Association For Behavior Analysis International Research Articles

Report of the ABAI Task Force on Contingent Electric Skin Shock.

As a task force appointed by the Executive Council of the Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI), we investigated the clinical use of contingent electric skin shock (CESS) in behavior analytic treatments for severe problem behavior. We studied how CESS is used in contemporary behavior analysis, reinforcement-based alternatives to CESS, and current ethical and professional guidelines for applied behavior analysts. We recommended that ABAI uphold clients' right to receive CESS when it is restricted to extreme cases and used under rigorous professional and legal oversight. Our recommendation was rejected by a vote of the full members of ABAI, who instead endorsed an alternative recommendation, developed by members of the Executive Council, that opposed the use of CESS under any condition. Here we present for the record our report and initial recommendations, the formal statement that was rejected by the members of ABAI, and the statement that was endorsed.

Giving the history of psychology away in behavior analysis.

Based on a symposium at the 2018 meeting of the Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI; E. K. Morris, 2018), the December 2022 issue of Perspectives on Behavior Science (PoBS)-ABAI's house journal-published a special section on teaching the history of behavior analysis. It was inspired by George Miller's (1969) urging that psychologists promote human welfare by discovering how "to give psychology away" (p. 1074). The special section of PoBS urged readers to promote the history of behavior analysis by giving it away. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Integrating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Readings within Coursework: Suggestions for Instructors Teaching Behavior Analysis.

Behavior analysis graduate programs must train their students to be culturally responsive so that they are prepared to effectively serve a diverse clientele. One important strategy for helping students gain a culturally responsive repertoire is embedding diversity, equity, and inclusion materials into behavior analysis graduate course sequences. However, little guidance exists for selecting content related to diversity, equity, and inclusion within behavior analysis to include in behavior analytic coursework. This article provides suggested readings for diversity, equity, and inclusion within behavior analysis that can be embedded into typical course structures in behavior analysis graduate programs. Each course requirement in the Association for Behavior Analysis International's Verified Course Sequence is given specific recommendations.

Introduction to Teaching the History of Behavior Analysis: Past, Purpose, and Prologue.

This article introduces a special section of Perspectives on Behavior Science on teaching the history of behavior analysis. Although behavior is distinctive, behavior analysis is diverse, and the history of behavior analysis is deep, teaching the field's history often is not. The special section offers means for remedying this. The introduction has three sections. First, it relates the genesis of the special section: the 2018 meeting of the Association for Behavior Analysis International and, before that, the 2015 meeting of Cheiron: The International Society for the History of the Behavioral Sciences. Second, it addresses the purposes-reasons and rationales-for teaching history, especially the history of behavior analysis. And third, it offers a prologue for teaching the field's history based on a review of what is taught or not in recent textbooks and handbooks on the field's basic and applied research and their conceptual foundations. In its conclusion, the article previews the section's other articles: (1) three exemplars on how history can be embedded in courses on the field's foregoing three subdisciplines; (2) an exemplar of teaching history in a stand-alone course on the field's history overall; (3) a discussion that addresses how to improve instruction in these courses through narrative methods; and (4) a conclusion about the present and future of teaching the field's history (e.g., giving the history of behavior analysis away).

SPECIAL FEATURE: KNOW YOUR COLLEAGUES—ROBERT DAMELIO AND CARL BINDER

SPECIAL FEATURE: KNOW YOUR COLLEAGUES—ROBERT DAMELIO AND CARL BINDER

Jack Michael (1926-2020).

Memorializes Jack Michael (1926-2020). Michael, professor emeritus of Western Michigan University, was a pioneer in the field of behavior analysis and one of its most influential teachers. He was the recipient of numerous awards and honors including the Distinguished Teaching Award from the American Psychological Association (APA; 1971) and the Distinguished Service to Behavior Analysis Award from the Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI; 2002). Michael helped start ABAI, the largest organization of behavior analysts, in 1974. He was president of ABAI in 1979 and president of Division 25 (Behavior Analysis) of APA in 1983. Michael died November 12, 2020. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Research and Training in Culturo-Behavior Science.

