Association for Behavior Analysis International

We argue that behavior analysis is a field theory. We begin by defining field and theory and then proceed from Skinner. In 1931, he defined behavior as a correlation of classes of Rs and Ss, not causal S?R relations. He also expanded his unit of analysis to R = f(S,A), where A stood for “third variables,” among them, conditioning (behavioral history) and drive (motivational operations). This was a unit of functionally related constituents, but not yet a field of all the necessary ones. In 1936, he discovered the operant and made the three-term contingency his unit of analysis, but again not a field. It did not include context (e.g., third variables) and awaited other constituents: behavior’s form and function, the form’s composition (physical), the media of contact (e.g., visual), and biology (e.g., evolution, physiology). Actually, Skinner did include them, but controlled for (or assumed) them. With all the necessary constituents, behavior analysis became a field theory. If this were explicit internally, other constituents might be controlled (e.g., contingencies) and different relations discovered (e.g., contextual) and, externally, Skinner’s science would not be so badly misunderstood (e.g., for omitting what it controlled), nor would its philosophy (e.g., as elementaristic, instead of holistic).

For the intermediate instruction level, the audience should be Board Certified Behavior Analysts. More specifically, they should have taken and passed courses on the conceptual foundations of behavior analysis (e.g., radical behaviorism) and the experimental analysis of behavior (or behavioral principles) and be conversant in B. F. Skinner's conceptual and empirical contributions to behavior analysis.

The phenomenon of stigma has been widely studied in the mental health field, yet research on the stigma experienced by neurodivergent individuals and their family members has been overlooked in the field of applied behavior analysis (ABA). Previous research has shown that experiences of stigma negatively impact the mental health and quality of life of those subjected to it. Furthermore, stigma often prevents individuals from seeking necessary support for themselves or their children and from following intervention recommendations. Since many ABA practitioners serve neurodivergent individuals and their families, who frequently encounter stigma, understanding this phenomenon is crucial for providing effective and ethical ABA services. Stigma is a complex issue, and several types have been identified and studied within the mental health field. In this presentation, I will share how ABA practitioners can assess consumers’ experiences by (a) providing a set of questions, (b) discussing considerations for assessment, and (c) outlining how to interpret and use assessment data.

The diverse pool of clients who are seeking Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) services in the United States is rapidly growing. Clinicians will provide care for clients that are different in their own culture, beliefs, and customs. Beaulieu et al. (2019) highlighted the importance of clinicians to receive training to serve diverse populations. Cultural competency is an ongoing learning process that requires the clinician to shape and refine these skills in their practice. In some cultures, seeking care might be perceived as a stigma (Liu, 2001), if the service provider is not culturally sensitive, they could be providing treatment that is not culturally accepted by families and may experience resistance. Therefore, providing culturally sensitive treatment plans to meet the needs of linguistically and culturally diverse populations is of great importance. The purpose of this presentation is to discuss how to identify cultural stigmas and provide practical recommendations for delivering diversified care to Chinese/Chinese American families through a behavioral perspective lens.

It is said that the term stigma originated in ancient Greece, where it referred to symbols burned into the skin of enslaved people and people judged as criminals or traitors. Goffman reinvented the term to mean “a general aspect of social life that complicates everyday micro level interactions.” Such custom led to alienation and discrimination of the persons stigmatized. Whether visible or not, stigma is within and without all of us today, in every culture and nation. Persons with autism and other neurodiversity in Japan are stigmatized in multiple ways as the collectivist social norms make them difficult to conform. Their parents and siblings too, internalize their perceived stigmas to the extent that they avoid engaging in public social activities with their autistic family members. This presentation explores how compassionate ABA is the solution to overcome such stigma in Japan, to combat discrimination, gender inequity, and social exclusion. It is not just ABA, but it must be Tsunageru (connecting) ABA, in which one reaches out to the deepest sorrows and desperations of those children and families quietly oppressed and ostracized.

In 1965, Harry Shirkey coined term “therapeutic orphans” in reference to drug development for children in the wake of the thalidomide tragedy. Federal amendments resulted in orphaning clauses (e.g. “not to be used in children”) which curtailed the use and development of novel therapeutics for children and other groups. For people with severe problem behaviors, behavior analysis historically was the orphanage; providing and developing treatment for those who did not benefit from traditional therapies. Currently, several orphaning factors are at work limiting individualized treatment and creating therapeutic orphans of applied behavior analysis. Here we discuss orphaning factors related to the uncompromising promotion of assent above all factors; regulatory and research trends that move patients away from behavioral treatments and towards psychiatric care and criminal justice; and other practice trends that subordinate the needs of individual patients. We illustrate the phenomenon of therapeutic orphaning by summarizing real world cases; reviewing regulatory situations in the United States and Canada; and present data regarding an assessment tool to aid behavior analysts in balancing various factors in treatment decision making.

Approximately 25-35% of typically developing children and up to 80-90% of children with autism may experience persistent feeding difficulties which require intensive feeding interventions (Sharp et al., 2017). Research on treatments of feeding difficulties has a high focus on consequence-based interventions and the use of extinction-based procedures (Berth et al., 2019). This symposium will focus on recent research on low-intensity and antecedent-based strategies to address feeding problems in children. The first presentation will focus on replicating and extending a choice-based intervention (Crowley et al., 2020) adapted to a lower level of intensity of procedures with the goal of increasing consumption of a variety of foods for individuals displaying resistance to change around feeding behaviors. The second presentation will focus on the use of a mealtime-structure protocol to increase consumption of foods and systematically increase the bite size of foods presented at a time. The third presentation will review the feasibility of measuring child behavior during daily transitions into clinic while receiving behavioral feeding services. Overall, these talks will provide the audience with examples of lower intensive and antecedent-based interventions for treating children with feeding difficulties. Findings and implications will also be discussed for practicing behavior analysts.

Target audience should be practicing BCBAs.

Transitioning between activities is an inevitable part of daily life (i.e., driving to and from work) as well as within structured contexts (i.e., going from your desk to a meeting room; Sterling-Turner & Jordan, 2007). Transitioning between activities is a crucial skill for children to learn as they spend 25% of their time transitioning between activities and places (Schmit et al., 2000; Schmit et al. 2000), and having difficulties with transitions may evoke disruptive behavior (Sainato et al., 1987). Previous studies have found that resistance with transitions occurs when the upcoming component following the transition includes a possibly undesirable or novel event or activity (Jessel et al., 2016). In the current study, we investigated the feasibility of measuring child behavior during daily transitions into clinic while receiving behavioral feeding services. So far, results indicate that our measurement strategy is practical, reliable, and sheds light on how successful transitions impact social validity.

Fisher et al. (2011) describes food selectivity to be a common feature among individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). For instance, food selectivity can be observed as rigidity around what foods one eats or the location of mealtime, and sensitivity to textures, amongst other things (Peterson & Ibañez, 2018). To treat individuals with ASD with feeding difficulties, practitioners typically use methods such as escape extinction (Ibañez et al., 2022). Before using escape extinction to treat food selectivity, clinicians should assess whether the conditions call for such an intrusive intervention (Peterson & Ibañez, 2018). Being that the intensity of food selectivity can vary amongst the ASD population, some individuals may respond to less intrusive treatments; however, there is limited research to evaluate this. Ibañez et al. (2022) introduced the idea of mealtime structure manipulations and implemented a procedure where the size of the target food gradually increased as mastery criteria were met during sessions. In this project, we evaluated the addition of mealtime structure as a less intrusive treatment for food selectivity. We used mealtime structure with a child with ASD and food selectivity to investigate if his acceptance of food and volume of food consumed increased. We found that sessions with mealtime structure increased acceptance of bites and volume of food consumed, versus sessions where he was presented with his whole portion of food in a typical format. Additionally, we systematically manipulated the bite size and amount of food presented at a time, until we were able to present the child’s full portion in a typical format. It was concluded that the manipulation of mealtime structure played a significant role in increasing the volume of food consumed during mealtime. Implications for future research and practice will be discussed.

There is immense potential for behavior analysis to improve outcomes for at-risk youth, including youth in child welfare and juvenile justice-involved youth. This potential includes direct services to address behavior issues but also includes working with staff and leadership to improve the operations of youth serving facilities, and advocate for changes in surrounding systems (policing, courts) and other youth serving systems (schools). To do so requires more behavior analysts with the passion to work with these populations, but who also have the experiences and expertise necessary to successfully serve vulnerable populations within historically underfunded and broken systems. Our panel of expert behavior analysts from academia, state government administration, and private practice will take audience questions and discuss i) what behavior analysis services look like in these spaces, ii) what strategies improve access to behavior analysis interventions for this population, iii) what training is needed for current and future behavior analysts to successfully serve this population, and iv) how to successfully navigate contingencies within juvenile justice and other child-serving systems. Finally the panel will end with a discussion of the mission and goals of a potential new Special Interest Group dedicated to working with child welfare and juvenile justice-involved youth.

Audience members should work with, or have an interest in working with, at-risk youth populations in child welfare or juvenile justice systems. Alternatively, audience members should be familiar with principles of behavior analysis and have knowledge of the logistics of providing behavior analysis services for their service population in order to understand and appreciate the differences in how behavior analysis services for juvenile justice and child welfare populations needs to be organized, funded, and the necessary training.

Researchers and professionals interested in learning, the development of habits, and response inhibition.

Mark E. Bouton received his BA from Williams College and his PhD from the University of Washington (Seattle). He is currently University Distinguished Professor and Robert B. Lawson Green and Gold Professor of Psychology Emeritus at the University of Vermont, where he has held appointments since 1980. He has done research on the effects of context on conditioning and learning, with an emphasis on behavior change (including extinction, punishment, and the transition of operant behavior from goal-directed to habitual), for over four decades. His research was continuously funded by grants from NSF or NIH between 1981 and 2023. He has received a number of awards, including the Gantt Medal from the Pavlovian Society and the Quad-L Award from the University of New Mexico, and he is a Fellow of several organizations, including the American Psychological Association, the Association for Psychological Science, the Society of Experimental Psychologists, and the Eastern Psychological Association, of which he is a past president. He is the author of a textbook on learning and behavior theory [Learning and behavior: A contemporary synthesis (2nd ed.)], published in 2016 by Sinauer Associates, an imprint of Oxford University Press.

Social communication deficits are common among autistic people; approximately 63% of autistic children present with language deficits, and language development may be delayed or difficult. Deficits in communicative repertoires may affect other important areas of skill development, including social skills and skills affecting independence. Verbal behavior may be established through a variety of instructional methods, which vary depending on the targets and complexity of the verbal response, and the verbal repertoire of the individual. The current symposium will highlight three different methods to establish emerging and complex verbal behavior. The first presentation will review stimulus-stimulus pairing to establish vocal approximations, the second presentation will review the effects of listener- and tact-training on emergent intraverbal behavior, and the third presentation will review variables affecting autoclitic behavior. The final presentation will review criteria-based planning and readiness behaviors associated with transitioning from intensive early intervention to less restrictive settings. Lastly, implications for training verbal behavior and the role of verbal behavior in transition planning will be discussed.

Stimulus-stimulus pairing is a procedure in which specific vocalizations are paired with the delivery of conditioned stimuli or unconditioned stimuli (i.e., reinforcers), and stimulus-stimulus pairing has been used to increase vocalizations in participants with language delays. Overall, stimulus-stimulus pairing has produced mixed outcomes across studies. Some studies demonstrate an increase in participants’ vocalizations, while other studies demonstrate a partial increase or zero increase in participant’s vocalizations. To clarify these findings, the current study replicates the systematic literature review conducted by Shillingsburg et al. (2015). We included 12 experimental studies, including published peer-reviewed studies, theses, and dissertations, from 2015 and 2024 that investigated stimulus-stimulus pairing to increase vocalizations in participants with language delays. The studies were analyzed according to participants’ characteristics and specific features of the stimulus-stimulus pairing procedures. An effect size estimate (nonoverlap of all pairs) was calculated for a portion of the studies reviewed. Directions for future research are discussed.

Many children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have difficulty discriminating which aspect of a complex nonverbal stimulus they are being questioned about. The inability to discriminate means interventions are needed to help establish intraverbal tacts to questions that are multiple controlled. The current study replicated degli Espinosa et al. 2021 who used Autoclitic Frame Training to establish intraverbal tacting. In the current study, a 3-year-old girl with ASD was taught to answer questions about complex stimuli by responding within the autoclitic frame. Following Autoclitic Frame Training, discrimination and Generalization Probes were conducted to evaluate the effects of Autoclitic Frame Training on the accuracy of intraverbal tacting and the use of autoclitic frames within responses. The intervention resulted in accurate intraverbal tacting across three complex stimulus sets, and within set generalization to new stimuli. This adds support to the external validity of Autoclitic Frame Training as an intervention to teach intraverbal tacting in learners with ASD. Limitations, future research, and clinical recommendations are discussed.

Behavior analysts have the responsibility to appropriately transition services. This includes collaborating with other professionals, properly communicating outcomes, and monitoring all aspects of the transition. But how to determine if a child with autism is ready to transition from comprehensive treatment into a less restrictive environment, preferably a school environment, can be somewhat complex and the criteria aren’t always clear. A transition readiness assessment process is hypothesized to inform more clinically appropriate transitions and assist in the appropriate skill planning to prepare a child to learn and maintain skills in the proposed less restrictive settings. Regularly assessing for critical readiness skills regardless of time in services or age, and programming towards those skills, better positions children with autism for smoother and more successful transitions. The purpose of this study was to assess feasibility and effectiveness of training BCBAs on implementing a transition readiness assessment tool used to predict clinically appropriate transition timelines and inform programming for readiness skills within those timelines. The goal was to increase the percentage of appropriate client transitions to less restrictive settings as children age out of early intervention settings. Preliminary results indicate an increase in appropriate transitions from center-based ABA to general education settings.

Competing stimulus assessments (CSAs) are frequently used to identify items associated with high engagement and reduce automatically maintained challenging behavior. The present symposium will explore four studies evaluating novel modifications and their impact on challenging behavior in adults, adolescents, and children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The first two studies evaluate adaptions to traditional CSA methods. One explores the use of clothing items to compete with subtype one and three automatically maintained self-injurious behavior (SIB) and provides preliminary evidence of clothing effectively competing with self-injury. Another study compares the effectiveness of a latency-based CSA to traditional CSA methods and discusses the limited agreement between the two methodologies. The second two studies evaluate modifications to augmented CSA (A-CSA). One study evaluates the utility A-CSA for respondent biting and inappropriate sexual behavior (ISB) and discusses the maintenance of A-CSA findings outside of the intensive clinical context. The last study explores subtyping stereotypy based on functional analysis results as well as A-CSA procedures across training and generalization stimuli to determine maintenance effects. Overall, these studies highlight the importance of evaluating methodological adaptations to CSAs to ultimately enhance clinical practice and research.

Previous research establishes competing stimulus assessments (CSAs) as effective tools to identify stimuli associated with a reduction in challenging behavior in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and related disabilities (Haddock & Hagopian, 2020). Research on CSAs, however, is limited within (1) the adult population and (2) subtype three automatically reinforced self-injurious behavior (SIB). The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the use of a competing stimulus assessment of clothing items to decrease automatically maintained self-injury in three applications. Two applications were conducted with a 27-year-old male, Myles, diagnosed with ASD demonstrating two separate topographies of subtype three automatically reinforced SIB. One application was conducted with a 24-year-old male, Tucker, diagnosed with ASD demonstrating subtype one automatically reinforced SIB. A CSA was conducted for each application in which levels of SIB, self-restraint, item engagement, and item avoidance were tracked when wearing various clothing items. Overall, at least one effective competing stimulus (defined by an 80% reduction from baseline) was identified for two of the three applications. Future researchers should continue to evaluate the efficacy of clothing items as competing stimuli for individuals demonstrating automatically reinforced SIB.

Hagopian et al. (2020) demonstrated the application of the augmented competing stimulus assessment (A-CSA) to treat automatically maintained self-injurious behavior (SIB). This procedure may be effective for other forms of challenging behavior; however, when integrating the A-CSA with treatments for socially maintained challenging behavior, items are removed, which interacts with complex, operant and respondent biting, and items may not match stimulation produced by less common challenging behavior, such as inappropriate sexual behavior (ISB). Therefore, we adapted A-CSA, to limit removal in the treatment of operant and respondent biting and to compare matched and unmatched stimulation in the treatment of ISB. Using the adapted A-CSA, we identified four competing stimuli that effectively reduced biting. In the comparison of matched and unmatched stimuli, we identified one, matched stimulus, that reduced ISB. Interestingly, with both participants, we observed clinically significant reductions in challenging behavior even when engagement was not continuous, suggesting a potential for maintenance outside of an intensive clinical context. We will discuss implications of adapting the A-CSA for a variety of challenging behavior.

Competing stimulus assessments are one technology that aids in developing treatment for behaviors maintained by automatic reinforcement. However, these assessments do not always yield robust results. Stereotypic behaviors of different subtypes may require particular procedural modifications to identify competing items successfully. The current investigation recruited children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder and included functional analyses to determine whether participant responding aligned with proposed stereotypy subtypes. Next, we implemented augmented competing stimulus assessment (A-CSA) procedures across training and generalization stimuli to determine whether (a) responding across either subtype was more likely to require intensive modifications and (b) the A-CSA procedures promoted generalized item engagement within a stimulus class. Lastly, an extended treatment evaluation was conducted to determine the durability of these findings and the generalization of the reduced target behavior to other settings. While participant responding fell into two subtype patterns, the general applicability of the subtyping model remains unclear. Generalized item engagement within stimulus classes was observed across participants, as well as maintenance of target behavior reductions across locations.

Automatically maintained behaviors, which persist in the absence of socially-mediated consequences, present a significant challenge in applied behavior analysis. Historically, these behaviors have been misunderstood and misclassified, leading to ineffective interventions. The complexity of identifying their functions complicates both assessment and treatment. This symposium will discuss recent advancements in functional analysis methodologies and evidence-based interventions aimed at more effectively addressing these persistent behaviors. Aaron Sanchez will present a study which compared functional communication training and time-based reinforcement to reduce operant and respondent biting. Kira Flynn will present a study which evaluated the use of haptic feedback delivered via a bracelet to reduce idiopathic toe walking across two individuals. Kayleigh Norton will present a study which analyzed the effect of session duration on the detection of automatically maintained behavior during repeated alone or no-interaction screens. Last, Brittany Repak will describe the results of a study which compared the effects of blocking and self-restraint on the occurrence of self-injurious behavior in a functional analysis.

Presentations in this symposium will be delivered at an intermediate instruction level. Target audience members should have education in behavioral interventions for learners with autism and other developmental disabilities to maximize learning during this symposium.

Function-based treatments can produce meaningful, long-term reductions in challenging behavior and, most importantly, increases in desirable behavior. These treatments generally fall into two categories: differential reinforcement for behavior maintained by social reinforcement, and time-based reinforcement for behavior maintained by non-social reinforcement. However, challenging behavior, such as biting, may both be operant and respondent (e.g., elicited by aversive stimulation or removal of preferred items). To date, there has been limited applied research on function-based approaches to the treatment of respondent challenging behavior. In this study, we compared the two most common function-based treatments, functional communication training (FCT), and time-based reinforcement, in the treatment of complex, operant and respondent biting. During time-based reinforcement evaluations, we observed near elimination of biting. However, even when alternating time-based sessions and FCT, we continued to observe elicited biting. These results suggest additional research is needed to investigate the integration of respondent-based conditioning procedures with common function-based treatments.

