Association for Behavior Analysis International

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of treatment integrity (TI) on intervention outcomes when implementing Greg Hanley’s skill based treatment (SBT) and employed a nonconcurrent multiple baseline design (NMBL). Participants were randomly assigned to one of three TI levels: 100%, High (70, 80, 90%), and Low (20, 30, 40%), and their technician implemented the intervention. The introduction of the intervention was staggered, and data were collected on participants' problem behavior and the independent demonstration of the skill taught in each phase of SBT. Participants assigned to the 100% and High TI levels met mastery without any modifications. All participants assigned to the Low TI level were able to meet mastery during the first phase, but as the intervention grew more complex, they met the criteria to move to the High level after 10 data points of no progress. Once receiving treatment at higher levels of TI, these participants also met mastery. The results show that SBT is effective when implemented with TI levels ranging from 70-100%. Given that treatment is effective at varying levels of TI, less experienced technicians can be relied on to implement the intervention, resulting in increased access to care.

All young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) graduate from secondary education with a transition plan, yet research has shown that individual outcomes for individuals with ASD start declining after they exit from high school. As ASD is a lifelong condition, supporting adults with ASD who are experiencing major transitions is vital to help them achieve their ideal outcomes after exit from secondary education and can assist them in maximizing autonomy and dignity in their lives. The purpose of the current study was to conduct a systematic review of the effects of post-secondary transition interventions on outcomes for adults with ASD who have gone through a major transition. Overall, results showed that interventions were effective across several domains such as adaptive functioning, executive functioning, employment outcomes, job- specific skills, social skills, self-efficacy skills, self-determination and depressive symptoms. No results were observed regarding a college transition program significantly decreasing anxiety symptoms. Implications for further research, practice, and limitations are discussed.

Practitioners in the field of behavior analysis have been increasingly concerned with issues of assent and dissent displayed by the people they serve. Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) often lack effective communication skills and for these individuals, the expression of assent and dissent is often in the form of challenging behavior. This is often more difficult to determine than in someone who can effectively communicate assent or dissent. Thus, the purpose of this study was to identify preferred stimuli that might decrease dissent behaviors displayed by adults with ASD during nonpreferred activities. After conducting parent and staff surveys, researchers implemented preference assessments to identify preferred stimuli and nonpreferred activities that evoked high levels of dissent. Although we are in phase 1 of the project (assessing levels of assent and dissent during preference assessment), our hypothesis is that when the participants are given preferred tangible stimuli; levels of dissent will decrease. Our hope is that through utilization of staff and guardian surveys in conjunction with a paired-stimuli preference assessment we will have determined a hierarchy of highly preferred stimuli that will help assist in decreasing dissent behaviors and increasing assent behaviors. Results will be discussed in terms of procedures practitioners can use clinically, and ethical issues related to assent for individuals who demonstrate poor or no effective communication. 

Pathological gambling is characterized by persistent, maladaptive risky choice, causing dysfunction in daily life. With technological advances, electronic gambling machines, e.g., slot machines, may increase risky choice using audiovisual cues paired with reinforcer delivery. The putative conditioned-reinforcing effects of these “win-paired cues” may be enhanced with the administration of stimulant drugs, such as d-amphetamine. The current study was designed to compare effects of d-amphetamine and win-paired-cue delivery on risky choice. To assess risky choice, a probability-discounting procedure was used with rats. Rats chose between one food pellet with 100% certainty and four food pellets with varying probabilities that decreased in blocks of trials across the session. Once choice data were obtained without any win-paired cues, varying doses of d-amphetamine (0.1-1.0 mg/kg, i.p.) were administered twice a week. A second dose-response function will then be obtained when win-paired cues (four flashes of the houselight) are presented with the larger reinforcer (a winning trial). Baseline results show that risky choice increased following the administration of d-amphetamine. It is expected that the combination of win-paired cues and d-amphetamine will further increase risky choice. For individuals who gamble, stimulant administration may increase the likelihood of escalated risky choice.

Psychotropic medications are commonly prescribed to manage underlying psychiatric disorders in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) (Mandell et al., 2008). In cases where children with ASD and IDD display severe problem behavior, the reduction of these behaviors often serves as a primary indicator of medication efficacy. However, additional measures, such as affective observations, may provide valuable insight into the comprehensive impact of psychiatric interventions. This case study examines Jasmine, a 13-year-old girl diagnosed with autism and disruptive mood dysregulation disorder, admitted to an inpatient hospital unit for the assessment and treatment of severe problem behavior. Partial interval data were collected every 15 minutes throughout the day to record Jasmine’s affect as positive, neutral, and/or negative. A novel analytical approach was applied to identify periods of greater mood stability. Conditional probability analysis of affect following medication administration showed that Jasmine was unlikely to exhibit negative affect approximately one hour post-medication, an effect persisting for over an hour. This analytic method holds promise for evaluating psychiatric intervention efficacy, with potential applications for optimizing medication scheduling, therapy sessions, and other therapeutic services.

