Association for Behavior Analysis International

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

This symposium features four presentations that investigate the efficacy and social validity of parent-implemented interventions for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) via telehealth. The first presentation highlights a telehealth caregiver coaching program for families of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), demonstrating high caregiver treatment fidelity and significant improvements in child skill acquisition through interventions like functional communication training and naturalistic teaching. The second presentation examines a culturally adapted Prevent, Teach, and Reinforce for Families (PTR-F) program for Chinese American families of young autistic children, revealing mixed results, yet high acceptability and feasibility as reported by parents. The third presentation focuses on functional behavioral assessments (FBA) and function-based treatments delivered via telehealth to address sleep problems in children with ASD, showing that parent-implemented strategies such as extinction and visual schedules enhanced sleep behaviors. The fourth presentation explores the experiences and preferences of individuals with IDD who participated in caregiver-implemented interventions targeting daily living skills, emphasizing the importance of participant preferences in selecting effective strategies. Together, these studies underscore the promise and flexibility of telehealth-based, parent-implemented interventions across diverse populations.

Although interventions based on applied behavior analysis (ABA) are effective in addressing underdeveloped skills in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), many families may not have access to in-person ABA services. Telehealth may be a way of addressing this need; therefore, this study sought to evaluate the efficacy of a telehealth caregiver coaching program delivered to caregivers of children with ASD. Thirty children with ASD participated in this study. This study involved 1-2 synchronous meetings per week with the child’s primary caregiver and the child, via telehealth, and was delivered in the caregiver’s primary language (i.e., either English or Spanish). Caregiver coaches were masters or doctoral students completing ABA coursework. Interventions were personalized based on an assessment of the child and the family’s needs and preferences. Evidence-based practices used to target skill deficits included functional communication training, discrete trial training, total-task chaining, and naturalistic teaching. Data were collected on caregiver treatment fidelity and child outcomes. On average, the caregiver’s treatment fidelity was 95%. For 85% of the goals addressed, single-case effect sizes calculated based on baseline and intervention data resulted in medium, large, or very large improvements. Recommendations for providing telehealth ABA services will also be discussed.

Children with autism spectrum disorder suffer more sleep problems than their typically developing peers as well as children with different development disabilities. Functional behavioral assessments (FBA) can be used to identify and treat problem behavior that interferes with sleep. A multiple baseline design across participants was used to evaluate a FBA and corresponding function-based treatment delivered via telehealth. Three children with ASD and their families were treated using these procedures. Sleep problems and corresponding problem behavior were assessed using the Sleep Assessment and Treatment Tool, a parent completed sleep diary, and the use of an actigraphy monitor. Parents were trained by a caregiver coach to deliver the treatment. The caregiver coach then provided synchronous coaching during the participant’s typical bedtime routine. Treatment procedures varied across families but included extinction, visual schedules, and stimulus fading. Participants engaged in less sleep interfering problem behavior, fell asleep faster, and spent more minutes asleep.

Chinese American families of autistic children are absent in the intervention literature. The current study examined the efficacy and social validity of a culturally adapted and telepractice version of the Prevent, Teach, and Reinforce for Families (PTR-F) for Chinese American families of young autistic children in the United States. PTR-F is a manualized and evidence-based positive behavior support program, including parent education and training to assist families in resolving their children’s mild to moderate severity challenging behavior in home and community settings. The intervention was culturally adapted using Bernal’s Ecological Validity Model and delivered via telepractice. Six mothers and their children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) participated. Two independent randomized concurrent multiple baseline designs across six parent-child dyads were used to examine the effects of the culturally adapted PTR-F intervention program when delivered by mothers on the decreased rate of target child challenging behavior. Visual analysis combined with Tau-U and standardized mean difference analysis revealed mixed results. Parent perceptions of the acceptability, feasibility and effectiveness of the culturally adapted PTR-F intervention program’s goals, procedures, and outcomes were collected using standardized social validity questionnaires with the addition of open-ended responses and reported using descriptive statistics and parent responses to open-ended questions.

