Association for Behavior Analysis International

Under the right circumstances, schedules of positive reinforcement can evoke disruptions in operant behavior. In the laboratory, these disruptions are produced reliably when there is a discriminable shift from relatively rich to relatively lean schedules of reinforcement. The present experiment assessed the extent to which stimuli correlated with rich and lean reinforcement schedules function as conditioned reinforcers or conditioned punishers. Pigeons’ pecks were reinforced according to a mixed schedule with two fixed-ratio components with identical requirements that ended in either a large or small reinforcer. At the start of some ratios, one of two observing keys was activated. A peck on the observing key converted the mixed schedule to a multiple schedule by replacing the mixed stimulus with a unique stimulus correlated with the past and upcoming reinforcers (rich-rich, rich-lean, lean-lean, or lean-rich). In every condition, one of the observing keys could produce all four types of stimuli. The stimulus consequence of pecking the other observing key was manipulated across conditions. The behavioral functions of the stimuli were assessed by comparing the probability of pecking the observing keys across conditions. Analyses of the variables responsible for disruptions in operant behavior could be useful in understanding problem behavior in clinical settings.

Consistently choosing smaller-sooner rewards (SSR) over larger-later rewards (LLR) is associated with numerous health-related behavior problems. A growing body of preclinical literature suggests that forced, extended exposure to delayed rewards increases preference for LLR in rats. There is also recent research showing extended, forced exposure to immediate rewards may decrease preference for LLR (i.e. increase impulsive choice); but some research also shows that experience with immediate rewards has no effect on LLR choice. In the present experiment 12 male and 12 female naïve Wistar rats were exposed to a pretest delay discounting task. A control group was subsequently weighed and fed for 31 days and an intervention group experienced 31 days (3,000+ trials) of immediate-reward (Fixed-Ratio 2) training. All rats were then tested in a posttest delay discounting task. Results showed a marginally significant main effect of sex, with female rats making more impulsive choices. Results also indicated maturational increases in LLR choice in the control group, and decreases in LLR choice in the intervention group, from pre to posttest. These findings suggest that extended, forced exposure to immediate rewards may decrease LLR choice—or at least blunt increases in LLR choice related to maturation.

One schedule of reinforcement that is used to decrease the rate of a target behavior is differential reinforcement of low rates (DRL). During this schedule, reinforcement is delivered for a target response if it occurs after a certain amount of time has passed since the last instance of this target response. Research has shown that collateral patterns of behavior can develop under a DRL schedule (Wilson & Keller, 1953; Bruner and Revusky, 1961). The current study used a table-top game called PORTL and college student participants to investigate how collateral patterns develop and are disrupted during DRL schedules. After the participant developed a collateral pattern of behaviors with the objects, the researcher removed one of the objects that was part of the pattern and waited for a new pattern of behaviors to develop. Once the participant developed a new collateral pattern, the researcher removed a second object. This continued until there was only one object present. Preliminary results showed that the rate of reinforcement decreased following the removal of each object, then slowly increased as a new pattern developed.

To assess the relation between risky choice and the perception of causality between a response and its consequences, thirty participants were exposed to three tasks. In the perception-of-causality task, participants responded to a button in the center of a screen according to a random-ratio (RR) 20 schedule; pseudo-responses were emitted by a computer at the same response rate as the participant. The fulfillment of the RR 20 requirement -both by responses or pseudo-responses- produced a stimuli change (SC) from the center button to two lateral ones. Participants gained points if they responded accordingly to the button associated to an SC produced by a pseudo-response or to the button associated to an SC produced by a participant’s response; otherwise, a blackout was produced. In the risky-choice task, participants chose between an option that delivered two points (fixed option) and an option that delivered one or three points (p=0.5). Within five trials, participants had to gain 10 points; otherwise, they lost the points accumulated in that block of trials. In the probability-discounting task, participants chose between a large hypothetical reward delivered according to a previously determined probability, and a smaller reward delivered for sure. Areas under the curve (AuC) were calculated. Participants who made more mistakes in the perception-of-causality task chose more frequently the variable option in the risky-choice procedure over the fixed one and had a higher AuC (considered an index of risk proneness) in the probability-discounting task. These results suggest a relation between perception of causality and risky choice.

Self-controlled behavior conceptualized as "resistance to temptation" has been studied by exposing food-deprived pigeons to repetitive time cycles (T cycles). During the last seconds of each cycle a food dispenser is presented and the subject has to “refrain” to eat it from it until an criterion is met. (SR1). If it accomplished the criterion the food dispenser (SR2) is presented for a second time once the T cycle elapsed and the subject can eat from it. Otherwise, if the subject does not “refrain” from taking SR1 it is withdrawn and the presentation of SR2 is canceled. It is said that the subject showed self-controlled behavior when it "resisted the temptation" to eat from SR1 and obtained SR2. In the present study the contribution of the discriminability between SR1 and SR2 presentations was explored in pigeons and humans. As a secondary purpose the effects of lengthening SR1 were determined. Therefore seven pigeons and thirty humans were exposed to different SR1 durations and the presentation of SR1 and SR2 was signaled by similar or different feeder lights. Pigeons and humans obtained more SR2 presentations when SR1 and SR2 were signaled by different reward-light colors and this effect was maintained regardless SR1 lengthening . It can be suggested that self-controlled behavior conceptualized as "resistance to temptation" can be subjected to discriminative control in both species, pigeons and humans.

The purpose of this study is to create a functioning olfactory stimulus delivery and removal system for rat training that can be used in an operant setting, and train discrimination between a scent and a lack of scent. Most previous methods of olfactory stimulus delivery have relied on presenting the stimuli on a device such as a tray or cup, which requires a narrow attending response, and does not allow the animal to sense the stimulus from any point in the chamber. Previous methods that delivered the scent ambiently through the air did so in a way in which the subject had no control over the presentation or removal of the stimulus. Adding lever-activated stimulus changes enables more varied experiments into olfactory stimulus control or multi-modality stimulus control. This system works by using an air pump that has two output valves, one of which blows scented air into an operant chamber, the other of which blows unscented air. When the rat presses a lever, it activates a solenoid valve that switches the delivery between the scented or unscented air. Airflow through the chamber is maintained unidirectionally using a fan, which quickly rids the air of odorants.

The subject matter of a Kantorian analysis of cultural interbehavior is shared stimulus-response functions established under the auspice of a group (Kantor, 1982). While shared stimulus-response functions readily develop in turn-based matching-to-sample procedures (TBMTS), it is unclear what features of TBMTS are necessary for their development. The purpose of this study is to examine the extent to which instructing referential activity contributes in the establishment of shared stimulus-response functions during TBMTS. In TBMTS, two participants complete trials where (1) Participant 1 selects a stimulus from set A in the presence of a sample from set B, (2) Participant 2 selects a stimulus from set B in the presence of the stimulus selected by Participant 1, and (3) both participants receive a reward. Rewards are contingent on correspondence (i.e., Participant 2 selecting the stimulus presented to Participant 1) and non-correspondence (i.e., Participant 2 selecting a stimulus other than that presented to Participant 1). In the current study, pairs of participants were divided into two groups: those who were told about features of correspondence contingencies and those who were not. Results provide evidence for the contribution of describing referential activity on the speed and probability of establishing shared stimulus-response functions.

Conjugate-like preparations using proportional alterations to an exercisers’ music have been shown to improve boxing performance (Deochand, Costello, & Fuqua, 2020). A similar conjugate music preparation was adapted where running speed informed a goal, and distance from the goal determined the amount of distortion in music played while running. Validity and efficacy tests with an app using this preparation were conducted in single-case experimental designs. The app set performance goals for running based on previous behavior and collected data on running pace; when running was in line with goals (i.e. above or at the goal), music was played and was not distorted for participants through the app. If the running pace was outside of the goal range (as measured by the GPS), the music would distort by increasing the speed proportionally to how far the runner was from their goal pace. Returning to the goal pace resulted in the music returning to normal play. The app’s program was found to improve performance for participants under a variety of conditions, and was consistent with established and precise Runscribe measures of pace. Conjugate preparations are intuitively interpreted by exercisers in real-time and future research should examine their application in maintaining long-term exercise adherence.

Virtual reality (VR) places individuals within a simulated experience using an array of visual, auditory, and tactile interfaces. Research suggests VR, which facilitates the rehearsal of actual job duties and performance assessment during training, may improve professional development across a range of disciplines. Although studies incorporating technology into professional development for educators are increasingly common, few have examined the potential for VR as a training tool. Direct observation represents a fundamental skill for professionals involved in behavior change. The present study evaluated the effectiveness an automated simulation in teaching graduate and undergraduate students (N = 31) to collect partial-interval recording data pertaining to inappropriate behavior. Participants were randomly assigned to either a control condition or intervention condition consisting of a brief simulated observation of a student exhibiting problem behavior. Results suggest participants who used VR exhibited improvements in the ability to collect data relative to the control group and were more confident in their ability; however, the effect of VR on data-collection was not significant. These mixed findings provide tentative support for further research in this area.

