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Choice involves engaging in a selection response when multiple options are concurrently available. Choices can be incorporated into many components of behavior-analytic treatment such as providing clients with a choice between multiple items, activities, or tasks. We reviewed the main characteristics of 38 behavior-analytic articles that compared choice and no-choice conditions. We coded the experimental arrangements of choice and no-choice conditions and analyzed potential factors affecting preferences for choice and no choice. The findings suggest that the sizing of alternatives from which to choose, the timing of choice opportunities, and the timing of the delivery of the chosen option varied across the studies. Furthermore, preferences for choice shifted with differential reinforcement history and response effort manipulations of choice or no choice. The findings suggest that individual variables should be considered when providing choices, but more research is needed., (© 2024 The Author(s). Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior (SEAB).)

Rodriguez et al. (2022) discovered that teaching four component skills was sufficient to facilitate the emergence of intraverbal tacts across four applications with three participants. Our study replicated and evaluated an extension of this procedure that was directed at facilitating intraverbal tacts when a child learns the component skills but continues to fail to produce intraverbal tacts. The extension consisted of procedures to enhance the divergent control exerted by the auditory stimulus (i.e., the question) and the discriminability of joint control. Intraverbal tacts emerged for all three participants after undergoing the extension procedures. These results are discussed in the context of a conceptual analysis of intraverbal tacts and the potential role of joint control., (© 2024 The Authors. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior (SEAB).)

Intraverbal behavior is a type of verbal behavior in which the response form has no point-to-point correspondence with its verbal stimulus. However, the form and occurrence of most intraverbals is under the control of multiple variables. Establishing this form of multiple control may depend on a variety of preestablished skills. The purpose of Experiment 1 was to evaluate these potential prerequisites with adult participants using a multiple probe design. The results suggest that training was not required for each putative prerequisite. In Experiment 2, probes for all skills were conducted following convergent intraverbal probes. The results showed that convergent intraverbals only emerged when proficiency of each skill was demonstrated. Finally, Experiment 3 evaluated alternating training of multiple tact and intraverbal categorization. The results showed that this procedure was effective for half of the participants., (© 2023 Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.)

Ecological validity refers to how closely an experiment aligns with real-world phenomena. In applied behavioral research, ecological validity may guide decisions about experimental settings, stimuli, people, and other design features. However, inconsistent use of the term ecological validity in the published literature has led to a somewhat disjointed technology. The purposes of this paper were to review current uses of the term "ecological validity" in the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, propose ways to make a study more ecologically valid, and develop a checklist to assist in identifying the type and degree of ecological validity in any given study., (© 2023 Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior (SEAB).)

Extensive reviews of functional analysis literature were conducted 10 (Beavers et al., 2013) and 20 (Hanley et al., 2003) years ago; we expanded this review to capture the vast and innovative functional analysis research that has occurred over the past decade. Our review produced 1,333 functional analysis outcomes from 326 studies on the functional analysis of problem behavior between June 2012 and May 2022. Some characteristics of functional analysis studies were similar across the current and previous two reviews (e.g., child participants, developmental disability diagnosis, use of line graphs depicting session means, differentiated response outcomes). Other characteristics deviated from the previous two reviews (e.g., increase in autistic representation, outpatient settings, use of supplementary assessments, the inclusion of tangible conditions, and multiple function outcomes; decrease in session durations). We update previously reported participant and methodological characteristics, summarize outcomes, comment on recent trends, and propose future directions in the functional analysis literature., (© 2023 The Authors. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior (SEAB).)

The enhanced choice model of skill-based treatment (ECM-SBT; Rajaraman et al., 2021) is a package of behavioral treatment procedures with modifications designed to reduce risks associated with extinction of problem behavior. The skill-based treatment component of this package (Hanley et al., 2014) has been investigated thoroughly in clinical settings, though fewer studies have been conducted in public schools. In this investigation, we systematically replicated Rajaraman et al.'s (2021) demonstration of the ECM-SBT with 3 children enrolled in a public special day school for students with emotional and behavioral disorders. Intervention procedures were associated with increases in targeted alternative responses (i.e., communicative response, tolerance response, and cooperation with instructions) and decreased precursor behavior relative to baseline. Severe problem behavior was rare in both assessment and treatment. Participants chose to spend most appointment time participating in ECM-SBT, indicating preference for treatment procedures over alternative contexts (i.e., free access to a break area with preferred activities; regular classroom instruction). These outcomes suggest ECM-SBT has promise for safely teaching alternatives to problem behavior to children with emotional and behavioral disorders in school settings., (© 2022 Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior (SEAB).)

Individuals with conversation skill deficits often have difficulties discriminating cues of interest and uninterest from their conversation partner(s). We used behavioral skills training (BST) to teach 3 individuals with autism spectrum disorder to converse about the conversation partner's topics of interest, initiate strategic preferred topics to identify shared interests after indices of uninterest, and end the conversation. We assessed generality of each skill across conversation partners and ratings of social acceptability. We replicated previous research on BST producing robust increases in following the conversation, shifting the topic of conversation, and ending the conversation. In addition, all participants learned to categorize shared interests. We observed overall high levels of generality across following, shifting, and ending the conversation with all conversation partners. However, for 2 out of the 3 participants the inclusion of rules was necessary to promote the generality of the intraverbal categorization response. We discuss the implication of these findings for clinical practice and future research., (© 2022 Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior (SEAB).)