Haptic feedback involves the delivery of a vibratory stimulus contingent upon a target behavior. Among other applications, it has been used to prompt initiation of social interactions and increase on-task time in children with disabilities. In the current study, we used a combination reversal and nonconcurrent multiple baseline design across participants to evaluate haptic feedback delivered via a bracelet to reduce idiopathic toe walking exhibited by an adolescent male with autism and a typically developing young adult woman. After informing participants about the device and the feedback it produced, the experimenter delivered private haptic feedback contingent upon each participants’ steps on toes. The feedback was effective to reduce toe walking to low levels for both participants. In addition, in a social validity measure, participants reported that the bracelet was helpful to improve their gait. Participants also noted that they would be willing to wear the device outside of research sessions. The authors also discuss the use of technology to address challenging behaviors.

Repeated alone or no-interaction screens may be used to rule out the possibility that behavior is maintained by socially mediated consequences (Querim et al., 2013; Slanzi et al., 2022; Vollmer et al., 1995). Previous studies have used blocks of three 5-min sessions or a single 15-min session plotted as fifteen 1-min bins. Our goal is to minimize a client’s time in austere environments while still maintaining the informative value of the alone screen. In the present paper, we re-analyzed data from multiple datasets of previously conducted alone or no-interaction screens to determine whether session duration impacts the interpretability of the data. Participants engaged in disruptive behavior, self-injurious behavior, or destruction. Initial analyses were conducted using 5- or 10-min sessions and were re-analyzed using 5-, 2.5-, and 1-min bins, and data were summarized as responses per min. Data from a single participant are included in this abstract, and data collection is ongoing. Additional data analysis, such as the presence or absence of renewal marked by social breaks in or out of the session room, will also be included. An independent observer collected data for at least 30% of sessions with at least 80% reliability for all target responses.

Automatically reinforced self-injurious behavior (SIB) has previously been delineated into three subtypes established by the pattern of responding and presence of self-restraint in the ignore/alone and toy play conditions of the traditional functional analysis. Subtype three is classified by the presence of self-restraint; however, recent research questions whether subtype three is a distinct subtype or rather a variant of subtype one or two (Hagopian et al., 2015). Furthermore, it has been suggested that different patterns of responding may occur when self-restraint is blocked compared to when it is allowed. The purpose of the current study was to (1) compare functional analysis results when SIB is blocked to when SIB is allowed and (2) utilize a pairwise functional analysis methodology to determine if responding is more characteristic of subtype one or subtype two in cases of subtype three automatically reinforced SIB demonstrated by two adults with autism spectrum disorder. Results indicated differentiated responding when self-restraint was allowed compared to when it was blocked. Future research should explore similar techniques to determine if subtype three is a unique subtype of automatically reinforced behavior or if it can resemble subtype one or two.

This symposium examines the pivotal role of Relational Frame Theory (RFT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)  in promoting cognitive, social, and behavioral growth across a range of populations and contexts. Presentations in this symposium explore how utilization of RFT can promote derived relational responding and expanding linguistic and cognitive abilities, while the application of ACT establishes the necessary psychological flexibility in these relational processes profoundly impacting individuals served. First, we explore how developing these frameworks in the youngest of learners can have life-changing impacts on cognition and language and follow this trajectory throughout childhood, adolescence, and adulthood as prosocial behaviors are established and strengthened by application of these advanced behavior analytic principles. Furthermore, the relationship between developing an appreciation of the arts through advancing repertoires of relational responding is explored and the resulting social impacts. The implications of art education and how it may foster advanced language capabilities is discussed.  Finally, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is showcased in correctional rehabilitation, demonstrating how relational processes can facilitate lasting behavioral change and reduce recidivism. Together, these talks provide valuable perspectives on how RFT and ACT can be leveraged to enhance learning, social interaction, and affect impactful behavioral change.

The target audience has an understanding of Relational Frame Theory (RFT) and derived relational responding, knowledge of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and psychological flexibility, and experience implementing individualized assessments.

Recent research underscores the need for correctional rehabilitation programs to adopt therapeutic models that extend beyond traditional behavior-analytic interventions. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), as conceptualized by Hayes et al. (2019), offers a framework centered on psychological flexibility and contextual behavioral change, particularly suited for populations with high recidivism rates. In the Hawai‘i correctional system, we are implementing ACT principles through individual and group interventions aimed at promoting short-term behavioral compliance and long-term rehabilitation and reintegration. The program seeks to foster adaptive functioning during incarceration and support sustained behavioral change post-release by utilizing key ACT processes such as acceptance, defusion, and committed action. Studies such as Zarling et al. (2019) highlight the potential for ACT to reduce aggressive behaviors and recidivism, forming the foundation of our approach. Our program’s design integrates a culturally responsive framework tailored to the needs of diverse populations, including Native Hawaiian individuals, to enhance engagement and relevance. This presentation will provide an overview of the program’s theoretical basis and practical application, with a focus on how these elements can contribute to reducing recidivism and fostering meaningful, sustained behavioral transformation within correctional populations.

This talk will introduce a comprehensive set of methods aimed at building foundational cognitive and language abilities in infants and young children with autism. Topics include procedures for teaching simple and conditional discriminations, developing delay to reinforcement tolerance, understanding cause and effect, identifying preferences, and encouraging non-arbitrary stimulus relations through play. Additionally, key strategies will be presented for fostering social attention and teaching chained task performance through derived stimulus relations. A unique feature includes a structured play-based assessment, which evaluates each child’s current abilities within the contexts common to the childhood experience thus determining the appropriate level of intervention. This assessment ensures individualized planning for learners at every level, providing an essential first step for children on the path to more advanced relational training. Ideal for clinicians and educators, this talk lays the groundwork for early developmental interventions and sets the stage for greater gains in relational repertoires to impact socially significant outcomes.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a developmental condition characterized by challenges in social interaction, communication, and repetitive behaviors. Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) services are a recognized and effective intervention for individuals with autism. In the U.S., Medicaid plays a crucial role in providing access to ABA services for many families, ensuring that children with autism receive necessary support regardless of their financial situation. However, there remains a lack of research on client demographics and service delivery patterns for ASD. Our study sought to address this gap by analyzing data on Indiana Medicaid members to better understand ASD service delivery patterns. Demographic data from 2019-2020 were analyzed using sample size proportions for race, gender, and age. We then examined the percentage under each category across four selected ABA services (assessment, individual therapy, group therapy, and family guidance). Our results indicated that individuals with different demographic characteristics were consistently billed across all service models. However, certain services, such as group therapy, were underutilized despite their potential positive outcomes, possibly due to lower reimbursement rates. These findings highlight the potential for significant improvement in the delivery of ABA services through policy-level changes.

Toilet training is a common challenge for caregivers, particularly for caregivers of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Incontinence can negatively impact the hygiene, physical comfort, independence, and quality of life for children with ASD. Encopresis, or incontinent bowel movements, is typically caused by constipation for most children. Children with ASD are 3.8 times more likely to have constipation than their typically developing peers. Recurring bouts of incontinence and constipation can also negatively impact caregivers in the child’s life. We conducted a randomized clinical trial with a treatment as usual group and one intervention group, receiving the Multidisciplinary Intervention for Encopresis (MIE) which involved both medical and behavioral approaches for treating encopresis without the use of laxatives, enemas, and punishment procedures. In addition to these treatments, we conducted the Treatment Acceptability Rating Form-Revised with caregivers to assess the acceptability of the treatment recommendations. Results indicate that the MIE resulted in statistically significant changes in independent continence with a for participants completing the MIE with high acceptability scores from caregivers. Additionally, participants in the MIE group continued to improve post-treatment in follow up. The presentation discusses practical significance and impact for children, caregivers, and practitioners in the treatment of encopresis.

Families may face long waitlists for behavior analytic services due to high demands and limited resources. Referrals for therapeutic services also vary in intensity and severity, where some families may greatly benefit learning about validated parenting strategies as they wait for their first appointment. To help caregivers begin to address behavioral concerns at home, a parenting website was developed by a team of behavior analysts and psychologists at Kennedy Krieger Institute. Waitlist families (independent users) who were initially offered access to the website showed low engagement with content on the site. As a result, a contingency program was implemented to evaluate the effects between engagement time and frequency of challenging behavior. Thirteen waitlist families were recruited and offered the opportunity to bypass the waitlist contingent on providing daily data, reviewing tutorials on the website, and attending weekly check-ins for a month. Results showed higher engagement for caregivers in the program compared to independent users. Additionally, all caregivers who completed the program reported a substantial decrease in their child’s challenging behavior.

Numerous research studies have investigated teaching methods and potential prerequisite skills that lead to generative learning across different populations. The current symposium includes basic, translational, and applied studies related to bidirectional naming and equivalence relations, with adults and children with autism as participants. The first presentation evaluates whether cover, copy, and compare study strategy could be used to teach equivalence relations to undergraduate students and whether drawing could occur as a form of mediating response in testing. The second presentation assesses the effects of multiple exemplar training on both the development of bidirectional naming and stimulus generalization in children with autism. The third presentation discusses two experiments that examined whether intraverbal bidirectional naming facilitated the formation of generalized equivalence classes with adults. Finally, the fourth study is an applied study that assesses class expansion and transfer of function after instructive feedback training with children with autism. The symposium concludes with thoughtful comments from the discussant.

Participants should be able to define and describe stimulus equivalence relations. Participants should be able to define and describe verbal operants.

The present study is an extension of Jennings and Miguel (2017) by investigating whether intraverbal bidirectional naming (I-BiN) facilitated the formation of generalized equivalence classes. This study includes two experiments (E1 and E2), four adults participated in each. Both experiments used a one-to-many training structure, matching-to-sample (MTS) tests, I-BiN tests, post-sorting tests, and social-validity survey. Stimulus generalization was measured across four novel stimulus sets. Pre-MTS test, tact test- and training followed by listener test, intraverbal training, (A´B’ and A´C’) were completed similarly in E1 and E2. After mastery of the training conditions, two different test sequences were introduced: In E1, successive blocks of post-MTS tests of across baseline, symmetry and equivalence relations and I-BiN tests was divided, while in E2, tests were merged into one block I-BiN and MTS-test, respectively. Then, both experiments exposed the participants to sorting tests. The results demonstrated that the establishment of few intraverbals led to correct responding during I-BiN and MTS tests, and the result was confirmed by the sorting tests, as well as all eight participants achieved mastery during the generalization tests. Vocal MTS-test and a post-experimental interview confirmed the use of tacts and I-BiN during MTS-tests.

Cover, Copy, and Compare (CCC) is a study strategy in which students cover their notes, attempt to copy them, and then compare for accuracy. This translational study evaluated whether CCC could be used to teach equivalence relations to undergraduate students and whether drawing may occur as a form of mediating response in testing. A video training package and experimenter feedback was used to teach participants to engage in CCC with notes in the form of a graphic organizer (GO). During the CCC condition, participants constructed GOs depicting the relations among the three equivalence classes, each consisting of three familiar stimuli. After completing CCC, six of the seven participants scored over 90% on their first matching-to-sample (MTS) posttest. We evaluated generalization of the CCC strategy with a three five-member classes of all abstract stimuli. All participants utilized the CCC strategy, constructed GOs with fidelity, and scored over 90% on the first posttest. Social validity data indicated participants found the approach highly acceptable. These findings provide additional evidence of the benefits of teaching mediating responses to produce high equivalence yields, particularly visual bidirectional naming (V-BiN; Miguel, 2018) as participants visualized the images then reacted to them by drawing them on their GO.

In the past several years, verbal behavior research has focused on teaching methods that lead to generative learning so not every single operant needs to be taught. One of these strategies, multiple exemplar instruction (MEI) is said to lead to the transfer between speaker and listener repertoires consistent with bidirectional naming (BiN). However, MEI is often confused with Multiple Exemplar Training (MET) which has previously been shown to lead to stimulus generalization. As an attempt to distinguish between the kind of generativity obtained with each procedure, a recent study with preschool children diagnosed with autism has demonstrated that MEI produces responding consistent with BiN, but not stimulus generalization. The purpose of the current study was to assess the effects of MET, rather than MEI, on both the development of bidirectional naming (BiN) and stimulus generalization with children with autism. So far results show that MET leads to the development of stimulus generalization, but it is inconsistent in the development BiN for targeted sets, supporting the functional distinction between MEI and MET.

The rapid advancement of computer technology, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, deep learning, and machine vision has created unprecedented opportunities in the study of animal and human behavior. These tools enhance the precision and speed, of behavior data collection and analysis. AI-based systems, particularly those using machine learning and deep learning, automate complex tasks like behavior recognition and movement analysis, reducing human error. Machine vision and pose estimation provide detailed insights into the spatiotemporal dynamics of behavior, allowing for a deeper understanding of both individual actions and broader patterns. This symposium presents four studies demonstrating cutting-edge AI applications in behavior analysis. The first applies real-time tracking, machine vision, and a closed-loop system to develop spatial contingent schedules of reinforcement. The second uses pose estimation to analyze and identify behavioral schedules in rats. The third study compares the accuracy of human observers and AI systems in recording gross motor movements and topography. The fourth introduces machine learning models that automatically measure vocal stereotypy in children with autism and examines the correlation between values measured by machine learning and those recorded by a human observer. Together, these studies show AI’s role in advancing research and applied practices in behavior analysis.

Audience members interested in artificial intelligence applications in the science of behavior will benefit from a basic understanding of computer-related terminology. This includes those seeking insights into integrating AI technologies for enhanced data collection and analysis in behavioral research and practice.

The Computational Experimental Analysis of Behavior (CEAB) is an emerging field that implements Computational Intelligence in methods and data analysis to understand behavioral phenomena. We implemented a novel Reinforcement Schedule (RS), based on real-time tracking with Machine Vision and a closed-loop system, called Spatial Contingent Schedules (SCS), in which reinforcement depends on a given spatial feature, i.e., a reached traveled distance. Two experiments were conducted under an A-B-A-C-A-B design, where A = Extinction, B = SCS, and C = JokedRS. We used a Modified Open Field System (1x1 m) with a servo water-dispenser at the center (Coord. .45, .45). In experiment 1, a Fixed Traveled Distance Schedule (FD) was used as SCS, and in experiment 2, a Variable Traveled Distance Schedule (VD). A Spatial Dynamics Behavioral Analysis, using Machine Learning, was conducted. The rats were sensitive to the contingencies for both SCS, and a variable ranking analysis showed that Spatial Anticipation of Reinforcement (SA) and Giving Up Time of the Reinforcement Zone were the most sensitive variables in distinguishing the effects between SCS. It is highlighted that SA was systematically observed under FD. The implications of CEAB and SCS for pushing the methodological and empirical boundaries of EAB are discussed.

Traditional behavior research often focuses on discrete responses, but organisms exhibit a wide range of behaviors in natural settings (Skinner, 1966). Spatiotemporal features of behavior are sensitive to reinforcement contingencies (León et al., 2020). Machine learning, both supervised and unsupervised, can detect behavior patterns in uncontrolled environments (Turgeon & Lanovaz, 2020). This study extends machine learning applications to identify behavior schedules in 12 rats using spatiotemporal data. Twelve three-month-old Wistar rats, individually housed with a 23-hour water restriction, were divided into four groups. They were exposed to fixed time (FT) and variable time (VT) schedules with fixed (FS) or variable space (VS) for water delivery over 30 sessions and 10 sessions without a programmed schedule. We utilized DeepLabCut for pose estimation, refining a pre-trained mouse model with our data. The primary measure was joint positions and skeleton representations from DeepLabCut. SimBA provided additional behavior recognition, and CEBRA offered latent behavior analysis. Results include reduced movement and behaviors under variable space and time contingencies due to environmental variability. This study implies that advanced machine learning can revolutionize behavior analysis, offering a more accurate understanding of animal and human behaviors, thereby better meeting species-specific needs in different natural environments.

Behavior frequency data is collected for individuals with autism to monitor progress and inform decision making by behavior analysts. This data impacts important life decisions, such as restrictive procedures fading, psychotropic medication prescribing, and residential placement (Vollmer et al. 2008). Studies have demonstrated exorbitant training and monitoring hours are required from a behavior analyst to ensure this data collected by direct care staff is accurate (Mozingo et al. 2006; Reis et al. 2013). The current comparative analysis evaluates the effects of human and AI data collectors on the accuracy of human gross motor frequency and topography data collection. Participants to date have consisted of typically developing adults who are prompted to make gross motor movements at latencies which decrease across sessions, and the topography and frequency of the movements are scored by a human data collector, a motion detection camera, and a generative AI system. Preliminary data suggest that the Axis camera system’s ability to discriminate frequency of behaviors decreases as the latency between movements shortens.

Behavior analysis has much to offer in conceptualizing learning or how repertoires emerge from interactions with context. And yet, many of the most common conceptualizations of learning in the classroom and the clinic tend to be limited by mentalist constructs, cultural insensitivity, and disregard for the interlocking functional relations at play. This symposium will explore the effect of centering appetitive functional relations in behavioral conceptualizations of teaching and learning. The first paper will unpack the mentalist construct of fixed vs. growth mindset regarding learned repertoires and the contexts from which they emerge. The second paper will explore the effects of an All Appetitive All the Time approach to culturally sensitive teaching in the university classroom. The third paper will discuss an alternative to the traditional teacher’s stance, embracing the opportunity for teachers to be learners. The fourth paper will consider the therapist as the learner, and how therapists might resource themselves to best serve their clients. Discussion around fostering growth with breadth and flexibility will follow.

Board-certified behavior analytic professionals working in higher education.

Behavior analysis has focused on effective instructional design and classroom management when addressing the issues with pedagogy (De Souza & Crone-Todd, 2024; Vargas, 2013). From a behavior-analytic perspective, teaching involves the student as a learner, and the same principles used to produce behavior change are applicable in this context (Martens & Kelly, 1993). Every student encountering a learning context has a unique repertoire that likely requires idiosyncratic interventions to foster learning. Ideally, teachers organize the contingencies of the learning context to resource students toward their desired learning outcomes. However, the individual, group, and systemic conditions under which teachers operate create little room to nurture them as learners. An inability to learn from students results in an inability for teachers to meaningfully resource them. The current paper will offer a behavior-analytic conceptual analysis of the conditions under which teachers can be positioned to learn from their students and resource them meaningfully. The conceptualization will discuss the power disparity between teachers and students in a learning context and developing curiosity and humility as aspects of the teacher’s repertoire toward co-creating a socially valid learning context with students. Practical implications of such a perspective and barriers to implementing related practices will be discussed.

Both teaching and learning occur in the clinical space. Typically, we think of the clinician as the teacher and the client as the learner, wherein the clinician is a part of the appetitive learning context that fosters growth for the client. Ideally, both are true: the clinician and the client take turns playing the role of teacher and learner. From this perspective, the clinician is learning how to best serve the client. This is not necessarily the case under all conditions, however. Sometimes the conditions in the clinical space instead foster narrowness and rigidity on the part of the clinician, limiting the resources a clinician has access to in order to provide an appetitive learning environment for the client. The current presentation will explore the conditions under which the clinician is able to grow into what the client needs. It will also explore the skills involved in this learning and growth: tracking our own behavior and resourcing ourselves.

Since the late 1980s, a methodology that has come to be called Performance Thinking® has evolved among practitioners in the ISPI (International Society for Performance Improvement) and Applied Behavior Analysis communities. Evolving from Tom Gilbert's concepts described in his book, Human Competence, this methodology makes those concepts actionable with two simple visual models plus 21 plain English user-tested words for communicating about the models. Performance Thinking programs and methods have been licensed and applied in large corporations including Amgen, FedEx, Insperity, Anthem, and others, as well as in a growing number of ABA organizations. This symposium brings together users who have applied Performance Thinking in diverse ways and contexts within the ABA community. In juvenile justice facilities, ABAI editorial processes, a university, and an ABA program, presenters will describe both formal projects and informal, ad hoc applications of accomplishment-based performance analysis and performance improvement using the models and logic of Performance Thinking. The Discussant, a seasoned executive and BCBA, who has led growth of two of the larger ABA companies, will reflect on those applications from the perspective of a senior leader, focused on improving productivity, service quality, and culture in a growing enterprise.