The Good Behavior Game and The Caught Being Good Game have strong empirical evidence of reducing problem behavior. The purpose of the current study is to analyze the effects of The Good Behavior Game relative to the Caught Being Good Game on academic performance and to see if a permanent product measure for on-task will prove more effective than an observational measure. One middle school math classroom with 7 at-risk boys, referred for high rates of off-task behavior and vocal disruption served as participants. A product measure was taken by collecting completion and accuracy scores for all students on a digital assignment following each session. An alternating treatments design with an embedded reversal was used to compare effectiveness of The Good Behavior Game and The Caught Being Good Game. Three target students reported by the teacher as having the highest rates of disruption were selected for individual data collection. Both variations significantly reduced vocal disruptions, though there was less control with off-task behavior since The Caught Being Good Game places a contingency on on-task behavior. The implementation of the games slightly increased work completion and accuracy, but not much change, and varied by student.

Prior research has supported the use of reinforcer-based methods in school settings. Video based modeling methods for establishing conditioned reinforcers without the need for explicit pairing with primary reinforcers can help to extend the use of these resources in new contexts. The use video based conditioning has potential applications in school settings to increase academic skills without the use of more costly-to-implement reinforcer systems. However, conditioning of this kind might be restricted by the need to individually condition stimuli with different participants. Effects of video based conditioning were evaluated as delivered to both individuals and small groups. Participants included children between the ages of 4-12, who were evaluated for reading performance in a concurrent choice assessment embedded within a multiple baseline across subjects design. The purpose of these experiments were to, first, to compare two video based conditioning procedures to evaluate their effects on relative preference using an academic work task, and second, to evaluate a video based conditioning procedure when applied to a group.

Procrastination is the tendency to postpone mandatory tasks that have a deadline, generally for recreational activities, even if that delay implies adverse consequences for the subject. Procrastination, besides affecting academic performance, generates higher levels of stress and poorer well-being among university students. It is considered important identifying if procrastination increased stress related physiological responses (salivary cortisol levels and heart rate), given that different studies suggest, but haven’t measure, that procrastination increased stress levels.It was analyzed whether procrastinating the performance of an academic task increased salivary cortisol and heart rate in researchers in training (in experimental psychology) who had to design a research project and present their proposal to students and professors of a Mexican research center. Twenty graduate students were exposed to the aforementioned task. Measurements of stress correlates were made before, during and after the task. Results indicate that participants procrastinated in an idiosyncratic manner; some did it in a constant manner and others never did it; heart rate and saliva cortisol levels increased with procrastination. The need for further studies regarding the effects that procrastination has on both academic performance and the psychophysiological health of students is discussed.

The purpose of this study is to develop and validate a list of special schools-wide positive behavior support evaluation inventory and to identify the relative importance of each evaluation inventory. For the purpose of this study, the following research problems were suggested. First, what is the evaluation inventory of special schools-wide positive behavior support. Second, what is the content validity of the evaluation inventory that is set up to qualitatively evaluate the special schools-wide positive behavior support. Third, what is the relative importance of the evaluation inventory for qualitatively evaluating special schools-wide positive behavior support. To achieve the first purpose of the study, this study conducted a literature study to examine Special School-wide Positive Behavior Support and national and international prior research, and through the Focus Group interview, the opinions of experts related to Special School-wide Positive Behavior Support were collected. In this study, we drafted the evaluation criterion based on the contents derived from literature review and focus group interview. The evaluation criterion of this study has been given a hierarchical hierarchy of three levels. The hierarchical hierarchy of evaluation inventory is the evaluation area, evaluation items, andevaluation indicators in a comprehensive order. In order to achieve the second research objective, the draft of the evaluation inventory verified the content validity through a total of three delphi surveys through the modified Delphi method. The Delphi survey derived the final evaluation inventory based on the assertion of the panel responses, consensus, convergence and content validity. In the present study, the final evaluation inventory in which the content validity was verified through the Delphi survey were four evaluation areas, 16 evaluation items, and 59 evaluation indicators. In order to confirm the relative significance of each element of the final evaluation criterion for the third study, a stratified analysis was conducted. In this study, numerical integration method was used to confirm the relative importance among the stratified analysis methods. The numerical integration method is a method of geometrically averaging the responses of all respondents and converting them into a single dummy comparison matrix. The relative importance of each element of the evaluation inventory was analyzed and analyzed according to the evaluation inventory hierarchy, and the analysis results were presented by dividing them into whole, group of PBS experts,group of field teachers, group of special education administrative and research experts.

Debate concerning whether sensory integration deficits present themselves as a comorbid feature of ADHD are espoused by multiple disciplines addressing educational needs of children in classroom settings. Research in the area of sensory integration and processing, at best, produces mixed results related to its effectiveness for improving student’s educational performance. For example, many teachers are adopting the use of stability balls as a sensory replacement for traditional chairs for students to utilize, and thus, supposedly increasing attention and on-task behavior when involved in instructional activities conducted within classrooms. Much of the implementation of these forms of sensory integration and processing approaches, such as the use of stability balls, is based upon testimonials or authoritative opinion rather than on rigorous empirical research and replication. The purpose of this study is to examine the direct impact of sitting on a stability or therapy ball versus a traditional classroom chair of 4 students identified as experiencing issues with attention and work productivity in classrooms. Evaluating the students’ on-task behavior and completion of work by comparing the effects of sitting on a stability or therapy ball versus a traditional classroom chair, using an ABAB research design, should assist at confirming the effectiveness of this approach or refuting the authoritative claims made by professionals advocating this approach. Implications and recommendations for the use of stability or therapy balls with students with ADHD in school settings, and the need for future research are discussed.

The purpose of the study was to design and apply a Learning Teaching Unit (UEA) based on the concept of competence from the logic of behavior theory. The UEA was designed to establish teaching-learning situations that promote inter-individual interactions, with a different level of functional aptitude in which children's rights were exercised as behavior. Four children of both sexes of the fifth grade from a public elementary school in the City of Misantla, Veracruz, two of them with special education requirements and two without this type of requirements participated. An intrasubject design with baseline, competence test, intervention phase, follow-up phase and a final test was used. The results showed that the students with and without special requirements, met the criteria of achievement in the five levels of functional taxonomy, although a little better, the students classified as "normal". The results are discussed on the concept of competence based on behavior theory.

Students with emotional and behavioral disorders often exhibit challenging or disruptive behaviors that can have a significant negative impact on the amount of academic instruction they receive (McConaughy & Ritter, 2014).Behaviors including inappropriate verbalizations, aggression, property destruction, bullying, self-injury, etc. can negatively affect learning for the student exhibiting the behaviors and the other students in the classroom (Steege & Scheib, 2014). The researchers propose a reciprocal peer monitoring intervention for students with emotional and behavior disorders in a self-contained classroom in an alternative school setting. These students have reportedly low engagement, high levels of disruptive behaviors, and problems making friends and having positive peer interactions as is typical for students with emotional and behavioral disorders (Stoutjesdijk, Scholte, & 2012). While self-monitoring and peer-monitoring have been found effective methods of behavior management for classrooms hosting children with emotional and behavioral disorders (Cooper, Heron, & Heward, 2007), another method, reciprocal peer monitoring, could also prove effective and encourage cooperation among students. A reciprocal peer intervention was implemented where peer partners monitored one another's behavior, provided performance feedback, and received reinforcement for positive behavior. Participants worked together to earn points by following the classroom expectations and were reinforced if they meet or exceeded the daily mystery number. Participants also provided performance feedback to one another at the end of the class period. The researchers hypothesized that engagement would increase in level and disruptive behaviors would decrease in level.

An unfortunate component of the US education system is the fact that some students will be taught in settings considered alternative educational placements with a portion of those students in Juvenile Justice Settings (JJS). Research suggests that poor academic outcomes are associated with students in JJS placements (Baltodano, Harris, & Rutherford, 2005). Unfortunately, students with high incidence disabilities (e.g. learning disabilities & emotional/behavior disorders) are at risk for being placed in JJS. As students with disabilities continue to be involved with JJS, the instructional practices used in these settings become important to examine. The use of music in instructional settings is not new, however, its use in JJS has had little examination. Music has been used as an academic tool to help students with achievement, engagement, and motivation (Cooks, 2004; Hoang, 2007; Jones, 2009). Depending on instructional goals and student considerations, music from various genres have shown to improve student outcomes in many instructional areas including science (Emdin, 2010), writing (Cooks, 2004), and math (ERIC, 2003). The current study examined the effectiveness of using song lyrics versus direct instruction to teach grammar skills to students with disabilities in a JJS using an alternating treatment design.

