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| Evaluations of Behavior Analytic Self-Control Training in Natural Settings |
| Monday, May 25, 2020 |
| 12:00 PM–12:50 PM |
| Marriott Marquis, Level M4, Independence E |
| Area: EDC; Domain: Applied Research |
| Chair: Jaclyn Pickering (Florida Tech) |
| Discussant: Julie A. Ackerlund Brandt (The Chicago School of Professional Psychology ) |
| CE Instructor: Michael Passage, M.Ed. |
| Abstract: In this symposium, the authors will present research on self-control training (SCT) in natural settings. The first presenter will review the literature on self-control training procedures that aim to instruct individuals to make more optimal choices that produce delayed results. To evaluate the effectiveness of SCT, we conducted a quantitative analysis of articles published between 1998 and 2019 across peer-reviewed journals. Findings from the literature review revealed that the four most utilized intervention components are (a) delay fading, (b) intervening activities, (c) rules, and (d) signals. Overall, these four treatment components have been shown to be most effective. The second presenter will discuss her study that evaluated both the presentation of rules and providing a task demand to complete, concurrent with the delay to the larger reinforcer. This study evaluates both of these interventions singly as well as in a combined package intervention. Results indicated that while both concurrent activities and rules had an effect on the majority of children, the package intervention was the most consistent and effective intervention. |
| Instruction Level: Intermediate |
| Target Audience: The current symposium serves participants interested in learning treatment for impulsive responding. |
| Learning Objectives: 1. Attendees will gain knowledge about clinically relevant self-control training procedures. 2. Define delay discounting and explain its clinical relevance when providing ABA services to children 3. Describe the basic procedural steps for using a concurrent activity to promote self-controlled choice making |
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| An Evaluation of Self-Control Training Procedures in Applied Behavior Analysis |
| MICHAEL PASSAGE (Florida Institute of Technology), Katie Nicholson (Florida Institute of Technology) |
| Abstract: Self-control training (SCT) procedures have been studied in applied behavior analysis to address problems with impulsivity since the initial study by Schweitzer & Sulzer-Azaroff (1988). Impulsivity in behavior analysis is often conceptualized in terms of delay discounting or responding that produces an immediate and less valued consequence, rather than a delayed and more valued outcome (Ainslie, 1974). Studies evaluating SCT aim to instruct individuals to make more optimal choices that produce delayed results. To evaluate the effectiveness of SCT, we conducted a quantitative analysis of articles published between 1998 and 2019 across peer-reviewed journals. Findings from the current study reveal that the four most utilized intervention components are (a) delay fading, (b) intervening activities, (c) rules, and (d) signals. Overall, these four treatment components have been shown to be mostly effective. Delay fading and intervening activities appear most effective, especially when combined. In addition, researchers employ a wide-range of assessments, some that are more effective than others at evaluating baseline performance of the dependent variable, thus presenting limitations of their results. The presented results could inform future research, thus leading to more clinical applications. |
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| A Treatment Component Analysis for Impulsivity in Typically Developing Schoolchildren |
| KAITLYNN GOKEY (Florida Institute of Technology), Adam Thornton Brewer (Western Connecticut State University), Ada C. Harvey (Florida Institute of Technology), Jaclyn Pickering (Florida Tech), Joshua K. Pritchard (Southern Illinois University) |
| Abstract: Impulsivity is defined behaviorally as the excessive preference for a smaller, immediate reinforcer at the expense of a larger, delayed reinforcer. This preference for ‘immediate gratification’ correlates with numerous barriers, including obesity, problem behavior, and lower academic performance. Two common interventions include the presentation of a rule before or after a choice is made and providing a task demand to complete concurrent with the delay to the larger reinforcer. The present study evaluates both of these interventions singly as well as in a combined package intervention via a multiple baseline across participants design. The study also features a novel population: typically developing children between 5 and 10 years old. Results indicated that while both concurrent activities and rules had an effect with the majority of children, the package intervention was the most consistent and effective intervention. In addition, interventions that included the concurrent activity were consistently rated as most helpful and desired by the participants. |
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