Objective: Performing daily activities requires physical movements, which involve changes in joint angles driven by joint moments. Traditional measurement methods often involve attaching multiple infrared reflective markers and force sensors to participants’ bodies to record these movements. However, such methods significantly limit their clinical applicability. To address this limitation, we developed a system that directly captures daily behaviors by estimating joint angles and moments using artificial intelligence. Method: The system consisted of three web cameras, one infrared camera, and personal computers equipped with ready-made applications, including VisionPose, VP-Ergono, and Leap Log Exporter (Next System, Japan). Participants’ behaviors were recorded by the cameras, and artificial intelligence was employed to estimate the joint angles and moments in real time. Results: The system achieved a time resolution of 0.02–0.13 seconds, a joint angle resolution of 2.8e-6 to 2.4e-5 degrees, and a joint moment resolution of 0.01 Nm during participants’ daily activities. Conclusion: These results suggest that the system can effectively measure participants’ daily behaviors by estimating joint angles and moments in real time, offering significant potential for practical applications in rehabilitation therapies and behavior analysis studies.

Objective: Visual prompt fading is widely used in rehabilitation but remains difficult to implement effectively during behavioral practice. This study aimed to address this issue by developing VRactice a virtual reality system enabling real-time visual prompt fading for target behaviors like reaching. Additionally, the study validated the accuracy of VRactice. Methods: The healthy adults participated. VRactice used trackers attached to the wrist and elbow, recording three-dimensional coordinates via an optical sensor. Additionally, reflective markers were attached to the participant’s hand, and the position coordinates were measured with high precision using three infrared cameras (VICON) as the gold standard. Participants performed 10 forward-reaching movements while simultaneously measuring VRactice and VICON. However, VRactice was used without fading to assess its validity in this study. The three-dimensional coordinates of the participant's hand position, as measured by VRactice and VICON, were regarded as the dependent variable. Results: The mean hand position error between VRactice and VICON was 4.6 cm, suggesting that VRactice, despite minor errors, reliably reflects body coordinates. Conclusion: VRactice is a valid system for measuring body coordinates. It has the potential to provide real-time feedback on discrepancies between model motions demonstrated by therapists and practitioners’ movements, offering a valuable tool for rehabilitation.

Differential Reinforcement (DRA) has been evaluated as a treatment for increasing acceptance of nonpreferred foods for children diagnosed with Pediatric Feeding Disorder (PFD). Past evaluations have not evaluated DRA in the absence of escape extinction (EE) (Piazza et. al., 2003) or other treatment components (e.g., simultaneous presentation; Peterson, et. al., 2024). Most studies have shown DRA to be ineffective in the absence of EE (Berth et. al., 2019). One reason may be the low rate with which the child is contacting the reinforcement contingency in the absence of another procedure. One way to mitigate this potential limitation would be to establish reinforcement contingencies with an eating behavior that the child is likely to cooperate with (e.g., eating a preferred food) prior to evaluating DRA for an eating behavior that the child is not likely to cooperate with (e.g., eating a nonpreferred food). Thus, for the current evaluation, we established reinforcement contingencies with a high-frequency eating behavior prior to evaluating DRA with a low-frequency eating behavior (i.e., eating 4 novel foods) in the absence of EE for 3-5 children diagnosed with PFD. Overall, DRA alone was not sufficient to increase acceptance to high levels in the absence of EE.

Objective: Urinary symptoms inhibit activity and decrease quality of life. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of home physiotherapy and applied behavior analysis on urinary symptoms, muscle strength, quality of life, and activity and participation in frail older people with lower urinary dysfunction. Participants 10 men (77-84 years old) and 15 women (76-88 years old) participated in the study.Study Design: A single-subject design was used. Intervention: A physiotherapist visited the participants' homes every two weeks to teach lower limb strength training and provide feedback on their urinary diaries and strength training performance records. Dependent variables: Lower limb muscle strength, incontinence frequency, and King's Health Questionnaire, TMIG Index of Competence were measured.Results: Three months after the start of the intervention, the average muscle strength of the 25 participants improved, incontinence frequency decreased and their sense of well-being improved. There were also improvements in activity and participation, particularly in the social role items for women.Conclusion: These findings demonstrate the usefulness of improving dysuria to promote activity and participation in older people. They also suggest the effectiveness of integrating physiotherapy and applied behaviour analysis.

