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Health, Sports and Fitness Activity: Cardiokickboxing |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
7:00 AM–7:50 AM |
Lenox |
Chair: Elise Cooke (Holliston Public Schools) |
Presenting Authors: |
Give your body a break from sitting down all weekend. Discover how task analyses, modeling and imitation, positive and negative reinforcement, behavioral momentum, and shaping procedures can combine into a heart-healthy cardio workout! Non-contingent water breaks will be provided. Motivating operations will be taken into consideration. All ABA members and guests are welcome; instruction will be differentiated to ensure that individuals of all fitness levels can be successful. |
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ABA Business Meeting |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
8:00 AM–8:50 AM |
Montreal |
Domain: Applied Research |
Chair: Frances K. McSweeney (Washington State University) |
Panelists: KEITH D. ALLEN (Professional Affairs Board Coordinator), THOMAS S. CRITCHFIELD (Program Board Coordinator), RAMONA HOUMANFAR (Senior Program Co-Chair), R. DOUGLAS GREER (Affiliated Chapters Board Coordinator), MARIA E. MALOTT (Executive Director/Secretary Treasurer), PAMELA G. OSNES (Education Board Coordinator), CAROL PILGRIM (Publications Board Coordinator), KATHRYN SAUNDERS (Science Policy and Research Board Coordinator), RACHEL S. F. TARBOX (Membership Board Coordinator) |
Abstract: ABA Business Meeting |
KEITH D. ALLEN (Professional Affairs Board Coordinator) |
THOMAS S. CRITCHFIELD (Program Board Coordinator) |
RAMONA HOUMANFAR (Senior Program Co-Chair) |
R. DOUGLAS GREER (Affiliated Chapters Board Coordinator) |
MARIA E. MALOTT (Executive Director/Secretary Treasurer) |
PAMELA G. OSNES (Education Board Coordinator) |
CAROL PILGRIM (Publications Board Coordinator) |
KATHRYN SAUNDERS (Science Policy and Research Board Coordinator) |
RACHEL S. F. TARBOX (Membership Board Coordinator) |
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"Data Language" and the Molar/Molecular Debate |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
9:00 AM–9:50 AM |
Roswell |
Area: TPC |
Chair: Ana Barbara Neves (University of North Texas) |
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Reviewing the Molar vs. Molecular Debate |
Domain: Theory |
N. JOSEPH RODRIGUES (University of Nevada, Reno), Ramona Houmanfar (University of Nevada, Reno) |
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Abstract: The molar vs. molecular debate has been a longstanding discussion within behavior analysis. In this paper we review and compare the main points made by each side. In addition, we consider the utility of each view and examine the possibility of reconciliation between the two views. In doing so we attempt to find a way for behaviorists to accept and adopt each view when useful. |
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The Voice of the Philosophical Fly about the Concept “Data Llanguage”: Is “data language” in behavior analysis theoretically neutral? |
Domain: Theory |
ANA BARBARA NEVES (University of North Texas), Jesus Rosales-ruiz (University of North Texas) |
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Abstract: Definitions of the concept “data language” are related to the notion of theoretical neutrality, which rests in a categorical separation between fact and theory. However, the view of scientists as organisms that behave and the construction of science as the product of scientific behavior - which is, by definition, a relation between the organism and the environment - are in conflict with the concept of neutrality in science. The present paper will define “data language” as well as other related concepts and terms important to this definition (neutrality, theoretically neutral, philosophically neutral, objectivity, subjectivity, etc.). Their philosophical schools will be identified, some examples will be presented and the case will be made that other definitions or criteria are needed to facilitate communication among scientists. In particular, issues related to stimulus control and conditioning histories of individual scientists will be discussed. In this context, the “criteria of intersubjectivity” will be explored as a more appropriate concept than “data language”. |
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2006 ABA Tutorial: Professional Development Series: Introduction to Precision Teaching. |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
9:00 AM–9:50 AM |
Centennial Ballroom II |
Area: TBA; Domain: Applied Research |
CE Instructor: Kent Johnson, Ph.D. |
Chair: Katie Endicott (Utah State University) |
KENT JOHNSON (Morningside Academy), Kendra L. Brooks Rickard (University of Nevada, Reno) |
Dr. Kent Johnson founded Morningside Academy, in Seattle, Washington, in 1980, and currently serves as its Executive Director. Morningside is a laboratory school for elementary and middle school children and youth. Morningside investigates effective curriculum materials and teaching methods, and has provided training and consulting in instruction to over 90 schools and agencies throughout the USA and Canada since 1991. Dr. Johnson has served in all the positions at Morningside, including classroom teacher for 10 years, financial manager, administrator, teacher trainer, school psychologist and school consultant. He has published several seminal papers about research-based curriculum and teaching methods. Most recently he published a book, The Morningside Model of Generative Instruction: What It Means to Leave No Child Behind, with Dr. Elizabeth Street (2004, Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies). The Morningside Model focuses upon foundation skills in reading, writing, mathematics, thinking, reasoning, problem solving, studying core content, and project-based learning. Over 18,000 students and over a thousand teachers have used the Morningside Model of Generative Instruction. Dr. Johnson is also a co-founder of Headsprout, Inc., a Seattle-based company funded by investors to develop web-based, interactive, cartoon-driven instructional programs. The first product is currently available: Headsprout Early Reading, from headsprout.com. Prior to founding Morningside, Dr. Johnson was professor at Central Washington University, director of staff training at the Fernald School in Massachusetts, and instructional designer at Northeastern University in Boston. He received his M.S. (1974) and Ph.D. (1977) in psychology at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst under the mentorship of Drs. Beth Sulzer-Azaroff, Ellen Reese, and John Donahue. He received his B.S. in psychology and sociology from Georgetown University (1973), under the mentorship of Dr. J Gilmour Sherman. He also counts Drs. Fred Keller, Charles Ferster, B. F. Skinner, Susan Markle, John Dewey, Robert Gagne, Siegfried Engelmann, Ogden Lindsey, Israel Goldiamond, Arthur Whimbey, and colleague Joe Layng as major influences on his work. Dr. Johnson enjoys reading philosophy, mysteries, ancient history, psychology, and books about teaching and children. He also enjoys rock, electronic downbeat and ambient music; and talking about politics and public policy. |
Abstract: Precision Teaching is a method of monitoring the frequency of performance on a specially designed graph known as the standard celeration chart. Users of the chart record the frequency of a behavior, a measure that is maximally sensitive to events that influence behavior. The chart incorporates a multiple scale to most adequately reflect the growth of behavior over time. By drawing a line through the frequencies of behavior over time the user can also quantitatively measure learning: the acceleration and deceleration of behavior. I will describe how Precision Teaching has been integrated in Morningside Academys Generative Instruction model as a core technology. Using charted data as our guide we have developed frequency-building procedures to improve the academic as well as social and interpersonal behaviors that we teach our students. Specifically, charted data have helped us to maximize the accuracy of performance as well as the acceleration of behavior to frequencies that predict retention, endurance, stability and application of behavior. These outcomes we collectively define as behavioral fluency. Charted data across a range of instructional objectives will be presented, showing the influence of various instructional interventions upon performance accuracy and celeration. The charted data come from our laboratory school in Seattle, Morningside Academy, CAL Learning Center in Reno, Nevada, and from many of the 97 public schools and agencies Morningside has had partnerships with throughout the USA and Canada. I will also show how frequency building and celeration have been incorporated in our online, interactive early reading program, Headsprout. BCBAs and BCABAs will learn an important technology that they can immediately implement in their research or with their clients. |
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Autism Then and Now |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
9:00 AM–9:50 AM |
Centennial Ballroom III |
Area: AUT |
Chair: charryse M. Fouquette (University of Kansas & LIFE: Midwest) |
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The History of Autism Research and Intervention: Was Ferster First? |
Domain: Applied Research |
CHARRYSE M. FOUQUETTE (University of Kansas & LIFE: Midwest), Edward K. Morris (University of Kansas) |
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Abstract: The contributions of behavior analysis to the understanding and treatment of autism have been among the field’s most notable achievements. Historically, the origins have been attributed to Wolf, Risley, and Mees (1964) and Lovaas’s program of research and application (e.g., Lovaas, Schreibman, Koegel, & Rehm, 1971). Lost in this history are the pioneering contributions of Charles B. Ferster. Our paper describes Ferster’s relevant research and interventions, using primary and secondary sources, oral histories, and archival materials. This work began in 1958, when he moved to the Indiana University Medical Center in Indianapolis, IN. It continued after his move in 1962 to the Institute for Behavioral Research and Linwood Children’s Center in Maryland. It ended around 1963 when his interests began shifting toward education. In between, he conducted descriptive and experimental analyses of the behavior of children with autism (i.e., human operant research) and undertook intervention research (e.g., applied behavior analysis). In addition, he offered behavior-analytic conceptualizations of autism (e.g., origins, diagnosis, treatment). We conclude that, in autism, Ferster was arguably the first behavior analyst. |
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Two Reasons to Reconsider an Autism Epidemic |
Domain: Service Delivery |
JASON ALAN MARSHALL (California State University, Fresno), Criss Wilhite (California State University, Fresno) |
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Abstract: Evidence supporting and disconfirming an increase in the incidence of autism is reviewed. Gernsbacher, Dawson and Hill (2005) and others claim perceived increases are due to more public awareness, the widening of DSM diagnostic criteria and categories, and the inclusion of autism as an IDEA category in the early 1990s. These authors claim the California Department of Developmental Services (CDDS) report supporting increases is flawed. The inaccuracy of critiques of the CDDS study is described. In addition, if children currently diagnosed with the milder versions now included in the DSM had been present in high numbers in earlier years, they would have had done poorly in school or have entered into state hospitals and care homes and would have been labeled as people with disabilities. There is little epidemiological evidence that these children received diagnoses other than autism prior to 1987. |
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Collaboration in Autism Intervention |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
9:00 AM–9:50 AM |
Regency VII |
Area: AUT |
Chair: David L. Holmes (Lifespan Services, LLC) |
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ABA as a Delivery System; Unraveling the Confusion between ABA and the Disciplines of Education, Speech, O.T., P.T. and Psychology |
Domain: Applied Research |
DAVID L. HOLMES (Lifespan Services, LLC) |
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Abstract: Throughout the annals of ABA there has been an ongoing controversy over whether ABA is a discipline unto itself or a means to ensure the resources of other disciplines are delivered in an effective and productive manner. This presentation will attempt to quantify the importance of ABA as a delivery system; a delivery system not unlike the United Parcel Service [UPS]. With UPS there is no particular concern regarding what is in the package to be delivered but a significant concern regarding the address of the recipient. The sender and receiver are concerned with the content of the package and that it is delivered to the correct address and in a timely fashion. Frequently, those of us in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis, spend too much time making certain that the delivery vehicle is "gassed" and "properly tuned" and that the "delivery route is clearly established". What we fail to attend to are the contents of the "packages" we are delivering nor the appropriate "address" of the recipient. This presentation will address the powerful delivery system called ABA and attempt to establish its role in ensuring that appropriate services are delivered in a timely fashion. We will review the role of Developmental/Evaluative Psychology in determining the "address" of the recipient, i.e., the developmental needs of the individual. We will also review the role of the various therapeutic disciplines in establishing the contents of the "packages" to be delivered. By discussing this issue it is expected that attendees will have a more clear understanding of the role of ABA as a supportive discipline to the variety of other, mainstream, disciplines. By doing so it is expected that the defensiveness, so frequently found between disciplines and ABA professionals, will be mitigated and a collegiality will ensue going forward. It has often been said by many in our field that we don't need other disciplines as they are not empirically based and rely more upon "art" than "science". This presentation will attempt to "bridge" the disciplines utilizing ABA , thereby making ABA a unifying influence rather than one that is often seen as divisive. By ensuring that therapeutic/educational disciplines understand the powerfulness of ABA as a means to deliver their products, they will be more receptive to our offerings and more willing to solicit our ideas rather than ignore or reject them. |
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Strategies Used to Target Language Development in Children Diagnosed with Autism: A Behavior Analytic and Speech Pathology Collaboration |
Domain: Applied Research |
KRISTIN A. WIER (The Early Intervention Center), Sherry Stayer Smeltzer (The Early Intervention Center), Rebecca Lepak (Lepak and Associates) |
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Abstract: There are numerous techniques used by Behavior Analysts today that target increasing a child’s vocal response and the development of language. This discussion will cover some techniques used to increase language in children diagnosed with Autism. Several case studies will be summarized. Participants are individuals diagnosed with Autism who ranged in ages from 2 to 8 years at the time of the study. Participants completed a specially designed pre and post test and preference assessments. The Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Third Edition was also given to participants to include a norm-based reference. |
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The Use of Equine Therapy to Increase Social Communicative Behavior in Children with Autism |
Domain: Applied Research |
K. MARK DERBY (Gonzaga University), Kimberly Nelson (Gonzaga University), Anjali Barretto (Gonzaga University), Janelle Axtell (Gonzaga University) |
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Abstract: The effects of using equine therapy to increase social interaction in children diagnosed with Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) were evaluated using an ABAB reversal design. Three boys between the ages of two and a half and four years of age were evaluated. Two of the boys were identified as having ASD the third subject has show social deficits in speech, language, and communication, however is not identified with ASD at this time. Baseline data were collected prior to and after the first initial treatment phase. During the baseline phase the therapist tried to engage the client in the therapeutic activities which would be applied while riding the horse. The horse was present during the baseline phases of treatment on the opposite end of the arena. During the treatment phase the horse was introduced. The therapist engaged the client in activities and communication while riding or working with the horse. The results from this study indicate an increase in communication during the use of equine therapy in all three subjects. |
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How Hard-Nosed is Behaviorism? |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
9:00 AM–9:50 AM |
Centennial Ballroom I |
Area: EAB; Domain: Basic Research |
CE Instructor: Jennifer J. Higa, Ph.D. |
Chair: Jennifer J. Higa (Texas Christian University) |
JOHN E. R. STADDON (Duke University) |
Dr. John Staddon is James B. Duke Professor of Psychology, and Professor of Biology and Neurobiology at Duke University and an honorary professor at the University of York, UK. He obtained his BSc at University College, London, his PhD in Experimental Psychology at Harvard University and has a Docteur Honoris Cause degree from the Université Charles de Gaulle, Lille 3, France. He has also done research at MIT, Oxford University, the University of São Paulo at Riberão Preto, the University of Mexico, the Ruhr Universität, Universität Konstanz and the University of Western Australia. His research is on the evolution and mechanisms of learning in animals and humans and the history and philosophy of psychology and biology; he has also written on public-policy issues. He is a past editor of the journals Behavioural Processes and Behavior & Philosophy. His laboratory in recent years has studied simulated detection of landmines, optimality analysis and the economics of behavior, mechanisms of choice behavior and interval timing in animals. He is the author of approximately 200 research papers and five books, including Adaptive Behavior and Learning (Cambridge University Press, 1983, and 2003 internet edition), The New Behaviorism: Mind, Mechanism and Society (Psychology Press, 2001), and Adaptive Dynamics: The Theoretical Analysis of Behavior (MIT/Bradford, 2001). |
Abstract: Behaviorism is usually thought to be the most rigorous approach to psychology its critics view it as simplistic. But I will argue that behaviorism, like cognitive psychology, has succumbed to the invasion of the abstract noun, studying generalities like choice, timing, and risk, rather than the processes that drive real behavior and hint at its physiological basis. |
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Innovations in Autism Intervention |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
9:00 AM–9:50 AM |
Regency V |
Area: AUT |
Chair: David Garcia (Behavior Analysis Inc.) |
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Evidence for the Effectiveness of 10 Hours per Week of Verbal Behavior Therapy |
Domain: Applied Research |
DAVID GARCIA (Behavior Analysis Inc.), Stephen P. Starin (Behavior Analysis Inc.), Pamela A. Tibbetts (Behavior Analysis Inc.) |
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Abstract: Previous research suggests that 20-40 hours per week of discrete-trial training or early intensive behavioral intervention are required in order to achieve desirable outcomes for individuals with developmental disabilities. The current study examined the effectiveness of providing 10-hours per week of verbal behavior services to children with autism. We also examined whether providing 20 hours per week would result in significant increases in number of new skills acquired, when compared to 10 hours per week. Significant progress in the number of skills learned per week was achieved by children receiving 10-hours per week. Children receiving 20-hours per week made even more significant gains. |
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Therapy, Training, and Consulting Skills: Three Skill Sets Autism Therapists Need to be Specifically Taught |
Domain: Service Delivery |
COLIN PEELER (Behavior Solutions, Inc.), Lela Cloer Reynolds (Perspectives Corporation) |
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Abstract: ABA therapists working with children with autism often start as a therapist and as they improve their therapy skills they are promoted through the ranks (lead therapist, supervisor, and ultimately consultant). However, each role requires a different skill set. The purpose of this study was to determine whether autism therapists were learning training and consulting skills and to teach these skills if they were not. The participants in this study included 4 senior therapists (3 female and 1 male), 2 new female therapists, and 2 boys with autism. A multiple baseline design across therapists and behaviors was used to evaluate the effects of a training program on therapy skills, training skills, and consulting skills. Results revealed that the senior therapists scored above 80% on therapy skills throughout the duration of the study. During baseline senior therapists scored below 40% on training and consulting skills. Once training on training skills began, the senior therapists met the criterion of 100% correct training skills but did not demonstrate improvements in consulting skills. Results of this study highlight the importance of training the specific skill sets therapists are required to perform before they are placed in that position within an autism therapy program. |
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After Discrete Trial Training: What Happens at Age 13? |
Domain: Applied Research |
LINDA K. HAYMES (Spectrum Center) |
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Abstract: As practitioners and researchers in the field of applied behavior analysis we are very familiar with the early studies that demonstrated the effectiveness of ABA techniques for children with autism. According to Lovaas (1987) 47% of the children that participated in an intensive long-term treatment program achieved normal functioning. Many of the students that don't achieve "normal functioning" by school age continue to be educated through discrete trail training whether in specialized schools or home-based programs. These discrete trial programs typically continue only through the Elementary school year. There is a plethora of studies looking at the early intervention services for this population but there is nothing available for students age 13 and up. We do not have researched methodologies for effective instruction for this population. With the rise in autism seen in California and across the US it is imperative we have treatment plans and researched methods for this age population too. In this address we will present a model of instruction that we have developed at Spectrum Center. Components of this model include an academic focus, group instruction, training with socially competent peers, job preparation skills, community training, natural opportunities for instruction, computer-based instruction, and social skills training. |
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Language Development in Children with Autism |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
9:00 AM–9:50 AM |
Chicago A-F |
Area: AUT |
Chair: Deborah E. Factora (Cleveland Clinic Center for Autism) |
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Using Sign to Promote Communication: Experience from a Center-Based ABA Early Childhood Program |
Domain: Applied Research |
DEBORAH E. FACTORA (Cleveland Clinic Center for Autism), Aletta Sinoff (Cleveland Clinic Center for Autism), Leslie V. Sinclair (Cleveland Clinic Center for Autism), Stacy N. Powell (Cleveland Clinic Center for Autism) |
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Abstract: Total communication (the simultaneous use of spoken and sign language) is a well-accepted methodology used to teach language and communication skills to young nonverbal children with a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Studies have demonstrated that this approach facilitates spoken language acquisition in some children. Research also indicates that children with autism may gain sign communication skills in the absence of spoken language acquisition. This paper will present individual case studies of preschool students receiving total communication teaching as a component of a center-based ABA program. The presentation will focus on the language and communication outcome of these students, examining both the success and difficulty associated with applying this methodology to facilitate spoken language development, and more broadly, communication development, in children with autism. |
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Teaching Vocal Behavior, Reading and Writing: Using a Multisensory Approach to Early Language |
Domain: Applied Research |
TERESA A. GRIMES (Whole Child Consulting), Steven J. Ward (Whole Child Consulting) |
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Abstract: Many early learners demonstrate extreme difficulty in producing and controlling their vocalizations. Current best practice includes protocols that are effective for many children. There are still some children for whom speaking is too difficult to function as a primary response form. For many children with difficulties learning to control vocalizations, a multisensory approach, (i.e., students hear sounds while looking at letter, the teacher's facial cues, etc. and produces the sound, selects correct letter, writes the letter sound, etc.) has proven highly successful. The Association Method uses multiple input and output channels for a comprehensive approach to speaking and receptive behavior. This paper will describe behavioral applications of the Association Method used with at least three children, including data from previous interventions. |
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The Importance of Teaching Gestural Responses as a Precursor to Spoken Language |
Domain: Applied Research |
NANCY G. SCHUSSLER (Behavioral Dimensions - MPLS), Jacqueline M. Harth (Behavioral Dimensions), Cara Ann Dreyer (Behavioral Dimensions), Beth Isakson (Behavioral Dimensions) |
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Abstract: Many children with autism who begin an intensive behavioral intervention program display little or no communication or language behavior. Many programs focus on teaching spoken language responses. Teaching children to speak may take months or years of intensive work. In the meantime, children are left without an effective means of communicating basic needs to their caregivers. This presentation will discuss the rationale for teaching simple gestural responses in an effort to enable children to begin communicating basic messages rapidly while their language skills are being developed. Program content and video demonstrations will be provided. |
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Activity as an Antecedent Intervention to Enhance Academic Performance |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
9:00 AM–10:20 AM |
University |
Area: EDC; Domain: Applied Research |
Chair: David L. Lee (Pennsylvania State University) |
Discussant: Janice A. Grskovic (Indiana University Northwest) |
Abstract: According to the optimal stimulation theory, individuals engage in instrumental behavior to help regulate levels of stimulation (Leuba, 1955). More recently researchers have applied this biobehavioral theory in an effort to explain the behavior of students with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. In a series of studies over the past 25 years Zentall and colleagues found that children with ADHD require higher levels of stimulation and habituate to that stimulation more quickly than typical peers. One way to help children with ADHD remain on-task is to create tasks that contain high levels of stimulation and novelty. The purpose of this symposium is to present three studies that investigated the effects of fine and gross motor activity, as well as auditory stimulation on academic performance. Results will be discussed in terms of stimulation acting as a possible motivating operation for students with ADHD. |
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The Effects of Activity on the Math Performance of Students with ADHD. |
KATIE E. HILDEBRAND (Pennsylvania State University), David L. Lee (Pennsylvania State University), Youjia Hua (Pennsylvania State University), Mandy J. Kubo (Pennsylvania State University) |
Abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of embedding physical activity into academic assignments on behavior and academic responding during a math task. Several middle school students with ADHD were asked to complete math problem cards in two conditions. In the traditional condition students were given a large stack of cards and asked to work continuously for 15 minutes. In the activity condition students were asked to complete a similar set of cards. However, the students had to walk approximately 1 m - 3 m to obtain new problem cards. Results suggest that adding activity can reduce off-task behaviors (i.e., visually off-task, movement, talking, etc.) and help students maintain their rate of completion. The distance required to retrieve problem cards may also have affected student behavior. Results are discussed in terms of activity serving as a motivating operation that may affect reinforcers typically found in academic settings (e.g., problem completion). |
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The Effects of Auditory vs. Fine Motor Tactile Stimulation on the Problem Solving of Students with ADHD. |
STACEY I. EMMERT (WCISSC/Buttler University), Suneeta Kercood (Butler University), Janice A. Grskovic (Indiana University Northwest) |
Abstract: Students with ADHD exhibit increased verbalizations, motor activity, and lower levels of sustained attention during routine repetitive tasks (Zentall & Zentall, 1983). Use of large muscle activity, such as running (Bass, 1983), and fine motor activity (Grskovic et al., 2004) results in increased sustained attention and reduction of excessive motor and problem behavior for students with ADHD. A modified alternating treatments design was used to evaluate the effectiveness of auditory and fine motor physical activity during a math problem-solving task. Four students with ADHD were asked to solve math story problems presented on worksheets during two conditions for 20-minute sessions. In Condition 1, students were presented with a tactile stimulation object (squoosh ball). In Condition 2, students were asked to wear headphones with soft music playing while solving math problems. Motor behavior and the number of correctly completed word problems were measured. Results suggest that both the fine motor manipulation and auditory stimulation reduced excessive motor movement and increased task completion of students with ADHD relative to their performance in a low stimulation condition. |
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Distractibility in the Classroom: Effects of Fine Motor Activity on Mathematics Performance. |
SUNEETA KERCOOD (Butler University), Janice A. Grskovic (Indiana University Northwest) |
Abstract: Students with ADHD often have difficulty with sustained attention. They are easily distracted and respond impulsively. Research based on the optimal stimulation theory has demonstrated the effects of activity on reducing excessive verbal and motor behavior. Prior research that utilized fine motor activity showed gains in problem solving accuracy and lower levels of off-task behavior during math problem solving. However, in that study, performances were measured in a non-applied setting (not the classroom) and the writing requirements of the task may have competed with the fine motor manipulation of the simulation activity. This study evaluated the effects of the same fine motor activity (i.e., squoosh ball) on sustained attention, behavior, and performance of students with ADHD during a verbal math problem-solving task. |
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Advancement in the Treatment of Feeding Disorders: Shaping, Fading, Sensory Integration and Parental Adherence |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
9:00 AM–10:20 AM |
Kennesaw |
Area: CBM; Domain: Applied Research |
Chair: Charles S. Gulotta (Kennedy Krieger Institute) |
Abstract: There are number of well-researched behavioral treatments for children with pediatric feeding disorders. The complex nature of a feeding disorders etiology requires a range of treatment options. This symposium will continue that trend and will present four papers expanding treatment options for children with pediatric feeding disorders. Our first presentation uses a stimulus fading procedure to reduce the aversive qualities of the meal presentation by fading the distance of the spoon to the child’s mouth. The second presentation compares a behavioral treatment with a sensory integration approach to treat feeding disorders in three children. The third presentation evaluates the efficacy of a shaping procedure on the skill acquisition of food consumption. Finally, our last presentation looks at a systematic method for assessing variables associated with parental adherence to treatment protocols developed for children with a feeding disorder. |
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An Examination of Stimulus Fading and Escape Extinction in the Treatment of Food Refusal. |
MELANIE H. BACHMEYER (Marcus Autism Center), Cathleen C. Piazza (Munroe-Meyer Institute), Meeta R. Patel (Clinic 4 Kidz), Kristi D. Murphy (Marcus Autism Center) |
Abstract: Children with pediatric feeding disorders may display a variety of inappropriate mealtime behaviors (e.g., batting at the spoon, head turning) to avoid eating. It is unclear what properties of eating are aversive to children. It may be that the spoon alone has become aversive because it has been paired with an aversive experience (e.g., gagging, coughing, vomiting). Therefore, children may learn to engage in a variety of behaviors to avoid the presentation of the spoon to the mouth. Previous research has demonstrated the effectiveness of escape extinction in the treatment of food refusal in children with feeding problems. However, escape extinction has also been shown to produce some negative side effects such as extinction bursts and/or emotional responding. Therefore, three studies were conducted to compare the relative effects of escape extinction to a stimulus fading procedure (i.e., manipulating the distance of the spoon to the child’s mouth) in the treatment of food refusal. Results will be discussed in relation to the utility of using stimulus fading as a viable treatment for food refusal. Areas for further study will also be discussed. |
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A Comparison of the Effects of Escape Extinction Plus Noncontingent Reinforcement and Sensory-Integrative Treatments on Food Consumption and Food Refusal Behavior. |
LAURA R. ADDISON (Louisiana State University), Cathleen C. Piazza (Munroe-Meyer Institute), Melanie H. Bachmeyer (Marcus Autism Center), Stephanie Stoll (Marcus Autism Center), Allison Martin (Marcus Autism Center), Michele Walker (Marcus Autism Center), Daniela Reyes (Marcus Autism Center), Kristi D. Murphy (Marcus Autism Center) |
Abstract: Previous research has suggested that the etiology of feeding disorders is multi-factorial. Thus, various treatment hypotheses have been proposed including procedures based on the manipulation of operant variables, as well as procedures based on a sensory integrative approach. The extant literature has suggested that operant conditioning procedures are effective in increasing the acceptance of food; however, less research has been conducted on sensory integrative approaches as treatment for feeding problems. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of an operant based procedure (i.e., escape extinction plus noncontingent reinforcement) with a sensory integrative therapy as treatment for feeding problems. Participants were three children admitted to an intensive pediatric feeding disorders program for the assessment and treatment of food refusal or poor oral intake. Results indicated that a treatment based on operant procedures was more effective in decreasing inappropriate mealtime behavior and increasing acceptance of food than a sensory integrative approach for all three children. Interobserver reliability exceeded 85% for all participants. |
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An Evaluation of the Efficacy of a Shaping Procedure to Produce Consumption. |
KRISTI D. MURPHY (Marcus Autism Center), Gregory K. Reed (Marcus Autism Center), Cathleen C. Piazza (Munroe-Meyer Institute), Melanie H. Bachmeyer (Marcus Autism Center) |
Abstract: Shaping is a procedure that has been used in the acquisition of a variety of appropriate behaviors, including appropriate behaviors necessary for food consumption. Although shaping is inherent in many treatments used to increase consumption in children with pediatric feeding disorders, it is rarely explicitly addressed as such. In the current investigation we examined the effects of a shaping procedure on the skill acquisition of necessary components in a behavioral hierarchy of food consumption in two children diagnosed with pediatric feeding disorders. The effects of a shaping procedure on these behaviors were examined within a multiple baseline graph across foods. If these children did not acquire the skills at any point in the behavioral hierarchy with the shaping procedure alone, other procedures were introduced. A general increase in skill acquisition was observed in all participants with the shaping procedure, although other methods were necessary to acquire the terminal response (i.e., swallowing masticated food) for these participants. Two independent observers achieved over 80% agreement on at least 20% of sessions. Implications for the treatment of pediatric feeding disorders and areas for future research will be discussed. |
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A Systematic Method for Assessing Parental Non-Adherence Following an Intensive Feeding Program: The Parent Adherence Checklist. |
ELIZABETH A. MASLER (Kennedy Krieger Institute), Charles S. Gulotta (Kennedy Krieger Institute), Peter Girolami (Kennedy Krieger Institute), Tina Sidener (Western Michigan University), Ping Wang (Kennedy Krieger Institute) |
Abstract: A number of behavioral procedures have been shown to be efficacious in treating children with pediatric feeding disorders. For those children treated intensively in a hospital setting, training parents to implement the treatment effectively is an integral part of the feeding program. In the current study parent integrity measures were examined at the end of parent training for children admitted for an intensive 8-week treatment and at several points of follow-up. Prior to discharge, parents were trained to implement procedures with 80% or higher procedural integrity. At follow-up, parents’ adherence ranged from as low as 50% to as high as 100% protocol adherence. The purpose of the current study was to develop a systematic method for assessing variables associated with parental non-adherence to a treatment protocol, after the parent and child had been discharged from the hospital. This assessment, based on Allen and Warzak’s (2000) categories of non-adherence, examines variables relevant to establishing operations, response acquisition, consequent events, and stimulus generalization. Results will be discussed in terms of identifying barriers to treatment adherence. |
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Alternative Models of Care with Older Adults |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
9:00 AM–10:20 AM |
Singapore |
Area: DEV/CBM; Domain: Applied Research |
Chair: Linda A. LeBlanc (Western Michigan University) |
LINDA A. LEBLANC (Western Michigan University) |
R. MARK MATHEWS (University of Sydney) |
LEILANI FELICIANO (Western Michigan University) |
CLAUDIA DROSSEL (University of Nevada, Reno) |
Abstract: The diversity of the growing population of older adults has created a need for models of care that serve as viable and desirable alternatives to traditional nursing home care models. The panelists will talk about several programs (e.g., providing respite services, supports to caregivers) that allow older adults to be served in alternative settings including their own homes. The benefits and challenges for each model will be discussed in open forum |
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International Symposium - Applications of Basic Research on Behavioral History, Cooperation, and Demand Effects on Preference |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
9:00 AM–10:20 AM |
Centennial Ballroom IV |
Area: DDA; Domain: Applied Research |
Chair: Patrick R. Progar (Caldwell College) |
Discussant: Ralph Spiga (Temple University) |
CE Instructor: Patrick R. Progar, Ph.D. |
Abstract: The symposium will integrate the research of three unique but related topics under the heading of translational research. The first symposium will present data on behavioral history effects on both problem and appropriate behavior using a pseudo-random binary sequence. The behavior of scripting - repeating lines from a movie or TV show out of context and manding for a preferred food item appeared sensitive to both proximal and more distal contingencies of reinforcement, replicating work from the basic laboratory. The second presentation used a matrix-style game to assess levels of defection and cooperation in sets of two individuals diagnosed with a developmental disability. Rates of cooperation were generally low, however a component analysis suggested alternative strategies to increase cooperation in this population. The third presentation applied behavior economic principles to a free-operant preference assessment. By increasing the "cost" of the most preferred item, consumption of that item decreased and preferences for previously less-preferred items tended to increase suggesting that the items were substitutable for each other. Demand curves were fit to the data and explained a significant portion of the variance. |
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An Analysis of Behavioral History Effects on Scripting. |
PATRICK R. PROGAR (Caldwell College), Frances A. Perrin (Bancroft NeuroHealth), Camille Daniels (Bancroft NeuroHealth), Misty B. Simmons (Bancroft NeuroHealth), Caron Casciato (Bancroft NeuroHealth), Michael C. Davison (University of Auckland) |
Abstract: The present study adapted the use of a pseudorandom binary sequence (PRBS) from basic research findings to an applied setting. The study examined the influence of both proximal contingencies (i.e., those in effect today) and distal contingencies (i.e., those in effect on previous days). The participant was an 15-year old female diagnosed with autism. Appropriate behavior in the form of manding for a preferred food item and inappropriate behavior in the form of scripting (e.g., repeating lines from a movie or TV show out of context) were reinforced for 10 sessions in a pseudorandom fashion between concurrent variable interval 15-s variable interval 15-s schedules, followed by 31 sessions conducted on a concurrent variable interval 15-s variable interval 60-s schedule. Interobserver agreement data were collected during 51% of the sessions with an average total agreement of 97% for scripting and 99% for manding. The results indicated that both proximal (i.e., current) contingencies and more distal contingencies exerted control over the behavior of the individual. These results have implications for the generalization and maintenance of behavior as well as for preventing relapses due to poor treatment integrity. |
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Examining Cooperation and Self-Control in Individuals with Developmental Disabilities. |
ERIC EBERMAN (Bancroft NeuroHealth/Temple University), Ralph Spiga (Temple University), Frances A. Perrin (Bancroft NeuroHealth), Patrick R. Progar (Caldwell College) |
Abstract: In this study, we examined different means to train cooperative behavior in the applied setting. Using the basic framework developed by Brown and Rachlin (1999), we used a matrix-style game to assess social cooperation and different methods in which this could be trained. Participants in the current study consisted of two individuals diagnosed with developmental disabilities. This study examined cooperation by having the two participants engage in turn-taking game in which each participant’s choice subsequently affected the other participant’s choice. Participants received 0 to 4 tokens depending on their choice and phase of the study. Cooperation and defection within each session was determined by the combination of choices that were made by both participants during an individual trial. The data indicate that, despite our training efforts, participants continued to behave in a non-cooperative manner during the majority of sessions. Some cooperative behavior was observed, but these results could not be replicated during the reversal. Interobserver agreement was collected during 48% of all sessions with a mean agreement of 99%. |
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Demand Effects on Preference. |
FRANCES A. PERRIN (Bancroft NeuroHealth), Patrick R. Progar (Caldwell College), Ralph Spiga (Temple University) |
Abstract: Behavioral economic procedures may provide important concepts and methods for assessing and describing the reinforcing effects in the applied setting. Specifically, the concept of demand is central to the behavioral economic approach. According to this perspective, demand assesses consumption as a function of price (e.g. response cost) of the reinforcer (commodity). Participants in the current study consisted of three individuals diagnosed with developmental disabilities. During a session each participant has a choice between a preferred food item and alternative food items. The price of the preferred item, in this case the distance from the participants, was manipulated. The concurrently available items were initially placed 1 ft from the participant. Over sessions, the preferred item was placed at ascending and descending order of 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, & 24 inches away from 1-ft mark while the alternatives remained on that mark. The data indicate that increasing the price of the preferred item increased choices of non-preferred items. Once these behavioral patterns developed successfully, consumption of alternative items increased as consumption of the preferred item decreased. The profile of choices indicated that the alternatives function as economic substitute commodities. The demand equation was fit to the data and explained a significant portion of the variance. |
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Applying Systems Analysis, Process Improvement, and Behavioral Technology to Improve Performance in Health Care Settings |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
9:00 AM–10:20 AM |
Cairo |
Area: OBM; Domain: Service Delivery |
Chair: Joseph R. Sasson (MedAxiom) |
Discussant: Dale M. Brethower (Western Michigan University) |
Abstract: The world of health care faces many challenges that provide opportunities for behavior analysts to make a difference. This symposium will explore process improvement initiatives in the realm of nuclear cardiology designed to achieve multiple outcomes of benefit to a cardiology practice. It will also directly explore changing the behavior of physicians to improve business performance using a behavioral systems analysis approach. Physician time (and more so the misuse of time) is very costly, and an implementation designed to improve physician performance will be discussed. Lastly, a discussion of administrator behavior during knowledge sharing and acquisition will be presented along with a knowledge management system designed from a behavioral perspective that aims to alter the knowledge seeking behaviors of administrators. We intend to demonstrate this system via the internet if possible, or by using screenshots if necessary. |
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Process Improvement in Health Care. |
DOUG S. LAFLEUR (MedAxiom) |
Abstract: The health care industry is facing drastic increases in costs while many sub-specialties are experiencing a flattening or reduction in the number of available health care providers. To control costs and protect their incomes, many sub-specialists are grouping together and offering many of their services in outpatient clinics as opposed to solely within hospital settings. This has created an ideal environment to offer process redesign services using the concepts of organizational behavioral management and behavioral systems analysis. This paper will outline an example used in a cardiology nuclear testing facility and include an overview of the major steps, accomplishments and measures necessary for success. It will also link these steps to customer satisfaction and show the building blocks of developing a management system for this process. |
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A Systematically Designed Set of Solutions to Address Physician Behavior. |
KAROLYN A. SMALLEY (MedAxiom) |
Abstract: It is not unusual in a large medical practice to find 1 – 2 physicians who have difficulty completing dictation of a patient’s treatment plan on time. Practice leadership begs, cajoles, threatens and as a last resort implements negative consequences such as pay reductions to deal with this problem. This session will describe the approach one practice took to systematically analyze a physician’s dictation problem using the Human Performance System created by Geary Rummler, PhD of The Performance Design Lab. It will show the set of solutions that were designed and successfully implemented to achieve approximately a 70 – 80% change in the physician’s performance prior to implementing negative consequences. Major pieces of the solutions are still in place more than a year and a half later ensuring sustained long-term performance by the physician. |
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Changing Behavior: The Case Study of a Knowledge Management System in Health Care. |
JOSEPH R. SASSON (MedAxiom) |
Abstract: User behavior of listservs in the medical profession was observed and particular patterns were revealed. The pattern of user behavior was consistent with a need for a knowledge management system (KMS). A KMS was designed to preserve the integrity and intent of the listserv activity, while providing others with the knowledge they need to be successful on the job. The KMS was also designed from a behavioral perspective in that navigation follows the patterns of verbal behavior typical of a user, and multiple means of navigation were created to accommodate various behavioral search styles. As the world becomes increasingly “electronic” behavioral technologists must work with system designers to increase the usability of computer applications. These applications must also be created from a systemic perspective to ensure that they succeed at their intended purposes. |
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International Symposium - Comportamiento Verbal: Estudios en Países de Habla Hispana |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
9:00 AM–10:20 AM |
Fairlie |
Area: EAB; Domain: Basic Research |
Chair: Mapy Chavez-Brown (Wagner College) |
Abstract: This symposium includes several verbal behavior studies conducted by researchers in Spain, Latin America, and the USA. The participants range from young preschoolers to adolescents and adults. All studies will be presented in Spanish. |