Culturo-behavior science (CBS) is a developing area and recently formalized specialization in behavior science that brings together principles and techniques from behavior analysis (e.g., Skinner, 1953), behavioral systems analysis (e.g., Brethower, 2008), cultural analysis (e.g., Glenn et al., 2016), and cultural systems analysis (Mattaini, 2020). Culturo-behavior scientists typically work within a selectionist and/or (ecological) systems perspective to advance our understanding of how cultural phenomena develop and change over time and how more effective cultures and systems can be designed (Cihon & Mattaini, 2019, 2020b). The purpose of the current article is to describe CBS, to introduce the recently formulated Association for Behavior Analysis International verified course sequence (VCS) and certificate program in CBS, and to present different pathways to training in CBS. We do this through the presentation of examples from the literature and from four universities that have adopted the CBS VCS and certificate program that are illustrative of how different programs may approach research and training in CBS.

Making a Footprint in Environmental Sustainability: A Behavioral Systems Approach to Engaging the Behavioral Community.

Climate change is arguably the most pressing issue facing humanity today. There is significant research to support the argument that climate change is a human-created problem and it can only be addressed by changing human behavior. Despite the magnitude of the issue and the potential for behavior science to make a significant contribution, there are few behavior analysts/scientists currently working in climate change. One possible explanation is that there is limited access to preparation for and opportunities to apply our science to large-scale issues. In response, the Behaviorists for Social Responsibility Special Interest Group of the Association for Behavior Analysis International developed the Matrix Project as a way to apply Behavioral Systems Analysis to issues of social importance. By understanding the contingencies that hinder or promote working in a particular area we can begin to create the conditions that will facilitate such work. The purpose of this article is twofold: 1) to demonstrate how the Matrix Project may be used to increase the likelihood that behavior analysts/scientists will work in areas of social importance using environmental sustainability as an example, and 2) encourage behavior analysts/scientists to target and understand complex systems by providing examples of actionable steps that could be generalized to other important social issues.

The Gender Pay Gap for Behavior Analysis Faculty.

We examined publicly available faculty salaries for men and women faculty members at 16 university programs accredited by the Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI). Overall, 52.4% of the 103 faculty members were women, although there were twice as many men as women at the full-professor level. Our data suggest that ABAI-accredited training programs pay women less than men at all academic levels. Both in absolute terms and relative to the wage gap reported in other areas of psychology, the difference in mean wages for women and men in our sample was substantial. The mean salaries of men were 13%, 6%, and 15% greater than those of women at the assistant-, associate-, and full-professor levels, respectively. At all levels, the highest salary reported was earned by a man, and the lowest salary was earned by a woman. This is an embarrassment for our discipline. It is time for a change, and we behavior analysts have the tools to make change happen. Let us put those tools to good use.

Experimental Analysis of Behavior Readings Assigned by Accredited Master's Degree Programs in Behavior Analysis.

Although a foundation in the basic science of behavior represents a common goal of practitioners and educators of behavior analysis, the content covered in master's degree-level courses on the experimental analysis of behavior (EAB) can vary widely across university programs. The purpose of our study was to analyze the syllabi of master's degree programs accredited by the Association for Behavior Analysis International to develop a list of common readings and topics in EAB coursework that might be useful for curricular development. We identified the most frequently cited references, journals, and participant characteristics. We found commonalities among the syllabi with regard to the types of readings assigned and the topics covered. We discussed our findings in terms of current trends in EAB and quality graduate training in behavior analysis.

Place of behavior analysis in the changing culture of replication and statistical reporting in psychological science

ABSTRACTThe “new” psychological science seeks to promote a culture of replication in response to rampant publication bias and some controversial failures to replicate. Two of the solutions adopted are the emphases on the New Statistics by Psychological Science and the growing use of replication repositories. Where does behavior analytic research fit in this effort? Although experimental and applied research methods in behavior analysis naturally are replication focused and replication friendly, trending growth in group designs in different areas of behavior analytic research suggests that we should be sharing the concerns in the broader psychological science community. What measures, if any, are behavior analytic journals taking or should be taking to address these concerns? Not all of the solutions under consideration in the “new” psychological science are amenable to behavior analytic research. How do we proceed? Recommendations include formulating editorial policies in behavior analytic journals and organizational programming collaborations, for example, between Association for Behavior Analysis International and the Association for Psychological Science.

Towards a Meaningful Analysis of Behavior Analyst Preparation Programs.

