silva Pereira (Federal University of Para), OLAVO GALVAO (Federal University of Para), William J. McIlvane (University of Massachusetts Medical School) |
| Abstract: A “second generation” MTS to minimize past sources of artifact involves: (1) successive discrimination between sample stimuli, (2) stimulus displays ranging from four to sixteen comparisons, (3) variable stimulus locations, to avoid unwanted stimulus-location control, and (4) high accuracy levels (e.g., 90% correct on a 16-choice task where chance accuracy equals 6%). Examples of behavioral engineering with experienced capuchin monkeys will be presented: 1) Four choice matching problems with video images of monkeys with substantially above-chance matching in a single session and =90% matching within six sessions, and a procedure in which the sample was a video of a monkey performing an action and the comparison stimulus was a continuation of that action, with accuracy of 87% within two sessions. 2) Exclusion performances were demonstrated by interspersing non-identical sample-comparison pairs within a baseline of a 9-comparison IDMTS procedure. The test for exclusion was to present the newly “mapped” stimulus in a situation in which exclusion was not possible. Degradation of matching between physically non-identical forms has occurred while baseline identity accuracy was sustained at high levels, thus confirming that Cebus apella is capable of exclusion. 3) Exclusion performances when the baseline matching relations involved non-identical stimuli was shown. (CNPq, FINEP, NIH) |
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| Controlling the Controlling Relations in Conditional Discrimination Reduces Variability in Stimulus Class Formation |
| JULIO C. DE ROSE (Universidade Federal de São Carlos), Ana Karina Arantes (Universidade Federal de São Carlos), Priscila Crespilho Grisante (Universidade Federal de São Carlos) |
| Abstract: Although stimulus equivalence data are quite robust, there is variability in the outcomes: many participants form classes promptly, some show delayed emergence, and a few other do not show equivalence. Failures have been attributed mostly to poor verbal repertoires or to the structure of training and testing. This paper reports a series of studies that trained conditional discriminations AB, BC, and CD, using a single-comparison procedure, with one of two comparisons covered by a mask, so that participants selected the displayed comparison if it was related to the current sample, or selected the mask if it was not related to the sample. When the mask covered the S+ and the S-, each in 50% of the trials, participants supposedly had to learn both sample-S+ and sample-S- controlling relations. In this condition, most typically developing children (7-12 y) formed equivalence promptly. Attempts to induce only sample-S- relations or only sample-S+ relations reduced the efficacy of the training. Studies with pre-school children or children with mental retardation showed more variability. The results indicate that stimulus control relations in the baseline are important determinants of stimulus equivalence formation. Results do not support, however, the hypothesis that sample-S+ relations are sufficient for equivalence formation. |
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| Theoretical, Philosophical, and Conceptual Issues Paper Session 1 |
| Saturday, August 8, 2009 |
| 2:00 PM–3:20 PM |
| 301 |
| Chair: Masaya Sato (Seisa University) |
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| How Does Behavior Analysis Contribute to Kyousei Science? |
| Domain: Theory |
| MASAYA SATO (Seisa University) |
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| Abstract: Kyousei science is a brand-new science. “Kyousei” is a Japanese word that is rather difficult to translate into English. It means harmonious co-existence of people and things around them. Kyousei science has a practical goal to make a desirable kyousei society in which all people can live harmoniously and happily without disturbing everything around them. Only operant behavior can achieve this goal. Therefore, behavior analysis, which is the science of operant behavior, can contribute to kyousei science. |
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| Emergence and Design, a Selectionist Perspective on Influencing Organizational Behavior |
| Domain: Theory |
| INGUNN SANDAKER (Akershus University College) |
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| Abstract: When describing properties of a culture, more or less recognizable features are emphasized. Descriptions often contain informal “recipes” on “how things are done around here”. Whether the “recipe” details behavioral patterns in a tribal society, a commercial company or a charitable organization, we expect the properties of the culture to be relatively stable over time and independent of the gradual replacement of individual members with new ones.
The cultural “recipe” defines limits on where acceptable variations end and deviant variants start. Usually, narrow constraints on acceptable variation make cultural traits more easily identifiable. Boundaries for variation define the population of behavior patterns that is practically possible for selection to work on. The cultural “recipe” defines limits on where acceptable variations end and deviant variants start.
Keywords: Variation, selection, design, networks, complex systems, meta-contingencies |
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| AN EXPERIMENTAL ANLOG OF METACONTINGENCIES: PRELIMINARY RESULTS OF VARIOUS MANIPULATIONS |
| Domain: Experimental Analysis |
| MARIA AMALIA ANDERY (CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF SAO PAULO), PAULA BARCELOS (CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF SAO PAULO), RODRIGO CALDAS (CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF SAO PAULO), JOAO MARIANO PEREIRA (CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF SAO PAULO) |
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| Abstract: An experimental analog of metacontingencies is described. At each trial 4 numbers were presented on a computer screen and the participant typed 4 numbers immediateky below. If the sum on each column was an odd number, points were added. Once the behavior stabilized, a second participant was introduced and the same contingencies maintained. Once the behavioral contingencies selected the appropriate behaviors, another contingency was added: If the sum of numbers chosen by one participant was higher than the sum generated by the other, both participants were awarded a bonus. This condition could be systematically satisfied only if a metacontingenvy was selected: if the behavior of one participant became controlled by the behavior of the other; an interlocking contingency selected by the bonus which was contingent on the aggregate product of the participants’ behaviors. Participants were systematically substituted. Results for Experiment 1 (2 groups of 6 and 7 participants) indicated the selection of the experimental metacontingency for one group. Results for Experiment 2, when the bonus condition was suspended for th 6th to the last dyad, showed a weakening of the interlocking contingencies during this condition. On the third Experiment, 4 participants worked suimultaneously and results were similar. |
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| BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS IN LATIN AMERICA, SPAIN AND PORTUGAL: AN ANALYSIS OF JOURNALS IN THE IBEROAMERICAN CONTEXT |
| Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| WILSON LÓPEZ LÓPEZ (PONTIFICIA UNIVERSIDAD JAVERIANA, BOGOTá, COLOMBIA), Luis Manuel Silva (Pontificia Universidad Javeriana), Hernan Camilo Hurtado Parrado (University of Manitoba), Maria Constanza Aguilar (Universidad Santo Tomás, Colombia) |
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| Abstract: A bibliometric analysis of productivity of behavior analysts in Latin America, Spain, and Portugal is presented. It includes an analysis of interest areas, types of contributions, strategies and most productive and influential authors. These data were obtained by searching the following indexes and databases: RedAlyc, SciELO, SCOPUS, and ISI. This study shows dynamics of cooperation and development based on the production of the region's researchers. |
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| Developmental Disabilities Paper Session 1 |
| Saturday, August 8, 2009 |
| 4:00 PM–4:50 PM |
| SHB (Kunst) |
| Area: DDA |
| Chair: A. Celso Goyos (Fed. Univ. of S. Carlos) |
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| Applied Significance of the Postreinforcement Pause |
| Domain: Experimental Analysis |
| DEAN C. WILLIAMS (University of Kansas), Kathryn Saunders (University of Kansas) |
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| Abstract: Reinforcement schedules historically have played a major role in the theoretical and empirical development of behavior analysis. Despite the generality and reliability of response patterns engendered by basic reinforcement schedules, this research has had minimal impact on application. That is, although reinforcement in general pervades behavior-analytic treatment programs, there is relatively little appreciation for the role of reinforcement schedules, per se, in clinically important behaviors. Zeiler (1984) argued that the dominant level of "theory" consisted primarily of cataloging the effects of different schedules and parameters on response rate and pattern. A major effect of this minimal level of theorizing is a failure to impact the explanation and control of socially significant behaviors. Our translational-research program has focused on relating processes involved in postreinforcement pausing on fixed-ratio schedules to aberrant behaviors in persons with developmental disabilities. This paper will present the theoretical background for understanding the behavioral processes operating in the postreinforcement pause that may have a significant impact on understanding some paradoxical effects of reinforcement in application. Data from a series of translational experiments will be presented to illustrate the operation of these processes in producing aberrant behaviors. |
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| Choice, Preference and Decision Making in Mentally Retarded Adults |
| Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| A. CELSO GOYOS (Fed. Univ. of S. Carlos), Giovana Escobal (Federal University of Sao Carlos) |
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| Abstract: This study investigated choice responses and preference for work tasks with and without environmental support with mentally disabled adults. Also, work performance was assessed as a function of conditions chosen. Four mentally retarded adults learned a work task consisting of assembling notebook covers with and without support. During the support condition containers used to store the different components and immediate feedback were used to increase or maintain performance and prevent errors. Following initial training the subjects worked individually either under multiple schedules or under concurrent-chain schedules according to a multi-element design. When the multiple schedules condition was in effect, the components were either presence or absence of support, distributed quasi-randomly. In the concurrent-chain schedules condition, the first link consisted of FR-1 and the second link consisted of either the presence or absence of environmental support. The results showed that when choice opportunities were given, the work support condition was chosen more often. Also, time spent to complete the task and average number of errors performing the task decreased during this condition. The results suggest that environmental support may yield greater control over work and that the opportunity to make choices engendered more motivation and work independence on the participants. |
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| Exploring the World Inside: Studies of Inner Behavior |
| Saturday, August 8, 2009 |
| 4:00 PM–4:50 PM |
| Salome |
| Area: CBM/VBC; Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| Chair: Abigail B. Calkin (Calkin Consulting Center) |
| Discussant: J. Carl Hughes (Bangor University, Wales) |
| Abstract: Skinner introduced the theoretical concepts of private events in the 1940s. Specific operant research into inner behavior began with Lindsley’s 1966 discovery of his ability to count inner behavior. Duncan (1971) published the first standard celeration charts using operant principles to change inner behavior. Calkin continues this with the use of the 1-min timing to observe and alter the quantity and quality of thoughts, feelings, and urges. The results are that we can paraphrase Skinner’s statement with the support of data: Inner behavior is accessible to the person having the thought, feeling, or urge, but is only accessible to another because of the resultant data. Beyond this, there is no special framework, definition, or other quality that differentiates inner behavior from the external behavior, which are observable to others. Techniques for change include using antecedent and consequent events to change inner behaviors, pairing inner and outer behaviors within projects, and assisting therapists and individuals to work on specific improvement projects.