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Enseñanza de imitación vocal usando un procedimiento de "extensión ecoica". |
JOSE JULIO CARNERERO (Al-Mudaris, Cordoba), Gladys Williams (Applied Behavioral Consultant Services, NY), Ana Pastor Sanz (Al-Mudaris, Cordoba) |
Abstract: Muchos niños con autismo tienen dificultades para aprender imitación vocal. Tres niños con edades de 2 a 5 años con diagnóstico de autismo, participaron en este estudio. Durante la línea base presentábamos un sonido que el niño decía a veces, pero sin embargo ese sonido no lo emitía ante una situación de imitación vocal. Este sonido se le presentaba al niño en un tiempo breve menor a un segundo. La intervención consistió en aplicar el procedimiento de “extensión ecoica”. En la “extensión ecoica” presentábamos al niño el mismo sonido pero esta vez el sonido era presentado por un periodo prolongado de 10 segundos, o hasta que repetía el sonido dentro de ese intervalo de tiempo. La maestra registraba la veces que el niño imitaba y cuando no lo hacía. Igualmente registraba el tiempo que tardaba el niño en imitar el sonido. Los resultados fueron replicados con dos sonidos más usando un diseño de línea base múltiple. Este procedimiento fue efectivo para enseñar a los niños a imitar vocalmente cada uno de los tres sonidos. |
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Exposición de casos de diferentes trastornos clínicos en los que el tratamiento se hizo con ACT. |
CARLOS BELDA GRINDLEY (Centro de Psicologia LeBlanc y Mayo), Marina Hergueta Garcia (Centro de Psicologia LeBlanc y Mayo), Jose M. Molinero Roldan (Centro de Psicologia), Juan Carlos Hódar Prez (Equipo de Tratamiento Familiar. Área de Servicios Sociales del Ayuntamiento de Motril) |
Abstract: Se presentaran diversos casos clínicos conceptuados en los sistemas de clasificación sindrómicos tradicionales (principalmente DSM y CIE) como formas psicopatológicas diferentes y que pueden conceptuarse, desde un punto de vista funcional, como diferentes formas de evitación no adaptativa o saludable (Hayes et al., 1996; Wilson y Luciano, 2002). Por tanto, se expondran casos que aunque topográficamente podrían diagnosticarse como trastornos diferentes comparten como elemento común formas de comportamiento centradas en un patrón de evitación experiencial. En concreto se expondrán casos relacionados con trastornos disociativos, secuelas de agresión sexual, retraso mental, timidez en niños, dolor crónico, familias en riesgo social, en los que se ha detectado evitación experiencial. Bajo este marco se presentan varios casos clínicos, tanto con adultos como con adolescentes y niños, llevados a cabo por Carlos Belda, Marina Jergueta, Juan Carlos Hódar y José M. Molinero. |
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Efectos de la adquisición de un repertorio de igualación de manera auditiva en el repertorio ecoico. |
MAPY CHAVEZ-BROWN (Wagner College), R. Douglas Greer (Columbia University Teachers College and Graduate School) |
Abstract: Este estudio evaluó los efectos de la adquisición de un repertorio de igualación a la muestra de manera auditiva con dos grupos de participantes. Los participantes en el primer experimento fueron cinco preescolares que no poseían un repertorio ecoico antes del inicio del estudio. La variable dependiente fue el número de vocalizaciones, ecoicos parciales, y ecoicos completos emitidos bajo condiciones de mando y tacto durante sesiones de prueba. La variable independiente era la instrucción de igualación a la muestra de manera auditiva. Los participantes en el segundo experimento fueron cuatro preescolares con un repertorio ecoico inexacto antes del inicio del estudio. Las variables dependientes fueron el número de ecoicos completos y el número de articulaciones correctas medidas por una prueba estandardizada de la articulación. La variable independiente era la misma que en el experimento 1. Los resultados del experimento 1 mostraron que los participantes que inicialmente no poseían de un repertorio ecoico comenzaron a emitir vocalizaciones, ecoicos parciales, y ecoicos completos al ir completando el estudio. Así mismo, los participantes en el experimento 2, cuyo repertorio ecoico era inexacto, adquirieron un repertorio ecoico exacto después de la adquisición de un repertorio de igualación a la muestra de manera auditiva. |
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Efectos de la adquisición de un repertorio de igualación de manera auditiva problemas de articulación. |
CARLOS V. GARCÍA CRUZ (Escuela Magisterio y Colegio "Ave Maria"), Mapy Chavez-Brown (Wagner College) |
Abstract: Este estudio evaluó los efectos de la adquisición de un repertorio de igualación a la muestra de manera auditiva en niños con problemas de articulación. Los participantes fueron niños con un repertorio ecoico inexacto antes del inicio del estudio. Las variables dependientes fueron el número de ecoicos completos y el número de articulaciones correctas medidas por una prueba estandardizada de la articulación. La variable independiente era la instrucción de igualación a la muestra de manera auditiva. Los resultados se analizaron considerando la utilidad de dicha intervención con niños con problemas de articulación. |
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Curriculum-Based Measurement: A "Write" Way |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
9:00 AM–10:20 AM |
Inman |
Area: EDC; Domain: Applied Research |
Chair: Terri Hessler (The Ohio State University, Newark) |
Discussant: Timothy E. Heron (The Ohio State University) |
Abstract: Curriculum-based measurement (CBM) has seen increasing use in the academic area of written expression. CBM is “an approach to measuring the growth of student proficiency in… skills that contribute to success in school. It is a fast, inexpensive, and easy-to-use system that allows teachers to continuously measure their students’ growth...and provide data for teachers to evaluate their instructional strategies…” (Deno, 2002). Curriculum-based measures are also sensitive indicators that researchers may use as dependent or outcome variables. These measures include but are not limited to number of words, number of T-units, number of words spelled correctly, and number correct word sequences (CWS). To date, assessment of writing quality has largely relied on subjective measures, such as holistic and analytic scoring. CBM requires only a sample of student writing, eliminating the time-consuming process of whole-essay evaluation and is a more sensitive measure of student growth. This symposium will present data from recent studies that used curriculum-based measures to assess writing performance of elementary, middle, and high school students. In addition, comparison to existing literature and a “lessons-learned” segment will be presented to assist practitioners and researchers in the selection of appropriate measures. |
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CBM in the Elementary School. |
SHAWNNA S. HELF (University of North Carolina, Charlotte), Nancy L. Cooke (University of North Carolina, Charlotte) |
Abstract: Curriculum-based measurement (CBM) has seen increased use in the academic area of written expression at the elementary level. This presentation will share data from a recent study that used various curriculum-based measures to assess writing performance of elementary school students who used story starters to produce timed writing samples. |
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CBM at the Middle School Level. |
MOIRA KONRAD (The Ohio State University), David W. Test (University of North Carolina, Charlotte) |
Abstract: Curriculum-based measurement is still emerging in the field of writing assessment so comparison of measures is essential information to contribute to the existing literature. This presentation will focus on CBM at the middle school level. Specifically, this study compared correct word sequences (CWS) with and without correct spelling as criteria and compared CBM scores to analytic scores. Students wrote paragraphs in response to expository prompts. |
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CBM at the High School Level. |
TERRI HESSLER (The Ohio State University, Newark), Ralph Gardner III (The Ohio State University) |
Abstract: Curriculum-based measurement offers flexibility to teachers and researchers because of the variety of measures available and the various grade levels at which they can be used. This presentation will focus on CBM used at the high school level in an urban setting with students with mild disabilities. Specifically, this study utilized correct word sequences (CWS) with criteria more stringent than the existing literature suggests and compared CBM scores to holistic scores. Students wrote first draft 5-paragraph essays with and without extended prompts. |
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Evaluating the Effectiveness of Floridas Behavior Analysis Services Program Across Multiple Settings |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
9:00 AM–10:20 AM |
Techwood |
Area: TBA; Domain: Applied Research |
Chair: Kimberly Crosland (University of South Florida) |
CE Instructor: Kimberly Crosland, Ph.D. |
Abstract: Floridas Behavior Analysis Services Program (BASP) is a statewide program for dependent children and their caregivers. Over 60 board certified behavior analysts from the University of South Florida and the University of Florida work with parents and staff to improve their interactions with previously abused and neglected children. Caregivers receive training in the Tools for Positive Behavior Change Curriculum and learn how to implement individualized behavior plans when necessary. Three presentations within the current symposium discuss the results of the training across several settings; Foster homes, group homes, a group shelter, and a Statewide Inpatient Psychiatric Program (SIPP) Facility. The results of these studies indicated that the training was effective in producing positive outcomes (i.e., decreasing restrictive procedures and increasing positive interactions across all of these settings). The final presentation focuses on two components of the training; the in-class and in-home components. Results indicated that caregivers who received both components showed higher post-test scores and greater increases in positive interactions with their children when compared to those caregivers who only received the in-class component. In summary, the results of the current studies indicate that the BASP program can be effective across multiple settings and caregivers. |
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Longitudinal Evaluation of Placement Disruptions within Individual Foster Homes. |
DAVID GELLER (University of South Florida), Bryon Neff (University of South Florida), Michael Cripe (University of South Florida), Terresa A. Kenney (University of South Florida), Kimberly Crosland (University of South Florida) |
Abstract: There appears to be a consensus among different professionals and families in the foster care system that too many children experience multiple placement changes. Few articles have been published that have focused on foster parenting skills in relation to placement disruptions, although there is some evidence that placement disruptions could be prevented by providing more services and training to foster parents. Stone and Stone (1983) found that greater case worker contacts and rapport building with foster parents was associated with increased placement stability. The current study proposes to teach foster parents how to interact in a positive way with foster children using the Tools for Positive Behavior Change Curriculum which could result in decreases in behaviorally based placement disruptions. Behavioral disruptions prior to and after parents met competency measures in the curriculum were recorded. Results showed that 15 out of 19 foster homes showed decreases in behavioral placement disruptions after training. The overall rate of behaviorally based disruptions decreased from .75 to .47 disruptions per year from baseline to treatment. This reduction was found to be significant (z=2.12, p<.05). Although a small sample size, this study shows that teaching foster parents a behaviorally based curriculum may reduce placement disruptions. |
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Decreasing the use of Restrictive Procedures at a group shelter and Statewide Inpatient Psychiatric Program Facility. |
ALFREDO BLANCO (University of South Florida), Tamela Giddings (University of South Florida), Maricel Cigales (University of South Florida), David Geller (University of South Florida) |
Abstract: The use of some restrictive procedures, including physical restraint, has been controversial. The Child Welfare League of America (CWLA) has estimated that between 8 and 10 children in the United States die each year due to restraint, while numerous others suffer injuries such as broken bones and damaged joints (CWLA, 2002). For foster care children who have already suffered various degrees of abuse, restrictive procedures may only add to their emotional and behavioral problems. In the current study, staff from both a group foster care shelter and a SIPP facility for foster children were trained in the Tools for Positive Behavior Change Curriculum. Baseline measures were conducted in which the use of restrictive procedures was recorded based on incident reports at each facility. Following training, decreases in several restrictive procedures were observed at both facilities. At the group shelter, take down procedures reduced significantly from approximately 10 per month to less than 1 per month. The SIPP facility showed a 70% or greater reduction in physical holds, restraint procedures, and psychiatric medication use. These results indicate that the training was effective in decreasing the use of the most restrictive procedures used by these facilities over several months following treatment. |
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Effects of Staff Training on Types of Interactions Observed within Several Group Homes for Foster Care Children. |
CATHERINE WILCOX (University of South Florida), Wayne A. Sager (University of South Florida), Terresa A. Kenney (University of South Florida), Randi Pickle (University of South Florida) |
Abstract: Staff training is an often used intervention designed to strengthen caregiver behaviors that may function to decrease inappropriate child behavior and increase appropriate child behaviors. Weise (1992) conducted a critical review of caregiver training research and suggested that more studies need to collect specific direct observation data on caregiver behavior change. She reported that approximately 83% of published caregiver training studies only used subjective measures, such as rating scales and self-report measures. The current study collected both baseline and treatment measures, employing both AB and multiple baseline designs across a total of five group homes. All caregivers were trained in the Tools for Positive Behavior Change Curriculum. Direct observation measures were conducted in which data were collected on positive interactions, negative interactions (i.e., coercives), and tool use. Reliability measures were obtained for approximately 20% of the sessions. Increases in both positive interactions and tool use were observed in the treatment phase while decreases in negative interactions were also found for four of the group homes. For one of the group homes, positive interactions did not increase, however, tool use increased and negative interactions decreased. Overall, the Tools for Positive Behavior Change Curriculum resulted in positive changes in staff behavior. |
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Evaluating the Tools for Positive Behavior Change with Parents of Children Enrolled in ESE Programs. |
KIMBERLY CROSLAND (University of South Florida), Amanda Keating (University of South Florida), Bryon Neff (University of South Florida), Glenn Dunlap (University of South Florida) |
Abstract: The majority of parent training studies have evaluated either a group training curriculum or some form of individual behavioral training, while few studies have specifically compared the effects of group training versus individual training with the same curriculum. Two studies have suggested that some didactic group training along with home supports may provide an optimal combination of services to increase parenting skills (Hampson, Schulte, and Ricks, 1983, Kaiser et al., 1995). Using a cross-over design, the current study evaluated the effects of in-class training alone versus in-class training plus in-home training and attempted to determine when the in-home training is more effective (i.e., during or after the in-class training). Parents from the Hardee County School District attending the positive behavior change program were randomly selected for each group. Reliability measures were collected on approximately 30% of the pre- and post-test scores and 25% of the home observations and were consistently above 80% interval agreement. Results showed that parents who received both the in-class and in-home components showed greater improvement on post-test scores and also showed greater increases in positive interactions during home visits when compared to parents who only received the in-class component. |
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Improving Behaviors at Home, School, and Inpatient Settings |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
9:00 AM–10:20 AM |
Regency VI |
Area: DDA; Domain: Applied Research |
Chair: Alan E. Harchik (The May Institute) |
Discussant: Patrick C. Friman (Father Flanagan's Girls and Boys' Town) |
CE Instructor: Alan E. Harchik, Ph.D. |
Abstract: Ensuring correct use of behavioral procedures by families, staff members, and paraprofessionals is an ongoing challenge for behavior analysts. In this symposium, three papers are presented that provide examples of the successful application of behavior analysis in different settings and with different behavior change agents. All three studies target serious problem behaviors of children with autism and other developmental disabilities. In the first paper, the researchers present a program for incorporating the use of single-subject experimental design methodology in working with family members. The second paper addresses serious problem behavior in a residential treatment program. Finally, the author of the third paper describes the successful use of behavioral intervention procedures in an inpatient setting. |
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Keeping the Analysis in ABA: A Data-Based Program Description. |
KATHLEEN S. LAINO (University of North Texas), Shahla S. Ala'i-Rosales (University of North Texas), Jessica Leslie Broome (University of North Texas), Donna Dempsey (University of North Texas), Victoria A. White Ryan (University of North Texas), Michelle Greenspoon (N/a) |
Abstract: Although research designs are often difficult to employ in clinical practice, all providers of human services should be aware of and utilize as many evaluation methods as possible, including single-case research designs. Because the multiple baseline design can be employed across behaviors, settings, or individuals, it is a feasible, ethical and valuable method for evaluating behavior analytic interventions in a variety of applied programs. One such program is The Family Connections Project (FCP). FCP is designed to enhance the quality of relationships within families who have young children with autism. FCP offers treatment packages that include, but are not limited to, communication training, planned activities training, and extended family training. Ongoing empirical evaluation using single-subject research designs is considered an essential component of FCP. Specifically, the multiple baseline design is used to inform the treatment process and analyze observed behavior change as a function of the manipulation of independent variables. Single case experiments from FCP are provided as case study examples. In all cases, initial baselines indicate low levels of target responses. Following intervention, meaningful increases are demonstrated with confidence across skill sets, settings and materials, and people. Results are discussed in the context of effectiveness, practicality and ethics. |
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Assessment and Treatment of Trichotillomania in a Child with Cri-du-Chat. |
CHRISTINA M. VORNDRAN (Bancroft NeuroHealth), Gary M. Pace (The May Institute), James K. Luiselli (The May Institute), Jennifer Flaherty (The May Institute), Lauren E. Christian (The May Institute), Ava E. Kleinmann (The May Institute) |
Abstract: Published interventions of trichotillomania (chronic hair pulling) have involved punishment or the use of protective equipment. The present study sought to reduce trichotillomania, in an 8 year-old girl with Cri-du-Chat and severe mental retardation, using alternatives to aversive or restrictive interventions. A functional analysis revealed that hair pulling was maintained by attention and automatic reinforcement. Assessment data also indicated that hair pulling co-varied with thumb sucking. Based on the results of the functional analysis an intervention consisting of noncontingent attention and response blocking plus redirection to preferred items was developed. A reversal design established that the intervention reduced hair pulling. Follow-up data indicated that the treatment generalized to another setting and results maintained one year later. The co-variation between hair pulling and thumb sucking was not observed during follow-up sessions. This study demonstrates the importance of conducting functional analyses for behaviors historically considered to be habit disorders maintained by automatic reinforcement. It also provides preliminary evidence that relatively non-intrusive procedures can effectively reduce hair pulling maintained by automatic reinforcement. |
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Shaping Approach Responses as Intervention for Specific Phobia in a Child with Autism. |
JOSEPH N. RICCIARDI (The National Autism Center), James K. Luiselli (The May Institute) |
Abstract: Anxiety is being described as a common complication of autism. In addition, there are several reports of the diagnosis of DSM-criteria anxiety disorders in children with autism. What is not clear is how such cases can be treated, given the complicating language and cognitive deficits that are at the core of autistic disorder. We evaluated a simple procedure, contact desensitization (reinforcing approach responses), as a fear-reduction intervention with a child who had autism and a psychiatric diagnosis of specific phobia. During hospital-based intervention the boy was able to encounter the feared stimulus without distress or avoidance, and results were maintained post-discharge. Notably, the intervention was based on a purely behavioral model, and does not incorporate popular “cognitive” explanations of behavior. In addition, researchers directly measured change in multiple dimensions of the central feature of phobia, avoidance of specific stimuli. IOA were acceptable (88-100%, across 28% of sessions). The project utilized an experimental design (changing criterion). |
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Issues in Community-based Service Delivery for Adults with Dual Diagnosis |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
9:00 AM–10:20 AM |
International Ballroom North |
Area: DDA; Domain: Service Delivery |
Chair: James M. Sperry (The May Institute) |
Abstract: This symposium will offer three separate papers dealing with relevant issues in community based service delivery for adults with developmental disabilities. One paper deals with an comprehensive psychiatric care model, and the behavioral effects gained by its use. The second paper examines the relationship between sleep disturbance and the exhibition of maladaptive target behaviors. The third paper evaluates an outcome management program for direct care staff to improve performance on the implementation of job responsibilities across residential and day programs. |
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The Use of a Consultative Psychiatric Care Model with Adults with Dual Diagnosis. |
JAMES M. SPERRY (The May Institute), Christine M. Magee (The May Institute), Mark J. Hauser (The May Institute) |
Abstract: The following study sought to determine whether a consultative psychiatric care model described by Mark Hauser, MD in Psychiatric Annals, 1997 in conjunction with behavioral interventions would be able to effect positive behavioral results, while simultaneously managing the individual’s behavior modifying medications according to the Least Restrictive Treatment Principle. On-site consultation was provided to a non profit behavioral health organization providing both residential and day treatment to adults diagnosed with mental retardation as well as a major mental illness. Data presented show that the individuals in the study demonstrated positive behavioral effects as evidenced by decreased need for psychiatric hospitalization, decreased exhibition of maladaptive target behaviors, and increased community tenure. |
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Sleep Disturbance and Behavioral Instability among adults with Developmental Disabilities. |
CHRISTINE M. MAGEE (The May Institute), James M. Sperry (The May Institute), Mark J. Hauser (The May Institute) |
Abstract: This paper is a descriptive analysis of the sleep patterns of 59 adults (48 male and 11 female) all diagnosed with Mental Retardation in the mild to profound range. Data was collected in 16 community based residences using a data collection sheet that required observation of the participants at half hour intervals between the hours of 7:00 PM and 7:00 AM. Participants were recorded as asleep, awake, awake and disruptive, or up and using the bathroom. Results indicate that the participants averaged 7.91 hours of sleep per night and inter-observer agreement was at 100%. Participants were recorded an average of 3.63 hours awake, 5.97 hours awake and disruptive, and 0.51 hours up and using the bathroom. Results indicated that sleep disturbance is correlated with an increase in maladaptive target behaviors. |
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Towards A Behavioral Restructuring of Training and Services in a Community Based Agency. |
JOHN C. RANDALL (CRARC) |
Abstract: This Study evaluated an outcome management program for working with staff to improve performance on the implementation of general job responsibilities across residential and day programs. Additionally these performance management training systems were designed to link with monthly employee supervision to review overall increases or decreases on performance level. The program based on research conducted by Parson et al. (2004) utilized a six step training system. The operationally defining desired staff outcomes, Development of Training Systems, implementation of staff training, Supportive and Corrective feedback. The implementation of outcome management training resulted in increases in the level of staff performance over staff not receiving this instruction. Increases in staff performance level was correlated with increases in individuals performance on ISP goals and objectives. Data is displayed graphically and results are reviewed for objectively evaluating and improving service delivery systems for adults with disabilities. |
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Observational Learning: Acquisition and Utility |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
9:00 AM–10:20 AM |
Auburn |
Area: EDC; Domain: Applied Research |
Chair: Grant Gautreaux (Columbia University Teachers College) |
Abstract: People depend on observational learning for a variety of things in their lives. Individuals watch others when they are not certain of how they should act or react to a multitude of scenarios. These environmental conditions may be social, cultural or academic. For humans success in employment, schooling and with relationships may hinge on observation. What people observe in addition to behaviors of others are the contingencies that are part of their interaction with the outside world. They are subsequently affected by how those interlocking events provide consequences for others. Recent evidence suggests distinctions between the effects of observation on the emission of previously acquired repertoires, the acquisition of new repertoires and the acquisition of observational learning as a new repertoire. Prior research failed to identify whether the changes in behavior from observation constituted learning because in many cases tests were not done for the presence or absence of the repertoires prior to observation. We describe new investigations reporting procedures leading to the acquisition of observational learning, and the acquisition of operants and higher order operants by observation. |
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The Effects of Peer Monitoring and Peer Yoked Contingencies on the Acquisition of Observational Learning. |
JOANN PEREIRA DELGADO (Columbia University Teachers College), Lauren M. Stolfi (Columbia University Teachers College), Grant Gautreaux (Columbia University Teachers College) |
Abstract: We conducted a series of separate experiments in which we tested the effects of peer monitoring, peer tutoring and peer yoked contingencies on the develop and expansion of observational learning repertoires for students with differing levels of verbal behavior. Across multiple pre-experimental probe arrangements, the selected participants failed to show evidence of possessing an observational learning repertoire. For middle school students peer monitoring training was implemented as a tactic. And for elementary students both a monitoring component and a peer-yoked contingency were established in peer tutoring sessions. The results of these interventions showed that for each of the participants an expansion of observational learning repertoires was noted. A summary of these results and related collateral effects are discussed as well as their implication to pedagogical design. |
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Observational Learning Capabilities in Middle School Students: Induction and Expansion via the Observational System of Instruction. |
DENISE O'SULLIVAN (Columbia University Teachers College & CABAS), R. Douglas Greer (Columbia University Teachers College and Graduate School), Dr. Shira A. Ackerman (Columbia University Teachers College), Brooke DeMarco (Columbia University), Petra Wiehe (Columbia University), Grant Gautreaux (Columbia University Teachers College) |
Abstract: We studied the effects of implementation of the Observational System of Instruction (OSI) on middle-school students with a history of disenfranchisement. The OSI consists of arranging yoked contingencies with paired students and requiring those students to self-monitor and peer-monitor responses emitted during instruction. A game board was designed to have the yoked pair compete against the teacher in scripted lessons. A separate schedule of reinforcement was in place to teach self and peer monitoring. Students who were targeted for observational learn units were identified due to their previous history of difficulties with acquisition via observational learning in academic settings. During designated instructional periods the targeted students were delivered direct learn units and also given opportunities to respond to observational learn units during the game arrangement. Pre and Post instructional probes were administered to measure the acquisition of academic content attributed to observation. Continuous data were also collected on conversational units and other verbal operants. Results are discussed in terms of the acquisition of targeted academic content by the participants and the collateral behaviors leading to the expansion of verbal operants. We also discussed these findings in terms of their impact on designing pedagogy for inducing and expanding observational repertoires. |
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Relations between Naming and Observational Learning. |
TRACY REILLY-LAWSON (Columbia University Teachers College), R. Douglas Greer (Columbia University Teachers College and Graduate School), Darcy M. Walsh (Columbia University Teachers College), Tamar Frankel (Columbia University Teachers College), Grant Gautreaux (Columbia University Teachers College), Mindy Bunya Rothstein (Columbia University Teachers College) |
Abstract: In this experiment we tested the effects of inducing observational learning through either yoked contingencies or monitoring training on elementary and middle school students who also lacked consistency in naming. The student were selected for this study due to pre-experimental probe data that indicated their listener skills failed to occasion a correspondence with their behavior as speakers. In a counterbalanced multiple probe design students were taught to monitor targeted behaviors and were exposed to a series of peer-yoked contingency arrangements. Probes for naming and observational learning were conducted upon completion meeting for each monitoring training objective and each peer-yoked contingency objective. In addition data were collected on other potential verbal operants. Results are discussed in terms of whether naming should exist as a prerequisite to observational learning or if naming and observational learning can be induced simultaneously. The results also establish support for identifying verbal development milestones and expanding the progression in the verbal development of children. |
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The Observational System of Learning (OSI) for Early Readers and Writers: A Bridge to PSI. |
GRANT GAUTREAUX (Columbia University Teachers College), R. Douglas Greer (Columbia University Teachers College and Graduate School), Denise O'Sullivan (Columbia University Teachers College & CABAS), Dr. Shira A. Ackerman (Columbia University Teachers College) |
Abstract: We tested the effected on The Observational System of Instruction (OSI) for elementary students and early/emergent reader/writers on the pre-requisite skills needed for the implementation of a Personalized System of Instruction. The OSI requires students to develop repertoires that require self-monitoring and peer-monitoring, naming and result in the expansion of collateral verbal repertoires such as expanding the tact repertoire. Therefore, students selected for this study did not possess substantial evidence of accurate monitoring skills nor did they appear to acquire information in group settings. A series of multiple probes were conducted in related to observational learning in conjunction with the target students reaching criterion levels of responding for monitoring objectives. The results are discussed in terms of relating the components taught within the Observational System of Instruction, and those composite skills necessary for successful implementation of a Personalized System of Instruction. |
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Precise Descriptions: Why Autism Treatment Requires Them and the Effects of Their Absence |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
9:00 AM–10:20 AM |
Dunwoody |
Area: TPC; Domain: Applied Research |
Chair: Harry A. Mackay (Northeastern University, Shriver Center) |
Discussant: David M. Corcoran (BEACON Services) |
CE Instructor: Robert K. Ross, M.S. |
Abstract: A defining characteristic of applied behavior analysis is the requirement for precise descriptions of target behaviors and carefully specified interventions to enable replicability. In applied autism treatment we have found a number of instances and common problems that do not meet this standard. For example terms such as transition problems, sensory processing dysfunction, and auditory processing problems are commonly used to identify what are hypothesized causes of difficulty rather than specific behaviors to be treated. These terms do not enable clinicians to identify the behavioral problem to be treated with any degree of specificity, nor do they address the environmental variables of which the behavior may be a function. Often these inadequate descriptions are used to explain or even justify why the individual is having difficulty. Indeed for many people these inadequate descriptions are now treated as symptoms of autism. However, the lack of precision in description may misdirect those providing interventions and thus focus on irrelevant variables that may not produce an effective outcome. This symposium will outline the parameters of effective and precise descriptions and then present three case examples where poor description has led to ineffective treatment. |
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"Transition Problems": Why They are not "Transition Problems". |
ROBERT K. ROSS (BEACON Services) |
Abstract: The term “transition problem” does not meet the requirement of precise description as required in applied behavior analysis. It is a misnomer that lacks precision about the behavior(s) involved, and actually suggests variables that may not be relevant. This description may even misguide the clinician into implementing potential solutions to problems that do not exist. A transition problem does not involve the inability to end one activity and move to another. In its common usage the term rarely refers to a lack of ability to move from place to place. Indeed, it is almost always used to describe situations in which a person is asked or directed to leave a preferred condition and go to a less preferred setting or activity. The relevant variables thus involve considerations about reinforcement, and stimulus control by instructions. Case examples will highlight how imprecise description has led to ineffective treatment and how accurate description has resulted in positive outcomes. |
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"Sensory Processing Dysfunction": What Does This Mean? And Imply? |
DAVID M. CORCORAN (BEACON Services) |
Abstract: The term “sensory processing dysfunction” does not meet the requirement of precise description as required in applied behavior analysis. It is a misnomer that lacks precision about the behavior(s) involved, and actually suggests variables that may not be relevant. This description may even misguide the clinician into implementing potential solutions to problems that do not exist. A “sensory processing dysfunction” is inferred from evidence that the individual either does not respond in a typical manner to auditory, visual or tactile stimuli. It is rarely backed up with neurological or neuro-physiological data showing the presence of a “processing dysfunction”. That someone covers their ears in the presence of a particular sound, is evidence that they cover their ears in the presence of that sound. The inference of neurological dysfunction on the basis of this evidence alone is not sound behavior analytic (or indeed medical) practice. The “processing dysfunction” explanation, takes us away from considering relevant variables such as reinforcement history with respect to the stimulus in question. Case examples will highlight how imprecise description has led to ineffective treatment and how accurate description has resulted in positive outcomes. |
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MAJDA M. SEUSS (ABAI) |
Abstract: BLANK |
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International Symposium - Recent Advances in Understanding “Reinforcement” |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
9:00 AM–10:20 AM |
Hong Kong |
Area: EAB; Domain: Basic Research |
Chair: Randolph C. Grace (University of Canterbury) |
Discussant: Randolph C. Grace (University of Canterbury) |
Abstract: Over the last 6 years, the study of preference in concurrent schedules has moved from extended analyses (the generalized matching relation) to local analyses. This move has been driven largely by the collection of massive amounts of data. Based on these data, Davison and Baum (2005) attempted an initial synthesis, and questioned the utility of the notion of “reinforcement”. In this symposium, we add further, targeted, data to the mix, we add further analyses and interpretations of post-reinforcer preference pulses, and we propose a new, and more general, way to think about the way in which the organism and environment interact to produce mutual change and adaptation. |
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Preference Pulses: New Data, New Questions. |
MICHAEL C. DAVISON (University of Auckland) |
Abstract: What effect do additional, response-contingent, but uncorrelated stimuli have on preference in concurrent schedules? What happens to preference pulses if delays in blackout are arranged after reinforcers on concurrent schedules? What happens to preference pulses if only one of the two concurrent schedules runs after reinforcers? Results from three experiments will be briefly described and their implications for notions of reinforcement—and for the correlation machine—are discussed. |
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Preference Pulses: New Analyses, New Questions. |
DOUGLAS ELLIFFE (University of Auckland) |
Abstract: Since 2000, about a dozen papers by the Davison/Baum/Elliffe/Landon/Krägeloh research group have reported preference pulses, or strong but transient preference for the just-reinforced alternative on concurrent VI VI schedules. Pulses in this literature have plotted log response ratio either as a function of time since reinforcement or of number of responses since reinforcement. This paper examines which analysis better captures regularities across experiments and consistent effects of independent variables, and explores a possible analysis that includes both response position and time information. The literature to date has discussed pulse effects in a relatively descriptive, verbal, and qualitative manner. While this has led to theoretical advances, as exemplified by this symposium, only large and unambiguous effects have been able to drive those advances. This paper also considers whether the time is ripe for a rigorously quantitative description of pulses, so that more subtle pulse effects can be unequivocally shown. If we can approach the quantitative precision of, for example, generalized-matching analyses of choice, rapid theoretical advance will become more likely. |
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The Correlation Machine: A New Way to Understand Reinforcement, Punishment, and Stimulus Control. |
WILLIAM M. BAUM (University of California, Davis), Michael C. Davison (University of Auckland) |
Abstract: During its 100-year history, the law of effect has been challenged in two ways: (a), by questions about the necessity of reinforcement for learning; and (b), by questions about the sufficiency of contiguity as the key factor for learning. Examples of the first type of question include sensory preconditioning and latent learning. Examples of the second type of question include Rescorla’s discussion and demonstration of the need to replace contiguity with contingency and Baum’s proposal of the correlation-based law of effect. The idea of the organism as a correlation machine replaces the contiguity-based law of effect and accommodates all of the earlier criticisms. It offers a powerful framework within which to understand the older data and recently gathered data that argue against the traditional ideas of reinforcement, punishment, and stimulus control. |
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International Symposium - Relational Frame Theory Goes to Work! Addressing the Verbal Nature of Workplace Behavior |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
9:00 AM–10:20 AM |
Vancouver |
Area: OBM; Domain: Theory |
Chair: Kristen A. Maglieri (University of Nevada, Reno) |
Abstract: Organizational Behavior Management (OBM) differs from traditional psychological approaches to improving workplace productivity in so far as it explicitly focuses on the contingencies that facilitate, maintain or obstruct profit-making behaviors. This focus has led to practical and successful interventions in a wide variety of commercial settings. However, while there is consensus on the efficacy of OBM interventions, there has recently been considerable debate about the processes that contribute to the successes of OBM interventions, in particular those of a verbal or cognitive character. The current symposium includes three papers that address issues in OBM from the perspective of a novel behavioral approach to verbal and cognitive behavior, Relational Frame Theory (RFT). The first paper introduces RFT and outlines a number of areas within which clarity is required within OBM that might be provided by RFT. The second paper examines the effects of goal setting in organizations from an RFT perspective. The third paper focuses on the verbal nature of performance feedback and reports a study in which feedback had counterintuitive effects on performance due to this nature. |
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An Overview of Relational Frame Theory and its Relevance to Organizational Behavior Management. |
ERIC J. FOX (Western Michigan University) |
Abstract: Interventions in organizational behavior management (OBM) are typically focused on analyzing and modifying the contingencies that operate in a given organizational context, and have resulted in a great deal of success. Most OBM work is done with highly verbal humans, however, and an increasing amount of evidence shows that basic verbal processes can, and do, moderate the effects of other environmental contingencies. Further, many OBM interventions rely on highly verbal processes (e.g., feedback and goal setting), and often result in inconsistent results and debate over the basic principles involved in such interventions. Relational Frame Theory (RFT), a technical behavioral account of verbal behavior, may help OBM researchers and practitioners develop more precise analyses of verbal interventions and better manage verbal processes to improve the effectiveness of traditional interventions. To facilitate discussion and understanding of other papers in this symposium, an overview of the core concepts and operant analysis of RFT will be provided. The manner in which great complexity can emerge from simple verbal operants, relational frames, will also be outlined and its relevance to OBM highlighted. |
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Goal Statements and Goal Directed Behavior – A Novel Behavioral Approach to Goal Setting in Organizations. |
DENIS P. O'HORA (University of Ulster), Kristen A. Maglieri (University of Nevada, Reno) |
Abstract: In traditional industrial organizational psychology literature, goal setting has consistently been shown to increase performance under specific conditions. Typically, these goal setting effects have been explored from a cognitive perspective, but, recently, a number of behavioral researchers have developed accounts based on traditional behavioral concepts. We suggest that both cognitive approaches and previous behavioral approaches have significant limitations. Cognitive approaches have, to a large extent, ignored the context within which goal setting works and the contingencies that maintain goal-directed behavior. Conversely, behavioral researchers have struggled to explain how particular types of content contribute to the beneficial effects of goal setting. We propose a novel account based on Relational Frame Theory. This account focuses on both the content of goal statements and the contingencies that maintain goal directed behavior. Throughout we relate this two-part approach to goal setting to specific recommendations for practice and future basic research. |
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When Knowing You are Doing Well Hinders Performance: Exploring the Interaction Between Rules and Feedback. |
JOSEPH R. HAAS (Northern Nevada Child and Adolescent Services), Steven C. Hayes (University of Nevada, Reno) |
Abstract: Very little behavior analytic research has been done on the verbal nature of verbal feedback. In the present study the impact of two types of verbal consequences, rule-following feedback and task performance feedback, on rule-induced insensitivity to programmed schedules of reinforcement were examined. Rule-following feedback could be either accurate or non-contingently positive. The task involved moving a sign through a grid using telegraph keys operating on a multiple DRL 6/FR 18 schedule of reinforcement in the presence of an initially accurate rule. After acquisition, the multiple schedule was changed without notice to a FR 1/FIYoked schedule. Accurate rule-following feedback plus feedback on task performance produced striking insensitivity to the DRL 6 to FR 1 schedule change, the opposite of what might be expected by a common sense analysis of task performance feedback, even after controlling for contact with the changed contingency. It is argued that findings such as these can only be understood by considering the mutual verbal relations evoked by the combinations of rules and feedback, rather than treating feedback as a simple consequential event or as a verbal consequence whose effects do not depend on the relations sustained with other events. |
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International Paper Session - Stimulus Equivalence II |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
9:00 AM–10:20 AM |
International Ballroom South |
Area: EAB |
Chair: Erik Arntzen (Akershus University College ) |
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Acquisition History of Conditional Relations and Equivalence Class Formation |
Domain: Basic Research |
GERSON YUKIO TOMANARI (University of Sao Paulo), Adriana Rubio (Universidade de Sao Paulo e Universidade Metodista de Sao Paulo) |
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Abstract: According to the equivalence paradigm, the training of a certain set of conditional relations generates the emergence of derived relations without additional training. The present study analyzed the training history of each individual conditional relation in the search for possible correlations with the further emergent performances. Five adults were exposed to a zero-delay matching-to-sample procedure. Three sets of stimuli with six arbitrary visual stimuli in each one were used. In blocks of 144 trials, twelve conditional relations were taught in training trials. After that, probes tested for the emergence of equivalence, symmetry and transitivity. Data analysis focused on correct and incorrect choices for each individual conditional relation during the whole training and test phases, allowing one to visualize the relative sequences and patterns in which every conditional relation was learned (training) or emerged (test). Moreover, the results demonstrated different controls over the subjects performance during the matching-to-sample task, either by selecting the correct choice or by rejecting the wrong ones. These results may contribute to the understanding of negative results, late or gradual emergency of equivalence in studies involving human subjects. |
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Equivalence Class Formation via Identity Matching to Sample and Simple Discrimination with Class-Specific Consequences |
Domain: Basic Research |
ROMARIZ BARROS (Universidade Federal do Para & University of Massachusetts Medical School, E.K. Shriver Center), Karen M. Lionello-DeNolf (University of Massachusetts Medical School, E.K. Shriver Center), William J. McIlvane (University of Massachusetts Medical School) |
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Abstract: When conditional discrimination training is conducted, participants often show evidence of learning untrained relations between the stimuli. These emergent relations document stimulus equivalence. The current study investigated whether class-specific consequences (i.e., the reinforcers used during training) also join the equivalence class. Several previous studies have suggested they do; however, training in those studies typically included arbitrary matching and identity matching. In the current study, two autistic children were trained on simple discrimination reversals and identity matching with class specific consequences. They were then given arbitrary matching probes. Both children initially showed evidence of class formation on these tests, despite never having been trained on arbitrary matching. In addition, one of the participants showed evidence of class formation after simple discrimination reversal training alone. These results demonstrate that the reinforcing consequences do in fact become part of the stimulus equivalence class and provide support for the idea that equivalence arises at the level of the reinforcement contingency. |
