Journal Of Applied Behavior Analysis Research Articles

A peek into the room where it happens: Quantifying ABA's influence on public policy discussions.

To maximize its influence, applied behavior analysis must both create solutions and shape public policy to implement those solutions at scale. From the perspective of data-driven decision making, it is illogical to talk about seeking public policy influence without consulting evidence showing when influence has been achieved. One relevant form of evidence is the attention that behavioral solutions receive in published discussions about policy issues, and here I show how much of this attention has been earned by articles published in Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis. I also propose using the same kind of data to support finer grained analyses focusing on specific behavior problems, specific types of interventions, and the research programs of individual investigators. Although this is far from a complete account of the influence of applied behavior analysis on policy, it is better to have data than none if the goal is to transform the quest for influence on policy from a matter of speculation and casual discussion into an evidence-based practice.

Alliance for Scientific Autism Intervention: System Components and Outcome Data from High-Quality Service Delivery Organizations

AbstractPromoting excellence in autism intervention is arguably more urgent than ever for the field of applied behavior analysis. To fulfill this objective, autism agencies must operate from validated program systems and do so with fidelity. Program components include, but are not limited to, staff training and evaluation of clinical skills, functional personnel roles designed to promote positive outcomes for those served, and professional staff-communication-skill repertoires. Data on client outcomes must be tied to implementation of core program variables; and, contingencies between the data on client outcomes and staff performance must exist. Furthermore, these contingencies must be yoked across members of the organization to ensure a sustainable and effective program model. Finally, data on consumer satisfaction must be collected and used to evaluate program components and agency practices. Members of the Alliance for Scientific Autism Intervention have implemented key program-wide systems based upon the work of McClannahan and Krantz Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 26, 589–596 (1993) for decades and across various agency cultures. Data collected by six independent educational agencies on client outcomes, program implementation, and consumer feedback for a 10-year time span demonstrate the sustainability of the model and support the importance of key organizational systems and the relationship between implementation of the model and high-quality outcomes for individuals with autism.

A detailed examination of reporting procedural fidelity in the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis.

Few reviews on procedural fidelity-the degree to which procedures are implemented as designed-provide details to gauge the quality of fidelity reporting in behavior-analytic research. This review focused on experiments in the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis (2006-2021) with "integrity" or "fidelity" in the abstract or body. When fidelity data were collected, the coders characterized measurement details (e.g., description of calculation, report of single or multiple values, frequency of fidelity checks, checklist use). The researchers found increasing trends in describing the calculation(s), reporting multiple values, and stating the frequency of measurement. Few studies described using a checklist. Most studies reported fidelity as a percentage, with high obtained values (M = 97%). When not collecting fidelity data was stated as a limitation, authors were unlikely to provide a rationale for the omission. We discuss recommendations for reporting procedural fidelity to increase the quality of and transparency in behavior-analytic research.

International publication trends in basic, applied, and conceptual behavior-analytic journals.

The analysis of international and collaborative publication trends in prominent behavior-analytic journals has been a topic of interest for behavioral researchers. This paper focuses on publication trends from 1997 through 2020 in three prominent journals: Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior (JEAB), Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis (JABA), and Perspectives on Behavior Science (PBS). The variable of interest was the percentage of articles published per geographical category-Australasia/East Asia, Europe, Latin America, Middle East, North America, and Africa. The results showed that 79, 96, and 87% of the published articles in JEAB, JABA, and PBS, respectively, were conducted by researchers with a North American affiliation. Furthermore, 12, 4, and 4% of the articles in JEAB, JABA, and PBS, respectively, were coauthored by at least two researchers from different geographical categories.

A Comparison of Stimulus Set Sizes: Systematic Replication with Operant Analysis Acquisition Criteria.

We conducted a systematic replication of Kodak et al.'s Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 53(1), 265-283 (2020) and Vladescu et al.'s Behavior Analysis in Practice, 14(1), 193-197 (2021) experiments on the effects of stimulus set sizes on skill acquisition. The researchers manipulated the stimulus set sizes by teaching 3, 6, and 12 sight words simultaneously during learn unit instruction. Researchers taught participants until the participant's responding reached the acquisition criterion for 12 different sight words per set size condition. The acquisition criterion was set for an individual operant, whereby when accuracy met criterion for a single sight word, that sight word was replaced in the following session. The results showed that the set-size-3 was more efficient in producing criterion-level responding during acquisition than the set-size-6, and -12, which was consistent with Vladescu et al.'s findings. However, the set-size-12 reliably produced the highest maintenance levels for all participants. The definition of "effectiveness" based on acquisition or maintenance was discussed.

