Association for Behavior Analysis International

Biglan (2009; 2020) discusses behavior analytic strategies for addressing negative externalities, an economic construct that describes a by-product of the production, marketing, or consumption of a good or service, which has a deleterious societal impact. His work provides an ambitious framework, including alterations to the metacontingencies that currently lead to poor functioning on the part of existing advocacy groups. Biglan’s proposal advocates for an epidemiological approach in which negative externalities impacting the most people in the most significant manner would be prioritized, with financial incentivization tied to effective remediation by advocacy organizations. While this approach has face validity, governmental incentivization to focus on these sets of externalities may have unintended effects for minority populations. That is, viewed from a behavior systems perspective, there is significant risk that this recommendation could further systemic inequalities experienced by vulnerable populations. This paper offers an elaboration of Biglan’s framework and proposes additional factors rooted in a cultural behavioral science perspective which may increase the utility of the initial framework in addressing systemic inequalities faced by vulnerable minority populations.

Behavior analysts often juggle multiple responsibilities beyond their professional and academic commitments, including hobbies, friendships, and family life. For some, this involves serving as caregivers to children, whether minors or adults. Caregiving introduces additional challenges due to the extensive responsibilities it entails and the potential for emergencies, which can impact the provision of services. According to the Behavior Analyst Certification Board Ethics Codes 3.13 and 4.11, Behavior-Certified Behavior Analysts are required to ensure the continuation of services and supervision during emergencies. This panel aims to address issues that disproportionately affect women, particularly the burden of childcare responsibilities, which often fall primarily on them. As a result, women's education and career advancement can be hindered due to limited access to resources for managing family and work challenges. Sharing experiences and strategies for balancing family responsibilities with professional obligations can provide valuable insights for navigating acute and ongoing work-life challenges. In this panel, behavior analysts from various settings—such as academia, clinical practice, and student roles—will share their perspectives on this topic. Audience input is also encouraged.

Diversity in practices within academic behavior analytic spaces promote a more representative and inclusive science. This symposium analyzes diversity across key behavior analytic spaces: the Society for the Quantitative Analysis of Behavior (SQAB), the Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior (JEAB), the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis (JABA), Perspectives on Behavior Science (PoBS), Behavior Analysis in Practice (BAP), and the Journal of Organizational Behavior Management (JOBM). The first presentation assesses the growing participation of Latina women as authors in JEAB, JABA, PoBS, and BAP. The second presentation highlights gender and geographic diversity among JOBM editors, stressing inclusivity. The third presentation explores gender and country representation among SQAB presenters, identifying improvements and ongoing challenges. The final presentation examines the underrepresentation of female non-human animals in JEAB publications, emphasizing the need for better zoographic reporting. Together, these talks address representation gaps that influence the generalizability and impact of behavior analytic research. The symposium provides practical recommendations for integrating diversity into conference presentations, journal authors, journal editorship, and participant selections. Dr. Thomas Szabo will conclude with a discussion on the broader impacts of diversity in behavior analysis.

the necessary prerequisite skills and competencies the audience should have, would be to have an understanding of the terms diversity and cultural competence in behavior analytic practice. These topics will be discussed in brief during the talks, but coming in with these skills would be helpful.

Zoographics, or the characteristics of non-human animal subjects, were examined in the Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior (JEAB) up to the last complete year (1958-2023). Because females are commonly not included in research in other disciplines, animal sex in particular was evaluated to understand if this exclusionary trend extends to JEAB. Systematic coding of all non-human empirical articles within JEAB uncovered inconsistent reporting of zoographics and the disproportionate use of male over female subjects. Additionally, equal inclusion of both males and females was rare and animal sex was also commonly unreported. Although inclusion has improved in recent years of the journal, greater efforts are needed. To increase the replicability, generalizability, and translatability that suffers when female research subjects are excluded, we provide suggestions and resources to guide future research.

This address provides a review of the work of Christopher Martell, 2025 recipient of the ABAI Diversity Award. Dr. Martell was first author of a 2004 book on providing Cognitive Behavioral Therapies in an affirmative manner with Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Clients, the first such book to do this. Affirmative therapies not only apply to sexual or gender minority individuals. The admonition “nothing about us without us” from various disability and diversity advocates is relevant in work with any minoritized or marginalized groups. Affirmative behavior analysis accounts for the role of culture and can provide insight into behavioral change that is relevant to individuals and non-discrimatory. Dr. Martell will speak to the process by which affirmative CBT for LGB clients was begun, and how taking an affirmative stance can extend to functional analytic treatments like behavioral activation.