Resurgence refers to the recurrence of a previously reduced target response when reinforcement conditions for an alternative response worsen. Differences in resurgence can be influenced by the reinforcement histories of both the target and alternative responses. When target responding is reduced by degrading its reinforcement contingencies, resurgence is mitigated compared to when the target response is eliminated via extinction. This study compared resurgence following the degradation of target responding through varying timeout durations and extinction. Resurgence was assessed in a 3-component schedule across two experiments with three rats, where target responding was reduced by extinction or by 2-, 5-, and 30-second timeouts. In Experiment 1, Phases 1 and 2 ended after 15 reinforcers, while in Experiment 2, the phases ended after 15 and 30 reinforcers, respectively. Preliminary results indicate that when phases ended after an equal number of reinforcers, resurgence was mitigated following 2- and 5-second timeouts in two subjects but occurred at similar levels following extinction and the 30-second timeout. In contrast, greater alternative reinforcement in Phase 2 mitigated resurgence across both timeout and extinction conditions. These findings suggest that extending alternative reinforcement contingencies during the degradation of target responses could help in reducing resurgence.

Renewal is an increase in the rate of responding of a previously eliminated behavior due to a change in context. These context changes typically occur when the target behavior may be reinforced in one context (A). Then, an alternative response in a novel context is reinforced, while the target behavior is eliminated (B). Finally, treatment encounters either a familiar context (A) or a new context (C). When a familiar context is encountered, this is considered ABA renewal, whereas a novel context is considered ABC renewal. Previous prevalence studies regarding renewal of targeted behaviors have commonly included extinction and they have not examined treatments without extinction. Therefore, we examined the prevalence of renewal where extinction was not used. We used a consecutive case series analysis of clients admitted to an intensive day treatment program between 2021-2024. Individuals were included if they received a treatment that did not incorporate the use of extinction (e.g., differential reinforcement of alternative behavior, token economy; N=13) and if they experienced at least one context change during their admission. Of the 32 cases where extinction was not used, bursts of target behavior were observed in seven cases (21.88%).

Human-laboratory experiments of behavioral resurgence often show human responding lacking sensitivity to extinction contingencies. The current experiments aimed to evaluate whether baseline phase length or the presence of competing activities during a three-phase procedure influenced target response elimination and resurgence in a novel, gamified arrangement. Across both experiments, participants played an arcade style “space shooter” video game on a laptop computer, earning points as reinforcers for destroying either the target or alternative spaceship on the screen according to a variable-interval 3-s (VI 3) schedule of reinforcement. During Experiment 1, exposure to baseline contingencies for three minutes relative to four minutes was compared across two groups of participants for the potential impact on resurgence of target responding. In a second experiment, we evaluated the presence or absence of competing activities (e.g., collectible gems, speed boosts) on target response elimination. Participants experiencing longer baseline durations exhibited more persistent target responding during Phase 2 and 3 as well as higher levels of resurgence. Additionally, we observed quicker response elimination with participants who did not have access to competing activities. Results will be discussed in terms of the implications of this arrangement on future human-laboratory research on response relapse.

Navigating challenging situations is a core part of working in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), yet these critical skills often aren’t covered in textbooks or graduate classes. Whether mediating team dynamics, addressing payer concerns, or guiding families through their child’s first ABA experience, these conversations can be stressful and overwhelming for clinicians. It has been found that long-term exposure to work-related stress leads to poor job satisfaction, contributing to turnover in our field (Plantiveau, C. et al., 2018). Furthermore, Blackman A. (et. al., 2024) mentions that some of the contributing factors for BCBA turnover were clinicians reporting a lack of supervision, collegiality, professional relationships, and professional development. Our objective is to better equip BCBAs with antecedent-based strategies, so they can access resources and conquer challenges with confidence. This panel will explore a variety of difficult scenarios encountered by practitioners across different roles in ABA and autism services. The panelists will share their hard-earned strategies with the intent to help you sustain your career over the long term.

N/A

Skinner opened the door for behavior analysts to apply the principles of behavior to a variety of areas (Skinner, 1953), and issues pertaining to mental health are no exception. More recently, the field of behavior analysis has focused on trauma informed practice and compassionate care training; however, questions on how this translates for behavior analysts on a practical and ethical level still remain. For Example: How do behavior analysts approach and intervene on the behaviors of individuals who present with co-occurring mental health issues and/or do not have a developmental disability? As behavior analysts begin to contact new information aimed at expanding or practicing beyond developmental disabilities, they may struggle to access specific training and supervision to best meet the needs of diverse clients who have not been represented in the behavior analytic literature. This panel will discuss recent applications of compassion on a practical and ethical level focusing on examples outside of developmental disabilities. This will include examples of education on trauma informed care, compassionate training and assent focused interventions, and understanding of psychological terms like "attachment" as delivered by and written for by behavior analysts.