In practical usage, private events has come to mean looking at the theoretical bases of what occurs inside the skin of a person regarding physical sensations, thoughts, feelings, and urges. Inner behavior is the data-based research of a person’s thoughts, feelings, and urges. |
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| Inner Behavior: A Historical and Present View |
| ABIGAIL B. CALKIN (Calkin Consulting Center) |
| Abstract: Inner behavior—thoughts, feelings, and urges—are observable, countable, and changeable. The main emphasis over the past 40 years initially was to observe the possibility and validity of counting inner behaviors. After a brief review of the history of private events and inner behavior, the presentation will present some of the research done across the past 30 years.
Data analyses include frequency distributions, celeration collections, and corelational relationships between positive and negative thoughts and feelings. These data show the effectiveness of the use of behavioral interventions to change inner behavior. Thus, the radical behaviorism statements of Skinner and Lindsley are accurate: The only difference between outer behaviors and inner behaviors (or private events) is that inner behaviors are observable only to the person having the behavior, while the outer behaviors are potentially observable to anyone. Data shown include common and unique behaviors and situations, including recent contributions to the field of inner behavior in work with children with autism. |
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| Recent Contributions to the Field of Inner Behaviour |
| EMMA F. DOUGLAS (The Treehouse Trust) |
| Abstract: Skinner (1974) felt that his interpretation of radical behaviourism was incomplete without an analysis of inner behaviours. However, though unable to scientifically demonstrate this personally, Skinner (1957) envisaged a time when radical behaviourists would be able to use technological advances to support and analyse his vision of the ‘inner world’.
Lindsley (1971) saw the potential of using precision teaching (PT) and the Standard Celeration Chart in increasing ones understanding of and positively changing inner behaviour. Since the 1970s, steady progress has been made towards using the technologies cultivated since the inception of PT to meaningfully advance the inner behaviour literature, resulting in the development of a number of innovative strategies. Some of these more recent contributions to the field, in which the technologies of PT in the design and application of interventions devised to measure and modify inner behaviour frequencies across various populations and settings have been utilised, are reviewed as is the positive impact of changing one’s inner behaviour upon observable behaviour frequencies. An examination as to how one may be able to advance our understanding of inners by examining inner behaviour experimentally will also be discussed. |
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| Teaching Behavior Analysis Paper Session 1 |
| Saturday, August 8, 2009 |
| 4:00 PM–4:20 PM |
| Vampyr |
| Chair: Janet S. Twyman (Headsprout) |
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| Using the Science of Behavior to Inform the Design, Development, and Dissemination of Effective Educational Programs |
| Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| JANET S. TWYMAN (Headsprout) |
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| Abstract: The scientific study of behavior shapes the design, development, and dissemination of the instructional programs and services built and delivered by the behaviorally-based education company, Headsprout. Headsprout® Early Reading is used in tens of thousands of homes and schools across the U.S. and around the world, and through careful design, systematic instruction, supported implementation, and ongoing measurement brings a non-reader or struggling reader to the mid-2nd Grade reading level in just 30 hours of online instruction. A product under development, Headsprout Reading Comprehension will teach learners how to answer literal inferential, vocabulary, and main idea comprehension questions from the mid-2nd to the mid- 4th grade level in about 15 hours of instruction. Effective instruction requires the application of experimentally-derived principles from the laboratory, direct experimental control-analysis of behavior, measurement of the behavior(s) of interest and the events that influence them, continuous evaluation and revisions cycles, application of useful techniques from a comprehensive analysis of behavior in organizational settings, and ongoing interpretation and analysis of complex behavioral relations. This paper addresses how these critical features coalesce to produce efficient, effective, scalable instructional strategies and the systems required to support them in the chaotic environments of classrooms and schools. |
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| The Evolution of Skinner's Concept of the Autoclitic |
| Saturday, August 8, 2009 |
| 4:00 PM–4:50 PM |
| SHB (Olympia) |
| Chair: Gunnar Ree (Akershus University College, Norway) |
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| The Evolution of Skinner's Concept of the Autoclitic |
| DAVID C. PALMER (Smith College) |
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| Abstract: This paper will trace the development of Skinner's concept of the autoclitic from the Hefferline notes, through the William James Lectures, to the book, Verbal Behavior itself. Initially Skinner conceived of the concept as a "secondary language," or the language with which we talk about language, and he was heavily influenced by Russell and Carnap. However, by 1957, the concept had become more original, behavioral, and heterogeneous. The autoclitic of 1957 embraces many disparate behavioral relations. The ways in which one verbal operant affects other verbal operants are myriad, not least because speakers typically hear themselves as they speak. The complexity of the overlapping relationships suggests that Skinner's chapters on the topic provide only an exiguous outline of the domain. He offers hints for how to understand some of the most perplexing features of verbal behavior, its structural properties, but many mysteries remain.
This paper will trace the development of Skinner's concept of the autoclitic from the Hefferline notes, through the William James Lectures, to the book, Verbal Behavior itself. Initially Skinner conceived of the concept as a "secondary language," or the language with which we talk about language, and he was heavily influenced by Russell and Carnap. However, by 1957, the concept had become more original, behavioral, and heterogeneous. The autoclitic of 1957 embraces many disparate behavioral relations. The ways in which one verbal operant affects other verbal operants are myriad, not least because speakers typically hear themselves as they speak. The complexity of the overlapping relationships suggests that Skinner's chapters on the topic provide only an exiguous outline of the domain. He offers hints for how to understand some of the most perplexing features of verbal behavior, its structural properties, but many mysteries remain.
Dave Palmer earned bachelor's degrees in geology and English, but he abandoned all pretense of getting a responsible job, and spent his early postgraduate years dodging the draft, hiking, bicycling, and scheming how to save the world. He built a cabin in the woods in honor of his first hero, Thoreau. By the sheer accident of its title, he picked up Walden Two, and it abruptly changed the direction of his life. He spent the next decade on a soap box talking about behaviorism, trying to start an experimental community, and reading the rest of the Skinner canon. Eventually realizing that he was not a natural leader of men, he applied to graduate school in behavior analysis under John Donahoe at the University of Massachusetts. His main preoccupation in graduate school was the interpretation of memory and language, and he has spent the rest of his professional career on the same questions. Since 1989 he has been at Smith College, a liberal arts women's college in Northampton, Massachusetts where he teaches behavior analysis and statistics. He has continued to collaborate with John Donahoe on the puzzles of complex behavior, and is co-author of the book, Learning and Complex Behavior which attempted to integrate behavior analysis with physiology and to embed the field in the context of the broader study of selectionism. He lives on the site of a failed experimental community in Leverett, Massachusetts with his wife and two daughters. He raises chickens, pigeons, blueberries, and weeds. |
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| Psychometric Issues in the Behavioral Treatment of Children with Autism |
| Saturday, August 8, 2009 |
| 4:00 PM–5:20 PM |
| SHB (Kunst) |
| Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| Chair: Gerald E. Harris (Texas Young Autism Project) |
| Discussant: Gerald E. Harris (Texas Young Autism Project) |
| Abstract: While not as exciting as new intervention techniques, accurate assessment of children with autism is an important and necessary conjunct of successful ABA treatment. The power and credibility of ABA in this area is demonstrated through measurement. The 3 presentations in this symposium present data that increases the psychometric knowledge, and thus the utility, of widely used measures of intelligence and behavior problems in the autistic population. Data were collected from comprehensive assessments of a large sample of children diagnosed with autistic disorder as they participated in behavioral treatment programs. Good sample sizes and appropriate data analytic procedures are important features of these studies. The first presentation looks at treatment outcome predictive value of the CBCL. The second data-based presentation describes extended normative tools for using the WPPSI-III with children with autism. The third presentation looks at how well an ABA intervention decreases cognitive variability in children. All three of these presentations represent another step forward in our ability to convincingly demonstrate the effectiveness of behavioral interventions. |
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| Predicting the Reduction of Positive signs of Autism from ABA Treatment |
| GERI MARIA HARRIS (Texas Young Autism Project), Gerald E. Harris (Texas Young Autism Project) |
| Abstract: The 2008 Annual Report by the Texas Council on Autism emphasizes the need for widespread screening of young children for autistic spectrum disorders in order to identify those needing special services. One measure that has potential for cost-effective screening use is the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). The CBCL is a well established, valid, and reliable parent report measure of early childhood behavior. Previously presented research has demonstrated the very good inter-parental reliability, strong correlation with autistic spectrum disorders diagnostic criteria, and cognitive treatment outcome predictive utility of the CBCL. The present study looks at the CBCL as a predictor of post- ABA treatment undesirable characteristics and behaviors seen in ASD. Study participants were mothers of 215 young children diagnosed with an autistic spectrum disorder who received ABA treatment for one year. The CBCL and CARS (Childhood Autism Rating Scale) measures were administered, as part of an extensive evaluation battery, both before and after treatment. Statistical analyses, including cross-lagged panel correlation analysis, of the data showed that the CBCL can significantly predict decreases in the CARS scores post-treatment. Implications for identification and treatment of children with autistic spectrum disorders are discussed. |
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| Use of the WPPSI-III with Children with Autism: Revised Normalizations and Psychometric Properties for Interpretation |
| WENDY J. NEELY (Texas Young Autism Project), Gerald E. Harris (Texas Young Autism Project) |
| Abstract: Measurement of cognitive abilities of children with autism is integral to the design and evaluation of behavioral interventions. The Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence is generally considered to be the “gold standard” of intelligence tests but the normalization tables were developed for general population preschool age children. Use of these tables for children with autism is problematic for assessing progress when cognitive gains are achieved at a slower rate than children in the general population. Test scores also frequently result in a “floor effect”. Previous research presented WPPSI-III norm tables developed specifically for the autism population which allow a more specific and accurate presentation and interpretation of a child’s change in cognitive functioning and a psychometric analysis of reliability across a one year time span. The present study extends the psychometric analysis for these norms through examination of differences across subtests for 220 repeated administrations. When used together, these new tools can provide useful information such as progress for an individual relative to a specific population and better identification of specific skill strengths and weaknesses. |
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| Reducing Variability: ABA Treatment Outcome Data for Children with Autism |
| GERALD E. HARRIS (Texas Young Autism Project), Wendy J. Neely (Texas Young Autism Project) |