Those who will benefit most from this symposium have worked in organizations, either as an individual contributor, a manager/leader, or a talent management/development staffer to appreciate how clear definition and documentation of processes and roles can make a difference in day-to-day performance. While students and newly graduated professionals will gain benefit, until they've encountered the "real world" of organizational performance, the session might be a bit "academic."

The potential for applying ABA outside the autism and disabilities communities is enormous, including work with youth involved in the Juvenile Justice system. Working with facilities that serve juvenile offenders involves both direct service to them, as well as re-designing systems and processes in a positive and transformative manner.  At Adapt and Transform Behavior, LLC (ATBx), we have brought accomplishment-based performance improvement to both formal projects and ad hoc performance problem-solving to streamline and improve processes and re-define roles and management practices for treatment of clients. At The OBSI Project (Outcome Based Science Informed), a newly formed not-for-profit organization, we have begun to apply performance improvement to juvenile justice facilities, implementing evidence-based educational approaches (e.g., The Morningside Model) and best practices management strategies based on the models and logic of Performance Thinking. This presentation outlines a project aimed at defining and improving our initial consultation and assessment processes. It details how our consultants will conduct initial assessments to inform our strategic implementation blueprint. We emphasize the importance of gathering necessary information during these assessments to ensure successful implementation planning and high customer satisfaction.

In most organizations, whether corporate, academic, or in ABA services, job descriptions are mostly marketing documents to attract and set high level expectations for job applicants. Typical job descriptions list strengths, competencies, accountabilities, and so forth, at a relatively high level of abstraction. This presentation illustrates how we can use accomplishments at the level of an Individual Performance Map to fully define jobs by listing the valuable work outputs they produce. With such an accomplishment-based job profile, it is possible to recruit and hire with greater precision -- focused on the specific contributions expected from the role. And by identifying the behavior needed to produce those contributions (AKA work outputs), we can better develop and support the performance of people in the role. An Associate Dean, responsible in both the College of Arts and Sciences, and for the operation of an ABA service affiliated with a major University, has approached job definition and support with a focus on accomplishments. She and her clinical director will share an example, discussing the implications and applications, as well as next steps.

In organizations of all kinds, including those that deliver Applied Behavior Analysis services, most value is delivered to clients or customers by means of processes, to which multiple people contribute. If those processes are efficient and effective, the return on investment for those processes is positive. However, in so many organizations both business and clinical educational processes are not even identified, let alone documented or improved. This presentation describes how an accomplishment-based approach to performance analysis can help to clarify process descriptions and documents, because it explicitly identifies the accomplishments (AKA work outputs) produced by each contributor at each step of the process. In addition to work done to define and support processes in the organization, this presentation will mention other ad hoc applications where the elements of accomplishment-based performance improvement are making an impact. Overall, the presentation should make obvious how identifying what Gilbert called the “valuable accomplishments” produced and passed on by each step in a process can improve our ability to diagnose and suggest improvements, as well as to measure performance and identify where things went wrong.

Many autistic individuals may desire support and services primarily in the areas of adaptive functioning and social well-being throughout their lifetime. There is a need for community-informed and person-centered social programs targeted for autistic adolescents and adults. New technology, such as virtual reality (VR), is being researched to assess the feasibility of providing therapeutic services to autistic individuals. In this two part study, both qualitative and quantitative methods were utilized to: (1) better understand and explore the perceptions of parents and autistic adolescents regarding social development and thoughts around social skills interventions delivered through technologies such as VR; and (2) investigate the more effective telehealth platform for delivering social skills intervention. The results of the qualitative study provide guidance to the research community on investigating different innovative approaches for offering a social program that is supported by autistic individuals. The preliminary results of the quantitative study provide evidence that VR may be more effective at addressing certain social skills for autistic adolescents. The results of both studies are discussed for future implications regarding social programs for the autism community.

Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) is a method for supplementing, enhancing, and sometimes replacing vocal-verbal behavior for populations that present with complex communication needs (CCN), helping individuals potentially contact reinforcement for verbal behavior. Collaboration between speech-language pathologists (SLPs) and behavior analysts can facilitate AAC assessment within the context of mand modality training and preference assessment for individuals with CCN. The current study examined the effects of a telehealth behavioral skills training (BST) intervention on the accurate administration of an AAC assessment methodology incorporating objective measures of independent mands, consideration of challenging behavior, social validity, and preference assessment. Participants included two SLP graduate students, who attended a virtual training with instruction, modeling, rehearsal, and feedback components, in a multiple baseline across participants design. BST resulted in increased performance during administration of the mand training and AAC assessment with both participants, suggesting that virtual BST may be an effective method for disseminating standard practices for AAC assessment to SLPs and other clinicians. Procedures will be replicated with a third participant to further demonstrate experimental control and treatment efficacy.

Adults with autism often experience challenges in developing social skills, which can result in limited friendships relative to their neurotypical peers. Conversational skills, particularly topic shift strategies, play a crucial role in shaping social interactions. However, lacking essential skills like topic shift strategies can lead adults with autism to persistently experience negative social encounters. Behavior-analytic research suggests effective interventions for improving conversation skills, but areas such as topic shift strategies remain under-researched and has been limited to investigating one type of topic shift – shifting to a new topic when someone is uninterested. Additionally, while conversational analyses have been performed with neurotypical individuals and those with other diagnoses, there is uncertainty regarding whether topic shift behaviors differ among neurotypical individuals and those with autism. The purpose of this study was to conduct as descriptive assessment with neurotypical adults and adults with autism. Participants were instructed to engage in a 30-minute conversation with a novel conversation partner and then were asked to complete a social validity questionnaire regarding their partner’s conversational skills. Conversations were transcribed and coded by antecedent and behavior topographies of topic shifts. Results suggest that adults may response to various topographies of antecedent events and subsequently engage in various topographies of topic shift behaviors, extending beyond what existing literature suggests. These results further inform clinical benchmarks of conversation skills and potential interventions that may be utilized with aduts with autism.

Identifying reinforcers is crucial for many evidence-based behavior change programs. Videos may be a type of reinforcer worth considering given the accessibility of small electronic devices and the rates at which children watch and enjoy screen time. The multiple stimulus without replacement preference assessment has been used numerous times to successfully identify preferred stimuli that subsequently function as reinforcers for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). As such, we used the Multiple Stimulus Without Replacement Preference Assessment Tool (MSWO PAT) to identify high- and low-preferred videos for three children diagnosed with ASD. We then evaluated the predictive validity of the MSWO PAT by arranging a concurrent-operants reinforcer assessment for puzzle and sorting tasks. The results show that the high-preferred video maintained higher levels of responding for puzzle and sorting tasks for two of the three children. One participant engaged in higher levels of responding to access their low preferred video. Implications for using videos as reinforcers for children with ASD, limitations, and areas for future research are also discussed.

The increasing availability of behavior analytic services for individuals with autism is addressing a critical service gap, yet a significant portion of providers are relatively new to the practice, presenting unique challenges and opportunities for the field. Each service delivery model, whether a school, clinic, or consultancy, needs mechanisms to ensure that providers are relying on best practice informed by research, teaching socially relevant and important skills to learners, and contributing to the growth and development of its service providers along the way. This presentation explores the pillars of a strong clinical service delivery model situated in a school for learners with autism. Those pillars include an ecosystem for professional development and research, both of which then offer the opportunity for continuous program improvement; a system for identifying and teaching important skills that relies on the principles of behavior analysis; and a well-considered set of logistical practices that are specifically designed to meet the needs of learners with autism. This presentation highlights NECC's commitment to evidence-based practices and its ongoing contributions to advancing autism education.

Dr. Jessica Sassi is President and Chief Executive Officer at the New England Center for Children, a school committed to transforming the lives of children with autism through education, research, and technology.  Dr. Sassi’s professional interests include the functional analysis and treatment of severe behavior disorders, education and support for those with autism, and public policy advocacy for those most severely affected by autism. Dr. Sassi graduated with her doctorate in Behavior Analysis from the University of Florida in 2007. She taught and mentored master’s and doctoral students as faculty in the Western New England University programs in Behavior Analysis, and served as guest Action Editor and Reviewer for several journals, including the Journals of Applied Behavior Analysis and Behavioral Interventions.  Dr. Sassi is a board member of the Massachusetts Association of Private Special Education Schools and serves as Non-Legislative Member of the Massachusetts Autism Commission.

Meta-analyses of single case design research have demonstrated that interventions based in applied behavior analysis (ABA) have indicated clinically significant improvements in treating maladaptive behavior in individuals with acquired brain injury (ABI) (Heinicke & Carr, 2014).  Despite the demonstrated efficacy of these interventions and high need of clinical support in this population, only 0.1% of behavior analysts reported brain injury rehabilitation as their primary area of professional emphasis (BACB, 2024), and the total amount of published research is a correspondingly small portion of the behavior analytic knowledge base. Furthermore, there are unique challenges that exist for behavior analysts working with this population such as ensuring treatment fidelity, implementing data collection systems, and lack of resources for conducting functional assessments. This presentation will showcase further research on behavioral interventions in ABI and a variety of case studies discussing clinical implementation in both acute and post-acute ABI rehabilitation settings. Presenters will focus on how the philosophical assumptions of ABA can guide the pathway to patient success on an interdisciplinary team, and illustrate barriers and potential solutions to effective replication of behavior analytic literature.

Challenging behavior observed following acquired brain injuries (ABIs) can prevent productive engagement in therapies, create social barriers, interfere with medical treatments, and put the safety of both survivors and care providers at risk. This meta-analysis assessed the use of functional behavioral assessments (FBAs) in the treatment of challenging behavior following ABI and the extent to which function-based treatments contributed to relative differences in treatment effect sizes. Three databases were searched for studies focusing on brain injury and behavioral interventions. Studies meeting criteria for inclusion were categorized by their use of FBA procedures and function-based treatments. The results of each behavior reduction intervention were evaluated using two different measures of effect size. In the majority of cases, interventions produced large or medium treatment effects, indicating clinically significant improvements in behavior. The results of both visual analysis and statistical effect size measures indicated that treatments based on functional analysis outcomes produced the highest proportion of clinically significant improvements. These findings provide further support for the use of behavioral interventions in ABI rehabilitation and illustrate that the use of treatments developed with a functional understanding of behavior informed by an FBA contributes to clinically significant improvements in challenging behavior.

Individuals enter post-acute brain injury rehabilitation programs at various points in their recovery, and those involved (e.g. clients, families, and funders) frequently pose critical questions. These can include; whether/when a person can return home or move to a more independent setting, how much support is needed, and/or what resources are necessary for a successful transition? Neurobehavioral complications such as impaired awareness, verbal behavior deficits, and challenging behavior, combined with other factors such as funding, resources, and available discharge options, complicate answering these questions (Schaub, Peters, Peters, 2012). Conceptualizing and integrating treatment plan elements requires consideration of time and readiness. This presentation will focus on a model comprised of phases (i.e. level system) that organizes the goals of the interdisciplinary team, and focuses on shaping the behavior(s) through a variety of behavioral techniques, e.g. behavioral contract, differential reinforcement, token economy (Bauer, Shea, Keppler, 1989). Behavior analysts can utilize this model to target behaviors across treatment areas (e.g. adhering to mobility guidelines, completing activities of daily living, and utilizing coping strategies) in a concurrent manner. Authors will present tools demonstrating this framework, how behavior and progress is monitored, description of key behavior analytic underpinnings, and the challenges associated with implementation.

Attendees should have a basic understanding of what discounting is. The presentation will briefly review the basics of model fitting in discounting so not a pre-requisite per se. But, having some familiarity with how this process currently works will be useful.

Behavior analysts are tasked with maintaining competence by reading relevant research to promote the use of evidence-based practices for clinical decision making (BACB, 2020). Keeping up with published research requires active involvement and systematic planning to identify barriers and then, arrange antecedent and consequent strategies to support regular contact with the evolving scholarly literature base (Briggs & Mitteer, 2021). The transfer of research-based interventions to actual implementation procedures is more complex, expanding beyond individual research skill sets to environmental variables in the workplace setting (Bank & Ingvarsson, 2024). Although research is valued highly, the majority of behavior analysts in the field have not had the opportunity to engage in research activities in their current work setting (Valentino & Juanico, 2020). This research-to-practice gap may be more prevalent for school-based behavior analysts working in public schools who experience high-demand work settings with little or no expectation to engage in research activities (Layden, 2022). The purpose of this panel is to describe the research literacy activities conducted within a statewide professional network specifically for school-based behavior analysts. At the systems-level, panel members will provide an overview of the statewide network, membership within the research professional learning group, and monthly research skill development activities. At the individual level, school-based behavior analysts will describe their learning experiences to conduct a systematic literature review.

School-based behavior analysts

This symposium explores innovative goal-setting strategies in skill acquisition and fluency training across diverse populations, learning tasks, and instructional settings. The first presentation examines fluency versus percentage-based mastery criteria in training simple response chains to college students, providing insights into maintenance and generalization of skills. The study has broader implications for behavior-analytic supervision and client outcomes. The second presentation focuses on goal-setting strategies during math fluency interventions in elementary schools, comparing three approaches: "Beat Your Personal Best," the "x2 Minimum Celeration Line," and a no-goal control condition. There were benefits of shaping strategies that emphasized progressive performance goals. The third presentation investigates effects of different reinforcement densities through percentile schedules during math frequency-building interventions. By systematically varying reinforcement density, the study identifies optimal conditions for maximizing performance, though results indicate that individual factors may influence the effectiveness of goal-setting strategies. Taken together, these studies contribute to a nuanced understanding of how varied goal-setting parameters impact training outcomes, maintenance, and generalization, offering practical recommendations for behavior analysts seeking to refine instructional practices and enhance skill acquisition, retention, and fluency.

Intermediate Knowledge of Behavior Analysis: Familiarity with fundamental concepts in behavior analysis, including mastery criteria, fluency training, reinforcement schedules, and procedural fidelity. Understanding of Experimental Design: Awareness of common experimental designs used in behavior-analytic research, such as adapted alternating treatments designs and systematic replications, as these will be referenced throughout the presentations. Experience with Skill Acquisition Programs: Practical experience in implementing or supervising skill acquisition programs, particularly those involving chaining, fluency-based instruction, or other goal-setting strategies. Competence in Data Interpretation: Ability to understand and interpret graphical data, as findings will be presented using visual data displays (e.g., correct responses per minute across sessions). Interest in Applied Research: A keen interest in applied research that seeks to enhance training methods, retention, and generalization of skills across educational and therapeutic settings.

This symposium includes three talks exploring interventions and analyses aimed at improving public speaking performance and understanding the variables that contribute to effective communication. Goben will describe the effects of remotely delivered group training, which included video-based behavioral skills, training on professional conference presentation behaviors. This study will highlight improvements in public speaking skills and the generalization of those skills to larger audiences and longer presentations. Fu will describe the results of an establishing operation analysis that identifies contextual variables influencing the use of speech disfluencies (e.g., um, ah, er) during public speaking. These variables include audience size, audience type, and the difficulty of the topic. Lastly, Laske will share experimental findings from a parametric evaluation of speech disfluencies, investigating how varying rates of filler sounds (e.g., um, er, ah) and words (e.g., like, so, you know) impact perceived speaker effectiveness. Together, these talks will provide valuable insights into effective public speaking training methods and the influence of different contextual factors on communication success.

BCBAs working in education, Precision teachers and policymakers

Peer-mediated interventions are evidence-based practices in which neurotypical peers are trained to provide instruction to individuals with ASD or other disabilities. Peer-mediated interventions might entail the peer serving as a model, teaching the peer to manage contingencies (e.g., deliver a reinforcer), or training the peer to initiate with another learner to increase the number of opportunities for peer interactions. This symposium will review peer-mediated interventions used to teach job interview skills to autistic college students and interactive play skills to a young child with ASD, where the peer interventionist was another young child with ASD. The results indicated both peer-mediated interventions were effective and there were benefits for the interventionist and the target peer. However, peer-mediated intervention may not be effective if the target peer does not attend to the behavior of the peer model. The last presentation reviews peer-monitoring, which involves teaching an individual to attend to and imitate behavior of a model, which in turn could facilitate observational learning (Taylor et al, 2012). Three young children with ASD were taught peer monitoring responses and results indicated an increase in observing responses for all participants along with an increase in new operants.

Participants should have a foundational understanding of behavioral assessments and methods of increasing socially appropriate behaviors and decreasing maladaptive behaviors. Participants should have a general knowledge of imitation skills and the methods of behavior skills training.

As children enter preschool, their peers play an important role in learning social communication and play skills. Typically developing children generally acquire these skills while interacting with their peers in the natural environment. However, children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often require explicit instruction to learn skills in these areas. Peer-Mediated Interventions (PMIs) is an evidence-based based teaching approach that trains neurotypical peers how to teach children with ASD new behavior, communication, and social skills. Yet, the research on PMIs with preschool-aged children is limited, and all studies have included neurotypical peers as the peer interventionist. The present study evaluated the effects of a training package on the correct implementation of the procedural steps of a PMI with a preschool-aged peer model with ASD and its effects on interactive play with a target participant with ASD. A combined noncurrent and concurrent multiple probe design across activities was utilized. Results demonstrated that the training package was functionally related to the peer models correct implementation of the procedural steps and the percentage of intervals in which the target participant engaged in interactive play.

The current literature focuses on teaching the components of observational learning utilizing peer or adult models. Keohane, Luke, and Greer (2008) examined attending to specific components of social behavior such as responding to voices and faces that may enhance social relationships for children on the spectrum. The current research question addressed is: Can we extend the research by teaching children with autism peer monitoring to increase observing behaviors and develop key components of observational learning in three students utilizing the teaching strategies addressed in Taylor et al. (2012). A non-concurrent multiple probe across behaviors design was used to assess the effectiveness of the peer monitoring treatment on observing responses. The results demonstrated an increase in observing responses across all participants after acquiring three new operants through peer monitoring training and generalization of three more operants with a novel peer. Future research would examine what components of the peer monitoring treatment may be sufficient to increase observing responses in young children with autism.

Evaluating procedural fidelity—the extent to which procedures are carried out as designed—is essential to providing training and supervision to behavior-change agents and monitoring the quality of behavior-analytic services. Nevertheless, there are barriers to collecting procedural-fidelity data in practice, so more research is needed to enhance our understanding of procedural-fidelity measurement in real-world settings. This symposium presents three studies addressing this topic. First, Resendez et al. will discuss a study examining the use of multiple measurement systems to assess procedural fidelity of discrete-trial instruction procedures, highlighting the differences observed with each system. Next, Blackman et al. will present findings from procedural-fidelity data collection by providers at 29 organizations, providing an overview of the current state of procedural fidelity in ABA services and its implications. Finally, Echeveria et al. will review a study examining an assessment-based intervention designed to increase the frequency with which behavior analysts measure procedural fidelity in practice. These studies collectively offer valuable insights for supervisors to improve fidelity measurement to support staff in providing high-quality services.

supervising BCBAs and behavior-analytic researchers

Assessing procedural fidelity is essential for evaluating staff performance and treatment effectiveness, yet research comparing different measurement methods remains limited. To address this gap, we systematically replicated Bergmann et al. (2023), which explored how procedural fidelity in discrete-trial-instruction (DTI) sessions varies based on the measurement system and calculation method. In contrast to their approach, our study simulated real-time conditions by viewing recorded sessions without pausing or rewinding, making the process more representative of actual practice. Interobserver agreement was calculated across studies to make conclusions about the reliability of each measurement system in real-time conditions. We will discuss the key differences observed between the systems, with particular emphasis on connecting our findings to the utility of procedural-fidelity assessment in practice. This study highlights the importance of selecting the appropriate measurement system based on the specific goals and needs of the evaluation, ensuring more accurate and meaningful fidelity assessments during supervision sessions.

