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| Applications in Compassionate Communication Research: Improving Relationship Dynamics |
| Sunday, May 25, 2025 |
| 5:00 PM–5:50 PM |
| Convention Center, Street Level, 147 A |
| Area: EDC; Domain: Applied Research |
| Chair: Lisa Tereshko (Endicott College) |
| CE Instructor: Lisa Tereshko, Ph.D. |
| Abstract: In the field of behavior analysis, compassion has emerged as a critical aspect of ethical and socially valid interactions. The introduction of a core principle related to compassion to the Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts further supports the research and application of compassionate interactions in the context of client care, supervision, and coursework (BACB 2020). Initial research related to the interpersonal skills of behavior analysts suggests that compassion practices is an area of growth for the field (Taylor et al., 2019). Additionally, behavior analytic coursework and supervision do not often target these skills explicitly (LeBlanc et al., 2019). Research related to the training of compassionate interactions between pre-service clinicians and families, the training of compassionate interactions between faculty and students via email correspondence, and students’ perspectives regarding components of supportive communication will be reviewed. These studies support in furthering our understanding of how to define and teach interpersonal skills and increase positive relational dynamics. |
| Instruction Level: Intermediate |
| Target Audience: Audience should have a concrete understanding of the Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts, and preliminary research supporting the need for improvement in the area of compassion within the field. |
Learning Objectives: 1. Identify components associated with compassionate responding across stakeholders
2. Describe methods of training to improve compassionate communication responses
3. Identify components of supportive communication as identified in student-instructor interactions |
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| The Impact of a Training Program on Compassionate Communication of Faculty |
| MEGAN MAGRAUTH (William J. White Educational and Behavioral Consulting, Inc.; Endicott College), Lisa Tereshko (Endicott College), Mary Jane Weiss (Endicott College), Jessica Rohrer (Endicott College) |
| Abstract: Most of the previous and current research being done on compassionate care
concentrates on the relationship between the Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA)and the caregiver or on training future behavior analysts. Taylor et al. (2019) piloted a survey of 95 caregivers whose dependent(s) have or had behavior analytic services. The participants responded favorably to statements about their behavior analyst such as, “The behavior analyst explains the rationale for his or her treatment decisions and procedures” (p. 657). Conversely, a higher level of disagreement was reported for statements such as, “The behavior analyst compromises with me when we do not agree” (p. 657). Other studies focus on training future behavior analysts to be more compassionate in their service delivery (Rohrer & Weiss, 2022). In their study, they trained students of behavior analysis to engage in compassionate care towards clients
and caregivers via an online training procedure. The purpose of the current study was to determine if an online training that includes lectures and discussion would increase current BCBAs, who are also faculty, compassionate responding to student concerns and emails. Results, implications for practice, and areas of further investigation will be discussed. |
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| Understanding Components of Supportive Instructor Communication |
| JESSICA ROHRER (Endicott College), Lisa Tereshko (Endicott College), Megan Magrauth (William J. White Educational and Behavioral Consulting, Inc., Endicott College), Mary Jane Weiss (Endicott College) |
| Abstract: Compassionate interactions have garnered attention recently in the field of behavior analysis. Preliminary research suggests that empathic and compassionate approaches can improve outcomes across a variety of interpersonal interactions (Beach et al., 2006; Beck, 2002; Bonvicini et al., 2009; Hojat et al., 2011; Horst et al., 2000). Relatedly, supervisory relationships may also benefit from increased compassion, resulting in mitigating burnout among ABA professionals (Austin & Fiske, 2023). Professors in online programs, serving in a supervisory-type role, can have an important impact on student experiences. Following student feedback suggesting that some instructor-student interactions may have lacked compassion, lead instructors in an online masters program developed an assessment to evaluate student perspectives regarding supportive and compassionate communication with their instructors. This assessment was administered to masters students in an online behavior analysis program regarding their experience with instructor communication via email. Students were asked to rank instructor email replies to various common inquiries or requests, ranking them from most to least supportive. Results and implications of these findings will be discussed. |
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| Teaching Aspiring Behavior Analysts to Deliver Compassionate Care |
| SERENA ROSE GARZA (Baylor University), Tonya Nichole Davis (Baylor University), Jessica Akers (Baylor University), Julia M Hrabal (Baylor University), Patrick Mallory (Baylor University), Renming Liu (Baylor University), Kelsey Marie Sparks (Baylor Univerisity), Emily Paige Exline (Kennedy Krieger Institute) |
| Abstract: Given the need to improve compassionate responding in behavior analysts (Taylor et al., 2019), this study examined the effectiveness of video modeling in teaching compassionate collaborative care skills to aspiring behavior analysts. Five graduate students in applied behavior analysis participated in a multiple baseline design study where they role-played progress report meetings with caregivers. The dependent variable measured eight specific compassionate care behaviors, including use of jargon-free language, soliciting questions, and maintaining appropriate body posture. During intervention, participants viewed an 8-min video model demonstrating target behaviors before sessions. Results indicated that video modeling alone was effective for three participants, while two required additional performance feedback to reach mastery criteria. These findings suggest that video modeling, potentially supplemented with performance feedback, can be an effective tool for teaching compassionate collaborative care skills to pre-service behavior analysts. This research addresses a critical gap in behavior analyst training programs and provides practical implications for improving client-provider relationships in applied behavior analysis. |
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