| Abstract: A substantial body of research demonstrates that behavioral intervention (ABA) does improve the overall cognitive abilities of children with Autism. However, the goal is also to reduce the variability across intellectual skills that is such a prominent characteristic of autism. Significant differences across cognitive abilities can be a serious problem in itself, and interfere in successful participation in mainstream life. Previous research has not directly addressed this issue. The present study examines outcome data from a large sample of young children with autism who participated in a systematic behavioral treatment program for one year in order to determine the degree to which pretreatment cognitive variability was reduced. Pre-treatment and post-treatment cognitive test data from 220 young children was examined statistically to assess change over time in the variability of composite and subtest scores on the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scales of Intelligence 3rd Ed. (WPPSI-III). Findings are consistent with previous research in that children with autism do exhibit increased cognitive ability following ABA intervention, and additionally show that, for many children, there is significant reduction in variability within composite scores and across subtests. The implications for diagnostic and clinical treatment outcome interpretations are discussed. |
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| Norwegian Track: Behavioral Contracts: An Effective and Flexible Method for Behavior Change |
| Saturday, August 8, 2009 |
| 4:00 PM–5:20 PM |
| SHB (Film) |
| Area: CBM/TBA; Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| Chair: Børge Holden (Habilitation Services Hedmark, Norway) |
| Discussant: Børge Holden (Habilitation Services Hedmark, Norway) |
| Abstract: The efficiency of behavioral contracts is well documented. Moreover, behavioral contracts are applied in very different areas, ranging from reducing substance abuse and criminal behavior, to defiance and adjustment problems in children and adolescents. For example, behavioral contracts are important elements in programs like PMT-O, The incredible years, and MST. A striking feature of behavioral contracts is the flexibility with which they can be employed. Main elements, such as target behaviors, length of contract periods, meeting structure and arrangement, materials, reinforcers, reinforcement contingencies and so on must be decided in each indivual case. Additionally, there is often a progress, that is, a change in the mentioned elements, during the course of intervention, as a results of altered client needs. The symposium will present various situations where behavioral contracts may be indicated, and a number of ways in which contracts can be developed and adjusted. Practical solutions are emphasized. |
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| From Simple to More Complex Behavioral Contracts |
| ELSE MARIE GRØNNERUD (Oppland Habilitation Services) |
| Abstract: Behavioral contracts might be relatively simple or more complex. One possibility is to start with a simple contracts, and simple target behavior(s), and gradually introduce more target behaviors as well as more complex ones. Two examples of such progress will be presented. The first behavioral contract was designed for a young man with Asperger’s syndrome. He had normal employment and funtioned well in this context. His main problem was insuffucient performance of everyday tasks and duties. As a result of lack of cleanliness, his house became uninhabitable, in part because he did not remove garbage. He also ignored to pay bills. The other example is a young teenage girl with a atypical autism and behavior problems, like defiance and physical and verbal assaults, mostly motivated by demands. In both cases, treatment started with simple behavioral contracts and devoloped into more complex ones. For example, the first target behavior for the girl was to dress according to outdoor temperatures in winter. Both clients improved strongly. |
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| Behavioral Contracts For a Woman With Mild Intellectual Disability In a Prison |
| TERJE GUNDHUS (Norwegian ABA) |
| Abstract: Behavioral contracts were used for a woman with mild intellectual disability and emotional unstable personality disorder, impulsive type. She served a longer sentence due to severe violence. She suffered depressions, had a low actitivity level, did not maintain personal hygiene, and had severe behavioral problems directed toward staff and other prisoners, mostly in the form of verbal threats and abuse, and spitting. She were frequently reported to the police. An individually adjusted behavioral contract was implemented. A main element was a regular contract meeting with the client each morning, conducted by therapists and prison staff. The results shows that important behavior problems were nearly eliminated, and that prosocial behaviors increased strongly. In addition to discussing necessary adjustments of target behaviors and reinforcement contingencies, particular problems with introducing behavioral contracts, and behavior analysis in general, in a prison will be emphasized. |
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| Changing Behavioral Contracts as a Consequence of Clients’ Therapeutic Progress |
| JONNY FINSTAD (Habilitation services in Oppland) |
| Abstract: Persons with severe problem behavior and lack of everyday tasks and duties may benefit by rather complex behavioral contracts. In a clinical context, an important challenge is to maintain motivation for treatment and behavioral contracts during long treatment periods, in addition to implementing and effective behavioral contract from the start. One solution may be to adjust the contracts, such as target behaviors, length of contract periods, and reinforcement contingencies, as a result of therapeutic progress and the altered needs of the clients during the course o the intervention. In other words, complex behavioral contracts should be dynamic and flexible, not least in order to maintain the client’s interest. Examples of how such changes can take place within existing, complex behavioral contracts in the same client will be presented. |
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| Experimental Analysis of Behavior Paper Session 1 |
| Saturday, August 8, 2009 |
| 4:00 PM–5:20 PM |
| Base 1 |
| Chair: Iver H. Iversen (University of North Florida) |
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| Derived Relations Across Stimulus Modalities |
| Domain: Experimental Analysis |
| CHRISTOPH HARALD RONACHER (Graduate Student), Jacob L. Gewirtz (Florida International University) |
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| Abstract: The experiment evaluated stimulus equivalence in typical children ages four to five. Using a matching-to-sample (MTS) procedure, stimulus equivalence occurs when a person learns in separate trials to choose stimulus A over B and B over C via reinforcement. Transitive responding based on this structure is tested for with the novel AC pair. Because of its utility for many language-training procedures in applied settings, the conceptual and experimental basis for stimulus equivalence have focused on auditory and visual senses, as they resemble the primary modalities of speech. However, recent findings have elucidated a broader role for stimulus equivalence, implicating relations across other senses such as the gustatory, olfactory and tactile modalities. The study investigated equivalence relations between tactile-visual and tactile-auditory modalities. Fifteen children, ages four to five, were assigned to one of three learning conditions: Visual-Visual, Tactile-Visual, and Tactile-Auditory (MTS). Results indicate that equivalence relations can be derived between visual events and tactile sensations as well as between acoustic events and tactile sensations at an early age. This derivation occurs more rapidly across senses than within one sense modality. Implications are made for how multiple sense modalities can function in an integrated manner via transitive learning. |
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| Go/No-Go Procedure with Compound Stimuli as an Alternative to Matching-to-Sample |
| Domain: Experimental Analysis |
| PAULA DEBERT (University of Sao Paulo - Brazil) |
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| Abstract: Past research demonstrated emergent relations using a go/no-go procedure with compound stimuli. During training, each compound stimulus was presented successively. Responses emitted in the presence of A1B1, A2B2, B1C1 and B2C2 were reinforced, whereas responses in the presence of A1B2, A2B1, B1C2 and B2C1 were not. During tests, new configurations (BA, CB, AC, and CA) were presented. Three experiments analyzed if this procedure also generates functional classes and if it can be used in situations in which the use of matching-to-sample is procedurally cumbersome. Experiment 1 showed that different responses trained for different stimuli (A1-R1 and A2-R2) were verified in tests with the other stimuli of the same equivalence class for two participants (B1-R1, B2-R2, C1-R1 and C2-R2). Experiment 2 showed that emergent relations were established for all five participants when components of the compound were abstract figure displayed on colored background. Experiment 3 showed that emergent relations were established for all six participants when components of the compound were a figure and its location. Thus, these experiments show that the go/no-go procedure with compound stimuli produce functional classes as matching-to-sample does and has some advantages to matching-to-sample when training involves stimuli of the type employed in the present experiments. |
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| Issues Related to Drawing Inferences From Choice Data in Matching-to-sample Tasks |
| Domain: Experimental Analysis |
| IVER H. IVERSEN (University of North Florida) |
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| Abstract: Researchers, who use two-choice matching-to-sample tasks, can be split into two groups based on how they analyze their data. For one group, percent correct in the 65-75% range is often taken as evidence of matching or of concept transfer from training to testing, because the difference to "chance" (50%) may be statistically significant. For the other group, percent correct in this range may be taken as evidence of a "deficit" in matching because the difference to 100% correct may be statistically significant. Thus, the same data range (65-75% correct) is interpreted very differently depending on the context of investigation and the presumptions of the researcher. Examples from the literature will illustrate this issue. Tasks with more than two choices similarly can lead to different conclusions for the same data. The presentation will outline that many processes other than matching may be taking place for data in this range. More broadly, uncritical use of statistical evaluation of choice data should be questioned, especially in cases where stimulus control is the issue. A proposal will be made for new way of examining "degree of stimulus control” instead of percent correct in matching tasks. |
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| The Role of Equivalence Relations in Children's Rapid Vocabulary Learning |
| Domain: Experimental Analysis |
| NEIL DUGDALE (Bangor University) |
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| Abstract: During their second year of life, normally-developing children become able to learn very quickly to relate words to their referents, both as listeners (e.g., hear word, select object) and as speakers (e.g., see object, say word). Through independent lines of study, cognitive psychologists and behavior analysts have each developed research protocols to examine the emergent processes underlying this phenomenon of rapid word learning. My research program combines procedural elements from both traditions (e.g., the cognitive research on fast mapping, and the behavioral research on stimulus exclusion and equivalence relations) in an attempt to advance our understanding of early vocabulary acquisition. The data generated thus far suggest that very young children can learn new vocabulary after merely a few unreinforced exposures to the novel word-object relations, and that their emergent listener and speaker behaviors can have the relational properties of equivalence. The theoretical and practical significance of the research will be briefly outlined. |
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| Theoretical, Philosophical, and Conceptual Issues Paper Session 2 |
| Saturday, August 8, 2009 |
| 4:00 PM–5:20 PM |
| 301 |
| Chair: Paolo Moderato (IULM University ITALY) |
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| Naturalizing behavior and mind: an externalist foundation for behavior analysis |
| Domain: Theory |
| PAOLO MODERATO (IULM University ITALY; IESCUM, ABA Italian Chapte), Riccardo Manzotti (IULM University ITALY), Giovambattista Presti (IULM University, Milan; IESCUM, ABA Italian Chapter) |