In the pursuit of excellence, understanding and implementing treatment fidelity (Gresham, 1989) is paramount. Treatment fidelity serves as the backbone of quality service delivery in applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy, directly impacting client outcomes (e.g., DiGennaro et al., 2007) and organizational standards. Despite its importance, many in the industry face considerable challenges in effectively collecting, tracking, and analyzing fidelity data (Colon et al., 2024). This presentation aims to bridge that gap by offering an overview of aggregated fidelity data from across the industry and highlighting its profound implications. We will discuss findings from an extensive analysis of de-identified fidelity data collected from 29 different organizations, showcasing the real-world state of treatment fidelity in ABA (Blackman et al., under review). These data reveal significant gaps in protocol adherence, and these shortcomings have a direct impact on both the quality of services delivered to consumers and the turnover rates among service providers.

In this presentation, we will explore the importance of collaboration between researchers, clinicians, and technologists in developing and implementing clinical technology tools aimed at reducing clinician burnout, increasing efficiency, and improving service delivery. The discussion will highlight how interdisciplinary partnerships are essential to designing solutions that are ethical, transparent, and meet the needs of clinicians and clients alike. Key topics will include strategies for fostering meaningful collaborations, ensuring that clinical tools are grounded in evidence-based research, and addressing ethical concerns related to data privacy and transparency. By combining the expertise of researchers who understand behavioral principles, clinicians who navigate daily workflow challenges, and technologists who build solutions, this approach ensures the development of tools that truly support clinician well-being, improve patient outcomes, and have a clear impact on service delivery. The session will provide actionable insights on fostering productive partnerships that drive innovation in the healthcare space while maintaining ethical integrity and transparency.

Delivering high-quality treatment requires practicing behavior analysts to identify, evaluate, and respond to a variety of different ethical challenges. Balancing ethical expectations within regulatory requirements while protecting themselves, clients, supervisees, employers, and the field can create daily tensions. Balancing organization’s needs and deadlines, individual compensation and work-life balance needs, and clients’ needs can lead practitioners to ethical questions and dilemmas - how many clients can one ethically serve and still remain effective and individually healthy? Balancing behavioral treatment recommendations with those of team members from other professional disciplines can lead to additional ethical questions and dilemmas - how can I best collaborate with other professionals’ theoretical positions or clinical priorities while still ensuring effective and ethical treatment for clients? Balancing organizational financial needs with caseloads and ethical requirements can create contention or incongruity between organizations and behavior analysts’ ethical requirements - how can behavior analysts adapt to organizational needs while ensuring quality client services? Decisions need to be made for when to say “Yes.” “No.” or “Maybe.” within these types of situations. This symposium addresses identifying and matching ethical issues with ethical codes, and developing strategies for responding to personal, collaborative, and organizational situations.

We submitted within the advanced level as we believed that targeting both BCBA and BCBA-D level candidates would be acceptable. Any certified behavior analyst from junior to the most seasoned would be appropriate for this symposium. Competencies would only require knowledge of the Ethics Code (BACB, 2020) and clinical practice necessities.

In today’s service delivery environment, the demand for behavior analysts far exceeds the supply. Most behavior analysts routinely feel pressure to say “yes” for the many requests they receive to take on additional clients or tasks in the frame of being a helpful team player. However, this practice often disrupts the work/life balance needed by behavior analysts to sustain their well-being and effectiveness within their role. Over time, this pressure and taking on of additional work may lead to high levels of physical and mental stress and burn-out, resulting in problems with service delivery, supervision, personal health, and attrition of behavior analysts from the field. This presentation addresses these ethical issues and provides methods for how to prevent, assess, and adjust workloads for practicing behavior analysts. Decisions need to be made for when to say “Yes.” “No.” or “Maybe.” related to caseloads and work requirements. This presentation addresses identifying and matching ethical issues with ethical codes and developing strategies for responding to personal work-related situations.

Collaboration among behavior analysts and professionals from other disciplines (e.g., Speech and Language Pathologists, Nutritionists, and Psychiatrists) offers the potential for optimal clinical outcomes through comprehensive assessments and interventions. However, differences in theoretical orientations, methodologies, and treatment recommendations can make collaboration challenging. In part, these challenges have resulted in behavior analysts gaining a reputation for being difficult to work with in collaborative situations. Ethical dilemmas often arise when professionals from other disciplines propose interventions that are ineffective, lack empirical support, or do not contain reasonable behavior change mechanisms (e.g., differential reinforcement). These situations often necessitate a nuanced ethical decision-making process and response. This presentation explores some of the ethical issues inherent in multidisciplinary collaboration. We will evaluate common scenarios where professional disagreements occur and provide practical suggestions for ethical responding within a collaborative context. Attendees will learn strategies to assess and navigate these situations effectively, determining when to say "Yes." "No." or "Maybe." while maintaining professional integrity and promoting the best interests of clients.

ABA-based service delivery represents the practical extension of applied behavior analysis as the socially significant research arm of behavior analysis. Practitioners of ABA-based service delivery work within organizations that establish policies and practices that may involve more business models than practice models. Organizational business mandates may help or harm behavior analysts’ ability to provide high-quality behavior analytic services. Behavior analysts must balance financial, regulatory, and clinical needs at the organizational level. However, they must also follow ethical requirements to ensure that client’s needs remain at the forefront of clinical decision-making. This presentation discusses the balance between organizational needs, practitioner needs, and client needs. We will include a review of policies and systems which can be helpful to ethical and effective delivery of treatment as well as those that can be harmful. Methods for assessment of needs, resource management, and problem-solving will be described in order to better prepare practicing behavior analysts to know when to ethically respond with, “Yes.” “No.” or “Maybe.”

Ableism is a global and systemic issue that impacts all fields and cultures. Ableism is the discrimination of and social prejudice against people with disabilities based on the unconscious or conscious belief that typical abilities are superior. In Applied Behavior Analysis, ableism often manifests through practices prioritizing compliance over autonomy and treating neurodivergent behaviors as deficits to be corrected. This presentation explores how ableism can be minimized in ABA by adopting a neurodiversity-affirming, assent-based approach. Drawing on the neurodiversity paradigm and emphasizing client dignity, this session will define ableism in ABA, offer strategies to recognize and counteract ableist practices, and present methods for promoting client autonomy and choice. Participants will learn strategies for honoring client agency and apply actionable steps to ensure their ABA practice fosters respect for neurodivergent identities. Through case studies and practical tools, attendees will leave with at least five strategies for minimizing ableism within applied behavior analysis and will be equipped to integrate these principles into their everyday practice, thereby fostering more ethical and inclusive ABA services.

As the field of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) continues to evolve, the role of technology has become increasingly central to practice. While artificial intelligence (AI) is often viewed as a tool for automation, this presentation introduces a conceptual framework for understanding AI in ABA as “augmented intelligence”, emphasizing its potential to support, rather than replace, behavior analysts. Augmented intelligence refers to AI systems designed to enhance human decision-making, enabling behavior analysts to leverage vast amounts of data and research to inform treatment planning and service delivery. This presentation will explore how AI can improve efficiency in clinical processes such as Functional Behavior Assessments (FBAs), data analysis, and intervention recommendations, while allowing behavior analysts to retain control of clinical judgment. Key ethical considerations will be addressed, including maintaining professional integrity, ensuring data privacy, and managing the human-AI interaction to prevent over-reliance on technology. Practical examples will be drawn from existing AI tools used in ABA, demonstrating their ability to assist clinicians in making informed, research-backed decisions that lead to better client outcomes. By reframing AI as augmented intelligence, this presentation will provide behavior analysts with a new perspective on how to integrate technology into their practice in a way that enhances human expertise, rather than supplanting it. The goal is to promote a balanced, ethical, and effective use of AI, positioning it as a valuable tool for behavior analysts in the future of clinical practice.

Data collection is a cornerstone in the field of behavior analysis, and this is especially true in the applied and clinical settings (Wolf, 1978). Behavior analysts must choose between numerous data collection and note taking methods in order to find one that works best for their purposes and practice (Taubman et al., 2013; Wiarda et al., 2014). The current literature suggests that a clinician’s notes may directly impact the therapeutic process (Taubman et al., 2013), and new efforts in this area have begun exploring how note taking and data collection tools function for the clinician’s behaviors when working with clients (Warren, 2023). This panel discussion, led by behavior analysts with expertise in applied and clinical settings, will explore the ways in which clinicians use note taking and data collection in their work. Topics will center around how a clinician’s note taking and data collection processes orient them to client behavior, clinician choices, and moment-to-moment processes of treatment. We will also discuss the pitfalls, contingencies, and harsh realities of what it means to rely on data collection and progress notes to maintain a successful practice.

Some applied experience with clinical or applied behavior analysis

The revival of a collaboration between colleagues in Gqeberha, South Africa and PEER, Intl (Partnerships for Educational Excellence and Research) evolved after the pandemic. Our 20-year history of success gave us the courage to experiment with video conferencing. Lead teacher from Charles Duna Primary School invited PEER, Intl to specifically assist in improving the teaching and learning of maths instruction. The school was equipped with internet and a large classroom monitor. Slide presentations functioned as teacher guides; additional material was shared via email and no-cost messaging. Online sessions were followed by one in-person visit which included PEER members assessing learners Grade 4-7 in a 1:1 format. Unlike all prior experiences, an administrator from the Department of Education actively sanctioned our work. A paper-and-pencil assessment was designed by PEER to inform future instruction which then became a tool for 60 schools. The formation and maintenance of Professional Learning Communities are key to these changes.

Behavior analysts, psychologists, graduate students

There has been a growing interest among behavior analysts in promoting large scale social change by influencing behavior and practices that impact the communities they serve. While many may recognize the importance of affecting policies at local, state, national, and international levels to facilitate change and promote cultural selection, they often lack training in navigating the world of public policy. This panel aims to highlight the significance of public policy work for behavior analysts while providing opportunities for those new to this area to obtain essential information and tools to effectively navigate policy change. Panelists Christy Evanko, Richard Rakos, and Deborah Napolitano will share their insights and experiences, as well as offer practical strategies for engagement. Through discussion and a question-and-answer session, the panelists aim to support behavior analysts in contributing to the creation of environments that promote meaningful change in behavior and practices, ultimately driving large scale societal transformation.

Basic understanding and interest in public policy and ABA.

Caregiver adherence with behavioral recommendations is vital to long-term positive outcomes for their children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and severe challenging behavior. Several variables may impact caregiver adherence, including factors related to the behavioral recommendations (functional variables) and the environmental (contextual variables). The purpose of the current study was to explore caregivers’ perspectives on behavioral recommendations and the variables that can impact their ability to adhere to behavioral recommendations. Individual interviews were conducted with 16 parents of children with IDD and severe challenging behavior. Caregivers discussed the extent to which they do or do not implement behavioral recommendations. Caregivers reported that adherence to behavioral recommendations was impacted by a number of variables related to the recommendations (e.g., treatment procedures and complexity, access to ongoing services) and their personal life (e.g., family and work responsibilities, social supports). We collected data on the caregivers’ reports of the feasibility of the recommendations, the extent to which they thought the recommendations changed their child’s behavior, and if the recommendations aligned with their cultural and community beliefs. The presentation will summarize common themes across caregiver interviews and provide suggestions on areas of future research.

The Advancement of technology has provided more options to support the application of behavior-analytic techniques. This presentation explores the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into behavior analytic service delivery, focusing on its application in training behavior technicians. Cox and Jenning (2024) underscored the potential benefits AI for customizing services to address the unique needs of clients, increased efficiency in administrative tasks, enhanced decision-making through the synthesis of relevant research, and improved client outcomes through optimized resource allocation. The literature has demonstrated the potential of AI to enhance training within the behavior analytic field (Clark, 2020; Griffen et al., 2024; Huang et al., 2021). In last year’s convention, the presenter shared the results of AI-based training to improve compassionate care skills of BCBAs. This presentation is the extension of the previous study in which the AI-based training will be implemented for behavior technicians. The presentation will discuss innovative AI-driven training methodologies designed to improve the competency of behavior technicians in completing session notes with precision and consistency. Preliminary data from the ongoing study will be presented, providing insights into the effectiveness of AI-enhanced training for behavior technicians. Additionally, the presentation will explore the broader implications of incorporating AI in this capacity, including potential scalability, adoption in clinical settings, and avenues for future research and development. Clark, D. (2020). Artificial intelligence for learning: How to use AI to support employee development. Kogan Page Publishers. Cox, D. J., & Jennings, A. M. (2024). The promises and possibilities of artificial intelligence in the delivery of behavior analytic services. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 17(1), 123-136. Griffen, B., Lorah, E. R., Caldwell, N., Hantula, D. A., Nosek, J., Tincani, M., & Lemley, S. (2024). The effects of artificial intelligence on implementors’ fidelity of instructional strategies during handwashing acquisition in children with autism. Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities, 36(5), 793-819. Huang, J., Saleh, S., & Liu, Y. (2021). A review on artificial intelligence in education. Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, 10(3).

Job interviews are intimidating to most job seekers, but for autistic job seekers, the interview process can be especially challenging due to difficulties they may face with social interaction and communication. Some of these difficulties may be addressed with coaching and training, however this approach is limited as coaching and training are resource-intensive and do not scale. An artificial intelligence (AI) based solution does not suffer these limitations and may also be adapted to the individual needs and preferences of the job seeker. To learn how job seekers and job coaches view such an AI tool, we conducted an exploratory study to learn more about these employment interview challenges, conducting structured interviews with five autistic job seekers and five vocational coaches. During the structured interviews, participants interacted with a prototype of an intelligent employment interview coach chatbot to share their perspectives about using a chatbot to prepare for behavioral interview questions. From the themes uncovered in our structured interviews, we provide insight into the unique challenges that autistic job seekers face while interviewing, and the interview preparation support given by vocational coaches. We discuss the potential of an intelligent interview coach chatbot to assist autistic job seekers during the interview preparation process, and also share suggestions for future design considerations of intelligent interview coaches as collaborative assistants for autistic job seekers and vocational coaches. An AI based employment interview coach is well accepted by both the job seekers and job coaches.

Culture is a multifaceted concept that has been the subject of scientific explorations in various fields, including anthropology, biology, psychology, and philosophy, over the centuries. More recently, scientific literature in Cultural Behavior Analysis has provided conceptual and research contributions to the understanding of language in relation to developed concepts in this area of study within behavior analysis. This symposium aims to discuss how behavior analytic explanations of language may impact the expansion of scientific understanding of complex cultural phenomena. By drawing upon the relevant literature, presenters will offer conceptual discussions on how advancements in this area may enhance interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary collaboration between behavior analysis and other scientific disciplines. Thus, it will be emphasized that language is a particularly important factor to consider in our discussion of culture and associated concepts, and this focus may facilitate collaborative efforts pertaining to the analysis of culture and related concepts across various fields.

Despite the concern about this topic on traditional works on Behavior Analysis, rule-governed behavior is a cornerstone of cultural contexts, and its experimental analysis is key to understanding this complex behavioral phenomenon. This type of behavior allows individuals to bypass the control of immediate contingencies in favor of delayed ones, and/or facilitates the establishment of contextual control over specific behaviors. It can be observed in various social contexts such as education, healthcare, and law, as well as in applied settings like organizational, sports, and environmental domains. This oral presentation has two main objectives: first, to discuss the relevance of the experimental analysis of rule-governed behavior for culturo-behavioral science; and second, to introduce an experimental paradigm designed to aid in the analysis of variables that may influence this behavior. Thus, it is stressed that the experimental analysis of rule-governed behavior is crucial for advancing culturo-behavioral science, as it helps explain how individuals relate with complex social environments.

This talk tells my story as an applied researcher in behavior analysis for the last 40 years, with an emphasis on evaluations of behavioral skills training (BST) and its variants. My research on BST has been applied to several different target behaviors, often chosen as opportunities arose at different times in my career. I conducted early work in behavioral interview skills training as these were important skills in my work as a clinical behavior analyst with outpatient clients. Also early in my career, I because interested in safety skills such as sexual abuse prevention, abduction prevention, and firearm injury prevention and evaluated BST for the acquisition and generalization of these skills. In this research, I discovered the importance of in situ assessments to measure the generalization of skills to natural settings. Due to my consultation in agencies serving persons with disabilities, I became interested in staff training and management and again evaluated BST interventions for promoting the acquisition and generalization of skills exhibited by staff and teachers. This research also emphasized the importance of in situ assessments to measure generalization to natural settings when a supervisor was not present. Finally, my more recent research, fueled by student athletes with whom I worked, has evaluated BST and other feedback approaches for enhancing athletic performance across a variety of sports. The presentation ends with a review of lessons learned from my research on BST.

The target audience consists of applied behavior analysis researchers, behavior analysts in practice, and graduate students in behavior analysis.

Researchers and professionals interested in human learning using virtual environments.

Dr. Michael Young is a Professor of Psychological Sciences at Kansas State University.  He received his Bachelor’s (U. of Illinois) and Master’s (U. of Minnesota) degrees in Computer Science and his Ph.D. in Psychology (U. of Minnesota).  During his 35+ year academic career his research program has included causal learning by humans that was built on the principles of classical and operant conditioning, avian judgment and perception, the integration of reward magnitude, delay, probability, and resource limitations in decision making, and quantitative methods used in data analysis.  For the past 20 years, a large portion of his behavioral data has been collected by architecting research-specific video games.  His research has been funded by the National Science Foundation, National Institute of Mental Health, Air Force Office for Scientific Research, the Hershey Corporation, and RTI International.  He has served as a Graduate Program Director, Department Head, Provost Fellow, and Acting Associate Dean of the Graduate School. 

Reporting on events in the past is ubiquitous in our day to day interactions. Despite the importance of these responses, research in assessing and treating difficulties with these responses has rarely been conducted by behavior analysts. In this symposium, we will present several studies that provide behavioral accounts of memory. First, a series of basic studies will be described that illustrate examples of episodic stimulus control in rats. Second, we will discuss an applied assessment that tests episodic reporting in children without advanced vocal verbal repertoires. Finally, we will discuss two methods that might increase recall responses in children. In one, differential reinforcement alone successfully taught two children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder to respond to events in the past. We will discuss the implications of existing repertoires on these results. In the other, neurotypical children were taught a series of tact to evaluate the effects on recalling past events. Throughout we will review previous behavioral research in remembering and how these new studies extend our existing understanding of these complex responses.

Audiences should have knowledge on a behavioral approach to verbal behavior. Audiences should also understand the basic components of an operant chamber for rats.

Reporting about past events and behaviors is an everyday activity for most of us and is critical for normal functioning. Cognitive psychologists have dominated research in what they have called episodic memory which has been considered a uniquely-human process. However, studies using complex conditional discrimination training have demonstrated that animals can learn to respond under the control of particular events, that is, when and where the events occurred. We describe several studies that illustrate examples of this What-Where-When remembering in rats. Rats were trained on an incrementing non-matching to sample task with odor stimuli using a five-term contingency under which responding to odors not previously smelled in a particular context during the current session was required for reinforcement. Accurate performance on such trials was demonstrated in all three rats and demonstrated a form of episodic stimulus control. We provide a behavioral account of such remembering in terms of contextual control of generalized conditional discrimination.