The Contingencies Associated with Certification and Licensure

The science of behavior began in the laboratory setting, focusing on the direct measurement of behavior-environment relations. The field of applied behavior analysis (ABA) is relatively new with the first publications in the flagship journal, The Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, appearing in 1968. Soon the application of the science was applied to the treatment of autism and, due to its tremendous success, the number of professionals claiming to use behavioral procedures increased exponentially. It became obvious that some sort of systemic oversight needed to be created to protect both consumers and practitioners, and difficult questions had to be raised concerning licensure, certification, which was more advantageous to pursue, and with what consequences. The purpose of this paper is to explore the historical roots of behavior analysis and provide commentary and context to the movement of certification up to the current day. Current challenges within the field of ABA will also be reviewed, along with recommendations to ensure that ABA-based intervention in the future is high in quality.

Toward an explicit technology of ecological validity.

Ecological validity refers to how closely an experiment aligns with real-world phenomena. In applied behavioral research, ecological validity may guide decisions about experimental settings, stimuli, people, and other design features. However, inconsistent use of the term ecological validity in the published literature has led to a somewhat disjointed technology. The purposes of this paper were to review current uses of the term "ecological validity" in the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, propose ways to make a study more ecologically valid, and develop a checklist to assist in identifying the type and degree of ecological validity in any given study.

Sample Size in Behavioral Research: A Systematic Review of JEAB and JABA from 2009 to 2018

The current research conducted a systematic review on sample size and the use of inferential statistics in basic and applied behavioral research by assessing all experimental studies from 2009 to 2018 in the Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior (JEAB) and the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis (JABA) which was 1,155 articles. The use or non-use of inferential statistics in behavioral research remains controversial as visual inspection has deep historical roots. JEAB had a median number of eight subjects and JABA had a median number of four subjects, which was statistically different using Mood’s median test. In addition, articles in JEAB were more likely to use inferential statistics compared to JABA. In general, inferential statistics were used in the presence of larger sample sizes, however, the use of animal subjects was associated with smaller sample sizes. Although patterns of the use of inferential statistics varied across journal, sample size, and species, this does not preclude the use of statistical methods by applied behavioral researchers, which should be used to support and confirm visual inspections of data. Keywords: sample size, inferential statistics, behavioral research, systematic review.

Using Telehealth to Program Generalization of Caregiver Behavior.

Stokes and Baer,Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 10(2), 349-367 (1977) provided guidelines to assist practitioners with programming for the generalization of behavior change. Despite the suggestions provided in their seminal paper, generalization remains an often overlooked area within behavior analytic research and practice. In addition, few studies have described explicit strategies to program for the generalization of caregiver behaviors that are consistent with interventions to reduce child challenging behavior. In the current discussion, we describe how telehealth provides a potential avenue for practitioners to focus on generalization. Telehealth helps practitioners access behavior-change agents, materials, and contexts that they may not directly contact in educational and clinical environments. Using telehealth to target these areas early on, and throughout treatment for child challenging behavior, may facilitate more rapid treatment success and maintenance. We provide a case example to demonstrate the use of telehealth to program the generalization of a mother's treatment plan implementation to reduce the severe challenging behavior of an adolescent. We report clinically and socially significant outcomes related to caregiver fidelity and challenging behavior reduction.

Interobserver agreement and procedural fidelity: An odd asymmetry.

We examined articles with experiments published in the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis and in Behavior Analysis in Practice from 2017 through 2021 to determine how frequently procedural fidelity was assessed. When procedural fidelity was assessed, we determined how often a measure of interobserver agreement for those fidelity data was provided. We also determined how often a measure of interobserver agreement for participants' behavior was provided. Across both journals and all years, 54.7% of relevant articles provided a measure of procedural fidelity. Of them, 17.7% provided a measure of interobserver agreement for procedural fidelity. In marked contrast, 96.4% provided interobserver agreement data for participants' behavior. It is unfortunate that applied behavior analysts frequently fail to provide procedural fidelity data and, when they do, often fail to provide interobserver agreement data for the fidelity data. Reviewers for, and editors of, behavior-analytic journals are encouraged to strongly consider the relative value of procedural fidelity and agreement on procedural fidelity measures when rendering recommendations on the suitability of a given submission.