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effects of tact and match-to-sample instructions on the increase and maintenance of intraverbal responses to subcategorical questions (i.e., naming multiple items in a subcategory of a category). Three Chinese children on the autism spectrum (2 boys, 1 girl, aged 6-8 years old) participated in this study. Results indicated that intraverbal responses to subcategorical questions emerged or increased for most subcategories for all three participants following the completion of instruction without direct training., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

One subgroup of Latinos whose healthcare needs must be more thoroughly addressed is the roughly three million farmworkers pursuing seasonal agricultural work within the United States (U.S.). Latino migrant and seasonal farmworkers (MSFW) face compounded political, social, and personal contexts that complicate healthcare access. Although the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine prevents HPV infections and cancers, uptake among Hispanic adolescents remains suboptimal. Therefore, it is important to understand Latino MSFW's HPV knowledge, as well as barriers to and facilitators of vaccination so culturally appropriate measures can bolster vaccination. An integrative review was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science using key search terms. Results were evaluated for compatibility with inclusion/exclusion criteria, and selected articles were coded and evaluated via thematic analysis. Six studies of various designs were ultimately included in the review. While some Latino MSFW have baseline knowledge about HPV and the vaccine, knowledge gaps remain. Participants expressed curiosity about how the vaccine works, contents, side effects, dosing, recommended age, and information about prevented diseases. Although additional education and MSFW's receptiveness to provider's recommendations were cited as major facilitators, many barriers also need addressed. Providers must leverage MSFW's existing knowledge, provide education, and facilitate vaccination to protect farmworker families from HPV and related cancers. It must become standard practice for providers to recommend the HPV vaccine to MSFW, who are receptive to this conversation. Increasing vaccination can decrease the disproportionate burden of HPV-related cancers on patients and facilitate access to healthcare services., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Periodontal diseases, particularly periodontitis, are complex inflammatory conditions caused by interactions between oral microbiota and the host immune response. Lipopolysaccharides (LPSs) from Gram-negative bacteria like Tannerella forsythia, Treponema denticola, and Porphyromonas gingivalis are key in pathogenesis. This review examines how LPS impacts systemic health through direct invasion, compromised oral barriers, increased vascular permeability, and immune cell transport. LPS triggers inflammation in periodontal tissues, leading to tissue destruction and disease progression. In the bloodstream, LPS contributes to conditions, such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, respiratory diseases, and rheumatoid arthritis. Current treatments include mechanical debridement, antibiotics, antimicrobial mouthwashes, and anti-inflammatory therapies. Despite progress, gaps remain in understanding the molecular mechanisms of LPS in systemic diseases. Future research should focus on longitudinal studies, the gut-oral axis, biomarkers for early detection, and the lymphatic system's role in LPS dissemination. Maintaining periodontal health is crucial for overall systemic well-being., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Racial and ethnic minoritized (REM) youth are at greater risk for depression and suicide than their White peers. Despite this, REM youth are much more likely than their White peers to prematurely dropout of treatment. Culturally tailored and scalable engagement models to improve mental health treatment retention among REM youth with depressive symptoms and suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STB) are urgently needed. Strategic Treatment Assessment for Youth (STAY) is a theoretically-driven, culturally tailored measurement-based care (MBC) approach to treatment engagement for REM youth with depressive symptoms and suicide risk. Specifically, STAY uses MBC feedback processes to reduce perceptual barriers to treatment, thus improving treatment retention and ultimately, client outcomes among REM youth. In addition to standard MBC components, STAY includes a greater emphasis on providing a client-centered rationale for MBC which includes assessing and discussing treatment expectations, the use of individualized progress measures and alliance measures, and cultural competence training. The goal of this manuscript is to describe the STAY model based on initial theoretical development and preliminary clinician-informed refinements. Further, a case example of STAY is presented with a particular focus on the use of feedback processes. Finally, the current and future directions to empirically examine STAY as a treatment retention strategy with REM populations are provided., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Both enantiomers of functionalized Hajos-Parrish ketone (HPK) analogs were prepared with excellent diastereoselectivities and enantioselectivities using the same chiral catalyst under two slightly different conditions. In condition A, dioxane was used as the solvent with 3 equivalents of water. In condition B, acetonitrile was used as the solvent with 30 equivalents of water, followed by epimerization with a base in a one-pot. The reaction consisted of a domino reaction including a diphenylprolinol silyl ether-mediated asymmetric Michael reaction and an intramolecular Henry reaction. In the Michael reaction, depending on the solvent and water amounts, syn- and anti-isomers were selectively synthesized with excellent enantioselectivity, in which the absolute configuration at C5 (indanone numbering) was opposite. The subsequent Henry reaction was diastereoselective, in which the C5 substituent controlled the three chiral centers in a highly diastereoselective manner. The final base treatment in condition B caused epimerization, changing the configuration at C6. Switching more than two chiral centers with high enantioselectivity is extremely difficult using the same chiral catalyst; the present reaction is a very rare enantiodivergent reaction that switches five continuous chiral centers with high enantioselectivity., (© 2024 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Hydrolysis-resistant RNA-peptide conjugates that mimic peptidyl-tRNAs are often required for structural and functional studies of protein synthesis at the ribosome. These conjugates can be synthesized by solid-phase chemical synthesis, which allows maximum flexibility in both the peptide and RNA sequence. The commonly used strategy is based on (3'-N-aminoacyl)-3'-amino-3'-deoxyadenosine solid supports, which already contain the first C-terminal amino acid of the target peptidyl chain. This is a limitation in the sense that different individual supports must be synthesized for different C-terminal amino acids. In this study, we demonstrate a solution to this problem by introducing a novel universal support. The key is a free ribose 3'-NH 2 group that can be coupled to any amino acid. This is made possible by a photocleavable ether moiety that links the ribose 2'-O to the support, thus avoiding the typical O-to-N migration that occurs when using 2'-O-acyl linked solid supports. Once assembled, the conjugate is readily cleaved by UV irradiation. The structural integrity of the obtained peptidyl-RNA conjugates was verified by mass spectrometry analysis. In conclusion, the new photocleavable solid support makes the synthesis of 3'-peptidyl tRNA mimics of different peptidyl chains significantly more efficient compared to the commonly used approaches., (© 2024 The Author(s). ChemBioChem published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Previous research has supported selecting development-matched targets rather than age-matched targets to teach play skills to children with autism spectrum disorder. However, few studies have been conducted, and replications and extensions of this research are needed. The current study replicated Pane et al. (2022) by comparing the acquisition of development-matched and age-matched play targets when teaching play skills to four children with autism. No contrived prompts or consequences were used to teach play skills in either condition. Extensions included identifying targets via a newer version of the Developmental Play Assessment, targeting different play categories, assessing additional imitation skills, and conducting a caregiver assessment to identify socially valid toys, play actions, and vocalizations based on each participant's common experiences and preferences as well as their caregiver's values and preferences. As in Pane et al., participants demonstrated a higher level of scripted play actions in the development-matched condition., (© 2024 The Author(s). Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior (SEAB).)