Numerous universities and colleges offer coursework approved by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board. Despite uniform requirements for approval, many differences exist among programs. To provide the field of behavior analysis with information about these differences, we conducted an initial analysis of programmatic variables and their relationship to pass rates on the Board Certified Behavior Analyst examination.Given the variety of preparation programs currently approved by the certification board, behavior analysts from different programs will likely differ with regard to their training and experiences.It is imperative that graduates from programs preparing behavior analysts are passing the examination to become board certified to fill specified jobs.Statistically significant variables associated with increased examination pass rates for programs include on-campus course delivery and accreditation by the Association for Behavior Analysis International.Variables lacking statistical significance with regard to impact on examination pass rates include the provision of supervision experience and the number of individuals from a program sitting for an exam.

My Mentors and their Influences on My Career.

Linda A. LeBlanc, Ph.D., BCBA-D, MI Licensed Psychologist, is the Executive Director of Research and Clinical Services at Trumpet Behavioral Health. She received her Ph.D. in child clinical psychology in 1996 from Louisiana State University and completed her internship and postdoctoral fellowship at the Kennedy Krieger Institute and Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. She served as a professor on the psychology faculties at Claremont McKenna College (1997–1999), Western Michigan University (1999–2008), and Auburn University (2009–2012) before becoming the Executive Director at Trumpet. She has served on the boards of directors of several national and regional professional associations and is a Fellow of the Association for Behavior Analysis International. She has served as an associate editor of the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, Behavior Analysis in Practice, and the Analysis of Verbal Behavior and Education and Treatment of Children and has authored many articles and book chapters on behavioral treatment of autism, technology-based behavioral interventions, behavioral gerontology, and system development in human services (Fig. 1).

A Challenging and Satisfying Career in Basic Science.

Dr. McSweeney is Regents Professor of Psychology and Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs at Washington State University (WSU). She received her B. A., Summa Cum Laude, from Smith College and her Masters and Ph.D. from Harvard University. She taught for one year at McMaster University before joining the faculty at WSU where she rose through the ranks to Regents Professor. Dr. McSweeney has served as Chair of the Department of Psychology, Chair of the Faculty Senate, and Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs at WSU. She also served as a member of the Executive Council, and as President of, the Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI). She has received awards from her university such as the 2002 Sahlin Faculty Excellence Award for Research, Scholarship and Arts and the 2004 Eminent Faculty Award, the university’s highest honor. She also received the Med Associates Distinguished Contributions to Behavioral Research Award from Division 25 of the American Psychological Association.

A Career in Behavior Analysis: Notes from the Journey.

Judith E. Favell received her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Illinois Wesleyan University in 1966, and earned her Ph.D. in developmental and child psychology from the University of Kansas in 1970. Throughout her career as a clinician, researcher, teacher, lecturer, and administrator, she has focused on the understanding and treatment of serious behavior disorders, such as self-injurious and aggressive behavior in individuals with autism and other intellectual and developmental disabilities. Her work has encompassed not only clinical domains, but also organizational, regulatory, legal, and policy issues, through testifying, chairing national task forces, serving as an expert witness, and writing guidelines and policies governing treatment in behavior analysis. Dr. Favell has authored numerous articles, monographs, chapters, and books; edited a leading journal and several newsletters; and served on the editorial boards of many others. She has presented extensively both nationally and internationally on a wide variety of topics related to serving individuals with intellectual, developmental, and emotional challenges. Her offices have included President of the Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI), President of the American Psychological Association’s Division on Developmental Disabilities, and President of the Behavior Analysis Certification Board.

Influences on My Early Academic Career.

Anna Ingeborg Petursdottir (Fig. ​(Fig.1)1) received her Ph.D. in psychology from Western Michigan University and is currently an associate professor of psychology at Texas Christian University. Her primary area of research is verbal behavior and its acquisition. Her applied research interests include strategies for enhancing verbal behavior acquisition of children diagnosed with autism, whereas more basic research interests include typically developing children’s language acquisition and how research and theory in this area may translate into effective language interventions. Dr. Petursdottir’s research has been published in the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis (JABA), the Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior (JEAB), and The Analysis of Verbal Behavior (TAVB), among other journals. She is past editor of TAVB and the current Publication Board Coordinator of the Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI). She also currently serves as the associate editor of JABA and an editorial board member of JEAB and the European Journal of Behavior Analysis, in addition to having served on the editorial boards of various other journals. Dr. Petursdottir is a past president of the Texas Association for Behavior Analysis.

