Journal of applied behavior analysis最新文献

Dissemination of applied behavior analytic scholarship to those outside the field can produce potent reinforcers. This discussion proposes that increasing dissemination requires the application of behavior analytic principles to scholarly behavior by applied behavior analysts. Its major premise is that increasing consumption of products of applied behavior analytic scholarship by those from outside the field requires distinct strategies to (a) attract individuals from outside the field to traditional outlets for applied behavior analytic scholarship and (b) increase the frequency of applied behavior analytic scholarship appearing in outlets that do not regularly feature it. A critical element of both strategies is the judicious adoption of methods or terminology from other disciplines. However, different approaches are required to implement each strategy. Practical tactics for individual applied behavior analysts to contribute to both strategies are also discussed.

Previous research has shown that contingent vocal imitation has a reinforcing effect on vocalizations emitted by children. Nevertheless, the precise contingencies that have a reinforcing effect on vocalizations remain unclear. This study examined the effects of five conditions (contingent vocal imitation, contingent interaction, noncontingent vocal imitation, noncontingent physical touch, and a no-interaction control condition) on the vocalizations emitted by three children with developmental disabilities. We evaluated the effects of these conditions using an alternating-treatments design embedded within a multiple-probe-across-participants design. Contingent vocal imitation led to greater increases in the vocalizations emitted by all three participants than by those in all the other conditions, and the size of this effect was large. We also found increases in orienting responses during the contingent imitation condition and increases in echoic responses postintervention for two of the participants. We discussed implications for practitioners who work with young children with language delays.

Noncontingent reinforcement (NCR) consists of response-independent reinforcer delivery according to a time-based schedule. Common application of NCR also includes withholding reinforcers following target behavior (i.e., extinction). Prior research suggests that inconsistent implementation (i.e., implementation with fidelity errors) of NCR programmed with fixed-time (FT) schedules results in degraded therapeutic outcomes. We conducted a human-operant evaluation to assess whether there were differences in responding (e.g., computer clicks) during reduced-fidelity NCR between FT and variable-time (VT) schedules. We randomly assigned participants to experience analogues of NCR with FT or VT schedules. Each participant experienced baseline, full-fidelity, and reduced-fidelity NCR in an ABAC design; FT or VT schedules varied depending on group assignment. Full-fidelity NCR was similarly efficacious at suppressing target behavior across the FT and VT groups, but VT schedules suppressed target behavior significantly better (p = .01) during reduced-fidelity NCR than FT schedules. Implications for researchers and practitioners are discussed.

Procedural fidelity is an important component of behavioral intervention programs. The Train-to-Code software was used to teach skilled observation of implementation of three types of discrete-trial programs, and improvement to procedural fidelity was assessed. Participants completed a training package that involved coding video examples and non-examples of a teacher delivering each discrete trial program. The degree of prompting given to the trainee increased or decreased dynamically during training sessions based on participants' coding accuracy. The efficacy of the training was tested within subjects via pre- and posttest role plays in which participants delivered discrete-trial programs to a scripted research assistant. Results indicated substantial improvement in discrete trial delivery at posttest. These results suggest that Train-to-Code may be an effective method for training delivery of discrete trial programs in applied settings.

Previous research supports behavioral interventions, such as contingency management, to increase physical activity. A common limitation of these interventions is a lack of maintenance effects or assessment of the target behavior following the withdrawal of the intervention. This study evaluated self-tailored deposit contracts and reinforcement thinning to increase daily steps of sedentary adults using a nonconcurrent multiple-baseline-across-participants design. Participants selected a step goal and a predetermined amount of money to deposit, which would be returned contingent on meeting their goal daily, every 3 days, and weekly. Results showed an increase in step count during the intervention for all three participants, extending previous findings that self-tailored deposit contracts and reinforcement thinning can increase adults' physical activity. However, the combination of procedures did not result in increased daily steps when the intervention was withdrawn.

