Behavior Analysis in Practice最新文献

We reviewed publications in the Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior (JEAB), Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis (JABA), Perspectives on Behavior Science (PBS), and Behavior Analysis in Practice (BAP) to identify Latina researchers. We analyzed journal articles based on the authors’ institutional affiliation—for the purpose of identifying researchers with Latin American affiliations—and separately conducted a surname analysis. The data show an increase in the number of Latina researchers who have contributed to JEAB, JABA, PBS (1997–2022), and BAP (2008–2022). The increases varied across journals, with JABA and BAP having the highest number of Latina researchers. These analyses are important because they provide data reflecting the participation of Latinas in four leading journals.

We describe the clinical treatment of repetitive, stereotypic hand mouthing in a 7-year old child with severe developmental delay, conducted in the context of center-based autism service. The client’s history included use of mechanical restraint to prevent tissue damage and infection. Prior antecedent- and reinforcement-based interventions were ineffective. Functional analysis results suggested hand mouthing was maintained by automatic reinforcement. Response interruption and redirection (RIRD) initially did not decrease hand mouthing, but the addition of contingent protective equipment, together with modified RIRD, was followed by reduction to near-zero level, which was maintained following withdrawal of the intervention.

• Repetitive hand mouthing may require treatment due to tissue damage and other health consequences.

• Repetitive hand mouthing is typically maintained in the absence of social contingencies and may be resistant to treatment.

• When reinforcement-based interventions are not sufficient, contingent application of nonrestraining protective equipment may produce lasting reduction in hand mouthing.

• Successful intervention in this case freed the client from mechanical (arm band) restraint and was followed by gains in skill acquisition.

Taylor et al. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 12, 654–666, (2019) recommended that applied behavior analysts develop more collaborative relationships with their clients' caregivers by researching, training, and providing compassionate care in applied behavior analysis (ABA). A behavior analytic interpretation of compassionate care could support the development of such training and support collaborative relationships with not only caregivers, but all participants in ABA services (e.g., clients, stakeholders, providers, supervisees, and other professionals). The present article will review a relational frame theory account of compassionate care and discuss the possibility of expanding the concept of compassionate care by discussing its similarities with two other middle level terms: cultural humility and psychological flexibility. Given these similarities and the evidence that Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT) supports several self-management skills including psychological flexibility, we will discuss ways practicing ACT could facilitate compassionate care, cultural humility, and collaborative relationships in human service organizations. The ACT Matrix will be presented to elaborate on how ACT, as a viable and comprehensive technology, may support behavior analysts’ training and practice of psychologically flexible skills which might bolster a compassionate care repertoire. Given this review, a possible consilience of compassionate care, including the proposed component of cultural humility, as facilitated by psychological flexibility will be offered. Finally, implications of this approach to practitioners, clients, and ABA as a whole will be discussed in conjunction with recommendations for future research and how ABA leadership can support the development and sustainability of compassionate care in ABA organizations.

Parents of children diagnosed with autism face enormous stressors, which may interfere with achieving personal and family goals. The typical approach for reducing stress is often pathological; the individual attempts to directly eliminate the stress through counseling, behavioral therapy, or medication. As an alternative, the constructional approach builds repertoires for accessing important reinforcers. In this study, a mentoring program based on the constructional approach was used to teach three parents of children diagnosed with autism how to analyze their lives, formulate goals, and implement programs to reach these goals. A mentor’s support was gradually reduced until each participant could implement these steps independently. After the implementation of this program, events that each participant wanted to keep as part of their life encompassed a larger proportion of their total weekly events, as compared to before the program. In addition, time spent working on chosen goals increased as each goal was targeted for intervention. This mentoring program offers a promising approach for teaching people to manage their own lives by cultivating skills that help them get what they want, without dwelling on the problems interfering with their happiness.

Board certified behavior analysts (BCBAs) are often called upon to recommend treatments while working with autistic individuals. As practitioners of the science of human behavior, behavior analysts must make recommendations supported by scientific evidence. However, at times, individual practitioners may inadvertently recommend interventions that are not evidence-based. This study sought to examine if the severity level of the present symptoms of autism impacted the recommendations made by behavior analysts. A survey of 122 BCBAs gathered information about how they allocated resources toward interventions across three categories: evidence-based, emergent, and nonevidence-based. The results indicate that up to 62% of BCBAs allocated resources toward nonevidence-based or emergent practices and that these resource allocations were affected by the autism severity of hypothetical client presentations. There were statistically significant differences between allocations to resources between individuals with the lowest symptom severity and those maximally affected for both evidence-based practice (p < 0.0009) and nonevidence practice (p < 0.0011).

Children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are likely to experience sleep disturbance. Evidence supports the effectiveness of functional analysis and behavioral sleep interventions to address sleep problems. However, these approaches are resource intensive in terms of assessment and measurement of target sleep behaviors, intervention implementation, and progress monitoring. Recent advances in the use of technology and telehealth in behavioral services may improve the efficiency and effectiveness of behavioral intervention. We evaluated the effectiveness of a hybrid (face-to-face and telehealth) model of behavioral sleep assessment and intervention as implemented by community-based behavior analysts. We used motion/sound detection cameras and various “apps,” for remote viewing, caregiver coaching, data collection, and treatment decision making. We explored the agreement between various data sources. Three autistic children, who engaged in caregiver reported unwanted co-sleeping or behavioral sleep challenges, participated in the study along with their caregivers. A nonconcurrent multiple baseline design across participants was used to evaluate the effects of the intervention on sleep onset delay, sleep interfering behavior, and total sleep duration. For two participants, caregiver co-sleeping was eliminated, target bedtimes were achieved, and child participants regularly achieved an age-appropriate amount of sleep. Caregivers rated the intervention and child outcomes positively. The results provide preliminary evidence for the use of telehealth technology to provide caregiver coaching, monitor child progress, and make timely data-based treatment decisions. Results of this study may be used to increase the efficiency of––and access to––behavioral sleep assessment and intervention.

Considering empowerment as a circumstance under which power is extended, this article describes the elements of a metacontingency that allow such a function transfer to occur. Particular interest is placed on the empowerment of Mexican women in higher education and its unsatisfactory state. Mentoring is proposed as a tool for the empowerment of women in behavior analysis. In particular, the article presents an outline of a 2-year mentoring program that will promote interlocked behavioral contingencies and their products, which can be selected by the proper academic environment. This program also promotes the development of the mentee's agency and a set of data related to the products being created. Finally, this article highlights the possibility that such a mentorship program can empower female behavior analysts in Mexico and begin to change the cultural practices that uphold inequality for women.