Introduction: Translational science lectures

Abstract

Among the most significant trendsin science over the past decade is onetoward translational research—workthat spans the continuum from labo-ratory science to practical applica-tion. The translational model, some-times also known as ‘‘bench tobedside,’’ seeks to build bridges acrossresearch areas and disciplines, promot-ingcross-fertilizationofideas.Muchofthe best work in behavior analysis is ofthis translational character. To high-light this research in behavior analysis,a special program track at the 2009Association for Behavior AnalysisInternational (ABAI) convention wascreated. Cosponsored by the ABAIPractice and Science Boards, the key-note events in this special track weretwo sessions—one on stimulus controlin autism and one on behavioralmomentum—withthecontributingau-thors invited to submit papers forpublication in The Behavior Analyst.The result is the present collection ofpapers.Stimulus Control in AutismIn the early days of autism researchand practice, consequence strategiesfor increasing skills and decreasingbehavioral challenges were empha-sized (Ferster, 1961). Lovaas’s earli-est autism work employed simplediscrimination procedures drawn di-rectly from the laboratory (Lovaas,1967). However, even in the earlyyears it was recognized that autism isdistinguished by unusual responses toantecedentstimuli(Lovaas&Schreib-man, 1971). It is widely recognizedtoday that lack of control by, andinappropriate responses to, anteced-ent stimuli are important distinguish-ing features of autism (AmericanPsychiatric Association, 1994, p. 72).Specifically, children and youth withautism may exhibit no spoken lan-guageinresponsetosocialorlanguagestimuliemanatingfromothers,ormayfailtorespondtosymbolicmeaningofwords or other symbols (AmericanPsychiatric Association, 1994, p. 75).McIlvane’s paper examines trans-lational behavior analysis, linkingnonhuman laboratory research oncomplex stimulus control proceduresto studies with individuals with au-tism and other developmental dis-abilities. Based on matching-to-sam-ple methodology originally developedby Sidman and Tailby (1982), McIl-vane, Dube, and colleagues haveconducted extensive research demon-strating that many individuals whohad heretofore been believed to beincapable of developing symboliclanguage skills, could be taught suchskills (McIlvane et al., in press). Theirmethods derived directly from non-human laboratory research and lab-oratory research with individualswith developmental disabilities. McIl-vane argues that translational behav-ior analysis is a two-way street, withknowledge generated by applied re-search feeding back and enrichingsubsequent laboratory investigations.Koegel, Shirotova, and Koegelexamine a problem practitioners inschools and home-based therapysettings often encounter when work-ing with young children with autism