Prominent Women in Behavior Analysis: An Introduction.

Today is an exciting time for women in behavior analysis. Over the years, multiple articles have documented increases in women’s participation in behavior analysis (e.g., McSweeney and Swindell 1998; McSweeney et al. 2000; Myers 1993; Poling et al. 1983; Simon et al. 2007). Contemporary data, however, depict an even more striking degree of participation. For example, 82.2 % of Behavior Analyst Certification Board® (BACB®) certificants are female,1 including 68.3 % of those who are certified at the doctoral level (i.e., BCBA-D™). These data represent a 148 % increase in female certificants over the last 15 years. The Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI) reported that 52 % of their full members in 2014 were women (personal communication ABAI, April 7, 2015).2 Female authors accounted for 55.5 % of authors who published in the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis (JABA) in 2014. These data represent a 142 % increase since the first volume of JABA was published in 1968. In addition, 27.1 % of authors who published in the Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior (JEAB) in 2014 were female. These data represent a 115 % increase since the average from 1978 to 1982. Given the representation of women in behavior analysis, a demographic population that is typically a minority in other scientific disciplines (National Science Foundation 2015), has increased substantially over a relatively short period of time (~20 years), we thought it an important time to provide accounts from the perspectives of prominent women who experienced behavior-analytic academic training and professional environments over this period of time and get advice based on what they learned.

An Alternative Strategy for Selecting a Graduate Program: Comments on Dixon et al. (2015).

While the rankings based upon frequencies of publication, supplied by Dixon et al. (2015), identify individuals and programs worthy of prospective students' attention, I have focused upon other criteria when mentoring students who are deciding where to apply for graduate study. Those criteria concern the student's particular interests, and questions concerning what it is like to work with a given mentor or within a given program. Besides perusals of web sites and queries directed to prospective mentors, students already working with that mentor can provide valuable information. Provision for hands-on training in the application of behavioral principles is essential to a high-quality program, and availability of conceptually oriented courses and of a supportive verbal community are additional considerations, especially if a mentor is not frequently available for informal conversation. As alternatives, the Behavior Analysis Certification Board's credential has the limitations of any multiple-choice examination as an evaluation of hands-on competence, and the accreditation of programs by the Association for Behavior Analysis International omits many mentorships that have trained outstanding behavior analysts via "apprenticeships" within programs that are not primarily behavior analytic.

Upon Further Reflection: View from the Other Side of "Windows on the 21st Century".

Three points discussed in Glenn (1993) are reviewed in the context of current events: the discipline of behavior analysis as a cultural system, the importance of that discipline in the training and regulation of behavior analytic practitioners, and Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI) as a cultural subsystem that links to all the other parts and therefore links the other parts to one another. Noting similarities between behavior analysis and biology, I consider the growth of biological sciences as a model for behavior analysis. Of particular importance for biology has been the role of basic biological sciences in the practice of medicine and the resulting feedback loops that have developed among its basic sciences, applied sciences, and medical practice. I suggest that behavior analysis explicitly follow this model and that ABAI has a critical role to play in leading the field to developing the feedback loops that have integrated the biological sciences and medicine.

응용행동분석의 특성과 발전배경

The purpose of this study was to define what the applied behavior analysis (ABA) is and what its distinguishing characteristics are by considering its philosophical assumption and historical background. To begin to understand ABA as a science, we should know that its philosophical assumption is based on determinism, empiricism, parsimony, scientific manipulation, and philosophic doubt. In addition, the defining characteristics of ABA studies must be applied, behavioral, analytic, technological, conceptually systematic, and effective, and it should display some generality (Baer, Wolf, & Risley, 1968). In this study, the definition of ABA (Cooper, Heron, & Heward, 1987) is introduced and its developing background is described by grouping the historical studies into two areas: the Watsonian respondent conditioning studies and the Skinnerian operant studies. Finally, the trend of recent studies on Functional analysis of behavior (FAB), the important leadership and role of the Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI) and the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB), and also the current status and future perspective of behavior analysis in Korea were discussed.