The ability to accurately describe personal experiences is socially significant and refers to episodic memory outside of behavior analysis. However, it is only sometimes clear if someone can not report events in the past if it is a memory problem, a skill deficit, or a stimulus control issue. This talk will discuss a method to assess episodic memory skills in autistic children. Six participants played with three different toys in three different contexts. Later, they were asked to answer questions about what they did outside and inside the room they played in. The questions were asked in terms of what they did (the specific event), the toy (the actions of the event), and the event’s context (the specific place). Episodic memory skill levels were individualized for participants. On average, the participants responded to all three questions more accurately when inside the room rather than outside. We will discuss the implications of the results for treatment considerations.

Teaching recall skills to children is a rarely studied subject despite the significance of these skills across several domains of everyday life. This research aims to test the effect differential reinforcement alone has on increasing accurate reporting. Participants in this study were diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder or Down syndrome and did not reliably report events in the past. We used a modified component analysis to determine the effect simple differential reinforcement has on increasing reporting. Results show variable success with only differential reinforcement. We will also review a series of secondary measures that provide alternative ways to interpret the effects of treatment, such as a description of error patterns. The results provide insight into the necessity of more complex teaching methods like probe fading that are paired with differential reinforcement and provide new insight into methods of teaching children complex verbal behavior skills like answering questions about events in the past.

This study aims to evaluate the effects of tact training and tact overtraining on the accuracy of recalling past events. Three neurotypical children (4-5-years-old) participated in the study and a multiple baseline design was implemented. During probes, participants played with different toys and games, including a card game (critical activity) during which the experimenter presented 10 images and the participant looked at them in silence. After 10min, they were asked to answer questions about past events (e.g., What pictures did you see today at the playing room?). Intervention consisted of two phases: In phase 1 the experimenter implemented tact training to assess the number of stimuli participant could recall after 10min. In phase 2 an over training of tact responses was implemented, in which the participant had to emit tact responses 5 times in the presence of each stimulus. Data collection is still in progress and partial results with participant 1 shows that, so far, tact training alone s did not increase recalling contradicting previous research.

Practical Functional Assessment (PFA) and Skills Based Treatment (SBT) are currently widely used in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). The Constructional Approach has over 50 years of history in ABA. The two approaches to treatment share certain features implicitly. This symposium aims to make the implicit explicit. The first talk will start with brief historical context of both approaches, and a case example of their integration to produce effective treatment. The second talk will focus specifically on the PFA portion, and how parts of the constructional interview may be integrated to reveal more information that could be utilized within intervention. Further, it will highlight the implications of incorporating a nonlinear contingency analysis – as opposed to a linear one – and a cost/benefit analysis. The third talk will focus specifically on the SBT portion, and how more constructional components can be added to elucidate individualized, socially valid, and ecologically valid goals and interventions. Finally, the fourth talk will present experimental data on choice and assent with rats. It will show how alternative contingencies and the aversiveness of teaching environments may influence choice and assent—and will draw parallels to the Enhanced Choice Model.

BCBAs and RBTs with basic understanding of ABA.

The behavioral technology for eliminating severe problem behavior has evolved and developed over the past decade from the primary use of punishment and extinction based procedures, to traditional analog functional analyses with function based treatments, to the practical functional assessment (PFA) and skills based treatment (SBT). In both research and practice there are still many unanswered questions and needed developments when working with people who have co-occurring severe problem behaviors within their repertoires. For example, at times problem behavior persists throughout treatment despite clean initial analysis, or when behavior cannot be turned off, HRE cannot be established, or when rule governed behavior and emotions seem to be an interfering element, amongst other common clinical problems. This presentation will review complex case examples treating severe problem behavior and how adding a constructional approach to a treatment package and understanding non-linear contingencies can help answer complicated clinical problems in a novel way from current approaches. Goldiamond’s constructional approach and non-linear contingency analysis marry well with key values of current compassionate and asset-based approaches to treating severe problem behavior pioneered by the PFA/SBT community by seeing all behavior as reasonable and rational for all learners (vocal-verbal, verbal, etc.). Non-linear contingency analysis with an understanding that multiple alternative contingencies maintain behavior, as opposed to a singular contingency analysis, provides an additional way of thinking that may add value to current shifts in the field of behavior analysis and push forward ethical and compassionate treatment for those we serve.

Providing services to individuals who engage in self-injurious and aggressive behavior necessitates layered approaches to maintaining safety while function-based treatment is carried out. Approaches must account for the safety of clients, all staff involved in the provision of services, and caregivers at home. Furthermore, they must consider assessment, treatment, and discharge phases of care. Layered approaches must also include risk assessment, application of least-to-most intrusive methods to keep stakeholders safe, and data-based methods for selecting and implementing protective measures. This symposium will illustrate multiple interconnected approaches to promoting and enhancing safety while providing services to individuals presenting with dangerous behavior. It will include a scoping review of protections used while conducting functional analyses of self-injurious behavior, a description of a novel organizational safety assessment, an overview of a data-based procedure for managing aggressive behavior towards staff, and an examination of home-environmental modifications for caregivers during the discharge process. The discussant will identify common themes and offer recommendations about how to integrate multiple safety-focused approaches into a cohesive, organization-wide effort.

The target audience for this symposium is BCBAs and BCBA-Ds with experience assessing and treating problem behavior and overseeing staff who provide services to individuals with problem behavior that be pose harm to themselves or others. Attendees should possess an understanding of functional assessment and treatment, behavior-based safety, and distinguish between treatment vs. safety protocols.

Individuals with autism and intellectual disabilities have an increased risk of developing challenging behaviors such as self-injury and aggression (Mazurek et al., 2013). Some forms of challenging behavior (e.g., elopement) can be so dangerous that it can lead to injury or even death (Anderson et al., 2012). Caregivers may also have an increased likelihood for injury; however, there is little research on safety concerns of families in the home setting (Sahin & Colak, 2023). On an individual level, identifying and ameliorating risk factors in the home environment can ensure children remain in the least restrictive setting and safely under parental care. Collectively, these data can identify frequently encountered safety concerns which can be used to inform advocacy efforts. This study aimed to assess the home safety needs of families following their child’s discharge from an intensive behavioral program. Data were collected on environmental modifications, use of personal protective equipment, and costs associated with recommendations. In an effort to help providers identify the needs of their clients, pertinent patient demographic information (i.e., topographies and function of challenging behaviors, age and size) will also be shared. Implications will be discussed for funding sources and state regulators.

Resurgence is the re-emergence of a previously extinguished behavior when reinforcement conditions for an alternative response worsen. This phenomenon highlights factors influencing dynamic behavior change and behavioral flexibility, playing a role in adaptive patterns like foraging and problem-solving, along with contributing to relapse in clinical interventions. In this symposium, presenters explore the effects of various reinforcer dimensions contributing to resurgence. The first presentation investigates whether delays to reinforcement alone are sufficient to produce resurgence with rats, clarifying previous findings that did not directly control for decreases in reinforcer rate with increasing delays. The second presentation examines the impact of increases in alternative reinforcer delay or decreases in alternative reinforcer rate on resurgence, providing insights into the effects of reinforcer thinning and informing practical applications. The third presentation evaluates the influence of delivering two qualitatively distinct reinforcers simultaneously versus delivering a single reinforcer on resurgence, discussing implications of the findings for future translational and applied research. The final presentation addresses how physical effort associated with accessing alternative reinforcement affects resurgence in a preclinical arrangement with humans. Collectively, these studies offer important theoretical and practical implications for the development of more robust behavioral interventions aimed at mitigating relapse or promoting behavioral flexibility.

This symposium is most suited for individuals who are currently enrolled in or recently completed graduate-level work in behavior analysis.

Two common teaching paradigms exist in which one can measure and assess the acquisition and maintenance of learning: Free-operant and restricted-operant (sometimes referred to as discrete trial) procedures. In a free-operant paradigm, the organism freely makes a response at any given time with no restrictions imposed upon them (Hachiya & Masato, 1991). In a restricted-operant paradigm, the organism has restrictions placed upon them and they cannot respond freely; the organism must wait for an external stimulus before they can respond (Hachiya & Masato, 1991). We investigated whether one specific teaching paradigm will lead to better stability (i.e., persistence in the face of distractions), maintenance (i.e., same levels of performance after a period of no practice), and performance of discrimination tasks (i.e., acquisition of the new response). We conducted a preliminary study to identify the specific methodologies researcher should use to identify the effects of the two teaching paradigms while controlling three distinct variables: (1) Time in the teaching environment, (2) The number of responses emitted in both conditions, and (3) the number of reinforcers delivered in each condition.

A learner’s native language impacts the acquisition of a second language (Moreno-Duron, 2019; Broad, 2020). Learners’ habits in their first language hinder the development of habits to learn a second language (Broad, 2020). The current study used the principles of instructional design and behavior analysis to help improve the articulation of specific sounds in Spanish to non-native Spanish speakers. Using a multiple baseline design, we evaluated a sequence of instructional strategies on the application to novel Spanish words. In the first phase, individuals discriminated between video examples and non-examples of correctly pronounced Spanish words in a restricted-operant (RO) paradigm. In phase two, the learners watched a video model of the correct presentation, and attempted to copy the model. We used TAGteach to reinforce correct pronunciation in an RO paradigm. In phase three, learners then built frequencies on non-sense Spanish words that contained the target sounds in a free-operant arrangement. We collected data on the number of correctly pronounced non-sense Spanish words, as well as measured the application of the trained skills to novel words in third-grade-level stories using the Spanish version of the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS).

Professionals (e.g., teachers, clinicians) that provide academic interventions to school-aged children or oversee the implementation of academic interventions within systems (e.g., schools, clinics).

Humor has been shown to have a wide range of benefits for mental health, physical health, and social interactions. Those who make jokes or laugh at others’ jokes are viewed as more confident people, more intelligent colleagues and peers, and more effective leaders. In addition to the benefits correlated with humor, much of the existing literature from across the field of Psychology has focused on the categorization or developmental trajectory of humor. Very little research has focused on the learning history necessary to engage in this repertoire or the effectiveness of teaching procedures to increase humor comprehension and joke-telling. Behavior Analysis seems particularly well suited to this task, and there are a few key conceptual accounts in the literature that provide a solid ground for this work. In addition, a handful of studies have now investigated various aspects of humor from a behavioral perspective. We will review this work and make the case for more behavior-analytic work across several conceptual and applied areas of humor comprehension, humor appreciation, and joke-telling.

Graduate students, researchers, Board Certified Behavior Analysts.

In the United States, health disparities persist across race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, socio-economic status, etc. (CDC, 2020). Black, Indigenous, and Other People of Color (BIPOC), LGBTQIA2S+ individuals, those living in rural areas, and people with disAbilities experience much greater health inequities than their white, heterosexual, cisgender, and non-disAbled, counterparts. People from historically minoritized and marginalized (HMM) groups are often excluded from accessing conditions, factors, and resources associated with positive health outcomes (University of Wisconsin, 2023). Research has shown that health outcomes are influenced by several eco-social determinants of health (eSDoH), which are the conditions in which people are born, live, learn, work, play, worship, and age that affect a wide range of health behavior and quality-of-life outcomes (Johnson et al., 2022). Moreover, eSDoH are fundamental social and structural factors that impact our wellness, well-being, and longevity. When one or more of these conditions pose challenges, it greatly increases the likelihood that they will becoming risk factors for poor health outcomes (Hold-Lundstad, 2022). Discriminatory and othering behaviors often play a role in poor health outcomes. Accordingly, eSDoH can have a significant, negative effect on client care, education and training, the diversity of the health care workforce, inequitable distribution of research funding, and career advancement (New England Journal of Medicine, 2022). This presentation will center the impact of eSDOH on HMM populations, highlight eSDoH considerations for behavior analysts, and provide recommendations for mitigating harmful contingencies that occur on the individual and cultural levels of selection (Danquah-Brobby, 2023; Skinner, 1981).

Paula Danquah-Brobby (she/they), PhD, BCBA, LBA, IBA is the Associate Dean of Access, Belonging, and Community Engagement for the College of Science at George Mason University. They have dedicated their career to social justice and advocating for historically minoritized and marginalized populations, both in the US and internationally. As a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), licensed behavior analyst in the state of Maryland, Culturo-Behavioral Scientist, and International Psychologist, Dr. Danquah-Brobby has worked with children and adults diagnosed with [neuro]developmental delays (in various environmental  and cultural contexts) for over 20 years, including 13 years providing sustainable and capacity building consultative services to families, professionals, and organizations in low- and middle-income countries (LAMICs).

Prior to joining Mason’s College of Science, she was the department chair of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) at a minority serving institution (MSI). In this role, she created and embedded access, justice, equity, diversity, & inclusion (AJEDI) strategic planning initiatives throughout departmental policies, procedures, and systems; this included cultivating culturally responsive teaching/pedagogic approaches and practicum training for ABA students.

Their areas of interest include (but not limited to): ABA capacity-building and sustainability in LAMICs, international psychology, culturo-behavioral science (CBS), access, justice, equity, diversity, & inclusion, othering behaviors (e.g., racism, homophobia, misogynoir), intersectionality, eco-social determinants of physical and mental health, verbal behavior, naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions (NDBI), social validity, cultural competence (comprising cultural awareness, sensitivity, humility, & responsiveness), and mixed methodology research designs. Dr. Danquah-Brobby has given numerous presentations, interviews, and educational workshops throughout her career, and is the author of the chapter Spiritual Activism, in the book Women in Behavior Science: Observations on Life Inside and Outside the Academy. Moreover, she is an Advisor for the Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies; serves on the editorial board for Behavior and Social Issues (BSI); a member of the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education (NADOHE) and the Virginia Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education (VADOHE); and participated on the Council of Autism Service Providers (CASP) Accreditation DEI workgroup.

Community-based interventions grounded in applied behavior analysis (ABA) are common, particularly for children and youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). Many ABA-based interventions are implemented in a tiered model whereby a paraprofessional implements the treatment plan developed by a Board Certified Behavior Analyst or behavioral psychologist. However, this intervention model does not work for every family and is not appropriate for every person. The purpose of this panel is to explore three different behavior analytic intervention models that have been successfully implemented in a community-based setting in the absence of a paraprofessional – RUBI, Caregiver-led ABA, and Compass-Behavioral. Each intervention has a different focus of care, allowing individuals and families to choose an evidence-based treatment that fits their primary reasons for referral (e.g., disruptive behavior, dangerous behavior, communication, adaptive skills, executive functioning) and their personal or family values. This panel will explore each intervention’s implementation model, the primary focus of the intervention, associated clinical training, and outcomes from community-based implementation across ~800 children and youth with I/DD from geographically diverse locations.

The target audience for this panel is BCBAs, BCBAs in training, and other clinicians who work with the I/DD population. The prerequisites for this talk include basic behavior analytic knowledge as well as a basic understanding of the diagnostic criteria for autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disability, and other commonly occurring developmental disabilities such as Down syndrome.

There is a pressing need to close the chasm between intervention efficacy under ideal conditions and community-based effectiveness. The Research Unit on Behavioral Interventions (RUBI) Autism Network developed an 11-session behavior analytic parent-mediated intervention for autistic youth with co-occurring challenging behaviors. As demonstrated by 20+ efficacy trials, RUBI is acceptable to parents and effective in reducing challenging behavior. The current study evaluates RUBI feasibility and effectiveness in clinical practice with caregivers of autistic youth. Analyses included caregivers of 203 autistic children (2-13 years) with challenging behaviors who received >1 RUBI session at the Seattle Children’s Autism Center (SCAC) or Marcus Autism Center (MAC). Data were collected through medical record review. Results from the RUBI clinical trial [RUBI-CT] were used as benchmarks. SCAC/MAC served older [7.2 (±2.2)], more diverse youth compared to RUBI-CT [IQ <70 in 26% RUBI-CT youth vs. 39% at SCAC/MAC; 73% White in RUBI-CT vs. 66% at SCAC/MAC]. Clinical outcomes were comparable [RUBI-CT attrition = 11% vs. 19% at SCAC/MAC; 47.7% reduction in challenging behaviors in RUBI-CT vs. 45.1% at SCAC/MAC; 69% positive response in RUBI-CT vs. 63.6% at SCAC/MAC]. Community-delivered RUBI is acceptable to parents and effective in reducing challenging behaviors, with findings comparable to efficacy trials.

Parent-Mediated applied behavior analysis (ABA) is an evidence-based intervention that focuses on building parenting skills to effectively implement behavioral procedures with their child to teach new skills as well as manage difficult behavior. Parent-Mediated ABA has been shown to produce positive outcomes for autistic children (Anan et al., 2008; Shiri et al., 2020; Sneed et al., 2023) as well as their parents (Simcoe et al., 2024; Sneed & Samelson, 2022). We sought to compare community-based parent-mediated ABA with a comparable tiered, paraprofessional-mediated intervention. We analyzed retrospective clinical data of autistic children in either paraprofessional-mediated (n = 197) or parent-mediated (n = 198) ABA to determine the effect of treatment on adaptive behavior (as measured by the Vineland-3) and goal attainment (as measured by the Goal Attainment Scale; GAS) across three time points spanning 18 months. A two-way mixed ANOVA indicated no significant difference in the adaptive behavior composite nor the socialization, communication, and daily living skills subscales, either between groups or over time. A separate two-way mixed ANOVA showed significant differences in goal attainment between treatment conditions, across time, and with a significant interaction. Overall, the parent-mediated group had significantly higher goal attainment than the paraprofessional-mediated group, although all groups improved significantly over time. The interaction effect indicated that the parent-mediated group improved more and more quickly than the paraprofessional-mediated group. These results suggest that parent-mediated ABA may be an acceptable alternative to paraprofessional-mediated interventions.

Challenges with executive functioning (EF) is a barrier to wellbeing for autistic youth and young adults (Wong et al., 2022). EF skills are mental skills, including manipulation of ideas, planning, preceptive taking, and flexibility (Diamond, 2013). Wellbeing is the measure of overall happiness, satisfaction, and positive outlook on life and is closely related to self-determination (White et al., 2018). Compass-Behavioral is a non-tiered behavioral “coaching” intervention utilizing applied behavior analysis (ABA) to teach EF skills to autistic youth and adults with the goal of improving wellbeing. Autistic individuals work directly with their Compass-Behavioral coach, a BCBA, to set goals around EF skills that are important to their wellbeing. The coach and client meet weekly to review data, goals, and practice EF skills. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of Compass-Behavioral at improving EF skills and wellbeing in a community-based setting. A group of 376 autistic youth and young adults underwent the Compass-Behavioral intervention, producing significant improvement in self-reported EF skills, sleep behaviors, and overall wellbeing (ps < .05). Compass-Behavioral is an effective ABA delivery model for autistic youth and young adults seeking to improve EF and wellbeing and may be a suitable alternative to tiered ABA approaches.

Complexity Theory provides ABA practitioners with a model for organizing and programming the myriad of listener, speaker, observer, problem solver and participator repertoires that must be acquired and generatively performed by competent learners. This paper will provide a brief introduction to the how Complexity Theory can aid practitioners in systematically implementing a component/composite program for the remediation of presenting learning challenges and deficits. From elemental "behavioral atoms" (Skinner, 1957, Pg. 10) to the emergence of complex "behavioral cusps" the logic of Complexity Theory will be explored as an organizational multi-scale model of repertoire development that is both flexible and comprehensive. Complexity Theory provides both a language and organizational model applicable to behavior analytic programming. It also integrates behavioral phenonmenon from behavioral "atoms" to latent behavioral repertoires (Palmer, 2009) and Cusps (Rosales-Ruiz & Baer, 1997), and suggests how fluency fosters the development of both behavioral complexity and adaptability. Key terms include component, composite, emergent, scale of observation and study, causal closure, and mixed scale effects.