Escalating reinforcement schedules with reset contingencies can maintain drug abstinence and quiz submission in adults. Also, the reset contingency sustains drug abstinence. The present study investigated if the reset contingency is necessary to maintain quiz submission in college students. Participants were randomly divided into three groups—fixed reinforcement schedule (Fixed Group), escalating reinforcement schedule without a reset contingency (No-Reset Group), and escalating reinforcement schedule with a reset contingency (Reset Group). Participants could earn 40 bonus points for submitting eight quizzes. Participants in the Fixed Group earned 5 bonus points for each quiz submission while participants in the No Reset and Reset Groups earned 3, 3, 4, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 bonus points respectively for submitting quizzes 1 through 8. Also, if participants in the Reset Group missed a quiz, the bonus points reseted at 3 and escalated along with the same schedule. Results showed that the number of quizzes submitted and participants who submitted all quizzes were similar across groups. Nevertheless, the score on the exam completed after the last quiz was higher in the Reset Group. Future studies should improve this methodology to further the investigation of the component analysis of escalating reinforcement schedules and reset contingencies.

A survey conducted by the American College Health Association (2018) found college students report factors such as stress (31.9%), sleep problems (20.2%), and anxiety (25.9%) as impacting their academic performance. Self-management interventions, including techniques such as self-monitoring and environmental management, have demonstrated effectiveness with university students (e.g. Dean, 1981 & Mooney et al., 2005). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) interventions have been applied with a wide variety of populations, including college students (Hayes, Strosahl, & Wilson, 2012). Values-based interventions have been utilized with university students in a number of different arrangements, demonstrating the benefit of such interventions with this population (e.g. Paliliunas, Belisle, & Dixon,2018; Chase et al., 2013; Sandoz, Kellum, & Wilson, 2017). The present study describes a non-concurrent multiple baseline design across participants to evaluate a ‘Values-Based Self-Management” intervention package, combining acceptance and values-focused therapeutic exercises with a self-management plan, on behaviors related to academic performance. Results were reported as percent of daily goal achieved as well as cumulative behavior of each participant; changes in psychological well-being were also reported. The utility of developing interventions that target psychological flexibility in addition to changing specific behaviors related to academic performance for college students will be discussed.

This study evaluated the effectiveness of Functional Communication Training (FCT) using Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) to decrease inappropriate behaviors and increase communication for a girl with autism in a special education preschool. Event recording within a reversal design assessed the participant’s behavior and communication. Communication was giving the PECS card to the researcher or saying “breath”. Sessions occurred during typical preschool lessons. The FCT intervention consisted of fading prompts to teach the participant how to replace her inappropriate behaviors with appropriately taking a “breath” as a break. PECS involved the participant handing the “breath” picture to the researcher. Every 30 seconds or contingent on inappropriate behavior, a researcher told the participant to give the PECS card and take a breath. Over time, prompting reduced, and the researcher waited for the participant to respond independently. Results showed great improvement in reducing inappropriate behaviors and developing appropriate communication. Using “breath”, instead of “break”, permitted the participant to self-monitor her behavior and understanding that she needed to calm herself. This study indicated that FCT with picture communication can improve a child's behavior as the "breath" card reinforces escape-maintained behaviors and pauses a challenging situation allowing for behavior redirection and appropriate communication usage.

The term ‘severe’ is a commonly used descriptor for problem behavior in research and practice. We examined research trends across the behavior analytic literature over the last 20 years (Cox, Leung, Morgan, submitted) and noticed that when authors used the term ‘severe’, it was often based on ill-defined, arbitrary criteria (e.g., Borrero, Vollmer & Wright, 2002). When severity is classified, the tools used are primarily indirect (Rojahn, Aman, Matson & Mayville, 2003; Rojahn, Rowe, Sharber, Hastings, Matson, Didden, Kores & Dumont, 2012). The proposed thesis will investigate the reliability of a 'behaviourally-anchored' tool created to classify problem behaviour severity using quantifiable variables (i.e., instances of problem behaviour, convictions, etc.). Researchers will recruit 24 Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) separated into two groups; ‘experienced’ or ‘inexperienced’ writers. Participants will evaluate 30 case scenarios with and without access to the severity tool. Investigators will use intraclass correlation to explore interrater consistency within the groups. Researchers will also conduct a two-by-two mixed model ANOVA to explore the differential impact of the tool and clinician experience. The information collected from this research will help to establish a reliable and objective measure to classify problem behaviour to help practitioners and researchers implement applicable interventions.

The present study sought to teach teachers how to implement the first two phases of the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) protocol, whilst also investigating the utility of Behavioural Skills Training (BST) as a training method in a systematic replication of a study by (Rosales, Stone, & Rehfeldt, 2009). Two teachers working in an specialist Applied Behaviour Analysis school took part, with the study taking a quasi-experimental AB design with confederate adult learners and physical prompters also partaking. After reading the PECS manual, baseline probe sessions were conducted with the percentage accuracy of steps completed in the role of the communicative partner serving as the dependent variable. BST was then conducted with both participants meeting the competency criterion after just one practice session. The post-probe sessions were conducted several weeks later. The results indicated that BST was an effective and efficient methodology to teach the skill, though effects were not fully maintained. Further research should test generalisation to true PECS users, analyse rates of acquisition for later PECS phases, seek to improve procedural fidelity and assess effects under a more stringent competency criterion.

Understanding how to interpret and use single case design research (SCDR) is a required skill for Applied Behavior Analysts. The fact that there is a dedicated domain in the task list for understanding, using, and interpreting SCDR speaks to the importance of that skill. Verified Course Sequences (VCS) that train future behavior analysts are tasked with teaching the value of SCDR research as it relates to building evidence based interventions as well as the knowledge and skills to interpret, use and implement the research. Even with didactic instruction, students struggle to understand the importance of rigor in research designs, internal validity, and how to differentiate data collection from research; specifically the importance of replication to demonstrate a functional relationship. This poster describes how one Master’s program overcame the challenge of students struggling with the concepts of SCDR and evidence based Interventions by having each student complete an individual SCDR study as part of a Master’s program in Special Education with an emphasis in Applied Behavior Analysis. The student research projects span 5 terms 8-week terms, and culminates in a capstone class during which the students finalize a five chapter research project (thesis). Students are assigned a faculty mentor who advises them from start to finish to ensure a cohesive, rigorous and valid research study. Data presented include frequency of topics selected by students over a 3 year period, methodologies used (e.g., reversal/withdrawal, multiple baseline). Additionally, final reflective statements by students about their learning will be included. Students report an increased understanding of the importance of using evidence based practices, increased confidence in reading and evaluating research and an increased sense of competence.

The present study evaluated the effect of using cumulative versus noncumulative exams in two nine-week online asynchronous classes. Participants were undergraduate students enrolled in one of two sections of a psychology of learning course (N = 77). The study used a group design, in which one section of the course used cumulative weekly exams, whereas the second section of the course used weekly chapter exams. Results showed that cumulative final exam scores were significantly higher after students had been taking cumulative exams all term, which suggests that combining cumulative exams with interteaching improves long-term retention of information. Students in the noncumulative section of the course reported higher ratings when asked if they crammed for the final exam and they rated the overall quality of interteaching components lower. Overall, the present findings suggest that cumulative weekly exams can increase the effectiveness of interteaching.

System of least prompts (SLP) is an instructional strategy that has been used to teach augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). However, there is limited research focusing on how SLP is taught to educators. Twenty participants were recruited from an online assistive technology course. Participants included graduate and undergraduate students with majors including: secondary education, elementary and early childhood education, and rehabilitation and human services. This study utilized a pre/posttest group design with switching replications. Three dependent variables were measured: SLP (a) knowledge, (b) planning, and (c) teleconference implementation. Data were analyzed using a two-way mixed analysis of variance (ANOVA). Data were also collected on procedural fidelity, reliability, and social validity. Results indicate that online training was effective in increasing knowledge (F(2, 32)= 17.524, p < 0.001, η2p = 0.523) and planning (F(2, 36)= 24.186, p < 0.001, η2p = 0.573) performance. SLP implementation also increased over time (F(2, 36)= 12.253, p < 0.001, η2p = .405); however, this result was not directly related to the online training (i.e., the effect of time was not different for the two groups). Participants reported learning a valuable skill and were more confident working with individuals who use AAC.

