Association for Behavior Analysis International

A small but gradually growing number of parents of children with autism and developmental disorders are seeking help from behavior analysts in Japan. Though many parents' concerns often center around language and communication, exclusively due to their child's autism diagnosis, rather than more dangerous, disruptive of destructive behaviors. In some cases, life threatening conditions can be put off for treatment, such as anaphylaxis, in order to focus on their child vocally appearing more "typical." Behavior analysts need to conduct functional behavior assessment for finding existing target behavior to assess the child's and the Social validity of the intervention. Three children received training in language and communication; however, the caretakers did not realize that the environment they created actually reduced the children's social validity. Functional assessment and parent-training are key elements for their therapy. (Henley, Iwata, McCord, 2003). Finding the key problem behaviors and appropriate interventions can improve social validity for children. (Carr et al.2002).

For a long time, psychology has considered inter- and intra-individual variability as a non-controlled variable that might be hidden or excluded. This epistemic status has evolved during the last decades with influence of the evolutionist theory and the non-linear dynamic approach. Behavior analysis is one of the first fields of psychology to study variable behaviors among experiments that reinforce, in a response class, responses which appear less frequently. In this way, a lot of authors have shown that variability can be controlled by its antecedents and consequences, and conclude that it can be considered as an operant like other dimensions of behavior. If the role of behavioral variability is crucial for learning behaviors in the selectionnist approach, its operationalization in the literature of behavior analysis remains unclear. The purpose of this talk is to address the issue of the validity of the different definitions that have been given to the concept of variability.

Social and communication behaviors are imperative skills for the child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to acquire. We have found that these behaviors are related to each other, in that social behaviors enhance functional communication and communication is necessary for social skills refinement. This symposium includes four research studies that address state-of-the-art treatment strategies for socio-communicative behaviors in children with ASD. The first study uses a video modeling procedure to teach children with ASD to communicate assertive comments in bullying situations. The second study uses a play treatment program to teach the pre-communicative behavior of joint attention. The third study provides a sibling training program using the Natural Language Paradigm (Laski, Charlop, & Schreibman, 1988) to increase communication in children with ASD. Finally, the last study provides a functional analysis in which pro-social behaviors, such as child happiness behaviors, are assessed in traditional analog conditions, as alternative means of communication, other than problem behaviors. Taken together, this symposium shows the tie-in between social and communicative behaviors, as well as evidence-based procedures for treating children with ASD.

Deficits in play skills and joint attention are related to social communication deficits in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The present study targeted appropriate play as a means of increasing joint attention. A multiple baseline design across participants was used with three children with low-functioning ASD. The Play Intervention Program included modeling appropriate play with toys and providing verbal prompts to promote play imitation, followed by opportunities for appropriate play and joint attention. Reinforcement was provided for joint attention that occurred within ten seconds of the modeled play activity. Play probes were then conducted to observe both skills. Rapid increases in appropriate play and joint attention were observed during the intervention phase as well as subsequent play probes suggesting that the intervention was the mechanism responsible for the observed increases. Generalization across persons occurred for joint attention. The Play Intervention Program increased both joint attention and play skills, and suggests that intervention on play skills promoted increases in joint attention.

Children with ASD often fail to develop functional communication (American Psychiatric Association, 2000). One way to ameliorate this deficit is to use naturalistic teaching strategies that capitalize on play to promote language production, such as the Natural Language Paradigm (NLP; Laski, Charlop,and Schreibman, 1988). In this study, a multiple baseline design across three dyads of children with ASD and their siblings was used to assess the efficacy of increasing verbal behavior using sibling-mediated NLP. In baseline, children with ASD exhibited very little verbal behavior during play sessions with their brother or sister. Following baseline sessions, siblings were taught how to implement NLP using a nine-step checklist adapted from Charlop-Christy and Kelso (1997). Results from the intervention sessions indicated that verbal behavior immediately increased following the introduction of sibling-mediated NLP for two of three participants, and that response maintenance and generalization across person were evident for one participant. This research further adds to previous literature that supports sibling-mediated interventions for children with ASD, and has widespread implications for including significant others in interventions that aim to improve communicative skills of children with ASD.

Behavioral momentum theory (BMT) provides a conceptual and quantitative model for predicting and potentially controlling the relative strength of problem and alternative responses targeted during differential reinforcement (DR) interventions. Quantitative equations derived from BMT provide a basis for modeling the effects of potential refinements of DR interventions, which can then be tested through empirical investigation. In addition, BMT makes specific predictions regarding variables that may lead to treatment relapse when DR interventions are not implemented with pristine procedural integrity (as when the child's functional communication response repeatedly fails to produce reinforcement because the child's mother is busy attending to a sick sibling). In this symposium, we will bring together several leading experts on translational and applied research based on BMT. Each presenter will describe one or more empirical investigations that have used either the conceptual or quantitative predictions of BMT to improve function-based assessments and interventions. The discussant will review the strengths and limitations of each study, identify the general behavioral principles and processes evaluated across studies, and provide directions for future investigation.