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Different Variables Influencing Responding in accord with Equivalence Class Formation in Normal Developing Children |
Domain: Basic Research |
ERIK ARNTZEN (Akershus University College ), Lill-Beathe Halstadtrø (Trondsletten Habilitation Services, Norway) |
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Abstract: In an earlier study with delayed matching to sample in a many-to-one format the results suggest that the likelihood of responding in accord with equivalence is enhanced as a function of increasing delays during training, and also that starting with longer delays increase the probability in responding in accord with equivalence in simultaneous matching (Arntzen, in press). The present study was done to explore variables influencing responding in accord with equivalence class formation in normal developing children. Variables like different delays between sample and comparison, inter-trial-interval, two- vs. three-choice, requirement of touch on the sample stimulus or not, types of stimuli (pictures, nonsense syllables, and arbitrary stimuli), etc. were studied. We also present results on transformation of function. |
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The Acquisition and Generalization of Verbal Operants |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
9:00 AM–10:20 AM |
Learning Center |
Area: VBC; Domain: Applied Research |
Chair: Jeffrey H. Tiger (University of Kansas) |
CE Instructor: Jeffrey H. Tiger, Ph.D. |
Abstract: Skinner's (1957) analysis of verbal behavior has served as the foundation of many language interventions for children with developmental disabilities. The present symposium presents four evaluations of teaching procedures to further improve the communicative abilities of young children. Specifically procedures to promote the acquisition and generalization of Skinner's tact and intraverbal relationships were examined. |
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Acquisition of Signed Tacts in Infants and Toddlers. |
KELLY A. DANCHO (University of Kansas), Rachel H. Thompson (University of Kansas), Jennifer Lynne Bruzek (University of Kansas), Tanya Baynham (University of Kansas) |
Abstract: Thompson, McKerchar, and Dancho (2004) trained three typically developing infants to sign using delayed physical prompting and reinforcement. Children in the Thompson et al. (2004) study exhibited a limited communicative repertoire consisting of a single mand displayed only under controlled experimental conditions. This investigation sought to expand the signing repertoires of three typically developing children and two children diagnosed with developmental disabilities by (a) teaching tacts, (b) teaching multiple signs to the same child, (c) evaluating whether the effects of sign training would generalize to other appropriate conditions, and (d) evaluating whether signs occurred under stimulus control of relevant events. All participants acquired signs using delayed model and physical prompting and reinforcement. Generalization of the effects of sign training was observed with two participants, and results for two participants showed that signing was under stimulus control of relevant stimuli. Interobserver agreement was assessed during a minimum of 30% of all sessions, and agreement ranged between 60 and 100% for all participants. |
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An Evaluation of Tact Generalization. |
ELIZABETH S. ATHENS (University of Florida), Timothy R. Vollmer (University of Florida) |
Abstract: A number of techniques for generalization training are available; however, few have undergone experimental scrutiny for training verbal behavior. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate a method of examining the effects of explicit within-stimulus category generalization training on the subsequent sensitivity to generalization of other related responses. Methods were modeled after those presented by Haring (1985), and were designed to test a model based on the training of sufficient exemplars strategy. Specifically, verbal responses to pictures of items of varying representativeness were progressively trained until generalization occurred within a stimulus class (e.g., pictures of “castles”). In addition, generalization probes were conducted in other stimulus class sets, in a sense to test a “generalized” generalization effect. Interobserver agreement was collected during at least 30% of sessions across participants and averaged 99.5%. Results showed that the sufficient exemplar method is useful for teaching within class generalization, but a sensitivity of generalization in other stimulus sets emerged idiosyncratically. |
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An Analysis of Procedures to Generate Socially-Appropriate Answers to Novel Questions. |
EINAR T. INGVARSSON (Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine), Jeffrey H. Tiger (University of Kansas), Kasey Stephenson (University of Kansas), Gregory P. Hanley (University of Kansas) |
Abstract: Four preschool children (with and without disabilities) who often responded inappropriately to developmentally appropriate questions participated in the current study. Pretests established sets of questions that the children either did or did not answer appropriately (i.e., known and unknown questions). We then sequentially taught two specific answers to a subset of unknown questions: (a) “I don’t know,” and (b) “I don’t know, please tell me” (an information-seeking response). Results showed that the targeted answers generalized across questions and behavior-change agents for all participants. Following the “I don’t know” training, some undesirable generalization to known questions occurred for three participants, and some limited undesirable generalization of the “I don’t know please tell me” response occurred for two participants. An enriched reinforcement contingency was necessary to establish correct answers to previously unknown questions. The importance of teaching generalized responses that enable the acquisition of novel intraverbals is discussed. |
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An Evaluation of Intraverbal Training and Listener Training for Teaching Categorization Skills to Preschool Children. |
ANNA I. PETURSDOTTIR (Western Michigan University), James E. Carr (Western Michigan University), Sarah A. Lechago (Western Michigan University) |
Abstract: Curricula employed in early and intensive early intervention programs sometimes recommend teaching receptive before expressive skills, but the empirical literature suggests that the reverse sequence may sometimes be more efficient. In particular, it appears fairly well established that tact training is more likely to generate an emergent listener repertoire than listener training to generate an emergent tact repertoire. Less is known about the extent to which a similar relation holds for intraverbals and listener behavior, even though the sequencing of intraverbal and listener training is a consideration in many language training programs, such as those that teach various categorization skills. The purpose of the present study was to provide a controlled evaluation of the effects of intraverbal training and listener training on intraverbal and listener categorization, as well as on other untrained categorization skills. The participants were3- and 4-year-old typically developing children who learned to categorize previously unfamiliar stimuli, such as characters from foreign writing systems, and outline maps of foreign countries. Overall, little emergence of untrained categorization skills was observed. Interobserver agreement was assessed on at least 25% of all sessions and averaged over 96% for each participant. |
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The Emerging Science of Cultural Analysis: Part 1, Current Analytic Work |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
9:00 AM–10:20 AM |
Lenox |
Area: CSE/OBM; Domain: Applied Research |
Chair: Mark A. Mattaini (Jane Addams College of Social Work, University of Illinois, Chicago) |
MARK P. ALAVOSIUS (University of Nevada, Reno) |
RAMONA HOUMANFAR (University of Nevada, Reno) |
FRANCIS R. LAUX (General Motors, Retired) |
MARK A. MATTAINI (Jane Addams College of Social Work, University of Illinois, Chicago) |
Abstract: Skinner’s third level of selection, the scientific analysis of cultures and cultural practices, is an emerging area of international scholarship. Such work may prove to have enormous importance for addressing human, social and ecological issues worldwide. At the 2005 ABA convention, an international group of behavior analysts presented a symposium entitled, “Advancing the Analysis of Cultural Change: Metacontingencies, Interlocking Practices, and Research Agendas.” Those participating in the symposium and others subsequently met in Campinas, Brazil at a five day, ABA-sponsored Thinktank on the same subject. Participants in those meetings and others working in the area of cultural analysis will continue and extend that conversation in two roundtable panel discussions on The Emerging Science of Cultural Analysis at ABA 2006. Drawing on the work done in Brazil, in Part 1 panelists will focus on current empirical work, with some consideration of the implications for conceptual extensions of theory. Those implications will be discussed in depth in Part 2. The panelists will also elaborate options for expanding research agendas that can advance the field beyond its current heavy emphasis on interpretation toward increasing reliance on empirical testing. |
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Token Reinforcement Systems and the Continuum from Research to Application |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
9:00 AM–10:20 AM |
Manila |
Area: EAB; Domain: Basic Research |
Chair: Timothy D. Hackenberg (University of Florida) |
Abstract: Token reinforcement systems are among the oldest and most successful technologies to emerge from behavior analysis. Numerous studies have documented the therapeutic and educational benefits of token procedures across a wide range of settings and subject populations. Unlike most successful technologies in behavior analysis, however, the science and technology of token systems have developed largely in parallel, with little cross-fertilization of ideas and concepts. The present symposium is an initial step toward rectifying this problem, bringing together laboratory and applied research on token systems. Presentations by Jacobs & Clark and by Hackenberg et al. center on laboratory-based research with rats and pigeons, summarizing recent work on exchange-schedule effects. Tarbox et al. present data on token economies in a classroom setting with autistic children, showing systematic effects also attributable to exchange-schedule variables. Roll reviews recent research on voucher reinforcement, a type of token reinforcement system with demonstrated success in substance-abuse treatment programs. Together, these presentations highlight some promising developments in the analysis and application of token reinforcement systems. |
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Token Reinforcement and Progressive-Ratio Schedule Performance in Rats: Breakpoints Decrease as Token-Deposit Requirements Increase. |
ERIC A. JACOBS (Southern Illinois University, Carbondale), Sean W. Clark (Southern Illinois University) |
Abstract: Rats’ lever pressing was maintained by presentation of marbles exchangeable for sweetened condensed milk. Marbles were delivered according to a progressive ratio schedule that increased by 2 responses with each marble delivery. Sessions terminated when 15 min transpired without completing a ratio. The last ratio completed was deemed the “breakpoint.” Exchange periods were arranged by a random ratio schedule, wherein the probability of transitioning to an exchange period following a marble delivery was 0.50. During exchange periods, depositing marbles was reinforced according to a ratio schedule that required 1, 2, or 3 responses, depending upon condition. Progressive ratio breakpoints decreased linearly as a function of the number of marbles required per milk presentation. |
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Token Economies for Young Children with Autism: Manipulating Cost of and Delay to Reinforcement. |
RACHEL S. F. TARBOX (Center for Autism and Related Disorders), Jonathan J. Tarbox (University of Nevada, Reno), Patrick M. Ghezzi (University of Nevada, Reno), Ginger R. Wilson (University of Nevada, Reno) |
Abstract: Although the successful implementation of token economies across various populations has been repeatedly demonstrated, there are relatively few empirical studies on the effects of token reinforcement on the behavior of young children with autism. Moreover, although the effects of different parameters of token reinforcement have been investigated thoroughly, these parameters have not been systematically manipulated during discrete trials instruction with young children with autism. In the current investigation, a reversal design was used to evaluate parameters associated with the cost of the back-up reinforcer and the delay between the last token earned and the delivery of reinforcement during discrete trials instruction. The results extend and corroborate findings on token reinforcement reported in other applied settings and are also consistent with findings from basic research on conditioned reinforcement. |
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Token-Reinforcement Schedules in Contingency Management Interventions for the Treatment of Substance-Use Disorders. |
JOHN M. ROLL (Washington State University, Friends Research Institute) |
Abstract: Contingency management-based interventions are arguably the most successful treatment modalities for many types of substance use disorders. This presentation will present data from a variety of laboratory, analog, and clinical studies examining the influence of the schedule with which token reinforcers (typically vouchers) are delivered for verifiable abstinence. Data suggests that to promote the greatest likelihood of initiating and maintaining abstinence during a treatment episode reinforcement should be delivered according to a schedule that programs increasing reinforcement magnitudes for consecutive instances of abstinence and incorporates a reset contingency such that failure to abstain results in a reset in the magnitude of available reinforcement. Other important aspects of the procedure, including an interaction between exchange delays and reinforcer magnitude, will also be discussed. |
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It’s the Exchange Schedule, Stupid! Exchange-Schedule Effects in Token-Reinforcement Research. |
TIMOTHY D. HACKENBERG (University of Florida), Christopher E. Bullock (University of Florida), Anthony DeFulio (University of Florida), Rachelle L. Yankelevitz (University of Florida) |
Abstract: In a typical token-reinforcement schedule, tokens can be earned according to one schedule (the token-production schedule) and exchanged for other reinforcers according to a second schedule (the exchange-production schedule). Prior research has shown that behavior is jointly controlled by both schedules, though most of the research has centered on exchange-schedule effects. In this presentation, we will review exchange-schedule effects in laboratory-based token-reinforcement research, including some recent work from our laboratory with schedules of token reinforcement with pigeons. In some experiments, the token-production and exchange-production schedules are arranged sequentially (as chained schedules) and in others are arranged in parallel (as concurrent schedules). In both types of experiments, response rates and patterns vary systematically with exchange schedules, suggesting that the tokens are indeed functioning as conditioned reinforcers. Some aspects of the results also support the notion that token-production response sequences can function as unitary responses reinforced according to a second-order exchange schedule. |
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Toward a Neurogenetics of Problem Behavior |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
9:00 AM–10:20 AM |
Baker |
Area: CBM; Domain: Basic Research |
Chair: Craig H. Kennedy (Vanderbilt University) |
Discussant: Travis Thompson (University of Minnesota) |
CE Instructor: Craig H. Kennedy, Ph.D. |
Abstract: The causes of problem behavior involve environmental and biological determinants that impose organizational structure on responding. The past two decades have seen parallel, but separate innovations in (a) the functional analysis of problem behavior and (b) neurogenetics. The former innovations have allowed behavior analysts to identify and manipulate the discriminative stimuli, motivating operations, reinforcement contingencies, and reinforcing/punishing stimuli that influence response probability. The latter innovations have allowed for the molecular identification and measurement of single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) occurring within genes that regulate neural circuitry function. In this symposium, we present data on the first synthesis of these two scientific domains. Our goal is to develop an integrated biobehavioral analysis of gene-brain-environment determinants of problem behavior. Each experiment will focus on problem behaviors, but within a distinct population. The experiments also build on each other by expanding the complexity of the SNPs and neural circuitry involved in the occurrence of problem behaviors. Our findings indicate distinct pattern of SNPs regulating monoaminergic circuits that are associated with the development and maintenance of behavior problems. |
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Association between the Monoamine Oxidase A (MAOA) Gene and Chronic Problem Behavior in Adults with Developmental Disabilities. |
MICHAEL E. MAY (Vanderbilt University), Laura Hodges (Vanderbilt University), John A. Phillips (Vanderbilt University), Randy D. Blakely (Vanderbilt University), Craig H. Kennedy (Vanderbilt University) |
Abstract: A functional polymorphism in the promoter of the monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) gene has been associated with aggression in a general population sample of males. In this study, we sought to extend these findings to adults with developmental disabilities with histories of aggression. DNA samples and behavioral records were obtained from adult males with developmental disabilities, distinguished only by the presence or absence of aggression. These data were compared with a gender, ethnicity, and age-matched contrast sample. Our findings indicate that 54% of adults with developmental disabilities who were aggressive had the short allele version of the MAOA gene. In comparison, 23% of adults with developmental disabilities who were nonaggressive and 18% of the contrast group had the short allele MAOA polymorphism. Our findings suggest that a polymorphism in the MAOA gene may be associated with an aggressive phenotype in people with developmental disabilities. |
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Associations among the MAOA and Serotonin Transporter (SERT) Genes and Problem Behavior in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. |
JOHN A. W. JACKSON (Vanderbilt University), Michael E. May (Vanderbilt University), Christina F. Roantree (Vanderbilt University), Jill Parks (Vanderbilt University), Molly Ann McGinnis (Vanderbilt University), John A. Phillips (Vanderbilt University), Randy D. Blakely (Vanderbilt University), Craig H. Kennedy (Vanderbilt University) |
Abstract: We analyzed SNPs in two genes – monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) and the serotonin transporter gene (SERT) – for an association with behavior problems in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). DNA samples and behavioral records were obtained from male children with ASD, along with behavioral samples using direct observation and interview. Our findings indicated a high correlation (.76) between the less efficient MAOA gene polymorphism and the degree of problem behaviors. There was a moderate association (.53) between autism severity, behavior problems, and MAOA gene polymorphism. No association was observed for type of ASD or polymorphisms in the SERT gene. Our findings suggest that polymorphisms in the MAOA gene are associated with problem behaviors in children with ASD and that a stronger association exists for those with a higher severity of autism. |
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Associations among the MAOA, SERT, and catechol-O-methyl transferase Genes and Problem Behavior in Children with Severe Behavior Disorders. |
CRAIG H. KENNEDY (Vanderbilt University), Joseph H. Wehby (Vanderbilt University), Christina F. Roantree (Vanderbilt University), Katherine Falk (Vanderbilt University), John A. Phillips (Vanderbilt University), Randy D. Blakely (Vanderbilt University) |
Abstract: Problem behaviors affect a broad range of children and adolescents, from those with autism spectrum disorders to those with severe behavioral disorders (SBD). Although a range of treatments are being developed to reduce the occurrence of problem behavior, intervention is usually started after the onset of behavior problems. Yet to be established are neurobiological conditions that might increase the probability an individual develops behavior problems, thus potentially leading to prophylactic treatment. In this study, we analyzed three candidate genes for an association with problem behavior in children with SBD. We obtained participant characteristic and behavior problem data in the form of rating scales and direction observations from a group of males (age= 6 to 10 years) with SBD (N=60) and matched comparisons without SBD (N=60) and tested for associations with polymorphisms in the MAOA promoter gene, SERT gene, and catechol-O-methyl transferase (COMT) gene. We found positive associations between MAOA and COMT genes and problem behavior. In addition, there was a strong interaction between MAOA and COMT genes and the presence of environmental stressors, suggesting a gene x brain x environment effect on problem behavior. |
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Using Direct Instruction to Improve Educational Outcomes for Children |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
9:00 AM–10:20 AM |
Courtland |
Area: EDC; Domain: Applied Research |
Chair: Jennifer L. Austin (California State University, Fresno) |
Discussant: Timothy A. Slocum (Utah State University) |
CE Instructor: Jennifer L. Austin, Ph.D. |
Abstract: Direct instruction programs have proven beneficial to improving learning outcomes for a wide range of children. This presentation will present three studies in which different DI programs were used to teach important skills to children of various populations (e.g., English language learners, typically developing low SES students, etc.). The effects of the DI curricula on language, mathematics, and calendar performance will be presented. For the majority of participants in all studies, the use of DI programs was associated with improvements in performance across all target behaviors and assessments. |
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The Effects of a Direct Instruction Math Program on Higher-Order Problem Solving Skills. |
JENNIFER L. AUSTIN (California State University, Fresno), Pamela Christofori (Tri-County TEC) |
Abstract: One of the most firmly held beliefs of educators who object to Direct Instruction programs is that they are only appropriate for teaching basic skills, and subsequently impede the development of higher order problem-solving skills. This study was designed to examine the validity of this criticism. Specifically, the study sought to determine whether students taught basic addition and subtraction skills using Saxon Mathematics (a DI program) were able to generalize those skills to solve more advanced mathematics problems requiring the same skill set. Using a multiple baseline design, the effects of the DI program on two groups of 2nd graders with low math performance were assessed. Math word problem probes were administered during both baseline and treatment sessions to assess the children’s performance on higher-order math skills. For both groups and all participants, the Saxon Math curriculum produced immediate and positive changes in mathematics performance. In addition, the novice teacher who taught the DI math lessons reported that the program was easy to learn, easy to use, and produced visible changes in the students’ math skills. |
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The Impact of Language for Learning and Language for Thinking. |
LAURA D. FREDRICK (Georgia State University), Alice Nanda (Georgia State University), Amy C. Scarborough (Georgia State University) |
Abstract: Language for Learning was taught to 163 kindergarten students while Language for Thinking was taught to 167 first grade students, 40 of whom were Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL). The Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test—3rd Edition (PPVT-III) and six subtests of the Test of Language Development—Primary 3rd Edition (TOLD-P3) were administered as pre and posttest assessments with approximately eight months of language instruction between administrations. For both kindergarten and first grade students and for the 40 ESOL students there was a statistically significant improvement on the PPVT-III and on all administered subtests of the TOLD-P3 based on age norms. The improvement from pre to posttest for both percentile scores and standard scores was statistically significant for both kindergarten and first grade students on all six composite scores of the TOLD-P3—Listening, Organizing, Speaking, Semantics, Syntax, and Total Spoken Language. For ESOL students, there was a statistically significant improvement on all composite scores of the TOLD-P3 except for the Listening Composite. According to teacher log data, during the instructional days between the pre and posttest teachers averaged one lesson every two days. |
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Teaching Calendar Concepts and Operations to Preschoolers: Comparisons between Traditional and a Direct Instruction Program. |
PAUL WEISBERG (University of Alabama), Roberta Stark Weisberg (Tuscaloosa Association for Citizens with Mental Retardation) |
Abstract: Traditional calendar instruction in the early grades is a ubiquitous and useful activity, but it suffers from many programming deficiencies which slow the rate of progress of many concepts and operations. At least five negative outcomes are likely to result because of programming limitations: (1) teaching of generalized date identification is severely delayed; (2) insufficient practice and cumulative review results because only a few of these events are usually practiced during each day; (3) learning to report the dates by saying the month and the relevant ordinal number is not taught; (4) children are not independently tested for reporting different dates either for the current or other months; (5) a calendar table filled with an assortment of unknown stimuli can lead to distractions that interfere with the learning basic calendar facts and skills. In the present DI program, the calendar content was divided into smaller teaching units called Tracks. Comparisons of mostly at-risk kindergarten-entering children taught by the DI program with three kindergarten classes taught through traditional calendar procedures revealed substantial and significant difference in favor of the DI group after one school year. The content areas assessed were calendar facts, reporting the sequence of major events without reference to the calendar, calendar operations, and knowledge about special calendar events. |
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Using Principles from Experimental Analysis of Behavior to Guide the Behavioral Management of Captive Animals |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
9:00 AM–10:20 AM |
Montreal |
Area: EAB; Domain: Basic Research |
Chair: M. Jackson Marr (Georgia Tech) |
Abstract: Behavioral management programs are developing rapidly in zoos and laboratory animal facilities. They typically include environmental enrichment and animal training techniques to enhance species-appropriate behavior of animals, and to reduce undesirable behaviors. The field of the experimental analysis of behavior has much to offer as behavioral management programs are established, documented and refined. Presentations in this session are examples of how such principles could be applied. Few theoretically-based guidelines have been used to predict the effectiveness of enrichment methods, but several principles from the experimental analysis of behavior could be useful in this realm. Laboratory-based hypotheses about the rate and duration of interactions with enrichment are tested to illustrate the usefulness of behavior analytic theory as a framework for enrichment research. Behavioral work with humans can also serve as a model for treating behavioral problems in captive animals. For example, behavioral treatments for stereotypy and self-injurious behavior in humans have been conducted for more than 40 years and provide a vast source of potential interventions for dealing with similar problems in nonhumans. A case report will be presented that describes the successful application of such techniques, when implemented within a combination therapy approach to address self-injury in a chimpanzee. |
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Maximizing the Effectiveness of Environmental Enrichment: Suggestions from the Experimental Analysis of Behavior. |
LORAINE R. TAROU (Ohio Wesleyan University), Meredith J. Bashaw (Franklin & Marshall College) |
Abstract: As yet, there have been few theoretically-based guidelines to assist animal care staff in establishing cost-efficient enrichment methods that both elicit the desired behavioral changes and maintain their success over time. We describe several well-studied principles from the field of experimental analysis of behavior that could be very useful for evaluating the short- and long-term effectiveness of enrichment and provide predictions for their application to enrichment techniques. Results obtained in published enrichment studies appear to support the application of behavior analytic theory, but many facets of the application remain untested. |
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An Empirical Test of Enrichment Effectiveness Based on Behavior Analytic Predictions. |
MEREDITH J. BASHAW (Franklin & Marshall College), Loraine R. Tarou (Ohio Wesleyan University) |
Abstract: While researchers in the experimental analysis of behavior have examined the phenomena of habituation and spontaneous recovery under conditions where behavior is intrinsically reinforced, their findings have not been used as a basis for predicting the effectiveness of environmental enrichment. In this study, laboratory-based hypotheses about the rate and duration of interactions with enrichment are tested to illustrate the usefulness of behavior analytic theory as a framework for enrichment research. |
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Is the Human Treatment Approach a Useful Model for Addressing Nonhuman Primate Behavioral Problems? |
M. JACKSON MARR (Georgia Tech), Mollie Bloomsmith (Yerkes National Primate Research Center) |
Abstract: The techniques developed for treating human stereotyped and self-injurious behavior are described, and comparisons are made between these approaches and those used with nonhuman primates showing similar behaviors. We propose that virtually all the techniques found to be effective in treating humans can be directly applied to nonhuman primates and in this way the human work can serve as a model for how we can enhance attempts to address behavioral problems in captive nonhuman primates. A philosophy of behavioral management, based partly on the science of behavior analysis, requires a systematic, scientific approach to the discovery and description of behavioral problems and their treatment. |
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Behavior Modification Techniques in a Combination Therapy Successfully Reduce Self-Injurious Behavior in a Chimpanzee. |
SABRINA BOURGEOIS (Southwest National Primate Research Center), Maribel Vazquez (Southwest National Primate Research Center), Kathy Brasky (Southwest National Primate Research Center) |
Abstract: Behavioral interventions employed have been found to be effective in ameliorating abnormal and undesirable behavior in human populations. These Behavior Analytic techniques have been refined and applied to deal with extreme behavioral problems in some captive nonhuman primates. A case report describes the behavior modification techniques implemented in a successful combination therapy approach that significantly reduced and virtually eliminated severe self-injury in a male common chimpanzee. |
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Verbal Behavior: The Model Used for Changing/Expanding the Repertoires of Students and Staff. Everyday Applications across Educational Settings in NYC |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
9:00 AM–10:20 AM |
Vinings |
Area: VBC; Domain: Applied Research |
Chair: Gina Marie Feliciano (Shema Kolainu - Hear our Voices) |
Discussant: Susan M. Silvestri (Hawthorne Country Day School) |
CE Instructor: Gina Marie Feliciano, Other |
Abstract: The following symposium will highlight how a non public school in New York City implements verbal behavior teaching procedures for both students and staff. The application of Skinners analysis of verbal behavior has been utilized to increase the rule governed and contingency shaped behaviors of teachers, to evoke initial verbal operants from young children and as a framework for implementing speech and language services and augmentative and alternative communication devices for students with an autism spectrum disorder. Our goal is to demonstrate how verbal behavior and applied behavior analysis can be integrated into an entire educational system to change student and staff behaviors. |
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Changing the Behavior of Teachers through Video Monitoring and Supervisor Presented Instruction. |
SARAH NATARELLI (Shema Kolainu - Hear our Voices), Gina Marie Feliciano (Shema Kolainu - Hear our Voices) |
Abstract: Research has shown that providing learn units to teachers in the form of teacher performance rate and accuracy in center based settings is effective for changing the repertoires of teachers (Ingham, & Greer, 1992). However supervision for teachers providing discrete trial training in a community based setting does not always allow for frequent, intensive supervision and training. The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of video monitoring and learn unit delivery to teachers as a model for changing rule governed and contingency shaped behavior of teachers. Three teachers who provided discrete trial training in a community based setting participated in this study. A multiple treatment design was used to teach teachers specific target behaviors to improve teacher repertoires and in turn student performance. |
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The Increased use of Verbal Operants Following the Implementation of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Devices with Children on the Autism Spectrum. |
GILI P. RECHANY (Shema Kolainu - Hear our Voices), Megan Anne Petrizio (Shema Kolainu - Hear our Voices) |
Abstract: The current investigation focused on the evaluation and implementation of AAC devices with school age children presenting with an autism spectrum disorder. This study examined the prerequisite skills needed for successful implementation of an AAC device by examining the children’s performance on the ABLLS assessment, as well direct observation of functional communication in the classroom. A multiple baseline across participants design was implemented. This study measured the increase in verbal operants following the implementation of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), and examined the verbal behavior procedures used to implement the AAC. Three verbal behavior topographies were measured, generalized mands, generalized tacts, and generalized intraverbals. |
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The Use of a Pairing Procedure in Conditioning Vocalizations to Evoke Parroting and Echoic Responses to Teach Mands. |
CHANIE KESSLER (Shema Kolainu - Hear our Voices), Gina Marie Feliciano (Shema Kolainu - Hear our Voices), Jessica D. Rodriguez (Shema Kolainu - Hear our Voices) |
Abstract: The current investigation used a stimulus- stimulus pairing procedure to condition vocalizations as reinforcers in order to increase the frequency and number of vocalizations that could be used to teach an echoic response to nonvocal verbal children. Once parroting responses were evoked an echoic to mand function was taught using a multiple baseline design. Following pre-experimental observations target vocalizations were identified for parroting and echoic training and pairing. Upon meeting criterion in pairing an echoic to mand training procedure was used, followed by a return to the pre-pairing condition. The data suggest that a pairing procedure was effective in evoking parroting responses which could then be taught as echoics, for some students. |
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International Paper Session - Contemporary Behavioral Pharmacology |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
9:30 AM–10:50 AM |
Piedmont |
Area: BPH |
Chair: Andrea R. Vansickel (University of Kentucky) |
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Effects of Methylphenidate on Spontaneous Smoking Behavior |
Domain: Basic Research |
ANDREA R. VANSICKEL (University of Kentucky), Craig R. Rush (University of Kentucky) |
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Abstract: Previous studies have shown that acute administration of d-amphetamine, a stimulant medication commonly used to treat the symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), increases spontaneous smoking behavior and the reinforcing efficacy of smoking. Methylphenidate, a stimulant medication, has been shown to share a similar constellation of behavioral effects to that of d-amphetamine. Although methylphenidate is the most commonly prescribed medication for the treatment of ADHD, the effects of methylphenidate on spontaneous smoking behavior have not been examined. The aim of the present study was to assess the effects of methylphenidate on measures of spontaneous smoking behavior in a laboratory setting. Ten volunteers were administered methylphenidate (5, 10, 20 and 40 mg) and placebo across six experimental sessions. Volunteers were allowed four hours of unlimited access to their preferred cigarette brand one hour after medication administration. Experimental sessions were video recorded and scored for various measures of smoking behavior including number of puffs and number of cigarettes. At least two doses of methylphenidate increased smoking above placebo levels in nine out of ten volunteers. The results of this study show that methylphenidate, like d-amphetamine, increases spontaneous smoking behavior. These findings could have important clinical implications for the treatment of ADHD. |
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Haloperidol: Does the Via of Administration Matter? |
Domain: Basic Research |
CARLOS F. APARICIO (University of Guadalajara, Mexico) |
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Abstract: The present study was designed to test the hypothesis that the administration’s via matters in the study of secondary effects of haloperidol on operant behavior. A multiple schedule of reinforcement with two variable interval components was used to provide two types of reinforcers (water with sugar vs. food pellets) contingent upon lever-pressing behavior. Rats responded to multiple schedules for several sessions, and then haloperidol either via intra peritoneal or subcutaneous via was assessed. Results showed that lever pressing decreased with increasing dose of haloperidol, but the suppressive effect of the drug depended of administrations via and the type of reinforcer. |
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Origins of Contingent Tolerance in Pigeons |
Domain: Basic Research |
JULIE A. MARUSICH (University of Florida), Marc N. Branch (University of Florida) |
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Abstract: The purpose of the present set of experiments was to investigate contingent tolerance to cocaine in pigeons. Pigeons pecked on a fixed ratio 20 (FR 20) schedule. In Experiment 1, subjects in a Pre-session Group were administered cocaine before, and saline after the session; those in a Post-session Group were administered saline before, and cocaine after the session. Both groups were administered a dose of cocaine, which initially produced a substantial decrease in rate of responding, daily for 30 sessions, after which dose effects were tested again. Then both group’s drug regimens were switched and subjects were administered the same dose of cocaine for 30 sessions at the opposite time with respect to the experimental session. Pre-session drug administration led to tolerance in all subjects exposed to pre-session administration first. Post-session drug administration led to tolerance in half of the subjects exposed to post-session administration first. In Experiment 2, subjects were randomly assigned to an Immediate Drug Group (administered cocaine immediately after the session and before feeding) or a Delayed Drug Group (administered cocaine one hour after the session and after feeding). Both groups were administered a dose of cocaine daily for 30 sessions that initially produced a substantial decrease in rate of responding. |
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2006 ABA Tutorial: Professional Development Series: Introduction to Acceptance and Commitment Therapy |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
10:00 AM–10:50 AM |
Centennial Ballroom II |
Area: CBM |
Chair: Marianne L. Jackson (University of Nevada, Reno) |
CE Instructor: Steven C. Hayes, Ph.D. |
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2006 ABA Tutorial: Professional Development Series: Introduction to Acceptance and Commitment Therapy |
Abstract: Behavior analysis has had a hard time penetrating the mainstream of psychology since the rise of cognitive psychology. The two primary barriers underlying this problem are a lack of clarity and understanding of the philosophical core of radical behaviorism, and the need for a comprehensive and experimentally adequate account of language and cognition. The first is primarily a terminological problem that is rectified by functional contextualism; the second is an empirical and theoretical problem that is rectified by Relational Frame Theory. With these two barriers removed, there is nothing to prevent behavior analysis from capturing center stage in many areas of psychology, but the form of behavior analysis results is decidedly post-Skinnerian -- that is, true to the Skinnerian tradition philosophically and empirically, but distinct in its approach to complex human behavior as a consequence of empirical developments. The empirical and political success of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is offered as a concrete demonstration of the success of this strategy. Other possible extensions are briefly explored. |
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STEVEN C. HAYES (University of Nevada, Reno) |
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Dr. Steven C. Hayes is Nevada Foundation Professor at the Department of Psychology at the University of Nevada. An author of twenty five books and 340 scientific articles, his career has focused on an analysis of the nature of human language and cognition from a behavior analytic point of view and the application of this to the understanding and alleviation of human suffering. In 1992 he was listed by the Institute for Scientific Information as the 30th "highest impact" psychologist in the world during 1986-1990 based on the citation impact of his writings during that period. Dr. Hayes has been President of Division 25 (Behavior Analysis) of the American Psychological Association, of the American Association of Applied and Preventive Psychology and of the Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy. He was the first Secretary-Treasurer of the American Psychological Society, which he helped form. He has received the Don F. Hake Award for Exemplary Contributions to Basic Behavioral Research and Its Applications from Division 25 (Behavior Analysis) of the American Psychological Association and was appointed by US Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala to a 5-year term on the National Advisory Council on Drug Abuse in the National Institutes of Health. |
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Verbal Behavior and Autism Intervention |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
10:00 AM–10:50 AM |
Centennial Ballroom I |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
CE Instructor: Mark L. Sundberg, Ph.D. |
Chair: Jack Scott (Florida Atlantic University) |
MARK L. SUNDBERG (Sundberg and Associates) |
Dr. Mark L. Sundberg received his doctorate degree in Applied Behavior Analysis from Western Michigan University (1980), under the direction of Dr. Jack Michael. Dr. Sundberg is a Licensed Psychologist and Board Certified Behavior Analyst who has been conducting language research with children with autism for over 30 years. He is the founder and past editor of the journal The Analysis of Verbal Behavior, and is the co-author (with James W. Partington) of the books Teaching Language to Children with Autism or Other Developmental Disabilities, The Assessment of Basic Language and Learning Skills: The ABLLS, and (with Jack Michael) A Collection of Reprints on Verbal Behavior. He has published over 40 professional papers, given over 400 conference presentations and workshops, and taught 80 college courses on behavior analysis, verbal behavior, sign language, and child development. Dr. Sundberg received the 2001 “Distinguished Psychology Department Alumnus Award” from Western Michigan University. |
Abstract: Should we stop doing mand and intraverbal language training for children with autism? It was suggested by Green (2005) that language training procedures for children with autism that are based on Skinners (1957) analysis of verbal behavior should not be disseminated until data supporting those procedures are obtained. The purpose of the current presentation will be to present an analysis of the existing data on the mand and intraverbal relations. In addition, an analysis of how the mand and intraverbal repertoires are addressed and taught in traditional discrete trial programs will presented. The results will show that there is empirical support for the distinction between the mand, tact, and intraverbal, and it is a mistake to assume these repertoire will emerge from the tact only training common to most discrete trial curricula. |
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Applying Behavior Analysis Techniques to Improving Animal Care and Welfare |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
10:30 AM–11:50 AM |
Montreal |
Area: EAB; Domain: Basic Research |
Chair: Allison Martin (Center for Conservation and Behavior) |
Abstract: The experimental analysis of behavior has much to offer as behavioral management programs for captive animals are established, documented and refined. This session will offer a number of examples of animal training techniques that have been applied to improve the care and welfare of a variety of reptile and nonhuman primate species. Each report will offer quantitative data detailing the response of animals to the training regimes, as well as other information about the value of such training to the care of the animals. The variety of species dealt with indicates that the value of such programs is vast. Objective, quantitative reports of training programs should be reported to evaluate the effectiveness of the training, to facilitate comparisons among different institutions incorporating such training into behavioral management programs, and to help those considering such programs to better predict how quickly training can progress. |
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Husbandry Training for Large Reptiles. |
DIANN GAALEMA (Georgia Institute of Technology) |
Abstract: The training of reptiles has been less well studied than that of other taxa. In this report, findings from studies of zoo-housed Aldabra tortoises and komodo dragons are reported. Behaviors trained using positive reinforcement techniques included holding still without shifting weight, touching a target upon its presentation, and remote targeting. These behaviors were of value for moving reptiles around in their enclosures, as well as for facilitating husbandry activities such as nail clipping. Information will be reported on the number of trials and training time required to reach performance criteria. Special considerations for working with large reptiles will be described. |
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Training Chimpanzees for Voluntary Blood Collection and Receiving Injections. |
JAINE PERLMAN (University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center), Susan Lambeth (University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center), Steve Schapiro (University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center) |
Abstract: An analysis will be presented of positive reinforcement training techniques for teaching chimpanzees to cooperate with needle related behaviors, specifically presenting for injections and cooperating with voluntary blood collection procedures. The training and maintenance of these important veterinary and research management behaviors enhance the standard of care and overall welfare of captive chimpanzees. |
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Food Preference Testing in Orangutans. |
ANDREA CLAY (Georgia Institute of Technology), Mollie Bloomsmith (Yerkes National Primate Research Center) |
Abstract: This project assesses individual orangutans' food preferences over time and investigates possible correlations between changes in preference and the weather, changes in preference and foods provided in the animals’ regular diets. Identifying individual preferences and recognizing the stability or lack of stability, across time, of those preferences, could have implications for behavioral management of primates in captivity. If, for example, preferences for food items are likely to shift over time, then we might benefit from using preference assessment tests to identify currently preferred reinforcers before training sessions. Such procedures have been shown to be beneficial, for instance, in working with mentally handicapped humans and these techniques should be evaluated for application to nonhumans. |
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Positive Reinforcement Training of Rhesus Monkeys in a Biomedical Research Setting. |
KIMBERLY A. NEU (Yerkes National Primate Research Center), Mollie Bloomsmith (Yerkes National Primate Research Center) |
Abstract: Positive reinforcement training for rhesus monkeys is evaluated as a form of environmental enrichment to change behavior in species appropriate directions. Training is objectively tested to document behavioral changes outside of the time the trainer is working with the monkeys, to determine whether the behavioral effects of training generalize to other periods. Comparisons are made between the responses of males and females, between those with histories of self-injurious behaviors and those without, and between different durations of training sessions. |