In behavior analysis, few studies have analyzed governmental, political behavior, but rather focused on bill passage (Reed, Partington, Kaplan, Roma, & Hursh, 2013; Critchfield, Haley, Sabo, Colbert, & Macropoulis, 2013; Critchfield, Reed, & Jarmolowicz, 2015; Weisburg & Waldrop, 1972) or just voter behavior (Visser, 1996). Specifically, no studies to date have looked at the public behavior of specific political figures in positions of power. The election of Donald Trump was considered polarizing and evoked emotional behavior on all sides of the political spectrum (Flegenheimer & Barbaro, 2016). This study examined the publicly available data on Trump’s approval ratings, time spent on Trump vacation properties and time spent golfing, and Tweeting behavior. A hypothetical functional behavior perspective was completed on his public behavior through the perspective of his voters and publicly observed behavior. Discussion of application of the findings in addition to limitations and future considerations are provided.

Gender stereotypes affect both men and women since childhood. While men may be more often associated with Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) careers, women tend to associated with careers related to nurturing and caring. The present research aimed to use an explicit scale and an IRAP to investigate how the gender-career relational pattern could vary for Brazilian college students in accordance with their gender and career. Both instruments included as stimuli names of STEM careers, stereotypically regarded as "male" or stereotypically "female" careers (pedagogy, nursing, fashion, nutrition and psychology) and words describing gender. Participants were divided in four groups (men and women from humanities and STEM careers). They were performed an IRAP task regarding gender and careers and then fill an explicit scale. A significant pro-male-STEM bias emerged for all groups, except the STEM-female group, which was the only group showing a significant pro-female-STEM bias (p<.05). The significant pro-STEM-male bias was especially stronger among STEM-male students, but also found in male-humanities and female-humanities groups. In the explicit scales, participants showed a tendency to select a neutral position (i.e., not classifying careers as "male" or "female"), especially among careers commonly viewed as more "masculine". Considering the participants as single group, correlations were found only between explicit evaluations for the careers more often seen as male and the female-STEM trial-type indicating that the more a career was explicitly evaluated as male, the more the trial type "STEM-Female" was considered "false". These data may contribute to the understanding of how courses and genders may be differently related among different groups, since these patterns may influence behaviors regarding more stereotyped groups.

One of the main steps of the Behaviour-Based Safety protocol is feedback delivery. Although the effectiveness of feedback in improving performances is widely supported, there are only a few studies regarding the importance of timing in feedback delivery processes. Is there a difference based on the temporal placement of feedback on workers’ performances? What’s the effectiveness of different temporal locations of feedback? In order to answer these questions, an experimental research was conducted in a manufactural factory: operational lines and warehouses of 2 different plants of Mitsubishi located in Pavia (Italy) were subjected to immediate feedback (i.e. post performance) or delayed feedback (i.e. during the weekly safety meeting). The results showed that both immediate and delayed feedback increased the percentage of safe performances carried out by workers. However, weekly feedback was more effective as it led to a higher number of safe operations than immediate feedback and in a shorter time.

We have examined the effectiveness of a safety support system with different dimensions. The system was newly established in our laboratory and was named the Safeguarding Supportive System (SSS). We focused on measurement of locations of workers and machines at a few industrial sites in Japan. In the present study, the location between single worker and single machine was identified, measured, compared and analyzed with different kinds of ICT devices. In experiments 1, 2 and 3, location identifications between a single worker and a single machine, between several workers and a single machine, and several workers and several machines were accomplished, respectively. All results showed that ICT devices contribute to support workers’ safety behavior. The results of the present study suggested that optimal usage of adequate ICT devices would help collaborative safety with workers and machines. Now we are planning to use laser camera in three-dimensional work spaces.

Escape extinction is a well-established treatment for increasing acceptance and decreasing inappropriate mealtime behavior of children with feeding disorders (Volkert & Piazza, 2012), but some researchers have characterized escape extinction as intrusive because of potential negative side effects. One potential negative side effect is an increase in emotional responding (Lerman & Iwata, 1996). Woods and Borrero (2019) found that extinction-induced negative vocalizations occurred in three of 10 data sets (30%). In the current study, we assessed whether negative vocalizations occurred during extinction of inappropriate mealtime behavior for children diagnosed with a pediatric feeding disorder. We analyzed data of 79 children with food refusal, liquid refusal, or both, resulting in 121 data sets (67 and 54 data sets for solid and liquid intake, respectively). We observed an initial increase in negative vocalizations following extinction implementation in 70% of the data sets. However, we also observed that negative vocalizations decreased to zero within an average of six treatment sessions or after approximately 70 min of exposure to extinction. We discuss these findings as they relate to caregiver preference for escape extinction over other interventions as well as treatments that could be added to escape extinction to reduce negative vocalizations (e.g., noncontingent attention).

A levels system is typically comprised of differential reinforcement, a response cost, and punishment (Hagopian, 2002). Specifically, levels systems involve the manipulation of a participant’s access to/ restriction of reinforcement based upon a specific behavioral criterion. While levels systems have been used to intervene on various problem behaviors (Grace, Thompson, & Fisher, 1996; Hagopian et al., 1996) and to increase independence and self-feeding during meals (Gonzalez, Taylor, Borrero, & Sangkavasi, 2013), current literature has not yet documented their use in treating food refusal - specifically with the goal of increasing volume and overall meal completion. The current study examined the effectiveness of a levels system to treat food refusal in a 12-year-old female with a mild intellectual disability, fetal alcohol syndrome, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and a history of being significantly underweight (body mass index below the 1st percentile). Results indicated that a levels system was successful in increasing the volume of food consumed at each meal and decreasing refusal during the meal. Specifically, by the end of treatment the participant was consuming an age appropriate volume and variety of food at each meal within an appropriate mealtime duration.

Applied behavior-analytic (ABA) interventions are the most empirically supported approach to the assessment and treatment of pediatric feeding disorders (Volkert & Piazza, 2012). Despite the effectiveness of behavior-analytic interventions, interventions with limited empirical support are often the first-line treatments for feeding difficulties (Peterson, Piazza, & Volkert, 2017). Food chaining is a sensory-integration approach often recommended by occupational and speech and language therapists that introduces new foods into a child’s diet by building off the child’s past successful eating history. The current study used a nonconcurrent multiple-baseline design to compare a food chaining approach to an ABA approach, that consistent of noncontingent attention and escape extinction, for the treatment of food selectivity for 3 children with feeding disorders. We observed an increase in acceptance of target foods and a decrease in inappropriate mealtime behavior only after exposure to the ABA treatment. Results are consistent with previous research supporting the use of behavior-analytic interventions over sensory-based interventions in the treatment of pediatric feeding disorders (Addison et al., 2012; Peterson, Piazza, & Volkert, 2017). We discuss implications for creating and implementing empirically supported treatments for children with feeding difficulties.

Currently, 40-70% of infants born prematurely or with significant medical conditions have a severe feeding disorder, and studies have shown that 70% of children who refused to eat during infancy will continue to experience feeding problems at the age of four years. Infants quickly learn to associate formula, breast milk, and bottles with pain and danger because of the way that infants are fed in most neonatal intensive care units. This project will describe how the application of principles from classical and operant conditioning can be applied to address feeding issues during infancy. We will also present data demonstrating that behavioral treatment during infancy can prevent severe feeding disorders that require costly and intensive treatment later in childhood.

Previous research has indicated that the auditory matching (AM) protocol has been effective in increasing accurate echoics. The AM protocol teaches children a generalized repertoire of discriminating auditory stimuli across 21 phases that increase in complexity. While effective, the AM protocol is labor and time intensive. The researchers conducted a parametric analysis to evaluate and compare the effects of 2 conditions of the AM protocol. In the full condition, participants completed 20-trial sessions and moved between phases when accuracy was 90% in 1 session. In the accelerated condition, participants completed up to 20-trials per session and moved between phases when responding correctly to 5 consecutive trials. Researchers used a multiple probe design across participants to evaluate the effective of each condition and a between-subjects comparison to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of the respective conditions. The results indicated that both conditions produced the intended effects on echoics and the accelerated AM protocol was more efficient in producing this outcome.

The current study investigated the effects of an intraverbal webbing procedure on the development of divergent and convergent intraverbal responses in three children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) between the ages of 4 and 7 years old, using a multiple probe across participants design. The results demonstrated that the intraverbal webbing procedure was effective in the acquisition of trained verbal responses to fill-in-the blank statements regarding the function, feature, and class of several items. In addition, emergence of convergent and divergent intraverbal responses was observed across untrained categories.