Previous research suggests that differential reinforcement procedures may inadvertently strengthen problem behavior resulting in relapse. The current study evaluated one potential solution based on Mace et al. (2010), which involved initially implementing functional communication training (FCT) within a context with a minimal history of reinforcement for problem behavior. Following initial treatment, we evaluated generalization of manding to the treatment context and then evaluated the maintenance of treatment during subsequent extinction challenges. Participants were four young children diagnosed with autism whose problem behavior was maintained by negative reinforcement. Parents implemented all procedures in their homes within multi-element and reversal designs with coaching provided via telehealth. IOA was collected on 34.2% of sessions and averaged 97.9% across participants. Following an extinction baseline, FCT was implemented in three training contexts that had minimal history of reinforcement for problem behavior. Common stimuli from the treatment context were incorporated into the training contexts to program for generalization. FCT was then implemented in the treatment context, and extinction probes were conducted intermittently throughout treatment. Results demonstrated little to no renewal of problem behavior occurred in the treatment context. Furthermore, little to no demand fading was needed to maintain treatment effects with minimal resurgence during extinction.

Nevin (1995) proposed the possibility of a convergence between behavioral economics and behavioral momentum theory in their capacities to reveal order over a wide range of data. Specifically, Nevin reanalyzed data that were expressed as elasticity of demand in the context of behavioral momentum and vice versa. Despite the differing approaches of behavior economics and behavioral momentum for explaining challenged responding, Nevin’s analyses suggest that behavior economics and behavioral momentum may be “partial substitutes” and complementary for explaining large amounts of data. In the current study, we directly exposed participants to escalating response requirements in the context of progressive-ratio schedules. These analyses revealed differences in the extent to which stimuli supported responding, despite similar preference ranks in standard preference assessments. Next, we established baseline responding on multiple fixed-ratio schedules followed by challenges such as extinction and distraction. Results are discussed in the context of the extent to which behavioral economic and behavior momentum arrangements produced similar predictions relative to response strength.

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) typically display the core symptoms of the disorder, which consist of social and language impairments and repetitive behavior. In addition to the core symptoms, most children with ASD also display severe destructive behavior (e.g., aggression, self-injurious behavior), which represents a principal barrier to successful community life for these children. The most important advancement in the treatment of destructive behavior has been the development of functional analysis (FA), which is used to prescribe effective treatments, such as functional communication training (FCT). With FCT, the consequence that historically reinforced destructive behavior is delivered contingent on an appropriate communication response and problem behavior is placed on extinction. Although this straightforward approach to the treatment of destructive behavior can be highly effective, many pitfalls and practical challenges arise when this treatment is implemented by caregivers in natural community settings. In this presentation,we will present data and describe a line of research routed in behavioral momentum theory aimed at increasing the effectiveness, efficiency, and practicality of FCT for individuals with ASD who display destructive behavior in typical community settings.

Treatment relapse refers to the recurrence of some condition following successful treatment. In behavior analysis, this occurs when a behavioral disorder has been successfully treated but problem behavior recurs following a change in treatment conditions such as lapses in treatment integrity, return to pre-treatment environments, or exposure to novel environments with no treatment history. Behavioral momentum theory (BMT) views treatment relapse as the persistence of problem behavior and is a function of the overall rate of reinforcement available in given context. Basic research on BMT models of treatment relapse will be reviewed followed by clinical research showing that non-human models of treatment relapse predict the occurrence and magnitude of treatment relapse and suggestion counter-intuitive variations of treatment that can lower the risk of relapse.

One important part of the mission and strategic plan of ABAI is to develop, improve, and disseminate best practices in promoting and recognizing behavior analysis. Much has been accomplished in the United States to achieve this goal, and dissemination efforts are increasing around the world. This symposium will include four presentations related to recent efforts to develop and promote sustainable, global, behavior analytic services and practices. Two presentations will describe specific examples from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Taiwan and China. The third presenter will describe the development and worldwide dissemination of an Internet-based curriculum rooted in the principles of behavior analysis. This curriculum is already in use in eight countries. The final presenter will discuss considerations related to ensuring the sustainability of ABA services and how this is being addressed in the United Arab Emirates. The Discussant will summarize the challenges we face and the vision for the future global dissemination of ABA services.

The Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI) supports the growth and dissemination of ABA throughout the world. As a result, behavior analysts, through multiple efforts, seek to establish and expand applied behavior analytic services in regions where minimal or no services exist. The current paper will discuss recent advances in and challenges to the dissemination of ABA in the six countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in the Middle East, focusing on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Topics to be covered include: establishing approved course sequences, approved continuing education providers, and ABAI-affiliated chapters; the role of social networking in dissemination efforts; and an overview of relevant research from the region. The challenges of disseminating ABA in the GCC will also be addressed, including a discussion about communication barriers and ensuring cultural sensitivity.

The commitment to international dissemination of behavior analysis and ABA-based intervention services has long existed since SEEK Education, Inc., was founded in southern California in 2000 as an agency with a staff characterized by its broad diversity, culture, and language. We serve local families that have a variety of cultural backgrounds and speak various languages, as well as overseas clients. In the year 2000, we started to provide support for a parent support group in Taiwan by developing a center-based program in two cities, Tai-Chung and Tai-Pei, Taiwan. Additionally, we have built ABAI-affiliated chapters (Taiwan ABA and Central China ABA), followed by Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst (BCaBA) and Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) coursework utilizing the alternative pathway approved by BACB in Taiwan and China. The presenters will discuss the clinical development and services implemented overseas and the challenges we have encountered for the last 15 years.

