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Clinicians report that they often rely on descriptive assessments when developing behavior-reduction plans despite literature suggesting that functional analysis is the most rigorous assessment method. Further, research comparing the outcomes of descriptive assessments and functional analyses is mixed, with some studies showing low correspondence and others showing high correspondence. Such persistent use of descriptive assessments suggests that they may yield useful information despite inconsistent correspondence with functional analyses. A more fine-grained analysis of the relation between descriptive assessments and functional analyses may elucidate variables affecting their utility. We conducted a review of 48 studies that included descriptive assessments and functional analyses and evaluated several measures of correspondence between each pair of assessments. Results indicated that descriptive assessments had exact correspondence with functional analyses in 50% of comparisons. Results also suggested that descriptive assessments were more likely to accurately identify and predict the absence of a function relative to the presence of a function and that structured descriptive assessments were more likely to accurately predict functions.

Behavioral technicians (BT) within the field of applied behavior analysis may be at greater risk for experiencing burnout and stress due to the nature of their clients, job demands, and work environments. Burnout and stress may negatively impact BT’s work performances, more specifically, their treatment integrity. Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT) may be a useful tool to address the private events as well as the covert and overt behaviors associated with burnout and stress. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of an ACT intervention on improving treatment integrity and reducing work-related burnout and stress amongst BTs. Four BTs participated in an ACT workshop, and their treatment integrity as well as their burnout and stress levels were measured prior to and following the ACT workshop. Treatment integrity increased for all participants, suggesting that ACT-based interventions may be an effective approach to improving work performance (i.e., treatment integrity) amongst BTs who may experience workplace burnout and stress.

The purpose of the current study was to conduct a qualitative and experimental analysis of a culturally informed police safety skills training for adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The current study focused primarily on meeting the unique training needs of Black adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A single case design was used to evaluate the initial efficacy and acceptability of a culturally responsive training method. Preliminary evidence about the physiological ramifications of police contact were also collected to begin to examine the broader behavioral and psychophysiological nature of youth's experiences. The current experimental design included in-person simulated contexts that youth, and caregivers, endorsed as relevant to their normal lives, which greatly strengthened the ecological validity of the approach.

We used a reversal design with an embedded multielement design to compare the effects of an independent group contingency and a randomized dependent group contingency on compliance with assigned literacy worksheets in a first-grade general education classroom. Nine participants were selected based on low levels of compliance in baseline or by teacher identification. Results indicated that both group contingencies increased compliance relative to baseline for the majority of participants. The independent condition produced higher levels of compliance for four students and the randomized dependent condition produced higher levels of compliance for one student. For four students, the two group contingencies were equally effective. A preference assessment indicated that the majority of target students preferred the randomized dependent condition and the majority of nontarget students preferred the independent condition. A number of potential explanations for our preference findings, including the possible role of obtained reinforcement, are discussed.

Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities who engage in problem behavior maintained by access to tangibles may exhibit more problem behavior during certain preference assessments. We compared three common preference assessments to determine which resulted in fewer problem behaviors. The paired stimulus and multiple-stimulus without replacement assessments produced higher rates of problem behavior than the free operant (FO) assessment, suggesting that the FO assessment may be the most appropriate assessment for individuals who engage in problem behavior maintained by access to tangibles.

Research related to the use of mechanical restraint devices (e.g., arm splints) has been limited despite the frequency with which they are used in the clinical treatment of severe and dangerous self-injurious behavior (SIB). Wallace, Iwata, Zhou, and Goff () used a rapid restraint analysis (RRA) to evaluate the effects of different levels of arm-splint flexion on rates of hand-to-head SIB and adaptive behavior. The goal of the current study was 3-fold: (a) to extend previous research on RRA by reporting RRA results for 10 participants and investigating post-RRA outcomes, (b) to investigate whether the RRA might have the potential to eliminate the need for restraint fading altogether for some individuals, and (c) to investigate whether the RRA might help to identify a starting point for restraint fading for individuals for whom fading is necessary. Results suggested that the RRA helped to eliminate the need for restraint fading for 6 participants. With respect to the identification of a starting point for restraint fading, results were mixed. Overall, 8 of the 10 participants were discharged from the inpatient unit at a less restrictive level of flexion or at the same level of flexion identified by the RRA. Implications for adoption of the RRA are discussed.