Researches have defined subsequences of verbal developmental cusps to help the children with language delay emit verbal behavior as speaker-as-own-listener. Auditory discrimination is one of listener cusps that plays essential roles for children’s verbal behavior. In this study, we used a multiple probe across participants experimental design to evaluate the effects of the accelerated auditory Match-to-Sample (AMTS) procedure on the accuracy of echoic responses of three preschoolers with language delay. The AMTS procedure consisted 8 basic phases and 13 advanced phases that increased in difficulty with each subsequent phase, and it required participants to match exemplar to target sounds. We measured the accuracy of echoic responses by calculating the number of words emitted with point-to-point correspondence from a list of 100 English words emitted by the participants. A functional relation was demonstrated as all three participants showed an increase in the number of full echoic responses after the completion of the AMTS procedure. The results of the study were aligned with results shown by Choi, Greer and Keohane (2015). The auditory matching provided opportunities for children with language delays to discriminate sounds and words.

Asian population is the fastest-growing ethnic group in the United States and Asian parents often hold different opinions on family functioning and childrearing. However, there has been no research conducted to examine how to best train parents from Asian immigrant backgrounds to teach manding to their child with autism at home. A behavioral skills training (BST) package was utilized to teach three Asian parents to train their children with autism aged between 6-12 to mand for preferred items. A multiple baseline across participants design was used to evaluate the effects of parent training on parent participants’ implementation of mand training task analysis and the effects of the intervention on the acquisition of independent mands of their children. All three parents demonstrated improvement in implementing mand training procedures following the parent training delivered by BST. In addition, all three children demonstrated increased independent mands after receiving mand training from their parents and two demonstrated criterion performance. Maintenance and generalization probes were conducted with two parent-child dyads and showed positive results. Implications of the findings and characteristics of supporting Asian immigrants with children with autism are discussed.

Background: Pivotal Response Treatment (PRT) has demonstrated significant increase in functional language and communication for all types of children with autism spectrum disorders (Koegel et al., 1999; Koegel, 2000; Koegel et al., 2003). Typically, utilization of PRT occurs with children diagnosed with ASD, either verbal or nonverbal. Over the past several years, generalization of PRT techniques beyond ASD has been examined, with increased functional verbal output demonstrated not only in ASD, but also in children with other developmental concerns, including global developmental delay, speech delay, and Down syndrome (Northington, et al., 2018&2016; Northington & Shelton, 2015). Not only are results of PRT generalizable among children with a variety of developmental concerns, but with adults with cognitive impairments as well (LeBlanc, et al., 2007). Treatments that utilize neurotypical peers also demonstrate significant improvements in the social skills of neuroatypical individuals (Maich et al., 2015). It seems that by increasing the functional communication in neuroatypical children, their verbal output will begin to match that of their neurotypical peers. Objectives: To demonstrate the efficacy of PRT and to examine if differences in functional output exists between the two groups after treatment. Methods: Data from three children were analyzed. All three children were aged 4-years when data were collected as part of ongoing treatment. One girl was diagnosed with Down syndrome; the second with ASD; and the third was neurotypical. Data were collected utilizing ten-minute video segments and were analyzed to examine increase in verbal measures for all children. Results: All three children demonstrated increases in functional communication after intervention. A two-tailed independent samples t-test will be utilized to compare the best functional verbal utterances. When results were analyzed for boys, there was no significant difference in words uttered (t(1) = 0.038, p = 0.976). A two-tailed independent samples t-test will be utilized to compare best mean length of utterance. When results were analyzed for boys, there was no significant difference in the length of utterance (t(1) = 0.772, p = 0.602). Conclusions: PRT is an effective method for achieving significant improvement in functional communication and can be utilized with neurotypical and neuroatypical individuals with great success.

Children and young people who reside in out of home care have regularly experienced traumatic events such as child abuse, neglect and domestic violence (Holstead & Dalton, 2013). There are several evidence-based programs and clinical interventions that are specific to addressing trauma symptoms such as trauma informed cognitive behavior therapy (TF-CBT) and eye movement desensitisation reprocessing (EMDR) (Wigham & Emerson, 2015) yet the application of applied behavior analysis (ABA) has historically been absent in this cohort. This poster will present a case discussion of a non-vocal adolescent male with intellectual disability and significant violent behaviours, who has experienced trauma. Specifically, how we can recognise our client’s trauma, how trauma has influenced their learning history and it’s impact on their current presentation will be discussed as will our own competency to work as clinicians in this area. This poster highlights that expanding ABA into areas traditionally occupied by psychologists and social workers is not only possible, but essential to streamline what can be multifaceted complex service delivery, for the benefit of our clients.

Elopement is an extremely dangerous behavior that can and does lead to serious harm and death. Moreover, elopement has a high incidence among individuals with developmental disabilities. Although previous research has demonstrated effective interventions to reduce elopement in individuals with developmental disabilities, the strategies have been effortful, cumbersome, inappropriate for some settings, and inaccessible to caregivers with mobility challenges. The present research advances the body of empirically supported treatments for elopement among individuals with developmental disabilities by integrating remote signaling devices with operant training procedures. The results of this research support the use of modern technology as a way to treat elopement in a way that allows for greater ranges of distance from caregivers than previously published treatments and provides an option for caregivers physically incapable of administering other protocols. The present research also includes data on treatment acceptability and parental self-efficacy that supports the social validity of this procedure.

Competing-response (CR) training is a critical component of comprehensive behavioral intervention for tics in which an individual is taught to engage in an alternative response instead of a tic. CRs are recommended to be less conspicuous than the tic to reduce social stigma, which may increase their use. Although several studies have examined the conspicuity or social acceptability of tics (e.g., Finney, Rapoff, Hall, & Christophersen, 1983; Woods et al., 1996), none have evaluated these measures with CRs. Therefore, we asked 60 undergraduate students to watch video recordings of several individuals with tics using either a) no CR, b) a CR which was incompatible with a tic, or c) CRs which were designed to be both compatible with tics and inconspicuous and evaluate the relative unusualness, social acceptability, and distractibility of both tics and CRs. Participants were divided pseudo-randomly into groups that received information regarding tics and CRs or no information. We observed that all CRs were generally rated as less unusual than tics. At least one CR designed to be inconspicuous and compatible with tics was rated more favorably than the incompatible CRs for most participants, especially among participants provided information regarding tics and CRs.

Study objective: To evaluate the effect of using Visual Timer to children with neurodevelopmental disabilities and typical development who often have stagnation and deviation in order to promote their behavior in kindergarten. Design: A combination of multiple baseline across subjects and a changing criterion design was used. Setting: Preparation after arriving and before leaving in kindergarten Participant: A girl (4 years old) with neurodevelopmental disorders and a boy (4 years old) with typical development Measure: The required times of preparation after arriving and before leaving in kindergarten were measured. Intervention: Based on the baseline data, each Visual Time was set at the time when the target child succeeded 50% or more, and placed in the preparation area. When the child could finish within the time limit, gave a sticker or confection. With steady success, the criterion time was reduced based on the last 10 days. Results: In both children, after using of the Visual Timer, the preparation times were reduced. Conclusion: Indicating the time with the Visual Timer and changing the criteria based on the data was effective in promoting the preparation behavior of both children with neurodevelopmental disabilities and typical development.

Train generalization of self-control choice is necessary when providing services to children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Although some studies have shown increments in self-control choice, few studies had examined its generalization. The purpose of the study was to evaluate multiple-exemplar training in the generalization of self-control choice in two 5-year-old children with ADHD. Multiple baseline across settings design were used. Settings changed by reinforcers, discriminative stimuli, researchers, and alternative activity. Conditions were directly trained in three settings and in a fourth setting, probes without direct training were conducted. In baseline, participants chose between sooner-immediate reinforcer or larger-delayed reinforcer. Training consisted of delay fading, an alternative activity during the delay, and signal the delay. Relative to baseline, self-control choice increased during all training settings, from <50% to >80% for one participant and for the other participant from <4% to >60%. Multiple-exemplar training resulted in the generalization of self-control choice across settings, behaviors and time. During probe setting, for a participant, self-control choice increased from 0% to 80% after training, and 100% in the follow-up. Further research is needed to show that generalization has to be directly trained and the clinic implications of self-control generalized choice for ADHD children.

A web-based multiple-stimulus-without-replacement preference assessment and a concurrent-operants reinforcer assessment were implemented to identify video preference hierarchies and their reinforcing status. Assessments were conducted with four middle school students with intellectual disabilities. Three participants allocated longer durations of behavior to access their high-preferred stimulus, as compared to the lowest-preferred and control option. One participant engaged in switching responses between the stimuli. Findings and future considerations are discussed.