The New England Center for Children has been delivering behavioral education to students with autism for almost 40 years. In 2003, they began to compile their many lesson plans into an interactive database, the Autism Curriculum Encyclopedia® (ACE). Six years later, the program was moved to the World Wide Web, and now the ACE provides curricula and assessment tools to behavior analysts and special educators ineight countries and 18 states within the U. S. This presentation entails a description of the content of the ACE, the research that informs this content, evaluations of efficacy and validity, and recent research that is currently informing new content.

Disseminating ABA globally means developing systems to deliver and support the services locally. In many cases, the originators of ABA services in a given country are expatriates who may or may not have the intention of creating sustainable systems. In this presentation, we will describe our experience with bringing high-quality ABA services to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) along with the planning required to ensure sustainability of the services once the originators have repatriated. We will describe the long-term planning for higher education programs that will eventually lead to a fully sustainable, locally-managed service delivery system that will meet the needs of every UAE national child born with autism in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. Such a sustainable service delivery and support system is expected to be a 25–30 year project that will involve establishing direct service, professional development, and higher education.

Previous research has shown a correlation between FI scallops and self-control, thus suggesting that temporal discrimination may affect choice between self-control and impulsivity. This suggestion was investigated in the present study. Eight rats were exposed to three experimental phases. In phase 1, all animals were exposed to a choice between a small, immediate reinforcer (impulsivity) and a large, delayed reinforcer (self-control). In phase 2, four animals were exposed to an FR schedule whereas the remaining four animals were exposed to a DRL schedule. The inter-reinforcer intervals were kept constant across schedules, and they were equal to the delay in the self-control alternative. The last phase was a replication of the initial phase. In the first exposure to the choice situation, all rats showed preference for the impulsivity alternative. After the schedule training, choice for self-control increased for the DRL animals, but not for the FR ones. These results indicate that temporal discrimination training contributes to self-control.

When responses are concurrently available responding which are followed by delayed consequences are not necessarily strengthened. A technique used to bring the response under the control of those consequences is to introduce activities during the consequence delay. Studies, however, show that only some activities are effective in increasing choice of delayed consequences. The present research was aimed to conduct a systematic review of research that required activities engaging during consequence delay and analyze the following questions: “What activities are generally used?”; “Is any selection method of activities described?”; “Is any activity more effective than other in increasing self-control?”. The keywords used to search were: self-control, impulsivity, reinforcement delay, activity and task. An article was selected for analysis if it presented at least one keyword in the abstract. One questionnaire guided the analysis. The agreement between observers was conducted. Results showed that: (a) the selection procedure of activities is not described; (b) when two or more activities were manipulated, preferred activities were effective in increasing self-control; (c) activities during consequence delay resulted in additional gains (e.g., decrease of self-injury behavior). The results of the analysis conducted contribute in defining research and interventions that aim to promote self-control.

The purpose of this paper is to present some findings on performance during differential reinforcement of low rate schedules (DRL) and fixed-interval schedules (FI), past and present. The history of research on timing in infants and children will be presented. In the second part, we will present our results about research in infants and in children with autism on timing. Results demonstrate that temporal discrimination appears in infants and in children with autism as a function of time delay. We analyzed the dynamics of the changes of the wait times during a transition under fixed intervals and DRL schedules. Differences between infants and children with autism are observed in the persistence of responding (resistance to change) and in the variability in the inter-response times.

The experimental analysis of behavior once had a rich tradition of studying punishment (e.g., Azrin & Holz, 1966). During the last few decades, however, precious little punishment research has been reported, although its significance in behavior change continues to be recognized (e.g., Critchfield, 2006). This symposium will present three empirical studies in an attempt to stimulate the research in this field. The first talk is about relative effects of punishment and reinforcement on choice with humans. Using the gain and loss of points exchangeable for money as a reinforcer and a punisher, respectively, effects of reinforcement and punishment were compared directly. The second talk addresses the issue of whether two-response sequences by humans are resurged after they were extinguished by punishment. The last talk is about the effects of punishment on unpunished responding. When electric shocks were delivered to pigeons during one component of a two-ply multiple schedule, key-pecking in the other, unpunished component was examined. Presenters will describe empirical data, and discuss theoretical and practical implications of their findings.

Effects of reinforcement and punishment have not yet been compared directly. The present study assessed their relative effects on choice with humans using point gain and loss exchangeable for money as a reinforcer and a punisher, respectively. Three participants clicked two buttons on a computer where concurrent schedules of reinforcement were arranged. We obtained a generalized-matching-law (GML) function by varying the ratio of reinforcement across buttons. Next, another GML function was obtained by superimposing, on one button, a schedule that arranges equal rates of both reinforcers and punishers. Because the superimposed schedule arranged reinforcers and punishers at equal magnitudes, its presence did not affect the ratio of net gains (gains minus losses) across the buttons. Relative to its absence, punishers shifted bias away from the punished alternative for two participants. Bias shifted further away when the superimposed schedule only arranged punishers. A third participant showed no systematic changes in bias with such manipulations. These results suggest that point loss can decrease responding beyond that expected from a reduction in net gains alone, indicating possible aversive qualities of point loss. Moreover, these findings might also imply that behavioral effects are greater for punishers than for reinforcers when their magnitudes are equated.

