Journal of applied behavior analysis最新文献

Workers frequently engage in nonneutral body postures that increase their risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders. The purpose of this study was to extend previous research by evaluating whether the provision of information plus artificial intelligence (AI)-enhanced video feedback could improve manufacturing workers' postural behavior. Four metal manufacturing workers participated in this study. This study's dependent variable was the percentage of time a participant's target body part spent in low-risk, medium-risk, and high-risk ergonomic positions. This study used a nonconcurrent multiple-baseline design across three participants and a nonconcurrent multiple-baseline design across two target responses with one participant. The results showed that three out of four participants' postural behavior improved following the provision of information plus AI-enhanced video feedback. Additionally, an occupational therapist independently evaluated participants' postural behavior before and following the intervention using a validated ergonomic assessment. The occupational therapist's independent ergonomic evaluations corroborated that participants' postural behavior improved.

Researchers have examined differences between free- and restricted-operant teaching arrangements while equating response and reinforcement rates. Preliminary data suggest that nonhuman organisms acquire novel discriminations more quickly under free-operant arrangements (Hachiya & Ito, 1991). In contrast, Bulla et al. (2024) found that humans learned novel discriminations more efficiently under restricted-operant arrangements. This study systematically replicates Bulla et al. (2024). We taught participants to say the corresponding numeral 0–10 for Hindi, Eastern Arabic, and Mandarin numbers. We assigned each number set to a free-operant, restricted-operant, or control teaching arrangement. The study assessed the effects of each arrangement across two phases: (1) acquisition and (2) frequency building. Additionally, data were collected on measures of fluency outcomes. Results suggest that participants acquired novel discriminations more quickly under restricted-operant arrangements. No major differences emerged in fluency outcomes when response–reinforcer relations remained equal. Procedural modifications are discussed to clarify distinctions between basic and translational findings.

Recent research has demonstrated the utility of recording and reinforcing appropriate behavior during functional analyses. We compared two contingency arrangements across repeated bias and sensitivity evaluations (BASEs), one that equated the contingencies for appropriate and challenging behavior (i.e., symmetrical contingencies) and another that only provided reinforcement for challenging behavior (i.e., asymmetrical contingencies). Six neurotypical children were recruited, and behavior was recorded on a Neutral to Severe Behavior Scale. We evaluated sensitivity to different types of establishing operations (EOs) and response bias toward appropriate versus challenging behavior for each participant. Greater sensitivity to EOs was observed under symmetrical contingencies, but more instances of severe challenging behavior were captured by asymmetrical contingencies. Bias toward challenging behavior was evident in both contingency arrangements. Results suggest that BASEs implementing symmetrical and asymmetrical contingencies could help identify risk factors for challenging behavior and inform preventive strategies.

Prior research has identified the potential dangers associated with challenging behavior, specifically self-injurious behavior, and has thus highlighted the need to employ protective procedures to ensure the safety of individuals with self-injurious behavior. Although protective procedures can sometimes suppress responding, some small-n studies suggest they can also elucidate or unmask social functions when the initial functional analysis indicates that challenging behavior is only automatically maintained. However, large-scale studies of functional analysis outcomes indicate that co-occurring automatically and socially maintained challenging behavior is relatively uncommon. We conducted a retrospective consecutive case series study to describe a set of procedures to unmask social functions when the initial functional analysis indicated an automatic function. Results suggest that protective procedures unmasked social functions in 26.32% of cases.

The Step it UP! Game, a modified version of the Good Behavior Game (GBG), has previously been shown to increase physical activity levels among elementary school children and adults with disabilities. The purpose of this study was to compare a novel modification of the GBG targeting physical activity, the Don't Stop! Game, with the Step it UP! Game. Participants included 14 young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Three conditions were alternated randomly within a multielement design: baseline, Step it UP! Game (in which the team with the most steps wins a prize), and Don't Stop! Game (in which the team with the fewest demerits for standing still wins a prize). All 14 participants had higher steps per minute during intervention conditions relative to baseline, but the degree of difference between intervention conditions differed across participants. The Don't Stop! Game was preferred by more participants.