Challenging behavior tends to increase in levels during adolescence for individuals with developmental disabilities (DD). If not addressed, this may lead to negative post-school outcomes for adolescents with DD. The purposes of this meta-analysis are to examine the effects of behavioral intervention in reducing challenging behaviors of adolescents with DD and identify the variables that could potentially moderate these effects. This meta-analysis included twenty-six single-case design studies that met standards for methodological rigor and experimental control. Overall, behavioral interventions were found to yield moderate effects for adolescents with DD (overall Tau-U = .73, SD = .04, [.67, .79]) across settings and types of challenging behaviors. With regards to participant and setting characteristics, verbal ability and classroom setting were found to moderate the effects of intervention outcomes with statistical significance. No other variables produced similar findings. Furthermore, statistically significant differences were found between interventions that included or did not include planned reinforcement as an intervention component. Several implications for research and practice are discussed.

The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of a modified preference assessment for edible items. The assessment took place in an adult day support setting, where 1:1 time with a client and the data collection skills of staff members are limited. Researchers combined Free Operant and Multiple Stimulus with Replacement strategies to test the latency of approach to food items as well as the rate of consumption. This twelve-item assessment was completed in 45 minutes (15 minute chunks across three days). The resulting hierarchy was compared to that of a paired stimulus assessment to examine reliability.

Daily Behavior Report Cards (DBRCs) have shown to be a successful intervention for improving classroom behavior for students considered to display challenging behaviors. DBRCs have mostly been used for students with emotional/behavioral disorder (EBD) in an effort to improve academic and social outcomes. Few studies have examined the use of DBRCs for students with developmental disabilities (DD). Even fewer studies have examined the intersection of young (i.e., early childhood) students with DD in extended school year settings (ESY). The authors examined the effectiveness of DBRCs for young students with DD in ESY settings. Four elementary students (ages 6-7) with DD and behavior challenges who were receiving ESY services as mandated by their respective Individualized Education Plan (IEP) participated in the current study. The researchers used a changing criterion single case research design with visual analyses and Tau-U statistical analyses to determine the impact of the intervention. Each student demonstrated progress as a result of intervention.

Many procedures based on applied behavior analysis (ABA) increase skills for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Despite empirical support, issues can arise during ABA intervention, which can be difficult to resolve. Decisions about modifications to intervention may be based on the individual learner’s history or repertoire, the behavior analyst’s repertoire, and resources in the literature. In the current project, a problem solving approach was used to identify potential modifications after constant-prompt delay with represent-until-independent error correction and non-differential reinforcement did not increase correct responses for a six-year-old boy with ASD. We conducted a detailed error analysis, a brief literature review, and multiple brief assessments using strategies identified in the literature. The error analysis suggested prompt dependence and potential sources of faulty stimulus control. Based on the extant literature, we evaluated differential observing responses, prompt fading, blocked trials, and differential reinforcement. Several procedures required multiple teaching steps that were inefficacious or slow to produce change. Ultimately, differential reinforcement with enthusiastic praise increased independent responding. A description of our problem solving approach coupled with supporting data will be presented. Recommendations for the adoption of a similar approach to identify individualized interventions for persistent errors and prompt dependence will be discussed.

Diurnal bruxism is the grinding of upper and lower teeth indicated by an audible sound. The diurnal distinction is due to the individual engaging in bruxism while awake. Previous literature evaluated the use of a prompting procedure that consists of a vocal and physical prompt called a combined cue (Barnoy et al., 2009 & Armstrong et al., 2014). Armstrong and colleagues (2014) also conducted a functional analysis to identify the function of bruxism in one participant. In the current study, we extended the literature in two ways. First, we conducted an extended ignore condition (Querim et al., 2013) to ensure the behavior was not socially mediated. Next, we evaluated the use of a bite band with the combined cue prompting procedure using an ABAB reversal design. We measured the frequency of bruxism and independent mouthing and converted the measures to response per minute. We also measured the duration of independent mouthing following the first iteration of baseline and treatment. Results for a five-year old child with autism indicate that the combined cue and presentation of the bite band decreased rates of bruxism while increasing rates of independent mouthing. However, more participants are needed to determine the effectiveness of this treatment.

Robust research links positive educational and well-being outcomes with students’ participation in SEL programs. Outcomes for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), however are not as favourable. The purpose of this study was to identify the outcomes of students with ASD and their NT peers following their participation in a SEL program that was modified to meet the needs of students with ASD. Ninety-seven students participated in this mixed method action research design study. Quantitative data were gained from the pre-post administration of the Social Emotional Intelligence–Youth Version (SEI-YV). Qualitative data were obtained through teacher and student questionnaires. NT students significantly increased their scores of the Apply Consequential Thinking competency. The effect size for three other competencies exceeded Cohen’s (1988) convention for a small effect. The students with ASD achieved a medium effect size for two competencies, and a small effect size for one competency. Qualitative data corroborated the results, showing a reduction in challenging behaviours, generalization of learned targets, and an increase in empathy. When an SEL program is taught in a manner that meets the learning needs of students with ASD, students with ASD and their NT peers can obtain improved outcomes.

Empathy is the ability to identify verbal and non-verbal stimuli associated with different affective states and to respond to them appropriately. The deficit in showing empathy, commonly found in people with autism, can significantly compromise the ability to establish, maintain and develop social relationships. The purpose of this study is to increase the ability of people with autism to identify nonverbal affective stimuli and respond to them with empathic responses. The present research included two participants, aged 7 to 9 years, with autism spectrum disorder. Across multiple exemplars training, nonverbal affective stimuli were presented, commonly associated with various private events, such as physical pain, sadness and fatigue. The therapist (a) provided a rule, (b) presented the non-verbal stimulus, (c) suggested leading questions in order to lead participants to identify non-verbal stimuli associated with other people's private events and to respond with empathic statements. The results indicated that both participants acquired the ability to respond with empathic statements and generalized the ability to novel situations, on which training had never been conducted before. These data show that children with autism can learn to detect non-verbal affective stimuli and provide empathic responses as a result of behavioral interventions.

Generalized Motor Imitation is a fundamental evolutionary cusp, we could say that autistic children often have difficulties acquiring it. We collected the results of the "Mirror Protocol" (Greer & Ross, 2008) on 5 teenagers aged 11 to 18 without the verbal repertoire of generalized imitation, all with autism and multiple disabilities. The dependent variables were the number of imitative responses issued and the duration of their observational responses to the instructor's poses during a Yoga class before and after the intervention. The independent variables were implemented using the Learn Units with an individual intensive gross-motor imitation training at the mirror. The experimental design for this study is Multiple Probe Across Subiect. Post-survey data showed a significant increase in attention skills in all participants, while generalized imitation improved for a single subject. The probes were conducted during yoga classes due to the social meaning of inclusion. Furthermore, we should continue to use the imitation skills protocol implementation and improve the efficiency of the intervention. The limitations of this study are due to the short duration of the protocol implementation. The study shows positive results in inducing basic verbal skills and improving participation in group activities in this age group.

An omnibus mand is sometimes taught when a functional analysis suggests that problem behavior is maintained by a synthesized contingency. However, specifying mands may be a desired outcome. Ward, Hanley, Warner, and Gage (under review) recently differentiated an omnibus mand into specific mands for three learners, but treatment stopped after functional communication training. The present study replicated the methods described by Ward et al. and extended the study to include a skill-based treatment that taught a tolerance response, compliance with academic work, and extension to a second caregiver (e.g., Hanley, Jin, Vanselow, & Hanratty, 2014). First, a functional analysis was conducted and suggested the client’s problem behavior was sensitive to escape from demands to tangibles and attention. An omnibus mand was initially taught and then differentiated into specific FCRs (“I want a break”). Next, the learner was taught a tolerance response (“okay”) when reinforcers were denied. Academic tasks were then progressively introduced until the client completed a maximum of 18 demands. Last, treatment was extended to a second caregiver; problem behavior remained low, and communication and completion of academic tasks remained at optimal and desirable levels. A social validity questionnaire indicated that classroom teachers were satisfied with the outcomes of treatment.

One in 59 children in the general US population has a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and approximately 30% of those children are unable to function in everyday activities due to lack of appropriate verbal communication (CDC, 2019). Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC; picture exchange, manual sign, or a dynamic speech-generating device) are alternatives to verbal speech, which enables children with ASD to successfully participate in their homes and community. However, no known research-based communication-screening tool is currently available to providers when selecting an AAC. In Study 1, an online communication screener for families of non-verbal children with ASD was developed to identify an effective alternative modality of communication along with a direct observation tool to verify caregivers’ report of child skills. Study 2 determined the potential efficacy and efficiency of four different augmentative communication modalities for teaching requests to four children with ASD within an adapted alternating treatments design. The results of Study 1 and 2 were compared to determine if the screener recommendations resulted in the selection of the most efficient and appropriate modality of communication for each child. Implications of these findings will be discussed.