Escalating schedules with reset contingencies are often considered to be the most effective schedule to use in Contingency Management interventions for substance use disorder. In the current review, several peer-reviewed journal articles were identified in which escalating schedules with reset contingencies were directly compared to any schedule(s) of contingent reinforcer delivery; in all articles, the target behavior was substance use as verified by sampling of biological specimens. Findings from most studies indicated that, as compared to other contingent schedules (e.g., fixed schedules; escalating schedules without reset contingencies), escalating schedules with reset contingencies were the most effective in terms of promoting greater consecutive numbers of drug-negative samples. Some potential reasons as to why escalating schedules with reset contingencies were not always the most effective schedule may have been due to the relative aversiveness of the reset contingencies and/or to large differences in reinforcer magnitudes between contingent schedules. Future directions for translational and intervention research on contingency management are discussed.

Persons holding diagnoses of intellectual disability, a mental health condition, or dual diagnoses may display self-injurious behavior. Self-injurious behavior (SIB) is among the most frequent and dangerous acts that are often displayed by persons with intellectual disabilities (ID), a mental health diagnosis (MH) or dual diagnoses (Bird et al., 1989; Mazaleski et al., 1993). Since these individuals are also among the most vulnerable groups of people who are at risk of human rights violations it is imperative that they be provided with effective, evidence-based procedures based on the principles of applied behavior analysis (ABA) that begin with a least-restrictive approach. This literature review includes 28 articles that implement non-restrictive ABA interventions with adult patients holding these diagnoses who were engaging in some form of self-injury. Each article was examined across many dimensions including participant’s ages, diagnoses, behavioral topography, intervention type, setting, and outcome. Based on this analysis, the research shows that least-restrictive procedures can be successful in drastically reducing or eliminating self-injurious behavior. Limitations of the research are discussed, and suggestions are made towards future research.

Alcohol use disorder and unemployment are concentrated among people living in poverty. The present study evaluated effects of a Therapeutic Workplace intervention in promoting alcohol abstinence and employment, and reducing poverty among homeless adults with alcohol use disorder. As part of a 6-month clinical trial, 119 participants were randomized into two groups and received either standard treatment for alcohol use disorder (Usual Care; n=57) or standard treatment plus Abstinence-Contingent Wage Supplements (ACWS; n=62). All participants wore alcohol biosensors that continuously monitored alcohol use. ACWS participants received abstinence-contingent stipends for working with employment services and abstinence-contingent wage supplements for working at a community job. Hourly earnings depended on recent abstinence from alcohol. In the trial, ACWS participants reported significantly higher rates of alcohol abstinence, employment, and income from employment that exceeded poverty thresholds compared to Usual Care participants. The present study reports on the persistence of treatment effects in the year after the study period, when the intervention was removed. Results from this study will provide information on the lingering effects of the ACWS intervention on alcohol abstinence, employment, and poverty among homeless adults with alcohol use disorder.

Subtype-2 automatically maintained self-injurious behavior (ASIB) presents one of the most significant clinical challenges for behavior analysts due to its insensitivity to changes in environmental stimuli and social contingencies, and is often more resistant to treatment (Hagopian et al., 2015). Competing stimulus assessments (CSAs) are a pretreatment assessment used to measure stimulus engagement and SIB across various stimuli with the goal of identifying stimuli that may reduce SIB by promoting alternative engagement (e.g., Fisher et al., 2000; Ringdahl et al., 1997; Gover et al., 2019). While CSAs have demonstrated utility in identifying stimuli that compete with the reinforcement obtained from SIB, less is known about how durable the findings are across repeated applications. In this case study, an individual with Subtype 2 ASIB, receiving treatment at an intensive outpatient behavioral clinic participating in two CSAs over 10 days. These results suggest that CSA outcomes may change over time, even within a stable clinical setting. This underscores the importance of repeated CSAs to inform the most effective treatments for Subtype 2 ASIB. Implications for the clinical application of repeated CSAs and their use in the development of robust and effective behavioral interventions will be discussed.

The behavior analytic research base for interventions targeting severe behavior is substantial, particularly within single-case design (SCD); however, further replication and extension are needed to solidify the evidence base (Walker & Carr, 2021). The use of “assent-based intervention” (Breaux & Smith, 2023) and a collaborative approach (Choy et al., 2025) resulted in a positive response to intervention, reducing all behaviors of concern and decreasing the use of protective holds for a 12-year-old male with autism who engaged in head-directed self-injurious behavior (SIB), aggression, and property destruction. A functional behavior assessment (FBA) was conducted using both direct and indirect methods, with collaboration from the student (Shillingsburg et al., 2019). A compound schedule of differential reinforcement of other and alternative behaviors (DRO/DRA) was used during academic activities, with tokens exchanged for self-reported reinforcers (degli Espinosa & Hackenberg, 2024). The intervention goals were acceptable to the student before implementation, ensuring social validity in advance of the intervention (Carter & Wheeler, 2019). Educators were trained to criteria with behavioral skills training (BST) and a direct observation checklist. Interobserver agreement (IOA) was collected for 59.3% of occurrences using video recordings. The intervention followed an AB design, and social validity measures showed high student acceptance.