Contextual fit has been utilized in home and school settings to make interventions viable and sustainable for those implementing them within diverse settings. A sizable portion of ABA practice typically involves providing services within home settings and supporting caregivers with child challenging behavior. However, whether these supports and interventions are socially valid is often not measured or assessed. Moreover, the process by which behavior analysts can achieve socially valid goals, interventions and outcomes remains murky. Recent research has pointed towards collaboration tools being an effective mechanism to produce socially valid interventions, but has not explored the utility of contextual fit to achieve similar ends. This study examined that utility of contextual fit and aimed to determine if the use of a contextual fit tool would achieve socially valid goals, interventions and outcomes compared to a prescriptive intervention for caregivers implementing interventions for challenging behaviors in their home routines. Results demonstrate that caregivers implemented strategies more frequently and with a greater percentage in the contextualized phase, and that the mean challenging behavior decreased between baseline and intervention conditions. These results are analyzed and the future practical use of the contextual fit tool is explored

In the world of professional practice, collaboration is crucial but often overlooked. Many professionals struggle with handling conflicts, aligning goals, and working together effectively. This paper draws on a literature review to provide a proactive guide to understanding what makes an effective collaborative professional and why it’s essential to develop these skills. We explore three critical steps for becoming a collaborative professional: first, boosting your self-awareness to better understand your strengths and areas for growth; second, forging strong, meaningful connections with colleagues to foster trust and open communication; and finally, blending your ideas with others to find common ground and work towards shared goals. This approach not only enhances team dynamics but also promotes innovation and better decision-making. In summary, this paper advocates for a significant shift toward collaborative professionalism, encouraging the creation of a culture where collaboration thrives. This shift not only improves how we work but also significantly boosts outcomes for clients and organizations.

One way to shift culture is to increase the number of people within that culture doing things differently (Glenn, 2003). One area of social justice work that people struggle with is talking openly about race in a way that matters. To change culture, the frequency of these conversations must increase. The conversations must contain specific content and strategies to ensure they effectively target the culture of oppression. As behavior analysts, we understand the contingencies necessary to establish the skill of talking about race and how to maintain it. A larger behavioral intervention framework that can be applied to any conversations regarding social justice will be discussed. Panelists will model a behavior analytic model for building behavioral momentum of racial discourse. They will answer questions about the behavioral contingencies used to begin and sustain meaningful dialogue regarding racial issues. Panelists will use their own friendships to illustrate how they shape and reinforce behavior related to open, honest and direct conversations about race.

Individuals who have completed at least their first year of coursework in behavior analysis; specifically those who have a strong understanding of the principles and concepts of ABA and how to use them to change behavior.

Applications of behavior analysis for individuals who have been incarcerated, and for correctional facility operations, is an underutilized, yet emerging area of service, both internationally and in the United States. However, behavior analysis informed programs and practices for these populations require important considerations and adaptations to be effective in these settings. The three presentations today will cover applications of behavior analysis informed interventions for incarcerated adult and youth populations within carceral facilities in Italy and the United States. Presenters represent multiple domains of service delivery from research, state government administration, and private practice. Systems level and individual interventions will be discussed including the introduction of Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) into adult and juvenile carceral facilities, as well as individual interventions, including academic support in the form of Precision Teaching. Presenters will share relevant data as well as discuss the barriers to implementing and sustaining quality services, and strategies for successfully navigating those barriers. This will include a discussion of relevant policy considerations and advocacy efforts necessary to bring behavior analysis informed solutions into these spaces.

Audience members should work with, or have an interest in working with, at-risk youth populations in adult correctional and juvenile justice systems. Alternatively, audience members should be familiar with principles of behavior analysis and have knowledge of the logistics of providing behavior analysis services for their service population in order to understand and appreciate the differences in how behavior analysis services for adult correctional and juvenile justice populations needs to be organized, funded, and the necessary training.

Juvenile Justice System Involved Youth face a number of academic challenges that are typically not well addressed using a lecture based instructional approach. Youth who live in these carceral environments are often substantially behind in grade level compared to similarly aged youth who have not been incarcerated. To address these challenges Adapt and Transform Behavior (ATBx) recently partnered with a high/max-risk juvenile justice residential program provider with the primary goal to increase academic achievement for a group of max-risk male youth. Despite limited time with the students, extremely promising results were achieved using Precision Teaching. Students who received tutoring demonstrated a dose dependent improvement in both math and reading skills and grade levels compared to students who did not receive tutoring. Group data will be presented to show average effects, as well as individual student data on changes in learning rates and changes in time required to achieve skill fluency.

This symposium introduces an actionable method of collaboration between behavior analysts and other professionals within special education. The presenter will review high level practices for students with disabilities which were identified by the Council of Exceptional Children (CEC) and the Collaboration for Effective Educator Development, Accountability, and Reform (CEEDAR) to help close the research-to-practice gap in schools. The presenter will explicitly connect special education teacher training to standards in applied behavior analysis, establishing alignment and a common language between behavior analysts and teachers in early childhood through Grade 12.

Only 5% of school-based BCBAs report addressing academic deficits according to a recent survey (Lyons, 2023), yet many evidence-based academic interventions in education have roots in behavior science. Despite the overlap between behavior analytic and typical educational academic interventions, a communication gap remains between behavior analysts and teachers. High leverage practices (HLPs) for students with disabilities, which were identified by the Council of Exceptional Children (CEC) and the Collaboration for Effective Educator Development, Accountability, and Reform (CEEDAR) to help close the research-to-practice gap, are effective practices for students in all settings (McLeskey et al., 2019). HLPs are at the forefront of teacher training in special education though school-based behavior analysts are unlikely to have learned about them in their university training. The authors propose a crosswalk that aligns the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) test content items to HLPs for students with disabilities to increase collaboration between behavior analysts and special education teachers, address the research-to-practice gap in special education, and bridge behavior analysis and special education. Of the 22 HLPs for students with disabilities, the authors propose that 18 are highly aligned, one is partially aligned, and three are connected to the BACB test content items.

This symposium highlights innovative applications of behavior-based safety procedures in both organizational and community-based settings. The first study explored the application of a task clarification procedure to improve fire-safety skills of employees working in a health and human service setting. This study also implemented enhancements to onboarding and training protocols for new employees to ensure efficacy in organizational level improvements to safe practices within work culture. The second study investigated the effective and efficient use of antecedent interventions to reduce driver speeding in a community setting. In addition, these procedures were effective in increasing pedestrian safety and ensuring safe community practices. Together, these presentations will showcase effective, low-effort strategies for fostering and maintaining safe behavior across diverse environments. In addition, these studies highlight the importance of ethical consideratations related to safety-based research and applications to solving dangerous behavior and environments. Discussion will focus on practical solutions in applied settings that require minimal resources yet yield lasting safety improvements.

All individuals interested in promoting safety are welcome.

Previous research on safety has evaluated the efficacy of a variety of training procedures to teach adults or staff members on steps to take to exit a building safely in the event of a fire. Many organizations train their employees via computer-based instruction (CBI), in which computer technology is used to deliver training to users. However, CBI trainings may not have the greatest utility when organizations need to train a specific set of skills, as many CBI safety trainings provide more general information. In Experiment 1, the researchers evaluated the effectiveness of different training methods to teach fire evacuation skills to participants; computer-based instruction, task analysis and instruction, and feedback. The researchers found that computer-based instruction was not effective in teaching the specific steps that should be taken to exit a building safely in the event of a fire. For majority of the participants, instructions plus a written task analysis to follow?was effective in training the appropriate steps to take to exit a building in a contrived fire scenario. In Experiments 2 and 3, the researchers utilized a group design to teach fire evacuation skills to existing staff (Experiment 2) and incoming staff (Experiment 3) at an early intensive behavioral intervention (EIBI) center using task clarification. The results of these experiments validated the results of Experiment 1, providing evidence that task clarification can be utilized in a group setting to train center-specific fire evacuation skills. Results from this study may provide organizations with a more effective training system for training employees to safely exit a building if a fire were to occur.??

The field of applied behavior analysis faces ongoing challenges with RBT retention and support, impacting both service quality and organizational sustainability. This panel brings together experts from clinical practice, technology development, and workforce research to examine the potential role of artificial intelligence in supporting newly hired RBTs. Panelists will discuss recent pilot studies of AI co-pilot implementations, methodological considerations for evaluating such technologies, ethical implications for the field, and practical challenges in implementation. The discussion will focus on key questions including: How might AI support systems impact RBT retention and job satisfaction? What are the benefits and limitations of current AI co-pilot technologies in behavioral healthcare? How can organizations effectively evaluate and implement these tools while maintaining high clinical standards? This panel aims to facilitate an evidence-based discussion of technology's evolving role in clinical support systems while examining important considerations for the future of the field. Audience participation will be encouraged to explore diverse perspectives on this emerging practice area.

New and advanced behavior technicians (BTs and RBTs), behavior analysts (BCBAs and BCBA-Ds), and administrators (clinical directors)

In this “Catania-Fest”, we gather to celebrate the many contributions of AC Catania—Charlie Catania. Charlie has been a major figure in our field ab ovo. His contributions range from empirical articles that have been cited over 1000 times; theoretical articles clarifying conceptual foundations; understanding the relation between instructional- and contingency-controlled behavior; demonstration of the preference of animals for free, as opposed to forced choice; and a championing of the seminal papers of BF Skinner. Charlie was an early editor of the Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, and has published notable text books on learning from a behavioral perspective. In this first tutorial session, a number of senior behavior analysts will comment on how Catania’s publications has made a difference in their own work, and in the direction of the field. 

All behavior analysists; some behaviorists; and most students of behavior.

The effectiveness of behavioral skills training (BST) and Fluency Based Instruction (FBI) have been well documented into the behavior analytic literature to teach several different skills to a diverse population that includes caregivers, staff members, and more. This event will review the use of BST and FBI to teach skills necessary for new RBT candidates and onboarding BCBAs as well as methods to improve performance post onboarding. We will discuss the use of a variety of training tools to teach skills to both new and current employees, such as gamification in new behavior technician training, fluency based instruction in behavior technician ongoing training, and the use of ongoing training tools that target the specific skills needed for success in BCBA roles. In addition, we will review the implications of a streamlined training sequence and how that transfers to the application of those skills to one’s day to day activities with clients, ultimately impacting client outcomes.

Beginners

Starting a new job is hard, which makes it necessary for proper onboarding process to support newer clinicians and experience clinicians to learn new skills in a new job. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of a onboarding process for BCBAs or BCBA candidates and to measure the improvement of clients outcomes post initial behavior skills training program. The participants are BCBAs new to company as well as trainee’s transitioning to clinician in training roll to learn the job under a BCBA mentor. Materials include onboarding with video learning, BA modeling, supervisor review of skills and topics and conducts competencies to mastery. Rubrics provide us with data analysis for mastery criteria. The key outcomes are measured by programming changes (i.e., change harder) data and the timeline until a BCBA has a complete caseload. Results support the effectiveness of the process and highlights the key outcomes used as training outcomes measure.

Equivalence-based instruction (EBI) focuses on the development of classes of functionally related but physically diverse stimuli and is relevant to skill acquisition programming because it involves teaching minimal numbers of relations to produce classes of stimuli in an efficient manner. The purpose of this symposium was to study EBI procedures to teach a variety of skills with individuals with autism, other disabilities, and typically developing children. The first presentation describes a study examining selection- and production-based EBI on emergent academic skills and verbal behavior exhibited by children with disabilities. The results indicated that EBI procedures produced skill acquisition across participants and potential interactive effects between EBI strategies and verbal behavior levels. The second presentation discusses EBI procedures to teach music skills and promote social interactions in dyads of individuals with autism and typically developing children. The results indicated that EBI was effective at increasing correct taught and untaught relations as well as social interactions within and across child dyads. The last presentation describes a study using EBI-based tactics with video models to teach disguised mands to individuals with autism. The results showed that EBI tactics were effective with most participants; additional components were needed to produce relations with one participant.

This intermediate instructional level symposium will have a target audience of applied behavior analysts, clinicians, practitioners, and behavior therapists who provide clinical services to individuals with autism and other disabilities. Other target audience members will include researchers interested in equivalence-based instruction for skill acquisition programming and other potential applications.

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have deficits in communication, engage in restrictive and repetitive behaviors and may have impairments in socially appropriate behaviors and social interactions. Evidence based practices have been used to teach academic, social and leisure skills to children with ASD. Equivalence-based instruction (EBI) has been used to teach academic skills to children with ASD using individual instruction across a variety of skills. However, less is known about teaching music skills using EBI to individuals with ASD. The current experimental study evaluated the effects of group instruction to teach music skills to two children with ASD and two typically developing children while evaluating social interactions during and following the intervention. The participants were placed into dyads consisting of one child with ASD and one typically developing child. Overall, there was an increase in correct responses for taught and untaught relations for both dyads across instruments, an increase in appropriate social behaviors during session and play outside of sessions between the participants in each dyad. However, some considerations are needed and additional research in this area is warranted.

This study used a multiple baseline single-case research design to evaluate the efficacy of equivalence-based instruction (EBI) when used to teach participants with autism the relations between direct mands (e.g., "turn off the light"), disguised vocal mands (e.g., "It's too bright in here!"), and disguised gestural mands (e.g., placing one’s hand in between the trajectory of light and their eyes). We utilized a combination of procedures including video models and matching-to-sample (MTS) tasks, we first taught three participants with autism the relations between these direct and disguised mands. Following the emergence of stimulus equivalence, we tested whether the participants would demonstrate in situ responding to the disguised mands (i.e., transfer of function). All participants demonstrated the emergence of stimulus equivalence, and two of the three participants demonstrated in situ responding. Behavioral skills training was subsequently conducted with the participant that did not demonstrate transfer of function, resulting in successful in situ responding.

In 2024, the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) reported that less than 1% of Board-Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) worked to clinically support individuals who have survived brain injuries. With such a small subset of skilled clinicians within this population, the ability to provide high quality and systematic services is often limited. Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) has no formal Federal funding for individuals with acquired brain injuries (ABI). This creates the occasion for BCBAs who work within this population to lay the foundation for services moving forward. Often, that foundation is started with staff who have little to no experience in ABA. Therefore, BCBAs often start with some of the most basic skills that take place in our field, describing behavior, collecting data and implementing simplistic reactive strategies. The effort to build and solidify an ABA foundation will be discussed in great depth by the symposium’s discussant, a physician with extensive training and expertise in brain injury. This symposium will discuss how to lay an ABA foundation within a hospital-setting, how to build up RBTs skills in a traditionally non-ABA based setting and how to create salience for all learners in relation to behavior management.

Beginner

Brain Injury Related Behaviors (BIRBs) impact 44-74% of brain injury survivors who have suffered moderate-to-severe brain injuries. The Center for Disease Control has provided best clinical practice recommendations, and these suggest that comprehensive brain injury rehabilitation is a key component to successful healing (Peterson et al., 2019). Despite this, few treatment sites have incorporated evidence-based practices, including Applied Behavior Analysis. This presentation offers a detailed description of how Applied Behavior Analysis was integrated into an interdisciplinary team setting for brain injury survivors. Data related to pre- and post-tests for neurobehavioral management courses taught over three consecutive years will be reviewed for aggregate data and trends. Data on staff injuries resulting from patient aggression will be reviewed, and related trends will be analyzed and discussed. Finally, attendees will be given practical and objective steps to take if they are interested in pursuing careers in which they will train non-ABA specific staff to manage behaviors.

The acute rehabilitation hospital setting for individuals with traumatic and non-traumatic brain injuries creates a unique and complicated environment in which to deliver effective Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) services. Even though certified behavior analysts are now present within the continuum of care, little to no funding is available to support these positions. This makes it extremely important to demonstrate the clear impact that the utilization of ABA services has on service delivery, as well as client outcomes. In some settings, teams are able to support both Board-Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) and Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs) in spreading ABA to the larger community. This talk will review how staff have modified RBT trainings and competencies to deliver pragmatic programming to the brain injury patient population. This presentation will include recommendations for topics such as treatment fidelity, least to most prompting hierarchies for verbal competencies, 1:1 supervision, and integration of RBT feedback in novel settings.

The growing diversity within the client population necessitates that behavior analysts adapt their approaches to meet the unique needs of Latine clients, who often experience various challenges in accessing evidence-based services. This panel brings together experts in behavior analytic services and cultural competency to engage participants in dialogue on the challenges and opportunities in serving Latine families, fostering an environment that respects diversity and promotes effective behavior change. Key topics include the necessity of bilingual services, the adaptation of intervention tools, and the integration of culturally relevant practices into behavior interventions. As the demand for behavior analytic services grows within Latine communities, it is essential to address the unique cultural and linguistic needs of Latine clients thereby enhancing client engagement and promoting equity in access to services. Understanding cultural contexts can lead to more accurate assessments and more effective interventions. Implementing culturally and linguistically sensitive services can significantly improve client outcomes and satisfaction. This may reduce barriers to care, increase treatment adherence, and enhance overall community trust in behavior analytic services. As practitioners adopt these methods, they contribute to the broader movement towards cultural competence in healthcare, ultimately advancing the field of behavior analysis and promoting social justice.

Audience should be aware of the growing need for bilingual and/or culturally sensitive services.

Researchers have hypothesized that one behavioral mechanism related to autism spectrum disorder (ASD) could be differences in the extent to which social interactions are experienced as sufficiently reinforcing (Chevallier et al., 2012). This study evaluated a behavioral economic measure of sensitivity to social reinforcement in 30 autistic children, 19 children with developmental disabilities, and 19 neurotypical children between the ages of 3 and 12 years old. Participants worked for 30 s of access to social interactions with a novel adult or a leisure item across separate sessions. Each consequence was delivered according to a progressive ratio schedule of reinforcement in which the number of work responses required increased across trials. A high degree of heterogeneity in the absolute and relative value of social interaction was observed within each diagnostic group. Although social interactions were more reinforcing than leisure stimuli for several autistic participants, comparisons across diagnostic groups indicate that the relative reinforcing efficacy for social interaction was lower for autistic participants compared to neurotypical participants, but not participants with developmental disabilities.

Recent changes in the curricular requirements for graduate programs leading to certification as a behavior analyst promote inclusion of topics of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within several required courses. Disability is an important feature of diversity and must be included in efforts to promote DEI within behavior analytic curricula in pursuit of equity and inclusiveness. Neurodiversity- or disability-affirming applied behavior analysis is ethical behavior analysis that ensures client rights and dignity and is responsive to all forms of client self-advocacy. These practices inform goal selection, assessment, intervention, and analysis to promote behavior analysis that is socially valid and maximizes Neurodivergent client choice, autonomy, and quality of life (Lestremau Allen et al., 2024). Graduate coursework and supervision experiences shape student learning and inform future behavior analysts’ clinical and professional repertoires. Education and training that overlooks disability within DEI initiatives are unlikely to develop the needed repertoires to engage in behavior analytic services delivery and/or research in a manner that is compassionate, culturally responsive, and which affirms Neurodivergent client identities. The symposium will address how higher education faculty can promote neurodivergent-affirming practices, providing specific examples from two graduate programs on how neurodivergent-affirming practices are embedded within coursework and field experiences.

The target audience for this symposium includes behavior analysts who have some experience supervising, training, or teaching aspiring behavior analysts.