Motor and vocal stereotypy are topographies of behavior common among individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Such maladaptive behavior may impede and interfere in learning new skills and decrease work performance in a vocational setting. Previous research has evaluated different intervention strategies to decrease these topographies of behavior. Most commonly, there is a focus on interventions, which have been conducted with children, and less common, with adults, in controlled settings. We evaluated the practicality of implementing a simple differential reinforcement procedure with an adult with ASD in multiple, dynamic environments. A differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO) was used to reduce vocal and motor stereotypy in which positive reinforcement was delivered in the absence of the target behavior for a systematic period of time. Results indicate rapid decreases in motor and vocal stereotypy upon implementation of the intervention and maintenance of low levels of behavior.

Many researchers have replicated Practical Functional Assessment and Skill-based Treatment procedures with individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder; however, this has typically involved younger children, often who are language able (e.g., Hanley, et al., (2014); Strand et al., (2016); Herman et al. (2018)). Currently, there is a gap in the literature involving adolescents with severe disabilities attending a residential school. This study aimed to conduct a Practical Functional Assessment and implement Skill-based Treatment with two non-verbal adolescents with severe problem behavior and no functional communication. In addition to conducting this treatment with this profile of student, unique synthesized reinforcers were identified and treatment design deviated from what is outlined in the existing literature. The results showed that a novel, omnibus mand and waiting (toleration) response were acquired without evoking problem behavior. In addition, several chains of contextually appropriate behavior were successfully developed for each adolescent.

Echolalia is a stereotypical behavior usually maintained by its sensory consequences. Previous research has shown how difficult it is to reduce problem behavior maintained by automatic reinforcement. For this reason, it is necessary to identify the specific treatment options for each student. The present study investigates the application of 3 different treatment packages to reduce echolalia in a boy with autism, using a multi-element design: (a) response interruption and redirection (RIRD), (b) listening to music, (c) DRO and contingency contract. The participant showed a reduction in echolalia when a DRO and contingency contract were used. After the identification of the most effective treatment, the duration of the treatment sessions was gradually increased and the reinforcement schedule was thinned. In fact, in the initial assessment in the contingency contract and DRO condition, reinforcement was provided each 30 seconds, for the absence of problem behavior. During treatment, the duration of the treatment sessions was systematically increased, amounting at 5, 7 and 10 minutes and reinforcement was provided every 60 seconds. Echolalia continued to decrease in these conditions as well. The present research contributes to identify effective and individualized treatment packages for behavior maintained by automatic reinforcement.

The purpose of this study was to teach an adult male with Autism to tolerate occasional denied access to purchasing a preferred item at a retail location. Shaping was utilized to increase (a) the length of time in a retail location, (b) the length of time the client waited to receive his preferred item, and (c) the number of peers accompanying the client in the retail location. In addition, the client was provided with noncontingent access to an alternate preferred item. Through this intervention, the client's rates of problem behavior and repeated mands decreased to levels manageable enough to transition him from being a 1:1 client to joining a 3:1 group.

One of the earliest and most noticeable characteristics of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is impaired eye contact. Currently published research on increasing responding to name with eye contact has primarily involved separate and combined procedures such as physical prompting, visual prompting, differential reinforcement, and overcorrection. The current study evaluated the effects of an auditory orienting response using a variety of short, non-social sounds to elicit eye contact. When eye contact occurred following presentation of the non-social auditory stimulus, the experimenter used conditioning procedures to pair the presentation of the participant’s name with a highly preferred stimulus. This procedure was used as a supplement to differential reinforcement to increase eye contact in four young children with ASD. Results suggest the current procedure may be an effective way to teach young children with ASD to make eye contact in response to a name call.

According to recent surveys, clinicians rarely conduct a functional analysis (FA) prior to intervention due to time constraints. A solution that has been evaluated and found to be promising is to conduct a 5-min session FA. However, the relative utility of independent 5-min and 10-min session FAs has not yet been evaluated. The purpose of the current study was to compare two independently conducted FAs of 5- and 10-min sessions, for the problem behavior of six individuals with autism spectrum disorder. For each participant, the same function of problem behavior (escape) was identified across 5- and 10-min session FA. In addition, the 5-min session FA averaged 67 min (range, 45-100 min), whereas the 10-min session FA averaged 125 min (90-150 min), showing that the 5-min session FA resulted in an average time savings of 45%. A subsequent treatment analysis that included differential reinforcement of alternative behavior (DRA) was conducted to assess FA outcome validity. DRA was effective in decreasing problem behavior and increasing appropriate communication for all participants. The 5-min session FA and DRA treatment analysis combined averaged 122 min (range, 100-155 min), suggesting that an effective function-based treatment could be identified in under 3 hours, without compromising validity.

Individuals diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) may also be diagnosed with other disorders which may impact effective treatment. Current research finds between 30%-50% of individuals diagnosed with ASD also present with characteristics of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), yet prior to the DSM-V, this dual diagnosis was not possible, as an ASD diagnosis was an exclusionary criterion for ADHD (Leitner, 2014). With the change in the DSM-V criteria for diagnoses, a dual diagnosis of ASD and ADHD became possible, and research regarding comorbidity of ASD and ADHD became more prevalent. Leitner (2014) suggests that when comparing individuals with both diagnoses versus individuals with a single diagnosis, individuals with co-occurring symptoms experience greater symptomology, are more difficult to treat, and may be less responsive to standard treatments for either disorder. A collaborative interdisciplinary team may be one solution in effectively treating individuals dually diagnosed with ASD and ADHD. The present data are the result of collaboration between a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and a Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (MHNP) to reduce aggression and darting, and increase on task behavior for a 14-year old female diagnosed with ASD and ADHD. Here, the behavior Analyst was able to provide frequency data and temporal relations for multiple behaviors, which were analyzed by the BCBA and MHNP together. From there, medication changes in the form of introducing a stimulant were prescribed, and data were collected pre and post treatment change for analysis by the BCBA and MHNP. The addition of the medication resulted in a significant decrease in aggression and darting, and an increase in on task behavior.

Failure to adhere to medical regimens is associated with negative health outcomes and increased mortality rate (CDC, 2017). However, individuals may struggle with swallowing pills, resulting in noncompliance and disruption during medication administration. As a result, medication administration techniques such as crushing medication or allowing pills to be chewed may be used. However, crushing or chewing some medications can cause patients to overdose or can render the drug ineffective. Past research has investigated the use of behavioral interventions such as differential reinforcement of alternative behavior (DRA) and stimulus fading as well as other interventions including modeling and visual aids to increase compliance with pill swallowing. The purpose of this literature review is to outline the efficacy and behavioral basis of interventions used to increase compliance with pill swallowing and discuss directions for future research. The keywords pill swallowing and compliance were used to identify relevant research.

Previous research has demonstrated that the method of presenting a variety of tasks(varied task condition) is more efficient than the method of presenting a single task(constant task condition) to children with autism spectrum disorders (Dunlap & Koegel, 1980). The current study systematically replicated the earlier study by comparing the two approach with 2 boys with ASD. Specifically, we used mastered tasks and an adapted alternating treatments design was implemented to compare the correct responses, response latencies, and affects. The results showed that varied task condition was similar to constant task condition for correct responses and response latencies. Observers judged the Child 1 to be more enthusiastic, interested, happier, and better behaved during the varied task condition. The results suggest that the method of variety of tasks produced superior to the method of presenting a single task for the affect of Child1, the relative effectiveness of the varied task versus constant task conditions during correct responses and response latencies is less clear. The results were discussed for the differences between mastered tasks and target tasks.

This study purports to provide procedural extension to Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions (NDBI: Schreibman, et al. 2015) by addressing over-selectivity of certain stimulus modality often documented (e.g., Liss, Saulnier, Fein, & Kinsbourne, 2006) in children on autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The goals of the intervention were to establish practical procedures for a child who functions on his/her interests to become more receptive to other people’s interests, and to demonstrate how ensuring core skills such as toy play, engagement, or joint attention would lead to instruction of more advanced skills. Based on a hypothesis that unique pattern of stimulus processing over-selectivity is preventing a child from registering common social cues, we assessed the pattern of stimulus over-selectivity during a naturally occurring play on 3 preschool children with ASD and implemented a three-tier intervention on a condensed schedule (1.5 to 6 hours/week), examining the effects of increased and natural exposure to selected interactions that utilized the specific modality identified as less proficient. Results indicated an increase in the frequency per minute use of all modalities along with generalized quantitative and qualitative improvements in the functional use of untaught skills across setting and people, providing another set of data supporting generative learning (Johnson & Layng, 1994) in preschool children with ASD.