Pairing is a commonly recommended practice used to build rapport and create positive therapeutic environments. However, there are limited evaluations of training procedures to teach pairing skills to direct-care staff. The purpose of the present study was to formalize and improve the efficiency of the training process for the initial stages of pairing using video modeling with embedded voice-over instructions plus performance feedback. Participants included three dyads of behavior technicians and children with autism. The results indicated that the training package increased the consistency of pairing implementation. These outcomes were maintained in a novel setting and for up to 4 weeks following training. We also measured relevant child behaviors such as joint attention, engagement, indices of happiness, and calm. Specific areas for future research are described., (© 2024 The Author(s). Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior (SEAB).)

We discuss the use of two empirically validated behavior-change methods-checklists and goal setting-and designed a checklist to assist behavior analysts in improving their behavioral services to be more culturally responsive and trauma informed. We also present pilot data evaluating the use of the checklist and goal setting on the inclusion of culturally responsive and trauma-informed practices in behavior support plans designed for students in a public school. The training package was effective for both participants, and the participants' weekly goals corresponded to the observed changes in their behavior plans. Moreover, both participants strongly agreed that the checklist was valuable and easy to use and reported increases in their perceived abilities to implement culturally responsive and trauma-informed practices posttraining., (© 2024 Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior (SEAB).)

Rapid, accurate and frequent detection of the RNA of SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) and of serological host antibodies to the virus would facilitate the determination of the immune status of individuals who have Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), were previously infected by the virus, or were vaccinated against the disease. Here we describe the development and application of a 3D-printed lab-on-a-chip that concurrently detects, via multiplexed electrochemical outputs and within 2 h, SARS-CoV-2 RNA in saliva as well as anti-SARS-CoV-2 immunoglobulins in saliva spiked with blood plasma. The device automatedly extracts, concentrates and amplifies SARS-CoV-2 RNA from unprocessed saliva, and integrates the Cas12a-based enzymatic detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA via isothermal nucleic acid amplification with a sandwich-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay on electrodes functionalized with the Spike S1, nucleocapsid and receptor-binding-domain antigens of SARS-CoV-2. Inexpensive microfluidic electrochemical sensors for performing multiplexed diagnostics at the point of care may facilitate the widespread monitoring of COVID-19 infection and immunity., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.)

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether face-to-face and therapist-assisted online (i.e., blended) behavioral parent training are effective on reducing disruptive behaviors in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in routine mental health care. Ninety-seven children with ASD (4-13 years; 76 boys) were randomized to face-to-face parent training, blended parent training, or a waitlist control condition. We assessed treatment effects on parent-rated child noncompliance (primary outcome) and irritability (secondary outcome). This involved comparing both formats separately to the control condition using linear regression models. Child behaviors at 6 months follow-up were also examined. Children in the face-to-face parent training condition improved significantly more on noncompliance and irritability than children in the waitlist condition and improvements sustained to 6 months follow-up. Children in the blended condition did not improve more than children in the waitlist condition and attrition was high. Our results extend findings from efficacy studies to routine mental health care and advocate the use of face-to-face parent training for disruptive behaviors in children with ASD. More research into blended parent training programs for children with ASD and disruptive behaviors in routine mental health care should be conducted to draw more definite conclusions about the value of blended parent training for these children. Trial registration number NL4712; date of registration 22-10-2014., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Multiple schedules are effective at decreasing challenging behavior and maintaining alternative behavior at acceptable levels. Currently, no conclusive guidance is available for empirically deriving multiple-schedule components (continuous reinforcement for alternative behavior and extinction for challenging behavior [discriminative stimulus] and extinction for both alternative and challenging behavior [delta stimulus]) during the schedule-thinning process. In the current investigation, we describe a terminal schedule probe method to determine delta stimulus starting points and strategies for subsequent schedule-thinning progressions to reach caregiver-informed terminal schedules. We review schedule-thinning outcomes for a clinical cohort using a consecutive controlled case series approach and report results for two groups: One group included applications of terminal probe thinning (n = 24), and the other involved traditional dense-to-lean thinning (n = 18). Outcomes suggest that the terminal schedule probe method produced effective treatments with less resurgence of challenging behavior and leaner, more feasible, multiple schedules., (© 2024 Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior (SEAB).)

An important communication skill for children with autism is answering multiple questions about visual stimuli (e.g., "What is it?" "What color is it?"). We targeted answering "What number?" and "What shape?" in the presence of numbers inside shapes, and "What is it?" and "What color?" in the presence of colored objects (e.g., a yellow cat) with 3 preschoolers with autism. In addition to a progressive time delay, we required the participants to answer the questions by echoing a keyword from the questions. For example, we taught them to answer, "What color?" with "color blue." In the context of a multiple-probe design across behaviors within a multiple-probe design across participants, the procedure was effective in increasing trained responses and producing within- and across-category generalization. The echoic may have facilitated the responses by increasing the salience of the auditory stimuli and strengthening intraverbals within autoclitic frames., (© 2020 Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior (SEAB).)