A home environment in which students describe the events of their day in an efficient and functional manner is one that fosters social connectivity, socially reinforces complex verbal behavior, and creates a context for problem solving discussions. For this project, Morningside’s six ingredients for simple generative responding were used to design a sequence in which students learned effective retelling repertoires in the classroom, then applied those repertoires through a series of contexts that shared more and more features of the home environment. Initial instruction began with students learning a retelling procedure that they used after reading stories in the Corrective Reading: Decoding B2 curriculum. Then, students applied those retelling repertoires to a series of structured forms – or contexts- where they were invited to engage in retelling behavior about various practiced activities. Students then applied the retelling procedure parts of their school day using Morningside's Daily Support Card, which provided a framework to increase both quality and frequency of students' 'kind of day' retells. Lastly, students were taught to apply retelling repertoires when discussing their day with parents or guardians in their home settings.

The presentation addresses how to create an ethical ABA provider culture given the rapid expansion to the ABA-based business. Over the last seven years, ABA providers have been challenged by wage inflation, fierce talent acquisition competition, stagnant reimbursement rates, and stringent regulatory payer requirements. Despite these challenges, the ABA profession continues to be one of the fastest growing sectors of the healthcare industry. Numerous ABA companies have entered the ASD treatment space funded through an infusion of capital by various types of investors. The panel features BCBA-Ds with significant experience operating large-scale ABA-based businesses. The panelists will discuss the applied strategies to create an ethical work culture and build a positive work community with measurable outcomes. These applied strategies will address billing fraud, scope of practice, BCBA retention, training practices, and clinical integrity. The panelist will also address many of the challenges associated with operating large-scale ABA-based businesses given this period of dynamic growth.

The target are BCBAs working within mid to large size companies

Licensing and other credentialing requirements for behavior analysts universally include ethical considerations as well as regulations for supervision of trainees and technicians. Across credentialing jurisdictions, some of those regulations vary. That variation poses challenges for practitioners, especially for those working in multiple jurisdictions (e.g., multiple states in the US). The variations can generate confusions and misunderstandings for practitioners in making sure that they practice ethically. Those challenges can include providing supervision, in compliance with relevant laws and regulations whenever a behavior analyst is credentialed. Additionally, practicing ethically and in compliance with credentialing requirements can be complicated by ambiguity in some of the requirements in credentialing requirements as well as by emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence. This symposium will address challenges for behavior analysts regarding engaging in political activities, providing supervision, and using artificial intelligence. Challenges will be reviewed, and recommendations will be made regarding ethical and effective ways to address them for each of the types of challenges addressed.

- Being familiar with (identifying and/or stating) ethical standards for behavior analysts - Being familiar with (identifying and/or stating) common behavior analyst credentialing requirements - Being familiar with (identifying and/or stating) supervision requirements for behavior analysis trainees - Being familiar with (identifying and/or stating) professional political activities in which behavior analysts can or have engaged - Being familiar with (identifying and/or stating) the general nature of artificial intelligence applications in human services

Artificial intelligence (AI) has evolved into a powerful set of tools that can expand human capacities to create things, control activities, solve problems, etc. Already, numerous AI applications have proven beneficial- sometimes for promoting the common good, sometimes for generating income, etc., but they also have contributed to and have the potential to exacerbate human problems as well as create new ones. Both types of outcomes are apparent in human services areas such as medicine and education. AI is just beginning to be incorporated into applied behavior analysis (ABA). Consequently, for licensed behavior analysts, using AI in ABA work must conform to the ethical requirements for licensed behavior analysts including supervision. Before it is incorporated to a great extent, behavior analysts are well advised to carefully consider how it might be used to make the world a better place (i.e., in socially valid ways) as well as how it might have the opposite outcomes, focusing on ethical issues. This paper primarily addresses ethical considerations related to incorporating AI in ABA, including supervision, after a brief review of how AI might be used in ABA work.

Interbehaviorism has not been widely disseminated in behavior analysis. Even when it has been considered, questions about its everyday practical value have always been present. This presentation addresses these questions directly – highlighting the implications of interbehaviorism for practice. This includes practice in the workplace, education, and clinical settings. Most work in applied behavior analysis is dominated by operant concepts and practices. This approach is appealing for several reasons and has been associated with a great deal of success. Still, there are limits to strictly approaching behavior change efforts this way. And while these limits may be experienced in many areas of the science of behavior, they seem particularly present in complex practice settings. This presentation describes some of the core features of interbehaviorism and how they might facilitate a more comprehensive approach to clinical work. The role of language in behavior change efforts is given special attention. Examples from clinical behavior analysis, including a consideration of relationships and psychological flexibility, are provided.

In the field of behavior analysis, the supervisor-supervisee relationship is fundamental to the development of competent and ethical practitioners. Integrating reflective supervision into the supervisory process can enhance this relationship by fostering an environment of trust, empathy, and mutual respect that is bidirectional. Reflective supervision—characterized by critical reflection, self-awareness, and constructive dialogue—not only supports professional growth but also contributes to the overall well-being of both the supervisor and supervisee, helping them navigate the challenges and complexities inherent to behavior analytic practice. This concept presentation examines the role of reflective supervision in strengthening supervisory relationships within behavior analysis. Building on the framework by Sellers, Valentino, and LeBlanc (2016), which emphasizes relationship-building as essential for effective supervision, this presentation explores how supervisors and supervisees can use reflective practices to facilitate their skill development and growth. Additionally, reflective supervision aligns with ethical guidelines in the most recent Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB, 2022) Ethics Code, specifically Code 1.07, which promotes cultural responsiveness and respect in interactions. By adopting reflective supervision practices, supervisors can improve engagement and resilience within the supervisor-supervisee relationship, ultimately leading to better outcomes for those they serve. References: Behavior Analyst Certification Board. (2022). Ethics code for behavior analysts. Retrieved from https://www.bacb.com/ethics/ Sellers, T. P., Valentino, A. L., & LeBlanc, L. A. (2016). The value of feedback in shaping effective supervision practices. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 9(4), 60-70. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-016-0116-x

Behavioral intervention programs for young children who present challenges with social, language and communication skills often focus on establishing basic vocabulary prior to establishing intermediate and advanced language skills. Often behavioral account of language is used as a foundation for establishing and expanding overall language and communication skills in young children with language delay. Skinner’s (1957) taxonomy of verbal operants has been empirically evaluated by many verbal behavior researchers in the past, but there is still a need for more research to understand the assessment tools used by behavior analytic researchers 1) to determine socially relevant and developmentally appropriate verbal behavior goals, and 2) role of Observation Learning (OL) on the acquisition of language. Thus, the purpose of this symposium is to discuss recent trends in verbal behavior research (e.g., Observation Learning, assessment tools employed in verbal behavior research, and developmental prerequisites in mand training) including the limitations, clinical recommendations, and future directions.

Intermediate

Skinner’s analysis of verbal behavior outlines a verbal taxonomy that both the speaker and listener’s verbal behavior are influenced by the same environmental variables as any other behavior. The functional account of verbal behavior is often disregarded in the conventional account of language. Nonetheless, this functional approach is instrumental in understanding the role of motivation in teaching a mand repertoire. Several studies in the behavior analytic literature have illustrated the importance of motivating operations in establishing a mand repertoire. However, there are still inconsistencies within the field when it comes to selecting and teaching developmentally appropriate mand targets. Thus, the main purpose of this paper is to conduct a review of studies on mand training, and categorize these studies based on developmental hierarchy of language progression as outlined in the VB-MAPP. This presentation will provide a preliminary snapshot comparison from the earliest 10 studies to the most recent 10 studies. Overall, the results suggest that there is sparsity of literature focusing on building foundation for a mand repertoire before advancing to CMO-T mands. Thus, there is a need for further research on selection and teaching developmentally appropriate mand targets. Recommendations for clinicians will be provided.

The Verbal Behavior Special Interest Group (VB SIG) offers annual awards to support graduate students conducting empirical research that advances our understanding of the acquisition and development of verbal behavior. This symposium consists of three recent winners from the previous year, exploring innovative research related to public speaking, foreign language learning, and observational learning. The first study compared the effectiveness of two clicker training methods in reducing filler words and extraneous sounds during public speaking. The second study explored the impact of testing on the retention of foreign language vocabulary, specifically examining the effect of spaced practice tests with corrective feedback. The third study aimed to develop assessment and training procedures for observational learning component skills, focusing on a combination of learning contexts. Collectively, these studies highlight the importance of effective learning techniques and strategies in various domains, with implications for improving communication, language acquisition, and skill acquisition in diverse settings.

Recently the intensity and dosage of treatment hours and content of teaching targets in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) programs for young learners with ASD has come under question. This panel explores the evidence supporting 30-40 hours per week of ABA therapy, for young learners with ASD (Reichow, Whalen, & McConnell, 2010), as well as recent discussions that fewer hours are as adequate (Sneed, Little, & Akin-Little, 2023). The panel will also discuss utilization of a developmentally appropriate curriculum being essential for providing effective EIBI services as well as more recent discussions to the contrary (McCarty & Brumback, 2021). Specifically, the panelists will discuss the importance of a curriculum based on a developmental scope and sequence that ensures treatment targets skills that are relevant to the child's age and developmental level. Discussions will include teaching children to discriminate behaviors applicable to particular settings, people, and situations, and that providing intensive therapy and targeting skills that are relevant to the child's developmental level, EIBI can help children with ASD achieve significant gains in language, social skills, adaptive behaviors, and overall quality of life (Leaf, R & McEachin, J., 1999; Taylor, B.A., & McDonough, K.A., 1996; Lovaas, 1987; ).

Supervisors or BCBA's with a minimum, of 5 years of experience; Special Educators and Early Chilhood Educators

Facilitating opportunities to empower clients to engage in choices related to their therapeutic services is an incredibly important aspect of ethical and effective behavior-analytic practice (Morris et al., 2024; Peterson et al., 2020). Although decades of research on choice in behavior analysis have been conducted, relatively little is known about the best practices for incorporating choice into assessment and intervention practices in applied behavior analysis. Thus, clinicians interested in helping maximize their clients’ opportunities to engage in choices may not have the resources necessary to do so. The purpose of this symposium is to discuss considerations for embedding choice into clinical practice based on recent literature reviews of published research on the topic choice in clinical practice. The first talk will review choice-based assessment and interventions discussed in behavior-analytic literature. The second talk will review considerations for increasing choice by reviewing studies that compared choice and no-choice conditions to evaluate the impact of choice.

Anyone with a basic understanding of choice in behavior-analytic practice.

Choices can be incorporated into many components of behavior-analytic assessment and treatment, such as providing clients with a choice between multiple items, activities, or tasks. We reviewed key 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. Intercoder agreement was evaluated in 34.15% of the experiments included in the reviewed studies with a mean agreement score of 94.44%. The findings of the review 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 widely across the studies. Further, 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.

Self-compassion is treating yourself with empathy and care. Self-compassion can be operationalized as a behavioral skill where individuals engage in behaviors that intentionally prioritize self-care. In the field of applied behavioral analysis (ABA), practitioners are reporting experiences of burnout, compassionate fatigue, and vicarious trauma. If behavior analysts cannot care for themselves, their ability to care for others can be negatively affected. Research in related fields has indicated that lower levels of self-compassion can correlate with behaviors related to anxiety, depression, and may contribute to lower job satisfaction and burnout in the workplace. Additionally, higher reported self-compassion behaviors have correlated with improved resilience, increased coping skills, and use of behavioral regulation strategies. This study explored current levels of self-compassion present in eight graduate-level ABA students using the Self-Compassion Scale (Neff, 2003). Results include composite self-compassion scores and subscale items in areas of self-kindness, self-judgment, common sense of humanity, isolation behaviors, mindfulness, and over-identification. The role of self-compassion in the field of ABA is discussed and implications for ABA students and behavior analysts in practice are discussed. Examples of ways to teach self-compassion behaviors within a behaviorally-analytic lens using behavioral skills training and acceptance and commitment training are explored and shared.

Ensuring consistent and effective behavioral treatment services for youth in juvenile residential facilities remain a challenge. In recent years, behavioral skills training (BST) has been combined with pyramidal training to teach behavior analytic procedures to staff in various settings. This study examined pyramidal BST with supervisor and floor staff in a juvenile residential setting for high-risk youth exposed to various forms of trauma and victimization. The study employed a multiple baseline design across participants, involving one supervisory staff member and three floor staff members. The objective was to evaluate the impact of pyramidal BST on Level 2, floor staff's delivery of BSP and their perceived levels of youth problem behavior. The results showed that the Level 1, supervisory staff successfully implemented the BST procedures in training the floor staff after receiving training from the researcher. Floor staff demonstrated improvement in the delivery of BSP to youth following training received from the supervisor. One out of three staff members' perceptions of youth problem behavior decreased following intervention. Generalization of the staff's delivery of BSP was observed during a non-

Supervision and training are critical variables in the application of evidence-based behavior analytic services. Application of programming by inadequately supervised, trained, and/or mentored professionals or caregivers can lead to increased risks for consumers. Such circumstances could pose risks to clients achieving an improved quality of life and compromise their safety. These risks are further compounded by the surge in newly certified behavior analytic professionals across certificate levels. A potential solution involves utilizing evidence-based supervision and training procedures to support clinicians and caregivers. This symposium features three presentations aimed at building expertise in the application of behavior analysis services with both clinicians and caregivers. The first presentation will describe an agency-wide fieldwork support model designed to enhance professional development for analysts in training. The second presentation will provide a literature review of pyramidal training. The third presentation will focus on an evidence-based approach for training parents to conduct preference assessments to identify reinforcers for their autistic child.

The target audience should have the prerequisites necessary to provide supervised fieldwork or be in the process of gaining the necessary certifications to do so. Audience members should also have prior knowledge on staff training approached (e.g., BST and pyramidal training) and preferences assessments.

In recent years, our profession has experienced an exponential increasing demand for Applied Behavior Analytic (ABA) services and these conditions have set the occasion of limited available expertise and a wide range of challenges, including lack of skilled ABA practitioners (Batt et al., 2023) and challenges related to protecting the integrity of ABA (Tayler et al., 2023). The Behavior Analysis Certification Board’s (BACB) 2024 data shows 69,645 credentialed individuals in 2024, with 54% of these certified in the past 5 years, and 76% in the past 10 years. In addition, the BACB Annual Data Report (2023) indicated only 56% of examinees passed the exam on their first attempt. This presents with a herculean effort for supervisors to provide effective behavior-analytic supervised fieldwork experience that meets the minimal requirements described by the BACB (2023) in the development of case conceptualization and problem-solving and decision-making repertoires, as well as the more practice-oriented skills within the Applications section of the BACB Task List, 5th ed (2017). This presentation will cover the Fieldwork Support Model within the Center for Applied Behavior Analysis, including the structures, competencies, exam rates, and performance criteria both as a trainee and within the first year of BCBA credentialing.

Dr. Hanley has been applying the principles of learning to improve socially important behaviors of children and adults with and without disabilities for over 30 years. He worked and trained at the Kennedy Krieger Institute, was degreed at the University of Florida, was tenured at the University of Kansas, and directed the Behavior Analysis Doctoral Program and Life Skills Clinic at Western New England University. Dr. Hanley has published over 100 book chapters and articles in peer-reviewed journals in areas such as the assessment and prevention of problem behavior, teaching tactics for young children, and evidence-based values. Dr. Hanley is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association (Div. 25), past Associate Editor of The Behavior Analyst, and past Editor of the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis and of Behavior Analysis in Practice. He currently serves as a Research Professor at Western New England University and as CEO of FTF Behavioral, an international training and consulting group based in Worcester, Massachusetts.  

Autism practitioners at all levels.

Within the verbal behavior literature from and since Skinner’s groundbreaking work, it is clear that listener behavior and speaker behavior first developed as independent repertoires. The joining of listener and speaker, in which the individual can act as speaker as own listener, has also been extensively studied. This symposium includes experiments that studied the outcomes related to the development of and acquisition of the speaker repertoire and the joining of listener and speaker behavior. One experiment tested the effects of an intensive tact procedure on the number of verbal operants emitted in a non-instructional setting. The next experiment expanded on the intensive tact procedure to incorporate measures of intelligibility in addition to frequency of vocal verbal operants. The next study investigated the outcome when listener and speaker behavior are joined in self talk. In the fourth study, the pedagogy of how children who are listeners and speakers most efficiently and effectively learn was analyzed, in which trials to criterion for identification programs under several conditions (learn units, corrections only, reinforcement only) were calculated. Understanding what children can learn and how they can learn when they come under the stimulus control for a certain set of contingencies is essential to furthering the field of behavioral analysis and education.

Target audience members include graduate students pursuing a master's degree and board certification and/or a PhD in behavior analysis.

Children with Developmental Disorders may not use verbal language on their own initiative, but only in the presence of verbal antecedents or prompts. However, since in the natural environment most of the communicative initiations occur in presence of non-verbal antecedents, it is crucial to teach and promote the use of verbal behavior under these contingencies. Intensive Tact Instruction (ITI) is a procedure demonstrated to be effective in increasing the number of verbal operants emitted in non-instructional context. The aim of these two studies was evaluating the effectiveness of ITI with stationary and animated images on the emission of mands, tacts, sequelic initiations and reactions in three non-instructional settings. ITI involves the presentation of 100 additional tacts. Compared to previous studies, the stimuli used for tact emissions included also animated images, instead of only static ones. In Experiment 1, the participants were 3 children between 3 and 5 years old with Specific Language Impairment, while Experiment 2 included 3 children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and comorbidities. A multiple probe design across participants was used for both studies. The results replicated the findings of previous research; considerations regarding the use of animated images, treatment intensity and changes in probes length were discussed.

Self-talk during fantasy play allows children to function as listener and speaker within the same skin and is a crucial step in verbal development. This study evaluates, with two experiments, the effects of the Self Talk Immersion Protocol (STIP) on the emergence of self-talk sequelics and conversational units (STCU) and social verbal behavior during fantasy play. A multiple probe design staggered across participants was used in both experiments. The participants of Experiment I were four 5- to 8-years old children with Developmental Disorders, in Experiment II the study was replicated with two 6-years old twins with Developmental Disorders. Results of the study further support the use of the STIP as an intervention to induce self-talk behavior for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and other Developmental Disorders. In Experiment II, emergence of self-talk led to increased social verbal operants and conversational units with peers during fantasy play for both participants. Additional research is needed to evaluate the relation between the emergence of STCU as a verbal behavior cusp and the emergence of social verbal behavior between children.

Graduation from high school represents an exciting time for students and their families. In most cases, their educational experience has prepared them for their transition to adulthood. While those of us who are neurotypical are often well prepared for what awaits us in this next phase of life, outcomes for autistic adults are less positive. Autistic adults often transition from their educational experience with significant gaps in their communication skills, employment/vocational skills, and leisure repertoires. Taken together, these deficits contribute to poor quality of life for autistic individuals and their families. The purpose of the current symposium is to share novel assessment and intervention strategies to help improve outcomes for autistic adults of transitional age. Topics in the current symposium will include a review of the last 30 years of adult clinical research, teaching autistic adults to mand for information (“Wh” question), using direct vocational assessments to repair faulty job placements, and using direct assessment procedures to effectively identify matched leisure activities for older learners diagnosed with ASD.

intermediate

The number of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has drastically increased since the turn of the century leading to a crisis as these individuals enter adulthood. Although there is considerable behavior analytic research on children with autism, little research has been conducted with adults with the same disorder. Through a hand search of eight autism and behavior analytic journals, qualities of behavior analytic treatment articles including participants 21 years or older were assessed; studies targeting the increase of socially appropriate behavior and decrease of problem behavior were evaluated. Results revealed a low number of articles involving adults with autism compared to articles involving children with the same disorder. Within the included articles, many effective treatment strategies were identified such as task analyses, prompting methods, behavior skills training, and self-monitoring. Based on results of this review, clinicians have effective procedures to use, researchers know gaps in the literature to explore, and policy makers have evidence to include Applied Behavior Analytic (ABA) in adult services and laws.