This study investigated the effects of Virtual Face Conditioning on children with developmental disabilities. The participants were four preschool males who attended a self-contained classroom. The study aimed to determine if conditioning children with virtual faces could increase their attention to faces and whether this attention would transfer to live, in-person faces. Researchers measured participants' gaze responses to both virtual and live faces, as well as their orientation to adults' faces and voices in real-world settings. The researchers implemented a structured Virtual Face Conditioning protocol using iPad-based technology. Participants were reinforced with edible treats and praised for maintaining eye contact with virtual faces displayed on the screen. Researchers gradually reduced reinforcement as participants progressed through the next phases of the study. Results showed an increase in participants’ observed responses to both virtual and live faces post-intervention. These findings suggest that virtual face conditioning with iPad-based technology can effectively improve preferential attention to adult faces that can be transferred to live faces and other generalized real-life situations. Future research should explore the use of more salient stimuli, such as caregivers' faces, and investigate longer intervention durations to further strengthen the intervention process.

Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities often engage in challenging behavior (Crocker etal., 2006). If left without intervention, challenging behavior can lead to many negative impacts on the individual’s life such as, higher caregiver turnover rates, higher abuse rates, and higher rates of arrest (Friedman, 2021; McCauley, 20217). The purpose of the present review is to examine the current body of literature regarding challenging behavior in adults to identify interventions implemented with this population, their effectiveness, and social validity. The literature search encompassed the following databases: PsychInfo, Education Research Complete (ERC), Academic Search Complete (ASC), Education Resources Information Center (ERIC), Medline, and Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection. Search Terms were entered in three search fields. The first used terms associated with intellectual or developmental disabilities using “OR” inbwteen terms. The second field used terms associated with challenging behavior, and the third field used the terms (intervention* OR “behavior modif*” OR treatment). Inclusion criteria included (a) ID or DD diagnosis; (b) participant 18+ years old; (c) challenging behavior as a dependent variable. Search results across all the databases returned 6,947 results. Initial abstract screening excluded 6,611 studies. 335 studies were screend in full-text.

This study examined the correlations and predictive variables for a three-choice discounting task at assess what components influence selection when there are more than two choices. Twenty-two participants (5 males, 17 females) were offered the choice between a smaller amount now, a larger amount in 6 months, and a probability of getting 1000 dollars in a year. Correlation analyses revealed a large correlation between the difference between money now and six months for selecting the now and six-month choice. Multiple regression analyses showed that the percent chance of receiving $1,000 was only significantly predicted selection of the 1-year option. All main effects were predictive of selecting six months. Selection of now was significantly predicted by the amount now and the interaction between the amount now and in six months as well as the interaction between the percent chance and difference between the amount now and six months. These findings underscore the interplay of three choices with the incorporation of future probabilities in decision-making related to temporal discounting.

Understanding the relation between delayed reinforcement and stimulus control in timing increases our comprehension of the conditions, maximizing or reducing reinforcement effectiveness. Delayed reinforcement reduces stimulus control where time is the discriminative stimulus; this has been observed in Fixed Intervals, the Peak Procedure, and Temporal Bisection. The aim was to observe the effect of reinforcement delay in the Free Operant Psychophysical Procedure (FOPP) because no studies have been conducted using FOPP. Ten male Wistar rats were used. The sessions comprised 75 trials with two response alternatives (E1 vs. E2). Responding to E1 was reinforced during the first half of a 60-second trial, and responding to E2 was extinguished. For the last half of the trial, the contingency was reversed. In the first condition, baseline, reinforced responses followed two independent VI 60 s. In the second phase, an unsignaled delay to reinforcement of 6 s was implemented, and the VI was changed to 54 s to keep the rate of reinforcement constant. In the third phase, the baseline was reinstated. Results show that the response rate decreased with delayed reinforcement, and the psychometric curve changed. This result is consistent with previous reports where delayed reinforcement decreases temporal control of behavior.

