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| Cultural Considerations in Applied Behavior Analysis: A Functional and Contextual Perspective |
| Saturday, March 5, 2022 |
| 9:30 AM–12:30 PM |
| Fourth Floor; Grand Ballroom 1/2 |
| Area: AUT; Domain: Service Delivery |
| CE Instructor: Akihiko Masuda, Ph.D. |
| AKIHIKO MASUDA (University of Hawaii) |
 Akihiko (Aki) Masuda is a Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa. He earned his BA in Psychology at West Virginia University in 1993, MA in Applied Behavior Analysis at University of the Pacific in 2000, and Ph.D. in Psychology (Clinical Psychology) at University of Nevada, Reno in 2006. His primary areas of interest are broad, including philosophy of science, clinical behavior analysis, acceptance- and mindfulness-based behavioral therapies, diversity and cultural considerations in behavioral health, and happiness. He is the author of over 90 peer-reviewed papers and 40 book chapters. His recent works include Mindfulness and Acceptance in Multicultural Competency (New Harbinger, 2014), Handbook of Zen, Mindfulness and Behavioral Health (Springer, 2017), and Prejudice, Stigma, Privilege, and Oppression: A Behavioral Health Handbook (Springer, 2020). |
| Description: Following a framework of contextual behavioral science (CBS), this workshop offers insights into the cultural considerations in clinical behavior analysis and applied behavior analysis. To begin, I briefly present an overview of CBS as well as that of cultural competency, cultural humility, and cultural adaptation. Subsequently, I argue that our intervention work is best understood functionally and contextually as the purposeful behavior of an interventionist (e.g., behavior analyst) in a therapeutic context and the way in which behavior of the interventionist is both principle-informed and experientially guided. From a functional and contextual account, every applied case is subject to cultural adaptation because no two individuals have identical learning histories and situational contexts. I also argue that if our work is practiced functionally and contextually, no additional guidelines for cultural adaptation are needed. What is extremely difficult, however, is to practice and embody behavior analytic work functionally and contextually. This workshop offers some insights of how a behavior analyst stays connected with the therapeutic context with a given client functionally and contextually. |
| Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the workshop, participants will be able to: (1) discuss the philosophy (assumption), theory, and practice underlying “the purposeful behavior of an interventionist in a given applied context;” (2) describe the cultural adaptation of behavioral intervention from the perspective of functional contextualism; (3) identify the areas in practice where cultural adaptation is particularly important. |
| Activities: This workshop will include a balanced presentation of lecture, guided practice in a small group activity, and group discussion. Core content will be taught through lecture and in-person demonstrations of strategies will be provided. Supplemental materials for identifying language and learning barriers will be provided in order to support participant learning. |
| Audience: A basic understanding of the contingency of reinforcement in theory and practice is required. |
| Content Area: Practice |
| Instruction Level: Intermediate |
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| The Future of Applied Behavior Analysis and Improved Quality of Life for Adult Autistics/Individuals Diagnosed With Autism Spectrum Disorder |
| Saturday, March 5, 2022 |
| 2:00 PM–5:00 PM |
| Fourth Floor; Grand Ballroom 1/2 |
| Area: AUT; Domain: Service Delivery |
| CE Instructor: Peter Gerhardt, Ed.D. |
| PETER GERHARDT (The EPIC School) |
 Peter Gerhardt, Ed.D., is the Executive Director of the EPIC School in Paramus, NJ. Dr. Gerhardt has over 40 years of experience utilizing the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis in support of adolescents and adults with autism spectrum disorders in educational, employment, residential and community-based settings. He is the author or co-author on a number of articles and book chapters on the needs of adolescents and adults with ASD and has presented nationally and internationally on this topic. Dr. Gerhardt serves as Co-Chairman of the Scientific Council for the Organization for Autism Research and is on numerous professional advisory boards including the Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies. He currently serves as adjunct faculty in the Institute for Behavioral Studies at Endicott College. Dr. Gerhardt received his doctorate from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey’s Graduate School of Education. |
| Description: Applied behavior analysis (ABA) has a long history of both research and practice in the effective intervention in support of Autistics/individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). But the effectiveness alone is, apparently, insufficient to develop the skills and abilities necessary for a positive and enjoyable adult quality of life. Among the possible explanations are the reliance on: (1) instruction provided outside the natural context of the instructional target; (2) a set of professional contingencies that negatively reinforce our behavior contingent on the absence of challenging behavior rather than contingencies were we are positively reinforced for relevant skill acquisition; (3) an overly simplistic interpretation of social validity and its central importance to determining how and what we teach; and (4) a tendency to view Autistics/individuals diagnosed with ASD as a collection of behaviors in need of change rather than a whole person who may, in fact, not need or want to be changed. This presentation will provide a more detailed discussion of these, and other, challenges behavior analysts must overcome if our current repertoire of effective intervention is to result in behavior change that improves the quality of life of adult Autistics/individuals diagnosed with ASD. |
| Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the workshop, participants will be able to: (1) discuss the complexity associated with measuring outcomes in ASD and the external factors (e.g., SES) that may have an outsized impact; (2) discuss why the selection of relevant instructional targets is as important as the research base behind the instructional interventions used; (3) identify the difference between applied skills and functional skills; (4) discuss a minimum of five ways we, as behavior analysts, need to change our behavior if better adult outcomes are to be realized. |
| Activities: PENDING |
| Audience: Board certified behavior analysts; licensed psychologists; graduate students. |
| Content Area: Practice |
| Instruction Level: Intermediate |