Association for Behavior Analysis International

Behavioral teleconsultation utilizes the procedures of behavioral consultation through the use of modern technologies (e.g., smartphones, tablets, laptops, smart watches) to conduct interviews, observe behavior and collect data, and coach parents and school staff. This occurs across different modalities including videoconferencing software, phone conversations, email, and text message, among others. Despite their availability, these technologies are not being utilized to their potential to reach underserved populations (Fischer, Clark, Asking, & Lehman, in press). The current study evaluated the procedural fidelity of telepresence robot behavioral teleconsultation with teachers in underserved areas of Utah. Through behavioral teleconsultation, teachers and parents (hereafter consultees) were instructed to implement compliance procedures under the supervision of a trained behavioral consultant; wherein data on client behavior and consultee procedural fidelity was collected. Consultees were evaluated on procedural fidelity, and received behavior specific feedback based on the data collected. Visual analysis of the data showed an increase in student compliance, with high levels of procedural fidelity across participants. Although feedback and further training may be necessary during the provision of behavioral teleconsultation services, it could also address shortages of behavior analysts in underserved areas, as well as increase access to services for students with disabilities.

Observing emotional responses is recognized as a valuable clinical skill in a variety of professions including applied behavior analysis. Emotional responses can flag possible contingencies thereby guiding a behavior analysts selection of measures, goals, and effective procedures. Noticing emotional responses during family interactions allows behavior analysts to identify potential interlocking contingencies and design effective interventions. Emotional responses are socially significant and behavior analysts are sometimes called upon to help increase desirable emotions or to teach clients to observe emotional responses. Two studies evaluated the effects of a workshop on the description of emotional responses by behavior analysts-in-training. Rather than teaching students to observe the topographies of emotional responses, the workshops focused on the creation of a verbal community in which descriptions of relations between emotional behaviors and environmental events were reinforced. The first study evaluated the effects of the workshop utilizing an A-B design. The second study utilized a multiple baseline design. Both studies used probe assessments in which participants watched short video clips of family interactions and wrote descriptive narratives creating a permanent record for quantitative evaluation and analysis. Results are discussed in the context of training applied behavior analysts and the role of emotions in clinical practice.