Training Preservice Practitioners to Make Data-Based Instructional Decisions

This meta-analysis examined special education professional development (PD) designed to improve outcomes for students with disabilities or to train teachers on evidence-based instruction and interventions in special education. The primary focus was on the impact of special education PD on teachers’ skills, beliefs, and knowledge. A secondary aim was to examine the impact on student outcomes. Results indicated that PD had a greater effect on teacher-related measures ( g = 0.53) compared with student measures ( g = 0.17). All studies included active participation opportunities and PD topics covered literacy, behavioral support, explicit instruction, and data-based decision-making. The findings emphasize the importance for PD to apply content knowledge to evidence-based practices in special education.

Supporting people with neurodevelopmental disabilities often requires interdisciplinary collaboration and effective partnerships with clients and their families. Behavior analysts receive intensive training and supervision in a variety of domains; however, expanding interdisciplinary training for behavior analysts is needed. Interdisciplinary training programs, such as the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) programs, offer trainees the opportunity to hone their skills as advocates for people with neurodevelopmental disabilities and collaborators as part of an interdisciplinary team. Historically, many LEND programs have not offered training positions specifically to behavior analysis students or professionals, although some behavior analysts have participated as trainees in other disciplines such as psychology or special education. The benefits, barriers, and possible future directions of interdisciplinary training for behavior analysts within a LEND program are discussed through the experience of the University of Cincinnati LEND Program which added an Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) training track in 2020.

Behavior analysis is the underclass of psychology. It is under-funded, under-taught, and underappreciated. A lot is happening that is positive, but just beneath the surface, there are grave dangers lurking that could significantly worsen our already poor status. I prefer to believe that most of these dangers are things we can control by our own behavior (itself a rather behavioral idea), and I offer this list of dangers in that spirit. As someone once said: if you always do what you always did, you'll always get what you always got. Behavior analysts need to appreciate the following six dangers and adapt to them. LOSS OF MISSION Behavior analysis was initially strategically committed to the field of animal learning, but from the beginning its ultimate purpose was an understanding of complex human behavior: importance of a science of behavior derives largely from the possibility of an eventual extension to human affairs (Skinner, Behavior of Organisms, 1938, p. 441). In the early decades that was merely a promise, but the arrival of applied behavior analysis turned it into a program. Over the years, however, both basic and applied behavior analysis have narrowed and that original vision is being lost. Applied behavior analysis is gradually becoming a subfield of developmental disabilities, as a glance at a recent issue of JABA will confirm. The depth of the risk this creates is covered over by methodological rigor and applied impact within that narrow domain. Basic behavior analysis clings largely to narrow and precise questions of self-stimulatory interest in the animal laboratory, even while animal laboratories are being closed one by one, and areas of research within behavior analysis are being opened up that require human research. The depth of the problem is covered over by the productivity of a few major behavioral laboratories and the emergence of a handful of international labs, where protection from political winds have allowed the old seeds to grow a few new sprouts. In some ways, all of the other dangers I list can be traced back to the following core concern. Behavior analysis was always a carom shot. Instead of approaching human complexity directly, it tried to develop conceptual tools based on simple behaviors in simple contexts with small non-human animals, and then to apply these to an analysis of virtually every form of complex human behavior. It was a bold and even slightly preposterous idea, and yet it was one that worked far beyond what anyone had a right to expect. Now, however, we seem to be on the verge of forgetting what the mission was in the first place. Many basic behavior analysts have begun to believe that basic behavior analysis is a subfield of animal learning or (perhaps worse) behavioral biology. Where are the experimental analyses of emotion, friendship, sexuality, health, reasoning, humor, intelligence, and so on? Interpretation is not enough--we need an experimental analysis of such behaviors. Without the basic account, applied behavior analysts either ignore these areas or build common sense approaches to them. TOOL POLISHING No field so enjoys principles as does behavior analysis. Principles of behavior are ways of speaking about the prediction and influence of the historically and currently situated actions of organisms that are precise, broadly applicable, and coherent in terms of the larger fabric of science. Principles are the intellectual tools of analysis. They are not, however, ends in themselves. Sometimes behavior analysts are like the watchmakers who decided to make a set of extremely fine tools before actually making some complicated new watches. Forgetting what the tools were for, the talented watchmakers did not build the watches and display them in a glass cabinet, but instead put the tools themselves in that cabinet, taking them out only to polish them and to show how they work. Basic behavior analysts are especially prone to this error. …

At its core, productive collaboration between speech-language pathologists and behavior analysts requires effective communication between both parties. Successful communication can be gained in par...