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| Abstract: In the past, classic behaviorism tried to avoid the trap of mentalistic languages in explaining behavior focusing on observable behavior. Currently, neurosciences endorse a brain-centric view of the mind which suggests that mental processes are identical to neural processes. So far, both approaches have been unable to outline a satisfying reduction of the mind to another more substantial domain. On one hand, behaviorism underestimated the neural machinery behind the observable outcome; on the other hand, neurosciences often consider the relational role of the brain only as a developmental ?trigger to neural plasticity. In this paper, an externalist model, frameworked in contextualistic and interbehavioral psychology, is presented in order to offer a non mentalistic foundation both to behaviourists and to neuroscientists. The core idea is to use a simple model of causal processes as a starting building block for those physical processes that take place as a result of the intertwine between neural structures and the environment |
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| The causal status of private events |
| Domain: Theory |
| JAY MOORE (University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee) |
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| Abstract: Behavior analysts are typically interested in developing causal analyses of behavior. These analyses may involve elements that are accessible to only the person who is behaving. One case involves private behavioral events. For example, private respondents, as in feelings, or private operants, as in thinking, may contribute to discriminative control. A second case is physiological events. These events are relevant in the analysis of behavior as participating material causes, rather than as private behavioral events. A third case involves dispositions. Here, behavior analysts call for an analysis of the contingencies that cause the dispositions, and of the way, if at all, that private behavioral events contribute to those contingencies. Overall, behavior analysts can most usefully analyze talk that appeals to private events by determining what occasions that talk. |
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| NATURAL EXPERIMENTS IN THE STUDY OF CULTURE: AN ANALYSIS OF COLAPSE BY JARED DIAMOND |
| Domain: Theory |
| MARIA AMALIA ANDERY (CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF SAO PAULO), ANGELO AUGUSTO SAMPAIO (CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF SAO PAULO), ANGELO AUGUSTO SAMPAIO (CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF SAO PAULO) |
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| Abstract: Behavior Analysis has yet to establish a productive research program about culture, cultural practices, and their evolution. Conceptual advances on the issue have been made, but empirical work is needed at least to test them. Natural experiments may be a productive alternative to deal with the problem of building empirical tests of such broad phenomena and should allow the description of functional relations among events. The present work focuses on exploring the possibilities opened by the study of culture and cultural selection through natural experiments. J. Diamond's scientific position seems to be compatible with philosophical and methodological tenets of Behavior Analysis and Diamond has repeatedly argued for natural experimentation as a method to study culture and cultural evolution. Diamond's interpretation of the Viking colonies' fate was taken as an exemplar analysis. Excertps interpreted as elements of Diamond's construction of natural experiments about the Viking colonies were selected and their procedural elements and main results were evaluated. The present results suggest that natural experiments may be a valuable methodological alternative to the empirically based study of culture. Possible relationships between Diamond's results and Glenn's proposition of metacontingencies and macrocontingencies as units of analysis at the cultural level of selection are discussed. |
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| Christian Atheism, Religion,
and a Behavior Analytic World View |
| Domain: Theory |
| RICHARD W. MALOTT (Western Michigan University) |
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| Abstract: As a Christian atheist, I’m saddened by the chortling of my intellectual friends and colleagues when they enthuse about the mean-spirited, sanctimonious attacks on the world’s great religions waged by pop writers Sam Harris and Richard Dawkins. As a behavior analyst, I’m gladdened by a behavior-analytic worldview that can help us appreciate the role of religion in the maintenance of a “civilized world.” This world view can also help us appreciate and perhaps resolve the great paradoxes of religion—how bad things can happen to good people (how a just and omnipotent God can allow the suffering of innocent infants), how one pope can say all religions are created equal and the next can say all religions are created equal but Catholicism is more equal. No one said performance management of moral and ethical behavior would be easy. |
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| Why Be a Behavior Analyst? |
| Saturday, August 8, 2009 |
| 5:00 PM–5:50 PM |
| SHB (Olympia) |
| Chair: Maria E. Malott (ABAI) |
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| 'Why Be a Behavior Analyst?" |
| WILLIAM L. HEWARD (Ohio State University) |
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| Abstract: "Why be a behavior analyst today and not something else?" Several examples will be presented of how behavior analysis is being used to improve the human experience in a variety of areas. As impressive as these accomplishments are, however, they pale in comparison to the potential of behavior analysis to help make the world a better place. Five reasons will be offered for why a person should become a behavior analyst and several actions recommended that behavior analysts, whether novices or experienced, can take to narrow the gap between the tremendous potential of behavior analysis and its limited impact to date.
Dr. William L. Heward is Professor Emeritus of Education at The Ohio State University (OSU) where he taught for 30 years. Internationally recognized for his work in applied behavior analysis and special education, Dr. Heward has served as a Visiting Professor of Psychology at Keio University in Tokyo and as a Senior Fulbright Scholar in Portugal. His publications include more than 100 journal articles and book chapters and nine books, including the widely used texts, Applied Behavior Analysis (co-authored with John O. Cooper and Timothy E. Heron) and Exceptional Children: An Introduction to Special Education, which is in its eighth edition and has been translated into several foreign languages. In 1985, he received OSU’s highest honor for teaching excellence: the Alumni Association’s Distinguished Teaching Award. A Fellow of the Association for Behavior Analysis International, Dr. Heward received the 2006 Fred S. Keller Behavioral Education Award by Division 25 of the American Psychological Association. Dr. Heward’s current research interests include “low-tech” methods for increasing the effectiveness of group instruction and adaptations of curriculum and instruction that promote the generalization and maintenance of newly learned knowledge and skills. |
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| Session #2 AUT |
| Saturday, August 8, 2009 |
| 6:00 PM–7:30 PM |
| Sonja Henie Ballroom |
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| 1. Use of a Modified Azrin-Foxx Toilet Training Procedure with Young Children with Autism |
| Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| FREDRIKA M. MIRANDA LINNÉ (Autism Center for Young Children) |
| Abstract: Independent, self-initiated toileting is an important skill which children with autism often find difficult to acquire. Many children are dependent upon a schedule or an adult to remind them to go to a toilet and never learn to respond to their physical signals. In the present study, a modified Azrin-Foxx toilet training procedure was used to establish self-initiated toileting skills in three children with autism and mental retardation. Data were collected with a modified version of the toileting skills subtest from the Assessment of Basic Language and Learning Skills-Revised (ABLLS-R, Partington, 2006) during baseline, treatment, and 3- and 6-months follow-up. The ABLLS-R contains questions about whether the child urinates in a toilet, has accidents (“wet pants”), independently uses a restroom, and requests to use a toilet when needed, in different environments. The questions are scored from a scale of 0 (the child lacks the skill) to 2 or 4 (the child has acquired the skill). All children have shown improved toileting skills and are able to self-initiate in at least one environment. Additional data to be collected. |
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| 2. Implementing PECS with one Child with ASD and his Parents in Turkey |
| Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| DERYA GENC (Anadolu University), Serhat Odluyurt (Anadolu University), Alper Kapan (Anadolu University) |
| Abstract: The purpose of this study is to introduce the Picture Exchange Communication Systems (PECS) to the parents who have children with autism and enable them to participate to implementation of PECS. This study is conducted with parents of a child with autism who attends to Developmental Disability Unit of the Research Institute for the Handicapped at Anadolu University, Turkey. A four-step parent training program was developed. Parent training sessions were administered at a meeting room in the Research Institute for the Handicapped. Information about features and phases of PECS were introduced during the first session. Parents watched several video clips representing the implementation of the PECS during this session. During the subsequent sessions information and videoclips about Phase I & II and Phase III in the PECS were given respectively. At the end of the each session, the acquisition level of the parents was tested with a written form. Furthermore, parents were asked to write the opinions about each session in a diary. Brief sessions will be arranged at the end and behaviors of the parents and the child were recorded. This is an ongoing study and the findings will be shared with the audience during the meeting. |
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| 3. Using Instructive Feedback to Increase the Efficiency of Learning for Young Children with Autism |
| Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| BRIAN REICHOW (Yale University), Mark Wolery (Vanderbilt University) |
| Abstract: Instructive feedback (IF) involves the presentation of additional nontarget stimuli during the consequent event of correct responding (Werts, Wolery, Holcombe, & Gast, 1995). The research on the effectiveness of IF suggests it is an effective instructional modification for increasing the efficiency of learning. The present study examined the effectiveness and efficiency of IF back by comparing two instructional arrangements of the progressive time delay procedure (PTD; PTD without IF and PTD plus IF presented during the consequent event of correct responses) using an adapted alternating treatment design. The participants of the study were 5 young children with autism. Four experimental manipulations demonstrated clear results - acquisition of all target stimuli and stimuli presented as instructive feedback, while two experimental manipulations provided mixed results. The results suggest (a) the inclusion of IF did not hinder the acquisition of target responses, (b) IF was an effective method of instruction for these children with autism, and (c) the inclusion of IF with the PTD procedure produced increased efficiency of learning. The results are discussed within the constraints and limitations of the clear and mixed results and implications and recommendations for practice are provided. |
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| 4. Developing Knowledge and Skills online: An educational model for Improving outcomes for people with ASD |
| Area: AUT; Domain: Service Delivery |
| MICHAEL J REID (Institute of Applied Human Services) |
| Abstract: This research project evaluated the efficacy of an online learning model designed to increase knowledge and improve practice of professionals and direct support staff when supporting people who have ASD and other developmental disabilities. The learning model was developed to enhance learning outcomes in an online environment and is based in human learning theory. This model focuses specifically on the means by which information is presented and the structure and nature of the testing and re-testing process. Results demonstrated increased retention and recall of information when comparing a face to face seminar group with a matched group trained online using the learning model. Resulting data demonstrated a pronounced difference between the Seminar group and the online group. Initial testing scores were 41% higher than those of the Seminar group. While there was a decline in subsequent three, six and 12 month follow-up test scores for both groups, the online group performed consistently higher than the Seminar group. Twelve month follow-up data indicate test scores of more than 84% for the online group as compared to just fewer than 43% for the seminar group. |
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| 5. Effects of Video Modelling on Social Behaviours in a School Setting: Three Children with Autism. |
| Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| KERSTIN MONTALTO (Rösjöskolan Sollentuna Sweden) |
| Abstract: This study examined the effects of video modeling intervention on social behavior e.g. social initiation, joint attention and conversation among three school aged children with autism.