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Behavior Analysis and Biomedical Psychiatry: Conflicting Concepts and Treatment Approaches |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
10:30 AM–11:50 AM |
Baker |
Area: CBM; Domain: Service Delivery |
Chair: Stephen E. Wong (Florida International University) |
CE Instructor: Stephen E. Wong, Ph.D. |
Abstract: This symposium examines some conflicting concepts and treatment approaches of behavior analysis and biomedical psychiatry, with a critical eye on assumptions underlying the biomedical model and financial backing of this model by the pharmaceutical industry. Dr. Wyatts presentation discusses external pressures on the profession of psychiatry and dynamics within the profession that encouraged it to adopt a biomedical approach to mental disorders. This philosophical realignment allowed the new biomedical psychiatry to regain its dominant position over the other mental health professions, including behavior analysis. Dr. Winstons presentation by takes a humorous look at logical fallacies in DSM-IV diagnoses and pharmacological treatments. It also provides a behavioral re-interpretation of some common mental disorders. Dr. Wongs presentation compares behavioral and biomedical treatments for schizophrenia and depression. It also examines ideological, political, and economic forces that promote the latter over the former, regardless of the latters scientific merits. |
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Psychiatry’s Flight from Science: A Profession’s Headlong, Non-empirical Rush to Biological Explanations. |
W. JOSEPH WYATT (Marshall University) |
Abstract: Psychiatry underwent a struggle of reduced professional esteem within and outside the medical profession, starting in the 1960s and 1970s. The percentage of medical school graduates choosing psychiatry as their specialty declined by more than half, from 11% to 5% from 1970 to 1980. Adding to organized psychiatry’s concerns was the influx into the mental health arena of increasing numbers of non-physicians (behavior analysts, clinical psychologists, counselors, clinical social workers) who threatened to undermine both psychiatry’s status and patient base. In response, organized psychiatry turned toward increasing reliance upon biological explanations of complex behaviors, including most depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, child conduct disorders and others. As a result, over the past several decades the culture has been inundated with claims of biological causation, often minus empirical support. With those claims has come the suggestion that physicians are the best qualified to undertake treatment, and that medication is the treatment of choice. This presentation will review the history of the biological causation movement of the past thirty-five years, with suggestions for dealing with the phenomenon at a community level. |
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A Behavioral Analytic Look at Mental Disorders, the DSM-IV, and Functional Effects of Psychotropic Medications. |
MERRILL WINSTON (Professional Crisis Management, Inc.) |
Abstract: This presentation critiques diagnostic criteria for mental disorders listed in the DSM-IV, as well as examines functional effects of medications (in terms of behavior) as opposed to their supposed neurochemical effects. The presentation provides behavior analysts with a framework that they may use to better understand mental disorders and how treatment goals may be formulated. Participants will also be more prepared to “get to the heart of the matter” regarding the problems that give rise to a particular diagnosis. Individuals will also be better equipped to help evaluate the effectiveness and appropriateness of various medications as they pertain to target behaviors. |
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Behavioral vs. Biomedical Treatments for Schizophrenia and Depression. |
STEPHEN E. WONG (Florida International University) |
Abstract: This paper will examine biomedical and behavioral treatments for two mental problems, schizophrenia and depression, revealing that the current dominance of biomedical approaches to these problems is not based on their superior treatment efficacy. Some of the serious side-effects of biomedical treatments, typically psychotropic drugs, will be reviewed. Reasons why biomedical and pharmacological solutions are the dominant approach to dealing with these problems will be discussed, including: huge profits garnered by the pharmaceutical industry, industry-controlled clinical research, drug company sponsorship of professional education, extensive media advertising campaigns, financial influence of client advocacy groups, infiltration of government regulatory agencies, and lobbying of legislative representatives. |
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Bringing Applied Behavior Analysis into the Healthcare Setting |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
10:30 AM–11:50 AM |
Cairo |
Area: OBM; Domain: Applied Research |
Chair: E. Scott Geller (Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University) |
Discussant: Timothy D. Ludwig (Appalachian State University) |
Abstract: Almost 200,000 U.S. deaths in 2004 were attributed to human error in health-care situations. A few hospitals have benefited from behavioral interventions aimed at improving hospital staff safety. Focusing on the behavior change of caregivers could also improve patient safety. As with other settings, there are cultural barriers to successful implementation of error management, incident reporting systems, and safety programs in hospitals. It is estimated that 7,000 people die annually due to preventable medication errors in hospitals, and a majority of medication errors have been linked to the medication ordering process, where physicians traditionally write medication orders by hand. In one study presented here, data were collected on caregivers’ compliance to hospital standards when ordering medication and the delay between ordering and receiving antibiotics. These compliance and efficiency data were obtained before and after Computerized Physician Order Entry (CPOE) implementation, whereby medication could be ordered electronically. The second study compared the impact of three behavior-based interventions (awareness, awareness/group feedback, awareness/group feedback/social comparison) designed to increase use of CPOE in a 521-bed medical center where numerous physicians use the traditional hand-written method. The research will be discussed within the context of a vision to improve patient safety with applied behavior analysis. |
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The Challenges of Extending Organizational Behavior Management the Business of Healthcare. |
IAN J. EHRHART (Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University), E. Scott Geller (Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University) |
Abstract: Behavioral principles have been used to address many different societal issues, including environmental protection, transportation safety, and occupational injuries. However, healthcare organizations have been essentially ignored by behavior analysts. Yet, hospitals, short-term care facilities, nursing homes, and doctors’ offices, to name a few, would benefit from behavioral interventions targeting both patient safety (e.g., medication errors) and practitioner/staff safety (e.g., sharps injuries). Indeed, an article in the New York Times reported the estimated loss of 192,000 U.S. lives in 2004 due to hospital errors. However, as with other settings, there are healthcare cultural barriers to successful implementation of error management, incident reporting systems, and safety programs. This overview paper will examine the challenges of applying the principles of organizational behavior management to the healthcare setting, specifically hospital cultures, thereby setting the stage for the two data-based presentations to follow. Areas to be explored include a) patient safety issues (e.g., medication errors), b) practitioner safety issues (e.g., needlesticks), and to a large extent c) potential barriers to the successful implementation of behavior-based programs in the healthcare setting. Specific barriers include a culture of blame, error acceptance, the complexity of the healthcare system, overwhelming job demands, multitasking, individualism, communication, hierarchies, and professional autonomy. |
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The Impact of Computerized Medication Ordering on Efficiency and Error Rate. |
DAVID MICHAEL HARRIS (Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University), Patrick A. Rhodes (Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University), Thomas R. Cunningham (Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University), Douglas Wiegand (Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University) |
Abstract: This data-based paper will present objective and reliable observations obtained at two regional hospitals. The research investigated the impact of a Computerized Physician Order Entry (CPOE) system on several physician medication ordering behaviors. Many people are injured each year as a result of adverse drug events, and CPOE is considered critical to greatly reducing this number. The primary dependent measures are order compliance, time-to-first-dose of antibiotic, and reported medication incidents. Data were collected on written order compliance to hospital standards for medication ordering. Data were also collected on time-to-first dose of antibiotic orders because research shows that quicker antibiotic administration can lead to shorter hospital stays and better patient outcomes. These data were obtained by reviewing over 1,000 incidents of medication ordering over a span of four months. Data compare compliance and efficiency measures pre- and post-CPOE implementation, as well as between- and within-group comparisons of written and CPOE orders. Overall measures of reported medication incidents from the intervention hospital are compared to those of a control hospital site. These data were collected weekly at both sites over the same four-month period. Empirical findings will be presented as well as implications for future CPOE system implementation and patient safety. |
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Intervening to Change the Way Physicians Order Medications in a Hospital. |
THOMAS R. CUNNINGHAM (Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University), Steven W. Clarke (Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University), Ian J. Ehrhart (Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University), E. Scott Geller (Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University) |
Abstract: It is estimated 7,000 people die annually due to preventable medication errors in U.S. hospitals (Institute of Medicine, 1999), and a majority of these medication errors have been linked to the medication-ordering process, especially at the prescribing phase where physicians traditionally write their medication orders by hand. Handwritten medication orders are often illegible, incomplete, or do not meet standards for compliance. Previous research indicates that adoption of Computerized Physician Order Entry (CPOE) will reduce medication errors in a hospital setting and therefore improve patient safety. The aim of this study was to increase patient safety by developing and evaluating interventions to increase and sustain CPOE use in hospital settings. The impact of three behavior-based interventions on CPOE adoption and use among physicians working in a 521-bed medical center were evaluated: 1) awareness – information to promote CPOE, 2) awareness/group feedback – awareness campaign plus graphs of order compliance and efficiency data for paper- versus CPOE-based medication orders, and 3) awareness/group feedback/social comparison – group feedback of CPOE adoption and usage rates at intervention versus control hospital sites in addition to previous intervention components. The results of this study serve to inform the development of large-scale interventions to increase hospital-wide use of CPOE. |
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International Paper Session - Choice I |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
10:30 AM–11:50 AM |
Hong Kong |
Area: EAB |
Chair: Kelly M. Banna (Auburn University) |
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Quantifying Choice and Punishment |
Domain: Basic Research |
CELIA LIE (University of Otago), Brent L. Alsop (University of Otago) |
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Abstract: Behaviour analysis has primarily focussed on the effects of reinforcement in choice procedures. In contrast, only a handful of published articles have examined the combined effects of reinforcement and punishment in choice procedures. Two competing models have been proposed to account for punisher effects: an additive (competitive suppression) model (e.g., Deluty, 1976), and a subtractive (direct suppression) model (e.g., Farley, 1980; de Villiers, 1980; Critchfield, Paletz, MacAleese & Newland, 2003). Although the data from these articles supported the qualitative (or directional) predictions of the respective models, specific quantitative evaluations of the data have not been performed. This paper presents a quantitative re-analysis of previous punishment research using additive and subtractive variations of the generalised matching law, and some additional data from our laboratory using a discrete-trial choice procedure with human subjects. |
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The Temporal Context as Transitional Effort: A new Conceptualization of Choice |
Domain: Basic Research |
ORN BRAGASON (Komazawa University) |
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Abstract: This presentation describes a concurrent-chains experiment in which pigeons made responses to concurrently available stimuli paired with a non-independent initial-link schedule of variable-interval 20 s. The choice responses were occasionally followed by a terminal link of equal-probable short and long reinforcer delays, the two delays always summing to 80 s. The length of the short and the long delays was manipulated across two experimental conditions (and reversals). The ratio of the terminal-links values was larger in conditions 1 than in condition 2, while the value difference was larger in condition 2 than in condition 1. The results showed that the preference was stronger in condition 2, indicating that the value difference controlled the preference. This finding is inconsistent with the contextual choice model but consistent with the delay ratio model and delay difference model, and, to a less degree, the hyperbolic value-added model. In addition to model comparison and testing, the presentation addresses issues related to the temporal context term in these choice models and the acquisition of choice. |
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The Application and Validation of a Logistic Function to Model Behavior in Transition |
Domain: Basic Research |
KELLY M. BANNA (Auburn University), M. Christopher Newland (Auburn University) |
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Abstract: Studies of choice behavior under concurrent schedules of reinforcement are beginning to identify the characteristics of this behavior in transition (i.e., following a change in reinforcement ratios). In rats, these transitions appear to follow a specific pattern. This pattern can be described by the rate at which the response ratio changes as a function of successive reinforcers. The rate of change immediately following a shift in reinforcement ratios is slow, followed by a rapid increase in the rate of change and then asymptotes to a new steady state. The resulting data can be modeled using a number of curve types, including the logistic function, log (B1/B2) = Ymax / [1 + e^(k[Xhalf – X])]. An interesting characteristic of the logistic function is that its first derivative should be linear. That is, dy/dx = r0 [1 – (N/K)?]. Here, we modeled transitions to determine if they satisfy this requirement of the logistic function. Insofar as they do, some broad characteristics about the conditions that influence choice behavior in transition can be identified. |
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Evaluation of Deviant Sexual Behavior in Sex Offenders with Developmental Disabilities |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
10:30 AM–11:50 AM |
Centennial Ballroom IV |
Area: DDA; Domain: Applied Research |
Chair: Jorge Rafael Reyes (University of Florida) |
CE Instructor: Timothy R. Vollmer, Ph.D. |
Abstract: This symposium will include four papers describing various methods for the assessment and treatment sex offenders with developmental disabilities. The first presentation, given by Robert Reed, is a discussion of some of the cultural issues related to sexual deviance including the historical development of assessing and treating deviant sexual behavior. The second presentation, given by Jorge Reyes, shows outcome data from the assessment and treatment of deviant sexual arousal. The third presentation given by Cristina Whitehouse, describes two novel assessment procedures. One of the procedures involves assessing responding in high-risk situations, and the other involves assessing preference for deviant stimuli (e.g., pictures of children) through the use of a computerized program. The final presentation, given by David Pyles, involves a discussion of assessments and services needed for sex offenders with developmental disabilities that may differ from needs posed by non-developmentally delayed offenders. |
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Deviant Sexual Behavior in our Culture. |
ROBERT H. REED (The Seguin Unit), Astrid Hall (The Seguin Unit), Timothy R. Vollmer (University of Florida), Jorge Rafael Reyes (University of Florida), Kimberly Sloman (University of Florida) |
Abstract: The focus of the current presentation is on the historical issues related to identifying, assessing, and treating deviant sexual arousal. Cultural and legal factors related to sexual deviance will be discussed with a special emphasis on the feasibility or lack thereof for community reintegration with sex offenders with developmental disabilities. Three general themes will be elaborated upon. One, “deviant” sexual behavior is a relative and culturally defined phenomenon. Two, existing research is inadequate to determine whether sexual behavior deemed deviant in our culture can be modified to safe levels. Three, the issue of reintegration is especially complex for offenders with developmental disabilities, due to the tenuous balance between public safety and active, personalized, treatment. |
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Replications and Extensions in Plethysmograph Based Arousal Assessments. |
JORGE RAFAEL REYES (University of Florida), Astrid Hall (The Seguin Unit) |
Abstract: Previous research by our group has shown that the use of the penile plethysmograph, designed to measure penile tumescence in the presence of various stimuli, can identify differential patterns of arousal for sex offenders with developmental disabilities. For example, Reyes et al. (in press), identified three general outcomes: a) deviant arousal to a specific age category and gender, b) deviant arousal across a range of child age groups, and c) no deviant arousal. The current clinical evaluation consisted of two separate components. The first component was a replication of Reyes et al., and involved conducting additional arousal assessments with 4 participants. Results from the arousal assessments showed similar patterns of responding as in the previous study. The second component involved an evaluation of pre-session masturbation on arousal. For this investigation, the participants were instructed to masturbate immediately (i.e., within 5-min) before the session was conducted. Results showed decreased levels of arousal during the pre-session masturbation sessions. Treatment implications for these types of manipulations as well as other potential manipulations will be discussed. |
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A Description of Two Novel Assessment Components. |
CRISTINA M. WHITEHOUSE (University of Florida), Jorge Rafael Reyes (University of Florida), Andrew Samaha (University of Florida), Kimberly Sloman (University of Florida), Timothy R. Vollmer (University of Florida), G. Wade Brodkorb (The Seguin Unit) |
Abstract: Two assessment components for sex offenders with developmental disabilities will be described. Ultimately, these assessment components will be part of a more comprehensive assessment protocol. The first procedure involves assessing responding in high-risk situations. The procedures were based on other studies that involved covertly observing people placed in high-risk situations (e.g., Himle et al., 2005). Participants, who believed they were alone, were observed in a waiting room (via a one-way mirror) that contained both appropriate materials (e.g., sports and car magazines) and high-risk materials (e.g., magazines with pictures of children). Data were collected on their responses to the high-risk and appropriate materials. The second procedure involves a visual preference assessment in which participants select one of three different pictures that vary in terms of gender, age, and more specific characteristics within categories such as hair and eye color. By determining specific victim characteristics this information could be included as one component of a larger evaluation of risk of re-offense. Although the primary purpose of this presentation is to describe methodology, some preliminary data from each procedure will be presented. |
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Risk Assessment and Supervision Needs for Sexual and Criminal Offenders with Developmental Disabilities. |
DAVID A. PYLES (Illinois DHS Division of Developmental Disabilities) |
Abstract: A number of standardized assessment instruments have been developed to assess risk of sexual offenders reoffending in the future. At this time, the instruments have not been developed or normed for people with developmental disabilities, and in fact may skew the results. Because sexual offenders with developmental disabilities do not reflect a homogeneous population, the assessment of risk and programming/supervision needs become particularly important. This presentation discusses risk factors and supervisory needs of non-charged and charged sex offenders. |
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International Symposium - Imitation Its Sources, Lines of Fracture, and Role in Expanding Behavioral Repertoires |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
10:30 AM–11:50 AM |
Singapore |
Area: DEV; Domain: Basic Research |
Chair: Jacob L. Gewirtz (Florida International University) |
Discussant: Jacob L. Gewirtz (Florida International University) |
CE Instructor: Jacob L. Gewirtz, Ph.D. |
Abstract: Imitation is widely considered fundamental in human learning, in natural development as well as in special education programs for developmentally disabled persons. The purposes of the present symposium are to review (1) the history of imitation theory and empirical research, (2) current research questions and empirical data, (3) conceptual issues, and (4) directions for future behavior-analytic research on imitation. |
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The History of Imitation Research and Suggestions for its Future. |
MARICEL CIGALES (Advance Behavior Consulting) |
Abstract: The act of imitating is widely considered fundamental for normal human learning and development. Imitation has been ascribed an important role in cognitive, language, moral and social development. This is evidenced by the more than 500 peer-reviewed articles published on the subject between 1967 and 2005. Yet, there is no consensus on the mechanisms of imitation. Multiple theories have been proposed to account for why and how humans imitate. This paper reviews the history and trends in imitation theory and empirical research. The role of imitation in higher-order learning processes is explored and directions for future behavior analytic research on imitation are suggested. |
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Stimulus Control in Generalized Imitation. |
DEBRA PAONE (Graduate School and University Center, City University of New York), Claire L. Poulson (Graduate School and University Center, City University of New York) |
Abstract: This study examined the extent to which imitation generalizes within a set of stimulus models that can be arrayed along a physical continuum. The participants, three typically developing children, were presented with a choice to imitate one of two stimulus models during both probe and training trials. During training trials, one of two stimulus models that occasioned reinforcement was presented with one stimulus model that never occasioned reinforcement. Probe trials, which were interspersed among training trials, were used to measure the extent to which imitation generalized within a set of stimulus models. Imitation of stimulus models used during probe trials was never reinforced. Following training, tests of generalization were conducted under extinction conditions. The data showed that as the physical similarity of the probe models to the S+ models increased, the level of imitative responding increased. The results are discussed in terms of stimulus control of imitative responding. |
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Imitation as Continuous Repertoires. |
PER HOLTH (The Behavioral Center, Oslo) |
Abstract: A multiple exemplar training aimed at establishing imitative skills must necessarily consist of a limited number of exemplars in which reinforcement is contingent upon responses that are similar to the responses of a “model”. Such “imitation training” may sometimes be considered successful when a certain number of directly taught performances can occur in mixed order with few or no errors. However, this result may be nothing more than a series of separately reinforced discriminated operants in which the similarity between responding and the responses of a “model” remains irrelevant to the controlling relation. Instead, a true imitative repertoire can be characterized as a continuous repertoire in which novel values on some dimension of behavior varies as a function of similar novel values on that dimension of the behavior of a “model”. However, in behavior analysis, characterizations, be it higher-order classes, relational frames, or continuous repertoires, remain characterizations rather than explanations. Sources, possible prerequisites, and optimal sequencing of tasks to facilitate the development of continuous repertoires still need to be investigated. |
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Influencing Appropriate Behavior through Manipulation of Various Reinforcement Parameters |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
10:30 AM–11:50 AM |
International Ballroom North |
Area: DDA; Domain: Applied Research |
Chair: Joel Eric Ringdahl (University of Iowa) |
Abstract: Reinforcement-based procedures are important and successful methods for establishing and maintaining appropriate behavior exhibited by individuals with developmental and physical disabilities. However, simply arranging reinforcement contingencies is not sufficient for affecting meaningful behavior change. Altering the parameters of reinforcement (e.g., schedule, value, magnitude, etc.) might improve the utility of such procedures. In the proposed symposium, four studies will be presented that evaluate various manipulations affecting parameters of reinforcement. In two studies, establishing operations (reinforcer value) were manipulated in the evaluation of activity engagement and task-related behavior. In the third study, the effect of reinforcer delay and magnitude appropriate behavior was evaluated for individuals with brain-injury. In the final study, the effects of various reinforcment schedules were evaluated in the exhibition of self-control behavior. |
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Contriving Establishing Operations: Response of Individuals with Developmental Disabilities. |
RYAN M. ZAYAC (Auburn University) |
Abstract: The field of applied behavior analysis has utilized the ability to capture and contrive establishing operations in treating aberrant behavior in individuals with developmental disabilities. However, research on the use of establishing operations in the teaching of appropriate behavior is not as systematic. This study examined the effects of establishing operations on the responses of individuals with developmental disabilities during an incremental repeated acquisition procedure. Similar to previous studies (Klatt, Sherman, & Sheldon, 2000; Vollmer & Iwata, 1991), individuals displayed lower levels of engagement in activities following short deprivation periods (15-minute and 2-hour) and increased responding after longer deprivation periods (1-day and 2-3 days). Additionally, the results showed that individuals responded more accurately during periods of longer deprivation (1-day and 2-3 days) than during shorter periods (15-minute and 2-hours). These results have implications for conducting preference assessments, scheduling daily activities, maximizing responding, and teaching new skills. |
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Evaluation of Noncontingent Reinforcement for the Treatment of Problem Behavior Maintained by Negative Reinforcement. |
JOANNA LOMAS (Marcus Autism Center), Wayne W. Fisher (University of Nebraska Medical Center, Munroe-Meyer Institute), Michael E. Kelley (Marcus Autism Center and Emory University), Henry S. Roane (Marcus Autism Center and Emory University School of Medicine) |
Abstract: Results of past research has suggested that negative reinforcement is one of the most common variables responsible for the development and maintenance of problem behavior. Thus, previous investigations have examined a variety of potential treatments for negatively reinforced problem behavior (e.g., differential reinforcement of compliance, non-contingent escape, escape extinction). As an alternative, the current study investigated the effects of providing noncontingent access to food as a potential establishing operation manipulation [non-contingent positive reinforcement (NCR)] to treat problem behavior maintained by negative reinforcement. A functional analysis (FA) was initially conducted, after which baseline (demand condition of FA) and treatment (NCR + escape) conditions were compared in a reversal (ABAB) design. Reliability data were collected on over 33% of all sessions and averaged over 80% for all dependent measures. Results indicated that for most participants, noncontingent access to food was effective for reducing problem behavior by at least 80% of its baseline levels despite escape being available for problem behavior. |
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The Effects of Incorporating the Illusion of Control into a Self-control Paradigm. |
PAMELA A. TIBBETTS (Southern Illinois University), Mark R. Dixon (Southern Illinois University) |
Abstract: As part of their rehabilitation process individuals with traumatic brain injury often find themselves in environments largely controlled by others, and may demonstrate resistance to therapy in an attempt to gain control over their surroundings. Two strategies that have proven effective in increasing compliance with therapeutic task demands are interventions involving choice components and interventions involving self-control training. While self-control training has been utilized in several studies involving participants with brain injury, choice interventions have been utilized less often with this population possibly due to their impaired logical reasoning skills. The present study investigated the utility of providing adolescents with traumatic brain injury with illusionary control within a choice intervention which already involved a self-control component, in order to provide the individual with a notion of control over the environment. Results indicated that all three participants switched their preferences to the larger delayed reinforcement, after having been exposed to the self-control training intervention. In addition, two of the three participants engaged in the target behavior for longer periods of time in order to obtain illusionary control over the duration requirement. |
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The Influence of Unit Price on Self-Control Responding. |
JEFFREY E. DILLEN (Marcus Autism Center), Henry S. Roane (Marcus Autism Center and Emory University School of Medicine), Terry S. Falcomata (University of Iowa) |
Abstract: An area of applied behavior analysis research with an increased interest is self-control, which examines the procedures crucial to increasing tolerance to extended reinforcement delays. A majority of this research has been conducted within a concurrent operants paradigm in which a choice is presented between a small, immediate reinforcer (e.g., 10-s activity for 10-s break; impulsive option) and a larger, delayed reinforcer (e.g., 60-s activity for 30-s break; self-control option). Results have generally shown the tendency for individuals to engage in impulsive behavior. However, responding toward the impulsive option may represent a more “economical” choice in response allocation. That is, in most investigations, the ratio of delay to amount of reinforcement earned (i.e., the unit price) generally favors impulsive responding (e.g., 1:1 vs. 2:1 in the above example). In the current investigation, we used concurrent arrangements in which the ratio of the response/reinforcer alternatives was systematically altered to favor either impulsive responding, self control responding, or to be equivalent for both options. Results showed that responding was influenced by these ratios such that the participant would engage in “self control” responding without being specifically taught to do so. |
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Innovative Approaches for Examining Behavioral Function in School Settings |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
10:30 AM–11:50 AM |
University |
Area: EDC; Domain: Applied Research |
Chair: Brian K. Martens (Syracuse University) |
Discussant: Jeffrey J. Skowron (The May Institute) |
Abstract: The papers in this symposium describe and present data showing the application of three innovative approaches for examining behavioral function in school settings. The first paper describes an approach that can be used to complement functional behavior assessment that involves: (a) conducting sequential recordings of consequences for both the presence and absence of a target behavior, (b) computing conditional probabilities from these sequential recordings, and (c) graphing these probabilities in the general operant contingency space to identify frequency of occurrence (i.e., schedule) and degree of contingency. The second paper describes an approach that can be used to assess the function of low-frequency inappropriate behavior in special education classrooms by: (a) conducting behavioral observations to develop hypotheses regarding the function of inappropriate behavior, and (b) using these observations to develop discrete-trial test conditions that can be embedded into students’ daily schedules. The third paper describes an approach that can be used to complement school-based reinforcer assessments by: (a) manipulating perceived availability of both low-preferred and high-preferred items as an establishing operation, and (b) monitoring the effects of this manipulation on rates of academic responding as well as choice of reinforcers. |
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Increasing the Accuracy of FBA: Charting Behavior-Consequence Relations in the Operant Contingency Space. |
FLORENCE D. DIGENNARO REED (Syracuse University), Brian K. Martens (Syracuse University), Tanya L. Eckert (Syracuse University), Derek D. Reed (Syracuse University) |
Abstract: Functional behavioral assessment (FBA) has been defined as an assessment process that uses a variety of methods to determine the function or purpose of behavior. However, a consensus has not been reached regarding the specific procedures that constitute a FBA. Although limitations are associated with the use of Antecedent-Behavior-Consequence (A-B-C) recordings as part of a FBA, they are commonly used in school settings. An alternative analytic method that may increase the accuracy of functional assessments that incorporate A-B-C recordings is to compute conditional probabilities that can be graphed in an operant contingency space. The general operant contingency space is a diagram that illustrates whether events, such as consequences, are more likely to occur following behavior or the absence of behavior. Graphing conditional probabilities in this way specifies the degree of contingency between events and behavior. The purpose of this presentation is to outline this approach as a potential way to increase the accuracy of functional assessment methods. In addition, data from a clinical case will be presented to illustrate the utility and applicability of this approach within the framework of functional assessment methodology and behavioral intervention design. |
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Using Discrete Trials to Increase the Feasibility of Conducting Functional Analyses in School Settings. |
SCOTT P. ARDOIN (University of South Carolina), Erik Drasgow (University of South Carolina) |
Abstract: Existing functional analysis models are especially appropriate for low frequency behavior and require greater resources and skills than are available to typical classroom teachers. This study involves the evaluation of alternative procedures for systematically assessing the function of low frequency inappropriate behavior in special education classrooms. Procedures include conducting behavioral observations to develop hypotheses regarding the function of inappropriate behavior and using these observations to develop conditions that can be embedded into students’ daily schedules. Conditions include systematically manipulating the environment by providing challenging and easy assignments, withdrawing preferred items, and removing teacher and peer attention. Unlike most function analyses, inappropriate behavior results in the termination of sessions. Evidence that a variable is the function of inappropriate behavior is provided by one condition resulting in a greater number of sessions terminated than other conditions. An application of this model will be presented to those attending the symposium. |
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Effects of Depleting Reinforcement Supplies on Item Choice and Rate of Problem Completion. |
CARON INGLIS (Syracuse University), Brian K. Martens (Syracuse University) |
Abstract: Teachers who implement reinforcement-based behavior plans may use small edible and tangible rewards. It is common for a large quantity of reinforcers to be bought when starting an intervention and then to restock as needed, often at the teachers’ convenience. In practice, this frequently results in a depleting supply of at least one item. The purpose of the present study was to investigate perceived availability as an influential dimension of reinforcers. In behavior analysis, factors such as satiation/deprivation, rate, delay, quality, and response effort have been shown to influence reinforcer effectiveness. In consumer economics, research suggests that one potential way to increase preference for and/or potency of potential reinforcers is to deplete the supply of available items in a reinforcement-based program. In this study, perceived availability was manipulated by systematically depleting supplies of reinforcement, and the effects of this manipulation on rates of responding as well as choice behavior were evaluated. Results of the study, as well as their implications on the use of reinforcement-based interventions in applied settings will be discussed. |
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Innovative Intervention Strategies for Preschoolers with Special Needs: Puppets, Mapping and Video-Tapes |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
10:30 AM–11:50 AM |
Auburn |
Area: EDC; Domain: Applied Research |
Chair: Diane M. Sainato (The Ohio State University) |
Discussant: Carol Ann Davis (University of Washington) |
Abstract: Innovative strategies should be empirically validated before we suggest teachers adopt these practices for their classrooms. This symposium offers three papers. Salmon and Sainato will present their study evaluating a socio-dramatic script training intervention using embedded storybook scripts and puppets designed to increase the social interaction skills of preschool children with autism. In the second paper, Rosenberg and Schwartz present a study teaching hand washing skills to preschoolers using commercially prepared video-tapes. Garfinkle will present her findings on a study using environmental arrangements to decrease problem behaviors in child care settings . Each presenter will address future areas for research. Carl Davis will provide a critique and discussion of the three papers. |
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Script Training with Storybooks and Puppets: A Social Skills Intervention Package Across Settings for Young Children with Autism. |
MARY D. SALMON (Oakstone Academy), Diane M. Sainato (The Ohio State University) |
Abstract: A study combining script training and instruction in socio-dramatic play to social-communicative behaviors of preschool children with autism was implemented. Three triads consisting of one child with autism (ranging in age from 53-61 months) and two typically developing peers (39-60 months old) were taught three socio-dramatic scripts. Scripts were embedded in storybooks and the children enacted each script using puppets. Social-communicative initiations and responses, and non-social (non-interactive) behavior were measured. Effects were monitored using a single subject multiple baseline across scripts, replicated across triads. Children learned the socio-dramatic scripts and acted them out with peers with low-rates of adult prompts. Increased social interactions were observed during generality sessions. The mean rate per minute of social initiations across three scripts during baseline sessions for target children ranged from .001 to 1.5. The mean rate per minute of responses ranged from 0 to .12. The mean rate per minute of nonsocial behavior during baseline sessions ranged from .95 to 1.26. Following script training with storybooks and puppets, the mean rate per minute of initiations ranged from 1.62 to 2.77. The mean rate of responses ranged from 1.1 to 1.54 per minute. Interobserver agreement was at least 85% across all experimental conditions. |
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Helping Early Childhood Professionals Use Environmental Arrangements to Decrease Problem Behaviors in Child Care settings. |
ANN N. GARFINKLE (University of Montana) |
Abstract: Although information exists to support children’s appropriate behaviors, challenging behavior in preschool-age children is problematic. This multiple baseline study across three childcares answered these questions: 1) can data be collected in a way that facilitates practitioner’s understanding of the environment as a factor in inappropriate behaviors and 2) does making changes to the environment decrease inappropriate behaviors? Across the three classrooms there were a total of 75 children and 7 teachers. Interrater reliability was taken across all three settings in 30% of the observations and in all instances, the raters agreed more than 80% of the time. The results indicate that in all three classrooms the environmental re-arrangement decreased the number if inappropriate behaviors from a baseline rate of at least 1.0 inappropriate behaviors per minute to a rate of .10. Further, the results indicate that the data collected facilitated the teacher’s understanding of the role of the physical environment in inappropriate behavior. The data collection tool, ways to facilitate practitioner’s data collection and the role of the environment will be discussed. |
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Teaching Preschoolers with Autism to Wash Hands Using Commercially Available Video Modeling Tapes. |
NANCY ROSENBERG (University of Washington), Ilene S. Schwartz (University of Washington) |
Abstract: Video modeling is an instructional strategy in which a child learns by watching a model perform a skill on a video tape. Typically, no instructions from the adult showing the video tape other than an initial direction to watch the tape and sit quietly are provided. One obstacle to using this effective teaching strategy in homes and schools may be the equipment and expertise necessary to make the video tape for the targeted skill. All previous research has used tapes specifically created for the children in the study. We evaluated the effects of using a commercially available video modeling tape to teach three preschoolers with autism to wash their hands. Two of the three children did not learn from the commercially made tape; subsequently, a personalized tape was made for each of the children. The two children who did not learn from the commercial tape learned to wash their hands from the personalized tapes. The child who responded to the commercial tape showed no further effects from the personalized tape. All three children generalized and maintained the hand washing skill. Interobserver agreement was assessed for over 30% of observations and average 98% across participants. |
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Instructional Design, Application, and Strategies for Writing Instruction |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
10:30 AM–11:50 AM |
Inman |
Area: EDC; Domain: Applied Research |
Chair: Bradley G. Frieswyk (BGF Performance Systems, LLC.) |
Discussant: Libby M. Street (Central Washington University) |
Abstract: The teaching of writing, frequently overshadowed by the teaching of reading, is an extremely important and equally difficult task. Most “writing instruction” spends little time on the behavior of writing. Students who learn to write well are at a great advantage in high school and college, and strong writers tend to do well in other subject areas that rely on a student’s language skills for comprehension, such as history or social studies and even math in the area of word problems. This symposium is presented by instructional designers, teachers, and teacher coaches who reveal behavioral approaches to teaching an important skill that is often left to chance. |
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Whimbey: Through the Morningside Mirror. |
MARIANNE DELGADO (Morningside Academy), Adam G. Stretz (Morningside Academy), Kent Johnson (Morningside Academy) |
Abstract: Arthur Whimbey’s Prototype–Construction Approach is implemented at Morningside through the Morningside Model of Generative Instruction. We will discuss how various Whimbey materials are applied throughout the three phases of learning: Instruction, direct and explicit instruction that establishes a new component skill; Practice, timings with peer or teacher coaching to reach fluency; and Application, performing the skill in a new context as part of a set of interconnected repertoires. We will also explore how Whimbey’s textbooks, Morningside fluency materials, and teacher/student editing sessions using the language of the prototype- construction approach are applied to each of these phases. We will introduce the addition of Morningside’s delayed prompting system to textbook instruction. A typical Morningside instructional sequence in grammar will be outlined, from instruction to application: through the acquisition of tool and component skills, practice using fluency timings, and application in our student’s expository and genre writing. We will also examine data on standard celeration charts using dropped floors and individualized aims for component skills based on students’ tool skills. |
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My Love Letter to Art Whimbey's Instructional Design. |
MYRA JEAN LINDEN-WHIMBLEY (BGF Performance Systems, LLC.) |
Abstract: Art Whimbey's Instructional Design goes through three stages. In the first stage he separated thinking skills from subject matter. During this stage, he wrote Intelligence Can Be Taught, Beyond Problem Solving, a developmental math text and two developmental reading texts. In his second stage, he designed developmental skills programs and worked in classroom settings for eight community colleges, colleges, and universities, most of them traditional black institutions. His work at Bethume-Cookmand College marked his transition to the third stage. In this final stage, he integrates subject matter with reading, writing, and thinking skills. From his experience as an academic support specialist at Bethume-Cookman, he produced an innovative writing text: Analyze, Organize, Write. His I.D. of that text and another writing text combine text reconstruction and sentence combining. A variation of text reconstruction is used in interactive, electronic software biographies of outstanding minority figures and a United States history text. This software won one of the 2003 top 10 educational software awards However, he considered the I.D. of a series of grammar texts to be his masterpiece. But before he developed this new form of I.D., he had to develop a new grammar paradigm to replace traditional grammar. This I. D. is the foundation of the Prototype-Construction Approach to Grammar. |
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Don't Proofread: Be an Editor. |
MARILYN B. GILBERT (Performance Engineering Group) |
Abstract: After struggling to first find a topic, next select the words and punctuation, and finally write a composition—most middle- and high-school students believe they’ve done their job. Of course, they’ve only done the first half of the job, and that half may not be worth reading without a careful edit. Yet editing is rarely the next step in writing exercises. Most students are told “now make your corrections” or “now proofread your writing.” But writers need to be editors, not just proofreaders. Proofreaders mark errors and typos. Editors are special readers who read and revise their drafts to make them engaging to their readers. In this paper, I’ll demonstrate how to edit a short composition. My assumption here is that students are able to recognize a simple sentence, and they have some general understanding of grammar and the most common punctuation marks. They’ll learn how to spot the warnings in the students’ first drafts—dull sentences, missing punctuation, loose grammar, useless words—and make improvements. Fortunately, the list of warnings can be greatly shortened if they are organized by their functions. I call the short list of warnings the Flags. In the classroom, students can practice scanning their drafts for Flags and revising their sentences so readers will find their pieces more engaging. |
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International Symposium - Methods for Exploring Derived Relational Responding |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
10:30 AM–11:50 AM |
International Ballroom South |
Area: EAB; Domain: Basic Research |
Chair: Sinead Smyth (National University of Ireland, Maynooth) |
Abstract: The current symposium is concerned with experimental procedures that have been developed to assess the relational processes thought to underlie generative human learning. The first paper used a stimulus observation procedure (SPOP) to examine the behavioral histories involved in generating implicit associations. The second paper explored the role of verbal knowledge in learning by presenting participants with verbal instructions rather than actual stimulus pairings. The third paper presents a new procedure that employs linear movement to establish relations between stimuli. This procedure eradicates the need to use MTS procedures in both the training and testing stages. The final paper in the current symposium sought to examine the procedural properties of the Implicit Relational Assessment Procedure (IRAP). The implications arising from these procedures for the advancement of the study of derived relational responding will be discussed. |