The present experiment examined whether two-response sequences were resurged after they had been extinguished by punishment. Undergraduates' touches to two of eight squares (the target response) presented on a computer touch screen produced points exchangeable for money depending on a variable-interval (VI) 10-s schedule. The response then lost points while another two-response sequence (the alternative response) was reinforced under a VI 2-s schedule. When reinforcement of the alternative response was discontinued (the extinction test), the target response recurred. Rates of the target response during the extinction test for these participants were comparative to those for participants whose reinforced target response had been extinguished by extinction, and higher than those for participants whose target response had not been reinforced. In general, resurgence experiments have extinguished target responses by extinction. The present results, by contrast, demonstrate resurgence of punished responses, extending the generality of this phenomenon to a different procedure of response elimination.

In two experiments, pigeons pecked a key when a multiple variable-interval (VI)schedule was in effect. When responding was stable, the duration of continuous (each response punished with a brief electric shock) punishment or the frequency of punishment in one component was. Unpunished responding in the other component generally, but not always, increased. These changes in unpunished responding were proportional to the duration or frequency of punishment. In a third experiment, response-independent shocks were delivered during a component associated with a differential reinforcement of responses other than key pecking. Unshocked/unpunished key pecking in an alternating VI component generally increased when shock was introduced and decreased when it was eliminated. These results are consistent with those of the few published studies on this topic in showing slight but highly variable effects of punishment on subsequent unpunished responding. The findings are discussed in a broader context of punishment-induced schedule interactions.

When we consider the interaction of behavior and reinforcers, the temporal relations between the two events are an essential element. To show how reinforcers come to control behavior, much research has been conducted on such topics as response-dependent versus response-independent reinforcement contingencies, immediate versus delayed reinforcement, and so on. These topics are closely related to controversies about the roles of molar versus molecular contingencies and of contiguities versus contingencies. This talk will review various behavior-reinforcer relations over a continuum ranging from the past through the present and into the future. In the long run, each response-reinforcer contiguity constitutes a contingency, and no contingency can exist in the absence of any contiguities. Thus, the question is about the conditions under which contiguities and contingencies work consistently. To address this question, we will compare animal and human behavior as well as positive and negative reinforcement.

TBD

Visual support and tools are effective evidence-based practices used for teaching various skills and regulating daily lives of children with autism. Video-based teaching strategies—some of which are video modeling, video prompting, and video feedback—are used commonly. Video prompting involves the learner watching each step in the chain. "GE'DA" and "DENVER II" are developmental screening tests used to define developmental levels of children. As part of those tests, children between 5 and 6 years old are supposed to be able todraw a six-part person. This study aims to investigate the effects of video prompting via iPad on teaching children with autism to draw a six-part person. Two boys and a girl between 5 and 6 years old diagnosed with autism participated in this study. The study is designed with a single subject multiple probe design across participants. Baseline, intervention, maintenance, and generalization sessions are conducted in the study. Additionally, the social validity of the study will be collected based on the opinions of the mothers of the participants. This is an ongoing study and data have been collected. Implications and future research needs will be discussed based on the evaluation of the findings.

Occurrence of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) has increased dramatically as evidenced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of United States of America: about one in 68 children has been identified with ASD during 2013 (Baio et al., 2014). ABA based interventions, as one of the most effective models of teaching children with ASD, require appropriately trained specialists and monitoring system. For Georgia, where ABA has only few years of history, there is a lack of ABA specialists prepared to work with children with ASD. This paper discusses the history, challenges and current development of ABA services for children with ASD on the example of Autism Center at Ilia State University, Georgia. Established in 2010 and started with only 10 students, the center now delivers intensive behavioral intervention to 54 students from 2 years old till 14 years old. It is also a training center for parents and future specialists and supports families to receive state funding for ABA based interventions in case of ASD.

I’ve been hypothesizing about this for a few years now as I see generational gaps and differences that the field of behavior analysis doesn’t yet seem to be addressing very eloquently. Even the giants in organizational behavior management just don’t really seem to get it. They water down the big picture by talking about how to create creativity in workplaces where nobody was hired to be creative. What about companies where everyone is there to build something new? Where is the behavior analysis for start-ups? Where is the behavior analysis for innovators and “out-of-the-box” thinkers of the millennial generation? I mean isn’t this the big question everyone is trying to solve and only Google really seems to be good at? My paper addresses the conceptual nuances of consulting in a new generation, for new generations, by the new generation. I am a millennial myself and will present what millennials are saying are the reinforcers we all need to be looking to master in order to get by in an ever shifting, tech driven economy. I’ll address what motivators might be necessary to make a “workplace” somewhere where younger generations want to be and where they can be successful.