This self-management project aimed to increase daily physical activity for a four-year-old labradoodle, Roxy, and her owner, Deina Escribano, to promote mutual physical health and strengthen their reinforcing bond. Using a multiple treatment reversal design, the study evaluated the effectiveness of two reinforcement conditions--differential reinforcement with small treats versus full-sized treats or two treats--on Roxy's daily active minutes. Her daily active minutes were measured using a GPS-enabled activity tracker built-in to Roxy's collar; the tracker is affiliated with an smartphone app called "Tractive" which was used as the main data recording method. Antecedent interventions induced placing Roxy's leash visibly by the front door, creating scheduled alerts in my phone, pre-walk rituals, and varying walk routes to encourage engagement. Activity data was recorded daily from baseline to treatment phases, with reversals to baseline to assess functional control. Results demonstrated a significant increase in Roxy's active minutes during treatment phases, particularly under the full reinforcement condition relying on the auditory cues, when compared to baseline conditions. Differential reinforcement with small treats showed moderate effectiveness. The combination of antecedents and reinforcement strategies consistently supported higher activity levels. Findings highlight the practical application of behavioral analytic principles in enhancing human-animal relationships and improving health outcomes. This study contributes to the literature on self-management and applied behavioral analysis, offering a framework for integrating behavioral strategies with technology for improving health and overall quality of life.

Forty adults (M = 36.55, SD = 10.43) were assigned to one of four experimental conditions. Groups 1 and 2 trained with high-valenced stimuli (e.g., “love” and “hate”), while Groups 3 and 4 used low-valenced stimuli (e.g., “warm” and “cool”). Groups 1 and 3 trained with a coordination frame (e.g., “eget” = “love/warm”), and Groups 2 and 4 with an opposition frame (e.g., “eget” = opposite of “love/warm”). The Affective Slider measured stimulus function transformations, with responses aligning to expected preconditioned relations. Conditioned stimuli (“eget” and “lorp”) were later used to form new 1-node, 3-member networks. All groups successfully acquired trained relations, with statistically significant different rates for A-B (p = 0.0154) and B-C (p = 0.0001) training but not mixed training (p = 0.3010) or tested relations (p = 0.4308). Results indicate that stimuli conditioned with frames of coordination and opposition can function effectively as consequent events, with high-valenced stimuli outperforming low-valenced ones.

This study examines the effects of a spelling flowchart intervention on spelling outcomes for five third-grade students with or at risk for disabilities. A multiple probe across participants design is employed to evaluate intervention effects on three key outcomes: target spelling concept accuracy, whole word spelling accuracy, and participant flowchart step accuracy. This research builds on a pilot study through systematic replication, aiming to extend findings to a new group of students. The intervention focuses on explicitly teaching the long /a/ spelling concept, including its associated spellings (e.g., ai, ay, a_e) through a structured flowchart approach designed to enhance student engagement and support generalization of skills. Preliminary findings indicate that a functional relation has been established across participants, demonstrating that the intervention effectively improves spelling outcomes. Additionally, observations suggest positive trends in students’ ability to generalize spelling concepts beyond trained contexts. Complete results and analyses would be presented at the conference.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects social communication skills, social interaction skills, and restrictiveness and repetitiveness of behaviors. While many autistic children may receive early intervention services to support these areas, many are not able to access support until they are of age to attend school. Therefore, it is imperative that educators be trained in evidence-based practices to support the communication needs of young autistic children. This study trained educators to conduct a free-operant preference assessment with young autistic children or children at-risk for autism (Study 1) and implement either mand training or functional communication training (Study 2). A concurrent multiple baseline design across three educators who work with autistic students was used to evaluate the effects of behavior skills training on the target skills. Results indicated that the training was effective across all educators. Additionally, the social validity survey indicated that all the educators found the training and the target skills to be highly acceptable and feasible in their classrooms. Limitations and future research are discussed.

Reinforcers are used to enhance the effectiveness of interventions aimed at skill acquisition and reducing challenging behaviors (Karsten & Carr, 2009; Tullis et al, 2011). Behavior analysts use preference assessments to systematically identify student preferences and highly preferred stimuli that may function as reinforcers (Kang et al., 2013). Teachers and other school-based professionals may be asked to implement behavioral interventions and my benefit from learning how to identify potential reinforcers (Pence et al., 2012; O’Handley et al., 2021). Currently, there is minimal research on whether these procedures are used by non-behavior analysts but Karsten & Graff (2012) suggest that teachers and other school-based professionals are less likely to know of and use preference assessments. To better understand factors that may affect teacher’s knowledge and implementation of preference assessments, the purpose of this qualitative study is to interview special education preschool teachers about their prior knowledge on preference assessments, their beliefs regarding procedural acceptability and feasibility, and factors that may affect their implementation.

College students frequently encounter stressors associated with academic life, impacting their overall well-being and academic performance. This study has explored the efficacy of self-management as an alternative for addressing these challenges. The self-management approach involves (1) selecting a target behavior for change, (2) recording its occurrence, (3) establishing and progressively increasing a reachable criterion, (4) choosing a reward or reinforcer for the target behavior, (5) choosing antecedent stimuli to cue appropriate behaviors, and (6) monitoring and adjusting the strategy as needed. Ten college students participated in a nonconcurrent multiple-baseline design. Participants received instructions on self-management principles, collected baseline and intervention data, and engaged in weekly discussions about their progress and challenges with a researcher. Preliminary findings indicate a decrease in problem behaviors or an increase in desired behaviors from baseline to intervention, suggesting that college students can acquire self-management skills to address behavioral needs. However, the study faced limitations, including extensive participant commitment leading to increased attrition.