Attendees should have a basic understanding of behavior analytic principles including verbal behavior. Awareness or interest in mental health diagnoses is recommended.

Research in applied behavior analysis (ABA) often occurs in a university setting and a disproportionate number of published authors are affiliated with universities (Kelley et al., 2015). As most providers work outside of universities (Behavior Analysis Certification Board, n.d.), it is unknown to what extent procedures identified in university settings are feasible for services conducted elsewhere. Thus, conducting research in other settings could serve as a direct way to alleviate and close the basic research to applied research gap. However, these settings may also present unique challenges to the research process (Valentina & Juanico, 2020). As part of the professional development series (PDS) hosted by the student association of the Association for Behavior Analysis International, our panelists from a variety of ABA backgrounds will discuss their experiences, challenges, how they have overcome such challenges, and how others can be involved in research in unique environments. Attendees will be able to describe some of the barriers and possible solutions that behavior analysts may contact when conducting research in non-university settings

Decades of research and clinical service delivery support the use of treatments based on applied behavior analysis to decrease challenging behavior (e.g., aggression, disruptive behavior, self-injury) and teach skills (e.g., social, academic, verbal behavior). Although highly efficacious, behavioral treatment can be time- and resource-intensive. Technology is one way to improve efficiency and reduce costs. The presentations in this symposium will focus on using technology to augment, improve, or maintain treatment outcomes in behavioral treatment. The first presentation will describe the use of an artificial intelligence notetaker to increase efficiency and accuracy of clinicians’ treatment notes. The second presentation will discuss research on using virtual reality in parent and staff training. The third presentation will explore gamification of behavioral interventions. Finally, the fourth presentation will compare outcomes of a digital parent training tool to treatment by a clinician. Collectively, these presentations cover various ways to incorporate technologies into behavioral service delivery.

The target audience is BCBAs, BCaBAs, or students training to become BCBAs. Audience members should broadly understand the principles of ABA and basic approaches to assessment and treatment.

LeBlanc and colleagues (2019) note that inefficiency in managing caseloads can have significant adverse impacts on the quality of services, development of therapeutic relationships, and agency finances. Tools that increase fluency and efficiency are important to the effective work of behavior analysts. This study investigates the use of an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Notetaker by students studying Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). A pilot participant summarized two brief simulated parent interviews, once with and once without the AI Notetaker. The participant strongly endorsed the AI Notetaker in that it allowed for easier and more efficient task completion (~20 min time savings). Next, we will conduct a multiple-baseline-across-participants design; data will be collected on duration of task completion, quality of work (as assessed by a rubric), and social validity. Although current data are limited to one participant, our findings are promising; data from the multiple-baseline study will be presented at the conference. Additionally, presenters will share promising applications of the AI Notetaker to mealtime interventions. Its usefulness will be considered in the context of the complex qualitative information gathered during caretaker interviews and how this might help assessment of past and present narratives that shape caregivers’ feeding experiences and subsequent interventions.

In Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), the gamification of interventions—particularly through video games—represents an exciting yet underexplored frontier. Over the past two years, Simcoach Games, a leader in transformational game development, has partnered with behavior analysts to integrate evidence-based practices into the game design process. This collaboration merges expertise from both fields, resulting in video games grounded in well-established ABA interventions, assessments, and research-based strategies. This presentation will showcase the step-by-step process of translating applied behavior analytic literature into engaging, transformative games. Through live video demonstrations, we will highlight the effectiveness of using technology to enhance skill acquisition and streamline behavioral assessments. The presentation will also explore data produced by learner behavior within these games, illustrating how gamified interventions offer not only educational engagement but also rich, actionable data for clinicians. Attendees will gain valuable insights into how these digital tools can be employed in clinical and educational settings, delivering data-driven, interactive experiences that enrich both the teaching process and learner outcomes. This integration of technology and ABA interventions promises to drive innovation and enhance the effectiveness of behavior analysis for practitioners and clients alike.

The study of behavior at the neuromuscular level presents numerous opportunities for current and future behavioral scientists. These opportunities span both the basic and applied domains of the science of behavior. This talk aims to highlight some initial forays into the investigation, application, and conceptualization of neuromuscular responses with examples coming from the basic and the applied laboratory. The first study examines the mechanisms surrounding extinction at the neuromuscular level. Working with healthy undergraduate student participants, this study specifically examines the role of instructional control as it relates to response patterns and extinction bust probability. The second study moves out of the laboratory and into the clinic, specifically a physical therapy clinic. This portion of the talk will highlight how physical rehabilitation can be re-imagined through a behavioral lens. Data will be presented on the impact behaviorally informed approaches to biofeedback can have on the trajectory of post anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction recovery. For both studies, surface electromyographic technology serves as the primary measure of neuromuscular activity. The work aims to highlight a relatively unexplored area of behavioral science. An area of behavioral science likely to advance our understanding of basic behavioral processes and enrich applied practice for the betterment of patient quality of life.