Nucleic acid amplification testing has great potential for point-of-need diagnostic testing with high detection sensitivity and specificity. Current sample preparation is limited by a tedious workflow requiring multiple steps, reagents and instrumentation, hampering nucleic acid testing at point of need. In this study, we present the use of mixed cellulose ester (MCE) paper for DNA binding by ionic interaction under molecular crowding conditions and fluid transport by wicking. The poly(ethylene) glycol-based (PEG) reagent simultaneously provides the high pH for alkaline lysis and crowding effects for ionic binding of the DNA under high salt conditions. In this study, we introduce Paper-based Abridged Solid-Phase Extraction with Alkaline Poly(ethylene) Glycol Lysis (PASAP). The anionic mixed cellulose ester (MCE) paper is used as solid phase and allows for fluid transport by wicking, eliminating the need for pipetting skills and the use of a magnet to retain beads. Following the release of DNA from the cells due to the lytic activity of the PASAP solution, the DNA binds to the anionic surface of the MCE paper, concentrating at the bottom while the sample matrix is transported towards the top by wicking. The paper was washed by dipping it in 40% isopropanol for 10 s. After air-drying for 30 s, the bottom section of the paper (3 mm × 4 mm) was snapped off using the cap of a PCR tube and immersed in the colourimetric loop-mediated isothermal amplification (cLAMP) solution for direct amplification and colourimetric detection. The total sample processing was completed in 15 min and ready for amplification. cLAMP enabled the detection of 10 2 CFU/mL of Escherichia coli (E. coli) from culture media and the detection of E. coli in milk < 10 3  CFU/mL (10 CFU) after incubation at 68 °C for 60 min, demonstrating applicability of the method to complex biological samples., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Community health workers (CHWs) and promotores de salud are frontline health workers who typically come from the communities they serve. Despite providing crucial services, they are not institutionalized (or integrated) within much of the U.S. health care system. Many work, either officially or unofficially, as medical interpreters-restricting their full impact as CHWs/ promotores . In this paper, we detail the misemployment and its effects among a subsample of CHWs/ promotores in two geographically distinct, exploratory projects. We encourage that collaborative research with CHWs/ promotores continue and that fidelity to the CHW model be ensured to realize their true potential., (Copyright © 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Parental involvement in intervention can support intervention efficacy, improve generalization, and increase accessibility. The Preschool Life Skills (PLS) program is designed to teach 13 preschool life skills and prevent problem behavior. The current study explores the utility of the PLS program as delivered by parents. In Experiment 1, 6 parents were taught to use the PLS program at home with their typically developing children (3 years 3 months to 4 years 11 months). This application of the PLS program led to an increase in preschool life skills and a decrease in problem behavior and supported some generalization of the target preschool life skills from the home to preschool settings. In Experiment 2, 7 parents were taught to use the PLS program with their children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD; 3 years 11 months to 6 years 9 months). Results overall supported the parent implementation of the program and highlighted modifications required to support positive outcomes for children with ASD., (© 2020 Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.)

The current experiment is a systematic replication of previous studies that evaluated the efficiency of echoic and tact prompts on the acquisition of intraverbals (i.e., French-to-English translations) following exposure to each prompt type. We extended these studies by (a) evaluating participants' language skills on standardized assessments, (b) incorporating descriptive praise for correct responding, (c) presenting trials via voice recording, and (d) evaluating teacher preference for each prompt type as a social validity measure. All participants learned at least one set of intraverbals faster with the procedure that was most recently used during teaching. These findings suggest that results from previous prompt comparison studies might be a function of previous exposure to prompt types and that it might be possible to manipulate learning histories such that a particular prompt type becomes more efficient., (© 2019 Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.)

To verify the novel method of achieving a true-triaxial stress path with the pseudo-triaxial apparatus, a series of drained and undrained tests were carried out for the identical scheme with pseudo-triaxial apparatus and true-triaxial apparatus respectively. The differences between the two types of tests were quantified. The results show that the novel method effectively achieved the true-triaxial stress path by controlling the loading ratio of the pseudo-triaxial apparatus. The relationships of q - ε 1 and η - ε s measured by the two apparatuses had a higher similarity which decreases slightly with the b increase. When 0 ≤ b < 0.5, the slope of the critical state line measured by both apparatuses was almost identical. When 0.5 ≤ b ≤ 1, the slope of the critical state line measured by the novel method was slightly lower, but the biggest change was within 10% compared with the two Mohr-Coulomb criteria, the peak strength measured by the two apparatuses was distributed near the criteria, indicating the feasibility and rationality of the novel method. The tests show that the novel method greatly enriches the test range of pseudo-triaxial apparatus, which not only simplifies the process of soil 3D testing but also reduces the test cost., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The purpose of this review is to summarize recent literature on the use of concurrent-chains arrangements in the assessment of preference for interventions (or intervention components) in the applied literature. The types of interventions and participants are described briefly, and procedural variations, ethical considerations, and recommendations for future research are discussed., (© 2024 The Authors. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior (SEAB).)

Background: The quality of life of patients with advanced gastrointestinal cancer is seriously impaired, and socioeconomic deprivation often has a serious impact on their quality of life. However, little is known about the relative contribution of non-socioeconomic factors to the quality of life of patients with advanced gastrointestinal cancer with socioeconomic deprivation., Aim: This study aims to investigate the situation and predictors of quality of life of patients with socioeconomic deprivation and evaluate the independent effects of some non-socioeconomic factors., Design: A retrospective study based on cross-sectional design., Methods: Data were obtained from 1075 patients with advanced gastrointestinal cancer who received family palliative treatment in the hospice ward of Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University from March 2010 to October 2020, including demographic and clinical questionnaires, Karnofsky Performance Status scale and Cancer Pain and Quality of Life Questionnaire of Chinese Cancer Patients., Results: The quality of life of patients with advanced gastrointestinal cancer with socioeconomic deprivation is impaired and is affected by gait, self-care ability, abdominal distension, nutritional status, weight loss, constipation and posture. Improvement in six of these factors-gait, self-care ability, abdominal distension, nutritional status, weight loss and posture-has an independent positive impact on the development of a healthy quality of life for patients., Conclusions: Gait, self-care ability, abdominal distension, nutritional status, weight loss and posture are important determinants of healthy quality of life in patients with advanced gastrointestinal cancer with socioeconomic deprivation, and early identification and strength management of these non-socioeconomic factors may neutralize the negative impact of socioeconomic factors on the quality of life., Implications for Practice: This study provides new ideas and intervention entry points for global nurses in practice innovations to improve the quality of life of socioeconomically deprived patients with advanced gastrointestinal cancer. It enables them to focus on the effectiveness of non-socioeconomic factors in the development and implementation of targeted care plans for patients with advanced gastrointestinal cancer experiencing socioeconomic deprivation globally., Reporting Method: This study was reported in strict compliance with the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) guideline., Patient or Public Contribution: No patient or public contribution., (© 2023 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

This study investigated the effects of self-monitoring and public posting on the cycling performance of competitive youth cyclists. We measured three primary dependent variables: performance volume, intensity precision, and performance-duration deviation. In addition, we evaluated self-monitoring accuracy and social validity. The participants were three males aged 14-16 years. We used an ABAB design to evaluate an intervention package that consisted primarily of self-monitoring and public posting. Athletes self-monitored their performance after training using an online summative Google Form. The coach publicly posted performance-based rankings on the social media application WhatsApp. Results indicate that the intervention package positively improved all performance measures across all athletes. Social-validity measures were also favorable., (© 2024 The Authors. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior (SEAB).)