Trends in Reporting Procedural Integrity: A Comparison.

Procedural integrity refers to the extent to which an independent variable is implemented as described. Measuring procedural integrity is one important factor when considering internal and external validity of experiments. Experimental articles in behavior-analytic journals have rarely reported procedural-integrity data. The purpose of this study was to update previous reviews of whether articles published in the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis reported procedural integrity, spanning a period from 1980 to 2020, and compare reporting in JABA to recent reviews of studies published in Behavior Analysis in Practice (2008-2019) and the Journal of Organizational Behavior Management (2000-2020). Procedural integrity continues to be underreported across all three journals, but an increasing trend in reporting procedural integrity is evident inthe Journal ofAppliedBehaviorAnalysis and BehaviorAnalysis inPractice. In addition to our recommendations and implications for research and practice, we provide examples and resources to assist researchers and practitioners with recording and reporting integrity data.

Public speaking disfluencies: A review of habit reversal training and research

From 2016 to 2022, the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis published 7 studies that evaluated the effects of habit reversal training on speech disfluencies (filled pauses) during public speaking. This review summarizes the participants, dependent variables, procedures, experimental design, and outcomes from this research including practice implications and suggested areas of inquiry.

Transition States in Single-Case Experimental Designs: A Retrospective Consecutive-Controlled Case Series Investigation.

Behavioral interventions to decrease problem behavior often involve the use of single-case experimental designs in which an individual's responding during a treatment condition is compared to responding during a control or baseline condition. It is possible that during the initial introduction of treatment, problem behavior continues to occur at baseline rates before behavior reduction is observed; this phenomenon is called a transition state. Evaluated the prevalence of transition states in the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis and found that they occurred within 5.3% of the published literature. The current study replicated and extended Brogan et al. by evaluating the prevalence of transition states in unpublished clinical data of patients admitted to an inpatient hospital for the treatment of severe problem behavior. Using a retrospective consecutive-controlled case series, transition states were observed in 3% of cases for an average duration of 4.8 sessions. We discuss factors that may affect transitional behavior between phases and relevant implications for practice and research.

They have a Voice; are we Listening?

The field of applied behavior analysis (ABA) has produced powerful changes and improvements to the lives of many. However, the field is not immune from criticism. One criticism from those outside the field is that the goal of ABA therapy is to make Autistic people appear "indistinguishable" from their peers. This paper examines "indistinguishability" and its implications by defining "indistinguishable" in behavior analytic terms, exploring how the term was used in two notable studies in the field (Lovaas, 1987, Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 55[1], 3-9; Rekers & Lovaas, 1974, Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 7[2], 173-190), and providing a review of the social validity and ethical implications of having "indistinguishability" as an explicit or implied goal. This is partially accomplished by incorporating concerns from the Autistic self-advocate community. We argue that the Autistic self-advocate community's concerns surrounding "indistinguishability" as a goal have a degree of legitimacy and need to be given due consideration. Suggestions for addressing these concerns in ABA degree programs and research are discussed, emphasizing the importance of considering stakeholder values, taking criticisms seriously, and making changes when necessary.

The weight of harm: A Response to “Editor’s Note: Societal changes and expression of concern about Rekers and Lovaas’ (1974) Behavioral Treatment of Deviant Sex-Role Behaviors in a Male Child”

In 1974, Rekers and Lovaas published an article in the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis (JABA) wherein the authors coached a 4-year-old child’s parents to ignore and physically abuse him when he engaged in behaviors that were identified by the authors as inappropriate for a child whose sex assigned at birth was male. In October 2020, a Statement of Concern regarding Rekers and Lovaas (1974) was published in JABA (SEAB & LeBlanc, 2020), which described concerns regarding the paper and then provided justification for the journal’s decision to not retract this paper. In this current response, I provide a counterpoint to the Statement of Concern, arguing that (a) the available evidence strongly suggests that the original study was unethical and misaligned with the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), and (b) the evidence presented to support its contemporaneous ethicality is insufficient. I end with an argument that Rekers and Lovaas (1974) should be retracted and discuss the critical role of ethics and social significance for the field of ABA.

Structured visual analysis of single-case experimental design data: Developments and technological advancements.