Mand for information (MFI) plays an important role in language development as a means of acquiring new knowledge from one’s environment. Due to its generative effects and the possibility of leading to reinforcers, MFIs are considered a behavioral cusp essential for advanced language. However, many individuals, including adults with developmental disabilities, fail to effectively emit MFIs. Most research on behavior strategies for teaching MFIs has focused on “Where?” and “Who?” questions, with relatively few studies addressing “Why?” and “What?” (Cengher et al., 2022). The purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic replication of Valentino et al. (2019) by evaluating a procedure to teach the MFI “Why?” to three adults with developmental disabilities using a multiple baseline design. Various scenarios were developed to evoke the MFI “Why?” and teach the response under the control of relevant establishing operations (EOs). Response generalization was assessed using untrained scenarios. Results showed that the procedure was effective in establishing the MFI “Why?” under the control of EOs for all participants. Furthermore, all participants demonstrated response generalization to novel scenarios. The outcomes of the study are discussed in the context of service delivery for adults with developmental disabilities, along with recommendations for future research.

Adults with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often have a range of differences in their adaptive behavior repertoires and may subsequently require continued support throughout the lifespan. Given the importance of adaptive skills, deficits in this area can impact an individual’s ability to engage in a range of leisure activities and thus impact their quality of life. The current study aims to examine the leisure preferences of up to five participants over the age of 18 with a diagnosis of ASD. A concurrent operants assessment was utilized to determine whether preferences for specific aspects of leisure activities and environments could be identified, and whether this identification led to increased engagement and participant choice to continue engaging with these activities that matched these preferences. The current data of one participant is beginning to replicate the findings of Isenhower et al. (in prep). Specifically, the participant had a clear preference for leisure and environmental components, demonstrated greater engagement when activities and environments matched these components, and the participant selected matched activities and environments more often than non-matched activities and environments. This assessment continues to show promise as a potential method to identify leisure preferences among adults with ASD.

In this symposium, researchers will describe studies in which they evaluated ABA approaches to increase physical activity and enhance sports performance. Ellie Warmund will discuss her study comparing video feedback (VF) and video self-evaluation (VSE) for enhancing tap dance performance of 10 to 14-year-old dancers. The results showed that VF was superior to VSE for increasing performance with two of three participants. Shreeya Deshmukh will describe her study evaluating the effects of the Good Behavior Game (GBG) for decreasing disruptive behavior for 6- to 13-year-old girls in three dance classes. Her results show substantial disruptions from baseline to intervention for all three classes. Maddy McCullen will describe her research evaluating self-tailored deposit contracts for increasing physical activity in neurotypical adults and reinforcement thinning for maintaining intervention gains. Her results show increases in step count for all three participants and some degree of maintenance for all participants. Sofia O’Leary will present her research evaluating self-monitoring and feedback for increasing exercise among older adults in a senior living facility. The results showed increased steps, as measured by pedometers for all four participants. Dr. Jennifer Cook will serve as discussant and provide comments on the papers.

The target audience is practicing BCBAs and researchers in the field of health, sports, and fitness.

Group contingencies are one of the most effective behavioral procedures in reducing classroom disruptions. One type of group contingency is an interdependent group contingency called the Good Behavior Game (GBG). Researchers have found the GBG to be effective in reducing classroom disruptions, increasing appropriate social behavior in a physical education class, and increasing the number of steps taken during recess. In this study, the researchers evaluated to effectiveness of the GBG to reduce disruptive behaviors in three dance classes at a local dance studio. In each class, the students were divided into two teams. The team with the least amount of disruptive behavior won the game and earned small prizes. Data collectors recorded data on the percentage of intervals with disruptive behavior using momentary time sampling with 20-s intervals. Using a nonconcurrent multiple baseline design across classes, researchers demonstrated an immediate decrease in the percentage of intervals with disruptive behavior across the three classes. Social validity from the students indicated that they enjoyed the GBG and earning prizes for their behavior. Future directions and implications for clinical applications in Applied Behavior Analysis and sports will be discussed. Keywords: good behavior game, dance, disruptive behavior

Behavior analysts engaged in public policy advocacy do so with the intended purpose of improving socially significant behavior for those we serve. Public policy advocacy has not been a part of most behavior analysts’ formal training. However, some behavior analysts have realized that international, national, state, and local public policy impacts the way applied behavior analytic (ABA) services are delivered and contributes to the betterment of society more generally. Behavior analysts have addressed policies that affect the provision of behavior analytic services and those related to issues that make the world a better place for all people. Across the world, behavior analysts are meeting with legislators to educate them on behavior analytic solutions to societal problems. Incorporating a behavior analytic perspective into policies supports best practices in many areas and can create a more humane, reinforcing environment for all. This symposium highlights four contributions to the special section in Behavior Analysis in Practice on Public Policy Advocacy and sheds light on the public policy advocacy efforts related to the practice of behavior analysis that have occurred across a variety of jurisdictions and settings, and have promoted macro level policy changes that benefit society more generally.

The target audience is intermediate. It is helpful for attendees to have competence in foundational knowledge related to behavior analytic concepts, principles, and theory

We applied behavioral economic methods to assess the effects of regulatory cost on demand for the opportunity to practice behavior analysis in Ontario using a hypothetical purchase task. The government of Ontario passed legislation to expand the psychology regulatory body to include behavior analysts. This is an important step in public protection policy, the professionalization of the practice of applied behavior analysis (ABA), and standards of practice in the province. This study aimed to inform part of the process using an operant demand framework because fees are required to operate regulatory bodies, which implies that professionals interested in becoming regulated health professionals must pay initial and ongoing fees. Demand was analyzed using the exponentiated model of demand. Participants included 60 practitioners, who indicated they were board certified behavior analysts and Ontario residents. The findings indicated that participants’ mean Pmax value (the price at which consumption becomes elastic) was $624.65 at the aggregate level. These results may indicate Ontario behavior analysts’ perceptions of the acceptability of varying costs associated with regulation. Further, the study demonstrates the applied utility of behavioral economic methods to assess demand for commodities within behavior analysis.

Widespread insurance funding of applied behavior analysis (ABA) as a medically necessary mental health benefit in the treatment of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has placed behavior analysts in the role of health care providers. Behavior analysts who work with insurance and/or Medicaid have increasingly encountered payor guidelines that interfere with their efforts to implement treatment plans that reflect generally accepted standards of care. When these arbitrary limits are integrated into ABA practices, payors–not science–are shaping ABA. Many common payor guidelines, such as location exclusions, caregiver participation requirements, and age and hour limits, violate the federal Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA). For the first time since MHPAEA became law, federal agencies are scrutinizing payor guidelines and practices through the lens of MHPAEA and working to increase compliance. In this new climate of MHPAEA enforcement, behavior analysts are uniquely positioned to identify, reject, and report improper guidelines that constrain their ABA practices and promote best practices to optimize patient outcomes. This review of MHPAEA in the context of ABA highlights common violations and current advocacy and aims to equip behavior analysts with the tools to free their practices from improper limits.

Differential reinforcement of alternative (DRA) behavior is an effective intervention for decreasing problem behavior. However, DRA with extinction can produce extinction-induced adverse side effects, such as extinction bursts and resurgence. Extinction bursts involve an increase in the frequency of a target response at the start of extinction for that response. Resurgence is an increase in a previously extinguished target response when reinforcement conditions for the alternative response worsen. The studies in this symposium evaluated predictions of the temporally weighted matching law, which may account for both extinction bursts and resurgence (Shahan, 2022). First, Avellaneda and colleagues investigated extinction bursts following changes in magnitude of alternative reinforcement with rats. Kishel and colleagues evaluated extinction bursts following magnitude manipulations among children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Next, Calabrese and colleagues evaluated extinction bursts following rate manipulations of alternative reinforcement in children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Finally, Thuman and colleagues conducted a retrospective analysis of extinction bursts of alternative behavior and resurgence of target behavior during terminal probes for schedule thinning in applications of functional communication training. The symposium will close with a discussion by Dr. Dorothea Lerman.

Schedule thinning with compound schedules of reinforcement (e.g., multiple schedules) is effective for reducing reinforcement density during treatment of severe problem behavior. Extinction programmed within the compound schedules may induce transient increases in behavior. When an alternative behavior (i.e., functional communication response [FCR]) is trained and then contacts extinction during schedule thinning, increases in target behavior (i.e., severe problem behavior) may be considered resurgence; whereas increases in alternative behavior may be considered an extinction burst. Transient increases in alternative or target behavior may be problematic and lead to treatment integrity errors. Contemporary quantitative formulations suggest that resurgence and extinction bursts may result from the same principles governing choice (Shahan, 2022), therefore, a better understanding of these processes may inform treatment for severe problem behavior. In the current retrospective analysis, we examined the prevalence of extinction bursts of alternative behavior and resurgence of target behavior during terminal schedule probes (Strohmeier et al., 2024) for 69 consecutively encountered participants. Within session data analysis indicated extinction bursts of alternative behavior and resurgence of target behavior for some participants, but neither were uniformly present. We describe the characteristics and report the prevalence of each process and discuss clinical implications for schedule thinning.

The Good Behavior Game (GBG) is a well-established classroom management intervention that utilizes group contingencies to improve student behavior. Despite its robust nature and consistent effectiveness, teachers have reported that elements of the procedure present implementation barriers, reducing the likelihood that they will maintain implementation. Although researchers have examined numerous procedural variations to the GBG, they are typically selected by the researchers without meaningful input from teachers. In the current study, researchers examined the decisions that teachers make to modify the GBG to best fit their preferences. Following a “business as usual” baseline, teachers were trained to implement the traditional arrangement of the GBG and implemented it until we saw consistent reductions in disruptive behavior. Then, researchers conducted qualitative interviews with the teachers to learn about their perceived implementation barriers and elements of the game they wanted to change. The researchers then helped the teachers modify the procedure and implement it. This process was repeated until the teachers were satisfied with the procedures and reported that they were happy with the intervention. Qualitative and follow-up data indicated that the teachers preferred the modified version over the traditional version and continued to implement the modified version over time.

An accurate self-assessment repertoire is crucial for maintaining high standards of practice, or a scope of competence, among behavior analysts. However, procedural means to achieve this remain underexplored. Medical communities have investigated these effects and largely found that accuracy in self-assessment is poor, with an inverse relation between ratings of adequacy and experience. Regular self-assessment strengthened by feedback from standardized rubrics or expert raters is key to maintaining ethical practice and engaging in self-guided learning. Drawing on foundational values and BACB ethical standards, this study extended research from medical communities to assess self-assessment accuracy and confidence among ABA graduate students with three skills: mock exams, mock caregiver interviews, and discrete trial training with actual clients. These represented a range of familiar and unfamiliar activities for ABA professionals. Where deficits in self-assessment accuracy were found, behavior analytic tactics related to feedback and reference tools were implemented to close the gap. Several participants met criteria across the skill types for intervention, and the intervention quickly improved self-assessment across all participants. Implications for fostering a more defined scope of competence and the durability of these findings as they relate to confidence levels are discussed to inform future research on this topic.

The experience of a reward, such as the ingestion of food, is accompanied by dynamic patterns of neuronal activity across many brain regions. For example, reward ingestion is often accompanied by brief increases in spike activity of dopamine neurons, as well as other neural populations in the basal ganglia. I will discuss animal laboratory studies that illustrate the important role of behavioral approaches in revealing the functions of this reward-elicited activity with a focus on reward signals that promote future reward seeking behavior.

Intermediate - should have understanding of reinforcement and familiarity with general related brain activity.

Patricia Janak is a Bloomberg Distinguished Professor at Johns Hopkins University, with appointments in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences in the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences and the Department of Neuroscience in the School of Medicine. Dr. Janak earned her Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley, and conducted postdoctoral research at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine and the National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health. From 1999 to 2014, Dr. Janak was faculty at the University of California, San Francisco, where she was the Howard J. Weinberger, M.D., Endowed Chair in Addiction Research at the University of California, San Francisco. Dr. Janak has served as Program Chair and Secretary for the Society for Neuroscience and is editor-in-chief for the journal, Psychopharmacology. Dr. Janak studies neural processes of reward learning, both under normal conditions and in animal models relevant to substance use disorders.  Janak and her laboratory members have made critical discoveries regarding the neurochemical and neuroanatomical bases of alcohol intake and relapse. Current work focuses on circuit level analysis of striatal systems and dopamine error signals during learning and decision making.

This symposium integrates behavioral and neurophysiological research to provide novel insights into how relational responding and psychological flexibility can influence pro-environmental behaviors and emotional resilience. First, we examine the neurophysiological underpinnings of derived relational responding using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). By investigating how different relational frames activate brain networks, this research provides critical insights into the neurological correlates of relational frame theory (RFT). Data from neurotypical and autistic participants reveal distinct activation patterns, shedding light on the neural mechanisms involved in relational learning and offering implications for advancing linguistic and cognitive training approaches. The second study in this series expands upon advanced language strategies by exploring the role of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) in promoting climate action and reducing climate-related anxiety in marginalized groups, specifically youth and disabled individuals. This research highlights the importance of increased psychological flexibility in addressing broader social issues like climate change through individual behavior changes, as evidenced by increased pro-environmental purchasing behaviors following relational training. This symposium offers insight into the advancement of behavioral science through neurophysiology and applications in both individual and societal change.

Behavior analysts should have familiarity with RFT and ACT, including a basic understanding of principles and processes. In addition, familiarity with fMRI and basic consumer research may be of benefit.

Assent and trauma-informed practices are essential to addressing the unique needs of our clients. Practitioners often understand the importance of such practices but they may still struggle with their application during the course of service delivery. Therefore, helping practitioners navigate the conditions under which it is relevant to program for assent and trauma-informed practices during service delivery is integral for supporting both service providers (practitioners and direct care providers) and clients. This symposium includes a collection of three different applications of Behavioral Skills Training (BST) to train service providers to implement assent-based and trauma-informed interventions in response to distress and behaviors that may interfere with learning. Specifically addressed are skills including identifying assent and assent withdrawal, collecting data on these behaviors, problem-solving how to address assent withdrawal during instruction, and assessment and treatment risk-benefit considerations from a trauma-informed practice lens. All trainings aimed to teach practitioners how to objectively assess and make individualized modifications to existing programs to better meet the needs of their clients. In addition, social validity measures across clients, caregivers, and service providers will also be discussed.

Attendees should be familiar with the components of behavioral skills training (BST) Attendees should have knowledge of general program/protocol components (i.e. SD, target response, error correction, reinforcement, generalization, maintenance, etc)

The field of applied behavior analysis is progressing from conceptualizations of assent, assent withdrawal, and dissent, to the practical implications of modifying interventions and programs.This study evaluates the effectiveness of a computer-based module training program to teach clinicians concepts of assent, identifying assent within protocols, and identifying opportunities to embed assent within the protocol then making corresponding modifications. The goal of this research is to provide empirical support for different strategies clinicians can use in their daily practices to increase their use of assent-informed protocols and interventions. Assent provision and withdrawal behavior is idiosyncratic and will rely on numerous contextual variables that may be difficult to anticipate when generating a training program. Therefore, the aim of this training is to teach the application of different concepts within assent to the protocol modification process, while teaching to generalization. By creating a computer-based program with a behavioral skills training format, our goal is to create an evidence-based training that can be broadly distributed, therefore making assent-informed protocol modification more accessible to a wider population.

Teachers today face with a multitude of challenges, but disruptive student behavior should not be one of them. This symposium explores behavioral techniques to reduce disruptive student behavior in classroom settings. The first study evaluated the Prevent-Teach-Reinforce Secondary (PTR-SEC) with three students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) and other disabilities. A multiple baseline design across participants showed that PTR-SEC was efficacious in improving the students’ behaviors, decreasing problem behaviors and increasing replacement behaviors. The second study examined the effectiveness of and preference for teacher-implemented accumulated and distributed schedules of reinforcement with three children. Results indicate that both schedules of reinforcement decreased interfering behavior, and participants preferred the distributed arrangement. The third study investigated the incorporation of function-based intervention into self-monitoring and its impact on the behavior of three middle school students with autism spectrum disorder. A multiple baseline design across participants evaluated the effects of the function-based self-monitoring procedure. Results showed increases in functional communicative responses and improvement in classroom behavior for all three participating students. Collectively, these findings demonstrate the effectiveness of low-cost behavior techniques to reduce disruptive student behavior for teachers in school settings. Implications for involving classroom teachers in school-based interventions will be discussed.

1. Familiarity with principles of function-based interventions 2. Interest in and some experience working with teachers 3. Some familiarity with differential reinforcement, preference assessments, and functional communication

Prevent-Teach-Reinforce (PTR) is a manualized, team-based, function-based intervention designed to prevent problem behavior from occurring (prevent), teach functional replacement behaviors or skills (teach), and promote the replacement and other desired behaviors (reinforce). The current study extends the literature on the PTR intervention model by evaluating the PTR model for middle school students in a public middle school setting. The PTR Secondary (PTR-SEC) model was evaluated with three students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) and other disabilities, involving their classroom teachers. A multiple baseline design across participants was used to evaluate the behavioral outcomes of the students as they participated in the four steps of teaming and goal setting, assessment, intervention, and evaluation. Results showed that PTR-SEC was effective in improving all three students' behaviors, decreasing target problem behaviors and increasing replacement behaviors. The correspondence between the direct observation data collected by the research team and the Individualized Behavior Rating Scale Tool (IBRST) data collected by the teachers was relatively high for all students, indicating high usability and feasibility of the IBRST by classroom teachers. A strength of this study was the high teacher social validity scores, reflecting their approval of the PTR-SEC intervention and effectiveness in improving behavior.

Self-monitoring is a widely used evidence-based practice in the school setting, shown to be effective in improving both student behavior and teacher performance. However, to date, few studies have investigated the use of self-monitoring to address the functions of problem behavior. To further investigate the incorporation of function-based intervention into self-monitoring and its impact on improving student behavior, this study aimed to examine the effects of a function- based self-monitoring procedure on functional communicative response and problem behavior in three middle school students with autism spectrum disorder. The study procedures included a functional behavior assessment, preference assessment, functional communication training, and teaching self-monitoring procedures. A multiple baseline design across participants was employed to evaluate the effects of a function-based self-monitoring procedure. Data collection is currently ongoing. The results showed increases in functional communicative responses and improvement in classroom behavior for all three participating students. Concurrently, their task engagement levels improved while problem behaviors decreased, demonstrating a promising effect on enhancing the students' overall classroom conduct.

There are close to 700 Verified Course Sequences listed on the Association for Behavior Analysis International Website. The charge of such sequences is to prepare preservice behavior analysts to participate in supervised fieldwork experiences and sit for the Behavior Analyst Certification Board™ Exam. At conferences, behavior analysis listserv, and on social media, there is much informal discussion about the methods of instruction as well as the quality of preparation programs. Many of these discussions surround what to teach. However, these discussions rarely include suggestions for how to teach, integrating instruction into a changing higher education infrastructure, or most importantly the empirical evidence to support their assertions. How does what we teach and how we teach it align with students’ prior learning histories, expectations and aspirations? During this panel discussion, we will examine the state of the evidence for teaching preservice behavior analysts, discuss gaps in the literature, and brainstorm ways to fill those gaps using the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL).

Faculty and staff teaching behavior analysis courses to preservice behavior analysts in either Accredited Programs or Verified Course Sequences