Despite the importance of centering autistic perspectives in educational decision-making for autistic children, few studies have directly assessed autistic perspectives on the social acceptability of early childhood practices. We conducted an online survey to recruit perspectives of autistic adults on a current, comprehensive range of educational practices typically employed with autistic children. We also extended the survey to caregivers and early childhood practitioners, to identify commonalities and discrepancies between shareholder groups. We conducted a descriptive survey study to assess social acceptability of goals, learning contexts, and procedures typically implemented with young autistic children. We received responses from 660 individuals, 226 of whom identified as autistic. For Likert scale and ranked items, we reported median rating and ranking for each item, by shareholder group. For open-ended questions, we conducted open and axial coding, to determine consistent themes within and across shareholder groups. Respondents reported (a) high acceptability for goals promoting self-determination and low social validity for goals promoting masking; (b) high acceptability for antecedent interventions and low social validity for some forms of extinction; (c) that appropriate learning environments are highly context dependent, varying with individual needs; and (d) that the child is the most important shareholder in educational decision-making. We make recommendations to practitioners in response to survey results, including (a) respecting autistic culture and characteristics in selecting goals; (b) considering social, emotional, and psychological needs in selecting procedures; and (c) individualizing goals, learning contexts, and procedures based on the child's perspectives and unique needs., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

We conducted a scoping review to characterize the role of caregiver involvement in behavior-analytic research. We reviewed eight behavioral-learning journals from 2011-2022 for works that included children or caregivers as participants and characterized caregiver involvement as passive (implications for caregivers, input, social validity) and active (implementation, caregiver behavior, training, caregiver-collected data). The review identified 228 studies, and almost all (96.1%; n = 219) involved caregivers in some capacity; 94.3% (n = 215) had passive involvement (26.8% had only passive involvement; n = 61), 69.3% (n = 158) had active involvement (1.8% had only active involvement; n = 4), and 3.9% (n = 9) had neither passive nor active involvement. Involvement generally increased over publication years. The most common types of involvement were implications for caregivers, implementation, and input; caregiver-collected data were rare. We propose considerations when engaging caregivers in research and suggest new avenues of inquiry related to caregivers' treatment objectives and social validity, treatment implementers, and caregiver-collected data., (© 2023 Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior (SEAB).)

The peer-review component of the editorial process is designed to facilitate quality control, legitimize scientific research, and self-regulate scientific communities. Even though serving as a reviewer undoubtedly has direct and indirect benefits, the peer-review system and the methods of teaching scholars to conduct reviews are nascent and relatively underdeveloped. This article describes the peer-review process and provides recommendations for writing reviews for scientific journals. The recommendations were developed based on the expertise and preferences of editors in chief and associate editors for behavior-analytic journals (Cengher & LeBlanc, 2024), and they include honoring your responsibility, knowing your audience, being constructive and kind, and carefully evaluating the merits of the study or review. These guidelines may serve as a primer for scholars who want to conduct reviews for scientific journals in behavior analysis., (© 2023 Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior (SEAB).)

Behavioral readiness can take the form of communication and self-control skills during challenging situations that are correlated with the development of problem behavior. A skill-based approach can teach behavioral readiness using procedures that involve synthesized reinforcement, probabilistic reinforcement, and contingency-based delays; however, this approach is commonly used to address severe behavior under specific situations. There is limited research evaluating a skill-based approach to teaching behavioral readiness and addressing emerging problem behavior. Also, it is unclear whether teaching effects under specific situations transfer across other, functionally distinct, situations. We evaluated the generality of a skill-based approach by teaching skills systematically across primary challenging situations involving the interruption of play, presentation of instructions, and removal of reinforcers. Teaching increased communication and self-control skills, and most skills transferred to secondary challenging situations (treatment extension probes) and caregiver-implemented sessions. We discuss challenging situations that required teaching, the generality of teaching, and procedural considerations., (© 2023 The Authors. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior (SEAB).)

This study aims to investigate the functional groups and phytochemical profile of Anacamptis coriophora seeds, tubers, and flowers. Symbiotic seedlings produced using the ex vitro method were transferred to their natural habitat and grown to analyze the functional groups and phytochemical profiles of tubers and flowers. The life cycles of the transferred seedlings were monitored, and tubers and flowers were harvested for analysis. ATR-FTIR spectroscopy revealed the presence of functional groups such as polysaccharides, lignin, and proteins in both tubers and flowers. Differences in spectral frequencies between first-year and second-year tubers were observed. Fatty acid analysis identified 30 different compounds in seeds, flowers, and tubers, with linoleic acid being the most abundant (27 % in seeds, 33 % in tubers), and palmitic acid present in flowers (24 %). GC-MS analysis of ethanol extracts from these components highlighted the presence of 32 compounds, including hydroxyacetic acid, hydrazide, cytidine (Z)-7-hexadecenal, 2,2-dimethoxyethane, 2,5,6-trimethyldecane, and butanamide, 4-amino-N-hydroxy. A. coriophora's tubers, flowers, and seeds may contain active metabolites with therapeutic potential. These results are valuable for the commercial cultivation of the plant., (© 2023 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, Switzerland.)

