|
| PCH Sunday Poster Session |
| Sunday, May 25, 2025 |
| 1:00 PM–3:00 PM |
| Convention Center, Lower Level, Hall C |
| Chair: Jeridith Ann Lord (Endicott College) |
|
| 139. Trends in Functional Analysis Durations Over Three Decades: A Review |
| Area: PCH; Domain: Service Delivery |
| NHU NGUYEN (University of South Florida), Anh Nguyen (University of South Florida), Catia Cividini-Motta Cividini (University of South Florida) |
| Discussant: Jeridith Ann Lord (Endicott College) |
| Abstract: Functional analyses (FAs) are widely recognized as the “gold standard” assessment for identifying environmental contingencies that maintain challenging behavior (Gardner et al., 2012). However, practitioners frequently report time constraints as a primary barrier to conducting FAs (Oliver et al., 2015; Roscoe et al., 2015). Over the past four decades, advancements in FA methodology have emphasized efficiency without compromising accuracy. This systematic review examines trends in FA durations by analyzing single-case studies published between 1994 and 2024. Key variables, including session duration, number of sessions, and total assessment duration, were extracted to identify shifts in practice over time. Results indicate a steady decline in session durations, from an average of 11 minutes in 1994–2004 to 6 minutes in 2015–2024, reflecting a broader movement toward time-efficient methodologies. Differences among FA methodologies—such as standard FA (i.e., FA employing procedures similar to those by Iwata et al., 1982/94), trial-based FA, and interview-informed synthesized contingency analysis (IISCA)—are explored, highlighting how procedural modifications address practitioners' need for efficiency and adaptability while preserving evidence-based rigor. These trends highlight the continued evolution of FA practices to meet the demands of diverse clinical settings. Future research should explore the impact of these adaptations on treatment outcomes to ensure sustained efficacy. |
| |
|
| 140. Effectiveness of Functional Assessment Training for After-School Day-Care Staff: Using an Original Role-Playing Card Game |
| Area: PCH; Domain: Applied Research |
| MAKO ITO (Meisei University), Koji Takeuchi (Meisei University) |
| Abstract: Purpose: With the aim of improving support for after-school day-care services, the objective was to conduct functional assessment training using a card game originally developed by the researchers, and to examine how this would affect the number of support ideas participants would come up with for fictitious cases and the quality of these ideas. Participant: A total of 37 staff members from four after-school day service centers were included in the study. Intervention: We created our own role-playing card game aimed at having the participants learn functional assessment and idea generation, and conducted it for 1.5 to 2 hours. Behavioral measures: The number of support ideas and quality of ideas for the fictitious cases and social relevance were used as dependent variables. Results: Comparing the total number of ideas and the quality of ideas for fictitious cases before and after the training, the number of ideas increased and the quality of ideas increased after the training. The results of the validity evaluation of the training by the participants indicated that the content of the training was easy to understand and useful for the participants. |
| |
|
| 141. Impact of a Priori Decision-Making and Response-Guided Decision-Making on Obtained Results Within Single-Case Designs |
| Area: PCH; Domain: Theory |
| PAIGE BENNETT EYLER (University of Kansas), Jennifer Ledford (Vanderbilt University) |
| Discussant: Jeridith Ann Lord (Endicott College) |
| Abstract: This study investigated the impact of two decision-making approaches within single-case designs (SCDs) on obtained results. SCDs, often employed in applied behavior analysis, rely on individualized assessments to evaluate intervention outcomes. Researchers and practitioners commonly use response-guided decision-making, adjusting interventions based on real-time data, or alternatively, a priori decision-making, where intervention timings are predetermined before data collection. Through two phases involving 16 preschool participants, this study compared outcomes using 10 A-B comparisons (five response-guided A-B comparisons and five a priori A-B comparisons) and two multiple-baseline designs (MBDs; one response-guided concurrent MBD and one non-concurrent a priori MBD). All response-guided decisions were made by three formative naive experts within the field of SCD, and all a priori decisions were yoked to match the response-guided designs. Determination of an effect (A-B comparisons) and a functional relation (MBDs) were evaluated by an additional three naive experts using visual analysis. In addition to visual analysis, effect size metrics were calculated using log response ratio (LRRi) and standard mean difference (SMD). Findings suggest that design and resource-related factors should primarily influence research decisions rather than relying solely on the perceived advantages of response-guided decision-making. Future research is needed to understand the generality of these results. |
| |
|
| 142. There is No Such Thing as Discriminative Stimulus Control |
| Area: PCH; Domain: Theory |
| RACHAEL HERNANDEZ (Western New England University, The New England Center for Children), Jason C. Bourret (New England Center for Children) |
| Abstract: Traditionally, behavior analysts have conceptualized two behavioral processes that entail antecedent manipulation that affect operant behavior, discriminative stimulus control and motivating operations. Discriminative stimulus control increases response likelihood by correlating a stimulus with the availability of reinforcement for a response, while motivating operations increase the likelihood of behavior characteristically maintained by a specific reinforcer. A transitive conditioned establishing operation (CEO-T) establishes another stimulus as reinforcing due to its correlation with reinforcement availability. The defining features of discriminative stimuli and CEO-Ts are functionally identical, as both increase response likelihood through a stimulus’ correlation with reinforcement. CEO-Ts can be identified as distinct from discriminative stimuli. Michael (1982) provides the example of a slotted screw which does not signal reinforcer availability for unscrewing but instead establishes screwdrivers as reinforcing, increasing the likelihood of responses maintained by screwdriver delivery. In contrast, all discriminative stimulus control examples can be interpreted as CEO-T effects. This calls into question the existence of the traditional discriminative stimulus control concept as independent from CEO-Ts. |
| |
|
| 143. How Much of the Research on Ethical Decision-Making Includes Measures of Behavior? A Systematic Review |
| Area: PCH; Domain: Theory |
| SKYLAR ELKINGTON (University of the Pacific), Mariel Montes (University of the Pacific), Devin Thompson (University of the Pacific), Jessica Lacap (University of the Pacific), Madison Blank (University of the Pacific), Gabby Franklin-Hernandez (University of the Pacific), Youyou Xu (University of the Pacific), Carolynn S. Kohn (University of the Pacific) |
| Discussant: Jeridith Ann Lord (Endicott College) |
| Abstract: A great deal of emphasis is placed on teaching and practicing ethical behavior in the helping professions, including behavior analysis. However, how much of what we know is based on experimental data? To examine this question, we followed PRISMA guidelines, searching Psych Info, PubMed, Business Source Complete, and Google Scholar, then searching reference lists of these studies. We identified 349 articles up through 2023, and 28 more from 2024 (we are in the process of coding these). Of the initial 339, only 51 were experimental, with most from the fields of business/marketing (n=26), followed by other (n=11), clinical/counseling psychology/therapy/social work (n=7), bioethics/medicine (n=3), research (n=2), and behavior analysis (n=2). The non-experimental articles included correlational and self-report data and literature reviews or meta-analyses, or they were conceptual articles. Interestingly, business/marketing was the only field to include in vivo ethical dilemmas and measure associated behavioral responses. Vignettes were the most frequently used means of identifying the type of behavior in which participants reported they would hypothetically engage. Few experimental studies are published each year, and most are in the field of business rather than the helping professions. Recommendations for future research on ethical decision-making, with specific recommendations for behavior analysis are discussed. |
| |
| |