How human movement and action emerge and is shaped are the main focus of research questions in fields of biomechanics, sports, and the cognitive sciences. While movement by itself is rarely a central focus of the field of behavior analysis, behavioral contingencies that are influencing and sustaining movement are. Motor-skill behavior often is presented as being a function of a single, static contingency. In fact, motor-skill behavior is a function of multiple contingencies, such as time, external events and ongoing behavioral processes and it needs to be examined by using a nonlinear approach to analysis of behavior. The purpose of this paper is to(a)define movement in behavioral terms; (b) review the behavior analysis literature on human movement; and (c) discuss methodological issues associated with movement analysis. Findings are discussed in terms of possible extension of movement-training models that may be applied in sports, physical education, dance, fitness training, and physical therapy.

This symposium will address how to take the current advancements in Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) from clinical research and utilize it in evidence based practices. The first presentation will provide an overview of the FBA process and present the translated Indirect Functional Assessment - Japanese. The second presentation will provide an overview of current methodological variations of functional analyses (FA) and a demonstration of the Transition FA in home and after school care settings. The third presentation will provide an overview of FA training and demonstrate the success of a pyramidal training methodology to train staff in the implementation of the Trial Based FA. The fourth presentation will provide an overview of Process Consultation within the FBA process. Finally, the discussant will speak about each presentation as well as provide a discussion on the translation from research to practice in the area of FBA.

A brief review of what constitutes a functional behavior assessment will be provided, including indirect assessments, descriptive assessments, and functional analyses. Descriptions of each assessment methodology will be presented, along with examples and practical uses. Moreover, the Indirect Functional Assessment–Japanese will be presented, which was developed by utilizing a forwarding and backwarding translation methodology.

A number of functional analysis (FA) variations have been developed in the last 20 years, this presentation will discuss the most current advancements and provide a summary of our current study on the application of the Transition FA. The current study extends previous literature by applying FA methodology to problem behavior associated with transitions for children with developmental disabilities across both home and classroom settings. Four participants were exposed to variations of transitions including activity initiations and terminations, non-preferred activity initiations and terminations, each with and without a location change, and a location change without activities. Results indicated that location change was a major contribution to problem behavior during transitions from activity to activity for three out of the four children. Given that transitions between tasks may be difficult for children with developmental disabilities, the ability to transition smoothly can assist learning time and create a stress-free environment. Thus, applying this methodology to applied setting is of upmost importance.

We employed a pyramidal training model (PTM) to teach the correct implementation and data collection of trial-based functional analysis (TBFA). In the first phase, a non-concurrent multiple baseline design was used to evaluate the effectiveness of group-format training for four behavioral consultants (BCs). In the second phase, each BC trained one behavior technician (BT) by applying the same training content in an individualized setting. Treatment integrity data were collected for their implementation of the training procedures (i.e., didactic training, video modeling, role play). Results demonstrate that the PTM was successful in teaching all BCs and BTs to implement TBFA correctly. In addition, a generalization probe with a different topography of problem behavior was conducted for one BC and four BTs and all performed with 100% accuracy. These findings corroborate the utility of PTM in clinical settings, when access to experts such as BCBAs might be limited.

Behavior interventionists face the challenge of fully addressing presenting problems as identified by caregivers without being too quick to offer solutions nor too laborious in analyzing the problems. Some consultants have earned a reputation for documenting observations that yield suggestions based on the hypothesized function of a behavior but do little to help the caregiver truly develop the understanding and skills needed to successfully implement the interventions. Often, the caregiver resists the hypothesis from the start which almost immediately ensures a lack of treatment integrity. The key to determining appropriate attention spent on consultative inquiry is in understanding the caregiver's grasp of the problem beyond recognizing behavior as problematic. At times, when caregivers struggle with a challenging behavior, they also have some difficulty in recognizing the most relevant variables or focusing on relevant ecological factors. This challenge is best addressed through a process consultation model that can serve as an effective tool for providing behavioral consultation. This presentation describes Process Consultation and skills of inquiry that can be applied when conducting functional behavior assessments with caregivers.

Behavior analysis can be succinctly described as the study of "behavior under what conditions." That is, while the emphasis on behavior per se is novel to many people, the most unique characteristic of behavior analysis is the emphasis on how environmental conditions systematically influence behavior. In the study of operant behavior, not only did Skinner place emphasis on the role of consequences but his work also emphasized how the three-term contingency brings about stimulus control. Furthermore, an in-depth understanding of stimulus control may reduce the likelihood of engaging in ineffective, ritualistic teaching strategies in our practice. The first talk will introduce critical nuances in the establishment of stimulus control, using examples from discrimination training. We will note that the definition of "prompt" is just as dependent upon behavior as is the term "reinforcer." The second talk will focus in detail on the critical distinction between prompts and environmental cues. The third talk will focus on a major current challenge to effective teaching, the removal of the prompts during teaching. Finally, talk four will focus on stimulus control and error-correction, with particular focus on the relationship between error-correction strategies and particular lesson formats.

This presentation will review core issues associated with the definition and establishment of stimulus control. We will review how the behavior-reinforcer contingency influences various stimulus-behavior relationships. An over-emphasis on the role of reinforcement with regard to behavior strength can undermine the analysis of the role that discriminative stimuli play within teaching strategies. We will briefly review some recent research on discrimination training strategies with regard to stimulus control.