This study investigated the relationship between nutrient levels, source of fecal contamination, and pathogenic Leptospira in Puerto Rico's northern coast and San Juan Bay Estuary (SJBE) aquatic ecosystems. Microbial source tracking (MST) was also used to investigate the connections between sources of feces contamination and the presence of Leptospira. Eighty-seven water samples were collected during the June (n=44) and August (n=43) in 2020. To quantify phosphorus and nitrogen concentrations, standard USEPA protocols were utilized, specifically Methods 365.4 for total and dissolved phosphorus, 351.2 for total Kjeldahl nitrogen and ammonium, and 353.2 for nitrate. Lipl32 gene-specific quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was used to detect the presence of Leptospira. Human (HF183), canine (BacCan-UCD), and equine (HoF597) MST assays were utilized to trace the origins of fecal contamination. Forty one percent of the locations exceeded Puerto Rico's authorized total phosphorus limit of 160 g L -1 , while 34% exceeded the total nitrogen limit of 1700 g L -1 . Nearly half of the streams examined are affected by eutrophication. The MST analysis identified human and canine feces as the most prevalent contaminants, affecting approximately 50% of the sites. In addition, Leptospira was detected in 32% of the June samples. There was a significant correlation (r = 0.79) between the incidence of pathogenic Leptospira and the human bacterial marker (HF183). This study illuminates the central role of anthropogenic inputs in nutrient enrichment and pathogen proliferation in Puerto Rico's aquatic ecosystems., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

One of the diagnostic characteristics of individuals with autism spectrum disorders includes engaging in restricted and repetitive behavior. Research has shown that individuals will often display problem behavior when access to restricted and repetitive behavior is blocked. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the use of functional communication training and schedule thinning to treat aggression displayed by three children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders when higher level restrictive and repetitive behavior was blocked. Further, we assessed whether all steps in a schedule-thinning sequence were necessary as well as extended the practicality of these procedures by removing the continuous signal during the delay to reinforcement. The results indicated that functional communication with schedule thinning reduced aggression related to blocking access to engaging in higher level restrictive and repetitive behavior for all participants., (© 2023 Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior (SEAB).)

The crotylation reactions of chiral α-F, α-OBz and α-OH aldehydes under Petasis-borono-Mannich conditions using (E)- or (Z)-crotylboronates and primary amines resulted in γ-addition products in high dr and high er. α-F and α-OBz aldehydes gave 1,2-anti-2,3-syn and 1,2-anti-2,3-anti, products, respectively while an α-OH aldehyde gave 1,2-syn-2,3-syn products. The stereochemical outcomes of reactions of the former aldehydes can be explained using a six-membered ring transition state (TS) model in which a Cornforth-like conformation around the imine intermediate is favoured resulting in 1,2-anti products. The 2,3-stereochemical outcome is dependent upon the geometry of the crotylboronate. These TS models were also supported by DFT calculations. The stereochemical outcomes of reactions employing an α-OH aldehyde can be rationalised as occurring via an open-TS involving H-bonding in the imine intermediate between the α-OH group and the imine N atom. Representative products were converted to highly functionalized 1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridines and 3H-oxazolo[3,4-a]pyridine-3-ones which will be valuable scaffolds in synthesis., (© 2023 The Authors. Chemistry - A European Journal published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

People with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or higher levels of autistic traits have atypical characteristics in sensory processing. Atypicalities have been reported for proprioceptive judgments, which are tightly related to internal bodily representations underlying position sense. However, no research has directly investigated whether self-bodily representations are different in individuals with ASD. Implicit hand maps, estimated based on participants' proprioceptive sensations without sight of their hand, are known to be distorted such that the shape is stretched along the medio-lateral hand axis even for neurotypical participants. Here, with the view of ASD as falling on a continuous distribution among the general population, we explored differences in implicit body representations along with autistic traits by focusing on relationships between autistic traits and the magnitudes of the distortions in implicit hand maps (N ~ 100). We estimated the magnitudes of distortions in implicit hand maps both for fingers and hand surfaces on the dorsal and palmar sides of the hand. Autistic traits were measured by questionnaires (Autism Spectrum [AQ] and Empathy/Systemizing [EQ-SQ] Quotients). The distortions in implicit hand maps were replicated in our experimental situations. However, there were no significant relationships between autistic traits and the magnitudes of the distortions as well as within-individual variabilities in the maps and localization performances. Consistent results were observed from comparisons between IQ-matched samples of people with and without a diagnosis of ASD. Our findings suggest that there exist perceptual and neural processes for implicit body representations underlying position sense consistent across levels of autistic traits., (© 2023 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Alkoxylation, hydrosilylative-alkoxylation, and dehydrogenative-polymerization are some of the most widely used transformations in synthetic chemistry. However, these transformations are traditionally catalyzed by precious, and rare late-transition metals. Presented here is a molecularly defined iron complex that catalyzes alkoxylation, tandem hydrosilylative-alkoxylation, and dehydrogenative polymerization of silanes under mild conditions. The iron complex [Fe(CO) 4 (H)(SiPh 3 )] 1 catalyzes a direct Si-O coupling reaction between an array of silanes and alcohols to produce desired alkoxysilanes in excellent yield, with H 2 as the only byproduct. The iron catalyst tolerates various functional groups and provides access to 20 alkoxysilanes, including essential molecules such as β-citronellol and cholesterol. Further, complex 1 catalyzes the polymerization of renewable diol and silane monomer to produce a renewable and degradable poly(isosorbide-silyl ether). Remarkably, complex 1 catalyzes a tandem hydrosilylative-alkoxylation of alkynes under mild conditions to yield unsaturated silyl ethers. The synthetic utility has been demonstrated by gram-scale alkoxylation and hydrosilylative-alkoxylation reactions., (© 2023 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Purpose: Due to the high burden of cancer-related suffering, it is paramount to understand the gaps in cancer care that lead to suffering. Advanced cancer patients have unmet needs and challenges that differ from those with early-stage cancer due to the rapid disease progression. By exploring advanced cancer patients' lived experiences and needs from the physical, psychological, social, and spiritual aspects, this study aims to identify gaps in the Malaysian health system and propose contextualised measures to improve cancer care., Methods: Semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted to explore advanced cancer patients' lived experiences and needs from the physical, psychological, social, and spiritual aspects. The interviews were then transcribed and coded. Themes were developed from the codes using iterative thematic approach., Results: The lived experiences and needs of nineteen patients converged into four major themes: disruption to daily lives, psychosocial and spiritual support system, information needs, and financial needs. This study described predominantly how cancer impacted patients' lives and livelihood, how patients coped with their psychological conditions after diagnosis, the need for effective communication and trust in a multicultural society, and how finance affected access to and experience of cancer care., Conclusion: Advanced cancer patients had different needs beyond receiving medical treatments. A concerted effort is required from clinicians, allied health professionals, social workers, support groups, and family members to understand and fulfil these needs., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

