Association for Behavior Analysis International

Behavior analysts have a history of demonstrating large-scale reductions in severe behavior disorders among the individuals we serve. While this may lead to a quality-of-life improvement, problem behavior is not likely to be eliminated entirely. As such, there are still times in which problem behavior could produce significant danger to an individual, including when unaware or untrained first-responders answer a crisis. The current symposium will first include a presentation on survey results related to the physical and emotional impact of problem behavior on caregivers as well as modifications caregivers have made to their homes to prevent damage caused by problem behavior. These impacts may be critical when training first-responders or other professionals who may be called upon to mitigate the impact of problem behavior. Second, we will present caregiver reports of the use of first-responder services based on their child’s demographics (e.g., race, ethnicity, age, and type of challenging behavior exhibited). Finally, we will show an effective procedure to teach law enforcement officers strategies to promote compliance when responding to a crisis. Overall, these presentations will go beyond the direct reduction of problem behavior to begin to address the safety of individuals with severe behavior disorders during emergency circumstances.

N/A - Basic level

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder who engage in challenging behaviors are at increased likelihood of coming into contact with first responders during crisis situations. Currently the demographic risk factors associated with contacting first responders is unknown. The purpose of this study is to examine whether caregivers report differential use of first responder services based on their child’s demographics, including race, ethnicity, age, and type of challenging behavior exhibited. Experimenters evaluated 579 participant case files for information regarding caregivers’ use of first responders during crisis situations. Findings from the study suggested no significant differences in contacting emergency services based on race. In regards to ethnicity, findings indicated individuals who identify as Hispanic are less likely to contact emergency services in response to their child engaging in challenging behaviors than those that identify as non-Hispanic. We discuss the clinical implications of outcomes and present areas of future research.

Law enforcement officers (LEOs) may use physical force unnecessarily or escalate problem behavior when attempting to gain the compliance of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) (Copenhaver & Tewksbury, 2019). Although specialized training may remedy this problem, the relatively small literature on such training programs indicates the need for further research (Railey et al., 2020). This study evaluated the outcomes of performance-based instruction on strategies to promote compliance when LEOs respond to calls involving individuals with ASD. Results for three LEOs and 24 police cadets demonstrated the efficacy of behavioral skills training (BST) for teaching LEOs how to interact more effectively with individuals with ASD. Results also suggested that hands-on training should supplement commonly used forms of didactic instruction.