One of the most important and influential activities of daily living for assimilating into the community is the ability to safely navigate unfamiliar settings. Individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) typically have difficulty with this (Goldsmith, 2009), and in particular street safety is a major concern and may have severe consequences such as injury and possible death. Pedestrian street crossing training is recognized as an integral life skill and is a fundamental step in the development of independence, increasing safety awareness, mobility, and safely integrating into society. The current evaluation utilizes a virtual reality (VR) procedure to facilitate training in a safe, controlled environment to acquire the necessary skills to independently cross the street. Along with VR, behavior skills training was used to examine whether skills would generalize in a natural setting. Results showed four of five participants mastered VR conditions and generalized skills in a natural setting. This study provides a model for efficiently and safely teaching pedestrian street crossing to adults with ASD.

The training of human services staff in behavior change methods is often a labor-intensive function of the supervising behavior analyst. The pyramidal application of behavioral skills training (BST) has been demonstrated an effective means for promoting the acquisition of skills related to behavior analytic treatment, while increasing the efficiency of the individual behavior analyst’s training efforts. As BST has potential for broad application, we extended a pyramidal BST approach toward job skills training for service recipients enrolled in a program providing support for adults with autism in the community setting. During pre-training assessments, 10 staff members were instructed to role-play BST using given task analyses. Following BST-based instruction in the application of BST (a pyramidal paradigm), participants demonstrated improved performance of BST component skills in the role-play setting, with regard to baseline levels. High performance levels were also observed during subsequent on-the-job assessments of staff conducting BST with service recipients in the generalization setting.

Few studies have examined evaluation and treatment of social avoidance as a function of behavior in children with autism despite this characteristic being commonly associated with the disorder. A standard functional analysis of aggressive, self-injurious, and disruptive behavior was completed with a boy diagnosed with autism. A potential social avoidance function was indicated by elevated behavior in the toy play condition and low rates of behavior in the ignore condition. It was suspected that avoidance may be specifically sensitive to verbal attention. A modified functional analysis was conducted comparing responses during sessions with no verbal attention, continuous verbal attention, and a control of no interaction. Rates of behavior were elevated in both test conditions. After functional analysis, a modified 3-step prompting procedure consisting of a textual, gestural, and physical prompt hierarchy was utilized to teach the functional communication response (FCR) of asking for “time by myself” using an iPad application. Treatment was implemented in which only the FCR produced reinforcement and all problem behavior was placed on extinction. Signaled availability was also introduced to indicate when the FCR would result in reinforcement. This case demonstrates a method for successfully identifying a social avoidance function, leading to a successful function-based treatment.

Children should engage in at least 60 min of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) daily, per the recommendation by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). However, many children do not meet this requirement, and children with intellectual disabilities are less likely to do so. Therefore, it is important to evaluate strategies for increasing physical activity in this population. The purpose of this study was to conduct a treatment analysis in the context of a single activity duration-based preference assessment. Physical activities were identified via an indirect assessment and included treadmill, elliptical, stepping on a bosu ball, and a stationary bike. Intervention components included prompting alone, prompting plus noncontingent reinforcement (NCR), and prompting plus differential reinforcement of alternative behavior (DRA). Dependent variables were appropriate activity engagement and heart rate. The two activities associated with the highest levels of physical activity were the treadmill (with prompting and NCR intervention components) and elliptical (with prompting and DRA intervention components). Once an effective treatment was identified for each form of physical activity, a modified paired-stimulus preference assessment was conducted both with and without intervention components to assess the effects of intervention on response allocation to each physical activity over a sedentary activity.

This poster shows how practioners can plan and effectively train for generalized behavior change in the applied setting utilizing The R.E.AL. Model (Recreating Environments to Accelerate Learning). It teaches for generalization using a unique five step process, which systematically changes environmental antecedents and consequences in order to effectively increase skill acquisition within any existing ABA program. The structure of each level allows for observable, measurable accountability as to how a concept, verbal operant, skill, or repertoire was acquired based on the environmental conditions present. Each level provides the practitioner with a behavior analytic structure by which treatment plans are evaluated and targets to teach for generalization are identified. The R.E.AL. Model begins the behavioral process to teach for generalization during stimulus discrimination training of concepts and the teaching of skill acquisition taught in a highly structured environment. The process continues when systematically introducing stimuli and contingencies within the natural environment. Special emphasis in bridging concepts and skills in order to teach complex repertoires follows, establishing multiple-control, and generalized social behavior to the verbal community. Data indicate skill acquisition across all ABA program areas. The R.E.AL. Model systematically trains for generalization so practitioners can increase skill acquisition across all applied settings.

Up to 89% of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have some type of feeding difficulties (Ledford & Gast, 2006). Food selectivity, while common in young children typically resolves in the neurotypical population. However, it may persist into adulthood in individuals with ASD if left untreated (Birch, 1999). Kuschner et. al. (2015) found, using self-report, that young adults with ASD were more likely to report food selectivity than in the neurotypical comparison group. While effective treatments for food selectivity have been identified for young children and the school-aged population, little research has been conducted on treatments with the adult population. This is important because adults have a longer history of food selectivity, which may make it more resistant to treatment. In this study, we used a combined changing criterion and alternating treatment design to compare positive and negative reinforcement contingencies to increase consumption of a variety of novel foods by an 26-year-old adult with ASD. We found that both contingencies increased consumption of novel foods. Additionally, he preferred the positive reinforcement contingency. Finally, treatment effects generalized to non-treated foods. The current protocol represents a novel strategy for addressing food selectivity in adults with ASD.

Early intensive behavioral intervention (EIBI) has been shown to have positive effects on the language outcomes of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Child language outcomes are often measured using standardized assessments. Some biases that are can be associated with standardized assessments that threaten their internal validity can be associated with the assessor’s presence, the assessor’s ability to implement the assessment, the and the contrived nature of many assessments. Many of these biases can be addressed when automated data collection procedures are implemented to capture and asses a child’s language ability. The purpose of the present investigation was to capture the language outcomes of children with ASD one year after beginning EIBI. A pre-test post-test design will be used to analyze the changes observed in the child’s language. The children’s language was measured using Language ENvironmental Analysis (LENA) software and affiliated devices to collect and analyze data on the child’s language throughout one full treatment day. The primary language measure of interest is the child’s vocalization count per hour. Clinical results and implications will be discussed.

A core deficit in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is restricted interests, which for children with ASD often manifests as few items with which they engage with in a leisure context. When children have few leisure items that function as reinforcers during intervention, progress can be limited. This study used a discrimination training procedure to condition non-preferred leisure items as reinforcers for two children with ASD. Neutral tangible items were established as discriminative stimuli by reinforcing a specific engagement response in the presence of the item. Free-operant preference assessment probes of item engagement were conducted prior to conditioning, during conditioning, and post-conditioning. Following an observed treatment effect during free-operant probes, the conditioned item was then tested for reinforcing efficacy while teaching a new skill. Results indicated the discrimination training procedure led to greater levels of engagement during free-operant probes with each item that was conditioned for both participants. During the test for reinforcing efficacy, the conditioned item demonstrated some reinforcing properties, though not as strong as the participants’ primary reinforcers.

Within this poster, we behavior-analytically defined the functions of sarcasm and provided practical implications for individuals with autism. By understanding the contextual cues contributing to a sarcastic statement individuals with developmental disabilities can contact more reinforcement by interacting with another person or group of people. Additionally, a study was conducted in which individuals with autism were taught to detect the literal meaning of sarcastic comments and their contextual cues. The results of this study supported the assertion of Persicke, Tarbox, Ranick, and St. Clair (2013) that non-literal language deficits can be reconciled using teaching procedures such as the delivery of rules, clear immediate feedback, and multiple exemplar training.

This research has been carried out for several years to identify ASD risk in siblings of children diagnosed with ASD and its design is a longitudinal prospective one. We pretend to identify early risk signs in siblings aged 7 to 36 months old. Thirteen tasks were developed to evaluate siblings target behaviors by therapists or parent: turning the body to sounds, following instructions, pointing, making eye contacting, babbling, social smiling, imitating, understanding signs looking to an object pointed by others, pretend play. Evaluations of every infant are taken monthly and each new year new infants are included. This study was developed in 2019 and its aim was to verify if new results obtained by application of the protocol on five infants aged 8 to 36 months old would increase the generality of previous results. Four infants had speech language impairment and referral for speech therapist assessment. Only one of the siblings showed severe impairment in different areas of development and referral to ASD specialists indicated agreement with our evaluation. External specialist evaluations agreed with our assessment showing with new participants protocol´s generality. Additional results were related to protocol improvement.