This study documents the pivotal role that Community Health Workers (CHW) played while supporting underserved Latinx communities affected by COVID-19-related health inequities. With the support of CHWs' agencies historically serving three Latinx-dense counties in Arizona, we recruited CHWs who participated in a state-wide COVID-19 testing project. Using phenomenology and narrative qualitative research methods, five focus groups were facilitated in Spanish between August and November 2021. Bilingual research team members conducted the analysis of the Spanish verbatim transcripts and CHWs reviewed the results for validity. Three interconnected themes reflected the CHWs experiences: (1) CHWs as puentes/bridges with deep community embeddedness through shared experiences and social/cultural context, (2) CHWs as communication brokers and transformational agents, playing a pivotal role in responding to the health and socioeconomic challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, (3) CHWs satisfaction and frustration due to their dual role as committed community members but unrecognized and undervalued frontline public health workers. These findings emphasize the CHWs' commitment towards supporting their communities, even amidst the stressors of the pandemic. It is important to continue to integrate the role of CHWs into the larger healthcare system as opposed to relegating them to short term engagements as was the case during the COVID-19 pandemic. This article provides a set of practice, policy, and future research recommendations, emphasizing the need to allocate greater budgetary and training resources in support of CHWs., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Allergic reactions to allergenic foods can pose a lethal threat to children with food allergies. Previous research has demonstrated the effectiveness of using behavioral skills training (BST) plus in situ training (IST) to teach safety responses to children. However, there has not been an evaluation of using BST to teach food safety to children with food allergies. Three elementary-school children of neurotypical development with food allergies participated. We evaluated the efficacy of BST with IST in teaching participants to identify and respond to allergenic foods by (a) asking to see the food packaging, (b) scanning the food label for the allergenic food, and (c) reporting the safety threat to an adult while not consuming the food. Trials without allergenic foods were also presented to ensure discriminated responding. All participants demonstrated the three correct safety responses after BST and responded differentially across allergenic and nonallergenic foods, with two participants requiring feedback (IST)., (© 2023 Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior (SEAB).)

The present study investigated the effects of variability requirements on learning difficult target sequences in humans. Twenty university students emitted five-response sequences. For the experimental groups, 30 nontarget sequences were reinforced according to the Lag-10 variation criterion or the Lag-3 repetition criterion across conditions. For the control groups, the probability of reinforcers for nontarget sequences was yoked to that obtained by the experimental groups. In addition, for both groups, two difficult target sequences were continuously reinforced. U values were higher with the Lag-10 variation criterion than with the Lag-3 repetition criterion for the experimental groups and were unsystematic for the control groups. Higher U values ​​were accompanied by a random pattern in the emission of nontarget sequences for all groups. Higher levels of variability, regardless of whether they were directly produced by reinforcement or were contingency induced, facilitated learning of difficult target sequences., (© 2022 Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.)

Soil liquefaction is one of the most detrimental forms of earthquake-induced ground failure that can result in catastrophic damage to engineering structures. For the seismic safety evaluation of foundations and high-rise structures, it is the most critical way to assess liquefaction resistance. In this paper, an array number of isotropically consolidated undrained cyclic triaxial tests (CTT) and cyclic hollow cylinder tests (CHCT) have been performed to evaluate soil liquefaction resistance. Thirty-seven isotopically consolidated undrained cyclic triaxial tests and thirty-seven cyclic hollow cylinder tests were run on the uniform medium Monterey No. 0/30 sand and it is with four different percentages of fine content. By using cyclic triaxial and cyclic hollow cylinder tests for evaluating liquefaction resistance, it helps us better understand the relationship between two types of tests on uniform clean Monterey No. 0/30 sand and soil sample with five different percentages of fines content. Four different relative densities of 30%, 45%, 50%, and 60%, two confining pressure of 103 kpa and 207 kpa, and five cyclic stress ratios (0.15, 0.2, 0.25, 0.3, and 0.4) have been used for a series of cyclic triaxial tests and cyclic hollow cylinder tests. At the same relative densities of 30% and 60%, the correction factor between CTT and CHCT evaluated ranged from 0.46 to 0.63 on the uniform clean Monterey No. 0/30 sand. Statistical analyses were performed to formulate functional relationships for predicting the correction factor of soil liquefaction resistance between CTT and CHCT tests., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

The average American consumes more than 50% of their total dietary energy from ultra-processed foods (UPFs). From a nutritional standpoint, as UPFs intake increases, fiber, vitamin, and mineral intake decrease. High consumption of UPFs, mainly from fast foods (FF) and ready-to-eat (RTE) food items, emerges as a critical public health concern linking nutritional quality and food safety. In the present work, a systematic database of the fatty acid composition of the most consumed UPFs in the Midwest is reported. Saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids were predominant in RTE (42.5%) and FF (43.2%), respectively. In addition, the fatty acid profile in UPFs is reported according to six food categories: meat and poultry, eggs and derivatives, dairy products, seafood, baby foods, and others. Meat and poultry, and dairy products were the dominant food categories among UPFs. Meanwhile, polyunsaturated fatty acids were abundant in the eggs and seafood groups UPFs (61.8% and 46.4%, respectively) regardless of the food group. Furthermore, no significant differences were found in sugar content in UPFs. Caloric content was positively correlated with sodium (ρ = 0.748) and price (ρ = 0.534). The significance of this study relies on providing new quantitative data on the fat, sodium, and sugar contents of the most consumed UPFs in the Midwestern area of the United States. This information suggests paying more attention to these nutritional attributes, aiming to reduce their incorporation in UPF preparations. Additionally, more quantitative data are needed regarding other nutritional parameters such as protein and lipid degradation in UPFs. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: This study provides a profile of the fatty acid composition of the most consumed UPFs in the Midwestern region of the United States, as well as correlations with fat, sodium, and sugar contents in UPFs. The information offered a new perspective on the nutrition quality of UPFs, suggesting the reduction of the incorporation of these attributes in UPFs. Additionally, it will help define priority interventions for more advanced precision nutrition, especially for vulnerable populations, for example, children and older people. The overall decrease in added sugar and sodium and the service size in UPFs will significantly improve the nutritional quality of the Western diet., (© 2022 Institute of Food Technologists®.)

