Association for Behavior Analysis International

Individuals with an intellectual or developmental disability experience poorer postsecondary outcomes compared to same-age peers. Research identified barriers to employment include soft skills. This single case study examined the application of self-evaluation to employable soft skill behaviors for three individuals with an intellectual or developmental disability. Technology was integrated into the evaluation process to increase efficiency. All participants worked in a Project SEARCH site for the majority of their school day fully immersed in an authentic work experience program. This study explored the effect of self-evaluation on a self-selected target employable soft skill behavior, how closely student self-evaluation scores matched with job coach evaluation scores, and the potential relation to self-determination. Data collection were halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic; however, results demonstrated self-evaluation may be a promising practice applied to employable soft skills. As students participated in the self-evaluation intervention, their target behaviors increased, and scores began to trend similarly to the job coach evaluation scores. Social validity evaluation showed key stakeholders felt the intervention was useful, easy to implement, and an important skill to learn to improve self-determined behaviors. Findings from this study provide practitioners with a practical, easy to incorporate strategy within an authentic work experience program.

Some human and non-human animals have been shown to prefer free-choice over forced-choice conditions, even when both conditions result in identical consequences. Some variables that may influence this preference for choice include variability of items, differing probabilities of reinforcement, and array size. Previous research has shown increasing array size to both increase and decrease individuals’ preferences of choice-making opportunities. Methodologically, these studies have varied and do not hold the probability of reinforcement or reinforcer loss steady. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine the main and interactive effects of (a) array size and (b) reinforcer probability on school-aged children’s preference for choice-making conditions.

Dance is a form of physical activity that may improve motor skills and coordination while simultaneously providing opportunities for social interaction and development of socio-emotional skills. A manualized program, Dance with a B-E-A-T! (Behavior Analysis and Therapy), combines recreational dance with components of behavior analysis and therapy to help facilitate improvements in motor skills, social skills, emotional regulation, and self-coping. Building on a pilot study completed by Davis and colleagues, the present study evaluated a similar program incorporating behavioral components such as antecedent strategies, positive reinforcement, shaping, priming, task analyses, and a token economy. In collaboration with day treatment staff of a mental health centre, the blended program was integrated within the school program provided by children’s day treatment. The intensive dance program was offered for five consecutive days to five participants who were 7-9 years of age from the same cohort according to COVID-19 protocol. These children presented with challenges including Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Oppositional Defiant Disorder. The aim of this project was to evaluate a behavior therapy and dance program to teach three dance combinations and examine collateral benefits. Observational probes at pre- and post-test measured percent of dance skills completed correctly (as per the task analyses), and in-person semi-structured interviews with a counsellor and elementary school teacher evaluated satisfaction and perceived challenges of the program within day treatment. Results suggest a positive impact on the motor skills of participants and high consumer satisfaction.

This study investigated the effects of Behavior Skills Training (BST) on classroom staff transfer of stimulus control techniques. These techniques included both least to most prompting procedures and the Limit-One Sd Delivery Method, limiting discriminative stimulus delivery to only one per opportunity. This study addressed the lack of training and knowledge of these techniques for classroom staff represented in the current literature. Without proper and systematic transfer of stimulus control, students are at risk of becoming prompt dependent, yet independent responding is essential for individuals with disabilities to live as independently as possible in their adult lives. The results of this study demonstrate that BST is an effective procedure to teach transfer of stimulus control techniques; all staff data represented an increase in their skills of prompting and Sd delivery. Although BST proved to be effective for the purposes of the current study, further research is needed, including more effective strategies for generalization and ways to address emotional distress that came with learning new, difficult skills with BST in this study.

The present study purpose to analyze the conditional relationships between an individual with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and his mother in a situation of consumption and play. A mother-child dyad, the child diagnosed with ASD, participated in the study. A design with Exploratory Phase, Intervention Phase and a Follow-up Phase in play and consumption situation were used. The psychological phenomenon was analyzed, as a functional contact in the first two levels of the Taxonomy of functions: coupling and alteration. The modes of the observing-signal language were used as a means of conventional contact between the child, the mother, and the objects of the environment. A catalog and behavioral record were used to observe dyadic interactions in real time. The results indicate that in the follow-up phase the child's stereotyped behaviors decreased in frequency and duration; in addition, the child emitted behaviors that altered his own behavior, that of the mother and the objects of the environment. The results are discussed based on the concept of contingency, the psychological phenomenon as a relationship and the modes of language as the medium that enables interindividual interactions.

Recycling is a common environmentally sustainable behavior targeted by behavioral interventions in various settings. Previous research demonstrated increases in accurate recycling behaviors via manipulations of recycling bin and trash can quantity and placement in combination with different prompting strategies. Multiple studies have implemented recycling interventions in university buildings, office settings, and residential neighborhoods, but few have researched methods to increase this skill in individuals with disabilities. Specifically with this population, recycling represents a vocational training experience that could lead to employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities, including Autism. Research has shown that employment opportunities can provide benefits such as improved cognitive performance for adults with Autism, as well as increased access to advanced skill training. Yet there is a relative lack of research targeting accurate recycling among this population. This research aims to synthesize methods used in previous studies to increase both the frequency and accuracy of recycling within 4 classrooms in a self-contained school for special education. Baseline data show low frequency and accuracy of recycling behavior across all 4 classrooms. Participants include classroom staff and students.