Previous research demonstrated that preschool-aged participants with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can learn tacts in two languages (bilingual condition), but often require more extensive instruction to meet the mastery criterion as compared to learning tacts in one language only (monolingual condition; Zhao et al., under review). Additionally, error analyses indicated failures to discriminate between languages in the bilingual condition. Repeated exposure to instruction in two languages may dissipate these differences. We aimed to determine whether within-subject replications across repeated sets of tacts would reduce discrepancies in learning and examine how error patterns may change. Four sets of targets were taught to each of the three participants with ASD across monolingual and bilingual conditions. Initially, participants learned more efficiently in the monolingual condition than in the bilingual condition. However, these differences diminished across within-subject replications. Error analyses further supported this finding, revealing a decrease in the number of errors emitted across sets. Overall, our findings highlight the potential of within-subject replication to enhance language acquisition in children with ASD and suggest that initial difficulties in bilingual learning may be temporary.

The one-person one-language (OPOL) approach (i.e., each parent speaks a different language to the child) is often suggested by professionals and parents when teaching a vocabulary in two languages. However, few researchers evaluated its effectiveness and efficiency while controlling for language exposure from caregivers. We taught college students to tact pictures in Chinese and Japanese using the OPOL approach (i.e., one experimenter taught tacts in Chinese, and the other one taught tacts in Japanese) and a control, mixing approach (i.e., a third experimenter taught tacts in both Chinese and Japanese). We also probed for the emergence of bidirectional intraverbals before and after the participants demonstrated mastery in tacts. Preliminary data indicated that both approaches were effective in teaching tacts and promoting the emergence of untrained intraverbals; however, no differences were detected with respect to efficiency of the two conditions. Future research should evaluate the external validity of this line of research with other populations, such as children.

There are millions of people who speak multiple languages (U.S. Census Bureau, 2019), yet there is a common misconception that teaching a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) more than one language will cause delays in language acquisition (Trelles & Castro, 2019). It is imperative that a child from a bilingual home can communicate (e.g., respond to instructions) in both languages. However, because many children with ASD acquire skills at a slower rate than neurotypical children (National Institute of Health, 2020), selection of instructional procedures for children with ASD must consider their efficiency. Instructive feedback has been demonstrated to be effective and efficient in teaching multiple targets to children with ASD without requiring additional teaching (Werts et al., 1995). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of instructive feedback, implemented in a second language, on the acquisition of listener responses of children with ASD from bilingual homes. Results indicate that direct training let to the acquisition of primary targets (i.e., Spanish listener responses) for the three of the participants. Additionally, the inclusion of instructive feedback resulted in the acquisition of English listener responses for all three participants and the emergence of some tacts for all participants.

Previous research conducted in our laboratory showed that the go/no go-successive matching-to-sample procedure effectively establishes equivalence relations between native and foreign words. Teaching two language vocabularies sequentially – Mandarin Chinese dictated word (A) to picture (C) and Korean dictated word (B) to picture (C) resulted in fewer trials to criterion compared to teaching simultaneously (AC and BC). However, simultaneous teaching produced a higher percentage of emergent intraverbals, tacts, and conditional relations during tests of symmetry (CA/CB) and transitivity/equivalence (AB/BA). Given the small differences between conditions, we increased task difficulty by teaching 4 rather than 3 stimulus classes per condition. We taught eight participants AC and BC relations sequentially and simultaneously and tested for emergent intraverbals, tacts, and novel conditional relations during tests of symmetry and transitivity/equivalence. Simultaneous teaching resulted in participants reaching criterion in fewer trials compared to sequential teaching. All participants passed transitivity/equivalence tests after simultaneous teaching, whereas one failed after sequential. Moreover, for 4 participants, simultaneous teaching produced a higher percentage of correct intraverbals. Our results suggest that simultaneous teaching leads to higher percentages of emergent tacts, intraverbals, and novel conditional relations than sequential teaching, possibly because during sequential teaching, the first relation may not be intact during testing.