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Associations or Derived Relations: Investigating the Processes Underlying the Transfer of Functions. |
SINEAD SMYTH (National University of Ireland, Maynooth), Dermot Barnes-Holmes (National University of Ireland, Maynooth), Yvonne Barnes-Holmes (National University of Ireland, Maynooth) |
Abstract: One of the core assumptions of the RFT approach to human language and cognition is that language and thought may be defined in terms of derived stimulus relations. In contrast to this theoretical position, other researchers have argued that the derived transfer effect is produced by simple Pavlovian or associative processes that operate independently of human language and reasoning (Hall, Mitchell, Graham, & Lavis, 2003). The associative explanation for derived transfer, or at least Hall’s (1996) version of it, clearly predicts that transfer effects should not be observed if a linear training design is employed, and thus testing the account appears straightforward. The current study conducted this test by replicating Hall et al’s (2003) Experiment 1 using a linear training design rather than a many-to-one protocol. Participants were trained to categorize the A stimuli in Stage 1. Stage 2 used a stimulus observation procedure (SPOP) to train two three-member equivalence relations A1-B1-C1 and A2-B2-C2). Stage 3 tested for the transfer of the categories to the C stimuli – a derived transfer effect was observed. The implications of the current findings are considered in terms of the wider research program of which the current study is a part. |
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Exploring the Role of Verbal Processes in the Transfer of Stimulus Functions. |
SINEAD SMYTH (National University of Ireland, Maynooth), Dermot Barnes-Holmes (National University of Ireland, Maynooth), Yvonne Barnes-Holmes (National University of Ireland, Maynooth) |
Abstract: The current paper consists of two experiments designed to explore the role of verbal information in the derived transfer of stimulus functions. Experiment 1 of Hall, Mitchell, Graham and Lavis (2003) was extended, using verbal information rather than actual stimulus pairings during the training stage. During Experiment 1, participants were presented with four different instructions telling them what shapes and colors “do not go together”. This type of instruction required participants to derive the correct pairings themselves. In keeping with the findings of Hall et al., performance in Stage 2, in which shapes were discriminative for two different key presses, was superior for participants that were required to make the same key press to shapes that had been related to the same Stage 1 color. Experiment 2 involved presenting participants with a combination of instructed and actual pairings which participants would have to integrate in order to contact the experimental contingencies. Once again performance was superior for the consistent group. The current data call into doubt the associative claim that the derived transfer of functions effect is produced by lower-level associative processes, and that verbal processes are separate or secondary. |
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Movement and Equivalence Relations. |
ISRAEL MANAS-MANAS (University Almería, Spain), Dermot Barnes-Holmes (National University of Ireland, Maynooth) |
Abstract: Most of the research on the phenomenon of stimulus equivalence has used a Matching-to-Sample (MTS) procedure or variations on it. This typical MTS procedure involves first training a series of conditional discriminations and subsequently testing for a number of untrained derived relations (symmetry, transitivity, and equivalence). There are only a few published studies that have explored alternatives to the MTS format in the study of equivalence relations. For example, the Respondent-type Training Procedure and the precursor to the Relational Evaluation Procedure (pREP) were developed to expand the range of available methodologies for analyzing human language and cognition within the framework of Relational Frame Theory. The Respondent-type Training Procedure does not involve MTS training, but it does involve MTS testing. The pREP readily produces symmetry but needs specific training of relational cues to produce equivalence responding. The current paper presents a new procedure that aims to further expand the available methodologies for exploring derived stimulus relations. This new procedure employs linear movement to establish relations between stimuli and does not involve the MTS format in the training or in the testing. It may provide additional insights into the variables that are responsible for equivalence class formation and derived relations more generally. |
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The Implicit Relational Assessment Procedure (IRAP): Exploring its Relational Properties and the Randomization Algorithm. |
CLAIRE CAMPBELL (National University of Ireland, Maynooth), Angela Kelly (National University of Ireland, Maynooth), Jacinta Mccomish (National University of Ireland, Maynooth), Yvonne Barnes-Holmes (National University of Ireland, Maynooth), Dermot Barnes-Holmes (National University of Ireland, Maynooth), Ian T. Stewart (National University of Ireland, Galway) |
Abstract: This paper presents a study that sought to examine some of the procedural properties of the IRAP. Current versions of the IRAP involve presenting relational terms as either sample stimuli or response options. Furthermore, the samples change randomly within test blocks, as does the position of the response options. The effects of these variables on IRAP performance has not yet been subjected to systematic experimental analysis. The study reported in the current paper explored the effects of presenting two samples versus only one within each test block; the effect of presenting the relational terms as samples versus as response options; and the effect of maintaining fixed positions for the response options versus alternating their position randomly within test blocks. The results of the study shed light on the procedural properties of the IRAP and provide guidelines for its future use with socially or clinically relevant stimuli. |
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OBM Paper Series - Theoretical Advances in Organizational Behavior Management |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
10:30 AM–11:50 AM |
Vancouver |
Area: OBM |
Chair: Thomas C. Mawhinney (University of Detroit Mercy) |
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A Four Phase Process for Transforming Organizations from Bureaucratic Systems to Open Network Behavior Systems |
Domain: Applied Research |
WILLIAM B. ABERNATHY (Aubrey Daniels International) |
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Abstract: Conventional organizational behavior systems are closed and hierarchical. Layers of managers direct and control employee performance. Worker - manager spans of control range from 4:1 to 10:1. These systems manage employee behavior primarily through negative reinforcement which constrains employee performance and commitment. They are unresponsive to both external and internal change. They require costly direct supervision. A four phase process for transforming an organization from the conventional closed, hierarchical behavior system to an open, network system is presented. |
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Ethical Behavior at Work |
Domain: Applied Research |
ALICE DARNELL LATTAL (Aubrey Daniels International) |
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Abstract: Behavior analysis is about the objective assessment of behavior, how it occurs and how to get it to occur or not occur again. Ethical behavior is defined, most often, after the fact as ‘good’ or ‘bad’. There are few behaviors that can be defined beyond simple rules that can be labeled ‘ethical’ until they occur and are evaluated against a standard/context. Just as behavior analysis teaches us to measure behavior by its effect on the environment, we must use the same approach to identifying what is and is not ethical based on the effect it has on the larger setting. Do we in OBM have much to offer this values-driven assumption of ‘good and bad’? |
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Organizational Practices and Latent Deadly Organizational Cultural Practices |
Domain: Theory |
THOMAS C. MAWHINNEY (University of Detroit Mercy/JOBM) |
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Abstract: Organizational practices and organizational cultural practices are defined in behavioral terms and the distinction between them is discussed in some detail. Deadly practices are similarly defined at two levels of analysis, the level of individual group members (contingencies of reinforcement) and the level of the organization (metacontingencies). A taxonomy of these practices is constructed within a matrix that locates practices on the basis of whether they are functional, dysfunctional, neutral or deadly, whether they are overt or latent and whether they are organizational practices or organizational cultural practices. Archetypes are cast into cells of the matrix created the intersection of attributes associated with each cell in the matrix. Then issues concerning the role of OBM in identification, prevention and correction for latent deadly practices are discussed. |
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Professional Development Series: How to obtain grant funding |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
10:30 AM–11:50 AM |
Spring |
Area: PRA; Domain: Service Delivery |
Chair: Megan Guidi (Simmons College) |
RICHARD W. SERNA (University of Massachusetts Medical School, E.K. Shriver Center) |
KATHRYN SAUNDERS (University of Kansas) |
CYNTHIA J. PIETRAS (Western Michigan University) |
DUSTIN STAIRS (University of Kentucky) |
Abstract: Panelists will describe some of their experiences in obtaining grant funding for a variety of behavioral projects. They will give some recommendations and advice for being successful in this process and obtaining funding for your research. |
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The Emerging Science of Cultural Analysis: Part 2, Conceptual and Practical Advances |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
10:30 AM–11:50 AM |
Lenox |
Area: CSE/TPC; Domain: Theory |
Chair: Mark A. Mattaini (Jane Addams College of Social Work, University of Illinois, Chicago) |
JOAO CLAUDIO TODOROV (Universidade Católica de Goiás) |
INGUNN SANDAKER (Akershus University College) |
RICHARD F. RAKOS (Cleveland State University) |
MARIA E. MALOTT (Association for Behavior Analysis) |
Abstract: Skinner’s third level of selection, the scientific analysis of cultures and cultural practices, is an emerging area of international scholarship. Such work may prove to have enormous importance for addressing human, social and ecological issues worldwide. At the 2005 ABA convention, an international group of behavior analysts presented a symposium entitled, “Advancing the Analysis of Cultural Change: Metacontingencies, Interlocking Practices, and Research Agendas.” Those participating in the symposium and others subsequently met in Campinas, Brazil at a five day, ABA-sponsored Thinktank on the same subject. Participants in those meetings and others working in the area of cultural analysis will continue and extend that conversation in two roundtable panel discussions on The Emerging Science of Cultural Analysis at ABA 2006. Drawing on the work done in Brazil, in this presentation (Part 2), panelists will focus on conceptual extensions of theory including controversies related to units and levels of analysis, and the place of behavioral systems models for advancing the science of cultural analysis in a rigorous manner. The panelists will also elaborate options for expanding research agendas that can advance the field beyond its current heavy emphasis on interpretation toward increasing reliance on empirical testing. |
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International Symposium - The Implicit Association Test (IAT) and Derived Relational Responding: Conceptual Analyses and Empirical Tools |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
10:30 AM–11:50 AM |
Dunwoody |
Area: TPC; Domain: Theory |
Chair: Maria R. Ruiz (Rollins College) |
CE Instructor: Maria R. Ruiz, Ph.D. |
Abstract: The Implicit Association Test (I.A.T.) developed by Anthony Greenwald is said to measure unconscious cognitions that influence attitudes and preferences towards a wide range of social phenomena including race, politics and views on sexual orientation. Interestingly, the I.A.T. technique bears a striking similarity to behavioral methods of attitude and behavior assessment that rely on the concept of stimulus equivalence and derived relational responding. Our symposium provides an overview of the I.A.T and outlines its relevance to behavioral research in the social sciences. We will present a functional analytic model of the IAT in terms of derived stimulus relations and data supporting the behavioral account will be outlined. |
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The IAT and Derived Relational Histories as Epistemological Tools. |
BRYAN T. ROCHE (National University of Ireland, Maynooth), Maria R. Ruiz (Rollins College), Amanda Gavin (National University of Ireland, Maynooth) |
Abstract: The Implicit Association Test was developed by Anthony Geenwald and colleagues (1998) for the express purpose of identifying racial prejudice. In the test a participant responds to a series of items on a computer screen that can be classified into four categories; usually two representing a concept such as race (eg black, white) and two representing an attribute (pleasant/unpleasant). Participants respond more rapidly and accurately when the concept and attribute sharing the same response key are strongly associated (white/pleasant) than when they are weakly associated (lack/pleasant). We have begun to construct a functional-analytic model of the Implicit Association Test in which the effects are construed in terms of the subjects’ fluency with verbal categories (ie. derived relations) and their degree of experience juxtaposing members of those categories. We will present data on relational verbal histories constructed in the laboratory and employing nonsense syllables, and from field studies using actual words that we assume participate in culturally driven relational histories to illustrate our model and its potential uses. |
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Juxtaposing Images of Children and Sexually Explicit Words: Gender and Criminal History as Predictors of the IAT Effect. |
MARIA R. RUIZ (Rollins College), Bryan T. Roche (National University of Ireland, Maynooth), Kevin M. Miraglia (Rollins College) |
Abstract: Roche, Ruiz, O’Riordan and Hand (2005) used an IAT-type procedure to examine differences in relational responding between paedophiles serving time for sex crimes against children, male criminals from the general prison population and a random sample of non incarcerated individuals (male and female) from the general population. The procedure is designed to assess participants’ fluency in associating terms related to sexuality with images of children. On one block of tasks participants are presented with rules that instruct them to press left for sexual terms and images of children and right for horrible words and images of adults. On any given trial a cartoon image of a child, a cartoon of an adult, a sexually explicit word, or a nonsexual disgusting word is presented. Thus there are four types of trials, each presented twenty times in a quasi random order. The results suggest that paedophiles make significantly more correct responses when child images and sexual terms require the same operant response. Thus the convicted paedophiles were distinguishable from the other groups using these tests. An unexpected but very interesting finding was that only the female control group responded with fewer errors when adult images –sexual words and child images -horrible words shared the same operant response. In the current study we are replicating our procedure to examine the apparent sex differences in relational responding using sexually explicit words and images of children. We will discuss the potential implications of our results. |
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A Derived Relations Model of the Implicit Association Test: Testing a Key Prediction. |
AMANDA GAVIN (National University of Ireland, Maynooth), Bryan T. Roche (National University of Ireland, Maynooth), Maria R. Ruiz (Rollins College) |
Abstract: Subjects were exposed to a word-picture association training phase in which two nonsense syllables, one blue and one red, were paired with sexual and disgusting images, respectively. Subjects were then exposed to an equivalence training procedure which led to the formation of two three-member equivalence relations, each containing one of the two nonsense syllables. Subjects were then exposed to an IAT-type test consisting of red, blue, sexual, and disgusting images and a more complex IAT-type test consisting of sexual and disgusting images, and all members of the trained equivalence relations. Subjects were then exposed to a further equivalence training procedure in which one of the baseline conditional discriminations was reversed, before being re-exposed to the original IAT. Results suggested that IAT performances can be understood as relational performances, and moreover that such performances are sensitive to respondent conditioning histories, as well as both long term and short-term relational histories with the relevant stimuli. |
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Acquisition and Generalization of the Implicit Association Test (I.A.T.) Effect: A Replication. |
CHRISTEINE M. TERRY (University of Washington), Bryan T. Roche (National University of Ireland, Maynooth), Maria R. Ruiz (Rollins College) |
Abstract: The Implicit Association Test (I.A.T.) is hypothesized to measure unconscious attitudinal biases/preferences. Recent research on the I.A.T. using a derived stimulus relations’ model suggests that the I.A.T. does not measure unconscious attitudinal bias, but instead provides a description of the organization of the verbal relations in an individual’s verbal repertoire. Specifically, this model suggests that the I.A.T. effect is the result of an individual’s fluency with specific types of verbal relations. The current paper further investigates the use of the I.A.T. as a measure of an individual’s organization of verbal relations by reporting on an ongoing study designed to examine and replicate findings from a previous study that tested a derived stimulus relations’ model of the I.A.T. effect. The method used in both studies involved participants matching stimuli that are either equivalent or non-equivalent in a given context. The results from the previous study found participants’ performances improved across trials and generalized to another set of equivalent stimuli. These findings suggest that the I.A.T. effect is not based on unconscious attitudinal bias, but on the participant’s experience and fluency with the task. Preliminary results from the ongoing study will be discussed along with implications and extensions of the paradigm. |
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The Use of Staff Training and Performance Feedback to Increase Staff Performance in Community Based Day and Residential Settings |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
10:30 AM–11:50 AM |
Techwood |
Area: TBA; Domain: Applied Research |
Chair: John Stokes (Charles River ARC) |
CE Instructor: John Stokes, M.S. |
Abstract: The following studies review the use of current training strategies and their effects on staff performance in community treatment settings. The first studies review the use of performance feedback on staffs ability to exhibit desired appropriate behaviors in the at a vocational training program. The studies also examine the effects combined with video modeling. The second study examines the effects of staff training on the reliability of indirect assessment of challenging behavior across three day treatment setting. The third study demonstrates how to implement the combination of performance feedback and video modeling to increase the implementation of behavioral treatment programs. |
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Becoming Measurable and Observable: The Use of Performance feedback and Video modeling in Training Clinical Competence and Vocational Skills in an adult program. |
JOHN STOKES (Charles River ARC), John C. Randall (Charles River ARC), Donna Gagne (Charles River ARC), Liz Deren (Charles River ARC) |
Abstract: A three step performance training program was implemented across 4 day programs. The goal of the training was to instruct staff in how to increase their delivery of positive consequences for appropriate behaviors as well as provide extinction for undesirable behaviors. The program involved defining desired staff behavior, training and performance feedback. The procedure resulted in increased rates of appropriate teaching behaviors being exhibited by staff working in the respected programs. (Parsons et.al, 2004). The greatest increase in teaching behavior by staff was demonstrated during the performance feedback session of the training. All staff increases their performance to at least 90% within 4 trials during this session. Data is displayed graphically and results are discussed in terms of using effective staff training as a means of increasing the use of intervention procedure and individuals performance in a vocational program. Inter-observer agreement data was taken for 30% of trial for each subject. There was a mean IOA of 89% with a range of 76% to 100%. |
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The Effects of Staff Training on the Reliability Analysis of the MAS, FAST, and PBS. |
AMY SLYMAN (Vinfen Corporation), Jennifer L. Link (Vinfen Corporation), Diana Poles (Vinfen Corporation), Michael F. Dorsey (Vinfen Corporation & Simmons College) |
Abstract: The MAS, FAST, and PBS are widely used indirect functional assessment instruments. All three are questionnaires contain likert based scales designed to determine the function of an individual’s behavior. Zarcone et al., (1991) published a study demonstrating that inter-rater reliability on the MAS was well below the generally accepted 80%. The current study expanded on those findings. The staff of three day programs (n=60) serving adults diagnosed with mental retardation completed the MAS, FAST, and PBS in groups of two to three staff for a single subject. Staff then received training in a didactic format regarding functional analysis and role plays in completing each of the respective scales. These trainings were staggered in a multiple baseline fashion across the three day programs. After completion of the training the staff then completed a second series of scales for a second time on a new set of subjects. The primary dependant variable was the Interobserver Reliability scores on each of the three scales calculated as in the Zarcone et al., (1991) study. The results demonstrated the effects of training on staff reliability scores. |
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The Use of Digital Video Recording and Performance Feedback to Increase Program Implementation. |
AMY INCLIMA WOOD (Judge Rotenberg Educational Center), Angela Glavin (Judge Rotenberg Educational Center), Susan Ainsleigh (Simmons College) |
Abstract: Treatment integrity and program implementation are consistent issues for agencies serving individuals with developmental disabilities. This study presents the use of live Digital Video Recording (DVR) and examines the effectiveness of immediate versus delayed feedback on program implementation. Subjects in the study included teachers and paraprofessional staff hired to implement written programs for each student in a classroom. The setting of this study was a day and residential school serving individuals with conduct disorders, emotional disorders, brain injury, psychosis, or autism and other related disabilities. Through the use of DVR, program administrators are able to monitor program implementation for treatment drift; frequency of such deviations were measured. Providing immediate feedback via verbal conference was compared to providing delayed feedback, both in verbal and written format. The effect of various frequencies and format of feedback on program implementation is reported. |
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The Use of Public Posting to Increase Safety Procedures in a Public School Setting. |
JOHN C. BARKER (Simmons College), Susan Ainsleigh (Simmons College) |
Abstract: In this study, areas for improvement in school safety were identified after consultation with local law enforcement. Two specific problems were identified at a public elementary school: 1) staff and visitors to the school were not consistently wearing required employee and visitor badges while working or visiting the school building and 2) staff members were not enforcing the visitor sticker program, nor were they approaching individuals in the school who were not displaying proper identification. This study used public posting throughout the school building to increase compliance with identification procedures. Results demonstrated a significant increase in staff and visitor compliance with school safety procedures. |
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International Symposium - The Utility of Interdisciplinary Studies in the Area of Second Language Acquisition |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
10:30 AM–11:50 AM |
Learning Center |
Area: VBC; Domain: Theory |
Chair: Yukiko Washio (University of Nevada, Reno) |
Discussant: John H. Mabry (University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Visiting Scholar) |
Abstract: This symposium focuses on the application of behavior analysis to second language acquisition. Historically, studies in second language acquisition tend to focus on formalistic analysis rather than functionalistic analysis in which the environmental and contextual influences on verbal behavior are analyzed. However, some linguists are starting to emphasize the significance of a functionalistic approach so as to manipulate linguistic behavior within the environmental context. In that regard, speakers in this symposium will present theoretical as well as empirical analyses of second language that will demonstrate the utility of interdisciplinary studies of second language acquisition. One focuses on seeking a better integration of the two disciplines overall, another focuses on the detailed analysis of linguistic components based on contemporary analyses of verbal behavior, and the last focuses on the empirical study of teaching children foreign words. |
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Chaos/Complexity & Behavior Analysis: Second Language Acquisition Analyses via a Bridge Discipline. |
YUKIKO WASHIO (University of Nevada, Reno), Ramona Houmanfar (University of Nevada, Reno) |
Abstract: This presentation will address a paper written by a psycholinguist who points out that second language acquisition exhibits phenomena that may be explained by chaos/complexity theory. Chaos/complexity theory and the field of second language acquisition take quite different approaches, which could be the reason why there are few linguists who appreciate the importance of the functionalistic approach, in which the environmental and contextual influences on second language acquisition are analyzed. By pointing out the similarities between chaos/complexity theory and behavior analysis in terms of their contextual approach (i.e., complex systems being always evolving, dynamic, and interactive with the environment), the utility of complexity theory as a bridge discipline between behavior analysis and second language acquisition will be the target of discussion in this paper. |
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A Comparison of Four Strategies for Teaching a Small Second-Language Vocabulary to Preschool Children. |
ANNA I. PETURSDOTTIR (University of Akureyri), Linda S. Magnusdottir (University of Akureyri), Berglind Aradottir (University of Akureyri), Hafdis Jensdottir (University of Akureyri), Alma R. Olafsdottir (University of Akureyri), Asta S. Thorsteindottir (University of Akureyri) |
Abstract: “Knowing” a foreign-language word may be said to entail demonstrating several verbal relations, including two intraverbal relations in which either the foreign or the native-language word serves as a discriminative stimulus for the other as a response, a tact relation in which a nonverbal stimulus evokes the foreign topography, and a listener relation in which the foreign stimulus evokes appropriate selection behavior. On the basis of stimulus equivalence, one might expect the training of one of the foreign-language relations to result in the learner deriving all of the other relations. However, when simple discriminations and topography-based responding are involved, there is evidence that the training of certain relations (e.g., tacts) may be more likely than the training of others (e.g., listener relations) to generate emergent performances. In the present study, preschool children who spoke Icelandic as a first language were taught Spanish animal names. For each child, only one relation was trained for each animal name: a tact, a listener relation, an Icelandic-Spanish intraverbal, or a Spanish-Icelandic intraverbal. The dependent variables were acquisition of the trained relation and the emergence of untrained relations during and following training. |
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Behavior-Analytic Perspectives on Second Language Acquisition. |
ROBERT DLOUHY (Western Michigan University) |
Abstract: The field of second language acquisition (SLA) studies the difficult and complex problems that confront the learners of a second language. These problems include how learners acquire and learn to use vocabulary items, grammatical and syntactic structures, and phonological patterns. Presently, certain approaches to SLA are self-described as “functional,” and this paper will suggest that these are amenable to behavior-analytic interpretation. The discussion will be centered around an interpretation of the acquisition and generalization of syntagmatic frames (i.e., autoclitic and intraverbal frames). It will be argued that these frames are essential for the productive use of the target language. Additionally, a behavior-analytic treatment of these units will inform functional linguists’ discussion of the ways in which second language acquisition differs from first language acquisition, the emergence of language as a function of environmental factors (as opposed to innate qualities), the nature of interlanguage (the incomplete version of the target language produced by the learner), and the sources of learner errors in target language verbal responses. |
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Token Reinforcement Systems: Investigations on the Value of Tokens and the Selection of Back-Up Reinforcers |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
10:30 AM–11:50 AM |
Manila |
Area: EAB; Domain: Applied Research |
Chair: Iser Guillermo DeLeon (Johns Hopkins University) |
CE Instructor: Iser Guillermo DeLeon, Ph.D. |
Abstract: In both basic and applied behavior analysis, the consequent stimuli that maintain behavior often derive their reinforcing function from their association with stimuli that have previously been established as reinforcers. Termed conditioned reinforcers, these stimuli play a crucial and ubiquitous role not only in our understanding of learning processes, but in the application of behavioral principles to the solution of socially-relevant behavioral problems, perhaps most conspicuously in the establishment of token reinforcement systems. The present symposium will attempt to expand further our knowledge of the factors that modulate the efficacy of tokens and other behaviorally neutral stimuli as conditioned reinforcers. Specifically, the presentations will discuss (1) token value as a function of response effort, (2) changes in efficacy during the conditioning process to establish tokens as reinforcers, (3) the correspondence between preference assessment outcomes and the selection of back-up reinforcers and (4) direct comparisons of response maintenance between primary and token reinforcers. |
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Sensitivity to Token Loss as a Function of Earning Requirements. |
LISA M. TOOLE (Kennedy Krieger Institute), Iser Guillermo DeLeon (Johns Hopkins University), David M. Richman (University of Maryland, Baltimore County), Gregory A. Lieving (Kennedy Krieger Institute), Melissa J. Allman (Kennedy Krieger Institute) |
Abstract: The purpose of the current investigation was to examine the influence of earning requirements on the differential value of token reinforcers. Subjects participated in two phases. In Phase 1, experimental subjects were required to earn 20 tokens by identifying target stimuli in a field of stimuli. Control subjects were simply given 20 tokens (no earning requirement), one at a time, while the times of gains and losses were yoked from an experimental subject. All subjects then had the opportunity in Phase 2 to gamble with their tokens during discrete trials that each could result in a win or loss. The probability of a loss during these trials increased systematically across blocks of 10 trials. Of primary interest was the number of trials in Phase 2 at which the participant opted to escape from the task (i.e., cash out tokens). Generally, those who earned their 20 tokens in Phase 1 spent less time in Phase 2 and opted out sooner than those who received free tokens. These results are discussed in terms of the possible direct, positive relation between the effort required to earn tokens and the subsequent value of those tokens, particularly as value relates to the efficacy of response cost. |
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An Assessment of the Reinforcing Efficacy of Tokens. |
STACIE L. FITCH (New England Center for Children), Jason C. Bourret (New England Center for Children) |
Abstract: Participants were 5 children diagnosed with autism. All sessions were conducted in the children’s classroom. Participants were exposed to three conditions (contingent tokens, contingent edibles, and extinction) in a multielement design. Sessions ended following 5 min or following the delivery of the number of reinforcers that matched the number of tokens that the subjects typically earned prior to token exchange. In the contingent tokens and contingent edibles conditions, consequences were delivered according to a random interval (RI) schedule which was arranged such that the number of arranged reinforcers in the session matched the number of tokens that the participant typically earned before exchange in his daily programming (e.g., if a participant usually exchanged tokens after the delivery of 10 tokens, an RI 30-s schedule was used such that, on average, 10 tokens or edibles would be arranged for delivery contingent upon responding). The edibles used were those that typically served as back-up reinforcers for the tokens earned by the participants outside of experimental sessions. The tokens used, were also those already in use for each participant. The data indicated that the tokens served as reinforcers for two participants but not for the other three. The results suggested that the methodology used in the study may be useful in identifying the reinforcing efficacy of tokens currently being used for behavioral programming. |
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Token Training and Motivating Operation Effects on the Outcomes of Preference and Reinforcer Assessments. |
CARLY MOHER EBY (New England Center for Children, Northeastern University), Daniel Gould (New England Center for Children), Richard B. Graff (New England Center for Children), Jason C. Bourret (New England Center for Children) |
Abstract: Preference assessments have been shown to be effective procedures for identifying potential reinforcers. Typically, the stimuli included in preference assessments are limited to edible or activity items, rather than conditioned reinforcers (e.g., tokens). The present studies made use of preference- and reinforcer-assessment procedures to evaluate the reinforcing efficacy of tokens as they were being established as conditioned reinforcers (Experiment 1). Three participants underwent a series of paired-stimulus preference assessments with edibles and tokens. In token training, novel stimuli were paired repeatedly with either the participants’ highest- or lowest-preferred edible items. Reinforcer assessments were carried out using a multi-element design across conditions of baseline, novel tokens, and conditioned tokens. Following this, the effects of motivating operations on the reinforcing effectiveness of tokens was tested (Experiment 2). The reinforcing effectiveness of tokens and edibles was assessed in an ABAB design. Controlled-access and satiation conditions were compared. Results for Experiment 1 indicated that the tokens were effectively established as conditioned reinforcers. Results for Experiment 2 indicated that reinforcer effectiveness decreased for both edibles and tokens during satiation relative to the controlled-access condition. |
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Correspondence Between Preference Assessments and Actual Item Selection. |
KIMBERLY SLOMAN (University of Florida), Timothy R. Vollmer (University of Florida), Jorge Rafael Reyes (University of Florida) |
Abstract: We conducted a study to evaluate the correspondence between various preference assessments and actual item selection for highly verbal adult males with developmental disabilities. First, we conducted a verbal preference assessment with items in the unit token store and compared the results with actual items purchased. Next, preference assessments were conducted using picture representations of the items and correspondence was again assessed. Finally, preference assessments using the actual items were conducted. There was little to no correspondence between any of the preference assessment methods and actual item selection. Additionally, there was little correspondence between assessment types (e.g. verbal compared to picture preference assessment). However, there was high to perfect correspondence between token store selections across months. Implications for reinforcer assessments with individuals who have extensive verbal repertoires will be discussed. |
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Using Voice Output Communication Aids with Children with Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
10:30 AM–11:50 AM |
Regency VI |
Area: DDA; Domain: Applied Research |
Chair: Melissa L. Olive (University of Texas, Austin) |
CE Instructor: Melissa L. Olive, Ph.D. |
Abstract: Children with autism and other developmental disabilities often fail to develop spoken language. Consequently, augmentative or alternative communication (AAC) strategies must be made available to ensure the development of expressive communication skills. One type of AAC is the use of a voice output communication aid (VOCA). This session will focus on the use of VOCAs to teach a variety of communication skills. The first paper will briefly overview the types of AAC products available to consumers. Strengths and weaknesses of each will be highlighted. The second paper will review the literature on the combined use of FCT and VOCA for young children. Areas for application and future research will be discussed. The third paper will present the results of a study where a 4-button VOCA was used to teach greeting skills to children with autism. The fourth paper will present the results of teaching a child to request attention using a VOCA during play activities. |
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Overview of Voice Output Communication Aids. |
BERENICE DE LA CRUZ (University of Texas, Austin), Melissa L. Olive (University of Texas, Austin), Tonya Nichole Davis (University of Texas, Austin), Russell Lang (Lake Travis Independent School District), Hyung-Mee Kim (University of Texas, Austin) |
Abstract: This paper will provide an overview of the types of VOCA available to consumers. Relevant literature will be presented to support the use of such devices. Finally, literature will be used to describe the strengths and weaknesses of each device. |
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A Literature Review of the Combined use of FCT and VOCA with Young Children. |
HYUNG-MEE KIM (University of Texas, Austin), Melissa L. Olive (University of Texas, Austin) |
Abstract: Studies have demonstrated that AAC is a beneficial intervention for children with severe communication delays. Unfortunately, AAC is not widely accepted and used with young children. One could assume then, that children with severe communication delays and challenging behavior will likely need an intervention package consisting of FCT and AAC. However, if AAC strategies are underutilized with young children; it is likely that the combined use of FCT and AAC is also underutilized. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to complete a literature review of studies where AAC strategies were combined with FCT for young children. 17 articles were reviewed. A total of 28 children participated in the 17 studies across settings such as clinical, home, and educational settings. Most participants were male, nonverbal, diagnosed with mental retardation, and engaged in self-injury or aggressive behavior. The combination of FCT and AAC has been effective in increasing new communication responses while concomitantly reducing challenging behaviors. The most commonly used AAC strategy consisted of symbols and voice output communication aids (VOCAs). |
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The Effects of Using a VOCA to Teach Greetings to Young Children with Autism. |
RUSSELL LANG (Lake Travis Independent School District), Melissa L. Olive (University of Texas, Austin), Jennifer K. Burns (University of Texas, RISE School), Laura Brown (The Westview School), Amy Narbut (Infant Parent), Jessica Kerfoot (Moore-Weis School for Children), Hsiaoying Chen (University of Texas, Austin) |
Abstract: Children with autism and other developmental disabilities often have delays in communication and social interaction. VOCAs have been used successfully to teach a variety of communication skills. While greeting skills have been taught to children with disabilities (e.g., Barry et al., 2003; Simpson, Langone, & Ayers, 2004), VOCAs have not been used to teach this skill. Therefore, this study sought to teach a social greeting to children with autism and developmental disabilities using a VOCA. A second purpose was to assess for generalization of the greeting skill across behavior therapists. If generalization did not occur spontaneously, systematic training across therapists was used using the method, “train sufficient exemplars”. The results showed rapid skill acquisition for one children using naturalistic intervention. However 1 child needed training using a discrete trial format. Once the greeting skill was acquired, generalization was observed to other therapists. Two children began vocalizing the greeting. |
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The Effects of Using a VOCA to Teach Attention Requesting to a Young Child with Autism. |
TONYA NICHOLE DAVIS (University of Texas, Austin), Melissa L. Olive (University of Texas, Austin), Russell Lang (Lake Travis Independent School District), Berenice de la Cruz (University of Texas, Austin), Chia-Hui Ma (University of Texas, Austin) |
Abstract: Functional Communication Training is one intervention that may be used to address challenging behavior. However, when the new topography of the behavior requires more response effort than the existing topography (i.e., challenging behavior), skill acquisition may be slow. One way of lessening the response effort of the new communicative skill is to use a Voice Output Communication Aid (VOCA) where only a button pressing response is needed. This study examined the use of a 4-button VOCA to teach attention requesting to a 4-year-old with autism. The child learned to use the VOCA and she began verbalizing the request. Additionally, following intervention she used fewer pronoun reversals than in baseline. |
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Utilizing Functional and Experimental Analysis Methodology to Treat Aberrant Behavior in Typically Developing Adolescents |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
10:30 AM–11:50 AM |
Kennesaw |
Area: CBM; Domain: Applied Research |
Chair: Shawn L. Hirsch (Girls and Boys Town) |
Abstract: The use of functional and experimental analysis in treating problem behavior has a strong tradition in the applied behavior analytic literature. This is not surprising given that such methodology focuses on the detection of variables that improve or influence the occurrence of problem behavior. While functional and experimental analysis have been repeatedly shown to be an invaluable assessment and intervention tool, several shortcomings have been noted in the literature. For example, Hanley et al. (2003) found that an overwhelming number of functional analysis studies targeted individuals with developmental disabilities (91.3%). Based on reviews of the literature, there appears to be a need for replications of functional or experimental analysis methodologies targeting typically developing individuals within naturalistic settings. The purpose of this symposium is to expose the audience to a novel approach for using functional and experimental analysis in assessing and treating problem behavior in typically developing adolescents. An understanding of the process and several case studies using antecedent and consequence manipulations will be presented first. The symposium will conclude with a study on the long-term effectiveness of using experimental analysis methodology with the identified population. |
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Developing Applied Behavioral Analytic Technology for Use With Typically Developing Adolescents. |
SEAN T. SMITHAM (Girls and Boys Town), Gary Feller (Girls and Boys Town), Stacy Horsham (Girls and Boys Town) |
Abstract: Many youth treatment providers pride themselves on using proven child-care technologies to teach children to overcome problems, learn new skills, and change their lives for the better. Organizations often face challenges, however, when they attempt to integrate new behavioral technologies, such as functional analysis (FA), with the organization’s established structural and procedural hierarchy. This may be especially true for residential treatment facilities that serve at risk - but otherwise typically developing - youth in a naturalistic environment. This presentation will provide an overview of how one organization (Girls and Boys Town) attempts to address the challenge of incorporating evidenced based functional analysis technology into the residential treatment milieu. The core challenge is expressed in the following question: How does one balance the need for experimental control and manipulation that allows for good data based recommendations with the flexibility needed to apply this technology in a naturalistic fashion so that it is accepted by staff and addresses the need for improved treatment generalization? Through highlighting the evolution of applied functional analysis procedures within the larger organization and discussing our current process, we hope to illuminate some of the challenges as well as the benefits of providing FA services within a larger treatment system. |
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Applying Functional Assessment Methodologies to the Identification of Effective Antecedent Interventions for Maladaptive Behavior in Typically Developing Adolescents. |
JENNIFER L. RESETAR (Girls and Boys Town), Ryan Meehl (Girls and Boys Town) |
Abstract: Functional assessments were conducted for three typically developing adolescents placed in a family style, group home setting. Each adolescent exhibited significant ongoing oppositional and maladaptive behaviors. Direct care staff gathered information concerning the target behavior from multiple sources. Indirect assessments were carried out using methods such as interviews and review of records and reports. Descriptive analyses were conducted by examining a log of daily behavior recorded by direct care staff via each youth’s behavioral record. Based on this information, a functional assessment team identified possible antecedents and functions of the adolescents’ maladaptive behaviors and designed an individualized experimental analysis for each. The purpose of this presentation will be to present the outcomes of three experimental analyses that manipulated antecedent variables such as task difficulty and interspersal, frequency of positive versus negative interactions, and length and quality of prompts. |
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Treating Aberrant Behavior in Typically Developing Adolescents: Consequence Based Interventions. |
KASHUNDA L. WILLIAMS (Girls and Boys Town), Casandra Schlueter (Girls and Boys Town) |
Abstract: The utilization of experimental analysis in the assessment and treatment of problem behavior in typically developing adolescents is uncommon in the applied behavior analytic literature. Nonetheless, an understanding of the effects of using functional and experimental analysis in the assessment and treatment of problem behaviors in typically developing adolescents is warranted. This presentation provides three case examples, with the dependant variables targeting oppositional/ maladaptive behavior, in which consequence based interventions were designed using results from experimental analyses that utilized ABA methodologies. Interventions implemented included, but were not limited to, self-monitoring, contingent reinforcement, contingent punishment, or some combination. This case presentation provides an example of the utilization of ABA methodologies (1) with typically developing adolescent youth, (2) in intervention planning for this population, and (3) in a home setting. Results indicated that for the majority of youth intervention implementation lead to a reduction in targeted behaviors. |
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Evaluating the Effects of Functional and Experimental Analysis on the Behavior of Typically Developing Adolescents. |
MICHAEL I. AXELROD (Girls and Boys Town), Christina Edwards (Girls and Boys Town), Michael L. Handwerk (Girls and Boys Town) |
Abstract: Functional and experimental analytic studies have repeatedly shown that identifying and manipulating contextual variables can have a profound influence on problematic behavior. While the majority of this research has focused on individuals with developmental disabilities or mental retardation, investigations on the use of behavior analytic methodologies with typically developing populations also has demonstrated effectiveness. Very few studies, however, have included an examination of the lasting impact functional and experimental analysis might have on individuals exhibiting oppositional and disruptive behavior. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the long-term (60+ days) effectiveness of utilizing functional and experimental analytic procedures with typically developing individuals. Adolescents exhibiting significant problematic behavior within a family style group home were selected to be evaluated and treated using functional and/or experimental analysis procedures. Subjects were exposed to the procedures and consultation was provided to direct case staff and program administration regarding the results of the analyses. Behavioral observations from pre-analysis and post-analysis were compared to determine the within subject effects. Subjects were also compared to treatment as usual controls to determine the between subject effects. Results suggest that functional and/or experimental analytic procedures produce long-term gains for typically developing adolescents. |