The continuous development of supervisors in ABA is crucial for service quality and professional advancement. This study investigated the effectiveness of interteaching, an active learning approach that employs preparation guides, small group discussions, clarifying lectures, and frequent testing to teach skills during The Supervision Skills Training (SST). It was implemented with 29 professionals from a Brazilian clinic specializing in ABA. Over 20 hours, distributed across 10 sessions, topics such as planning and organization, selecting meaningful goals, measuring progress, online supervision, and interpersonal skills were covered. Pre- and post-tests evaluated content absorption, complemented by a satisfaction survey. The results showed that all participants achieved the established goals, indicating the effectiveness of interteaching in promoting active learning and professional engagement. Participants’ high satisfaction reinforces the positive impact of the training. Limitations include the absence of a control group and the program’s short duration, which limits the generalizability of the results. Future research should explore the impact of interteaching in varied contexts and its long-term effects on supervisors’ performance and clinical outcomes. This study highlights interteaching as an effective teaching strategy for developing the professional skills of ABA practitioners.

Understanding effective teaching strategies for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is essential for promoting engagement and skill development in age- appropriate recreational activities such as hopscotch. This research study investigates the efficacy of video modeling versus en vivo modeling in teaching a hopscotch play sequence to elementary-aged children with ASD. Using a comparative analysis, the research explores whether elementary-aged children instructed through en vivo modeling demonstrate a higher percentage of correct steps in hopscotch compared to those who receive video-based instruction. This study employs an alternating treatment design to assess learning outcomes among a sample of elementary-aged children diagnosed with ASD. The findings from this study could help improve how we teach motor skills to children with ASD, making playtime more fun and accessible. Furthermore, the implications of this research may stretch beyond the classroom, as they assist in enriching the lives of children with ASD, as well as creating more opportunities for inclusion, and enhancing their quality of life.

This poster will provide preliminary data for an Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) funded project called Project Social Code. Project Social Code aims to establish social and communication skills in students via science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) instruction. Specifically, Project Social Code is designed for elementary-aged students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Most commonly, STEM instruction is embedded into a general education curriculum that students with IDD do not have access to. However, about 35% of college students with IDD select coding as their primary study. Given restricted access to STEM instruction during grade school, students with IDD might not be adequately prepared for college-level STEM instruction as their typically-developing peers. Project Social Code's curriculum includes STEM instruction and social skill instruction, as most engineering teams involve more than one person and thus involve complex social skills. Results from two case studies will be reviewed and discussed, including student social skills data and teacher fidelity data.

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

Mentorship is one of the most crucial aspects to successful new teacher induction programming (Ingersoll & Strong, 2011). However, there are practical and logistical challenges. Challenges include: a) lack of qualified mentors, b) different locations throughout districts, c) lack of autism-specific training, d) misalignment of experience, e) misalignment of training schedules, f) missed training, and g) lack of autonomy and choice. Online learning modules are a popular method of disseminating information among teachers and effectively increasing teachers’ content knowledge (Jimenez et al., 2016; Upendra, 2015). Project STAY (Supporting Teachers of Autism in Years 1-3) developed a dynamic, self-paced, virtual training that specifically targeted these barriers. We developed five modules based on qualitative research from the perspectives of various stakeholders. These modules were designed by a technology-driven research cohort specializing in accessibility and distance education. We will present information on the content, technical development, presentation, and reception of these modules from both new and experienced mentor teachers.

Mathematics vocabulary (MV) is one component of mathematical language critical to mastering mathematics (Fuchs et al., 2021). This study examined the implementation, effects, and social validity of a manualized intervention for teaching students with disabilities MV. Participants included 30 students in grades 6-8 (ages 11-14) who demonstrated a lack of mastery of third grade MV and were identified with a disability and 3 teachers. Students were randomly assigned to treatment or control groups, and teachers implemented the intervention with the treatment group. The intervention consisted of 46 words/concepts taught in 22 lessons using carefully sequenced examples and non-examples. Intervention sessions producing a mean of 6.8 student responses per minute occurred once per school day for a mean of 11.8 minutes per session (range = 6-21 minutes). The two groups were similar at pretest in mathematics achievement and MV; however, treatment significantly outperformed control on the posttest of MV (p < .001, g = 1.99). Observational data indicate the intervention was implemented as intended and is feasible for use in schools. Social validity data suggest teachers found the intervention acceptable. Results indicate well-designed, manualized instruction using multiple exemplars can be highly effective for teaching MV to students needing remedial instruction.