Across many countries in Europe, the last decade has seen a rapid increase in the number of early intervention programmes for children with autism based on applied behaviour analysis, and a related growth in demand for competent behaviour analyst practitioners. There has also been a rapid growth in university-based courses that are focused solely on behaviour analysis, and these have all aligned their curriculum with the Behavior Analyst Certification Board task list. We describe the context of these developments and discuss some of the ways courses have been developed and some of the future challenges to be faced in developing an international profession of behaviour analysis. These have been positive moves for behaviour analysis in Europe. Now there is a solid foundation to continue this work, and to ensure that behaviour analysts play a central role in helping those who need their expertise.

The purpose of this paper is to present to a community of behavior specialists, an overview of the subdiscipline of Organizational Behavior Management (OBM) in three aspects. First, OBM is a sub-branch of the larger field of Applied Behavior Analysis. It also has two other aspects: it can complement the traditional set of skills useful to behavior analysts or be one of the alternative careers for them. Behavior specialists predominantly, and especially in Poland, teach populations with special needs. Whether this is in special education, social assistance or select areas of health care, with young children with autism or adults with intellectual disability, this is where most behavior analysts work. At the same time, they often need to skillfully cooperate in teams, sometimes manage them or instruct people other than those with whom they are usually in contact, such as new team members, parents, and other specialists. OBM can be seen as a supplementary background that answers these needs. It is also a possible alternative career path, with a distinct client base and flagship journal, as well as specific procedures in behavior analysis, experts in the field and specialisms. Different client populations, variations in instruction techniques and knowledge of response generalization all point to that conclusion that traditional behavior analysts might be largely at a disadvantage in the area covered by OBM: that of a management and team leading and training typically developing clients. Behavior analysts require a background in OBM, otherwise they might "reinvent the OBM wheel" or - which is worse - apply their experiences one-to-one with special populations and bring with them harmful assumptions.

Interventions often require multiple decisions to improve outcomes for every student. Whether the decision to implement a practice, tailor an existing protocol, or change approaches, these decisions should be based on individual variables and outcomes via a sequence of treatment. To develop adaptive interventions that have sufficient evidence to support decisions, components, and sequences, they must be evaluated as they operate. The sequential multiple-assignment randomized trial is a design that experimentally assesses the efficacy of the decisions, components, and sequence of an adaptive intervention. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of this novel methodology and describe how this design can provide meaningful information about components and sequence based on individual differences and response to maximize educational outcomes in special education.

A educação especial tem sido um contexto de inserção do psicólogo na área educacional. À luz das políticas de inclusão vigentes, a atuação do psicólogo se volta à promoção de práticas educacionais que favoreçam a participação e aprendizado de todos os alunos. A formação de profissionais na área da educação demanda o estudo das necessidades sociais que irão atender. Somente a partir de dados concretos acerca do contexto e das possibilidades de intervenção pode-se identificar os conhecimentos que deverão ser ensinados. Entretanto, são raros os estudos que investigam as formas contemporâneas de intervenção da psicologia na educação especial. Assim, reunir dados sobre essa atuação permite instrumentalizar a reflexão sobre a formação em psicologia educacional. Esse trabalho é resultado de uma pesquisa qualitativa e exploratória que objetivou descrever as características da atuação de psicólogos da Grande Florianópolis vinculados à instituições de educação especial. Os dados foram coletados por meio de entrevistas semiestruturadas. As categorizações foram decorrentes do dialogo estabelecido nas entrevistas e, portanto, constituídas posteriormente. A análise dos dados permitiu verificar a sobreposição das três formas de intervenção que historicamente definiram a atuação do psicólogo nessa área, a saber, a segregação, a integração e a inclusão, sendo o foco principal de atuação centrada no aluno com queixa escolar e/ou com suspeita de deficiência intelectual. Diante disso, conclui-se esse estudo ressaltando a importância dos psicólogos refletirem sobre as implicações das políticas inclusivas para sua prática profissional.