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Behavioral Intervention with Very Young Children |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
11:00 AM–11:50 AM |
Centennial Ballroom III |
Area: AUT |
Chair: Christine Reeve (Mailman Segal Institute) |
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Starting Right: A Pilot Project for Earliest Intervention for Children with Autism |
Domain: Service Delivery |
CHRISTINE REEVE (Mailman Segal Institute, Nova Southeastern University), Sandra Savinelli (Mailman Segal Institute, Nova Southeastern University), Anibal Gutierrez Jr. (Mailman Segal Institute, Nova Southeastern University), Susan S. Kabot (Mailman Segal Institute, Nova Southeastern University), Tonya Duffy (Mailman Segal Institute, Nova Southeastern University), Melissa N. Hale (Mailman Segal Institute, Nova Southeastern University) |
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Abstract: With the increasing number of children being diagnosed with autism and with children being diagnosed earlier and earlier, the need for effective programs for children younger than 3 is greatly increasing. These services need to be designed to increase skills of the children, prepare the children for school-based instruction in the future, and improve parents’ skills in teaching and supporting new skills in their children to assure generalization and maintenance of these skills. Starting Right is a pilot program designed for children under 3 years of age with autism and related disabilities. Children enter the program at the earliest identification, and parents and children attend class together 2 to 3 days per week for 4 hours per day. Didactic parent training and parent support groups are also offered to families of the children enrolled. Members of the intervention team will present the combination of curricula, individual instructional plans, research-based teaching strategies, and data collection strategies used to provide individualized instruction based on each child’s performance. Methods for assessing progress and outcomes will be shared as well as strategies to facilitate transition to school environments upon turning 3 years old. |
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Intensive Behavioral Intervention with Toddlers: Why and How? |
Domain: Service Delivery |
NANCY G. SCHUSSLER (Behavioral Dimensions - MPLS), James E. O'Neill (Behavioral Dimensions - MPLS), Rebekah Keller (Behavioral Dimensions), Sarah E. Roberts (Behavioral Dimensions) |
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Abstract: A recent advance in the treatment of autism has been early identification of infants/toddlers who have or are at risk for an ASD. This presentation will highlight why early identification of autism spectrum disorder is crucial for attaining the child’s best outcomes, how to structure the treatment content with age appropriate goals and objectives, and how the intervention looks different from traditional discrete trial training when applied to children 18 - 24 months of age. |
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Enhancing Child and Family Outcomes: A model for parent education, collaboration, and community outreach |
Domain: Service Delivery |
JENNIFER L. HARRIS (FirstSteps for Kids, Inc.), Lisa Brownfield (FirstSteps for Kids, Inc.) |
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Abstract: Continuity of care and consistency of treatment are necessary components to successful outcomes for children receiving early and intensive ABA intervention. Positive outcomes may be realized when ABA providers work to improve service delivery by agency staff, ensure parent education and fluency with treatment specifications, and when effective collaboration between providers, families, LEAs and funding agencies occur. Often, working with the child receiving ABA is the simplest of such tasks. The presentation will discuss obstacles commonly encountered by treating clinicians and will present a pilot program in place to address these obstacles. Audience members will be provided a detailed parent education protocol and an outline of the California ABA/DDS/LEA Collaboration Project. |
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Developing Social Skills with Children with Autism |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
11:00 AM–11:50 AM |
Regency VII |
Area: AUT |
Chair: Justin B. Leaf (Autism Partnership) |
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Effectiveness of A Training Package for Teaching Friendship Development and Maintenance Skills for Young Children with Autism |
Domain: Applied Research |
JUSTIN B. LEAF (Autism Partnership), Mitchell T. Taubman (Autism Partnership), Stephanie Bloomfield (Autism Partnership), Leticia I. Palos-Rafuse (Autism Partnership), John James McEachin (Autism Partnership), Ronald B. Leaf (Autism Partnership) |
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Abstract: Studies suggest that developing and maintaining of friends are critical to well-being and can lead to higher grades as well as higher self-esteem and that the lack of true friendships can lead to feelings of depression, lower self-esteem, and higher rates of suicide. While many studies have looked at whether or not friendships exist with children with autism, very little work has been directed at teaching children with autism to develop and maintain friendships. The current study looked not only at teaching friendship skills, but building and maintaining friendships. Based on observation of typically developing children and social validity ratings of a panel of relevant professionals, this study broke elementary school friendships into four components; play, communication, emotional bonds, and choosing friends. Participants were three elementary school children all diagnosed with autism. Using a multiple probe design, the effects of a Friendship Training Package, designed to teach friendship skills and ways of building and maintaining friendships, were examined. Pre and post measures of friendships were also conducted. Results show that all three children improved in the four areas of friendship skills. Improvement was also shown in the building and maintenance of friendships. |
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Reinforcement Rate on Spontaneous Social Initiations of Children with Autism |
Domain: Applied Research |
VINCA RIVIERE (Development - Autism), Jean-Claude Darcheville (University of Lille) |
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Abstract: Social skills priming was used to increase the spontaneous social initiations of 3 children with autism. In the training sessions, experimenters prompted and reinforced social behavior (e.g. smiling, verbal initiations, touching peer and looking to the peer). The rate of reinforcement during the priming sessions is varying. The effects of manipulation on the rate of spontaneous social initiations during the subsequent activity is measured. Spontaneous initiations were more frequent after high rates of reinforcement than after low rates of reinforcement. The relation between high-p procedures and priming procedure are discussed. |
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Teacher Enthusiasm: Does It Really Make a Difference in Task Performance of Students with Autism? |
Domain: Applied Research |
TAMMY HAMMOND NATOF (State University of New York, Binghamton), Raymond G. Romanczyk (State University of New York, Binghamton) |
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Abstract: A popular belief among educators is that students perform better on tasks when teachers are enthusiastic and provide lots of attention. This paper presents results from a study conducted to explore the notion that some children with autism perform better with high teacher attention. Student performance on a matching task was measured for sixteen children with autism during two conditions: 1) high teacher attention/enthusiasm, and 2) low teacher attention/enthusiasm. Although six participants demonstrated substantial average differences in performance between conditions, visual analysis of performance data showed that the differences for six of these participants were likely due to variability in participant performance. Visual inspection of performance data indicated that only one participant demonstrated better performance with high teacher attention, and one student demonstrated better performance with low teacher attention. Interestingly, experimenters who served as teachers in the study reported that all students performed better with high teacher attention. Based on the results of this study, educators and parents of children with autism are cautioned against attributing differences or changes in student performance to type and intensity of social attention provided during task instruction in the absence of conducting a functional analysis. |
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International Paper Session - Knowledge and Motivation and Autism Intervention |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
11:00 AM–11:50 AM |
Chicago A-F |
Area: AUT |
Chair: Lisa Brownfield (FirstSteps for Kids, Inc.) |
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"Knowing:" A Practical Approach to Teaching Perspective-Taking as Applied to Advanced Conversation Skills |
Domain: Service Delivery |
LISA BROWNFIELD (FirstSteps for Kids, Inc.), Jennifer L. Harris (FirstSteps for Kids, Inc.) |
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Abstract: In recent years, behavior analysts have demonstrated a growing interest in exploring the concept of a “theory of mind,” and the proposed theory of mind deficit in autism. While a thorough behavior analytic analysis of the identification of others’ private events has not yet occurred, a review of developmental literature allows the identification of several potential skill areas that may be critical in social-communicative interactions. One of the most significant of these skills may be the identification of others’ “knowledge.” Considering and applying what other people “know” during communicative and social interactions allows the speaker to moderate the amount of information required by the listener to provide sufficient, but not excessive, background, while failing to do so often results in conversational redundancies or lack of appropriate context. The current presentation describes skill targets and training procedures for increasing the identification of what others know, and case presentations will explore the generalization of training targets to general conversation. |
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Spanish Adaptation of the Motivational Assessment Scale (MAS) in a Group of Children with Autistic and Other Developmental Disorders |
Domain: Applied Research |
JAVIER VIRUES ORTEGA (Instituto de Salud Carlos III & Universidad de Gra), Karen Christine Kloezeman (University of Hawaii), Tomas Jesus Carrasco-Gimenez (Universidad de Grenada), Rafaela Caballero (University of Seville, Spain) |
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Abstract: One of the main concerns on the cost-efficiency of functional analysis methodology (FA) is its time-consumption. A few instruments have been developed to aid FA completion although the literature on their psychometric properties is scarce. In addition, none of these instruments have been adapted to Spanish. We translated the Motivational Assessment Scale (MAS) by V. M. Durand and D. B. Crimmins (1988) into Spanish performing back-translations. The MAS was given to 2 family members of autistic children with behavior problems (n=60). Internal consistency, factor structure and interrater reliability analyses were performed. The results suggest that MAS can be used as an aid to perform FA in Spanish autistic children. We discuss methodological difficulties associated to the use of assessment methods other than behavioral observation when performing FA. |
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On the Utility of the Concept of Automatic Reinforcement in Applied Behavior Analysis |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
11:00 AM–11:50 AM |
Centennial Ballroom II |
Area: DDA; Domain: Applied Research |
CE Instructor: Melissa L. Olive, Ph.D. |
Chair: Kent Johnson (Morningside Academy) |
TIMOTHY R. VOLLMER (University of Florida) |
Dr. Timothy R. Vollmer received his Ph.D. from the University of Florida in 1992. From 1992 until 1996 he was on the psychology faculty at Louisiana State University. From 1996 to 1998 he was on the faculty at the University of Pennsylvania Medical School. He returned to the University of Florida in 1998 and is now an Associate Professor of Psychology and recently was named Research Foundation Professor. His primary area of research is applied behavior analysis, with emphases in developmental disabilities, reinforcement schedules, and parenting. He has published over 80 articles and book chapters related to behavior analysis. He was the recipient of the 1996 B.F. Skinner New Researcher award from the American Psychological Association (APA). He received another APA award in August, 2004 for significant contributions to applied behavior analysis. Currently, he is principal investigator for a collaborative project with the Florida Department of Children and Families, teaching parenting skills to foster parents. In addition, his research in developmental disabilities runs the basic-to-applied gamut with studies in an operant rat lab, a human operant lab, and school-based assessments and treatments of behavior disorders. |
Abstract: Automatic reinforcement refers to (positive or negative) reinforcement in the absence of social mediation. Despite early discussions of automatic reinforcement by Skinner and other eminent behaviorists (e.g., Michael), the concept of automatic reinforcement was not widely discussed or incorporated into applied research until the last couple of decades or so. Now, the notion of automatic reinforcement is widespread in applied research and practice. The presenter will show data reflecting the increasing trend of studies on automatic reinforcement. A result of the recent proliferation of research is that we now have enough data to at least begin exploring questions about the utility of the automatic reinforcement concept. While discussing a range of advantages and disadvantages of the concept, the presenter will reach two very general conclusions: 1. The concept of automatic reinforcement is useful because it draws attention to the fact that not all reinforcement is socially mediated, but 2. The concept of automatic reinforcement is limiting when and if it detracts from an analysis of specific stimuli and events that may function as reinforcement. |
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Skinner, Rorty, and Marx |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
11:00 AM–11:50 AM |
Roswell |
Area: TPC |
Chair: Ted Schoneberger (Stanislaus County Office of Education) |
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A Skinnerian Analysis of Marx's Concept of Revolution |
Domain: Theory |
CHRISTOPHER STABILE (Keiser College) |
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Abstract: Marx argued that revolutionary ideas are produced from an individual's non-ownership relation to their economic/material situation or environment. This paper's focus is that the verbal environment is the conditioning agent that reinforces individuals to behave in pro-capitalist means (spending, competing, and consuming), which decreases the possibility of formulating ideas and talk of revolution. Operant conditioning functioning in society can explain why ideas of revolution are not likely to emerge. An analysis of Skinner's verbal operants such the mand and tact can shed some light on this problem. The paper will demonstrate how both Marx's concept of thought and language are similar to those argued by Skinner in Verbal Behavior, and when applied to the post-industrial American society, mass media as a member of the verbal environment, will be less likely to reinforce revolutionary talk. As Skinner noted, when thinking, the speaker is referring to nonverbal behaviors, so if ideas are products of societal influences, and if those influences are manipulated by the mass media, then the ideas more likely reflect what is on the news and people behave accordingly. In sum, to be a revolutionist one must be a behaviorist. |
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Science Without Scientism: Richard Rorty's Neo-Pragmatist Approach |
Domain: Theory |
TED SCHONEBERGER (Stanislaus County Office of Education, Modesto, CA) |
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Abstract: John Malone (2004) has asserted that "Skinner was convinced that science, not the humanities, held the answer to our most important questions." On the other hand, Richard Rorty "argues that the answers to our most pressing questions--'redemptive questions'--come from imaginative literature, not from . . . science" (Malone, 2000). Malone has misread Rorty. According to Rorty (1991), "scientists are, and deserve to be, moral exemplars." Their virtues are "the habits of relying on persuasion rather than force, of respect for the opinions of colleagues," as well as "curiosity and eagerness for new data and ideas." However, what Rorty does reject is scientism; namely, the view that the goals and general methodology of science should be employed by other institutions and activities (e.g., philosophy, the arts) of our culture--especially when pursuing ultimate truth. For Rorty (2000), the goals (e.g., prediction and control) and methods (e.g., experimentation) of science are not appropriate when individuals face "problems about what to do with ourselves, what purposes to serve." In such cases, we turn to the arts and humanities, not science. This paper shall counter Malone's misreading of Rorty by examining the latter's critique of scientism. |
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The Multiple Mechanisms of GHB: Why Should we Care? |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
11:00 AM–11:50 AM |
Centennial Ballroom I |
Area: BPH; Domain: Basic Research |
CE Instructor: John M. Roll, J.D. |
Chair: John M. Roll (Washington State University, Friends Research Institute) |
CHARLES PATRICK FRANCE (University of Texas) |
Dr. France received his Ph.D. from the University of Michigan. He is currently a Professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Psychiatry at the University of Texas Health Science Center, located in San Antonio. Research in his laboratory focuses on interactions between behavior and pharmacology as those interactions influence the abuse liability of drugs. One major goal of the laboratory has been to understand how the subjective effects of drugs change as a consequence of certain behavioral and pharmacologic histories. His laboratory has developed behavioral procedures (drug discrimination) that are sensitive to the withdrawal-precipitating effects of antagonists and routinely uses these procedures to study the development of dependence and the expression of withdrawal as well as how these phenomena can be modified by various pharmacologic and behavioral manipulations. One unifying theme of research in his laboratory is the use of receptor theory, which provides a framework for the planning, execution and interpretation of behavioral studies with drugs. Thus, many of his studies attempt to differentiate among drugs on the basis of their efficacy and selectivity, thereby identifying the pharmacologic characteristics of drugs that are most important for particular behavioral effects (e.g., reinforcing effects). |
Abstract: Since its discovery and isolation more than 40 years ago, GHB has been studied for its therapeutic and non-therapeutic effects. GHB is an endogenous putative neurotransmitter/neuromodulator, a drug of abuse, and a treatment for sleep disorders. Despite numerous studies on GHB and its continued use in and out of the clinic, the mechanisms that contribute to its use and abuse remain only partially described. This presentation will review preclinical studies on the behavioral pharmacology of GHB, particularly as those studies related to identification of the mechanism of action of GHB and related compounds. |
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The Role of Parents in Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
11:00 AM–11:50 AM |
Regency V |
Area: AUT |
Chair: Jack Scott (Florida Atlantic University) |
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Quantitative and Qualitative Analysis of Home Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention Programs: Results of the 2005 Survey |
Domain: Service Delivery |
JACK SCOTT (Florida Atlantic University), Bairbre Flood (Florida Atlantic University), Kyle Bennett (Florida Atlantic University) |
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Abstract: This presentation will offer the results of a survey of parents conducting home early intensive behavioral intervention programs. The survey and a companion telephone interview study sought information on a wide array of factors relating to these parent-managed interventions including number of hours of intervention, nature of behavioral training for staff, hours of professional supervision, teaching assistant and program supervisor pay and program costs. Results from the US, Canada, the UK and seven other countries are provided. Average costs are just over $50,000 per year while the average program offered the child 21 hours of intervention per week. Additionally, qualitative aspects of home programs, such as changes in parent employment, parent support systems, and program satisfaction were studied by means of telephone interviews. These findings indicate general satisfaction with program gains, major disruption to parent employment and finances, and changing goals and expectations over the course of intervention for many families. |
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Training Parents as Behavior Change Agents: An Examination of the Benefits of Targeting Knowing About or Knowing How to Implement Operant Principles |
Domain: Applied Research |
GINGER R. WILSON (Nyansa Learning Corporation), Jennifer A. Castellanos (University of Nevada, Reno), Brooke M. Holland (University of Nevada, Reno), Patrick M. Ghezzi (University of Nevada, Reno) |
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Abstract: Despite the many advantages of training parents as change agents for their child, no one parent training program has utilized strategies to effectively produce all of these outcomes. Parent training programs differ greatly and there are conflicting recommendations as to the necessary components for training parents to manage behavior (e.g., O’Dell, 1974). One area of increasing interest is the necessary content of a parent training program. One content related issue centers on whether it is necessary to train parents about behavior principles or whether training parents how to implement behavior principles or whether a combination of the two is necessary to produce child behavior change. A few published studies have incorporated varying amounts of principles training, yet knowing how and knowing about operant principles has not been isolated. This address will present a study designed to examine the effects of parent training that targeted knowing about operant principles, knowing how to implement operant principles, and combination training. The effects of this training were examined for six parent-child dyads in terms of parental attrition, parental satisfaction, and generalization and maintenance of treatment gains for both the parent and the child. |
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Parent Power in Getting a Reluctant School District to Establish a Comprehensive Behaviorally-Based Autism Program |
Domain: Applied Research |
BARRY E. STERN (Ann Arbor Families for Autistic Children's Education and Support (A2FACES)) |
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Abstract: This is a case study of how a group of parents of children with autism lobbied the Ann Arbor Public Schools over several years to establish a Comprehensive behaviorally-based Autism Program. In 1999, the climate in the district was vehemently anti-ABA. Several parents who requested ABA programs for their children were involved with lawsuits that eventually failed at the District Court level. By joining forces and gaining legal counsel, parents prevailed upon the District to work together via a Task Force to establish the Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention pre-school program. Although additional efforts were recommended by the first Task Force to continue developing a coherent comprehensive K-12 program, progress was minimal. It required the prompting of another proposal by parents for the District to initiate action. The parent proposal emphasized qualified behaviorally trained people in the classroom, expert supervision, data-driven decision-making, customized interventions for each child, accountability, and a strong program of professional development. The parent group is exploring other means, besides threat of litigation, to urge swifter action by the district. These include understanding special education funding, meeting with Board of Education members, and a plan of political action including media exposure. The presentation ends with an assessment of results to date, what worked and did not work and why. |
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#333 International Poster Session - AUT |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
12:00 PM–1:30 PM |
Grand Hall |
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1. Treatment Integrity in Behavioral Intervention Studies with Individuals with Autism |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
JENNIFER A. BENNE (Southern Illinois University), April S. Worsdell (Southern Illinois University) |
Abstract: Treatment integrity can be defined as the extent to which an independent variable (IV) is implemented as planned. Previous reviews have revealed that behavioral studies largely ignore the measurement of the IV (Gresham & Gansle, 1993). However, measuring the accuracy of IV implementation is necessary to determine the extent to which behavior change can be attributed to the prescribed intervention. Four journals, recognized to publish behavioral research in the area of autism, were reviewed from 2000 through 2004. A total of 66 experimental articles were identified that included at least one participant diagnosed with autism. Each article was evaluated to determine whether: (a) the integrity of the IV was measured, (b) the operational definition of the IV was precise enough to be replicated, and (c) the therapist who administered the intervention was trained. Results indicated that 30% of the reviewed studies reported treatment integrity, 30% contained an operational definition of an IV, and 24% of the studies reported that the therapist was trained. A second observer independently coded 21% of the articles. Reliability ranged from 86% to 100%.Reference: Gresham, F. A., & Gansle, K. A. (1993). Treatment integrity of school-based behavioral intervention studies: 1980-1990. School Psychology Review, 22, 254-272. |
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2. Helping Answer Needs by Developing Specialists (HANDS) in Autism: Program Development |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
NAOMI SWIEZY (Christian Sarkine Autism Treatment Center at Riley Hospital for Children), Megan N. Grothe (Christian Sarkine Autism Treatment Center at Riley Hospital for Children), Melissa L. Maynard (Christian Sarkine Autism Treatment Center at Riley Hospital for Children), Patricia Korzekwa (Christian Sarkine Autism Treatment Center at Riley Hospital for Children), Pamela Anderson (Christian Sarkine Autism Treatment Center at Riley Hospital for Children), Kara Hume (Indiana University), Joy Fairbanks (Christian Sarkine Autism Treatment Center at Riley Hospital for Children), Gary Miller (Riley Hospital for Children) |
Abstract: The mission of HANDS in Autism is an extension of the philosophy guiding general clinical work in the area specific to caregiver education and training. The goal is to provide practical and applicable information to a variety of caregivers from an ABA-based framework and to provide an option for training that promotes practical learning opportunities through an innovative and intensive hands-on and coaching experience. The primary goals and objectives of the model are to provide: a focus on individual strengths of each student; a focus on comprehensive training (i.e., assessment to goal development); hands on learning with children of various levels of functioning and challenge; training in a model of didactics combined with modeling, practice, and feedback in a supportive coaching environment; training to multiple caregivers working hands on with individuals with autism in various environments; provision of training based on a “best practices” approach to assessment and intervention; development of curriculum and behavioral planning based on data driven decision making. Methods and procedures used in developing and the program will be presented. |
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3. Helping Answer Needs by Developing Specialists (HANDS) in Autism: Program Evaluation |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
MEGAN N. GROTHE (Christian Sarkine Autism Treatment Center at Riley Hospital for Children), Naomi Swiezy (Christian Sarkine Autism Treatment Center at Riley Hospital for Children), Melissa L. Maynard (Christian Sarkine Autism Treatment Center at Riley Hospital for Children), Patricia Korzekwa (Christian Sarkine Autism Treatment Center at Riley Hospital for Children), Joy Fairbanks (Christian Sarkine Autism Treatment Center at Riley Hospital for Children), Pamela Anderson (Christian Sarkine Autism Treatment Center at Riley Hospital for Children), Kara Hume (Indiana University), Gary Miller (Riley Hospital for Children) |
Abstract: The mission of HANDS in Autism is an extension of the philosophy guiding general clinical work in the area specific to caregiver education and training. The goal is to provide practical and applicable information to a variety of caregivers from an ABA-based framework and to provide an option for training that promotes practical learning opportunities through an innovative and intensive hands-on and coaching experience. The primary goals and objectives of the model are to provide: a focus on individual strengths of each student; a focus on comprehensive training (i.e., assessment to goal development); hands on learning with children of various levels of functioning and challenge; training in a model of didactics combined with modeling, practice, and feedback in a supportive coaching environment; training to multiple caregivers working hands on with individuals with autism in various environments; provision of training based on a “best practices” approach to assessment and intervention; development of curriculum and behavioral planning based on data driven decision making. Following an initial training, participants were asked to provide feedback on several aspects of the training, including rating the thoroughness of information presented, the materials provided, and the hands-on experiences. Both strengths and weaknesses were analyzed with emphasis on program adaptation for future trainings. Results of the evaluations as well as future adaptations to the program will be presented. |
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4. Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention for Children with Autism: An Updated and Comprehensive Empirical Literature Review |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
KIMBERLY ANN KROEGER (Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Kelly O'Leary Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders) |
Abstract: Early intensive behavioral intervention (EIBI) for children with autism was introduced and piloted by O. Ivar Lovaas in the 1960s. Since its inception, EIBI has become one of the predominant treatment intervention options for children with autism and remains the only evidenced based. Since its early beginnings, multiple models of EIBI have been developed, implemented and evaluated. This literature review compiles the published, data driven EIBI models and categorizes them according to structure, nature and identified goal areas. Additionally, long term follow-up data (when available) are included and critically reviewed. |
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5. Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention: A Research Synthesis |
Area: AUT; Domain: Service Delivery |
AMANDA TYRELL (Community Living Opportunities, Inc.) |
Abstract: The incidence of autism spectrum disorders has increased to between 1 in 500 and 1 in 166 (CDC, 2005). Although various treatment options exist for families, there is a push to identify interventions in early childhood that are evidence-based (Carta & Greenwood, 1997). The presenter will share the results of a research synthesis on Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention (EIBI)/Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) programs for children with autism. Sixteen published articles from a variety of researchers in this area will be included (eg. Howard, Sparkman, Cohen, Green, & Stanislaw, 2005; Lovaas, Koegel, Simmons, & Stevens Long, 1973). Research has shown that children with autism increased their IQ scores (eg. Fenske, Zalenski, Krantz, & McClannahan, 1995; Lovaas, 1987; Lovaas, Koegel, Simmons, & Stevens Long, 1973; Sheinkopf & Siegel, 1998; Smith, Groen, & Wynn, 2000). In addition, Lovaas (1987) and Weiss (1999) reported that 47% and 35% of the participants receiving more than 40 hours per week for at least 2 years of intervention, respectively, were placed in general education settings. The participants, methodology, and outcomes of each study will be discussed. Future research needs will be addressed. |
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6. Autism Prevalence Discrepancies Between International Epidemiology Data and the United States Department of Education Data |
Area: AUT; Domain: Theory |
JONATHAN L. SEMETKO (Utah State University), Thomas S. Higbee (Utah State University) |
Abstract: Data from the United States Department of Education have been used to track Autism prevalence. This may be problematic as several discrepancies exist between the education data and the international epidemiology data. This analysis looks at discrepancies in prevalence rate, racial equivalence, and age cohort increase. Implications of using the education data are then discussed. |
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7. Increasing Vocalizations of a Child with Rett Syndrome through a Behavioral Intervention Package |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
JULIE M. MARCKEL (Columbus Children's Hospital Autism Center), Tim M. Barrett (The Ohio State University), Christine Averill (Columbus Children's Hospital) |
Abstract: Research has suggested that behavioral interventions are ineffective with teaching girls with Rett Syndrome. Loss of language is a common characteristic of girls with Rett Syndrome that necessitates intervention. Therefore, the purpose of this investigation was to assess the effects of a behavioral intervention package on the vocalization of a girl with Rett Syndrome. Specifically, the independent variable comprised a behavioral intervention package that included establishing operations, shaping, and differential reinforcement. The functional effects of the intervention were assessed through a changing criterion design. The dependent variable consisted of the topography and duration of vocalization. Each criterion increased the specificity of the topography and the duration of the vocalization. Results showed a functional relationship between the behavioral package and an increase in specificity and duration of vocalizations. In addition, generalization occurred across therapists and settings. While a functional relationship was demonstrated, there are inconsistencies in the literature, thus, future research should focus on isolating the functional variables related to the effectiveness of increasing vocalizations of girls with Rett Syndrome. |
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8. Need fails to predict service allocation...What's going on? |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
LAUREL MAUCH (FirstSteps for Kids, Inc.), Jennifer L. Harris (FirstSteps for Kids, Inc.) |
Abstract: Treatment outcomes vary among children receiving intensive ABA intervention. Intensity of intervention has consistently been associated with positive outcome. Although numerous studies suggest that high intensity (25+ hours per week) is crucial to outcome, many children diagnosed are receiving far less intensive services. This archival study of 79 ASD children receiving ABA intervention examined the potential correlates to service hour allocation with the hypothesis that intensity of intervention would be based upon the severity of presenting symptoms at intake. Specifically, an inverse relationship between child pathology and intensity of treatment was predicted. Contrary to our hypothesis, results indicate that no correlation was found between entry functioning and hours of treatment received. This finding suggests that funding (inferred from intensity) was not systematically allocated based on need and therefore implies that funding is provided based upon factors unrelated to the child. Future research is warranted. |
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9. Effects of Response Blocking during Discrete Trial Instruction |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
ANNETTE MCCLAVE (Marcus Autism Center), Michael E. Kelley (Marcus Autism Center and Emory University School of Medicine), Catherine Trapani (Marcus Autism Center), Tiffany Kodak (Louisiana State University) |
Abstract: The provision of response blocking following problem behavior has been well investigated in previous literature (Lalli, Livezey, & Kates, 1996; Lerman, Kelley, Vorndran, & Van Camp, 2003). However, evaluations of response blocking as a procedure implemented following incorrect responding during instructional tasks has not been well evaluated. When a novel educational task is presented, children may engage responses that were recently acquired that have a history of reinforcement. Engaging in these previously reinforced response may interfere with acquiring new response. Blocking incorrect responses may prevent children from repeatedly engaging in previously mastered responses. Thus, children may acquire new responses more rapidly because blocking prevents the necessity for implementing repeated error-correction trials. In the present investigation, response blocking was implemented during four instructional programs with two participants diagnosed with autism. Results suggested that the blocking resulted in acquisition of skills that were not acquired under other treatment procedures. |
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10. Publicly Funded Home-Based ABA Program for Preschool Children with Autism: Outcomes of Two of Three Years of Intervention |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
ANGELA CORNICK (St. Amant Research Centre), Daniela Fazzio (St. Amant Research Centre) |
Abstract: The St. Amant ABA Program is a home-based preschool program funded by the Provincial Government of Manitoba. Thirty three children have completed their second of three years in the program. Their progress was measured by criterion and standardized measures administered at intake and at six months (ABLLS) and one year of participation in the program. The following criterion measures have been used: ? Skills according to the Assessment of Basic Language and Learning Skills - ABLLS ? Discrimination abilities as measures by the Assessment of Basic Learning Skills – ABLA Test. The following standardized measures have been used: ? Cognitive skills: Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scales of Intelligence – WPPSI-III ? Development: Battelle Developmental Inventory – BDI ? Speech and Language: Preschool Language Scale – PLS-4 ? Autism characteristics: Childhood Autism Rating Scale – CARS
Analyses of outcomes using the above-mentioned measures indicate that all 33 participants gained skills during their first two years in the program. Age-equivalents were the most significantly affected measures. Results are presented in graphs depicting outcomes of the group in all cited measures, including developmental rates per year. |
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11. The Effects of General versus Specific Training for Parents |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
BROOKE M. HOLLAND (University of Nevada, Reno), Ginger R. Wilson (Nyansa Learning Corporation), Kristina Landerman (University of Nevada, Reno), Molly Day (University of Nevada, Reno), Patrick M. Ghezzi (University of Nevada, Reno) |
Abstract: An increasing trend towards the use of parents as active change agents for their children is evidenced by the growing literature on parent training. This trend that began in the early 1970’s was necessitated by the shortages of personnel within the mental health field and revised service delivery approaches (Bernal & North, 1978). This move was imposed by the need to train social agents, especially parents, in the child’s natural social environment in order to bring about durable, generalized, and long-term changes in children’s behavior. This increase in parent training has spurred many research studies targeting the cost benefit ratio, the long-term efficacy, most appropriate methods of instruction, and questions of necessary content for those conducting parent training. Previous research suggests the use of modeling and feedback and specific over general training (O’Dell, 1985). This poster will present data on a parent training study that examined the effects of general and specific training, while examining the effects of instructions and feedback. In addition, this paper will highlight areas and/or topics in need of improvement and suggest future research for parent trainers in light of the current literature. |
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12. Some Lessons Learned in Training Parents |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
JENNIFER A. CASTELLANOS (University of Nevada, Reno), Ginger R. Wilson (Nyansa Learning Corporation), Christy Cauffman (University of Nevada, Reno), Molly Halligan (University of Nevada, Reno), Patrick M. Ghezzi (University of Nevada, Reno) |
Abstract: Parent training has long been recognized an as effective intervention for child behavior problems (e.g., Berkowitz & Graziano, 1972; Kazdin, 1993; Forehand & Kotchick, 1996). Despite the many proposed advantages of training parents as change agents for their child, the parent training literature suffers from many limitations and the research appears to be waning in recent years (Todreas & Bunston, 1993). The observed decrease in parent training studies may be the result of a multitude of factors related to parent training, including high attrition, variability in recruitment procedures, and the requirements for the parents. This poster will highlight some of these factors in light of the data of a recently conducted research study in the area of parent training. Data will be presented to speak to the high attrition rates that are found in the area of parent training and suggestions for future research in light of these findings will be presented. |
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13. An Examination of Parent Knowledge |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
BROOKE M. HOLLAND (University of Nevada, Reno), Ginger R. Wilson (Nyansa Learning Corporation), Kristina Landerman (University of Nevada, Reno), Daniel H. Sutich (University of Nevada, Reno), Patrick M. Ghezzi (University of Nevada, Reno) |
Abstract: One area of increasing interest in the area of parent training is the necessary content of a parent training program. Training parents to manage their child’s behavior is a case in point: Is it necessary to simply teach parents about certain behavioral principles, expecting that they will then know how to use them properly and productively? Or is it necessary to simply teach parents how to use the principles, expecting that they will then know about them? The typical measure used in the area of parent training to assess parent knowledge is not a test of the principles themselves but how to implement the principles. How can a parent trainer determine that the parents know the principles? If one says that the parents know the principles when they can use them, then knowing the principles is reduced to implementing the principles, which would then eliminate the need to train the parents on the principles themselves. This poster will present a methodology for delineating between knowing about and knowing how to implement operant principles. In addition, tests that were designed to determine the effects of the two approaches will also be presented. |
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14. Four-Year Outcome for 35 Children with Autism Receiving Intensive Behavioral Treatment |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
TAMLYNN DIANNE GRAUPNER (Wisconsin Early Autism Project) |
Abstract: This is a report of the third group of children to receive four years of intensive behavioral treatment. Children were randomly assigned to a Clinic Directed group, replicating the parameters of the UCLA intensive behavioral treatment or to a Parent Directed group, receiving much less supervision. The total number of children treated including all three groups is 35 and 17 (49%), referred to as Rapid Learners, showed increases in IQ, language, social skills, academic skills and Vineland scores to the average range. There were no significant differences between the two groups. Measures reflecting behavior at home and at school were used to assess residual symptoms among Rapid Learners, and some were found. About 1/3 of the Rapid Learners showed some difficulties in social areas but few were significant. Regression analysis was used to describe combinations of variables that best predicted outcome in cognitive, language and social areas. Logistic regression was used to develop a model for predicting which children would become Rapid versus Moderate Learners. The model was 91% accurate. Results are discussed in comparison to those obtained by the UCLA group. Neither hours of treatment within the range provided, nor special education or biomedical interventions were related to outcome. |
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15. A Model for Problem Solving in Discrete Trial Training for Children with Autism |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
SUZANNAH J. FERRAIOLI (University of Rochester), Carrie E. Hughes Hennessy (Quest Autism Foundation), Tristram Smith (University of Rochester Medical Center), Bridget A. Taylor (Alpine Learning Group) |
Abstract: Discrete trial training (DTT) is a well-established intervention for teaching skills to children with autism; however, few published guidelines are available for determining whether a child’s rate of learning a particular skill is satisfactory and, if not, what to do. We assert that progress within 8-10 teaching sessions usually is evidence of satisfactory skill acquisition, whereas absence of progress within this time frame indicates a need to consider modifying or stopping instruction of that skill. Absence of progress may involve (a) consistently low rates of correct responding, (b) variable performance across sessions, (c) increases in problem behavior (often in conjunction with low or variable rates of correct responding), or (d) limited generalization of the skill outside intervention. Likely reasons for each of these patterns are described, and decision flowcharts for identifying possible solutions are outlined. When implemented with supervision from a qualified professional, these flowcharts may facilitate systematic problem solving. Case studies will be included to illustrate the effectiveness of the problem solving model with children and young adults with autism. |
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16. An Analysis of the Effects of Four Mastery Criteria on Rate of Target Mastery |
Area: AUT; Domain: Service Delivery |
CARA M. CAPPALLI (Area Cooperative Educational Services), Coral E. Lee (Area Cooperative Educational Services), James A. Hoko (Area Cooperative Educational Services) |
Abstract: The present study examines the effects of four mastery criteria conditions on the rate of target acquisition for children diagnosed on the autism spectrum. Data from discrete trial instruction sessions were analyzed across all criteria conditions to determine the date on which an item would have been mastered had that criteria condition been in place. Fifteen children between the ages of 3 and 10 years, enrolled in a public school Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention program participated. The mastery criteria examined involved combinations of accuracy requirements during daily probes, mass trials and expansion trials. The analysis revealed differences in mastery dates of some targets, and the range of the discrepancy between mastery dates also varied. Implications for target acquisition and decision making efficiency are discussed. |
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17. The Reliability and Validity of a Pilot Version of the York Measure of Quality of Intensive Behavioral Intervention |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
E. ALICE PRICHARD (York University), Helen E. Penn (York University), Adrienne M. Perry (York University) |
Abstract: Professional consensus panels have strongly recommended Intensive Behavioural Intervention (IBI) as the treatment of choice for young children with autism. Researchers have linked treatment quantity to better results; however, few attempts have been made to link treatment quality to outcome. Our research team has developed an observational scale, the York Measure of Quality of IBI (YMQI), which captures information about nine characteristics of IBI that experts believe are important to treatment success. Each characteristic is measured using both a ratings-recording and an interval-recording approach. This poster will report on the results of two studies recently completed which evaluated the reliability and validity of a pilot version of the YMQI using a sample of 28 videotaped IBI sessions. Six coders were trained to use the YMQI so that we could evaluate reliability and construct validity. In addition, four psychologists and/or behavior analysts provided expert ratings of overall quality to allow for an assessment of criterion-related validity. Results indicated that the ratings-recording approach was more psychometrically sound than the interval-recording approach. For ratings recordings, internal consistency was excellent, inter-rater reliability was fair to good, and criterion-related and construct validity were adequate for most characteristics of quality. Currently, the YMQI is being refined to allow for its use in future research about treatment effectiveness. |
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18. Parent Involvement in IBI |
Area: AUT; Domain: Service Delivery |
ABBIE SOLISH (York University), Adrienne M. Perry (York University) |
Abstract: This study focuses on parents’ involvement in Intensive Behavioural Intervention (IBI) for their children with autism currently receiving IBI services. Although clinicians acknowledge that family involvement is fundamental to enhancing IBI outcomes, little if any research has empirically examined parents’ roles in intervention. This research operationalized parental involvement in IBI from two perspectives: parents and therapists. The parent self-report questionnaire, designed for this study, measures the following constructs: parent self-efficacy/confidence in delivering therapy, perception of child progress, belief in IBI, stress levels, and knowledge about autism/IBI. This study explores the predictive value of each of these five constructs as they contribute to parents’ involvement in IBI (e.g., attending agency meetings about their child, attempting to act consistently with the IBI program, and attending parent information/IBI training sessions). The child’s senior therapist is reporting on the same constructs, so as to provide an additional perspective on the family’s involvement in IBI. Data collection will be complete by March 2006 (expected n = 50).Research in this area is a necessary contribution to the literature about potential factors predictive of IBI outcome. A meaningful relationship between child progress and parent involvement has many implications for the provision of parent training programs and IBI programs in general. |