Once the role of discriminative stimuli is clarified, then it is important to design lessons that clearly identify prompts from cues in the (natural) environment. Many lessons aim to shift stimulus control from a prompt to a cue and thus may not emphasize the overall "strength" of a behavior. Recognition of why the definition of "prompt" is as behaviorally linked as is the definition of "reinforce" may help avoid awkward and ineffective uses of the term "prompt." For example, poorly considered frameworks that attempt to compare prompts across a dimension of “intrusiveness,” and talking about prompts that "don’t work."

When a teacher uses a prompt to help a learner perform an action, skill independence is not achieved until that prompt has been eliminated. This presentation will review several popular prompt elimination strategies, including but not limited to “fading,” and will describe why some strategies may be overly complex. That is, can a “hierarchy” between various types of prompts be truly identified? If prompts are defined by their impact upon behavior, then is there any dimension that can be said to “cut across” all prompts? By posing such questions, we will review why some strategies may ultimately serve to slow down the rate of response independence.

The term “errorless learning” has become increasingly popular. Perhaps because of this popularity, the term is often misused. This presentation will review such strategies and also review strategies aimed at incorporating issues related to establishing stimulus control into error-correction procedures. We also will highlight the difference between “fixing” the problem during teaching and contrast it with use of strategies that test for stimulus control. How error-correction relates to different types of lesson formats also will be reviewed.

In an evidence-based practice, teachers and clinicians use a preference assessment to find effective reinforcers. During preference assessments, individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are highly likely to select items that allow their repetitive behavior, one of the core characteristics of ASD. Items chosen through assessment are given as reinforcers. However, using such items as reinforcers has disadvantages: unintentionally encouraging repetitive behavior during intervention, or evoking secondary aggressive behaviors in order to access the reinforcers. Considering that many interventions for individuals with ASD aim to reduce such repetitive behavior, reinforcers should be selected cautiously, especially for very young children. Therefore, when we make a decision about an effective reinforcer, it is necessary to look not only at the data, but also at the whole picture. In this respect other types of consequences need to be investigated. Alternative reinforcers enhance learning as well as avoid negative outcomes such as repetitive behavior. This study was comprised of two experiments that evaluated the reinforcing effects of different types of stimuli that would be good alternative reinforcers. Based on the results, this study discusses efficient reinforcers for individuals with ASD and the approach to identify the efficient reinforcers.

Food selectivity or "picky eating" is often seen in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and can lead to severe nutritional deficiencies along with various food refusal behaviours. Food selectivity can be specific to food texture, colour, shape, presentation, type, brand, or container. Often food selectivity is treated using escape extinction, which is considered an aversive procedure. A treatment package involving non-aversive procedures included shaping, systematic desensitization, paired choice and social praise was implemented with four children with ASD, ages 3–8. A 12-step, graduated exposure hierarchy which consisted of the initial step of tolerating the target food in the room and concluded with the child independently accepting the target food was used to guide the desensitization process. All graduated exposure steps were mastered without the use of physical prompting. After 6–9 months of intervention, all children showed significant increases in food repertoires and significant decreases in food refusal behaviour and high intake single food consumption. The importance of a non-aversive, interdisciplinary approach for treating food selectivity in children with autism spectrum disorder will be highlighted.

Behavior analysts are often asked to train an increasingly diverse type of learner to conduct behavioral assessments and interventions. For example, parents with little background in behavior analysis may need training to effectively implement intensive behavior intervention or intervention for challenging behavior for their children. Similarly, practicing social workers with little background in behavior analysis may need training to effectively implement functional behavior assessments for their clients with challenging behavior. These learners often require creative instructional approaches, given their diverse needs. For example, the learners in need of training may not live near a university or training center where training can be achieved or may need to access training at a variety of times. This symposium will discuss several creative training programs designed to meet the needs of these of these ?nontraditional? learners. All of the presentations will include data on effectiveness of the training procedures. The discussant will summarize the overall findings of these studies and their implications for practice. Areas of future research that are necessary to better understand how to effectively train ?nontraditional? learners will also be discussed.

In Michigan, there is a shortage of Board Certified Behavior Analsyts (BCBAs) to deliver behavioral health services. Community mental health (CMH) agencies are in need of BCBAs to meet recent mandates to deliver behavioral health services to children with autism. Practicing professionals often attend workshops and seminar series for professional development (Steinert et al., 2006). However, experiential learning where opportunities for feedback are available may be more effective for training. Functional behavior assessment can be complex to administer, in part because of the variety of ways in which a functional behavior assessment—and specifically functional analysis—can be conducted (see Rooker, DeLeon, Borrero, Frank-Crawford, & Rosco, 2014). It is likely that experiential learning that provide opportunities for feedback may be most helpful for training practitioners to participate in such assessments and analyze the results for the purpose of developing behavior intervention plans. However, this kind of training can be impractical when attempting to train individuals across a large state. We used teleconsultation to provide training in functional behavior analysis and coaching to CMH staff on implementing functional behavior assessments. This presentation will describe the methods of training used and the outcomes of our project.