The Latinx population is one of the fastest growing communities within the United States. It is expected that by 2045, the Latinx population will grow up to 24.6% (Frey, 2018). The BACB (2024) has also reported on the growing representation of Latinx ABA professionals with 24.8% of current credentialed providers (RBT, BCaBA, BCBA, BCBA-D) identifying as Hispanic/Latinx. Professionals not only have an ethical obligation to promote cultural responsiveness and diversity (BACB, 2020, 2021), but fostering cultural awareness directly promotes best clinical outcomes for the children and families we serve, while building rapport with the family most effectively. The purpose of this panel is for applied practitioners to describe their personal experiences focusing on the cultural variables specific to the Latinx community such as language identity, personalism, and familism (Baires, et al., 2023). The contributions and insights of Latinx professionals can positively impact ABA, supporting it to become more inclusive by integrating cultural values and competence. By doing so, the field enhances its ability to serve a wider range of clients in an efficient and ethical manner. Audience members will leave with strategies and recommendations (Rosaleon, et al., 2023) to best serve Latinx families as well as a better understanding of the barriers and cultural values they may face(Castro-Hostetler, et al., 2022).

Beginner

The demand for behavior analysts with the requisite training and experience to effectively serve public schools across the United States continues to rise. As integral professionals within the public education system, behavior analysts play a crucial role in consulting with school districts to improve student outcomes and address behavioral challenges. This panel will explore various pathways for behavior analysts to contract with school districts, offering insights into best practices for forming productive partnerships. Additionally, the discussion will cover how existing legislation shapes the allocation of resources and the implementation of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) services within schools. The panel will examine the limitations imposed by laws on the ability of parents and school personnel to advocate on behalf of students, clarifying the extent to which these stakeholders can influence educational decisions and interventions. Panelists will also share valuable lessons learned from their experiences working within the school system, offering key considerations for behavior analysts seeking to navigate these complex environments. Attendees are encouraged to engage actively by sharing their own experiences and posing questions to foster a collaborative and informative discussion.

The audience should have the basic behavior analytic skills of a BCBA.

The path of care for autistic individuals and their families remains a critical facet of the work the ABA community is so fortunate to influence. In the context of family guidance, however, much of those well-intended efforts rely on the clinician’s interpretation of qualitative data afforded by the family in service of architecting plans of care that are sensitive to cultural and diversity variables. The current symposium affords several quantitatively oriented assessments to address said familial needs, in service of highly individualized, collaborative plan of care development. Further, we aim to highlight the ways and degree to which related service providers’ input may be integrated into a holistic familial approach. Offerings of the ways in which clinicians may integrate diversity- and cultural humility-based practices with the families with whom they work as well as the extent to which they build systemic, clinical approaches are discussed, as we believe this is a particularly impactful aspect of our clinical practice going forward.

intermediate

Behavioral coaching strategies have been successfully applied in the dance context to enhance the performance of skills and promote the satisfaction of dancers. A scoping review?of the behavioral literature that provides a description of the coaching strategies applied in the dance context and identifies gaps that need to be addressed has not yet been conducted. We used the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses – Scoping Reviews process to guide the systematic search of these databases: Web of Science, PsychINFO, MEDLINE, ERIC, and Sport Discus. A combination of key search terms (‘dance or dancing’ and ‘behav* coaching or behav* analysis or behav* modification or behav* intervention’) yielded 218 unique findings. Identified articles were assessed for inclusion based on the following criteria: (a) implemented a behaviorally based coaching method (i.e., alters observable and measurable behaviour) with dancers and/or dance instructors, (b) utilized an experimental or quasi-experimental design, (c) published in a peer-reviewed journal, and (c) written in English. All 30 articles that met these inclusion criteria were descriptively summarized in terms of publication year, participant characteristics, research design, intervention type, and dependent measures. Strengths and limitations of behavioural coaching strategies in dance education will be discussed.

The growing demand for Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) highlights the critical need for evidence-based supervision practices to prepare future professionals in the field. Recent literature has emphasized the importance of ethical and effective supervision strategies (e.g., Sellers et al., 2016; Valentino et al., 2016). This poster presents a comprehensive supervision model implemented within a graduate Behavior Analysis program for students working across diverse settings. The model incorporates four key components: (1) an initial skills assessment, (2) a feedback modality preference assessment, (3) the development of an individualized curriculum, and (4) data-driven supervision practices. Results align with prior research, underscoring the value of individualized supervision to individual supervisees, identifying strengths and areas for growth, and systematically monitoring progress. Recommendations are provided for graduate programs and supervisors to enhance supervision quality and ensure effective service delivery in behavior analytic practice. These recommendations include the development of a comprehensive skills assessment to identify supervisee strengths and areas for improvement, systematic data collection to monitor skill progression, the incorporation of gamified strategies to increase engagement and motivation, and tools for tracking supervisee activities across diverse settings.