The children watched a videotape consisting of a student (typical peer) initiating contact with a teacher, sharing attention (joint attention) in some toys together and having some uncomplicated scripted conversation. Event recording was used to register social behaviors exhibited by the children after watching the video. A multiple baseline design across subjects was used to evaluate the intervention. An increase in social behavior occurred in 2 of 3 children. Assessment was made to evaluate the effects of generalizing and maintaining these skills in different settings and with different people. Performance criterion was met for one of three children. The importance of adopting and modifying video modeling for each participant is discussed. Suggestions are made regarding these adaptations in increasing social behaviors in children with autism. |
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| 7. Training Teachers to Assess the Challenging Behaviors of Students with Autism Using Video Tele-conferencing |
| Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| WENDY A. MACHALICEK (Portland State University), Mark F. O'Reilly (University of Texas at Austin), Russell Lang (University of Texas at Austin), Mandy J. Rispoli (University of Texas at Austin) |
| Abstract: We examined the effects of performance feedback provided via tele-conferencing (VTC) on the acquisition of functional analysis procedures by six teachers. A university supervisor used VTC equipment (i.e., computers equipped with web cameras and broadband Internet) to provide immediate performance feedback to teachers learning to implement functional analysis conditions (i.e., escape, attention, and play) with students with autism. Multiple baseline designs across teacher-student dyads with embedded multi-element designs were used to evaluate the effects of performance feedback delivered via VTC on the percentage of functional analysis procedures implemented correctly. Results indicated that teachers learned learned to implement functional analysis conditions following training (M duration of training=75 min.; range 60-95 min.). Results were maintained for a number of weeks following the termination of performance feedback (M=5 weeks; range=4-9 weeks), but teacher performance declined thereafter. Video conferencing technology may provide supervisors with an efficacious way to deliver performance feedback to teachers learning research-based strategies. |
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| 8. Periodic Service Review (PSR) as a standard for improvement in Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention (EIBI). |
| Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| ASTRI SYNNOVE VALMO (Center for Early Intervention (STI)), Sigmund Eldevik (Center for Early Intervention, Oslo, Norway), Grethe Brandsar (Center for early intervention Oslo), Hege Tryggestad (Centre for Early Intervention (STI)), Tone Kristensen (Centre for Early Intervention (STI)) |
| Abstract: Implementation of EIBI services in a public setting often face difficulties in sustaining the required framework needed to achieve high quality in each individual case.
Centre for Early Intervention (STI) in Oslo have developed a tool based on the Periodic Service Review (LaVigna, Willis & Shaull, 1994) to improve and monitor the quality of the implementation and factors crucial for quality in EIBI. The PSR is both an instrument, to help management assess the level of quality in the services they provide, and a system, to help improve that quality. Monitoring quality in our services includes procedural routines, criteria for testing, therapeutic skills? and regulating frameworks. We will present quality criteria, routines for data collection and empirical findings. |
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| 9. Development of Japanese Knowledge Test of ABA(KT-ABA) |
| Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| SHINJI TANI (University of Osaka Human Sciencies) |
| Abstract: Japanese Knowledge Test of ABA was developed to measure knowledge of ABA with direct care staffs who are working for persons with developmental handicap. The test consisted of 41 questions relating to basic knowledge of ABA such as reinforcement, stimulus control, prompt and fading, and so on. The data from 122 undergraduate students who learned psychology produced the following values: means=30.16; S.D.=0.45; Cronbach’s a=.753. The correlation with KBPACK was calculated to examine the internal validity. The responders were 50 persons who were working developmental disabilities. The basic statistic values are; 25 men, 25 women; age range 23 to 65, means=43.02y, pearson r=.392 p<.01. The 13 teachers who were working with handicapped students received a 4.5-hour ABA lecture. Test scores before and after lecture were compared to examine external validity. Mean age of these teachers was 49.7 year old, S.D. was 9.26. Mean score of pre-test was 24.69(S.D.=4.31), and post-test was 35.53(S.D.=3.80), p<.01. This test was considered to have internal consistency, internal and external validity.
This research was supported by KAKENHI( Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C) 19530880). |
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| 11. Evaluation of a Group Instruction Model for Teaching PECS to Young Children With Autism |
| Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| DAG STRÖMBERG (Autismcenter för små barn, Stockholm), Ulrika Langh (Autismcenter för små barn, Stockholm) |
| Abstract: The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS, Bondy & Frost, 2002) is a well-established method for increasing manding in individuals with autism and other developmental disorders. In this study, a group instruction model for teaching PECS was used in order to economize the treatment of several families at once. The effects of this model were examined, measuring the topography and frequency of manding in eight young children with autism. Parents and preschool teachers attended three group workshops at the habilitation center over a period of three months. Between group sessions, individual weekly treatment sessions were conducted by clinicians from the center. For each child, the topography and frequency of spontaneous manding with PECS or spoken language were measured using a) six questions from the manding skills subtest in the Assessment of Basic Language and Learning Skills – Revised (Partington, 2006) and b) videotaped ten-minute probes from the home or preschool setting. Data was collected during baseline, within two weeks after the intervention and at two months follow-up. Preliminary data show an increase of manding in all participants. Additional data to be collected. |
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| 12. An Assessment of Prompting Tactics to Establish Intraverbals in Children with Autism |
| Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| EINAR T. INGVARSSON (University of North Texas), Tatia Hollobaugh (Youngstown State University), Kellyn Joi Johnson (University of North Texas) |
| Abstract: At least three prompting tactics may be used to establish intraverbal responding in children with autism and other developmental disabilities: Echoic prompts (i.e., spoken word), tact prompts (i.e., picture), and textual prompts (i.e., typed word). We implemented a three-step assessment to determine the most effective tactic on an individual basis. First, we carried out a pretest to identify common questions the children could not yet answer (e.g., “what animal says moo?”). Second, we implemented a topography-strength assessment, in which the target answers (e.g., “cow”) were assessed as echoics, tacts, and textuals. Finally, we used a combination of multielement and multiple baseline designs to evaluate the efficiency of each prompting tactic to establish intraverbal responding. The results of Experiment 1 showed that for all three participants, echoic and tacting repertoires were relatively strong, while their textual repertoire was limited. Tact prompts were most effective in establishing intraverbal responding with these participants, followed closely by echoic prompts. Experiment 2 replicated these findings with additional participants, while adding measures of preference for the prompting tactics. In addition, we evaluated the effects of providing additional history with less effective prompting tactics. |
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| 13. Training adjective synonyms using a MTS preparation |
| Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| LILL-BEATHE HALSTADTRØ (Trondsletten Habilitation Services, Norway), Eli Bjerke (Byasen College, Norway), Monica Halstadtrø (Byasen College, Norway), Erik Arntzen (Akershus University College) |
| Abstract: An essential part of vocabulary development is teaching words in related groups or as opposed to each other. People with autism usually have a limit synonym repertoire. We want to expand the knowledge about the use of MTS preparation by training different synonyms. The participant is a 17 year old boy diagnosed with autism. He is in a special education class for children\youths with autism in a public high school. His first language is Vietnamese and second Norwegian. We will argue that training synonyms is quite function since he has started to ask questions about meaning of different words. We want to train three 3-member classes and to add new members and classes. Thus, the purpose of the study was (1) to see if it was possible to train skills like identifying and categorizing adjectives, (2) how many new relations emerged during testing, and (3) investigate if there was a difference in reaction times to comparison stimuli when we included new members. |
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| 14. Intensity Of Mand Training By Parents And Its Influence On Language Development In Children With Autism |
| Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| SMITA AWASTHI (ABA India) |
| Abstract: Parents in four Indian families from different regions were provided mand training using the sign protocol for non vocal children with autism. All four families were monitored once a week for a period of 20 weeks. They were provided specific goals for mand trials after a preference assessment interview. Of the four, two parents were working and spent less hours / day in mand training, one working father and another at home mother worked systematically to increase the number of mands. Each child received 5 hours / week of therapy from a therapist. The outcome of the study suggests, parents who provided high intensity of mand training, worked systematically to increase the number of mand trials and contrived situations for manding, observed significantly quicker language development as compared to families which worked lesser number of trails on mands but spent the same amount of time on receptive and pre academic skills. |
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| 15. An intraverbal based training for color tacting with an autistic children |
| Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| Raffaella Giannattasio (IESCUM, ABA Italian Chapter), Giovambattista Presti (IULM University, Milan; IESCUM, ABA Italian Chapter), CRISTINA COPELLI (IESCUM, ABA Italian Chapter), Paolo Moderato (IULM University ITALY) |
| Abstract: We describe the case of a 7 years old autistic child where usual mass trial strategies with and without vocal SD failed. After systematic failure a training based on intraverbals was introduced. The procedure was structured as follows. Colors were introduced three at times in different steps. We started asking the child: “Tell me some colors” (without using any visual SD with the question). The response “green, white, red” (the colors of the Italian flag) was shaped and reinforced. Master criterium was 90% of correct responses in three consecutive trials in two sessions. Concurrently to the emission of the intraverbal, paced to the child verbal response, one object per colour was then presented. Gradually the verbal SD was faded, so that only the object served as SD. While maintaining a high frequency of correct responses unrelated responses (first motor, then vocal) were introduced to fragment the intraverbal sequence. Through a 4 step sequence based on this procedure the child learned to tact all basic colors. Results demonstrate that also intraverbals can help developing color tacting. |
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| 16. Tantrums in an autistic child: where a symptomatic approach clearly fails |
| Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| RAFFAELLA GIANNATTASIO (IESCUM, ABA Italian Chapter), Giovambattista Presti (IULM University, Milan; IESCUM, ABA Italian Chapter), Paolo Moderato (IULM University ITALY) |
| Abstract: A 3 year old autistic child suddenly showed a repertoire of tantrums in various situations, in house and outside, generally refusing to “enter” for example a room or a shop. This kind of behavior is usually addressed as symptoms within the frame of the autistic spectrum. Outside a BA setting, this view usually implies an impossible-to-do-something attitude. However a careful functional analysis might reveal a different picture.