Masked visual analysis (MVA) was developed to complement traditional visual analysis (TVA) and control for Type I error rates. Researchers have empirically tested MVA with generated data and simulated decisions. Our purpose was to evaluate the performance of MVA with real data and human raters. We asked visual analysts who had published at least one single-case research article (n = 36) to evaluate nine multiple-baseline-design-across-participants graphs. Graphs representing different target behaviors were displayed in masked and unmasked presentations. We evaluated the reliability and validity of MVA and TVA. Agreement within each method was similar to that reported in previous studies on visual analysis (MVA ICC = 0.625; TVA ICC = 0.579). Between the two methods, at least 75% of raters' decisions corresponded for six of nine graphs. We discuss the implications of incorporating MVA and future research on analytic methods for single-case experimental designs.

Automatically maintained self-injurious behavior (SIB) sometimes co-occurs with self-restraint, a self-limiting behavior that impedes SIB and can be maladaptive (e.g., hinders functional skills and movement). The presence of self-restraint suggests SIB produces aversive consequences, which self-restraint limits. We conducted a prospective consecutive controlled case series study of five individuals with Subtype 3 automatically maintained SIB where we applied the augmented competing stimulus assessment to identify and establish alternative self-restraint items to compete with existing forms of self-restraint. At least one high-competition item that produced an 80% or greater reduction in self-restraint and SIB without disrupting toy engagement was identified for the four participants who completed assessment. We discuss the need for additional research on this procedure and how competing self-restraint items can be used in combination with competing stimuli and tasks to address SIB and self-restraint. We also discuss some avenues for research that is directed at understanding the mechanisms of self-restraint.

Children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are at risk of developing severe interfering behavior, such as aggression and self-injury. Teaching young children with IDD life skills, such as social and communication skills, may help prevent the development of interfering behavior by addressing deficits in these areas. This study extended previous research on the Preschool Life Skills program by adapting it for young children with IDD, renamed the Life Skills Program (LSP). We evaluated the effects of researcher-implemented LSP on the classwide use of social and communication skills and interfering behavior for five kindergarten children with IDD in a public special education classroom using a multiple-baseline-across-units design. We also assessed generalization to novel settings and adults as well as maintenance of skills. The results demonstrated a functional relation between LSP and increased use of life skills along with preliminary evidence of skill generalization and maintenance over time.

Procedural fidelity is the extent to which prescribed protocols are accurately and correctly implemented. Prior researchers found that consequence-based procedural fidelity errors can delay or impede learning, but not much is known about how they influence performance for tasks that have previously been mastered. The purpose of this study was to systematically replicate Falakfarsa et al. (2023) to further investigate how consequence-based errors affect performance postmastery. Twenty-four undergraduates mastered a computerized match-to-sample task under conditions of perfect fidelity (100%). Following mastery, consequence-based errors were introduced across varying levels of fidelity. For 13 participants, we observed decreased percentage of correct responses on the task in the presence of errors, with considerable intersubject variability. No effect of the independent variable was observed for 11 participants. The results suggest that error reinforcement was the more detrimental error type. We discuss the implications of the results and make several suggestions for future research.

Behavior-analytic interventions are empirically supported treatments for pediatric feeding disorder; however, there are a limited number of intensive feeding programs in the country, making access to services and specialized training difficult. Given the prevalence of this disorder and scarcity of in vivo training resources, clinicians would benefit from computer-based instruction, such as e-learning modules. But e-learning modules have not been tested for feeding protocols. Therefore, we replicated Ibañez et al. (2022) but adapted the procedures to evaluate training modules to teach 14 undergraduate students and two registered behavior technicians to conduct a structured mealtime assessment. The training increased performance for all participants, and we observed generalization to two untrained protocols and novel child behavior. The implications for computer-based instruction and future directions in this area are discussed.