Association for Behavior Analysis International

Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) as an approach to intervention of psychological inflexibility has existed in some form for nearly forty years, generating considerable research including correlational studies, single case experimental designs, and hundreds of randomized control trial evaluations. Despite this work, behavior analysts may be hesitant to employ ACT in practice with their clients and the families that they serve. This series of two presentations will explore how ACT is used in the real world by real behavior analysts to solve multiple behavior challenges that involve intricate verbal relations, private events, and experiential avoidance. The first talk will discuss an assessment process that analysts may employ while implementing ACT with parents, as well as multiple case examples of ACT being applied with this population. The second talk will discuss data collection when behavior is private, focusing specifically on the potential of ecological momentary assessment across multiple settings and clients. This symposium is geared towards behavior analysts looking to integrate ACT based approaches within their existing practice with practical ideas for where to start this work. And by so doing, progressing the depth and scope of our applied field.

BCBAs

Experiencing challenges in modifying parent behaviors is common. Many of these challenges are historical and interfere with the parents' ability to engage in effective teaching practices. Parent training that includes an ACT component is often found to further parental effort, interest, and involvement. To date, ACT is the only behavior analytic approach that permits a functional assessment of aversive control due to private events. While there are several studies published on brief intervention strategies, none speak to the long term training and practice needed when engaged in long term consultation with families. This paper will present an overview of a Behavioral Parent Training Program that combines both basics of behavior and a Values Based ACT approach to long term child behavioral intervention. Included in the overview of the parent training package will be a process based account of the ongoing difficulties that may be experienced when working with a family across time where both parent and child are engaged in values based intervention.