The concept of functional competence is linked to that of intelligent behavior, as interface notions in the field theory proposed by Ribes (2018) and the interdisciplinary intervention of psychology in education. The purpose of the study is to analyze intelligent behavior as a conditional relationship between an individual who learns and a learning object, as states and transitions between functional levels. Intelligent behavior is identified as varied and effective from a transfer test based on the extension contact of the taxonomy of functions. An intrasubject design was used, with a pretest, a training phase, a posttest, and a transfer test. In the training phase, the participants, students of both sexes in the fifth grade of primary school, were exposed to contingencies of occurrence and function in three different sequences. Group A: coupling, alteration, comparison; group B: coupling, alteration, comparison, and extension; group C: coupling, alteration, comparison, extension, and transformation. The results suggest, based on the results of the transfer test, that training based on extension contact articulates contingencies of occurrence and function that make possible the emergence of functionally effective and varied behaviors.

Learning to read can be promoted through technology. In this research we evaluated performance of Mexican primary students to learn to read English as a second language assisted by technology. Thus, 23 children were recruited, 14 boys and 9 girls, aged between 9 and 13 years (mean = 9.2, standard deviation = 1.6). They had access to the “Head Sprout” learning platform for 8 months. This platform has proven to be effective in learning to read English as a first language. It consists of 100 episodes. The first 50 episodes promote the basic reading skills expected of K-2 students. The participating children had to study under the supervision of their parents at home due to the COVID-19 contingency. After 8 months, participants studied an average of 28 episodes with an average cumulative time of 578 minutes. The platform recorded an average of 208 interactions (responses using the mouse) for each episode studied. Accuracy in each episode ranged from 80 to 97%. No significant differences were found by sex, age or whether they studied alone or with a sibling. In general, these data suggest a low time of use of the technological resource with high precision performance.

The Response to Intervention (RTI) model emphasizes the establishment of students’ learning outcomes through a preventive approach within the three-tiered progress monitoring process, based on a high-quality core curriculum and evidence-based strategies. This study implemented the RTI three-tier model through transdisciplinary collaborative consultation, providing evidence-based interventions and continuously tracking their effectiveness. The three-year study targeted four preschools, where, during the progress monitoring process, children aged 2-6 with medical assessment reports or disability certificates received more intensive intervention in Tier II and Tier III. By the end of this session, participants will gain information about: 1. How to implement the RTI model in early childhood contexts; 2. A comparative analysis of whether the transdisciplinary collaboration model has been applied, and the differences in the performance of children receiving intervention at the three tiers; 3. A review of the performance of children’s intervention outcomes, early intervention effect evaluations across three dimensions, and the quality of family life under interdisciplinary collaboration. The RTI three-tier model in this study, through adjustments and modifications to the transdisciplinary service model, confirms the feasibility of its application in Taiwan's preschools.

This study’s purpose was to evaluate the effects of a guided practice and shaping procedure on developing sentence writing by a 10-year-old male with autism spectrum disorder in a Self-Contained Special Education classroom. The dependent variable was the number of sentences written assessed in four components: number of words from word box, complete sentences written, capitalization/punctuation, and linear writing. Within a changing criterion design, permanent product assessed the participant’s writing using a point system earned from the components met. Within the guided practice and shaping intervention, each of the dependent variable’s components were taught individually to gradually shape the participant’s skill. After one component was mastered, the others were individually introduced. For guided practice, the researcher first modeled the target component showing how to correctly perform the skill. To assist the participant, a rule was given for him to self-direct. As the participant learned, the modeling, guiding, and prompting reduced so the participant performed independently. Throughout all the stages, contingent feedback was given to facilitate correct responding. The study's conclusions demonstrated the effective integration of utilizing guided practice, shaping, explicit rules, and self-monitoring to positively impact the participant's writing to mastery in the intervention and maintenance phases.

Over the past century, life expectancy in the United States has grown. There are over 40 million people over the age of 65, and this figure is expected to double by 2050. Currently, there is limited research exploring how behavior analytic interventions that fit the seven dimensions of behavior analysis (applied, behavioral, analytic, conceptually systematic, technological, effective, and generality) are employed with older adults. Evaluation of whether studies fit the seven dimensions of behavior analysis is necessary to ensuring the development of the field and strengthening of the foundation of evidence-based practices. The purpose of the current review was, first, to summarize and expand a review of the literature on behavior analytic interventions employed with older adults with and without disabilities, and second, to expand the findings of Lucock et al (2019) by analyzing research with older adults to determine whether interventions adhere to the seven dimensions of behavior analysis. The current review found research deficits in several dimensions that could impact the quality of interventions to address the needs of adults as they age, demonstrating a greater need for future research to focus on interventions meeting the seven dimensions to ensure quality treatment of the aging population in the future.