The functional analysis with direct observation and analog assessment demonstrated that tantrums were under control of aversive conditions and maintained by general attention. Aversive conditions were created by reflexes of lights on floors, windows, water pools, and other reflecting surfaces.
Through systematic desensitation, differential reinforcement, and shaping the problem behavior was controlled. The case reported is an example of the need for a functional analysis of tantrum behavior, which may eventually lead to the identification of the sources of control. Where a traditional diagnosis, which sees problem behavior as a part of the autistic spectrum disorder, might fail in addressing the issue leaving the child and the parents helpless. |
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| 17. Reducing Aggression by Increasing manding for Attention in a 4 year old Autistic Child |
| Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| RAFFAELLA GIANNATTASIO (IESCUM, ABA Italian Chapter), Giovambattista Presti (IULM University, Milan; IESCUM, ABA Italian Chapter), Paolo Moderato (IULM University ITALY) |
| Abstract: A four year old autistic child showed aggressive behavior that ranged from pushing other kids, to painful heavy hugging as to make the arm of other kids blue, to punching. A careful functional analysis was conducted to identify the variables that affected aggression towards peers.
A training was developed to increase manding for attention and tangibles. MOs were different conditions with peers engaged in activities preferred by the child. SDs in these conditions were toys that the child used appropriately. Reinforcement was presented by pairing with peers and any small step towards collaboration was reinforced. Through MOs manipulation it was possible also to prompt manding to obtain the preferred toy and the attention of the group of peers. Group collaboration was also reinforced (token economy). At the end of training the child was able to mand peers' behavior through a wide range of verbal topographies (e.g. “Look at me”, “Come here”, “Let’s play”) and was also able to mand properly for toys (e.g. “Please give me”, “May I have”). Results demonstrate that increasing the manding repertoire for attention and tangibles reduced aggressions to peers. |
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| 18. Comparison of Visual Analysis Consensus and Overlap Methods for Quantitatively Synthesizing Single Subject Data |
| Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| BRIAN REICHOW (Yale University), Erin E Barton (University of Oregon), Matthew Douglas Busick (Vanderbilt University), Mark Wolery (Vanderbilt University) |
| Abstract: This study presents the findings of a follow up study to the findings of a comparison of visual analysist’s judgment of change and overlap methods for the quantitative synthesis of single subject data. The previous study found poor agreement between the visual analysist’s judgment of change between randomly selected A-B data sets. The follow up study presents the findings of a similar comparison when visual analysis of entire figures (not just A-B changes) were evaluated. Several computational methods were compared, including, the percentage of nonoverlapping data, the percentage of all nonoverlapping data, pairwise data overlap squared, percentage of data exceeding the median, and percentage of data exceeding a median trend. Results of the analysis will be described with reference to their application to the determination of evidence-based practices and the desirable characteristics of single subject experimental design synthesis methods. |
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| Session #2 EAB |
| Saturday, August 8, 2009 |
| 6:00 PM–7:30 PM |
| Sonja Henie Ballroom |
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| 19. Jump to Touch a Ball: Analysis of Video Records of a Dolphin |
| Area: EAB; Domain: Experimental Analysis |
| SADAHIKO NAKAJIMA (Dep. Psychol., Kwansei Gakuin University), Yuko Imanaka (Kwansei Gakuin University), Tomomi Kimura (Kwansei Gakuin University), Hyangsun Chin (Kwansei Gakuin University), Michihiro Taki (Suma Aqualife Park in Kobe) |
| Abstract: We analyzed video records of dolphin training in an aquarium. A young dolphin was trained to jump up from water and touch a hanging ball with its snout. Our analysis based on the last stage of training, in which the target ball was fixed at approximately 3.5 m from the water surface, and each of 12 sessions ended with a successful ball-touch high jump after unsuccessful jumps. Our within-session analysis revealed that the inter-jump time interval was relatively constant except the final successful jump which had a long pre-jump interval, but that the snout-to-ball distance was a linear decreasing function of the number of successive jumps. Because only the successful jump was rewarded with a whistle and fish, the gradual approximation over unsuccessful, unrewarded jumps cannot be easily explained by positive reinforcement of correct jumping. Possible other, mutually not exclusive, explanations include (1) intrinsic motivation, (2) innate behavior, (3) error correction by intrinsic feedback, and (4) secondary reinforcement by a close view of ball. Also discussed is the implication of the long interval before the final successful jump. |
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| 20. Effects of energy-budget over risk-sensitivity in rats: Some empirical results |
| Area: EAB; Domain: Experimental Analysis |
| ÓSCAR GARCÍA-LEAL (Universidad de Guadalajara), Luis Alfaro Hernández (Universidad de Guadalajara), Maryed Rojas Leguizamón (University of Guadalajara) |
| Abstract: A free-choice experimental task with rats (Rattus norvegicus), that simulates extreme foraging conditions in natural environments, was used to study risk-sensitive foraging (RSF). During the experimental session, two energy sources provide different rate of energy. Each one provides the same amount of resources (in this case, water), through the experimental session, being manipulated the delay of water gained on both sources. We compared the preference for one or the other alternative, constant delay versus variable delay, when rats 1) have sufficient energy resources to survive independently of the water gained on the source chosen or, 2) their possibilities of survival depends on its choice. The results are similar as predicted by the Energy-Budget Rule (Stephens, 1981), emphasizing that the availability of energy resources is a relevant factor to explain risk-sensitive foraging not alone in smaller animals, but in bigger animals, at least rats, when the restriction in energy resources is severe. |
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| 21. Chronic Sucrose Intake Produces Escape Learning Impairment in Wistar Rats |
| Area: EAB; Domain: Experimental Analysis |
| ANA CAROLINA TROUSDELL FRANCESCHINI (University of Sao Paulo), Maria Helena Hunziker (University of Sao Paulo) |
| Abstract: Sensitivity to reinforcement is a crucial aspect of depression. A typical procedure in animal models is to expose rats to electric shocks that can be switched off by the emission of responses as jumping, running or nose-poking. During an experiment to compare two animal models of depression – learned helplessness and chronic mild stress - a group that received eight accesses to sucrose, among other manipulations, showed learning impairments when exposed to escape tests. To explore these findings, naive rats were divided into 5 groups: S1 (n=8), S2 (n=5), W (n=8), F (n=8) and N (n=6). Groups S1, S2, W, and F were deprived of food and water for 24h prior to 60min access to two bottles: one with water and the other with either a 1% sucrose solution (S1, F), 2% solution (S2) or water (W); group N received no treatment. After 10 fluid intake sessions, all animals were exposed to an escape learning test using shocks (max. duration 10s). Groups W and N learned the escape response while Groups S1, S2, F showed learning impairment. The chronic intake of sucrose reduced the sensitivity to negative reinforcement. This potentially impacts models that use sucrose consumption as depression, alcoholism, impulsive behaviors, etc. |
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| 22. Serial Effects in Food Preference: Interaction of Demonstration and Retention Intervals |
| Area: EAB; Domain: Experimental Analysis |
| Edith Juarez-Maldonado (UNAM FES Iztacla), Benjamin Melchor-Hipolito (UNAM FES Izyacala), Guadalupe Ortega-Saavedra (UNAM FES Iztacala), Sara E. Cruz-Morales (UNAM FES Iztacala), ROCIO HERNANDEZ-POZO (FES - Iztacala; UNAM - Mexico) |
| Abstract: Social transmission of food preference studies have shown that rats may show serial position effects to a list of demonstrator rats. Demonstration time and retention interval between demonstration and testing produce distinctive effects. In nine groups, we compared three demonstration intervals and three retention intervals with Long Evans rats as subjects. We presented to observer rats a list of demonstrators previously fed with flavored food. Flavors were 2 % cocoa, 1 % cinnamon, and 1 % vanilla. The series presented to observers, were made of 12 different lists of three demonstrators each, with position of flavors counterbalanced for demonstration and testing. The three different demonstration intervals were 1, 2, and 5 min, for different groups and the retention intervals were 2, 4 and 24 hours. The results shown that demonstration interval may function as viewing time. Long intervals produced a primacy effect, rats recalled better the first item, and short demonstration intervals produced a recency effect, rats recalled better the last item, in the 4 h retention interval group. This result is similar to the increased accuracy observed in monkeys when viewing time for the list items is increased. The effects were produced in the 4 h retention interval group. |
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| 23. Numerosity Discrimination and Transposition in Pigeons
- Was Transposition Actually Cased by Numerosity? |
| Area: EAB; Domain: Experimental Analysis |
| NAOYA KUBO (Komazawa University), Koichi Ono (Komazawa University) |
| Abstract: The purpose of this experiment is to examine whether pigeons could take place transposition based on numerosity. We also examine which factor, numerosity or total dot’s area, is more effective for transposition. In training phase, pigeons were trained to discriminate smaller array between 1 black square (S+) and 3 black square array (S-). There were three types of test. First, two novel stimulus pairs (2-4, 3-6) were presented without any manipulation of dot size. Second, in the same 2-4 and 3-6 pair, total dot’s area of the smaller array was enlarged to equal or more than larger array. Third, pairs with same number of dots were presented (2-2, 3-3) in which each of the total dot's area was mutually different. As a result of these tests, pigeons responded to smaller array when dot size was not manipulated, or when the total dot’s area of the smaller array was not large more than three times of the larger array. These results suggests that transposition in pigeons can be occurred by numerosity, though, total dot’s area influence pigeon’s response if its impact is large enough. |
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| 24. Choice Between Two Shared Feeding Stations That Differed in the Number of Other Pigeons |
| Area: EAB; Domain: Experimental Analysis |
| TETSUO YAMAGUCHI (Osaka City University), Masato Ito (Osaka City University), Daisuke Saeki (Osaka City University) |
| Abstract: A novel operant box that contains two feeding stations was developed to assess the choice between two shared feeding stations that differed in the number of other pigeons. At one side of the feeding station (the constant feeding station), the pigeon always shared 4 food pellets with one other pigeon, whereas at the other side of the feeding station (the variable feeding station), the pigeon shared 4 food pellets with a variable number of pigeons, varying from 1 to 5 under four conditions. The pigeon made choices by moving between the two feeding stations. Each session consisted of 8 forced choice trials and 72 free choice trials. Each condition lasted for a minimum of 20 sessions. The results showed that as the number of pigeons at the variable feeding station increased, preference for that side of the feeding station decreased systematically and the generalized matching law was well fitted to the present data. All together, the present results extended the matching relation to shared rewards situation. Moreover, the matching relation obtained here is comparable to the matching relation obtained with reinforcement rate, amount, and delay. |
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| 25. Tit-for-tat Strategy Can Promote Pigeon's Choice of Shared Food Rewards in the Prisoner's Dilemma Game |
| Area: EAB; Domain: Experimental Analysis |
| MASATO ITO (Osaka City University), Tetsuo Yamaguchi (Osaka City University), Daisuke Saeki (Osaka City University), Yuka Ohnishi (Osaka City University) |
| Abstract: Six pigeons chose between two feeding stations where food pellets were presented according to a payoff matrix of the prisoner's dilemma game. At the unsharing feeding station, subjects received five or one food pellets alone, whereas at the sharing feeding station, they received three or zero food pellets. The other player was a pigeon that was trained to choose between the feeding stations, or the computer (i.e., no other pigeons): The other player's choices were determined by the tit-for-tat or random strategy. In conditions where the other player was a pigeon, a transparent wall was located between the subjects and the other pigeon at the sharing feeding station to present the prescribed number of food pellets. All subjects were exposed to the four conditions (tit-for-tat / vs. computer, random / vs. computer, tit-for-tat / vs. pigeon, and random / vs. pigeon). Each session consisted of eight forced-choice and 60 free-choice trials. Each condition was conducted 14 to 25 sessions. As a result, choice proportion for the sharing feeding station was significantly higher in the tit-for-tat than in the random strategy condition. This result indicates that pigeons can learn other player's strategy in the prisoner's dilemma game. |
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| 27. Water disturbance as a form of aversive stimulation for The Siamese Fighting Fish (Betta splendens): Preliminary studies on Escape and Avoidance |
| Area: EAB; Domain: Experimental Analysis |
| HERNAN CAMILO HURTADO PARRADO (University of Manitoba), Joseph J. Pear (University of Manitoba), Kimberly Froese (University of Manitoba) |
| Abstract: The procedure and data of a study that explored water disturbance as a form of aversive stimulus for the Siamese fighting fish (Betta splendens) are presented.