Chapter 8 - Quality measurement in applied behavior analysis

There is an old Chinese curse that says you live in exciting and we as clinical psychologists are certainly living in exciting times these days. Most of us are aware of the increasing pressure community-based clinical psychologists are experiencing, although we are not necessarily sensitive to the impact this pressure is having on those practitioners or on our field. In large part, many of the changes and challenges we are facing are byproducts of the increasing financial limitations and time restrictions being place on community-based clinical psychologists and it has become apparent that there are a number of changes ahead that will greatly impact the field as we know it. Clinical behavior analysis has much to contribute to the field. On a fundamental level, we have the strength of an empirically grounded theory and a lengthy history of research demonstrating effective clinical work. Additionally, our historical roots in pragmatism allow for the adaptation and integration of techniques from other branches of clinical psychology, not traditionally seen as behavioral. We will need to be aware of the current context, however, if we are to effectively participate in the transition clinical psychology is undergoing. In addition, there are number of obstacles which make it difficult for CBA to be a part of this process; some of the variables controlling these trends are in our hands. First there is our isolation from other branches of psychology. We need to spend more time talking to clinical psychologists from alternative theoretical orientations. This is true for both academic psychologists and clinical behavior analysts. I work in a department of anesthesiology, a somewhat unusual setting for a clinical psychologists, and my various roles in the medical school are such that I have a foot in the clinical camp and a foot in the ivory towers of academia. In trying to balance these contingencies, it has become apparent to me that there is a schism between what academic clinicians are doing and what community-based clinicians are doing. If that schism grows, we may find that community-based clinical psychologists will pay less and less attention to the research we produce. There is already a general attitude ex- pressed by many of the clinical psychologists I encounter that much of what we do as researchers is not relevant to what they do as clinicians. It is vital that we attend to this issue. On a more practical level, we as clinical behavior analysts need to participate in dialogues with other clinicians if we want to play a role in the changes psychology is already undergoing. As CBA is largely performed by academic psychologists at this point, we don't often consider our role in the economic marketplace. Since the marketplace is largely oriented toward cognitive-behavioral therapy, it is wise for us to plan specifically how CBA will fit into the future marketplace. This has implications for attracting future behavior analysts into the field. Although applied behavior analysis has been highly successful in our work with the developmentally disabled and in closed communities/hospital settings, many have been reluctant to move into settings in which our influence over the functional contingencies is more limited and relies heavily on verbal and rule-governed behavior. Despite pioneering early work in the outpatient arena by Kanfer and Saslow (1965, 1966), Ferster (1973), Krasner (1978, 1988), and Rachlin (1988), the role of functional analysis in the outpatient treatment session and a more molar view of a client's life were largely unexplored. The more traditional treatment areas for behavior analysts do not represent the typical setting in which most clinical psychologists practice and when these behavioral treatments appear, they are similar to cognitive treatments (e. …

Functional assessment checklists and experimental functional analysis have become standard practice in applied behavior analysis. This chapter incudes an overview of existing methods and how they are utilized in various applied contexts. We discuss the standard functional analysis model first described by Iwata et al. (1982/1994) and significant variations on the standard model, such as trial-based functional analysis, interview-informed synthesized contingency analysis, among others. We also comment on the strengths and weaknesses of these methods and how they can complement one another during clinical decision-making. The article also discusses methods of analyzing functional assessments and assessment informed treatment. Finally, we discuss barriers and criticism of functional assessment and how these can be addressed by behavior analysts.