Communication is one of the most foundational skills organisms have. Scientists and practitioners of behavior analysis have mastered communicating with each other, but when it comes to talking with non-behavior analysts, we don’t speak the same language. We use lingo no one has ever heard of before. Researchers have been suggesting for decades that a second set of everyday terms needs to be created in order to replace technical jargon and to improve the spread of accurate behavior analysis information (Bailey, 1991; Lindsley, 1991; Marshall, 2021; Neuman, 2018, Ryndak Samuel, 2024). This presentation will teach behavior professionals: the importance behind speaking basically about behavior analysis with lay audiences, problems which could arise, with whom to use jargon and layman's terminology, and how to translate our behavior analytic jargon into simpler terms using suggestions from my book: Talk Behavior to Me: The Routledge Dictionary of the Top 150 Behavior Analytic Terms and Translations.

Almost 40 years ago, Relational Frame Theory (RFT) emerged as a behavioral analytic approach to human language and cognition. RFT aspires to account for relational responding beyond equivalence relations by expanding on the stimulus equivalence paradigm. When stimuli are related in patterns of arbitrarily applicable relational responding (AARR) other than sameness, the behavioral functions of one stimulus may be modified or transformed by the functions of another stimulus in terms of the type of relation between the two. As such, transformations of stimulus function may account for some idiosyncrasies in the behavioral repertoires of individuals. The last decade has brought a surge in conceptual developments within the RFT framework, including new ways to interpret transformation of stimulus functions. Coincidentally, there is a growing interest in function transformation among behavior-analytic research communities not traditionally associated with RFT. Based on findings from a systematic review of published articles, the poster will provide insight into the current discourse and research involving transformation of stimulus function. The findings suggest an increasingly unified effort to provide a more comprehensive behavioral account of complex human phenomena.

This panel will explore the ethical and cultural considerations critical to delivering Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) services in diverse contexts across Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico. As the demand for ABA grows worldwide, adapting practices to fit local values and social frameworks becomes increasingly important. The discussion will cover organizational efforts to establish robust ethical codes that reflect regional norms and address unique cultural needs. Additionally, the role of public advocacy in broadening access to ABA services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities will be a central focus. Panelists will provide valuable perspectives on the progress and obstacles faced in disseminating ABA practices within these regions, emphasizing the role of culturally responsive approaches that respect each country’s distinct context. Through shared experiences, the panel will offer insights into achieving ethical, inclusive service delivery. Attendees are encouraged to actively participate and engage with panelists to explore these vital topics further.

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This symposium examines the role of behavior analysis in fostering equitable assessment practices and enhancing assessment tools. The first presentation explores how the Classroom Learning Screening (CLS) system ensures fairness by utilizing Precision Teaching to monitor student learning, offering a non-discriminatory framework for student progress. The second presentation highlights the revitalization of the REFER framework, an essential tool for conducting effective functional assessments and interventions. Together, the two presentations offer a comprehensive discussion on advancing equitable and scientifically sound practices in behavior analysis. The data from initial studies involving diverse educational settings and functional assessment environments demonstrate that these tools significantly enhance the accuracy and fairness of assessments. Preliminary results suggest that these innovations can greatly improve outcomes for all learners and clients, especially those from traditionally underserved communities. By focusing on measurable improvements and leveraging robust methodologies, these tools aim to set new standards for equity in behavioral assessment, ensuring that interventions are both effective and inclusive

Behavior analysts, educators, researchers, and practitioners interested in equitable assessment practices and behavior analytic tools. The symposium is suitable for professionals at intermediate to advanced experience levels.

As higher education evolves, institutions must recognize and honor the diverse cultural experiences students bring to the classroom by adapting teaching methods and support services to meet their unique needs. Tennessee Tech University's unique ABA learning community in rural Tennessee primarily includes international scholars and first-generation rural graduate students. In this session, our students will showcase a qualitative study and share their journeys, challenges, and triumphs as they navigate cultural transitions, balance family responsibilities, and pursue their academic goals. International students will discuss their experiences adapting to American academic culture, while rural students will reflect on how their backgrounds inform their approach to behavioral healthcare. Attendees will gain insights into creating more inclusive and supportive environments for diverse student populations through these firsthand accounts. Join us to hear directly from students bridging cultures and building careers in behavior analysis while maintaining strong connections to their global origins and rural roots.

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