Professionals in applied behavior analysis (ABA) face a significant risk of experiencing burnout, specifically exhaustion and disengagement (Slowiak & DeLongchamp, 2022). To mitigate these challenges, wellness programs can serve as a proactive approach by fostering employee engagement, addressing workplace stressors, and promoting well-being. Employee wellness programs vary widely, with limited research available to determine the critical components and optimal strategies for an effective design and intervention. Research on the implementation of behavioral interventions within employee wellness programs remains limited at this time. The purpose of this study was to evaluate and design an employee wellness program for an in-home agency employing 43 RBTs, 11 BCBAs, and 7 administrative staff. The program focused on enhancing employees' eight dimensions of wellness through a gamification-based approach. The assessment phase utilized direct and indirect measures, including surveys, preference assessments (Peterson, Lerman, & Nissen, 2016), and a PIC/NIC analysis, to identify wellness-related needs and barriers. A gamification-based model was utilized to increase employee participation and satisfaction by incorporating elements such as challenges, rewards, and progress tracking. Results will be discussed in more detail on the poster.

Inspired by Keller’s Personalized System of Instruction (PSI), the first version of what is now the Structured-Pace, Personalized, Interactive, & Networked (SPIN) System of Instruction was adopted at the University of Nevada, Reno in 1994. This system of instruction was developed as a variation of PSI to meet the learning demands of the modern college system, while serving as a training opportunity for advanced undergraduate students and doctoral graduate students, providing them the opportunity to deepen content knowledge and associated instructional skills. SPIN has maintained a responsive and adaptive system over its 25+ year history, with changes driven by data and consumer feedback. Since 1999, more than 26 thousand freshman have studied psychology within the SPIN framework. Over 600 undergraduates, and nearly 100 doctoral students, have gained experience in college teaching. Moreover, several graduate research projects have guided the enhancement of SPIN, providing mutual benefit to the system and its consumers, as well as to the graduate students conducting research. This presentation will cover historic and current data related to the impacts of this PSI-informed system of instruction on academic performance and additional outcome measures, providing an overview of SPIN as a sustained behavioral system.

Purpose: With the aim of improving support for after-school day-care services, the objective was to conduct functional assessment training using a card game originally developed by the researchers, and to examine how this would affect the number of support ideas participants would come up with for fictitious cases and the quality of these ideas. Participant: A total of 37 staff members from four after-school day service centers were included in the study. Intervention: We created our own role-playing card game aimed at having the participants learn functional assessment and idea generation, and conducted it for 1.5 to 2 hours. Behavioral measures: The number of support ideas and quality of ideas for the fictitious cases and social relevance were used as dependent variables. Results: Comparing the total number of ideas and the quality of ideas for fictitious cases before and after the training, the number of ideas increased and the quality of ideas increased after the training. The results of the validity evaluation of the training by the participants indicated that the content of the training was easy to understand and useful for the participants.

A great deal of emphasis is placed on teaching and practicing ethical behavior in the helping professions, including behavior analysis. However, how much of what we know is based on experimental data? To examine this question, we followed PRISMA guidelines, searching Psych Info, PubMed, Business Source Complete, and Google Scholar, then searching reference lists of these studies. We identified 349 articles up through 2023, and 28 more from 2024 (we are in the process of coding these). Of the initial 339, only 51 were experimental, with most from the fields of business/marketing (n=26), followed by other (n=11), clinical/counseling psychology/therapy/social work (n=7), bioethics/medicine (n=3), research (n=2), and behavior analysis (n=2). The non-experimental articles included correlational and self-report data and literature reviews or meta-analyses, or they were conceptual articles. Interestingly, business/marketing was the only field to include in vivo ethical dilemmas and measure associated behavioral responses. Vignettes were the most frequently used means of identifying the type of behavior in which participants reported they would hypothetically engage. Few experimental studies are published each year, and most are in the field of business rather than the helping professions. Recommendations for future research on ethical decision-making, with specific recommendations for behavior analysis are discussed.

This case study applies matrix training in a discrete trial instructional context targeting multiple component tacts of actions. Target selection using matrix training is a practical way to promote the emergence of flexible response combinations through an economy of instruction. Matrices, coupled with errorless, discrete trial teaching practices, allowed instructors to introduce instructional stimuli and targeted skills in a planful manner. As shown by both participants’ consistent acquisition of the directly trained skills and their generalization to novel stimuli, use of matrix training in discrete trial instructional contexts may benefit both teachers and learners. Both participants demonstrated consistent skill acquisition of the directly trained target skills and generalization of these skills to novel stimuli. Utilization of matrix training in a discrete trial context using errorless teaching procedures and a carefully crafted skill sequence facilitated efficient teaching and generalization. The given time-related constraints faced by both learners and instructors, these teaching and instructional design techniques are of potential benefit to both.