Behavior Analysis in Practice最新文献

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.

There has been a substantial increase in the racial and ethnic diversity of the United States population in the past 10–12 years, with the second most prevalent racial or ethnic group being Hispanic or Latino (Jensen, 2021). As a result, it is crucial that behavior analysts are prepared to serve consumers from all backgrounds, including those who do not speak English fluently. One important component for service delivery for linguistically diverse consumers is the incorporation of an interpreter. Given that few peer-reviewed articles in behavior analysis have been published regarding working with interpreters, the current study evaluated the effectiveness of Behavioral Skills Training (Fleming et al., 1996 Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, 16(1), 3–25) to teach behavior analysis graduate students to work with an interpreter during behavior analytic service provision with Spanish-speaking families. The results of this study show that practitioners can be trained to work with an interpreter in a relatively short amount of time. However, training with an interpreter did not affect caregiver comprehension. The results of the satisfaction surveys suggest that the interpreters noted significant improvements in the practitioners’ responding following training, whereas the caregivers did not. The participants also completed satisfaction surveys following the study and indicated positive experiences with the training.

The applied behavior analysis (ABA) service industry is currently estimated to be worth at least $4 billion. As a result of potential profits that can be made from ABA services, for-profit organizations have become more common in the field. One type of for-profit organization that has become especially prominent in the ABA service industry is private equity (PE)-owned ABA companies. As PE ownership has become more common in ABA and other human service industries, concerns about PE ownership have grown across disciplines. The current article focuses specifically on PE’s involvement in ABA services. The definition of PE and its fundamental components are discussed, along with their potential benefits and risks. The potential impacts of PE and opportunities for future research are also discussed.

Culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) families of autistic children face unique challenges in accessing services that are appropriate for their cultures and languages. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the impact of training language on caregiver skill acquisition. Using behavioral skills training (BST) through telehealth, three Latino caregivers whose first language is Spanish were taught to implement two different behavioral protocols with their autistic children. For one protocol, BST was done in Spanish; for the other, BST was done in English. Overall, the training in each family’s first language was (1) more efficient at promoting the skill acquisition of both caregivers and children; (2) rated by caregivers as more socially valid, and (3) associated with higher levels of caregivers’ indices of personalismo, involvement, and happiness. Findings suggest that cultural adaptations may be necessary to provide more effective and enjoyable training for CLD families.

Individuals seeking certification as a board certified behavior analyst (BCBA) by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) must meet certain eligibility requirements. In addition to passing the BCBA examination, such requirements include completion of a master’s degree, behavior-analytic coursework, and supervised practical fieldwork. In accruing fieldwork hours, trainees must be provided with the opportunity to complete unrestricted activities. The BACB defines unrestricted activities as “. . . those that are most likely to be performed by a BCBA,” and requires that 60% of fieldwork hours are comprised of these activities (BACB, 2022b). Fieldwork hours may be accrued across a number of different host sites (e.g., hospital units, schools, community locations), with each host site having different day-to-day responsibilities affecting how these opportunities are provided. Therefore, exploration of the provision of these opportunities and the barriers to providing these opportunities is warranted. The current study sought to determine the current practices involved in provision of opportunities to gain fieldwork experience hours towards BCBA certification; in particular, practices related to unrestricted fieldwork activities. Results indicate that, although unrestricted learning opportunities are often provided to trainees, contingencies present within the day-to-day operations of a clinical environment can be hampering. A discussion of the implications of these barriers and potential solutions are included.

Perspective taking is a critical repertoire for navigating social relationships and consists of a variety of complex verbal skills, including socially adaptive forms of deception. Detecting and being able to use socially adaptive deception likely has many practical uses, including defending oneself against bullying, telling white lies to avoid hurting others’ feelings, keeping secrets and bluffing during games, and playing friendly tricks on others. Previous research has documented that some Autistic¹ children have challenges identifying deception and playfully deceiving others (Reinecke et al., 1997). The current study employed a multiple baseline across participants design to evaluate the use of multiple exemplar training, rules, modeling, practice, and feedback for teaching four Autistic children and adolescents to use deception to play friendly tricks on others. The procedure was successful for all participants, and generalization was achieved across novel, untrained tricks.

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, and the race is on to see whether best-practice ABA will be defined by the insurance industry or behavior analysts. 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 how ABA is implemented. 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.

Recent conversations in behavior analysis have increasingly centered around improving compassionate care and cultural responsiveness practices in the field. Behavior analytic graduate programs are uniquely positioned to bring these conversations to the forefront for future generations of behavior analysts. If graduate students are offered education and training in cultural responsiveness and compassionate soft skills, they may be better positioned to serve their future clients. Faculty can prepare to teach and mentor students in this way by first engaging in self-assessment and reflection on these issues, and then by incorporating them into the graduate curriculum through knowledge and skill-building (e.g., readings, role plays, case scenarios). Faculty can also model compassion through thoughtful course design and interactions with students. Areas for future research are also discussed.

Despite some early starts, such as Seekins and Fawcett’s, The Behavior Analyst, 9, 35–45, (1986) description of the stages of public policy making and the ABAI task force on public policy headed by Fawcett et al, The Behavior Analyst, 11, 11–25, (1988), little progress has been made to bring the field of behavior analysis up to the standards of other professions (e.g., pediatrics) in the area of advocacy. In this article we will use experiences in advocating for the profession of behavior analysis in the state of New York to encourage behavior analysts to become involved in advocacy in their state (locally, regionally, state-wide). Further, we suggest that the experiences and observations of professionals who are experts at advocating on a national level (e.g., pediatricians) may be important in encouraging behavior analysts to establish a national advocacy platform. In addition, this article will attempt to make the case as to why it is critical that behavior analysts seek and adopt leadership positions municipally, at the state level, nationally, and even internationally, in the area of advocacy. Finally, we will suggest that there is a need to integrate advocacy into the training and daily activity of behavior analysts and why the field might now be ready for this shift, as we stand on the shoulders of giants.