Because Betta splendens is native to calm water environments, water disturbance was tested as a possible form of aversive stimulation for this fish. On a 40x40x40 tank two strategies of water disturbance presentation were tested. On the first one, simultaneous and continuous air bubbles flows/currents were introduced on 3 corners of the tank, leaving the fourth corner as the “target area” where no bubbles were presented (i.e. no-disturbance area) and the fish was expected to spend more time. Across several sessions the position of the target area was changed; in all of them the fish kept its preference for that corner. On a second procedure the tank was divided in two equal size areas by means of a plastic wall, leaving an entrance in the center. On each session continuous air bubbles flows/currents were introduced in only one side of the tank, leaving the other side without disturbance. During several sessions the side of the water distubance was alternated and in all of them the fish showed preference for the side with no-disturbed water. |
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| 28. Analysis of the transference of appropriate studying behavior to similar tasks |
| Area: EAB; Domain: Experimental Analysis |
| Maráa Elena Rodráguez Pérez (Universidad de Guadalajara), MARÁA ANTONIA PADILLA VARGAS (University of Guadalajara) |
| Abstract: Previous research has suggested that appropriate studying behavior develops after several expositions to the task. A study was designed to analyze whether appropriate studying behavior is transferred to similar tasks. Eight university students were exposed to task 1 under free studying (base line condition). Task 1 consisted in labeling the regions of the Moon map after reading a text with this information. Then, participants were trained in task 2 until performance criterion was reached (90% of correct answers) or during 6 sessions. Task 2 consisted in labeling the stars of the Orion constellation after reading a text with this information. Task 1 and 2 required the same skills to identify the parts of the whole. During training, participants were asked to use an appropriate studying behavior: to draw “Orion, the hunter” and use it to locate the stars that “form” the head, shoulders, etc. Finally, the base line condition was repeated to evaluate changes in the studying behavior. Data is reported considering the number of correct answers as well as the use of the appropriate studying behavior while reading the text: to draw “the Moon rabbit” and use it to locate the regions that “form” the head, tail, etc. |
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| Session #2 EDC |
| Saturday, August 8, 2009 |
| 6:00 PM–7:30 PM |
| Sonja Henie Ballroom |
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| 29. Analysis of the Education Program of a Special School, Korea |
| Area: EDC; Domain: Service Delivery |
| WON OK GU (Daegu University, South Korea), Jung Hee Park (BK21 TaskForce Team, Daegu Univ. S. Korea), Mihyang Choi (Daegu Univ. South Korea), Gyeong Hee Seo (Daegu University, South Korea), Sang Bok Lee (Daegu University, S. KOREA) |
| Abstract: The current study examined the education program of a special school of Korea and make a suggestion based on the analysis for the future. 131 students who belong to kindergarten to high school programs participated in the study. Data relative to their IEP documents, curriculum, assessment and evaluation were collected and analyzed.
The results showed as follows. First, parents prioritized learning on reading, writing, and daily living skills when their children were on the lower grade. On the other hand, Parents had more increased needs on vocational training and transition program as their children growed. Second, the school had a featured program, "Functional and Integrated Living Curriculum" aimed to increase students' abilities on living, social adjustment, and career development and management. Third, the school utilized the national web-based system, "National Education Information System(NEIS)" and curriculum using a system developed by the school itself. These results suggest that a plan for realistic IEP application, the development of an effective school-level curriculum, and investigation on clients' satisfaction of education service are needed for the future. |
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| 31. Self-Management in the Individualized Education Planning Process |
| Area: EDC; Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| LEASHA BARRY (University of West Florida) |
| Abstract: A multiple baseline design across five participants diagnosed with mild to moderate disabilities demonstrates the effect of employing self-management style interventions with children in relation to developing, planning, and achieving their educational goals as part of the individual education planning process. The collateral academic effects of implementing the intervention including assignment completion, assignment accuracy, academic preparedness, and academic engagement are also presented. The intervention was implemented in a self-contained special education classroom by a classroom teacher and teaching assistant, thus demonstrating the feasibility of application of such interventions in practice. Fidelity of intervention integrity and independent evaluation of reliability of all data collected provide additional strength to the study. Results indicate a functional relationship between the intervention and an increase in self-management skills in regard to developing, planning, and achieving educational goals as well as collateral academic effects. The success of the intervention has important implications for teaching practices and self-determination for individuals with developmental disabilities. |
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| 32. Presession Attention and Noncontingent Attention to Decrease Disruptive Talking-Out Behavior in General Education Classrooms |
| Area: EDC; Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| STEPHANIE SOKOLOSKY (Texas Tech University), Devender Banda (Texas Tech University) |
| Abstract: We used presession attention and noncontingent attention with one student exhibiting talking-out behavior that disrupted his second grade general education class. The student was 7-years-old, diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) with a speech delay. His disruptive talking-out behavior occurred in the general education classroom, where he was expected to participate in group activities. The functional analysis indicated that the behavior was maintained by social attention (peers and teachers). An ABAB design was implemented during the language lessons. Intervention included presession attention combined with noncontingent attention. Presession attention was provided prior to the instructional activities for 1-2 minutes. The noncontingent attention occurred at every 20 seconds during instruction. The general education classroom teacher used a timer and was able to conduct the classroom activities, as well as provide the student with attention (e.g., a smile, thumbs up, or “We’re almost finished”). The student’s disruptive talking-out decreased from a mean frequency level during baselines of 22.2, and 31.8, to a mean frequency level of 9.5 during the first intervention, and 6.6 during the second intervention. The teacher reported continued improvement following the conclusion of the documented intervention. Results are discussed and implications for practitioners are provided. |
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| 33. The Study on staff needs for executing Positive Behavioral Support through an investigation on challenging behavioral problems of children with developmental disabilities at nursery school level |
| Area: EDC; Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| YUN HEE SHIN (Daegu uinv. BK21 Task Force Team), Min Kyoung Cho (Daegu univ. South Korea), Hyo-Shin Lee (Early Childhood Spec Ed Depart Daegu University, KOREA), Eun Young Choi (Daegu University, South Korea) |
| Abstract: The purpose of this study was to explore the topography of challenging behaviors, observe staff reaction to and record keeping of challenging behaviors and determining what assistance staff require in order to effectively implement Positive Behavioral Support (PBS) to children with developmental disabilities. A structured questionnaire was given to 98 staff. This included 8 general educational teachers, 30 special educational teachers, 29 therapists and 1 administrator located in 9 nursery schools from 7 cities. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistical analysis, frequencies and cross tabulation analysis.
The results of the study were as follows.