Single-case experimental design has been increasingly represented in research over the past several decades. Increasing rates of publication, combined with unique features inherent in single-case research, have complicated efforts to synthesize published literature. This work reviews technical challenges associated with single-case research synthesis and how tools such as the Single Case Analysis and Review Framework (SCARF) can supplement these efforts while retaining critical features of visual analysis. A web-based user interface for the SCARF (SCARF-UI) is presented, described, and accompanied by a guide on its use and relevance to behavior analysts and other single-case design researchers. This free and open-source software is reviewed and presented with training materials and demonstrations of prior research reviews completed using SCARF. Additional discussion is also provided regarding avenues for increasing consistent appraisal of behavior analytic research.

Pica includes the persistent ingestion of nonnutritive, nonfood items at a level that is inappropriate given the individual's developmental level and cultural or religious practices. Behavioral treatments involve a variety of components to target the motivating operations that evoke pica, disrupt its occurrence, and reinforce adaptive alternatives; they have been characterized as well established and empirically supported. However, the literature consists of mostly small-n studies, limiting analysis of the general and comparative efficacy of different treatment components. The current study describes outcomes from two different sites for 33 consecutively encountered cases for whom a behavioral treatment for pica was evaluated. The final treatment reduced pica by at least 90% for 30 participants. Positive outcomes were maintained when treatment was extended to novel implementers, settings, and discard apparatuses for 26 of 29 participants. We examine the comparative efficacy of treatment components and discuss tactics used to safely assess and treat pica.

The potential utility of artificial intelligence (AI) in applied behavior analysis (ABA) is an emerging discussion. There has been limited investigation on the current use, acceptability, or limitations of common AI tools within the field. The current study contributes to these topics by comparing expert clinician and AI (ChatGPT-4) responses to questions specific to ABA. Fifty-one behavior analysts were recruited as participants and indicated their preference for and level of agreement with ChatGPT-4 versus human clinical team responses in a blind assessment. Next, participants' distinctions between the two response sources were evaluated. Finally, participants were asked about their current use of AI to aid in their behavior-analytic work. Participants significantly preferred and agreed more with ChatGPT-4 responses than with human responses. Participants could not reliably discriminate between ChatGPT-4 and human responses. Some of the participants (15.69% of sample) indicated they have used AI to assist in aspects of behavior-analytic work.

The HIV/AIDS epidemic remains a global health challenge. This secondary analysis evaluated time-course effects of a contingency management intervention designed to improve antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence and sustained HIV viral suppression. Participants were randomized to a usual care or an incentive group. Incentive participants could earn monetary incentives for submitting blood samples with reduced or undetectable HIV viral loads. A thinning procedure gradually reduced testing and reinforcer delivery frequency for participants who consistently met reinforcement criteria. Over the 2-year intervention period, the incentive group demonstrated significantly shorter times to viral suppression and significantly longer durations of sustained suppression and maintained undetectable viral loads even as testing intervals increased. Engagement in the intervention correlated strongly with treatment success. These findings illustrate the potential of adaptive, reinforcement-based strategies to enhance ART adherence, sustain HIV viral suppression, inform scalable interventions for HIV care, and contribute to ending the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

Meetings are one of the most common work activities in which employees engage. Most meetings are considered ineffective. Survey research has revealed the characteristics necessary for a meeting to be considered effective. However, there is no experimental research on how to teach individuals to effectively lead meetings. Recent research suggests that group virtual training is often used to enhance employee skills, but its effect on employee behavior is unknown. The current two-experiment study evaluated the effects of group virtual training and self-monitoring on leading a meeting. Experiment 1 evaluated the effects of group virtual training in isolation and the added effects of self-monitoring on meeting fidelity. Group virtual training alone did not produce substantial changes; self-monitoring was necessary to produce desired improvements. Experiment 2 evaluated the combined effects of group virtual training and self-monitoring on meeting fidelity. Participants reached mastery within three sessions following the packaged intervention.