Visual analysis is the primary method used to interpret single-case experimental design (SCED) data in applied behavior analysis. Research shows that agreement between visual analysts can be suboptimal at times. To address the inconsistent interpretations of SCED data, recent structured visual-analysis technological advancements have been developed. To assess the extent to which structured visual analysis is used to guide or supplement applied behavior analysts' interpretation of SCED graphs, a systematic review between the years of 2015 to 2020 in the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis was conducted. Findings showed that despite recent efforts to develop structured visual-analysis tools and criteria, these methods are rarely used to analyze SCED data. An overview of structured visual-analysis tools is shared, their utility is delineated, common characteristics are brought to light, and future directions for both research and their clinical use are highlighted.

The Progression of Experimental Design and Data Analysis in Applied Behavior Analysis

ABSTRACT Single subject design and visual analysis have become the standard for conducting and interpreting research in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). These methods can be traced in behavioral literature from the early 1900s and were revolutionized by Skinner’s philosophy of radical behaviorism. This ultimately led to a divergence in methods between behaviorism and the rest of psychology. Skinner’s divergence from conventional methods of research (group design and statistical analysis) may have historical underpinnings. His unique methods and philosophy led to the establishment of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior (EAB), Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis (JABA). The prevalence of conventional methods of research in behavior analytic literature remains unknown. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to (1) report the history of research methods and data analysis in ABA and JABA and (2) analyze trends in methods within JABA to determine whether they are progressive.

Evaluation of accepted and rejected submissions in the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis: Gender and experience.

Researchers have examined factors of authors such as sex of author, gender identity, and seniority within the field of behavior analysis to determine if any biases towards a certain group existed. Most recently, Kranak et al. (2020) found that women and new authors are well-represented in the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis (JABA). However, that analysis included only published manuscripts. Thus, the degree to which these subpopulations are proportionally represented is unknown, because that analysis was unable to determine how often these subpopulations are submitting manuscripts. Therefore, the purpose of the current investigation was to extend Kranak et al. and analyze all accepted and rejected manuscripts submitted to JABA from 2015 - 2019. Results indicated that women and men had nearly identical acceptance rates during this time period, whereas veteran authors' acceptance rate was nearly 2.5 times greater than that of new authors. Implications for publishing, reviewing, and research mentorship practices are discussed.

A Systematic Replication of Teaching Children With Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities Correct Responding to False-Belief Tasks.

Behavioral research has demonstrated that children with autism spectrum disorder can be taught to recognize the false beliefs of others using video modeling (e.g., Charlop-Christy & Daneshvar Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 5(1), 12-21, 2003; LeBlanc et al. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 36(2), 253-257, 2003). The current study extended such research by teaching three children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and other developmental disabilities to respond appropriately to false-belief tasks using behavioral intervention strategies conducted in the natural environment with people in their enviornment. We used a nonconcurrent multiple-baseline across-participants design to evaluate the use of multiple-exemplar training, prompting, and reinforcement for training correct responses with two false-belief tasks: the hide-and-seek task and the M&Ms task. We also conducted a pre/posttest of an untrained false-belief task, the Sally-Anne task. All participants learned to pass the hide-and-seek task and the M&Ms task and improved on their performance on the Sally-Anne task during the posttest.

Questões conceituais e metodológicas quanto ao Reforçamento Não Contingente na intervenção de pessoas com desenvolvimento atípico

O reforçamento não contingente (non-contingent reinforcement - NCR) é um procedimento da Análise do Comportamento Aplicada baseado na apresentação de itens ou disponibilização de atividades preferidas de acordo com intervalos de tempo pré-estabelecidos e de forma independente da emissão de respostas-alvo. Apesar de frequentemente ser utilizado com sucesso na redução de comportamentos disruptivos ou problemáticos, não há consenso sobre quais os processos envolvidos e responsáveis pelas mudanças comportamentais observadas. Este artigo teórico-conceitual discute cada um dos possíveis processos relacionados ao NCR e elucidados nos primeiros estudos empíricos sobre o assunto publicados no Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis (JABA) na década de noventa; também considera as contribuições de meta-análises publicadas no JABA na última década e estudos feitos nos últimos três anos para esclarecer os mecanismos pelos quais o NCR suprime respostas. Conclui-se que os efeitos do NCR derivam de uma combinação de fatores que devem ser considerados na construção do “pacote” de intervenção desenhado para cada indivíduo.