Autism affects about 1 in 68 American children. Research has shown that Early Intensive Behavioral Interventions (EIBI) is effective when implemented with fidelity. However, few empirically supported programs are available for training tutors and parents that include performance-based measures. We are conducting an integrated series of randomized clinical trials to evaluate web-based, e-learning programs and behavioral skills training in the implementation of EIBI protocols for technicians and parents. The two primary dependent variables are the Behavioral Implementation Skills for Play Activities (BISPA) and the Behavioral Implementation Skills for Work Activities (BISWA). To date, 12 technicians and 10 participants have completed pretest and posttest assessments on these measures. Technicians and parents in the treatment groups showed marked increases in performances on the dependent measures but their counterparts in the waitlist-control groups did not. All effect sizes were large (Cohen's d values between 3 and 11) and all group differences were statistically significant. The results provide strong preliminary support for the efficacy of our web-based training procedures, which can be delivered to technicians and parents anywhere in the world where a broadband Internet connection is available.

A growing number of studies have evaluated and supported the use of telehealth to deliver parent education and coaching in behavioral intervention to parents of children with developmental disabilities. However, few studies have examined the use of telecommunication technology to provide behavioral consultation across multiple family routines. This study evaluates the effects of performance feedback provided via video telehealth (e.g., Internet enabled iPads, wireless headset) on parent acquisition of intervention strategies across desired family routines for four parents of children with developmental disabilities who engage in challenging behavior. Based on the results of functional behavior assessment conducted via telehealth, interventions will be implemented by parents during typical family routines with performance feedback via telehealth. The effects of immediate performance feedback on parent implementation of intervention strategies and of parent implemented intervention on challenging and adaptive behavior will evaluated using individual multiple probe designs. Maintenance of parent skills will be assessed. Suggestions for future research will be discussed. This study is currently underway and will be completed Summer 2015.

The state of Iowa hired their first BCBA to systematically address the challenging behavior concerns in the state. The BCBA engaged several stakeholders in a multi-year project to accomplish one primary goal: to eliminate false positives (i.e., staff who did not possess the skills or expertise to adequately address challenging behavior) from developing behavior intervention plans (BIPs) using substandard or non-existent functional behavioral assessment (FBA)data. This talk will focus on the assessment and training of Iowa's Area Education Agency's (AEA) Challenging Behavior Specialist (CBS) teams to possess the needed expertise to appropriately assess (i.e., using FBAs) and in turn developed BIPs that helped children with challenging behavior to reduce those behaviors so that education can be delivered more often in the least restrictive environment (i.e., the regular classroom setting). The training goals (i.e., dependent measures) and the training provided (i.e., independent variables) will be detailed. The present and future of the project in terms of generalization and maintenance and how this project can serve as a template for a larger systems approach to addressing challenging behavior problems will be also discussed.

The first paper by Arntzen, Nartey, and Fields is ask the question about the effect of pretraining one set of stimuli. Previous findings have found that the formation of equivalence classes as a function of different types of stimuli has been one such question. For example, the use of familiar stimuli has shown to be important for the formation of equivalence classes. In the present experiment, eighty college students were randomly assigned to eight groups with different types of pretraining, arbitrary stimuli vs. identity and simultaneous vs. delayed matching. The results showed that the important aspect was the delayed matching and not type of relations (arbitrary vs. identity). The second paper by de Hognason and Arntzen, employed a titrating matching-to-sample procedure (TDMTS) was used to explore the maximum length of delays, between the offset of the sample and onset of the comparison. Linear series training structure with a simultaneous protocol was used to facilitate three 5-member classes of abstract shape stimuli. The third paper by Lian and Arntzen, they investigated the effects of extended testing with 740-1500 test trials without programmed consequences in 36 participants age 17-18. One group of participants experienced test for derived responding with baseline conditional discriminations interspersed. Another group experienced baseline conditional discriminations at the end of each test and a third group of participants experienced testing without baseline conditional discriminations. The results showed that 10 participants showed stable and correct responding in all tests, 13 showed response patterns indicating delayed emergence and 13 of the participants did not show evidence of class formation in any of the tests. Finally, Grisante and Tomanari present an experiment in which they analyzed the possibility of teaching Hiragana Japanese phonetic alphabet by means of a computer-based matching-to-sample (MTS) procedure that led to equivalence classes. Reading performances emerged (adults showed 85 to 100% accuracy and, the teenager, 40 to 50%). Procedures successfully taught reading hiragana characters to participants without familiarity with any symbols.

Eighty participants in eight groups of 10 were exposed to two different experimental conditions. In condition 1, they attempted to form three 5-member equivalence classes (A/B/C/D/E). In one group, all stimuli were abstract shapes and in another group C stimuli were pictures with the remainder being abstract shapes. For three other groups all stimuli were abstract shapes but before class formation, participants were pretrained with either identity conditional discriminations with the C stimuli using simultaneous or 3 s or 6 s delayed matching-to-sample procedures. For the remaining three groups, arbitrary conditional discriminations were formed between C and X stimuli using simultaneous or 3 s or 6 s delayed matching-to-sample procedures. In condition 2, the set of stimuli were reorganized when the participants were trained to form equivalence classes. Hence, C1 was changed to C2, C2 was changed to C3, and C3 was changed to C1. The eight groups were the same as described above.