According to the frequency analysis, the specific types of challenging behaviors observed included; aggression, crying, screaming, spitting and self injury behavior (SIB). After incidents of challenging behavior most staff physically restrained the students, although some passively observed the behavior or sought help from a more experienced teacher. Records of the incidents were then stored for a duration of 1 to 3 years. This short period of storage caused difficulties in keeping and managing accurate records. Finally, most staff wanted some assistance and education from experts in the field of functional analysis of challenging behavior and PBS. Therefore, this study showed the need for expert input for training education staff and producing teacher-training manuals on the steps required in order to effectively use PBS to deal with challenging behavioral situations. |
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| 34. Fluency of Writing English as Second Language through Constructed-response Matching-to-sample with Limited-hold Procedure |
| Area: EDC; Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| MIKIMASA OMORI (Keio University), Hiroshi Sugasawara (Keio University), Jun'ichi Yamamoto (Keio University) |
| Abstract: Japanese students who study English as second language often show the difficulty of learning English, especially students with developmental disabilities; they have difficulty with English writing as second language. Our previous research suggested constructed-response matching-to-sample (CRMTS) procedure showed better results of acquisition and transfer on English writing than matching-to-sample (MTS) procedure. The present study examined the controlling variables on facilitating fluency and maintenance of English writing through MTS and CRMTS with limited-hold procedure. Ten Japanese students with developmental disabilities participated in the present study. In MTS procedure, students were required to choose word, when presented with the picture. In CRMTS, students were required to construct word by selecting characters from keyboard. When correct response was made, spoken feedback of that word was produced as differential outcome. Results indicated that most of participants showed better performance through CRMTS, comparing to MTS procedure. This result suggests that CRMTS with limited-hold procedure is better to facilitate fluency and maintenance in the acquisition of English. |
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| 35. The use of Personalized System of Instruction in private educational institution: preliminary data. |
| Area: EDC; Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| JOÃO CLAUDIO TODOROV (Universidade Católica de Goiás), Marcio Moreira (Instituto de Educação Superior de Brasilia IESB) |
| Abstract: The Personalized System of Instruction (PSI) has been used in three Psychology courses for almost four years now. The first version used signalized the absence of aversive control for the students: attendance to classes was not required, no dead-line was established and students were allowed to make tests whenever they felt prepared to, just like the original method conceived by Fred Keller. The absence of aversive control resulted in students taking up to 650 days to accomplish the requirements of each course. Progressive use of aversive control (deadlines), and changes in the structure of the courses diminished the average courses time from 269,01 days to 113,07 days. Although the total time to conclude the courses has diminished, the majority of the students still procrastinate, attending to laboratory in fixed-interval pattern. None of the rules established during these years has proved to be efficient in changing this pattern up to now. Also, pre- and post-tests were administered and the psychometric analysis of tests items has been critical to the evaluation of the program. Post-test data suggests better improvement in PSI, when compared with traditional teaching. |
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| Session #2 TBA |
| Saturday, August 8, 2009 |
| 6:00 PM–7:30 PM |
| Sonja Henie Ballroom |
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| 1. Akershus University College |
| Area: TBA |
| TORUNN LIAN (Akershus University College), Christoffer Eilifsen (Akershus University College) |
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| 2. Developing Skills in Applied Behaviour Analysis in Northern Ireland |
| Area: TBA; Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| CLAIRE E MCDOWELL (University of Ulster, Coleraine), Julian C. Leslie (University of Ulster) |
| Abstract: This poster presents information about Northern Ireland’s only postgraduate level course in Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) based at the University of Ulster in Coleraine. Now in its third year of operation, the broad aim of the MSc ABA is to give students the opportunity to develop their theoretical and conceptual knowledge in behaviour analysis, develop skills in behavioural assessment, and acquire the ability to work in partnership with clients where they plan and implement programmes that are aimed at establishing, strengthening and/or weakening targeted behaviours. The course is designed for professionals who work (or intend to work) in the caring professions, for example with people with autism and other learning disabilities, in the area of general behaviour management, parent training, community development, and adult mental health.
The course content has been approved by the Behavior Analysts Certification Board (BACB) and the programme aims to provide a foundation that contributes to the preparation of candidates interested in applying for the internationally recognised examination leading to certification in Behaviour Analysis. It is normally completed over two calendar years to allow time for students to obtain relevant work experience, which is a requirement for certification in Behaviour Analysis. The course has well established links to ABA settings, including the New England Centre for Children, Boston, where students have been able to gain valuable work experience. |
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| 3. The Experimental Analysis of Behaviour Group (EABG) - UK and Europe |
| Area: TBA; Domain: Experimental Analysis |
| MICHAEL BEVERLEY (Centre for Behaviour Analysis, University of Wales) |
| Abstract: The Experimental Analysis of Behaviour Group (EABG) is the UK’s leading behaviour analysis organisation. With over 400 members we have organised international meetings for over four decades. In the recent past our meetings have been held in the University College London and continue to provide an exciting forum for the dissemination and discussion of high quality behaviour analytic research from across Europe. The EABG now works in collaboration with the European Association for Behaviour Analysis (EABA) and holds biennial meetings. The next meeting of the EABG will be in held in London Easter, 2009. Recently we published the first peer reviewed special edition of the European Journal of Behavior Analysis (EJOBA) that was devoted to the April 2007 meeting of the EABG. The evidence from the EABG meetings suggests that behaviour analysis in Europe is faring well. |
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| 4. Masters Programme in Applied Behaviour Analysis at the University of Wales, Bangor, UK. |
| Area: TBA; Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| Alexander Toogood (Bangor University), Marguerite L. Hoerger (University of Wales, Bangor), Stephen Noone (University of Wales, Bangor), Vasiliki Totsika (University of Wales Bangor), Corinna Grindle (Bangor University), JOHN CARL HUGHES (Bangor University) |
| Abstract: In 2003 we developed the first Masters course in Applied Behaviour Analysis in Europe. The course is designed and taught by Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBA) and has been approved by the Behavior Analysis Certification Board (BACB) as providing content eligibility for students to sit the full BCBA exam (3rd Task List). In line with the British University system, the course is offered at three levels: Post-graduate Certificate, Post-graduate Diploma, and Masters. In the design and running of the course we have attempted to use behavioural principles in the instructional materials, learning environments, and in the assessment of students learning. We utilise computer based instructional packages, direct instruction, and, Precision Teaching approaches, such as SAFMEDS and Standard Celeration Charting. The course can be taken in one year or on a part-time basis (either two or three years in duration). Each year we enrol approximately 30 students from a wide range of backgrounds: early autism intervention projects, challenging behaviour units, social services, special education, and new graduates. Our main aim is to make a significant contribution to training competent behaviour analysts in Europe. |
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| 5. Ostfold University College |
| Area: TBA |
| JON A. LOKKE (University College of Ostfold, Norway), Gunn Lokke (University College of Ostfold, Norway) |
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| Session #2 TPC |
| Saturday, August 8, 2009 |
| 6:00 PM–7:30 PM |
| Sonja Henie Ballroom |
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| 41. Modeling Species-Specific and Other Features of Behavior: Log Survivor Plots |
| Area: TPC; Domain: Theory |
| SAULE KULUBEKOVA (Emory University), Jack J. McDowell (Emory University) |
| Abstract: McDowell (JEAB, 2004) proposed a causal account of operant behavior in a computational model instantiating the principle of selection by consequences. The model is an evolutionary algorithm, or a virtual organism with an evolving repertoire of behaviors undergoing selection, reproduction, and mutation over many generations. Several published studies have shown persuasive correspondence between the behavior of the model and experimental findings from live organisms. The present study continues validation of the model using log survivor plots, a form of frequency distribution. The “broken stick” appearance of the plots represents bout and pause pattern of responding, which may be related to species-specific behavioral variability (Shull, JEAB, 2005). For example, experiments with rats typically show a sharp bend in the curve of log survivor plots, indicative of responding occurring in distinct bouts and pauses. Conversely, log survivor plots for pigeons have not shown a sharp bend between the limbs, likely due to the between-bout inter-response times (IRTs) overlapping considerably with the within-bout IRTs. In the virtual organism, one of the factors associated with behavioral variability is the mutation rate parameter. The poster presents findings on whether higher mutation rate results in a more distinct bout and pause pattern of responding. |
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| 42. Comparison of Overlap Methods for Quantitatively Synthesizing Single Subject Data |
| Area: TPC; Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| ERIN E BARTON (University of Oregon), Brian Reichow (Yale University), Matthew Douglas Busick (Vanderbilt University), Mark Wolery (Vanderbilt University) |
| Abstract: The current movement toward identifying and promoting evidence based practices requires researchers aggregate findings from multiple sources. The aggregate results are evaluated to determine the strength of the evidence. Meta-analysis is a method for aggregating and evaluating group experimental design research. Consensus does not exist on whether meta-analysis is appropriate for single subject designs. Several computational methods have been proposed for calculating effect sizes for single subject research. The purpose of this poster is to describe a study comparing four overlap methods for quantitatively synthesizing single-subject data to visual analysts’ judgments. The overlap methods were percentage of nonoverlapping data, pairwise data overlap squared, percentage of data exceeding the median, and percentage of data exceeding a median trend. Visual analysts made judgments about 160 A-B data sets selected randomly from the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis. The four overlap methods were compared for data sets in which all visual analysts agreed a change in data occurred or a change did not occur across conditions. Each overlap method had unacceptably high levels of errors. The desirable characteristics of a quantitative synthesis method are described. |
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| Session #2 VRB |
| Saturday, August 8, 2009 |
| 6:00 PM–7:30 PM |
| Sonja Henie Ballroom |
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| 43. Effects of Verbal Conditioning on Tact Responses in tea Tasting: An Experimental Analysis of 'Blanding' |
| Area: VBC; Domain: Experimental Analysis |
| Hiroe Takahashi (Hosei University), SATORU SHIMAMUNE (Hosei University) |
| Abstract: Twelve college students evaluated the taste of green tea, before and after they received a verbal conditioning procedure. The bland name presented with "urban" words produced significantly higher rating of "urban taste." |
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| 44. Effects of Collateral Response Requirements on Emergent Verbal Operants Following Listener Training |
| Area: VBC; Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| ANNA I. PETURSDOTTIR (Texas Christian University), Sean Peterson (Texas Christian University), Meredith K Jantzen (Texas Christian University) |
| Abstract: Among young children, the establishment of listener behavior, for example, via auditory-visual match-to-sample training, does not reliably result in the emergence of untrained verbal operants. The present study evaluated the effects of enhancing listener training with a procedure termed Collateral Response Training (CRT). The participants were children between the ages of 4 and 6 years. In listener training, the participants were trained to match visual stimuli to spoken foreign-language words. CRT involved adding two new requirements to the listener training protocol: (a) an echoic response to the auditory sample stimulus, and (b) a tact of the chosen comparison. Experiment 1 employed a multiple-baseline design across participants to evaluate the effects of the two CRT components on the emission of echoic and tact responses during listener training. Post-tests were used to assess the emergence of novel tacts and intraverbals following each training phase. Experiment 2 will evaluate whether a history of Collateral Response Training or an alternative procedure enhances the outcome of future listener training with new stimuli. |
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