Climate change is a problem that is growing exponentially and is already changing life as we know it. Influencing Pro-environmental behavior (PEB) has concerned behavior analysts for decades, and research on the topic of sustainability has increased in recent years. In this symposium, three presentations will describe a different intervention package that targeted, respectively, littering, fuel economy, and diversion of food waste; these packages employed tactics such as feedback, public posting, and social norms. The fourth will present the experience of the Ohio Association for Behavior Analysis in "gamifying" its annual conferences-both live-and virtual- in order to promote a variety of PEB both within and beyond its event. Each presenter is a clinician whose project grew from their personal values and efforts to act locally in response to a global problem; notably, two of the projects were supported by a Behavior Change For A Sustainable World research award from the Berkshire Association for Behavior Analysis and Therapy. In addition to sharing their findings, then, presenters will discuss opportunities and barriers for securing support of research involving PEB, the importance to their efforts of community-based collaboration, and ideas for expansion and replication

Intermediate

Food waste that ends up in landfills contributes directly to climate change when it decomposes into greenhouse gases. Composting is one means of diverting food waste from landfills, but in terms of empirical study it is something that has received negligible direct attention from behavior analysts. We conducted this study of waste diversion—expressed as percentage by weight of trash not sent to a landfill—in the cafeteria of a suburban high school; using a reversal design to compare the results of prompting to those of feedback, and subsequently to assess any differential impact of feedback added to prompting. Schools don’t uniformly compost, though they remain the biggest municipal waste producers in the city, second to the local hospital. The results were presented to City Council as a basis for their consideration of whether and how to expand diversion efforts in 7 additional schools. Grants were awarded to defer costs, and High School Life Skills Program managed composting and research to reduce effort, and as part of a rigorous vocational training and life skills curriculum.

Litter that is left unattended degrades releasing chemicals that can pollute the soil, seep into our freshwater sources and even pollute the air. This pollution contributes directly to climate change by the emission of greenhouse gases. One low-cost strategy to reduce litter is through social norms to influence pro-environmental behavior. Another method that has received attention by behavior analysts is the manipulation of response effort. This is a study of litter reduction on a local 3-mile bike trail, using a reversal design to compare the results of signage and availability of plastic bags to assess any differential impact of including a means for carrying out trash of the trail. The results will be presented to the City’s Environmental Compliance Division as a basis for their consideration whether and how to expand the program to other bike and walking trails throughout the city.

Telehealth has been shown to be effective in providing behavioral services to families of individuals with disabilities, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD; Unholz-Bowden et al.,2020). In addition to telehealth, behavioral skills training (BST) has been used to teach caregivers to implement several strategies, such as functional behavioral assessment (Shayne & Miltenberger, 2013), incidental teaching procedures (Hsieh, Wilder, & Abellon, 2011), and social skills (Hassan et al., 2018). However, due to the novelty of this approach, there is a critical need to examine the effects of using telehealth in training parents of children with ASD to implement strategies to develop skills or reduce challenging behaviors. Therefore, this symposium will include two presentations that will (a) evaluate the effects of BST in training parents to implement augmentative and alternative communication (AAC)-based intervention in naturalistic context via telehealth (b) evaluated the effects of BST on parents to implement behavioral toilet skills training package with their children with autism via telehealth technology.

The target audience include a variety of levels of ABA practitioners, including BCBAs and BCaBAs.

The study aimed to evaluate the effects of behavioral skills training (BST) in training parents to implement augmentative and alternative communication (AAC)-based intervention in naturalistic context via telehealth. Three parent-child dyads participated in the study. All participants were diagnosed with ASD and their age ranged between 4 and 6 years. Concurrent multiple probe design across parent–child dyads was used to evaluate the effects of the intervention. Parents were trained to teach their children augmented and non-augmented mand skills in a natural context via internet-based service delivery. The findings of the study revealed that parents were successful at using AAC-based intervention in teaching communication skills to their children with ASD during snack time. Further, participants were able to generalize acquired mands across other communication partners (i.e., siblings) and during other routine situations (i.e., playtime). Future studies should examine the effects of BST to train parents on the implementation of other behavioral strategies via telehealth.

The present study evaluated the effects of a behavioral skills training on parents to implement behavioral toilet skills training package with their children with Autism via telehealth technology. Two dyads (mother – child) participated in the study. Effects were demonstrated using multiple baseline design. All sessions were conducted via ZOOM technology. The behavior skills training of both mothers resulted in achieving continence for both children. Both children demonstrated maintenance of their toileting skills at follow - up. One child improved significantly in initiation of toileting. Social validity evaluations were strong. Implications for future and further researches are discussed.