In this study, a titrating matching-to-sample procedure (TDMTS) was used to explore the maximum length of delays, between the offset of the sample and onset of the comparison. Linear series training structure with a simultaneous protocol was used to facilitate three 5-member classes of abstract shape stimuli. When the participant reached 90% accurate responding in a preliminary training phase using DMTS with 0 s delay, the TDMTS was arranged with 1000 ms steps. If he or she responded correctly above 90% in a 12 trial block (with each trial type represented once), the titration step increased by 1000 ms. However, if he or she responded below 90% correct, the titration step decreased by 1000 ms. The results show an upper titration level of 75 000 ms.

In the present experiment we investigated the effects of extended testing with 740–1500 test trials without programmed consequences in 36 participants age 17–18. One group of participants experienced test for derived responding with baseline conditional discriminations interspersed. Another group experienced baseline conditional discriminations at the end of each test and a third group of participants experienced testing without baseline conditional discriminations. The results showed that 10 participants showed stable and correct responding in all tests, 13 showed response patterns indicating delayed emergence and 13 of the participants did not show evidence of class formation in any of the tests. Further analysis of negative test outcomes were conducted and will be the focus in this presentation. One analysis identified that some of the participants showed unsystematic responding, others showed emergence of only some of the experimenter-defined relations, and still others showed participant-defined relations in which the participant systematically selected a comparison stimulus that did not belong to the same "class" as the preceding sample stimulus. To qualify as an experimenter- or participant-defined relation, the same comparison stimulus had to be selected on at least four out of five presentations of the same probe trial. For participants who did not reach criterion for equivalence in the first test, but did so after prolonged experience with test we also evaluated whether these performances emerged or occurred in a more gradual manner.

We experimentally analyzed the possibility of teaching Hiragana Japanese phonetic alphabet by means of a computer-based matching-to-sample (MTS) procedure that led to equivalence classes. Three Brazilians (two adults and one 14 year-old teenager) were exposed to different sequences of AC/AB conditional discriminations training phases, each one involving two or three set of hiragana characters (10 to 12 symbols). Stimuli from A, B and C sets were, respectively, spoken syllables, printed Hiragana characters, and similar-sounding syllables printed in Roman characters. Following each training phase, we verified emergent stimulus-stimulus relations (BC/CB). Reading tests followed each two or three training/testing phases. All participants learned trained relations and showed emergent equivalence promptly in all phases. Reading performances emerged (adults showed 85 to 100% accuracy and the teenager, 40 to 50%). Procedures successfully taught reading hiragana characters to participants without familiarity with any symbols.

Experts from around the world will present and discuss the current status of behavior analysis in their respective regions.

Recent animal research has challenged the definition of reinforcement—that reinforcers increase the probability of the response that they follow—instead suggesting that reinforcers modify behaviour by signaling the location of future reinforcers. To explore this idea further, we investigated human choice behaviour in a discrete-trials two-alternative procedure. In experiment 1 reinforcer ratio varied between 3:1, 1:1 and 1:3. Non-rewarding stimulus events (tokens) were non-contingently presented at a rate matching the reinforcers. In experiment 2, relative reinforcer probability was 3:1 and 1:3 with two additional events: non-contingent reinforcement (gifts) and contingent stimulus events (non-rewards). Electroencephalography (EEG) was used to assess differences between event-related potentials (ERP) evoked by reinforcers, tokens, gifts and non-rewards. Prior studies identified two ERP components—the reward-positivity (RP) and the P300—as likely correlates of reward. To examine the effect of the reinforcer ratios on preference, the cumulative proportion of stays per inter-reinforcer-interval were submitted to a change point analysis for each alternative. Responses were affected by relative reinforcement probability, with increased proportions of stays on the richer alternative. The RP, but not P300, was linearly related to the log stay/switch ratio, consistent with the signaling account of reinforcement.

The effects of the response-reinforcer dependency on resistance to change were studied with four rats. Lever pressing produced water after variable inter-reinforcer intervals according to a two-component multiple schedule. The percentage of response-dependent water was manipulated, while rate of water was equated, between components. Across conditions, in one (the fixed) component, 100% of the water was response dependent. In the other (alternative) component, across conditions, the percentage of response-dependent water was 100, 10 or 50%. For each rat, replications of conditions in which the percentage of response dependent water in the alternative component was 100, 10 or 50% were conducted. Across conditions, baseline response rates were lower in the alternative than in the fixed component when the dependency in the alternative component was either 10% or 50%, but were similar between components when this dependency was 100%. Resistance to extinction (and satiation, for one rat) was greater in the alternative than in the fixed component when the dependency in the alternative component was 10% (no systematic differences between components occurred when this dependency was either 100% or 50%). Thus, resistance to change was inversely related to the response-reinforcer dependency when the rate of water was equated between multiple-schedule components.

Join us in celebration as we say good-bye and thank you to our Japanese hosts for an incredible program location and conference. Dr. Martha Hübner, ABAI president, will lead an event discussing the future of behavior analysis around the world that will include distinguished leaders in behavioral education, research, and practice.