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Often it is assumed that electronic recording by observers necessarily provides better quality data than pen-and-paper methods. Fifteen novice observers recorded rates of responding from 10 role-played video samples using one of three continuous recording input formats: keyboard (laptop), touchscreen (personal digital assistants), or pen-and-paper. We evaluated the quality of the observers' data compared with criterion records using calibration and interobserver agreement algorithms. Results of the calibration analysis revealed that observers in the touchscreen group produced the most consistently accurate and precise data, the keyboard group observers showed wide variation in precision and accuracy, and the pen-and-paper group observers were significantly less precise than the touchscreen group. We conclude that although electronic recording has the potential to be as accurate as, and more precise than, pen-and-paper methods, this is far from guaranteed. Analyses of observers' errors advise recommendations for improving data accuracy and precision when using each method. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Applied behavior analysis (ABA) service delivery is a complicated process and some issues stemming from this process can be controversial. Ethical dilemmas can challenge ABA practitioners and require thorough examination. The goal of this paper is to identify the existence of value‐based ethical dilemmas stemming from potential tensions among underlying values and to provide behavior practitioners with a systematic approach to addressing these dilemmas. Specifically, we use a step‐by‐step protocol for ethical deliberation and dilemma resolution in situations involving value‐based ethical dilemmas. We describe the application of this approach to clinical cases and its implications for services provided via telehealth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The subculture of developmental disabilities services has embraced ideological perspectives from academia in general and from other service sectors, including, in recent years, the educational sector. Prevalent ideological and philosophical perspectives with growing influence within the professional literature and to a lesser degree, the practitioner community, include postmodernist and constructionist doctrine. These perspectives influence the depiction of utility of a wide variety of clinical and programmatic activities that typify services and, generally, impact upon decision making by policy makers, administrators, and possibly, to an important degree, by managers who influence events at the point of clinical and service contact. This article discusses the nature and character of these influences and the issues facing the field, centering on the act of classifying a person with mild mental retardation, as well as uncertainties regarding both the process and consequences of classification. Recommendations are made for an expanded but modified role for adaptive behavior assessment in this process. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This single-case study evaluated the effects of two levels of center-based behavioral intervention for a young child with diagnoses of autism, severe attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, bipolar disorder, and severe developmental delay. The child entered an applied behavior analysis school and residential program at age 4 years. At that time he was receiving fluoxetine and valproic acid for control of challenging behavior. Six other medication trials had been attempted previously. Assessments completed just before the child entered the behavioral program estimated his overall functioning at the 8–16 month level. Throughout the study, the child participated in comprehensive behavioral programming for about 30 hours per week. For the first (A) phase of the study, the teacher:student ratio was 1:1. This phase lasted 12 months. At that point resource limitations necessitated changing the teacher:student ratio to 1:2 (the B Phase), which continued for 9 months. Then 1:1 intervention was reinstated. Dependent variables included out-of-seat behavior, aberrant behavior, motor imitation, stereotypic responses, matching to sample, and appropriate communication (recognizable signs and pictures used as mands). By the end of the first A phase (1:1 intervention), substantial improvements were documented in five of six dependent variables, and fluoxetine was discontinued. These improvements were maintained for all dependent variables three months into the B phase, but after an additional six months of 1:2 intervention gains were maintained on only one dependent variable. Nine months after a return to 1:1 intervention, improvements over B-phase levels were evident for five dependent variables, four of which returned to levels comparable to those at the end of the first 1:1 phase. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this paper is to provide a review of the current state of the literature on response interruption and intervention (RIRD) beginning with the year the term was first coined. The paper aims to replicate and refine previous reviews on this topic by including: (1) only articles that used the term "RIRD"; (2) all behaviorally oriented journals with publications on the topic; (3) articles that evaluated RIRD across multiple topographies of automatically reinforced behavior; and (4) an evaluation of measures of treatment integrity, social validity, maintenance, and generality. Suggestions for future research and use of RIRD in clinical practice will be discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research involving international research communities has been advocated in the field of behavior analysis (Dymond et al., 2000; Martin et al., 2016). The purpose of the present study was to report the status of behavioral research in mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, in terms of number of publications, types of research, and frequency of collaboration with international researchers. Fifteen behavioral journals were selected from the list by Cooper et al. (2020). These were searched by hand to find publications conducted in or authored by researchers from mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan dating from each journal's inception to December 2021. The earliest publication we found appeared in 1980 in The Psychological Record. Over the following four decades (1980–1989; 1990–1999; 2000–2009; 2010–2021), the number of publications per decade increased dramatically and continues in recent years to rise. Publications include research reports, review papers, and conceptual articles, with the majority being basic research reports published in Behavioral Processes. Approximately half the publications involve collaboration with international researchers, mostly in North America. Implications for behavioral research, practice, and policy in mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early intensive behavioral intervention (EIBI) is a treatment designed to increase adaptive behavior and decrease maladaptive behaviors for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). EIBI service providers typically collect data using pen‐and‐paper. Participants were four service providers employed at a large community‐based EIBI program. Differences in accuracy between collecting discrete‐trial‐teaching (DTT) data and challenging behavior data using pen‐and‐paper and an eHealth electronic data collection (EDC) application were assessed. The social validity of both methods of data collection was also examined. Pen‐and‐paper and EDC were equally accurate, but participants preferred using pen‐and‐paper. Our accuracy findings agreed with previous comparisons of EDC and pen‐and‐paper. Both methods of data collection are viable for an EIBI program; however, social validity considerations will determine the ease of EIBI programs transitioning to using an eHealth tool for data collection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neuro‐typically developing children demonstrate accurate, discriminated responding to a variety of questions in the presence of nonverbal stimuli. For children diagnosed with autism, however, such question discrimination skills can be significantly impaired. An error frequently observed in clinical practice is that of the child who, despite previous mastery of the relevant color tacts, says "Ball" when presented with a blue ball and the question "What color?" This paper explores the role of multiple verbal and nonverbal control in early intraverbal‐tacting as a basis for clinical intervention. The paper first presents a theoretical analysis based on multiply‐controlled verbal behavior (Skinner, 1957). Second, it provides clinical recommendations derived from recent research for establishing generalized intraverbal‐tacting in children diagnosed with autism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper was to conduct a systematic review of studies on mands for information. We used a combination of keywords to search for articles through PsycINFO® and then conducted reference and citation searches for all articles that met our inclusion criteria. In total, we identified 32 studies with 35 experiments. The most commonly investigated autoclitic frames were where and who, and the least investigated were why and how. Over half of the studies included an evocative scenario that served as a test condition, but did not include a control condition; however, there was an overall increasing trend toward including both conditions starting in 2007. The authors of the published studies reported that participants received information, which led to other reinforcers. We make recommendations for clinical practice, as well as discuss directions for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autism symptoms vary from child to child, but the overall severity can be lessened through early intervention—often specifically early intensive behavioral intervention—when administered at a young enough age. The high costs and heavy time commitment of this intervention, however, tend to discourage public school districts from spending on these programs. In this paper, the cost of early intervention and its impact on the subsequent costs of special education, is compared to the costs of public school special education for autistic children who do not receive intervention. The analysis suggests that North Carolina potentially saves an estimate of over $250,000 per child in reduced annual special education costs by implementing early intervention for their autistic population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The University of California at Los Angeles‐Young Autism Project (UCLA‐YAP) provides one of the best known and most researched comprehensive applied behavior analysis‐based intervention models for young children on the autism spectrum. This paper reports a systematic literature review of replication studies over more than 30 years. The data show that the relatively high‐intensity UCLA‐YAP model can be greatly beneficial for children on the autism spectrum, particularly with regards to their cognitive functioning and adaptive behavior. This review concludes that, while more research is always welcome, the impact of the UCLA‐YAP model on autism interventions is justified by more than 30 years of outcome evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A key component to any successful intervention aimed at increasing appropriate behavior for individuals with disabilities is the identification of potential reinforcers (Verriden & Roscoe, 2016). Preference assessments allow for the identification of specific preferred items for each individual; however, little is known about the stability of preference over time. The purpose of this review was to synthesize results from 20 studies that conducted two or more preference assessments, at least 24 h apart, and analyze the stability of preference assessment outcomes across repeated assessment administrations. This paper investigated the impact of the inter‐assessment interval (IAI; i.e., how often assessments were conducted), preference assessment format, and stimulus type (i.e., leisure items/activities, edibles, social interaction) on the stability of preference assessment outcomes. Results suggest that, across repeated administration, preference is most stable at brief IAIs (8–30 days) and when using the paired‐stimulus format (Fisher et al., 1992). Implications for practitioners and future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to make meaningful progress comprehensive intervention using evidence-based practices is required. To assist with this, the National Clearinghouse on Autism Evidence and Practice (NCAEP) recently published the Evidence-Based Practices for Children, Youth, and Young Adults with Autism Report (Steinbrenner et al., 2020). The purpose of theNCAEP report was to provide consumers with a list of interventions that have evidence of positive effects for individuals diagnosed with ASD. The NCAEP report identified 28 interventions that were considered evidence based. Given the broad nature and visibility of the NCAEP report, it may be useful to review and discuss any potentially problematic aspects of the methods and results of the NCAEP report to help inform future updates and consumers in interpreting the findings and recommendations within theNCAEPreport. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to provide a review of the Evidence-Based Practices for Children, Youth, and Young Adults with Autism report and provide recommendations to behavior analysts in regard to the report. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social Stories have been implemented and evaluated clinically for individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Social Stories are an intervention where an interventionist writes a story that describes a situation and the behaviors that the learner should display within that situation. Researchers have conducted literature reviews on Social Stories and in the majority of these reviews have found serious methodological flaws (e.g., Leaf et al., 2015; Styles, 2011; Reynhout & Carter, 2011). Yet behavior analysts continue to endorse, recommend, and implement Social Stories for individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. The purpose of this paper is to briefly review the literature on Social Stories, provide recommendations to behavior analysts on the use of Social Stories, and discuss how to best proceed when Social Stories are recommended in clinical settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deej is a documentary about a young man named Deej who has autism with complex communication needs (i.e., nonverbal autism). To the uninitiated, Deej might look like a poignant story about people misperceiving Deej until he reveals the intelligence hidden inside him. The documentary uses Deej's story to suggest that other people with complex communication needs are similarly misunderstood. In actuality, the documentary is misleading and concerning. Deej demonstrates his hidden intelligence via facilitated communication. The documentary does not mention the science that discredits facilitated communication or the harm that facilitated communication has enabled. In the present paper, I use the history of facilitated communication to examine Deej. I describe how the documentary promotes facilitated communication by encouraging improper forms of scientific reasoning. Finally, I suggest that skepticism toward facilitated communication is necessary to ameliorate its harmful influence and to encourage genuine acceptance of people with complex communication needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on applied behavior analysis and sports performance has become an increasingly popular subject. It involves using behavioral measures to assess the utility of numerous interventions to enhance athletic performance. We identified 101 studies published since the late 1960s focusing on behavioral interventions to enhance sports performance. To determine the breadth of the current research, we identified each sport and the different interventions used to improve performance. Of the studies included in this review, research has investigated 23 interventions with 21 sports. The purpose of this paper is to review the current literature regarding what procedures have been evaluated, the results of this research, some of the limitations, and future directions of behavioral research on sports performance enhancement. In doing so, this review will allow readers to easily browse the current literature by the sport or intervention of interest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents information on the Publisher dealing with research papers in the field of Education including include the names and affiliations of the editors and copyright and copying permissions for the publication.

Dementia comprises incurable neurodegenerative disorders that mainly affect cognitive function and language. At present, pharmacological and neuropsychological rehabilitation are the interventions that are most often recommended. This paper aimed to evaluate how behavior analysis is helping in the development of nonpharmacological interventions. A search was conducted of databases and journals on behavior analysis using the descriptors Aging, Alzheimer, Dementia, Elderly, Behavioral Gerontology, Behavioral Approach, and Behavioral Therapy. From the 15,024 publications retrieved, 16 were selected as behavior‐analysis research on cognition and language. We present and discuss the main results from these publications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although punishment is a common feature in programs designed to suppress inappropriate responding, the delivery of punishment may be delayed for a variety of reasons. When punishment is delayed, the result may be a decrease in response suppression. It is therefore important to identify strategies to increase the effectiveness of delayed punishers. In this paper, basic and applied research on delayed punishment is reviewed. The delay-of-punishment gradient is described, and strategies are provided to increase the suppressive effect of delayed punishers. For each strategy identified, a conceptual account is provided describing how the strategy enables a delayed punisher to exert a suppressive effect. Furthermore, this paper suggests additional uninvestigated but potentially effective strategies and identifies problems with current research into delayed punishment. Finally, recommendations regarding future research into delayed punishers are provided. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parent delivered interventions based on applied behavior analysis (ABA) for children with Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDDs) have been evaluated using primarily single-subject design methodology or small case series. While the results of these evaluations are encouraging, an important next step is to standardize the interventions to allow for replication across sites, in studies with large samples and measures of long-term, clinically meaningful outcomes such as improvements in children's functioning and their relationships with parents. Accordingly, the Research Units on Pediatric Psychopharmacology and Psychosocial Interventions (RUPP Autism Network) assembled a detailed manual for a structured behavioral parent training (PT) program, developed treatment fidelity and training procedures, and conducted a pilot, feasibility study. The PT program is part of a large scale, multisite study intended to determine the efficacy of combined pharmacological treatment and behavioral intervention to improve behavior and adaptive functioning in children with PDD. This paper discusses the rationale for this project. A companion paper provides the results of our feasibility study on the PT program. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lovaas and his associates at UCLA reported substantially better treatment outcomes for children with autism than had been reported previously. Many authors have closely scrutinized the UCLA research, and some have published major criticisms. Recently two critical reviews have appeared. Howlin (1997) evaluated the most common treatment approaches for children with autism, including the UCLA model. Additionally, the UK Department for Education and Employment commissioned a review of treatment research on autism written by Jordan, Jones, and Murray (1998). Although both reports contain useful information, they also contain inaccurate statements about the published results of the UCLA project. An aim of this paper is to illustrate the errors of fact and interpretation contained in the two papers and to clarify the existing data. A second aim is to identify points of agreement, which is also important when attempting to facilitate critical and accurate assessments of available scientific evidence. It is argued that Lovaas and colleagues made a convincing case for the efficacy of one model of early intensive behavioral treatment by presenting outcome data showing clinically meaningful, long-term gains in a population historically characterized by a severe and chronic disability, and an unfortunate history of treatment failures. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes a national certification program for behavior analysts and summarizes the background, content, policies, future development, and benefits of this program. The program focuses on applied behavior analysis in general and certifies behavior analysts at both baccalaureate and master's levels. Eligibility requirements to take either of the two examinations include both coursework and mentored or supervised experience. The paper details a number of benefits that may be expected from this professional credential, which are based on experiences in Florida, the source of the present examination. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Invariable or repetitive behavior is a defining feature of autism and can limit a child's exposure to varying consequences and subsequent learning opportunities. We compared the variability in play material selection between 30 children with autism and 30 typically developing children, aged 2‐8 years, across three different activities: selecting paper outfits to dress dolls, selecting beads to place on a string, and choosing marker colors for coloring shapes. Selections of materials could be varied or identical to previous selections within the session. Although there was some overlap between the two groups, children with autism were more likely to respond invariably than typically developing children. Two‐year‐old children in both groups tended to display invariable play material selection, but variability increased across increasing age groups for typical children and remained relatively stable across increasing age groups for children with autism. Implications regarding the divergence in variable behavior across children with autism and typically developing children as a function of age are discussed. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Researchers have developed an array of highly adaptable intervention packages with well‐documented efficacy for staff and teacher training. As indicated by Parsons, Rollyson, and Reid (2012) in their article on best practices in staff training, behavior analysts must use methods that are both effective and efficient given the limited resources of many human service settings (e.g., low trainer‐to‐staff ratios). The purpose of this paper is to summarize research on practical innovations for staff and teacher training, including the use of video‐based technology and self‐instruction materials that may help trainers to operate effectively despite limited time and personnel. Results are discussed in terms of the current state of the evidence for each practical innovation and considerations for integrating these strategies with best practices in staff training. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses long-term maintenance issues as they relate to the language and social skills of individuals with developmental disabilities and autism. Long-term follow-ups of echolalic and appropriate speech (upwards to 57 months) and social skills (8 years) will be presented as examples of what can be learned about maintenance from long-term follow-ups. A maintenance strategy will be presented that employs characteristics of early parent–typical toddler interactions as a means for prompting language impaired individuals to use physical/natural cues. The paper concludes with some recommendations regarding the study of maintenance. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes a pilot follow-up study of a behavioral program for 20 young people with learning disabilities and challenging behavior. Eighteen participants made good overall improvement during the treatment period, and this was partially maintained at follow-up. Eight had continued to improve, eight had deteriorated slightly and four had deteriorated markedly. Adaptive skills were generally maintained. The reemergence of challenging behaviors explained the difference between the Good and Poor Outcome groups. Those participants in the Good Outcome group were younger on admission, scored lower on adaptive skills and higher on challenging behaviors. In addition they had remained on the treatment programme for 12-18 months and had been discharged from the Unit for longer. The overall level of independent living had increased from preadmission and the majority of participants were living in less restrictive placements. These results confirm and extend the findings of previous research. The paper concludes by highlighting the need for more detailed longitudinal follow-up studies in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A hallmark of applied behavior analysis is the development of function-based interventions for problem behavior. A widely recommended function-based intervention is differential reinforcement of alternative behavior (DRA), in which reinforcement is contingent upon socially acceptable alternatives to problem behavior (e.g., teaching communication skills). Typically, DRA is introduced under rich schedules of reinforcement. Although effective for initiating behavior change, rich schedules are often impractical in the natural setting. In this study, we evaluated the extent to which a stimulus fading program could be employed to elaborate alternative behavior (mands) in two individuals diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder. For both participants, problem behavior was reduced substantially upon implementation of the DRA procedure. Further, problem behavior rates remained low and mand rates decreased to more practical levels as the DRA behavioral requirements increased during the fading program. The fading approach demonstrated in this paper may be a useful component of intervention packages for clinicians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Severe problem behavior (e.g., self-injury and aggression) remains among the most serious challenges for the habilitation of persons with intellectual disabilities and is a significant obstacle to community integration. The current standard of behavior analytic treatment for problem behavior in this population consists of a functional assessment and treatment model. Within that model, the first step is to assess the behavior-environment relations that give rise to and maintain problem behavior, a functional behavioral assessment. Conventional methods of assessing behavioral function include indirect, descriptive, and experimental assessments of problem behavior. Clinical investigators have produced a rich literature demonstrating the relative effectiveness for each method, but in clinical practice, each can produce ambiguous or difficult-to-interpret outcomes that may impede treatment development. This paper outlines potential sources of variability in assessment outcomes and then reviews the evidence on strategies for avoiding ambiguous outcomes and/or clarifying initially ambiguous results. The end result for each assessment method is a set of best practice guidelines, given the available evidence, for conducting the initial assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the behavior analysis literature, the terms withdrawal and reversal are widely used to refer to various iterations of the basic A-B-A or A-B-A-B experimental design structure. Although these terms were initially used to label two distinct but closely related experimental designs, it now appears that many researchers have come to use these terms interchangeably. A review of major behavior analytic journals published between 2009 and 2013 reveals a strong preference among researchers for use of the term reversal in labeling the design described in the publication, whether or not that design is characterized by the specific features initially associated with the reversal design. This paper describes the origin of this definitional distinction and reviews the case for abolishing that distinction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increase in the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders in the last decade has contributed to growth in the field of applied behavior analysis (ABA). This growth has been spurred by consumer demand for access to this evidence-based treatment for those with an autism spectrum disorder. Presently, there are at least 34 states that have laws or regulations in place that mandate insurance coverage for autism spectrum disorders. There are also 14 states that have passed licensure or a similar regulatory mechanism for identifying competent providers of ABA. The following paper documents the process of insuring consumer advocacy and protection in the states of Missouri and Wisconsin through the passage of legislation that established licensure for practitioners of ABA. The evolution of this process in both of these states will be detailed as well as a number of lessons learned that should prove to be helpful as additional states move toward licensure for practitioners of ABA. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alzheimer's disease is the most commonly known neurocognitive disorder characterized by deterioration in areas such as memory, attention, and activities of daily living. From a behavioral perspective, memory and attentional deficits may be described as deterioration of stimulus control. This paper provides a case study of discrimination behavior in a patient with neurocognitive disorder. The purpose of the current study was twofold: (i) to study the effect of using presumed familiar pictures in arbitrary matching-to-sample tasks and (ii) to study variables that affect stimulus control in a patient diagnosed with vascular dementia. There were 12 conditional discrimination experimental conditions with various types of stimuli, from familiar pictures to identity matching. The results showed that the participant's responses were not in accord with experimenter-defined stimulus classes when using familiar pictures. However, intact stimulus control by sample stimulus was established following systematic procedural changes in the conditional discrimination tasks. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measurement is a critical aspect of the scientific process. If measurement systems are not accurate and precise, the findings of experiments will most likely be spurious. In applied behavior analysis, the most prevalent form of measurement is human observation with automated measurement being used sporadically. Automated measurement is generally more accurate as it minimizes recording error. This paper reviews some of the common measurement systems currently in use and examines some new technologies that may expand the use of automated recording in the future. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dementia is characterized by memory impairment, but it has been suggested that conditional discrimination procedures can be used to study remembering behavior. The paper presents an experiment in which conditional discrimination procedures were used with a patient diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. The purpose of the study was two-fold: (i) compare performance during arbitrary and identity matching-to sample (MTS) tasks and (ii) study the effect of different delays on the participant’s responding. The results show that the participant did not respond correctly on the arbitrary MTS tasks but respond correctly on the simultaneous identity MTS tasks. Thus, the participant responded correctly on identity MTS tasks with a 0-s delay and also with 3-, 6-, and 9-s delays; the number of incorrect responses increased with the increasing delay duration. Furthermore, the results also indicate that it is possible to use the delayed matching-to-sample procedure to evaluate the effect of medication given to Alzheimer’s patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although applied behavior analysis (ABA) has significant scientific support for treating people with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), the field of autism treatment has been plagued with rapidly proliferating fad treatments subjecting people with ASD to various ineffective, pseudoscientific, and antiscientific treatments. To combat this, professionals must learn to make ethical treatment decisions, sometimes before research is conducted or published. Even when research is available negating fads, behavioral professionals must also overcome misperceptions about ABA. The purposes of this paper are to provide behavioral professionals with (a) a mechanism for making ethical treatment decisions (using sensory integration as an example) and (b) a method for responding to potential misperceptions and obstacles to using ABA. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigated the effects of weekly dog visits on depression scores, mood, and social interaction in elderly individuals living in a nursing home. Five elderly residents participated in baseline assessments for 4–8 weeks and then received weekly dog visits for 6 weeks. Assessments, consisting of weekly observations of social interaction and paper and pencil measures of mood and depression, continued during the dog visits. The effect of dog visits was evaluated in a multiple baseline across participants design. Dog visits did not improve depression scores, mood (with the exception of one resident), or social interaction (with the exception of one resident). Residents did interact with the dog during the visits, however, and reported that they enjoyed the visits. These results show that dog visits do not always have therapeutic effects and suggest the need for further research in the area before the beneficial effects of dog visits can be substantiated. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Procedures involving conjugate reinforcement have been used extensively by researchers in developmental psychology, but sparingly by behavior analysts. Based on this trend, this paper calls for a re-examination of conjugate reinforcement as a tool for analyzing automatically reinforced behavior. To this end, studies involving popular conjugate reinforcement preparations are briefly reviewed to highlight the impact of conjugate reinforcement outside of behavior analysis. In addition, results from selected behavior analytic studies are compared to studies involving conjugate reinforcement procedures. Throughout the review, recommendations for extending conjugate reinforcement preparations to the assessment of automatically reinforced behavior are provided. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reviewed observational studies that examined feedback for changing staff performance in behavioral treatment programs for clients with cognitive, developmental, or psychiatric disorders. The research findings were integrated into the main stages of staff training and management: pretraining, training, and posttraining. Specific recommendations for using feedback are made including defining process and outcome form and content before training, providing on-the-job supervisory feedback while staff practice self-generated outcome feedback until competency is demonstrated, and after training, maintaining self-generated feedback with emphasis on evaluating staff and client interactions with social validity measures. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intensive Behavioral Intervention (IBI) is being used extensively with children with autism. It is widely accepted that a large quantity of IBI is necessary to maximize children's outcomes, but outcomes remain variable and one reason for this is likely related to the quality of intervention children are receiving. There is little empirical evidence regarding the nature and measurement of quality IBI. This paper presents results of a survey examining the views of parents and professionals about quality IBI and how it should be measured. Parents rated the importance of 11 IBI characteristics and professionals indicated whether these characteristics should be measured objectively or subjectively. All respondents selected three characteristics they thought most important and answered open-ended questions about: additional quality indicators and IBI programming issues for which empirical evidence is needed. Parental ratings supported the importance of virtually all the suggested characteristics. Professional results emphasized the importance of objective measurement. The most frequently selected indicators of high quality teaching across groups were: creating generalization opportunities, administering reinforcers of the appropriate type, and using effective/appropriate behavior management strategies. There were interesting differences across groups and many valuable suggestions about additional indicators of quality and empirical questions of interest. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is a review and critical analysis of 20 data-based studies examining the effects of behavioral interventions with children and adolescents with brain injuries in the rehabilitation, residential, and educational settings. First, the selection criteria and article search methods that were used to locate the studies are described. The procedures for each of the studies are then discussed. The studies are evaluated along several dimensions related to experimental control and are discussed for their significance to both the brain injury and behavioral disciplines. Future areas of research are also proposed. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper describes two studies in which participants with and without acquired brain injuries were compared on a temporal discounting task involving various hypothetical amounts of money available at varying delay values. During Experiment 1, both groups of participants were presented with choices between amounts of money ranging from 1 to 1000 US dollars at delays from 1 week to 10 years. The results obtained from this procedure were consistent with previous models of temporal delay discounting for control group participants, yet not for the majority of the participants with acquired brain injuries. During Experiment 2, adjustments in hypothetical amounts and delays were made whereby the amounts of money ranged from 1 to 20 US dollars at delays from 1 day to 1 year. These manipulations yielded data generally consistent with temporal delay discounting models previously reported in the published literature. The utility of using delay discounting procedures as a means of assessing impulsivity in persons with acquired brain injuries is presented. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individuals who display dangerous behavior towards others have historically been under-treated and under-researched. This paper discusses three published case studies wherein adult males were effectively treated for severe aggression towards others, the environment, and, in two cases, self-injury. All were diagnosed as having mental retardation and two also had a psychiatric diagnosis. All had experienced years of failed attempts to control their aggression through large pharmacological interventions and restricting their freedom of movement via restrictive environments. The use of comprehensive multifaceted behavioral programs involving punishment resulted in dramatic and long lasting reductions in aggression, the elimination or great reduction of drug use, and major lifestyle improvements. The conceptual, clinical, political, legal, philosophical, and ethical considerations that arose during the development and implementation of the programs are discussed as well as scientific issues related to achieving long term maintenance. An early published case study (Martin & Foxx, 1973) is discussed first because it illustrates how an informal functional analysis was used to design a very simple and effective non-punishment treatment program for a woman who displayed dangerous aggression. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Students with autism have a variety of learning characteristics that can provide challenges to teachers. Precision Teaching, a method providing frequent assessment of performance, facilitation of curricular decisions, and techniques for developing fluency, can help teachers enhance educational outcomes for students with autism. Teachers can use the techniques found in Precision Teaching to augment their current instructional methods. This article purposes to examine the potential benefits of adding Precision Teaching to behavioral interventions for children with autism. This paper will define Precision Teaching, and review its guidelines within the context of a hypothetical case study. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There exists a great divide between parents' demands for intensive behavioral interventions for their children with autism and the public education system's reluctance to support early intensive behavioral intervention programs. More and more, professionals with expertise in applied behavior analysis are being asked to advocate for effective, early behavioral intervention for autism in education litigation brought about by frustrated parents. The progress made in recent years in the behavioral treatment of children with autism and the schools' lack of adherence to the requirements of IDEA have made it possible for educational policy change through effective advocacy by behavioral interventionists. This paper discusses preparing for educational advocacy on behalf of young children with autism. We explore the personal and emotional reasons why parents choose to engage in the financially risky endeavor of educational litigation. We then outline an approach to developing expert testimony based upon evaluation of the target child and his/her educational history. Issues related to assessment, training, and ethical practice are addressed. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Frequencies (count per minute) of patient and therapist behaviors during rehabilitation sessions after traumatic brain injury were tracked in order to evaluate an intervention curriculum and the effects of cueing. Frequencies of correct solutions to logical problems and other verbal tasks during speech-language treatments were measured for an adult male with memory impairments and impulsivity who underwent inpatient rehabilitation 14 months after severe traumatic brain injury. Daily frequency of cues by the clinician during the patient's logic exercises also was measured. These behaviors were recorded each treatment session for 14 weeks. Simple plots of the behavior frequencies were maintained by the clinician on standardized semi-log graph paper. The patient's performance in solving logical problems improved measurably but gradually. Day-to-day predictability of patient performance was seen, as was predictability in cueing by the clinician. Celerations (trends measured as changes in count per minute per week) in the clinician's cueing were inversely related to celerations in the patient's logical problem solving, a pattern evident through multiple reversals. Data from other verbal performance tasks showed no general improvement, nor any pattern of variability paralleling the data on logical problem solving. The data suggest that, for clients with brain trauma, routine continuous measurement of frequencies of behavior may facilitate clinical application of experimental analysis and intervention techniques to improve performance. Measuring the frequency of clinician behavior can help identify the events and conditions that control aspects of patient behavior. Frequency measurement has also been used in physical therapy and occupational therapy, and it is suggested that this method be examined as a common data language for use across rehabilitation disciplines. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Victims of child maltreatment and their families evince a myriad of behavioral problems, including deficits in parenting skills, social skills, safety skills, anger, stress, and financial management, mood disorders, and abusive behavior. Controlled treatment outcome studies in child maltreated samples have indicated that many of these problems are responsive to clinical intervention strategies. However, empirically based practitioners who treat child maltreatment are faced with the inevitable task of effectively integrating these treatments into their clinical programs. Therefore, this paper describes the development of an ecobehavioral treatment program for child maltreatment that is founded on a comprehensive integration of previously validated procedures. The program's development, and methods of assessment and intervention, will be underscored, including therapist training strategies, and solutions to problems that sometimes occur. Data in support of the program is examined, but primarily as a means to demonstrate how evaluative components may be utilized in practice settings to guide intervention. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The population of children exposed prenatally to alcohol, cocaine, methamphetamine, and other legal or illegal substances has been rapidly growing in America. The known characteristics of this group include deficits in rule-governed behavior, impulsivity, attention to task, language, sleep attachment, learning, social competence, coordination, hypersensitivity to environmental stimuli, and conduct problems. The purpose of this paper was to describe the characteristics of this population and match known, empirically demonstrated, data-based strategies, such as teacher attention and praise, token reinforcement programs, daily report cards, contingency contracting, self-instructional training, self-management, peer tutoring, Direct Instruction, and combining behavior therapy with stimulant medication therapy, to specific academic and social deficits in children with parental histories of substance abuse. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses some of the difficulties that arise in the practical applications of theories derived from specific experimental settings. Nevin's metaphoric extension of the physical concept of momentum to modifying behavior (i.e., behavioral momentum) is used as a recent example. Problems in the application of behavioral momentum are discussed, alternative analyses are offered, and methods for further testing the process are suggested. ©1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports an evaluation of the training needs of shift supervisors in a large residential facility for persons with developmental disabilities. Possible topics for training were generated using a wide variety of methods. The pool of items were then rated for their importance by 40 shift supervisors and 19 of their immediate supervisors. The correlations between rankings made by the two groups was of moderate magnitude and significant (r = 0.67, p < 0.01). Multiple t-tests indicated no statistically significant differences between ratings by the two groups, therefore, the items were rank-ordered by the combined sample. The top five items (and ratings on a 7-point rating scale) were: (1) improving staff attendance (6.1), (2) improving staff-consumer interaction (6.0). (3) stress management (6.0), (4) active treatment (6.0), and (5) promoting teamwork between staff (6.0). The top 10 items all reflected training needs related to motivating and training direct-care staff to perform active treatment, managing time, and establishing priorities. The five lowest ranked items were: (29) how to read and understand the active treatment graphs (4.7), (30) keeping inventory (4.6), (31) additional training on prevention and management of aggressive behavior (4.4), (32) continuous quality improvement (4.3), and (33) making the monthly staff schedule (4.2). The lowest 10 items mostly related to completing paperwork, and classes that were already currently available to shift supervisors. The implications for training shift supervisors in residential facilities for persons with developmental disabilities are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A relationship between various medical illnesses and the frequency and severity of nonspecific behavioral symptoms such as aggression and self-injury has been described by a number of writers. None, however, provides a clinical case formulation model that articulates the specific nature of this relationship or the manner in which potential biomedical influences interact with psychological and socioenvironmental ones to determine the occurrence and strength of behavioral symptoms. A model is described in this paper that suggests possible contributions of medical illnesses or conditions to occurrence of nonspecific behavioral symptoms and provides a diagnostic basis for selecting and evaluation related interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]