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19. Long-Term Outcome of Five Children with Autism Who Received an Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention in Japan |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
TAKAHIRO YAMAMOTO (Sophia University), Yoshiaki Nakano (Sophia University), Maiko Miyazaki (Nakayoshi Kids Station), Yuki Ito (Nakayoshi Kids Station), Akiko Kato (Nakayoshi Kids Station), Mari Sasaki (Nakayoshi Kids Station) |
Abstract: We investigated the long-term outcome of children with autism who received our clinic-based early intensive behavioral intervention provided by well trained staff of Sophia Young Autism Project (SYAP). Five young children diagnosed as autism spectrum disorder participated in the two to four years treatment individually. Three children had up to 25 treatment hours per week; the rest of them had up to 40 treatment hours per week. SYAP hired the MA level therapists who were systematically trained how to do EIBI and provided all treatment programs. The intervention consisted of initial one-on-one structured teaching and then assistance of gradual inclusion into regular kindergarten settings. Measures on IQ, SQ, VQ, and DQ were taken for all participants during baseline period and every once a year. The long-term outcomes were analyzed in terms of cognitive, language, and adaptive functioning. We also collected social validity measures from those parents using the Parent Stress Index (PSI) and the Family Satisfaction Questionnaire (FSQ) by Smith (2000). These results were discussed with special reference to outcomes of other EIBI studies including Smith, Groen, and Wynn (2000) and Sallows and Graupner (2005). |
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20. Use of a Photographic Activity Schedule to Increase Appropriate Play in a 2 year-old with Autism |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
KELLY KELM (Northeastern University & BEACON Services), Joseph M. Vedora (BEACON Services) |
Abstract: Photographic activity schedules have been used to increase on-task behavior of children with autism. We taught a two-year old child with autism to follow a photographic activity schedule. Results indicated that the photographic activity schedule led to an increase in on-task behavior. Additionally, the schedule following repertoire enabled this child to engage in appropriate play and independently change activities without prompts from adults. |
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21. Using Errorless Teaching Procedures to Facilitate Generalized Responding of a Child with Autism to His Mother |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
AMBER CURRAN (BEACON Services), Robert K. Ross (BEACON Services), Harry A. Mackay (Northeastern University, Shriver Center) |
Abstract: Skills taught to children with autism by ABA teachers in 1:1 teaching sessions often fail to generalize to other situations (e.g., with parents as teachers). In part this may occur because many parents do not have formal training in ABA, particularly procedures to facilitate generalization. In the present study, an ABA teacher first taught a child with autism via prompt fading to label several actions of a model (see Figure 1 sessions 20-22 for criterion performance). In the next phase, the aim was to transfer stimulus control of responding to instructional cues provided by the child’s parent. The ABA teacher provided a model and daily feedback to teach the parent to use the same cues and procedures used earlier by the teacher. The child’s performance remained above 80% correct in the terminal phase where the parent was conducting all trials. The control of responding established by an ABA teacher readily transferred to a parent after the parent learned to use the same cues and procedures as the teacher. The finding is consistent with the recommendations of Stokes & Baer (1977) for promoting generalization. |
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22. Inter-Observer Agreement of Behavior Reports by Parents of Children with Autism |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
GERI MARIA HARRIS (Texas Young Autism Project), Gerald E. Harris (Texas Young Autism Project) |
Abstract: The Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) is one of the most widely used measures of child behavior, yet little is known about its psychometric properties in relation to children with autism. This study examined the level of inter-parental agreement on the CBCL in the autistic population. Levels of inter-parental agreement in the autistic population were then compared with the levels of inter-parental agreement in other populations, such as typically developing children and children in high-risk families. Results show that parents of children with autism exhibit a similar level of inter-observer agreement (r = .58) to parents of typically developing children (r = .60), and a higher level of inter-observer agreement when compared with parents of children in high-risk families (r = .36). Implications of these findings for research and clinical work are discussed. |
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23. The Use of Intonation Prompts to Reduce Stimulus Overselectivity for a Child with Autism |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
AMY BERGEN (TIPSE/Eden II Programs) |
Abstract: Individuals with autism often demonstrate stimulus overselectivity; responding to only one component of the complex stimulus to the exclusion of other stimulus components. As a result, important stimuli are missed as responses are made only to preferred stimuli early in development which may lead to increasing deficits as the child becomes older. This may affect later language and learning. This case study demonstrates the use of intonation prompts to reduce stimulus overselectivity for a two-year old child with autism. The prompts were effectively utilized during the teaching of motor imitation skills, after the child had previously failed to acquire this skill. |
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24. A Between-Group Comparison Examining the Effects of a Transitional Classroom for Pre-School Children with Autism |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
KAREN WOODS (Elwyn Inc.), Megan F. Riley (Elwyn Inc.) |
Abstract: This poster examines the effects of a transitional classroom in preparing children, ages 3 to 5, with autism for an inclusion setting. These children receive between 24.5 to 35 hours per week of ABA in the home until the child acquires a mand repertoire, basic conditional discrimination and direction following skills. At that time, the child may participate in the transitional classroom or a typical preschool setting. While the child is in either setting, ABA is still provided in the home. Experimental group 1 consists of three children who did not attend the transitional classroom, rather began attending preschool shortly after in-home ABA began. Experimental group 2 consists of 3 children who attended the transitional classroom and preschool concurrently. Interval data were collected on on-task/off-task behavior and follow through with teacher instructions. It is hypothesized that the children who attended the transitional classroom in conjunction with a preschool setting are able to remain on task and follow teacher instructions at a higher percentage than those children who did not attend the transitional classroom. |
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25. Beaumont Presents CARE: Hospital Based Treatment Program for Children Diagnosed with Autism |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
IVY M. CHONG CRANE (William Beaumont Hospital - CARE Program), Nicole M Carlisle (William Beaumont Hospital - CARE Program), Ruth M. Anan (William Beaumont Hospital - CARE Program) |
Abstract: CARE is a center-based intensive treatment program offered by the Center for Human Development at William Beaumont Hospital. CARE provides behavioral treatment services for children diagnosed with autism (2-6 years) supervised by a board certified behavior analyst (BCBA registered). In CARE, training is offered in areas such as language development (based on Skinner’s Analysis of Verbal Behavior), play, social interaction, pre-academic or academic skills, and daily living skills (e.g., dressing). The CARE program also provides a unique practicum experience for college students at the undergraduate and graduate level interested in gaining hands on experience in behavior analysis. Data are presented on treatment outcomes for the first 12 children enrolled in the program. |
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26. Behavioral Parent Training for Parents of Preschool Children with Autism |
Area: AUT; Domain: Service Delivery |
ELIZABETH DELPIZZO-CHENG (Newport-Mesa Unified School District), Lori A. Williams (Newport-Mesa Unified School District) |
Abstract: The purpose of this poster presentation is to examine the efficacy of a brief 6-session behavioral parent training model for parents of preschool children with autism. The model consists of a series of parenting sessions that include didactic training in behavioral strategies, role-plays of the strategies, and direct observation with informational feedback with the children in the natural setting. Data collected on parent implementation of behavior strategies, child behavior, parent and child affect, and social validity are presented. Baseline and reliability data are secured through videotape review. The participants of this poster presentation will:(a) acquire a better understanding of the Behavioral Parent Training model,(b)view empirical information on the efficacy of the model with regard to questions on parent choice of strategies, parent and child behavior change, parent integrity of implementation of strategies, parent and child affect, long-term parent-child interaction change, and (c) view consumer satisfaction information. |
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27. Development of Generalized Repertoires of Request Following by Children with Autism |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
ALISHA LANNON (University of South Florida), Trevor F. Stokes (University of South Florida) |
Abstract: Research has been conducted to examine the effects of both naturalistic and discrete trial methods to develop improved compliance with requests. This study assessed for compliance to requests in multiple settings (clinic and home) with multiple therapists using a naturalistic treatment incorporating the interactional techniques of Greenspan and Weider (1998), known as "floor time". Compliance was examined within a multiple baseline design across participants, who were two children with autism, who were also siblings within triplets. Generalization was examined using requests which were not a part of training, and by monitoring compliance to requests across settings and therapists. By comparison to the effects of floor time, request following was also examined under therapeutic conditions in which compliance was followed by positive consequences and noncompliance was followed by gentle guidance. There was experimental control of the clinic data but more variability with the home data. In addition, there was generalization across therapists and settings, as well as across requests. |
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28. The Transition of Children with Autism from Intensive Behavioral Intervention (IBI) Programs into the School System |
Area: AUT; Domain: Service Delivery |
ALISSA LEVY (York University), Adrienne M. Perry (York University) |
Abstract: This study concerns the transition of children with autism from Intensive Behavioral Intervention (IBI) programs into the school system. This transition path is fraught with its own unique challenges, facing both IBI programs and the school system, to ensure learning, maintenance of learned skills and continued successful education. The literature on transition of children with autism is sparse and, therefore, this study was exploratory. The study was conducted using survey methodology and examined three main issues surrounding transition. The first issue was the ideal elements, including the necessary child skills, the timeline of transition, and the participants, that both IBI and school staff believed should be involved in the transition process. The second issue was the degree, both within IBI programs and the school system, to which families are involved in this process. The third issue was a comparison of the views of IBI and school staff of the ideal process of transition and their general experiences of this process in reality. This study was necessary to begin to delineate what, if any, changes should be made within IBI programs and/or the school system to best support the transition of children with autism and their parents. |
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29. Comparison of Mand and Tact Acquisition of Toddlers With and Without Autism |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
E. AMANDA AMANDA BOUTOT (DePaul University) |
Abstract: Because of the increase in the number of toddlers (e.g., <3 years of age) being identified with an Autistic Spectrum Disorder, there is a need to identify methods that work best with this very young population. Further, it is necessary to identify their qualitative and quantitative differences from their typical peers. These needs were the impetus for this case study. This poster will display graphic data reflecting a case study on the differences in and acquisition of Mand and Tact behaviors of two toddler males, one with and one without autism. Subjects were matched on receptive and expressive skills prior to beginning Verbal Behavior training using the Receptive-Expressive Emergent Language (REEL) test. Results of baseline and intervention data suggest that both boys were able to increase their Mand and Tact behaviors over a three-month period. Both subjects also showed improvements in pre- to post-test scores on the REEL. Differences between subjects both before and after treatment will be discussed. Implications for practitioners working with very young children as well as for research will be discussed. |
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30. Effects of a Parent Training Program for Teaching Children with Autism in the People's Republic of China |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
PEISHI WANG (Queens College, City University of New York) |
Abstract: China has one fifth of the world’s population. By definition, China has the largest number of children with disabilities. Since the 1980s, there have been increasing opportunities for children with mild disabilities to be educated in regular classrooms. However, students with severe disabilities, such as autism, have long been kept out of the public schools, both general and special education. Under these special circumstances, parents have become the primary teachers for their children with severe disabilities. The current study examined the effectiveness of a parent training program based on principles and tactics from applied behavior analysis, naturalistic teaching and the TEACCH philosophy. The objectives for this parent training program were to increase parents’ knowledge of autism and its treatment as well as their interactive and teaching skills. A pretest-posttest group design was implemented for this study. The results demonstrated that parents in the training group performed significantly better than those in the control group on a measure of knowledge of autism and its treatment. They scored significantly higher on the responsiveness and affect dimensions of the Maternal Behavior Rating Scale. Parents in the training group also provided more positive consequences to their children during the teaching sessions with their children. |
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31. Levels of Hope and Stress in Parents of Children on the Autism Spectrum |
Area: AUT; Domain: Service Delivery |
COURTNEY DILLON (Western Michigan University), Anthony Scioli (Keene State College), Linda A. LeBlanc (Western Michigan University) |
Abstract: Parents of children with autism experience high levels of stress as a result of the demands placed on them by their children (Koegel et al., 1992). Various factors can reduce the level of stress experienced by parents of children on the autism spectrum, including social support (Gill & Harris, 1991). Hope as a coping mechanism has not received much attention from investigators. Using the Parental Stress Inventory (Hudson, 1992) and the Integrative Hope Scale (Scioli, 2001), this study compared the levels of stress and hope experienced by parents who are members of a support group with parents who are not members of a support group. This study also investigated the levels of informal social support (i.e., outside of support groups) available to these parents. 60 participants with autism responded to the survey. Of these parents, 17 were members of a formal support group, and 43 were not. The data will be analyzed using analyses of variance and t-tests. |
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32. Outcome Data from an In-Home Early Intervention Program for Children with Autism Younger than 3 Years Old |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
KATHERINE CALARCO (Coyne & Associates, Inc.), Paul Coyne Coyne (Coyne & Associates, Inc.) |
Abstract: Data covers more than 60 children enrolled in an in-home early intervention program for children with Autism using Applied Behavioral Analysis techniques. Children younger than three years old received 12 to 20 hours a week of 1:1 intervention. Outcome data are presented. Results were as follows: test scores at 35 months of age on the Bayley Scales of Infant Development for Children (n=60+)enrolled in the program were significantly higher compared to test scores of a control group (n=17); the longer a child participated in the program the greater the gains; developmental measures (Bayley [n=60+], Brigance [n=359+]) indicated that the average child in the program made greater overall gains than expected by maturation. The greatest gains were seen in General Information, Speech & Language, and Social Emotional. A sample of trial by trial data across 10 students will be available to show progress through the curriculum. Suggestions for future research are provided. |
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33. Social Stories for Preschoolers with Autism: Effects on Prosocial Behaviors |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
SHANNON CROZIER (University of Nevada, Las Vegas), Matthew Tincani (University of Nevada, Las Vegas) |
Abstract: Social Stories are a popular intervention for children with autism spectrum disorders. While the research suggests that Stories are being used with young children, there is almost no evidence to support their effectiveness for this age group. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Social Stories on the appropriate and inappropriate behaviors of three preschool children with autism. An ABAB design was used for two participants, while an ABACBC was used for the third participant. The first intervention condition was Social Story alone and the second intervention condition was a Social Story plus verbal prompting. Social Stories alone were effective for the first two participants. Social Stories plus verbal prompts was effective for the third participant. Maintenance probes were conducted two and three weeks after intervention to assess the degree to which stories became imbedded in classroom routines. Results are discussed in relation to applications, study limitations, and areas for future research. |
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34. Teaching Picture Discrimination to Children with Autism: "Traditional Match-to-Sample" Training vs. "Naturalistic PECS" Training |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
KATHLEEN DYER (River Street Autism Program), Beth Sulzer-Azaroff (Browns Group, Naples), Andy Bondy (Pyramid Educational Consultants) |
Abstract: Picture discrimination, essential to any picture-based communication program, often is taught through "match-to-sample" (MTS) requests for object-picture pairings. We compared that method to a "naturalistic PECS" approach inherent in the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS). In the MTS condition, we showed the children a picture and asked to match it to one of a set of objects. Correct matches were rewarded with an item preferred by the child, but unrelated to the sample stimulus; errors were followed with an error correction procedure. In the "naturalistic PECS" condition, a child-preferred and a non-preferred item were displayed. Next, s/he was shown two pictures, each of which corresponded to the items. When s/he handed one of the pictures to the therapist, s/he received the matching item. If the child chose a picture representing an item known to be non-preferred, an error correction procedure followed. All three children required fewer trials to criterion in the "naturalistic PECS" condition than the "MTS" training condition. Further, when training conditions were switched from the MTS to the "naturalistic PECS" condition, children mastered all the previously unmastered items. |
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35. Aspects of Social Support, Caregiver Burden, and Parental Self-efficacy in Models of Autism Treatment: Subsequent Impacts on Parental Stress Levels |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
MICHELLE T. PETRONGOLO (Children's Hospital of Philadelphia), David Powers (Loyola College), Martin Sherman (Loyola College), Sharon Green-Hennessy (Loyola College) |
Abstract: Parents of children with autism report higher levels of stress than parents of children with other special needs and typically developing children. Due to the increased prevalence of this disorder in recent years this population is of increasing concern. The present study sought to explore factors of parental self-efficacy, caregiver burden, and professional social support in an effort to further the understanding of stress in this population. More specifically, this study involved parents in two models of treatment for children with autism, the clinic model and the workshop model of Intensive Early Intervention. These models provided a framework upon which to assess these variables. Results indicated that parents in the clinic model reported higher levels of professional social support and parental self-efficacy than those in the workshop model. Furthermore, low subjective caregiver burden and high parental self-efficacy were found to be correlated with lower reported stress. However, the present study showed no evidence in support of a mediating relation between model of service and parental stress. |
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#334 International Poster Session - CBM |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
12:00 PM–1:30 PM |
Grand Hall |
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36. Manipulating Antecedent Variables to Reduce Perseveration Following Acquired Brain Injury (ABI): A Case Study |
Area: CBM; Domain: Service Delivery |
KELLEY D. ANSTEY (Acquired Brain Injury Behaviour Services, West Park Healthcare Centre), Amy Barker (Acquired Brain Injury Behaviour Services), Gary J. Gerber (Acquired Brain Injury Behaviour Services), Angela E. Burgess (Acquired Brain Injury Behaviour Services, West Park Healthcare Centre) |
Abstract: Perseveration is a well-documented sequelae of ABI. Perseveration can present as a disorder of motor movement or vocal utterance. Wandering and yelling are both forms of perseveration (Vaughn et al., 1997). Perseverations can hinder the process of rehabilitation, interfere with social interactions, or impede community integration. We present the case of an adult male who presented with motor and vocal perseverations following ABI. Descriptive analysis suggested the behaviour was maintained by automatic reinforcement. In addition, disorientation was an identifiable antecedent to perseverations. The subject received methadone maintenance therapy producing a secondary effect of increased fatigue, associated with increased disorientation. An intervention was applied, designed to prevent perseverations by the manipulation of antecedent variables. Manipulations included environmental reengineering, medication titration, use of visual barriers, a predictable daily routine, and mneumonic strategies. The approach and behaviour frequency data will be thoroughly examined. Baseline data show an average of 37.4 % of daily intervals included wandering while an average of 4.1% of daily intervals included yelling. Following treatment, wandering had been reduced to 0% of daily intervals and yelling had been reduced to 0.2 % of daily intervals. The findings will be discussed in terms of establishing operations and antecedent control. |
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37. An Additional Benefit to Integrating Behavioral Health Services in Primary Care: Attendance to Initial Appointment |
Area: CBM; Domain: Service Delivery |
RACHEL J. VALLELEY (Munroe-Meyer Institute), Stacy Kosse (Munroe-Meyer Institute), Ariadne Schemm (Munroe-Meyer Institute), Jodi A. Polaha (Munroe-Meyer Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center), Joseph H. Evans (University of Nebraska Medical Center) |
Abstract: Many advantages have been suggested and documented for having behavioral health services offered in primary care. These include increased collaboration between primary care physicians and mental health providers, less stigma for mental health services, and increased follow through for seeking behavioral health services. In particular, behavioral health services provided in the context of a primary care clinic may substantially ease the referral process and even “normalize” mental health treatment, resulting in higher rates of making and keeping behavioral health visits. The current study examines patients’ response to pediatrician referrals to a collaborative, co-located outpatient behavioral health clinic (BHC). Three primary care clinics in rural Nebraska with co-located BHCs served as sites. Data were collected on whether an intake appointment was made and kept subsequent to pediatrician referral. Furthermore, variables that may have impacted whether the appointment was kept were examined included amount of time on waiting list, severity of problem, referral reason, and age of the child. Results indicated that the majority of referrals kept an initial appointment in the BHC. Factors that may have impacted the initial show rate and limitations will also be discussed. Implications of these results for Pediatric Psychology and Pediatricians will also be presented. |
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38. Adherence to Treatment in Obese Individuals: A Preliminary Single Subject Trial of an ACT Intervention |
Area: CBM; Domain: Basic Research |
CHRISTOPHER C. CUSHING (Missouri State University), Tanya N. Kimbrough (Missouri State University), Chris S. Lorance (Missouri State University), Ann Branstetter-Rost (Missouri State University) |
Abstract: Recent research has established Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) as a burgeoning method for increasing adherence to medical treatment regimens. The current intervention is a single subject trial of a larger random assignment study comparing ACT to a psychoeducational intervention for obese adults. A diet and exercise protocol was used to educate a subject on healthy lifestyle changes designed to lower body mass index results. The diet and exercise protocol was then supplemented with an ACT intervention designed to increase adherence to the treatment regimen; special emphasis was placed on the verbal diffusion and commitment components of ACT. Journaling was implemented to increase self-monitoring, and bi-weekly telephone booster sessions were conducted on the basis of the most recent journal entries. Suggestions were made for using stimulus control in a positive manner (e.g. eating prior to attending social gatherings to reduce hunger stimulus and only allowing eating in the dining room which serves to decrease the link between stimuli such as TV viewing and eating). Commitments and values were addressed by openly discussing the participant’s values and specifically stating what commitments will be made, in regard to the program. |
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39. Acute Pain Tolerance: Assessing the Effects of a Pre-post Tolerance Design |
Area: CBM; Domain: Applied Research |
CHRIS S. LORANCE (Missouri State University), Christopher C. Cushing (Missouri State University), Tanya N. Kimbrough (Southwest Missouri State University), Ann Branstetter-Rost (Southwest Missouri State University) |
Abstract: Research has shown that individuals who use acceptance rather than avoidance as a way of coping with chronic pain report fewer debilitating consequences. Due to these phenomena, an acceptance-based therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), has begun to be applied to pain populations. The current study aimed to examine the differences among individuals given an acceptance-based intervention with a values component, an acceptance only intervention, and no intervention at all in the context of acute pain tolerance. Using a multiple baseline design, this pilot project demonstrated that when given no specific instructions, individuals are likely to report using an avoidance technique. In addition, the two individuals receiving training in acceptance only and acceptance with values had greater pain tolerance, as measured through a cold pressor task. |
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40. The Development of a Behavioral Observation System for Community Reinforcement Intervention in a Group Setting |
Area: CBM; Domain: Applied Research |
MARY LOUISE E. KERWIN (Rowan University), Patricia Neal (SODAT, Inc.), Stefanie Hasselman (Rowan University), Johnson Rebecca (Rowan University), Gerry Healy-Marini (Rowan University) |
Abstract: Community reinforcement, which is an evidenced-based treatment for drug addiction, was adapted for use through religious/spiritual groups for African American women with cocaine addiction. The purpose of this NIDA funded behavior therapy development grant was to adapt community reinforcement from an individual therapy to a group therapy delivered by paraprofessionals and facilitated by a trained group leader. The objective of this project was to develop a behavior coding system that would adequately capture individual behaviors in the group setting that might be related to the effectiveness of the intervention. The intervention was 3 months long and each weekly group session was videotapes. From these videotapes, four coders analyzed interactions among community anchor persons (CAPs) and recovering woman. Acceptable levels of interobserver reliability were eventually obtained. Data indicate low levels of negative statements or behaviors with slightly higher levels of positive statements or behaviors. Problems with the design and coding of videotaped group interactions are presented. |
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41. One Intervention, Two Sites: Differences across Sites in a Contingency Management Intervention for Cocaine Dependency |
Area: CBM; Domain: Applied Research |
ALICIA K. PADOVANO (Treatment Research Institute), Rachel A. Corbin (Treatment Research Institute), Tanya Faranda-Diedrich (Treatment Research Institute), Kimberly C. Kirby (Treatment Research Institute) |
Abstract: Maintaining high levels of participation throughout the duration of a study protocol is particularly challenging with a substance abusing population. The purpose of this study is to examine differences in drug addiction, abstinence, attrition, attendance, and demographics in the context of a contingency management intervention. These findings are based on preliminary data from the Long-Term Maintenance study, a NIDA funded grant. Participants were adult, cocaine dependent clients attending two separate community methadone maintenance treatment centers. Participants were randomly assigned to either a 12 or 36-week intervention (Phase I), followed by a 12 week aftercare (Phase II). Phase I consisted of participants receiving escalating vouchers that could be exchanged for prizes. Vouchers were earned based on cocaine abstinence, determined by onsite urinalysis. Phase II consisted of bi-weekly urinalysis, during which cocaine abstinence was rewarded by a lottery ticket. Differences were analyzed for the first 14 participants in each of the two treatment conditions per site. Information on co-morbid drug dependence and abuse as well as demographics was collected at baseline. Abstinence, attrition, and attendance rates were analyzed over a 6 month period. Possibilities as to why these differences occurred are postulated and implications of site differences on research findings are delineated. |
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42. Effects of a Fee to Participate in an Internet-Based Voucher Program to Initiate Smoking Abstinence |
Area: CBM; Domain: Applied Research |
IRENE M. GLENN (University of Florida), Jesse Dallery (University of Florida) |
Abstract: Voucher reinforcement therapy is an effective treatment for drug dependence. However, the cost of such treatments can limit their implementation. The current study investigated the effects of a fee to participate in an internet-based voucher program to initiate smoking abstinence. Participants were heavy smokers (= 20 cigarettes/day for = 2 years and an initial carbon monoxide (CO) reading of = 20 ppm). Participants were randomly assigned to either a fee group ($50) or a no fee group, and in both groups they could earn a maximum of $78.80 in vouchers. Participants were provided with a laptop (if they needed one), webcam, and CO monitor to record carbon monoxide levels twice each day (= 8 hours apart) for four weeks. Recordings were sent via email to researchers twice each day. During a five-day baseline phase, participants submitted two CO samples daily. Then, during a four-day shaping phase, participants earned vouchers for gradual reductions in CO value. During the ten-day abstinence induction phase, voucher values increased for each consecutive negative (= 4) CO. Results suggest that a fee for treatment program can be effective in offsetting the costs of a smoking cessation program without lowering its efficacy. Supported by NIDA grant R21DA015289. |
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43. Outcomes in a Contingency Management Intervention Designed to Achieve Long-Term Drug Abstinence |
Area: CBM; Domain: Applied Research |
TANYA FARANDA-DIEDRICH (Treatment Research Institute), Rachel A. Corbin (Treatment Research Institute), Alicia K. Padovano (Treatment Research Institute), Julie M. Wosak (Treatment Research Institute), Beau Brendley (Parkside Recovery), Michele Pich (Treatment Research Institute), Kimberly C. Kirby (Treatment Research Institute) |
Abstract: While drug abuse treatment as a whole has had a poor record of engaging patients in treatment and initiating the desired behavior change of drug abstinence, contingency management (CM) procedures have been consistently effective in initiating drug abstinence in the majority of drug users and have sustained continuous abstinence for periods of up to 6 months. The majority of CM interventions have been continued for only 3 months, despite the fact that there is no documented empirical basis for selecting this duration. In this study, we proposed to examine the effects of extending the duration of CM for drug abuse on long-term abstinence outcomes by randomly assigning cocaine-abusing methadone maintained outpatient participants assigned to either a Standard or Extended period of contrived contingencies. Our model postulates that individuals who are abstinent are more frequently engaging in activities that are incompatible with drug use (e.g., working, exercising or playing sports). As such, we might speculate that providing longer durations of abstinence reinforcement (i.e., CM) would result in a greater increase in non-drug activities and that individuals who spend more time in these activities would have better long-term outcomes. This poster will explore various outcome differences between the Standard and Extended groups. |
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44. Beliefs toward Empirically-Supported Treatments among Outpatient Substance Abuse Treatment Program Administrators |
Area: CBM; Domain: Service Delivery |
LOIS A. BENISHEK (Treatment Research Institute), Stephanie E. Shealy (Treatment Research Institute), Kimberly C. Kirby (Treatment Research Institute), Karen Leggett Dugosh (Treatment Research Institute), Julie M. Wosak (Treatment Research Institute), Beau Brendley (Parkside Recovery) |
Abstract: Contingency management (CM) has been consistently shown to increase drug abstinence, but it has been infrequently adopted into community-based substance abuse treatment programs (CBPs). These dissemination challenges are not unique to CM, but apply to several empirically-supported treatments (ESTs) such as relapse prevention/RP). Interventions that lack empirical support, most notably 12-step approaches, are predominant in CBPs. One possible reason for the infrequent implementation of ESTs may be that treatment administrators are unaware of their availability and/or believe that they are difficult to implement. Eighty-five administrators from CBPs completed a survey prior to and after reading information about five substance abuse treatments that vary in their degree of empirical support (i.e., CM, RP, motivational interviewing, 12-step, verbal confrontation). The purpose of this study was to: investigate the impact of the information on administrators’ beliefs about the treatments; determine if administrator characteristics predict changes in beliefs about the treatments; and identify barriers to integrating ESTs into CBPs. Preliminary results suggest that (a) information is associated with changes in beliefs about some interventions (CM) but not for others (12-step), (b) demographic characteristics can predict changes in administrators’ beliefs, and (c) financial concerns and limited resources for staff training are frequently reported barriers to implementing ESTs. |
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45. The Choice is Yours: Delay discounting of money, health, and freedom by cocaine dependent women |
Area: CBM; Domain: Basic Research |
STEPHANIE E. SHEALY (Treatment Research Institute), Danette L. Wright-Lee (Treatment Research Institute), Rachel A. Corbin (Treatment Research Institute), Mary Louise E. Kerwin (Rowan University) |
Abstract: Behavioral economics theory has identified that there is a lawful, predictable way in which individuals make choices about behavior. One concept emerging from this theory is delay discounting in which the individual chooses between a smaller reward now versus a larger reward later. Substance users are more likely to choose the immediate payoff and keep choosing the immediate payoff more often than individuals who do not abuse substances. These results hold regardless of whether the outcomes are money, health, or freedom/jail. However, one potential limitation of existing studies is the relative heterogeneity of the samples. Most samples are comprised mainly of men (65% - 80%). It has been assumed that women delay discount in a similar way as men; however, National Institute of Drug Abuse’s (NIDA) recent grant program in gender-specific effects of drug abuse illustrates the need for empirical study of phenomena in women. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to explore differences in delay discounting of money, health, and freedom outcomes in women whose primary drug of abuse is cocaine. The preliminary results from eight women receiving treatment for cocaine addiction show that they are more likely to choose immediate rewards more often across all 3 conditions. |
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46. A Multicomponent Treatment for Smoking Cessation |
Area: CBM; Domain: Applied Research |
JAMES ANDERSON (Western Michigan University), Scott T. Gaynor (Western Michigan University) |
Abstract: Smoking is a serious health problem worldwide. Several intervention techniques to help people quit have demonstrated some measure of success, though none has clearly distinguished itself as a superior intervention. Nicotine transdermal systems have become increasingly popular and have demonstrated some success, but relapse rates remain alarmingly high. Psychology has offered some promising intervention techniques, yet none has produced consistent data of sustained abstinence. Motivational Interviewing (MI), exposure, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), contingency management have all demonstrated promise in assisting smokers to achieve abstinence. In this study, we combined aspects of all of these treatment techniques. The protocol includes one session of MI (in order to assess and facilitate desire and commitment to change), six sessions of ACT-enhanced exposure therapy with concurrent scheduled smoking reduction (to help the patient learn to tolerate withdrawal symptoms while accepting their inevitability and maintaining his or her commitment to abstinence), and a week of contingency management (in order to help patients achieve an initial period of total abstinence that previous research has indicated is a good predictor of long-term success in maintaining abstinence). The talk will present data from current and completed subjects, as well as considerations for future research. |
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47. Application of a Web-based Instruction System as an Interactive Means to Treat of Anxiety Disorders |
Area: CBM; Domain: Applied Research |
HEATHER DAWN SIMISTER-FIRTH (University of Manitoba), Joseph J. Pear (University of Manitoba) |
Abstract: Computers are being increasingly used in the field of clinical assessment and treatment. Over the last five years, there has been a flurry of research on the effectiveness and feasibility of computer-aided or supported treatment, especially in relation to anxiety disorders. While the use of virtual reality for treating phobias with systematic desensitization programs is already well established, other uses – such as cognitive behavioural therapies for depression and anxiety disorders – are only beginning to appear. Numerous preliminary studies (Anderson, Jacobs, & Rothbaum, 2004;Gega, Marks, & Mataix-Cols, 2004) are demonstrating the effectiveness of computers in treating such disorders but the majority of the current programs lack interaction among clients. A web-based computer- assisted system currently used to teach several courses at the University of Manitoba is being modified to serve as a treatment program for clients with anxiety disorders. For an overview of the teaching system, see www.capsi.org. The system offers a unique possibility to investigate the treatment of anxiety disorders with interaction among clients as peers using a system that has already been shown to be effective in other applications. Again, the computer method will be compared with standard methods of treatment and preliminary results will be discussed. |
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48. Body Dissatisfaction and Eating Disorder Behaviors in Non-Traditional Versus Traditional Age College Women |
Area: CBM; Domain: Applied Research |
JENNIFER ELIZABETH CALDWELL (East Tennessee State University), Peggy Cantrell (East Tennessee State University) |
Abstract: The occurrence of late onset eating disorder attitudes and behaviors is not well documented, but there may be a growing incidence. Older women now make up a considerable segment of many college campuses. Although previous literature has focused on establishing the presence of eating disorders in traditional-age female students, there has not been a comparison conducted across various age groups in college. The purpose of this study is to determine whether there are certain age groups of college women that are more susceptible to eating disorder attitudes and behaviors. The participants are 144 female undergraduates between the ages of 18 and 47, who completed the Eating Disorders Inventory-2 (EDI-2). The validity and reliability of the EDI-2, which is used frequently in eating disorders literature, has been previously tested and confirmed to yield trustworthy data. The results of a t test show that non-traditional age college women are just as likely to have self-reported eating disorder attitudes and behaviors (p = .125) and more likely to possess body dissatisfaction (p = .024) than traditional age female students. It is imperative for both effective prevention and detection of eating disorders that clinicians realize these issues can affect women of all ages. |
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49. Perfectionism, Depression, and Anxiety’s Relationships to Eating Disorder Attitudes and Behaviors in Undergraduate Women |
Area: CBM; Domain: Applied Research |
JENNIFER ELIZABETH CALDWELL (East Tennessee State University), Peggy Cantrell (East Tennessee State University) |
Abstract: Eating disorder attitudes and behaviors are increasingly present, with the majority of these cases being women, in our thin-obsessed society and can cause both psychological and medical problems. The answer to why eating disorders develop is not a simple one, but it is best answered by looking at many different possible risk factors. The purpose of this study is to determine if perfectionism, depression, and anxiety are contributing factors for eating disorder attitudes and behaviors. The participants are 144 college women between the ages of 18 and 47, who completed the Eating Disorders Inventory-2 and the Brief Symptom Inventory. The validity and reliability of both inventories, which are frequently used in research literature, have been previously confirmed to yield trustworthy data. The results of Pearson correlations support perfectionism (r = .469, p = .000), depression (r = .673, p = .000), and anxiety (r = .509, p = .000) as being potential contributing factors for eating disorder attitudes and behaviors. It is important for clinicians and others involved in health care to be aware of these specific factors that may put women at more risk for eating disorders in order to aid in better prevention and detection of these issues. |
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50. Does Hypertension Increase Vulnerability to Developing Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms? |
Area: CBM; Domain: Basic Research |
DAVID PAUL SCOTT (Eastern Michigan University), Edison Perdomo (Mankato State University), Daniel D. Houlihan (Mankato State University) |
Abstract: Not all people exposed to similar traumatic situations develop PTSD. Discovering factors that could increase vulnerability to developing PTSD may improve understanding of the disorder and facilitate better treatment. The present study employed an animal model involving 38 rats to determine if hypertension or high blood pressure is a predisposing factor for developing PTSD. Eighteen rats were genetically hypertensive (SHR) and 20 had normal blood pressure (WKY). Half of the rats, 9 SHRs and 10 WKYs, were exposed to a single brief foot-shock lasting for 10 seconds; 19 controls did not receive the foot-shock. Dependent measures representing symptomatology of PTSD in rats were blood pressure, body-weight, and the latency to remove tail from a hot water-bath. Shocked SHRs were hypothesized to be more vulnerable to stress than the rats in the other conditions because of their hypertension and hyper-reactivity characteristics. However, shocked rats did not significantly differ from non-shocked controls. The result of this experiment revealed that either the stressor was not appropriate for inducing PTSD or hypertension is not a predisposition for developing symptoms consistent with PTSD in rats. |
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51. The Focus of Pulling Scale (FPS): A Measure Designed to Assess the Function of Hair Pulling for Individual's Diagnosed with Trichotillomania (TTM) |
Area: CBM; Domain: Applied Research |
DOUGLAS W. WOODS (University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee), Chris A. Flessner (University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee), Martin E. Franklin (University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine), Dan J. Stein (University of Stellenbosch), Nancy J. Keuthen (Massachusetts General Hospital), Andrea Weber (University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee), Andrew Lincoln (University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee) |
Abstract: Recently, research has begun to examine two possible functions of hair pulling. “Focused” pulling is characterized by hair pulling which functions to alleviate or relieve some internal feeling(s) or private event(s), while “non-focused” pulling is characterized by more habitual or automatic pulling, usually out of the individual’s awareness. Unfortunately, sparse literature exists examining the the validity of these categorizations. The aim of this study was to expand upon previous attempts to develop a Focus of Pulling Scale (FPS; Flessner et al., 2005) by conducting psychometric analyses on a newly designed version of the FPS obtained via the internet from a sample of over 1,500 individuals diagnosed with TTM. Conclusions, limitations, and future areas of research are discussed. |
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52. An Investigation of a Model of Social Competence |
Area: CBM; Domain: Theory |
SARA WHITE (Binghamton University), Raymond G. Romanczyk (Institute for Child Development), Elizabeth Geoghan (Binghamton University), Brianna Friedman (Binghamton University) |
Abstract: Social skills training programs are commonly used in intervention programs for social phobia, depression, schizophrenia, and pervasive developmental disorders to remediate deficits in social competence. However, generalization of skills taught in these programs to performance in the natural environment is often problematic. Existing models of social competence do not adequately address this issue, or provide enough information to allow for adequate curricular design of intervention programs. As such, a more detailed model of social skills was developed. Currently, the specific relationship between aspects of social behavior and perception of communicative intent is unknown. Thus this study was a preliminary investigation of aspects of this relationship as they are outlined by the model, specifically it aimed to examine how eye contact, latency to respond, gestures, body orientation, and interpersonal distance affect perceived intent of and response by a communication partner. Results of initial analyses showed that eye contact and latency to respond consistently affect perceived intent and responses in social situations, with degree of body orientation, gestures, and interpersonal distance also having some effects. Overall, results suggested that non-verbal aspects of social behavior significantly affect perceived intent of and response by the communicator during interpersonal interactions, and thus may have implications for the design of appropriate remediation programs. |
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53. Using Descriptive and Experimental Analyses to Identify the Function of Bizarre Speech |
Area: CBM; Domain: Applied Research |
CARRIE REALI (Florida Institute for Neurologic Rehabilitation), Bridget A. Shore (Florida Institute for Neurologic Rehabilitation), Mary V. Burke (Florida Institute for Neurologic Rehabilitation), Phil A. Weinstein (Florida Institute for Neurologic Rehabilitation), Shanita L. Allen (Florida Institute for Neurologic Rehabilitation) |