Homelessness results from an interaction of structural determinants and individual vulnerabilities, creating various pathways into homelessness and having multilevel impacts. Understanding and addressing homelessness requires research that not only takes an ecological perspective but also can be translated into action. Despite research demonstrating differing needs and experience among various subpopulations, particularly marginalized groups, homeless service systems often take a one-size-fits-all approach. Additionally, homeless service systems' prioritization of the most vulnerable and chronically homeless for permanent housing programs results in a service system that operates in a state of triage, with minimal attention to prevention efforts. This special issue highlights actionable research focused on preventing homelessness and addressing disparities among marginalized groups. Included articles target homelessness at multiple levels using a combination of qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods approaches. Embedded in community psychology values, this study focuses on prevention, leverages participatory methods, relies on diverse lived experiences, and explores community-based solutions., (© 2022 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Aim: The aim of this study is to describe the prevalence of perceived self-competence in palliative care among emergency care nurses and explore its predictors., Background: Emergency care nurses have a responsibility to develop palliative care competence to enhance the quality of life of dying patients and their families in the emergency department., Methods: With a convenience sample, a cross-sectional study was conducted among 415 emergency care nurses from 22 hospitals in China. Descriptive analysis, Spearman correlation analysis and multivariate linear stepwise regression were performed., Results: Variables including marital status (single), emergency department not implementing palliative care, no palliative care training and true cooperation dimension were selected as independent predictors and explained 19.9% of variation in the regression model., Conclusions: Interventions to improve healthy work environments, offering palliative care training, advocating for policies in palliative care and offering support to unmarried nurses can advance nurses' palliative care competence., Implications for Nursing Management: This is the first study of emergency care nurses in China aimed at identifying predictors associated with palliative care self-competence. It is significant in that palliative care training and a cooperative work environment are required to encourage the development of palliative care., (© 2022 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Aims: To examine the psychometrics and measurement invariance of the Short-Form Health Literacy 12-item questionnaire (HL-SF12) among Vietnamese and Indonesian married immigrants., Design: A cross-sectional survey design., Methods: In total, 1171 Vietnamese and Indonesian married immigrants were enrolled between September 2019 and December 2019. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were used to verify the structural validity of the suggested factor structure. The multiple-group CFA (MGCFA) used a series of hierarchical nested-in models as a measurement invariance test which confirmed the adequacy of the model fit at each stage., Results/findings: The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin coefficient was 0.898, and the Bartlett test of sphericity was statistically significant (χ 2 [66] = 1965.97, p < 0.01). According to a scree plot and Kaiser's criterion for eigenvalues of >1, the EFA explained 61.6% of the total variance and confirmed three theoretically supported factors of health care, disease prevention and health promotion. The 12 items showed factor loadings of >0.4 and four items were in each subscale. The CFA showed adequate structural validity, including a relative chi-squared/degrees of freedom (X 2 /df) of 2.01, a comparative fit index (CFI) of 0.98 and a root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) of 0.04 (95% confidence interval [0.03, 0.05]) in married immigrants. For the measurement invariance, a change in the goodness-of-fit measures did not exceed 0.02 for the RMSEA or 0.01 for the CFI. The results indicated Cronbach's α values of 0.87 for the HL-SF12 scale in Vietnamese and Indonesian combined samples (n = 1171). A t-test showed that the HL-SF12 and its three subscales were unable to significantly differentiate between Vietnamese and Indonesian groups (all p > 0.05)., Conclusions: The HL-SF12 scale showed acceptable theoretically supported structural validity, equivalent measurement invariance and reliable internal consistency among Vietnamese and Indonesian married immigrants. Measurements of immigrants' HL using the HL-SF12 could be integrated into future immigrant health policies., Impact: As the first study of the measurement invariance of the HL-SF12 instrument among immigrants. Related factors of immigrants' HL can be further explored to increase immigrants' health and empowerment., (© 2022 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) tend to display restricted, repetitive behaviors and deficits in social interaction. Rats exposed to valproate (VPA) in utero have been shown to model symptoms of ASD. In previous research, VPA rats engaged in less social interaction and more repetitive responding than controls. The purpose of the present study was to further investigate behavioral variability in the VPA rat model of ASD by testing VPA and control rats in a reinforced-behavioral-variability operant task. In this procedure, rats emitted sequences of lever presses, some of which produced food. During baseline, food was delivered probabilistically, and variability was not required. Next, rats were exposed either to a variability contingency, in which food was only delivered following sequences that differed sufficiently from previous sequences (i.e., variability required), or to a yoked contingency, in which variability was not required. We hypothesized that VPA rats would behave less variably than controls in this task. However, VPA and control rats responded similarly variably when variability was required. Furthermore, VPA rats behaved slightly more variably than controls during baseline and yoked conditions, when variability was not required. These findings contribute to the complex literature surrounding the VPA rat model of ASD., (© 2022 Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.)

Our purpose in this study was to validate the Quality of Life for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder scale. We first conducted an exploratory factor analysis to examine the factor structure. Results suggested that a three-factor model (Interpersonal Relationships, Self-Determination, and Emotional Well-Being) should be retained. Next, we conducted a confirmatory factor analysis to compare a higher-order factor model and additional models. Results showed acceptable model fit for the higher-order factor model. The scale had excellent reliability (α = .90) for the overall scale and for the three subscales (Interpersonal Relationships, α = .87; Self-Determination, α = .81; and Emotional Well-Being, α = .66). The 16-item scale showed convergent and divergent validity. Implications for future research and practice are discussed., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

As a component of reinforcer schedule thinning following functional communication training, multiple schedules of reinforcement produce desirable rates and patterns of communication responses as an alternative response to destructive behavior. However, reinforcement schedule thinning is a gradual process that can take many sessions to obtain therapeutic goals. The desired outcome is that manding occurs only during signaled intervals of reinforcement with a sufficiently lean terminal schedule of reinforcement availability and low rates of destructive behavior. The purposes of this study were to (a) evaluate an assessment for informing the initial duration of extinction for alternative responding, (b) evaluate the utility of competing stimuli during extinction for alternative responding, and (c) assess a method for fading the availability of competing stimuli. With these procedures, all 4 participants experienced terminal schedules of reinforcement with rapid, robust reductions in destructive behavior soon after baseline. We discuss the implications and directions for future research., (© 2021 Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior (SEAB).)