Behavioral pharmacology has benefited greatly from the experimental analysis of behavior. The prediction and control afforded by experimental analyses offer unique insights into how drugs affect behavior and operant responses. Advances in behavioral economics, specifically, have increased our understanding of drug abuse liability and the potential for misuse. Thus, it is unsurprising that translational efforts in behavioral economics and choice have begun to inform public policy surrounding drug labeling, marketing, and design. This translational symposium highlights the importance of experimental analyses in experimental public policy concerning drug marketing regulations. This symposium showcases work being done in both nicotine and cannabis control arenas, across the entire translational continuum: nonhuman experiments, preclinical translations, and applied behavior analysis. In particular, two presentations will focus on nicotine consumption in terms of vaping flavors and greenwashing. The remaining two will focus on the emerging issues related to THC-infused cannabis edibles. The event concludes with expert insights from Dr. Steven Hursh.

Behavior analysts with training or interest in behavioral pharmacology or public policy.

Cannabis packaging and labeling in the U.S. are regulated at the state level, leading to inconsistency due to the lack of federal standardization. While most states mandate labels to include product content, health warnings, child safety disclaimers, and a cannabis symbol, regulations on aspects like colors, fonts, and dosing information vary more widely. Research from tobacco control literature shows that packaging can significantly impact consumer behavior, particularly among younger individuals. This issue is especially concerning for young children since THC-infused gummies resemble regular gummy candies, unlike most tobacco products. With rising cases of pediatric cannabis ingestion resulting in hospitalizations, effective public health strategies are needed. This study aimed to examine how packaging affects consumer demand. We employed a 2 (colorful versus basic label designs; between subjects) x 2 (5mg vs. 30mg THC dose; within-subjects) design. 100 participants from states with legalized recreational cannabis completed a simulated purchase task after viewing experimental packaging. Findings indicated that demand for THC gummies was relatively unaffected by packaging variations. The results suggest further research is needed to explore effective ways to minimize risks associated with edible cannabis products, especially among vulnerable populations like children.

Individuals who show self-control are better able to delay gratification, opting for choices that lead to improved long-term outcomes. A well-developed self-control repertoire is closely linked to safer, healthier, and more responsible behaviors, contributing to overall well-being and life satisfaction (Amlung et al., 2016). In self-control research, subjects are typically presented with a choice between a smaller, immediate reward and a larger, delayed one, often within tightly controlled experimental conditions. While researchers have explored various methods to increase preference for the delayed reward, many of these approaches require considerable time, precision, and effort to implement effectively. Recently, Madden et al. (2023) suggested that Pavlovian conditioning may enhance self-control techniques by first conditioning a stimulus, which is then applied in a self-control framework. This symposium will present data from both basic and applied evaluations of Pavlovian conditioning techniques in fostering self-control. The implications for teaching self-control on a larger scale, with fewer resources and greater efficiency, will also be discussed.

The audience should have an understanding of research in Pavlovian conditioning, self-control, and related terminology. Researchers and clinicians are welcome.

Impulsive choice is the preference for a smaller-sooner reward over a larger-later reward. Mahmoudi and Madden (in press) reported that a Pavlovian conditioned stimulus when presented before and after a larger-later reward choice increased self-control choice in rats. In a follow-up experiment, male and female Long-Evans rats were randomly assigned to Pavlovian, unpaired, or truly random control groups. During an eight-session training phase, a lever insertion signaled a food for Pavlovian rats, and rats sign-tracked to this conditioned stimulus. The lever did not acquire a conditioned stimulus function for rats in the unpaired and truly random control groups. An impulsive choice assessment followed. For half of the rats, the lever from the training phase served as the larger-later reward lever and, when it was pressed, it was retracted during the delay to the larger-later reward. There was no difference in choice across the Pavlovian, unpaired, or truly randomized control rats. For the other half of the rats, the lever was presented before choice and remained in the chamber during the delay to the larger-later reward. Among these rats, preliminary visual analysis shows that Pavlovian-trained rats made more self-control choices than unpaired or truly random control groups; the latter were undifferentiated.

