ABA Inside Track

As 2019 comes to a close, we're joined by our podcasting buddy, Matt Cicoria, of the Behavioral Observations podcast to wax philosophical about all the going's-on in behavior analysis in the past 12 months. From memorials to trends in research and practice we'd like to see continue to our hopes for the next year of our science. Wishing all of you Happy Holidays!

NOTE: This episode is no longer available for CEs.

Well, how nice of you to stop by the ol' campfire. Pull up a log, why dontcha? We're just swappin' stories, stories about our favorite research topics. Care for a marshmallow with chocolate and graham crackers? You can make one of those, whaddya call 'em. S'mores? Do you have a favorite research article to spin a yarn about? Something to keep the dark and cold away? Here, why don't I start…

Articles discussed this episode:

Bowman, L.G., Hardesty, S.L., Sigurdsson, S.O., McIvor, M., Orchowitz, P.M., Wagner, L.L., & Hagopian, L.P. (2019). Utilizing group-based contingencies to increase hand washing in a large human service setting. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 12, 600-611. doi: 10.1007/s40617-018-00328-z

Sheply, C. & Grisham-Brown, J. (2019). Applied behavior analysis in early childhood education: An overview of policies, research, blended practices, and the curriculum framework. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 12, 235-246. doi: 10.1007/s40617-018-0236-x

Ingul, J.M., Havik, T., & Heyne, D. (2019). Emerging school refusal: A school-based framework for identifying early signs and risk factors. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 26, 46-62. doi: 10.1016/j.cbpra.2018.03.005

IMPORTANT NOTICE: To earn CEUs for listening, you MUST sign up and listen to this episode on our website to get credit.

To listen for the fun of learning? Just push play!

Email us at [email protected] for further assistance.

We got tired of executive functioning feeling like some ephemeral concept so we decided to reach out to someone who wrote a book on the subject, Dr. Adel Najdowski to demystify the term. Besides getting a great behavioral definition of executive functioning, we also get a whole boatload of tips on how to teach these very important skills. We're pretty sure this episode is so fun, you won't have to worry about maintaining focus!

PRODUCTION NOTE: Due to some wonky technical problems, this episode has a few choppy bits in the audio. It doesn't spoil any of the content, but we wanted to give you the heads-up so you were prepared.

Articles discussed this episode:

Najdowski, A.C. (2017). Flexible and focused. San Diego, CA: Academic Press.

With so much holiday shopping to do, we're keeping our topics fun and light this month. First up we'll be talking with Dr. Adel Najdowski all about executive functioning. Seriously, all about it. Then we'll dive into the old grab bag for three topics totally unrelated to each other. And, on December 25th, everybody gets a special bonus episode Christmas present!

Articles for December 2019

Executive Functioning w/ Dr. Adel Najdowski

Najdowski, A.C. (2017). Flexible and focused. San Diego, CA: Academic Press.

Grab Bag IX: Research S'Mores

Bowman, L.G., Hardesty, S.L., Sigurdsson, S.O., McIvor, M., Orchowitz, P.M., Wagner, L.L., & Hagopian, L.P. (2019). Utilizing group-based contingencies to increase hand washing in a large human service setting. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 12, 600-611. doi: 10.1007/s40617-018-00328-z

Sheply, C. & Grisham-Brown, J. (2019). Applied behavior analysis in early childhood education: An overview of policies, research, blended practices, and the curriculum framework. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 12, 235-246. doi: 10.1007/s40617-018-0236-x

Ingul, J.M., Havik, T., & Heyne, D. (2019). Emerging school refusal: A school-based framework for identifying early signs and risk factors. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 26, 46-62. doi: 10.1016/j.cbpra.2018.03.005

This year the Berkshire Association of Behavior Analysis and Therapy (BABAT), our regional conference, celebrated it's 40th anniversary. As a special treat, the BABAT board asked us at ABA Inside Track to interview guest speakers and attendees to celebrate this momentous occasion. It took Rob a while to edit together THREE HOURS of awesome conversations about BABAT, but now, here it is in all it's glory. Listen to some of the best minds in the field and their thoughts on the BABAT conference, its history, present, and future.

Big thanks to Stacie Bancroft, Liz Martineau, Maureen Kelly, Alison Bergenholtz, Christal Braughton, Ryan Laurie, Beth, Cheryl Lynn Guarini, Catharine Sorenson, Natalie Mandel, Carolyn Beaumier, Colleen Callahan, Leslie Quiroz, Kim Madar, Katy Trust, Brandon Richardson, Amy Weinstock, Kendra Guinness, Sam Breeman, Terry Paretti, Nan Leonard, Mary Jane Weiss, Mike Dorsey, Alan Harchick, Jason Bourret, John Austin, Brian Blair, Jeff Tiger, Ivy Chong, Amanda LePrime, Francesca Espinoza, Ilene Schwartz, Terry Falcamata, Jeanne Donaldson, Joel Ringdahl, Einar Ingvarsson, Alan Neuringer, David Wilder, Jim Carr, Bill Ahearn, and Dave Palmer for their gracious gift of time.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: To earn CEUs for listening, you MUST sign up and listen to this episode on our website to get credit.

To listen for the fun of learning? Just push play!

Email us at [email protected] for further assistance.

I hope that you're listening closely, paying attention, because that's all we'll be talking about on this week's episode. Whether you think of attending as looking at the teaching, looking at your work, or looking at yourself, attending plays a big part in learning. So, let's get focused!

Articles discussed this episode:

Broden, M., Bruce, C., Mitchell, M.A., Carter, V., & Hall, R.V. (1970). Effects of teacher attention on attending behavior of two boys at adjacent desks. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 3, 205-211. doi: 10.1901/jaba.1970.3-199.

