Association for Behavior Analysis International

Pairing, sometimes called rapport building, is a recommended procedure in behavior analytic practice to build therapeutic relationships and help establish instructional control with clients. Pairing has been described as mutual consumption of the reinforcing activity (e.g., enthusiastically narrating the activity; Sundberg and Partington, 1998). However, until recently, pairing skills have not been explicitly described or empirically trained. Lugo et al. (2017) operationally defined therapist behaviors to promote rapport building and examined a procedure to increase therapist use of those skills. Other studies (e.g., Gormley et al., 2020) replicated this procedure to assess its impact on different client skill outcomes. One area that has not been examined is optimizing this procedure for the implementing staff. Given that ABA service environments are often regarded as inherently stressful in ways that may impede performance, Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT) has been used to bolster training and other performance management interventions (e.g., Little et al., 2020). Training in rapport building could be enhanced similarly and result in beneficial outcomes for staff performance. Also, the benefits of ACT have been rarely examined outside of an intervention package. Thus, the present study examined the enhancing effects of ACT on therapeutic relationship building skills and, if needed, behavioral skills training (BST). A multiple probe design across participants was used to evaluate the impact on three of the rapport building skills across two clients per therapist. Results suggest that ACT alone may result in temporary performance boosts, but most participants required additional support through formal BST. Limitations and future suggestions are also described.

Through its utilization of ecological, teaching, reinforcement and reactive strategies, the multi-element behavior support (MEBS) paradigm has been shown to decrease the frequency and severity of problem behavior for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The aim of this poster is to provide a framework for the utilization of the MEBS paradigm in human service employment settings where employees’ challenging behavior serves as a barrier to their competence, confidence and credibility. Utilizing environmental, educational and compensation strategies, solutions to common performance problems for direct support workers will be discussed. Further, using a culturally attuned approach, recommendations will be made for functional, effective and non-aversive reactive strategies for safe rapid control over workplace problems, aimed at decreasing the episodic severity and increasing the dignity of workers and management when such episodes arise. Employee wellbeing will also be discussed within the context of quality of life as both an outcome variable and support strategy for direct staff and management.

Burnout is reported to be an issue in many fields, and applied behavior analysis (ABA) is no exception (Jimenez-Gomez et al., 2021). Some ABA clinics have reported attempts to decrease burnout and increase morale and productivity by having fun work events such as pajama days, amongst other things (Tagg, 2022). However, it is unclear whether these attempts to decrease burnout and increase morale are effective. Said another way, “are morale-boosting activities effective?” The purpose of our study was to assess the effects of pajama days, potlucks, and other “morale-boosting” activities on reported burn-out (Kristensen, Borritz, Villadsen, & Christensen, 2005) of employees in a Severe Behavior and an Early Intervention clinic using a multiple-baseline across clinics design. During baseline, we conducted “business as usual,” with no planned “morale boosting” activities. During the intervention, 2-5 “morale boosting” activities were conducted throughout the week, ranging from pajama days to spirit week. Implications of the results and future research directions are discussed.

Employee of the month awards are often believed to decrease employee turnover and increase employee job satisfaction. However, several managers at Holding Hands Inc. in Los Angeles County, California have hypothesized the opposite: that their employee of the month award is making staff quit after they win. They have cited anecdotal evidence that some behavior technicians were quitting shortly after winning the award. We argue that this must be an evidence-based practice. The author did an observational study, using existing data on employee tenure for award winners and non-winners, and dates of awards to evaluate this hypothesis. Overall, statistical analysis of the data did not show evidence for a causal relation between winning the employee of the month award and resigning from the company. However, there was also no evidence shown that the award decreases staff turnover or improves staff retention. Future studies within and outside of Holding Hands Inc. can further evaluate aspects of the award that affect staff retention.

The Competent Learner Model (CLM) System of Team-Based Professional Development Tools addresses four complex, interrelated realities faced by most educators in most schools anywhere in the world. 1) Increasing numbers of students with autism and other significantly complex learning and behavioral challenges related to neurodiversity are included in general education settings. 2) Complex student needs require school-based multi-disciplinary teams (MDTs) to work together to design and deliver evidence-based behavioral interventions and instruction with consistency. 3) Insufficient training and support to use empirically validated interventions with fidelity. 4) Lack of tools and training to implement programs to achieve and sustain intended effects. As we know, an evidence-based program is never enough to ensure effective use, implementation, and sustainability in practice. Along with the interest to adopt behavioral interventions in various systems across the world, there has been increased interest in utilizing a behavioral package of instructional tools. To meet that need, the Competent Learner Model System™ is built on the principles of Organizational Behavior and Change Management as the foundation of a dissemination infrastructure that includes university certificate programs, licensing, standardized instructor, coach and coordinator training processes, ongoing continuing education requirements and a quality assurance integrity check system to go along with the Competent Learner Model™ instructional tools for learners.