Teaching self-control to children involves presenting a choice between a smaller, immediate reward and a larger, delayed reward. One approach to developing self-control, known as delay fading, starts with no delay for either reward. As the child consistently chooses the larger reward, the delay is gradually increased. Although delay fading can be effective, some children still struggle to choose the delayed reward (e.g., Fisher et al., 2000). Madden et al. (2023) suggested an alternative method by incorporating a bridging stimulus with a prior history of Pavlovian conditioning. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a pre-conditioning procedure on the self-control responses of kindergarten children, both with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities. Pilot data showed increased positive emotional responses and conditioned stimulus attraction when using a visual card as the conditioned stimulus in the classroom. This visual stimulus was then used in an intertemporal choice task to determine the indifference point. Preliminary findings indicated no effect on self-control, and further analysis will focus on modifying the conditioned stimulus.

Cross-functional collaboration (CFC) is vital for effective decision-making within the national intelligence community and law enforcement organizations. However, challenges such as negative attitudes, low trust, and distinct functional responsibilities can hinder cooperation, impacting organizational success. Organizational Behavior Management (OBM) offers a promising framework for addressing these challenges through its use of behavior analytic principles to improve individual and organizational performance. This presentation will discuss an interdisciplinary approach to investigate the potential benefits of feedback systems, a common OBM intervention, in enhancing collaboration, trust, and the effectiveness of intelligence operations. With the implementation of effective feedback systems, OBM can help establish a more responsive collaboration framework. This approach may enable decision-makers to engage more effectively with intelligence products and intelligence groups, resulting in a continuous loop of communication and improvement. Ultimately, this presentation aims to contribute to a better understanding of the challenges and opportunities for collaboration within the national intelligence community and law enforcement organizations.

Applied behavior analysis (ABA) has developed a plethora of empirically validated technologies with the capacity to improve the lives of others through behavior change. These technologies are frequently utilized in service to individuals with a diagnosis of intellectual disability or autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Application of these same principles within clinical settings to address behavioral issues typically associated with mental health disorders has become a more prominent topic in recent years (Danforth, 2016). Residential treatment settings offer a unique opportunity to demonstrate the effectiveness of behaviorally based interventions across a wide-ranging level of severity within that population but may be criticized for the restrictive nature of these settings. This is especially relevant considering the recent emphasis on assent-based treatments in the field and the underlying absence of assent in many or most aspects of residential treatment programs. The purpose of this symposium is to 1) Describe the application of effective behavior analytic technologies to improve a range of severe behavioral issues to several individuals with mental health disorders 2) To examine the use and limits of assent-based treatment in these settings, and 3) to offer a conceptual analysis of assent as it relates to clinical and real-world conditions.

Participants should have already obtained BCBA certification and have independent experience practicing while upholding the Ethical Code of Conduct. This panel is targeted to behaviour analysts who have already developed strong ethical practice skills but who are seeking further development with the changing guidelines.

Clinical application of behavioral technologies to address behaviors typically associated with mental health disorders has garnered increased attention in recent years. Demonstrating the effectiveness of behaviorally based procedures within clinical populations further illustrates the range and efficacy of behavioral science. A portion of this work takes place within residential treatment centers. These settings are often populated by individuals with well-established repertoires of dangerous or potentially dangerous behaviors and who carry a variety of diagnoses from Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders-Fifth Edition (DSM-5). Some of these individuals do not possess legal decision-making authority due to their juvenile status or the lawful appointment of a guardian. These factors limit the scope of individual control that is central to assent-based treatment and can occasion countercontrol behavior. Countercontrol is human operant behavior that occurs in response to socially mediated aversive control (Fontes & Shahan, 2019). Engagement in countercontrol is a challenging aspect of service delivery within this population which is impacted by the ineffectiveness of prior interventions. Data will be provided across multiple participants in support of a function-based treatment. Discussion will encompass development of such repertoires, assessment, and treatment planning.

The Ethical Code for Behavior Analysts introduces the term ‘assent’ under 2.11 (Obtaining Informed Consent), stating that behavior analysts are ‘responsible for obtaining assent from clients when applicable’. Client assent is broadly thought of as agreement and voluntary participation in treatment procedures, but there is limited research describing assent procedures or studying the implications for treatment outcomes (Morris, Detrick, & Peterson, 2021). This presentation will provide a conceptual analysis of assent, discuss where assent was derived from, and examine some of the challenges and unintended consequences with its use within the ethical guidelines of behavior analytic practice. Embedded within this analysis is a commentary about choice behavior, as well as considerations about how to maximize and honor client assent to the greatest degree possible in settings or contexts that typically preclude or limit the scope of assent-based treatment options. Reasonable alternatives to assent when obtaining it is difficult, questionable, or in conflict with other ethical guidelines will be presented.