This study extended the findings of Snyder, Higbee, and Dayton (2012) by presenting items via video during a paired-stimulus preference assessment but without providing access contingent on selection. Subsequently, items identified as highly, moderately, and less preferred were assessed in a concurrent reinforcer assessment, which suggested that these items did indeed function as reinforcers.

Functional analysis is the most precise method of identifying variables that maintain self-injurious behavior (SIB), and its use may lead to more effective treatment. One criticism and potential limitation of a functional analysis is that it may unnecessarily expose individuals to a higher risk of injury (BetzFisher, 2011). The purpose of this study was to determine if there were higher levels and severity of injury during the functional analysis than outside the functional analysis. We conducted a retrospective records review of 99 participants admitted to an inpatient unit for the treatment of SIB. The results showed that injury rates were relatively low across all situations and that when injuries occurred, they were usually not severe. These findings suggest that the functional analysis of SIB is relatively safe when appropriate precautions are taken.

We examined whether adults with dementia could learn to emit a picture-based communication response and if this skill would maintain over time. Three women with moderate to severe dementia were taught to exchange a picture card for a highly preferred activity. All participants quickly learned to exchange the picture card and maintained this response without practice.

The prevalence of hoarding (collection of and refusal to discard unneeded items) is higher in older adults than the general population and has been correlated with dementia. Treatments to increase cooperation with discarding hoarded items have not been systematically evaluated. This study evaluated two procedures for increasing cooperation with handing over hoarded items in an older adult with dementia. The antecedent-based intervention effectively increased cooperation.

The prevalence of obesity continues to increase in the United States (Gordon-Larsen, The,Adair, 2010). Obesity can be attributed, in part, to overconsumption of energy-dense foods. Given that overeating plays a role in the development of obesity, interventions that teach individuals to identify and consume appropriate portion sizes are warranted. Specifically, interventions that teach individuals to estimate portion sizes correctly without the use of aids may be critical to the success of nutrition education programs. The current study evaluated the use of a stimulus equivalence paradigm to teach 9 undergraduate students to estimate portion size accurately. Results suggested that the stimulus equivalence paradigm was effective in teaching participants to make accurate portion size estimations without aids, and improved accuracy was observed in maintenance sessions that were conducted 1 week after training. Furthermore, 5 of 7 participants estimated the target portion size of novel foods during extension sessions. These data extend existing research on teaching accurate portion-size estimations and may be applicable to populations who seek treatment (e.g., overweight or obese children and adults) to teach healthier eating habits.

We compared the effects of varying reinforcement schedules on independent responding with 3 individuals with intellectual disabilities. Independent responding was always reinforced, and responding after a vocal response was either (a) always reinforced, (b) never reinforced, or (c) reinforced on a fixed-ratio 3 schedule. Results showed that for 2 of the 3 participants, independent responding was higher when responding after the vocal prompt was never reinforced. These data suggest that altering the reinforcement schedule to favor independent responding may lead to increased independent responding.

A quantitative analysis of behavioral research on the treatment of self-injurious behavior (SIB) over the past 35 years is provided. A literature search covering the period from 1964 to 2000 yielded 396 articles (706 participants) on the treatment of SIB. Most research participants have been male and diagnosed with severe/profound mental retardation. The use of reinforcement-based interventions has increased during the past decade, whereas the use of punishment-based interventions has decreased slightly; both of these trends coincide with the increase in the use of functional assessments. Most treatments have been highly effective in reducing SIB; nevertheless, the disorder persists in spite of an abundance of research, suggesting that a greater emphasis should be placed on prevention.