Walpole, C.W., Roscoe, E.M., & Dube, W.V. (2007). Use of a differential observing response to expand restricted stimulus control. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 40, 707-712. doi: 10.1901/jaba.2007.707-712

Holifield, C., Goodman, J., Hazelkorn, M., & Heflin, L.J. (2010). Using self-monitoring to increase attending to task and academic accuracy in children with autism. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 25, 230-238. doi: 10.1177/1088357610380137

IMPORTANT NOTICE: To earn CEUs for listening, you MUST sign up and listen to this episode on our website to get credit.

To listen for the fun of learning? Just push play!

Email us at [email protected] for further assistance.

Speedy Delivery ain't got nothing on us this episode as we sign, seal, and deliver all of our pressing ethical concerns to special guest, Dr. Darren Sush. Much like a BCBA Dear Abby, Dr. Sush discusses an array of ethical quandries pulled straight from his new book "A Workbook of Ethical Case Scenarios in Applied Behavior Analysis". It's almost two whole hours of ethical discussion! Sincerely, your friends from ABA Inside Track.

Articles discussed this episode:

Sush, D.J. & Najdowski, A.C. (2019). A workbook of ethical case scenarios in applied behavior analysis. San Diego, CA: Academic Press.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: To earn CEUs for listening, you MUST sign up and listen to this episode on our website to get credit.

To listen for the fun of learning? Just push play!

Email us at [email protected] for further assistance.

If you thought behavior assessment was hard, how much harder does it get when you add in the challenges of working with individuals from a different cultural background? We pose the question to special guest Dr. Liz Hughes-Fong and find out just how much more we have to learn about improving our cultural competence.

Articles discussed this episode:

Mandell, D.S. & Novak, M. (2005). The role of culture in families' treatment decisions for children with autism spectrum disorders. Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities, 11, 110-115. doi:10.1002/mrdd.20061

Salend, S.J. & Taylor, L.S. (2002). Cultural perspectives: Missing pieces in the functional assessment process. Intervention in School and Clinic, 38, 104-112. doi: 10.1177/10534512020380020601

Tanaka-Matsumi, J., Seiden, D.Y., Lam, K.N. (1996). The culturally informed functional assessment (CIFA) interview: A strategy for cross-cultural behavioral practice. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 3, 215-233. doi: 10.1016/S1077-7229(96)80015-0

When we weren't attending amazing talks or giving our own—and when we weren't enjoying all the snacks in between activities—we were able to meet up with a number of students presenting at the Thompson Center for Autism Conference poster session. We thought you'd like to hear about some of the work coming out of the University of Missouri and beyond. Thanks to everyone who took the time to talk with us…especially anyone who had to do their talk twice when I failed to turn on my recorder!

Poster Presentations:

John P. Hegarty II, Stanford University. Neuroimaging predictors of benefits from pivotal response treatment for children with autism.

Briann Sutton, University of Missouri. Identifying disparities in autism spectrum disorder diagnostic processes.

Genevieve Weaver, Liberty University. Autism spectrum disorders and positive familial effects.

Kelly Boland, University of Missouri. Examining visual perception in autism spectrum disorder: The role of anxiety.

Laura Avery, University of Missouri. Statistical learning as it relates to language and autism: A literature review.

Brandon K. May, Southern Illinois University-Carbondale. Towards a comprehensive approach: An evaluation of the PEAK Challenging Behavior Assessment.

Austin Bateman, University of Missouri. The more the merrier? The BCBA interdisciplinary practices questionnaire.

Mallory Stevens, University of Missouri. Preteaching keywords to increase reading skills of students with intellectual disabilities.

Pay attention, because we're only telling you once. This November, we're thankful for all of our awesome guests! First, Dr. Liz Hughes-Fong joins us to share all of her knowledge on developing cultural competence in the area of assessment. Then, Dr. Darren Sush calls in to judge our ethical answers to his ethical scenarios for almost 2 HOURS!! Finally, we take it easy with a review of research all about attending. What are you thankful for in behavior analysis?

Articles for November 2019

Culturally Competent Assessment w/ Dr. Elizabeth Hughes-Fong

Mandell, D.S. & Novak, M. (2005). The role of culture in families' treatment decisions for children with autism spectrum disorders. Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities, 11, 110-115. doi:10.1002/mrdd.20061

Salend, S.J. & Taylor, L.S. (2002). Cultural perspectives: Missing pieces in the functional assessment process. Intervention in School and Clinic, 38, 104-112. doi: 10.1177/10534512020380020601

Tanaka-Matsumi, J., Seiden, D.Y., Lam, K.N. (1996). The culturally informed functional assessment (CIFA) interview: A strategy for cross-cultural behavioral practice. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 3, 215-233. doi: 10.1016/S1077-7229(96)80015-0

Ethics Mailbag w/ Dr. Darren Sush

Sush, D.J. & Najdowski, A.C. (2019). A workbook of ethical case scenarios in applied behavior analysis. San Diego, CA: Academic Press.

Attending

Broden, M., Bruce, C., Mitchell, M.A., Carter, V., & Hall, R.V. (1970). Effects of teacher attention on attending behavior of two boys at adjacent desks. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 3, 205-211. doi: 10.1901/jaba.1970.3-199.

Walpole, C.W., Roscoe, E.M., & Dube, W.V. (2007). Use of a differential observing response to expand restricted stimulus control. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 40, 707-712. doi: 10.1901/jaba.2007.707-712

Holifield, C., Goodman, J., Hazelkorn, M., & Heflin, L.J. (2010). Using self-monitoring to increase attending to task and academic accuracy in children with autism. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 25, 230-238. doi: 10.1177/1088357610380137