ABSTRACTResponding effectively to verbal stimuli requires auditory‐visual conditional discriminations (AVCDs), which some learners with severe language delays struggle to acquire. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of transferring control over object selection from a modeled action to a spoken word. The participants were two six‐year‐old twins who already had generalized object imitation skills but had not successfully acquired any listener discriminations. During the object imitation to AVCD transfer procedure, the instructor initially modeled a play‐based functional action with each object and reinforced object imitation. Correct object imitation was then followed by an AVCD trial. Effects on acquisition were evaluated in a two‐tier multiple baseline design across participants with replication across stimulus sets. Both the participants not only acquired the AVCD targets across 4 sets, but showed generalization and maintenance across other AVCD targets during and following the study.

ABSTRACTBehavioral interventions have demonstrated group‐level benefits for a variety of behavioral presentations and conditions. The ability to capture and quantify reliable individual‐level change during the course of behavioral interventions is essential for making rational clinical management decisions. Recently, the neurobehavioral evaluation tool (NET) was developed and revised for use within behavioral intervention outcome assessment. Traditional, practice‐adjusted, and standardized regression‐based reliable change indices (RCIs) were calculated for the NET domains to provide reliable change norms. In two samples (Ns = 498 and 125), traditional RCIs indicated that reliable symptom reductions and skill improvements needed to be +/− 0.7 to 1.3 SDs across domains. Standardized regression‐based change norms indicated that slightly smaller magnitude changes are required to be considered reliable. NET‐derived RCIs can be used to inform clinical management during behavioral interventions. Regression‐based RCIs may be particularly useful for guiding clinical management for individuals with very high symptoms/very low skills at baseline.

ABSTRACTAutistic children often have difficulties learning to transition out of diapers and controlling continence. Due to this, children on the spectrum may require a more systematic toilet training protocol than what parents may use with typically developing children. Most published toilet training procedures with this population include some form of punishment as a component of the treatment package, which may raise ethical concerns. Thus, the purpose of the present investigation was to examine the effects of a standardized behavior analytic toilet training package without a punishment that included the following components: 1) preference assessment, 2) request training, 3) differential reinforcement for staying dry, 4) underwear, and 5) progressive sit schedule on the successful urinations in the toilet by young children with autism. For students who did not meet mastery criteria with the standardized training package, we implemented a contingent progressive sit schedule followed by the individualized interventions when necessary. Three of the five participants successfully learned how to urinate in the toilet with the standardized toilet training package alone. One participant required a contingent progressive sit schedule phase, and one participant required an individualized intervention to reach mastery. Four of the five participants maintained responding when the package was faded out over a 4‐week period.

No abstract is available for this article.

Abstract Behavior analysis is facing criticism based on its historical use of restrictive procedures and reliance on punishers to change behavior. A review of punishment procedures in behavior analytic literature has not been conducted since 2014; a more recent review can clarify whether the aforementioned criticism is substantiated by current research. In this review, we examined 59 studies published between 2014 and 2023 and extracted data on participant characteristics, procedural characteristics, and efficacy of procedures. We found an increase in the use of response interruption and redirection procedures, as well as more frequent evaluation of social validity, generalization, and maintenance as compared to previous decades. We also observed a decrease in functional assessment of target behaviors. Most importantly, we observed a decrease in physical forms of punishment, which may be considered more restrictive. We provide recommendations for future research, clinical practice, and advocacy.

ABSTRACTThere is limited research concerned with the physical appearance of persons who have intellectual and developmental disabilities. This study evaluated a clothing and grooming measurement checklist and care provider intervention to improve the physical appearance of four students (18‐ to 21‐years‐old) with neurodevelopmental disabilities. The measurement checklist was easy to administer, time‐efficient, and associated with good interobserver agreement (IOA). Implemented in a multiple baseline design, the care provider intervention had an immediate and sustained positive effect with all students. We discuss measurement and intervention considerations, outcome objectives, and research directed at physical appearance among dependent populations.

ABSTRACTDifferential reinforcement (DR) procedures involve systematically arranging the environment to increase the future frequency of socially important behaviors while minimizing or eliminating problem behaviors. The purpose of the present study was to compare the effects of computerized stimulus equivalence‐based instruction (EBI) to a pre‐recorded voiceover PowerPoint lecture to teach definitions and examples of differential reinforcement procedures to college students. The three classes comprised textual stimuli characterizing differential reinforcement of other (DRO), alternative (DRA), and incompatible (DRI) behavior. Each class contained three members: name, definition, and short vignette examples. To program for generalization, two vignette exemplars were used during training while a third exemplar was used to assess stimulus generalization. We used a between‐subjects group design to compare pretest and posttest performances of EBI and lecture participants across (a) computer match‐to‐sample (MTS), (b) card sorting, and (c) written tests (fill‐in and multiple‐choice), with the latter two used to determine the degree to which class‐consistent responding generalized from selection‐based responding to other response topographies (i.e., sorting and writing). Results demonstrated that EBI produced greater score increases than lecture for MTS and card sorting tests, but increases were comparable for the two groups for both fill‐in and multiple‐choice written tests. Another posttest at 1 week showed maintenance of performance gains. Implications for using EBI to teach behavior analytic content are discussed.

ABSTRACTThe high‐probability instructional sequence has been shown to be effective to increase cooperation with low‐probability requests. However, for some individuals, it may be difficult to identify high‐probability instructions, and some high‐probability instructions may become less likely to evoke cooperation over time. Thus, under some circumstances medium probability instructions, or instructions which may be less likely to evoke cooperation than high‐probability instructions, may be a useful temporary alternative to increase cooperation. In the current study, we compared medium probability instructions to high probability instructions to increase cooperation among three children with autism spectrum disorder. The results showed that for two participants, the medium probability instructions improved cooperation as much as the high‐probability instructions. For a third participant, the medium probability instructions improved cooperation over baseline, but not to the level observed with the high‐probability instructions. Results are discussed in terms of the mechanisms responsible for the effects of instructional sequences.