In this talk, I will outline the palpable excitement of being in the room as a PhD student during the heyday of derived relational responding research in the late 1980s and early 1990s. I will outline the importance of my venture into the philosophy of science and key epistemological issues in behavior analysis for supporting my later empirical research. I will then outline a flavor of each of three strands of my research in the analysis of resistance to change in derived relations, the derived transformation of fear and avoidance functions and implications for psychotherapy, and the development of a relational responding intervention to enhance general intellectual ability. The synopses of these adventures and misadventures will include an illustration of how in each case, progress could not have been made if I had been bound by a five-year plan, career and self-promotion concerns, or concerns over publication output. Staying true to my philosophical roots as first and foremost a radical behaviorist, has placed me in a rather difficult to define position between traditional behavior analysis and contextual behavioral science, with which I am often associated. But in that open space I have carved out an interesting and agile research career, surrounded by brilliant friends and colleagues who share an informed distrust of overly-complex theoretical and philosophical models that are progressive to the point of being hard to identify as behavior analytic. Most importantly they share my passion for the beauty and elegance of basic behavioral science.

Differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO) is a strategy commonly used to address challenging behavior but can be difficult to implement with high treatment integrity. While it is ideal that behavioral treatments are implemented with perfect treatment integrity, previous research has demonstrated that treatment effects can be observed even with occasional treatment integrity errors. However, the impact of various degrees of treatment integrity on outcomes of DRO is still unclear. The purpose of the current study was to conduct a parametric analysis of treatment integrity level (100%, 80%, 60%, 40%, 20%) in DRO in a human operant arrangement using a multiple treatments reversal design. Participants engaged with a computer program in which mouse-clicks on a moving button on the screen served as the target response and a proxy for challenging behavior. Rate of target responding was compared across baseline, DRO with 100% treatment integrity, and during reduced-integrity DRO (i.e., 80%., 60%, 40%, and 20% treatment integrity). Results indicate that DRO may be robust despite some level of treatment integrity error. These findings will inform future evaluations of treatment integrity errors in DRO and may inform mediator training practices.

Differential Reinforcement of Alternative Behavior (DRA) effectively reduces challenging behavior by reinforcing an alternative behavior. However, its efficacy can be compromised if implemented with errors. With other procedures (e.g., RIRD, DRO), interspersing high- and low-fidelity sessions has reduced negative effects of fidelity errors, but this has not yet been demonstrated with DRA. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to identify how experimental design (phase-wide errors or interspersed high- and low-fidelity) impacted responding when fidelity was reduced. To address this question, we used a within-subject translational model. Undergraduate students engaged in arbitrary responses on a computer-based task that were analogous to challenging and appropriate behavior. Participants experienced three conditions: baseline, DRA 100%, and DRA 50%. During the phase-wide errors, participants experienced an extended period of DRA 100% followed by an extended period of DRA 50%. During the interspersed high- and low-fidelity phase, participants rapidly alternated between the DRA 100% and DRA 50% conditions. Fidelity errors had differential effects based on the experimental design. In some cases, DRA was still effective when implemented with interspersed errors.

A limitation of the parametric literature regarding procedural errors is that individual stimulus sets or tasks are typically implemented with one level of fidelity throughout a study. Currently, no studies have investigated how implementing procedures with varying levels of fidelity affects learning. In addition, a small body of research indicates that a history of errors may impact future learning (e.g., Bergmann et al., 2021; Hirst & DiGennaro Reed, 2015). In Experiment 1, we varied the levels of procedural fidelity across one of three stimulus groups during a matching-to-sample task. Subsequently, we implemented a 100% fidelity phase for the varying group of stimuli to evaluate how initially exposing learners to varying levels of fidelity affects ongoing performance once errors are corrected. In Experiment 2, we systematically replicated Experiment 1 and included an incentive component to further investigate how including a cumulative point system and the opportunity to obtain additional reinforcers would affect learning. Overall, the results showed that the varying levels with which procedural errors are introduced can be detrimental to learning. However, when errors are corrected, individuals can master the task.

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

N/A