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) has long been recognized as an effective therapeutic approach for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), primarily within clinical and educational settings. However, the potential of ABA principles extends beyond these traditional environments, offering valuable insights into the design of inclusive products tailored to the unique needs of autistic children. This paper explores the interdisciplinary application of ABA in the development of products such as adaptive toys, clothing, and footwear, aiming to enhance the daily experiences and developmental outcomes of children with ASD. The integration of ABA strategies into product design involves a meticulous understanding of behavioral patterns, sensory preferences, and reinforcement mechanisms. By aligning product features with these behavioral insights, designers can create items that not only accommodate sensory sensitivities but also promote engagement, learning, and independence. For instance, toys designed with ABA principles can reinforce positive behaviors and facilitate social interactions, while adaptive clothing can address sensory discomforts and support self-dressing skills. This paper conducts a comprehensive literature review of recent studies that exemplify the successful incorporation of ABA into product design for autistic children. The findings underscore the significance of a collaborative approach, bringing together behavior analysts, designers, and stakeholders to create products that are both functional and empathetic. By embracing the principles of ABA in product development, we can move towards a more inclusive society that recognizes and supports the diverse needs of children with autism.

Examining behavior within the context of applied behavior analysis (ABA) from the perspective of acceptance and commitment training (ACTr), while understanding the role of relational framing and the transformation of stimulus function, can better equip behavior analysts to effectively address complex behavior that may be influenced by covert verbal behavior. This approach may lead to a more comprehensive analysis of behavior and result in more effective interventions for socially significant change. The aim of this article is to provide behavior analysts with information and guidance on using relational frame theory (RFT) and ACTr in behavior-analytic services. The article first provides a rationale for considering thoughts as behavior and outlines important components of RFT. Subsequently, the benefits of employing ACTr in ABA are highlighted, including brief descriptions and examples of the use of ACTr within ABA practice. The article highlights the importance of expanding the consideration of maintaining variables when attempting to address maladaptive covert verbal behavior and ultimately aims to encourage a greater number of behavior analysts to adopt RFT and ACTr practices in applied settings.

Autistic transition age youth struggle with obtaining employment, and interviewing is a critical barrier to getting a job. We adapted an efficacious virtual reality job interview intervention to meet the needs of autistic transition age youth, called the Virtual Interview Training for Transition Age Youth. This study evaluated whether Virtual Interview Training for Transition Age Youth can be feasibly delivered in high school special education settings and whether Virtual Interview Training for Transition Age Youth improves job interview skills, job interview self-efficacy, job interview anxiety, and access to employment. Forty-eight autistic transition age youth received school-based pre-employment services as usual with Virtual Interview Training for Transition Age Youth, while 23 autistic transition age youth received services as usual only. Local teachers trained and supervised autistic transition age youth using Virtual Interview Training for Transition Age Youth. Participants reported Virtual Interview Training for Transition Age Youth was highly acceptable. Participants receiving services as usual and Virtual Interview Training for Transition Age Youth, compared to participants receiving services as usual only, had better job interview skills and lower job interview anxiety as well as greater access to jobs. Overall, Virtual Interview Training for Transition Age Youth appears to be effective at teaching job interview skills that are associated with accessing competitive jobs. Moreover, youth enjoyed Virtual Interview Training for Transition Age Youth and teachers feasibly implemented the tool within special education pre-employment transition services. Future research needs to better understand how autistic transition age youth from culturally diverse backgrounds and different social, behavioral, or mental health challenges may respond to Virtual Interview Training for Transition Age Youth.

This paper presents the author's view of why the promise for education visualized by early behavioral researchers is as yet unrealized. It points out that behavior analysis has had an important impact on special education but has had much less influence on teaching practice in regular classrooms. This is not seen as the fault of educators who have failed to embrace procedures developed by behavior analysts. Rather, the author contends, behavior analysts have failed to develop procedures that fit the ecology of the regular classroom. Those developed often require too much additional effort thereby punishing those who attempt their use. Another factor hindering widespread adoption is that behavior analysts have failed to disseminate their procedures and have not participated widely in undergraduate training of teachers. The paper concludes by noting that our success in special education provides a model for behavior analysts interested in regular education. By developing procedures that result in increased academic performance for entire classrooms without punishing the teachers who implement them, by making those procedures available commercially and by publishing in journals teachers read, and finally by participating more widely in undergraduate training, the unfulfilled dream of what behavior analysis has to offer education can be achieved.