Abstract: Although bizarre vocalizations are often assumed to be symptoms of underlying psychiatric disorders, several studies have attempted to identify possible social functions of the behavior. Lerman & Iwata (1993) compared results from descriptive and experimental analyses and suggested that descriptive analyses may be useful for identifying nonsocial behavioral functions, but may be less effective for identifying social reinforcement. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate a method for the assessment of bizarre speech by combining descriptive and experimental analyses. Three individuals with dual diagnoses who displayed bizarre vocalizations participated in the study. Descriptive analyses were conducted in the natural setting for all three participants. Analyses of the videotaped behavior samples were then conducted and showed all three participants displayed bizarre speech in the presence and absence of social contingencies. Experimental analyses were then conducted and showed undifferentiated results across all conditions, with the highest rates of bizarre speech in the alone condition. Treatment consisting of NCR with competing stimuli was shown effective for all three participants. Interobserver agreement was conducted across all conditions for at least 25% of the sessions. Results suggest that descriptive analyses may be useful for identifying nonsocial reinforcement as a function for bizarre speech. |
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54. A Stepped Care Cognitive-Behavioral Motivational Model for the Treatment of College Students with Alcohol Problems |
Area: CBM; Domain: Applied Research |
HORACIO QUIROGA ANAYA (National Autonomous University of México), Juan Jose Sanchez Sosa (National Autonomous University of México), Maria Elena Teresa Medina-Mora Icaza (Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría), Carlos F. Aparicio (University of Guadalajara) |
Abstract: This study researched the matching hypothesis on the effectiveness of a stepped care cognitive-behavioral motivational model for the treatment of college students with alcohol problems (Quiroga, 2002) integrated with the following treatment programs: 1. Brief alcohol screening and intervention for college students (BASICS), Dimeff, Baer, Kivlahan & Marlatt (1999); 2. Guided Self-change Treatment (GSCT), Sobell & Sobell, 1993); and Structured Relapse Prevention (SRP), Annis, Herie & Merek (1996), featuring state of the art components for the treatment of alcohol problems that matches intensity of interventions with patient characteristics, such as: (a) severity and chronicity of alcohol problem; alcohol patterns of use; (c) alcohol related problems; and (d) family history of alcohol drinking. Patients were matched with treatment modalities in accordance with alcohol problem severity, chronicity, drinking patterns, and alcohol related problems. They were divided in three groups of six students each one: (4 men and 2 women) in accordance with established characteristics. Every modality was evaluated with each type of consumers: abuse, mild to moderate dependence and substantial to severe dependence, using a “Multiple Base Line Design between subjects”. Outcome data evaluation covert diverse indicators on alcohol use, levels of related alcohol problems, levels of self-efficacy, satisfaction with quality of life, etc. |
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55. Successful Reduction of Ritualistic Behaviors in a 36-year-old Woman with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder with Contingent Skin Shock |
Area: CBM; Domain: Applied Research |
ROBERT VON HEYN (Judge Rotenberg Educational Center), MaryEllen Kelley (Judge Rotenberg Educational Center), Matthew L. Israel (Judge Rotenberg Educational Center) |
Abstract: A 36-year-old woman entered residential treatment following over 17 years of psychiatric hospitalization associated with her severe obsessive compulsive behavior. The ritualized behaviors associated with her disorder prevented her from performing even simple daily activities. If someone interfered with her while she was performing these behaviors she became intensely aggressive and many these behaviors led to self-injury. During the years of hospitalizations a myriad of pharmacological interventions had been used and included Xanax, Inderal, Depakene, Prozac, Folic Acid, Lithium, Ativan, Prolixin, Anafranil, Klonopin, Clozaril, Celexa, Cogentin, Risperdal, Trilafon, Klonopin, Thorazine, Mellarill, Zoloft, Trofanil, Trazadone, Loxitane, Orap, Benadryl, Dilantin, Corgard and Aventyl. Psychotherapy and behavioral plans were unsuccessful and Electro-Convulsive Shock Therapy and Cingulotomy were considered but rejected. Upon entering residential treatment, positive-only programming, mostly using multiple DRO contracts, was maintained for 29 weeks before the treatment was supplemented with court approved contingent skin shock. Data will be presented showing the immediate reduction of her aggressive, self-injurious, disruptive, destructive and noncompliant behavior. Since almost all actions in all environments were ritualized, individual rituals were operationally defined, rate measured and then treated with contingent skin shock. Data will be presented showing the rapid reduction of these behaviors and positive side effects. |
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56. The Community Inclusion Project: Supporting People with Dual Diagnoses Using an Integrated Service Delivery Model |
Area: CBM; Domain: Service Delivery |
JOHN A. W. JACKSON (Vanderbilt University), Michael E. May (Vanderbilt University), Craig H. Kennedy (Vanderbilt University) |
Abstract: Many people with developmental disabilities are also susceptible to a variety of mental illnesses. However, service providers are ill-equipped to deal with individuals with dual diagnoses as they transition from restrictive settings to community-based settings. The most common intervention for problem behavior is psychotropic medication. But despite the best intentions, this practice often leads to polypharmacy. Our practice has observed that people coming from mental health hospitals are typically prescribed 9 medications, some of which are from the same drug class (e.g., two or more anti-psychotics). As the number of medications increase, so do the chances of significant health problems. The benefit of medication becomes questionable when side effects are more detrimental than the mental illness (e.g., diabetes, etc.). Three funding agencies (Developmental Disabilities Council, Department of Mental Retardation Services, and the Department of Mental Health) have collaborated with the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center Behavior Analysis Clinic to identify effective services for people with dual diagnoses moving out of a restrictive setting. Our descriptive data show that this service delivery model has a high survival analysis rate, low rates of problem behavior, and reduces psychotropic medication. Additional results will be outlined in this poster. |
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#335 International Poster Session - DDA |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
12:00 PM–1:30 PM |
Grand Hall |
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57. The Use of a Nuk to Facilitate Extinction of Food Refusal Behavior |
Area: DDA; Domain: Applied Research |
KEVIN C. LUCZYNSKI (Kennedy Krieger Institute), Sung Woo Kahng (Kennedy Krieger Institute), Keith MacWhorter (Kennedy Krieger Institute) |
Abstract: The acceptance of liquids and solids occurs as the initial step in a chain of behaviors that are linked to consumption. When reinforcement procedures have been ineffective for increasing acceptance of non-preferred food items escape extinction has shown to be an effective alternative intervention. In the current investigation, we evaluated the relative effects of two escape extinction procedures, non-removal of the spoon and full physical presentation with a Nuk rubber massage brush. The participant was a 7-year-old male diagnosed with moderate mental retardation who consumed limited snack foods but was nutritionally feed through nighttime G-tube feeds. He was admitted to an inpatient unit for the assessment and treatment of severe food selectivity. The treatment evaluation results comparing the 2 escape extinction procedures suggest that the non-removal of the spoon procedure was ineffective for increasing acceptance. By contrast, acceptance increased to 100% when the Nuk presentation procedure was implemented. Interobserver (exact) agreement was calculated and averaged above 90% for the acceptance of non-preferred food items. This finding adds to the technology of escape extinction procedures that can robustly increase non-preferred food acceptance in children with severe food selectivity. |
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58. The Use of a “Chaser” to Increase Food Consumption |
Area: DDA; Domain: Applied Research |
KEVIN C. LUCZYNSKI (Kennedy Krieger Institute), Sung Woo Kahng (Kennedy Krieger Institute), Keith MacWhorter (Kennedy Krieger Institute), Marie Andachter (Kennedy Krieger Institute) |
Abstract: The swallowing of a non-preferred food item after acceptance is the terminal response in consumption. A 7-year-old male nutritionally feed through a G-Tube was admitted to an inpatient facility for the assessment and treatment of severe food selectively. This current study evaluated the provision of a highly preferred food item contingent upon a 5 second fixed time schedule for the presence of non-preferred food item within his mouth. Implementation of this intervention increased consumption to 100% of the presented bites. These results suggest that access to a highly preferred item increased the motivation to swallow the non-preferred food in order to immediately consume the preferred item. Interobserver (exact) agreement was calculated and averaged above 90% for the acceptance of non-preferred food items. This procedure contributes to the previous literature for increasing consumption in the least restrictive way. |
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59. Teaching the Word-Processing Skills in the Students with Learning Difficulties |
Area: DDA; Domain: Applied Research |
HIROSHI SUGASAWARA (Keio University, Japan), Jun'ichi Yamamoto (Keio University, Japan) |
Abstract: The students with learning difficulties had difficulties in the writing and composing the sentences. The students often showed the difficulty of writing response by the pencil, such as the clumsiness. The word-processing response was easier than the writing response. For establishing word-processing skills, it needs some composite skills. For example, key searching, deleting, line feeding, using Kanji-translation system, and so on. Especially, the students with learning disabilities often showed difficulties in the quick key searching. In the present study, the students with learning disabilities participated, who had difficulties for writing. We developed the computer-based training for selecting the keys and constructing the word or the sentence. The student was required to construct the correct word as possible as much while 1 minute. The multiple-baseline across tasks was applied as the experimental design. As results, the students not only could construct the correct sentence to visual stimuli, but also could construct the sentence to auditory stimuli. There results were discussed in terms of fluency training and equivalence relations. |
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60. Token Economy in a Developmental Training Program |
Area: DDA; Domain: Service Delivery |
JEANNE M. BROWER (Northern Illinois University/Cornerstone Services) |
Abstract: A token economy was implemented in a developmental training program for adults with severe to mild mental retardation. There was a 90% reduction in the frequency of target behaviors following implementation of the token economy. |
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61. Acquisition of Handwriting Behavior of Chinese Characters to a Child with ADHD |
Area: DDA; Domain: Applied Research |
MASAKO TSURUMAKI (Fukushima University, Japan) |
Abstract: The purpose of this study is to improve the acquisition of handwriting behavior of Chinese characters in a child with ADHD. In the previous studies (Tsurumaki, 2004, 2005), I studied the participant’s skill in acquiring the behavior to write Chinese characters. I used a computer-based teaching program which is based on a constructed-response matching-to-sample (CRMTS) procedure. In this study, the participant was five Chinese characters. She was required to construct the two elements of each Chinese character in the correct order from Hiragana characters (the Japanese syllabary). After arbitrary CRMTS tasks, she was able to write them. Arbitrary CRMTS procedure might help developing acquisition of writing behavior. |
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62. A Comparison of Two Procedural Variations of Escape Extinction |
Area: DDA; Domain: Applied Research |
NICOLE M. RODRIGUEZ (Kennedy Krieger Institute), Sung Woo Kahng (Kennedy Krieger Institute), Katharine Leigh Litman (Kennedy Krieger Institute), Elizabeth Lasker (Kennedy Krieger Institute) |
Abstract: Treatments for escape maintained behavior typically involve escape extinction. However, little consideration may be given to the procedural type of escape extinction used. The present study examined the effects of two different procedural variations of escape extinction on the disruptive behavior of a 13-year-old male diagnosed with traumatic brain injury. Two treatments were compared using a reversal design. In both treatment conditions three-step guided compliance was used to prompt the individual to complete a task. In the first treatment condition there were no programmed consequences for problem behavior and the therapist continued three step-guided compliance. In the second treatment condition the individual was immediately physically guided to complete the task contingent upon problem behavior. Initially, rates of problem behavior were significantly lower in the physical guidance treatment condition compared to the other treatment condition; however, these results were not replicated, suggesting that the type of escape extinction used made little difference on the rates of disruptive behavior. |
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63. A Preliminary Evaluation of a Reinforcer Assessment Questionnaire |
Area: DDA; Domain: Applied Research |
BRANDON E. MCCORD (Behavioral Services of Tennessee), Shannon L. Nichols (Behavioral Services of Tennessee) |
Abstract: Previous research by Green et al. (1988; 1991) showed that caregivers’ ratings of potential reinforcers on a standard list of items generally failed to predict the outcome of a formal stimulus preference assessment (SPA). The researchers also found that allowing caregivers to nominate additional preferred stimuli increased the accuracy of the reinforcer identification process. Fisher et al. (1996) compared the open-ended RAISD form to a process of rank ordering a standard list of stimuli. Although the RAISD format was found to be superior to rank ordering a standard list, these investigators noted that some caregivers have difficulty generating more than a few possible reinforcers using the open-ended format. Thus, it seems that practitioners may be able to identify greater numbers of potential reinforcers with more accuracy using an approach that combines the features of an open-ended interview (RAISD) with the process of rating stimuli from a standard list. We compared the results of such a “combined approach” format for identifying preferred stimuli with results obtained using the RAISD. In addition, the predictive validity of the "combined approach" was evaluated for two participants. |
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64. Antecedent-Based Interventions to Reduce Escape-Maintained Problem Behavior and Increase Academic Responding: A Comparison of Most-to-Least Prompting and Functional Communication Training |
Area: DDA; Domain: Applied Research |
JUDAH B. AXE (The Ohio State University), Corinne M. Murphy (The Ohio State University), Renee Koehler Van Norman (University of Nevada, Las Vegas), William L. Heward (The Ohio State University) |
Abstract: Functional communication training (FCT) teaches students an acceptable alternative behavior that serves the same function as problem behavior. Two limitations of FCT for escape-maintained problem behavior are (a) the student remains motivated to escape because the aversive establishing operation that evokes the problem behavior remains unchanged (McGill, 1999); and (b) time available for task productivity is reduced because students have continued access to breaks. Most-to-least (MTL) prompting of academic responses provides students with the most amount of prompting needed to perform a task and fades prompts given increased academic responding. This study compared the relative effects of FCT and MTL on levels of problem behavior and academic responses by two students with severe disabilities (ages 11 and 18). Functional analyses of problem behavior confirmed escape as a function of each participant’s problem behavior. Results of a reversal design analysis with each participant indicated that while FCT and MTL each reduced problem behavior from baseline levels to roughly the same degree, students emitted higher levels of academic responding during MTL than during FCT. The results are discussed in terms of MTL bringing students into contact with the academic response-reinforcer relationship and weakening the aversive establishing operations that evoke escape behavior. |
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65. The Use of Sequentially Implemented Treatment Components to Decrease Problem Behavior Maintained by Escape from Demands During Bathing |
Area: DDA; Domain: Applied Research |
MICHELLE A. FRANK-CRAWFORD CRAWFORD (Kennedy Krieger Institute), David E. Kuhn (Kennedy Krieger Institute), Camille Mongeon (Kennedy Krieger Institute), Keith MacWhorter (Kennedy Krieger Institute) |
Abstract: Proper personal hygiene functions not only to prevent illness but also to maintain a healthy outward appearance. Unfortunately, problem behaviors may hinder acquisition and/or maintenance of these self-help skills. Roberts, Mace, and Daggett (1995) found that two differential negative reinforcement procedures failed to yield clinically significant effects in reducing self-injury maintained by escape from bathing demands. The present study examined the effects of a behavioral treatment to reduce self-injury, aggression, and disruptive behavior maintained by escape from demands during bathing in a 12-year-old female diagnosed with Moderate Mental Retardation. A series of reversals were used to evaluate various treatment components to increase the participant’s compliance and decrease problem behavior during bathing. Inter-observer agreement was maintained at 80% or greater. Initial treatments, including enriched environment and extinction, were unsuccessful at reducing problem behavior. With the addition of various manipulations (i.e., undressing in a bedroom, placing preferred toys in the bathtub, tokens for compliance with undressing and washing, and choice of which body part she wanted to wash), compliance with bathing requests increased from 25% during baseline to 95%, and problem behavior decreased by 83%. |
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66. Overcoming Fear: Using Systematic Desensitization to Help a Woman Use Her Sleep Apnea Machine |
Area: DDA; Domain: Applied Research |
TAWNYA Y. CRIDER (Behavior Solutions, Inc.), Colin Peeler (Behavior Solutions, Inc.) |
Abstract: The participant in this study was a 62-year-old mentally retarded woman with a history of tantrums and agitation (screaming, crying and aggression) when attempts were made to have her wear a medically necessary oxygen/sleep apnea mask at night. The initial interview revealed the mask had malfunctioned on several occasions, which resulted in the woman having extreme difficulty breathing. As a result, whenever staff attempted to have the woman wear the mask, she would become agitated and remain agitated for several hours after the attempt was terminated. A modified systematic desensitization was used to decrease tantrums and gradually increase the duration of time the woman was able to wear the mask. Results indicate the procedure was effective at getting the woman to wear the mask through the night and these gains were transferred to her in-home support staff. |
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67. Use of ISEECI For The Recording of Behavior: A Virtual VCR |
Area: DDA; Domain: Applied Research |
MARIANA PALMA-NARVAEZ (Centro Educativo Neurocom), Gabriela De Guadalupe Téllez-Sánchez (Centro Educativo Neurocom), Alma Georgina Hernández-Mendoza (Centro Educativo Neurocom), Marco Raúl Campuzano-Rodriguez (Neurodesarrollo y Comunicación), Jorge Luis González-Quijano (Neurodesarrollo y Comunicación) |
Abstract: In the last decade several technological applications in the area of Applied Behavior Analysis have been developed, mainly on the creation of semiautomatic systems that allow collecting data using direct observational methodology. Ten years ago in Mexico we started developing a software named Integral System for the Evaluation of Clinical and Educational Interventions ISEECI. The software contains several modules and one of them helps in the data collection of functional analysis. The module generates interval, duration or frequency behavioral registries and record until 12 categories at the same time, printing also direct observational manuals. The module works along with a capture video card and a wireless camcorder allowing taking real time scenes from any interaction. These observations are then located at the HDD of a computer to use with a virtual VCR were independent observers can record the registries, using intra or inter observer agreement that is calculated by the software and also generates automatically the graphs of all the data collected. This work will demonstrate the design of the hardware and software system with diagrams and examples of the applications. |
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68. Comparing Video Prompting to Video Modeling for Teaching Daily Living Skills to Six Adults with Developmental Disabilities |
Area: DDA; Domain: Applied Research |
HELEN I. CANNELLA-MALONE (The Ohio State University), Jeffrey S. Sigafoos (University of Tasmania), Mark O'Reilly (University of Texas, Austin), Berenice de la Cruz (University of Texas, Austin), Chaturi Edrisinha (University of Texas, Austin) |
Abstract: We compared two procedures (video prompting versus video modeling) for teaching six adults with developmental disabilities to set a table and put away groceries. Video prompting involved 10 separate video clips, each showing one step of the 10-step task analysis. Video modeling involved a single video showing all 10 steps from beginning to end. After watching the respective video clips, participants were given the opportunity to complete the task. The prompting and modeling procedures were counter-balanced across tasks and participants and compared in an alternating treatments design. For all six participants, video prompting was effective for teaching the tasks in all but one case. Video modeling, in contrast, was generally shown to be ineffective. These data suggest that the number, duration, and/or perspective from which the video clips are filmed may influence their effectiveness as a teaching tool for individuals with developmental disabilities. |
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69. The Effects Of The Presence Of A Dog On The Social Interactions Of Children With Developmental Disabilities |
Area: DDA; Domain: Applied Research |
STEPHANIE ESTEVES (University of South Florida), Trevor F. Stokes (University of South Florida) |
Abstract: The effects of the presence of a dog on the social interactions between children with developmental disabilities and their teacher were analyzed. We examined whether the presentation of a dog would improve the social interactions of three children with developmental disabilities. A baseline condition consisting of the child and teacher in the presence of three toys, one of which was a toy dog was followed by an intervention in which a real do was added to the sessions. A multiple baseline design across participants assessed experimental changes in interactions during the intervention condition. All participants demonstrated an increase in overall positive initiated behaviors (verbal and non-verbal), positive initiated interactions toward the teacher (verbal and non-verbal) and positive initiated interactions toward the dog (verbal and non-verbal). The children also showed an overall decrease in negative initiated behaviors (verbal and non-verbal). Two of the three participants demonstrated a decrease in negative initiated interactions toward their teacher (verbal and non-verbal), while with one participant there was a slight increase of negative non-verbal interactions toward the teacher. All three children showed slight increases in negative initiated non-verbal interactions with the dog while negative initiated verbal interactions toward the dog remained the same. |
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70. What is the Best Way to Conduct a Single Stimulus Preference Assessment for Individuals with Profound Multiple Disabilities? |
Area: DDA; Domain: Applied Research |
SARA M. SPEVACK (University of Manitoba), Jennifer R. Thorsteinsson (University of Manitoba), Aynsley K. Verbeke (University of Manitoba), Dickie C. T. Yu (University of Manitoba & St. Amant Research Centre), Garry L. Martin (University of Manitoba) |
Abstract: When designing programs for persons with developmental disabilities, it is important to take individual preferences into consideration, yet this presents a challenge when they are unable to communicate. A single-stimulus preference assessment is the only tool that has been shown to be effective in identifying preferred activities for individuals with profound multiple disabilities. This study investigated how best to assess preferences with eleven individuals with profound multiple disabilities. The participants were nonambulatory and nonspeaking, ranging in age from 6 to 31 years old. Six stimuli were selected for each participant, which were presented individually. Each stimulus was presented 10 times per assessment. Approach, avoidance, happiness, unhappiness, and engagement with the stimulus were measured. Interobserver reliability on all measures averaged 98%. Two questions were considered. The first study investigated whether observing approach responses would identify reinforcers more accurately than observing approach and happiness responses. The second study investigated whether a 5s or 30s response interval in the preference assessment would be more effective in identifying reinforcers. The reinforcing effectiveness of the preferred stimuli identified by each assessment were then tested. The results of the first study showed that observing only approach responses was more accurate in identifying reinforcers in comparison to using both approach and happiness responses. The results of the second study showed that allowing the participants 30s to respond to the stimuli identified reinforcers more accurately than allowing 5s. Additionally, there were many differences between the preferred items identified by the preference assessments and selected by knowledgeable staff members. Future research should take these findings into account when working with individuals with profound multiple disabilities, to maximize the chances of identifying reinforcers. |
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71. Further Analysis of Instructional Fading: Effects of Forward and Backward Fading |
Area: DDA; Domain: Applied Research |
MICHAEL J. SCHAFER (Marcus Autism Center), Kenneth W. Atkins (Georgia State University), Laura L. Grow (Marcus Autism Center), Karen Myers (Marcus Autism Center), Jeb Jones (Marcus Autism Center) |
Abstract: Research using instructional fading has shown that low levels of inappropriate behaviors may be maintained when the number of demands issued was increased gradually. Previous studies have involved the initial elimination of instructions followed by their gradual reintroduction at the beginning of session (e.g., Pace, Iwata, Cowdery, Adree, & McIntyre, 1993). In the current investigation, we compared the relative effectiveness of instructional fading when demand fading was initiated either in the beginning, middle, or end of sessions. In all phases, the number of demands issued was increased by one following two consecutive sessions with levels of inappropriate behaviors below an 80% reduction from baseline. However, we manipulated the contiguity of the demands relative to the beginning and end of each session. Results suggested that low levels of inappropriate behaviors could be maintained whether demands were introduced at the middle, end, or beginning of session. |
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72. Functional Analysis Procedures on Toileting Training: A Program of Antecedent Control |
Area: DDA; Domain: Service Delivery |
PAULINA UGALDE-PÉREZ (Centro Educativo Neurocom), Alma Georgina Hernández-Mendoza (Centro Educativo Neurocom), Gabriela De Guadalupe Téllez-Sánchez (Centro Educativo Neurocom), Marco Raúl Campuzano-Rodriguez (Neurodesarrollo y Comunicación), Jorge Luis González-Quijano (Neurodesarrollo y Comunicación) |
Abstract: The toilet training is one of the interventions more demanded while working with developmental disabilities children. In the present study participated 4 kids with developmental disabilities and severe behavioral problems who had failed in the acquisition of the toilet skills. This research was divided into three phases. The first one established the base line using the number of toilet accidents, allowing as well identifying discriminative stimuli associated with the accident. The second phase was characterized by the manipulation of the stimuli previously identified, creating two situations of functional analysis: the first one was the place, and second one was the activity. The last phase was the treatment, which was divided in 4 sections: errorless training, total physical guide, partial physical guide and independent. The results suggest the importance to develop the functional analysis procedures to maximize the results of the intervention, which was effective to reduce the incidence of the toilet accidents. |
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73. Functional Analysis of the Rate of Bite Presentation and Rumination |
Area: DDA; Domain: Service Delivery |
ELLEN K. TAYLOR (The Learning Tree, Inc.), Leigh Ann Strain (The Learning Tree, Inc.), Jennifer C. Arnold (The Learning Tree, Inc.), Jerre R. Brimer (The Learning Tree, Inc.), Lacy Black (The Learning Tree, Inc.), Charles I. Winstead (The Learning Tree, Inc.), David N. Ellis (University of South Alabama), Robert A. Babcock (Auburn University & The Learning Tree, Inc.) |
Abstract: This poster describes a functional analysis of bite rate and rumination for a twelve-year-old student who has a history of rumination. A satiation diet, with controlled bite size and increased meal duration resulted in a reduction in rumination. Daily rates of rumination, although reduced, continued to average up to 120 events. Because the student often began to ruminate during pauses in eating, a proposal to evaluate the effects of rate of bite presentation on rumination was approved. Meals were presented with 4, 5 or 6 bites per minute. A Latin square design was used to randomize interbite intervals. A pocket PC using time keeper software signaled the time to present bites and intervals for data collection. Data on rumination were collected as events during one-minute intervals for 120 minutes after the meal began. The student was allowed to eat as long as she wanted. Preliminary data show rumination rate to be negatively related to bite rate with a rate of .27 occurrences per minute with a bite rate of 6 bites per minute, a rate of .083 occurrences per minute with 5 bites per minute and a rate of .074 occurrences with 4 bites per minute. |
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74. Using Video Prompting to Teach a Leisure Skill to Four Adults with Developmental Disabilities |
Area: DDA; Domain: Applied Research |
HAYOUNG CHOI (University of Tasmania), Chaturi Edrisinha (University of Tasmania), Mark O'Reilly (University of Tasmania), Jeffrey S. Sigafoos (University of Tasmania) |
Abstract: Developing age-appropriate socially valid leisure activities for persons with developmental disabilities have been a challenging task. Earlier studies (Wehman, P., & Schleien, S., 1980; Giangreco, M., 1983) identified photography as a viable leisure activity and used task analyses to effectively teach participants to take a Polaroid photograph. This study evaluated a video prompting procedure to teach four adults with developmental disabilities to take a digital photograph and print it using a laptop and a printer. Training was conducted in an office at the participant’s residential-day facility. During baseline, participants were instructed to take a photograph but were given no instructions. Video prompting consisted of first watching a task-analyzed clip of a step being performed, and then having the opportunity to imitate that step. Video prompting was done using a multiple-probe across subjects design. Following acquisition, video prompting was removed. To assess generalization, the participants were taken for a walk in the garden at the residential facility and had the opportunity to photograph a variety of flora and fauna. Maintenance in the absence of video prompting was assessed at two, four and eight weeks. These data suggest that video prompting may be an effective instructional strategy for teaching leisure skills. |
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75. The Development of Norms for a Measure of Social Development |
Area: DDA; Domain: Applied Research |
EMILY HUBER CALLAHAN (Institute for Child Development, Binghamton University), Raymond G. Romanczyk (Institute for Child Development) |
Abstract: A qualitative impairment in social skills is one of the core components of autistic disorder as defined in the DSM-IV. Most programs developed for individuals with autism include social skills instruction or training and growing attention has been directed at the development of interventions to improve social skills and social interactions in individuals with autism. However, there are limited tools available to assess social skills and even fewer designed to assess improvements in them. While there are some measures that are useful for identifying children who may be displaying deficits or delays in social functioning, they do not provide information about the specific nature of a child’s social difficulties and were not designed to track behavior change. The purpose of the current study is to establish a set of norms for a behavioral measure developed to assess gains made in social skills and interactions over the course of an intervention. A group of typically developing children, 2 to 5 years of age, will serve as the normative sample for this study. Furthermore, patterns in gender and age differences in social development will be examined using this measure. |
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76. Increasing Social Skills and Decreasing SIB, Elopement and Yelling in a Consumer with Autism and Mental Retardation |
Area: DDA; Domain: Applied Research |
VALERIA PAREJO (Human Development Center/FIT), Holly V. Steele (Psychological Management Group), Kimberly E. Church (Human Development Center) |
Abstract: This intervention was designed to increase social skills (appropriate conversations/interactions with others, manding for attention appropriately) and decrease SIB, elopement and yelling of a Human Development Center consumer with autism and mental retardation. The client is in a Supported Living setting, receiving Supported Living Coaching, In Home Support, and Behavior Analysis services. The consumer only used basic social skills intermittently. Developing and increasing the client’s social skills was chosen as the replacement behavior since most of his target behaviors (SIB, yelling) had an attention-seeking function. A sticker program had been in place for several months (DRO 1h schedule for target behaviors) but its efficacy had plateaued. Concomitant to teaching social skills, a behavior contract was added to the already established sticker program. The sticker program had some control over the target behaviors (which occurred around 45% of the intervals). This control was increased with the behavior contract component (target behaviors occurred only 2-5% of the intervals). This intervention was implemented across settings (Supported Living and ADT) and showed some generalization (during visits with the consumer’s brother in the community). The results were impressive, with the number of incidents per day decreasing dramatically within a 6-month period. |
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77. Effects of Contingent Touch and Aroma on Movement and Relaxation by Children with Developmental Disabilities |
Area: DDA; Domain: Applied Research |
MECHY WRIGHT (University of South Florida), Trevor F. Stokes (University of South Florida), Sylla Sheppard-Hanger (Atlantic University of Aromatherapy), Stephanie Tatem (University of South Florida) |
Abstract: We examined whether the presentation of the aroma of non-toxic essential oils combined with deep touch pressure of the shoulders, arms and hands, when delivered contingent upon a reduction in frequency of movement, would improve the relaxed behaviors displayed by three girls with developmental disabilities. Participants demonstrated more relaxation when reinforced by touch plus aroma combined, than when presented with touch alone, and the combined treatments were effective within a multiple baseline design examining changes in movement and heart rate. |
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#336 International Poster Session - DEV |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
12:00 PM–1:30 PM |
Grand Hall |
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78. EAHB SIG Student Paper Competition Award Winner. Aging and Categorization: Using Generalized Equivalence Classes and Their Characteristics to Compare Older and Younger Adults |
Area: DEV; Domain: Basic Research |
CHRISTINE M. ENGLE (University of North Carolina, Wilmington) |
Abstract: The present study was designed to bring together accounts of stimulus equivalence, the transfer of function among stimulus classes, and age-related changes observed during the creation of stimulus classes. Two groups of participants, older and younger adults, were given training using nonsense syllables and eight sets of abstract stimuli. Each stimulus contained a combination of class-consistent and inconsistent features; the number of class-consistent features identified the typicality of the stimulus within each class. Upon completion of the equivalence training and testing procedure, participants were given information regarding one training stimulus and asked to rate other testing stimuli based on that information. Ratings from this phase determined the transfer of function within the stimulus classes created during the equivalence training procedure. Results showed that older adults required more training trials to master baseline criterion levels than younger adults did, but both groups demonstrated the formation of equivalence classes and typicality effects within those classes. Further, both groups demonstrated transfer of function within the equivalence classes that related to the typicality rating of each stimulus within a class. These results reflect the consistency of class formation and structure across the lifespan and have implications for both the class formation literature and the aging literature. Advisor: Mark Galizio. |
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79. Behavioral Assessment of Social Interactions of Children with Social Developmental and Behavioral Problems |
Area: DEV; Domain: Applied Research |
KANAKO OTSUI (Kwansei Gakuin University), Masanari Fujita (Kwansei Gakuin University), Keiko Otake (Tohoku Gakuin University), Junko Tanaka-Matsumi (Kwansei Gakuin University) |
Abstract: In this study, we assessed nineteen preschooler’s verbal and cognitive development, the ability to take other’s perspective and to solve interpersonal problems, and externalizing and internalizing behavior. Based on this assessment, we selected three target children who showed difficulties in academic and social development and high rating of externalizing problem behavior. We followed these children after they entered elementary school, and conducted behavioral assessment of interactions between target children and peers during a 10-minute group play situation. The purpose of this study is to examine how children with developmental and behavioral difficulties interact with peers in a group activity. A group consisted of 7 children including one target child. We gave children a toy to play together, but did not give them any instructions about how to play with that toy. We videotaped and coded target children’s destructive behavior (e.g., don’t take turns, don’t follow the rules, hit peers) and prosocial behavior (e.g., help peers, share the toy with peers) and peers’ response toward target child’s behavior. With sequential analysis of this interaction data, we examined how peers promote target children’s participation in a group activity. |
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80. A Preliminary Comparison of Skill and Motivation Deficits in the Packing Behavior of Children with Pediatric Feeding Disorders |
Area: DEV; Domain: Applied Research |
DANIELLE W. BRADLEY (Marcus Autism Center), Laura R. Addison (Marcus Autism Center), David L. Jaquess (Marcus Autism Center), Wayne W. Fisher (University of Nebraska Medical Center, Munroe-Meyer Institute), Daniela Reyes (Marcus Autism Center), Kristi D. Murphy (Marcus Autism Center) |
Abstract: Previous research has suggested effective treatments to increase food acceptance and decrease inappropriate mealtime behavior for children with pediatric feeding disorders. However, sparse literature exists in the evaluation of treatments to decrease packing (i.e., holding or pocketing food in the mouth), which may emerge once acceptance has been established. The purpose of this preliminary investigation was to compare the relative efficacy of two types of treatments (i.e., one based on reinforcement procedures and one based on skill acquisition) for packing in a child with feeding problems. The participant was a child admitted to an intensive pediatric feeding disorders program for the assessment and treatment of food refusal and gastrostomy (g-) tube dependence. Results suggest a methodology that might be useful for developing an effective treatment for packing. Interobserver reliability exceeded 90%. |
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81. A Sequential Analysis of Japanese Children’s Interactions in Group Play |
Area: DEV; Domain: Applied Research |
FUJITA MASANARI (Kwansei Gakuin University), Kanako Otsui (Kwansei Gakuin University), Keiko Otake (Tohoku Gakuin University), Junko Tanaka-Matsumi (Kwansei Gakuin University) |
Abstract: We report the progress of an ongoing project. In this study, we conducted behavioral assessment of children’s interactions during a group play and examined their social interactions using sequential analysis. The participants were 92 third-grade elementary school children in Japan. We then selected target children who were rated by their teachers as low (n=8) or high (n=8) in levels of academic, interpersonal skills and problem behaviors. We assigned them into groups of 5 or 6 children including a target high or low child, and observed them during 10-minut indoor group play. We gave children a toy to play together, but did not give them any instructions about how to play with that toy. We videotaped peer-directed interactions of each child and coded and analyzed interactions between a target child and peers using sequential analysis. We expect that target children with poor academic and social skills would demonstrate more negative interactions (e.g., target child’s aggressive initiation and negative or no response by peers) and that children with adequate academic and social skills would engage in more positive interactions (e.g., target child’s appropriate initiation and positive response by peers). Sequential analyses of target behaviors permit time-lagged contingency analyses of these interaction patterns. |
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82. Development of Cognitive Skills and Mother-Infant Interactions |
Area: DEV; Domain: Applied Research |
LAURA CORREA PATIÑO (Universidad de Guadalajara, Mexico), Carmen Quintana (Universidad de Guadalajara, Mexico), Edgar Eduardo Montes Castro (Universidad de Guadalajara, Mexico), Emilio Ribes Iñesta (Universidad de Guadalajara, Mexico) |
Abstract: Mother’s behavior influences the development of cognitive skills in the child, by prompting him/her with many different task demands in the context of their daily interaction. We present longitudinal data on the observation of mother-child interactions in order to show the child’s adjustment to the mother’s demands. A girl and her mother were video-taped across several ages (4-16 month old) while they were playing together. Interactions were analyzed using a categorical system developed to observe mother-child interaction patterns and their relation with social and cognitive skills. We discuss the development of cognitive skills in terms of the progressively complex demands settled by the mother. |
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#337 International Poster Session - EAB |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
12:00 PM–1:30 PM |
Grand Hall |
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83. Using Apple Macintosh Computers for Operant Laboratory Control and Data Collection |
Area: EAB; Domain: Basic Research |
JAMES T. TODD (Eastern Michigan University), Amy K Drayton (Eastern Michigan University), Heather M. Anson (Eastern Michigan University), Joseph K. Golson (Eastern Michigan University), Jacqueline Nicole Fleischer (Eastern Michigan University) |
Abstract: Operant laboratory control and data collection is typically done using computers running the Windows operating system connected to IBM compatible interface equipment. New USB-based interface devices facilitate connection of Macintosh computers to standard laboratory equipment. A wide variety of standard, cross-platform authoring programs may be used in conjunction with Applescript to control experiments, collect data, create graphics, and communicate results directly to experimenters in real time. The enhanced inter-application communication available with the Macintosh operating system and the high level of compatibility with standard applications such as Microsoft Excel, Deltagraph, and SPSS make the Macintosh a good laboratory choice. This poster will show some applications of Macintosh systems in use in our laboratories. |
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84. Effects of Differential Category Naming on the Formation of Stimulus Equivalence in Adults |
Area: EAB; Domain: Basic Research |
LISA C. DREGER (University of Manitoba, Department of Psychology), Stephen W. Holborn (University of Manitoba, Department of Psychology), Gabriel Schnerch (University of Manitoba), Guy T. Dreger (n/a) |
Abstract: According to naming theory equivalence relations among arbitrary stimuli are formed through training category names for the stimuli to participate in the equivalence relation. Using adult college students as participants stimulus pairs A-B and B-C were trained using arbitrary stimuli (Japanese kanji characters).Symmetry and equivalence (B-A , C-B, and C-A) as well as the formation of complete categories of stimuli were compared for three different category naming conditions (common English category names, unknown foreign language category names, and a no name control condition). The number of trials to train the initial stimulus pairs (A-B and B-C) did not differ reliably between the three category name conditions. Equivalence tests revealed statistically significant differences between all three groups (F = 5.192, p < .01). The participants in the English category name condition were able to form significantly more equivalence relations upon testing than participants in both the control group (Mean difference 4.57, p < .05)) and the Ukrainian language group (Mean difference 5.38, p < .05). Testing for category formation showed a statistically significant difference between the English category name condition and the Ukrainian category name condition (Mean difference 5.1, p < .05). Results provided further verification for naming theory, with the qualification that the category name must correspond to the linguistic history of the participant. |
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85. The Choice to Work for Fixed- vs. Random-Reinforcer Amounts |
Area: EAB; Domain: Basic Research |
ERIC E. EWAN (University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire), John R. Smethells (University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire), Gregory J. Madden (University of Kansas) |
Abstract: Random payoff amounts are a salient feature of the consequences of gambling (e.g., the payoffs of a slot machine are random amounts). Animal foraging research suggests that an animal’s tendency to choose either a fixed or a random reward amount is determined by its energy budget. Specifically, as an organism’s daily energy intake falls below its energy output requirements, it should engage in risk taking – preference for a random over a fixed reinforcer amount. By contrast, the behavioral economic concept of unit price holds that preference is determined by a cost: benefit ratio (number of responses divided by reinforcer amount). Thus, preference should be unaffected by random- and fixed-amount schedules when the average amount obtained on a random-amount schedule is equivalent to that obtained on a fixed-amount schedule. We tested this prediction using four pigeons working in a choice context, in a closed economy, across a wide range of unit prices. Thus far, results appear to be relatively unsystematic across subjects. Overall, data appears to indicate no preference between reward types or very slight preferences (however, unsystematic) for the random reward amount. These results are more consistent with the behavioral economic concept of unit price than that of animal foraging research. |
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86. Interactive Effects of Response Requirements and Reinforcer Magnitude on Shifts between Rich and Lean Schedules |
Area: EAB; Domain: Basic Research |
HAROLD E. LOBO (West Virginia University), Jessica B. Long (West Virginia University), Michael Perone (West Virginia University) |
Abstract: Four pigeons responded on a multiple fixed-ratio schedule of food reinforcement with rich and lean components differing in both ratio size and reinforcer magnitude. Across conditions, parametric manipulations of ratio size and reinforcer magnitude were implemented. For two subjects, the lean component became increasingly leaner across subsequent conditions before the rich component was further enriched. For the remaining subjects, the rich component was enriched prior to leaning the other component. Pausing was analyzed as a function of four possible transition types: rich-to-rich, lean-to-lean, lean-to-rich, and rich-to lean. Extended pausing occurred during rich-to-lean transitions, particularly as a function of variations in ratio size. Present findings, however, suggest that pausing is influenced to a lesser degree by changes in reinforcer magnitude. |
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87. Acquisition and Traslativity of a Matching to Sample Task Under Different Language Modes and Cross-Modal Transfer |
Area: EAB; Domain: Basic Research |
JOSUE ANTONIO CAMACHO CANDIA (Universidad Veracruzana), Agustin Daniel Gomez Fuentes (Universidad Veracruzana) |
Abstract: The main purpose was to analyze the initial acquisition, translativity and cross-modal transference of problem solving behaviors and second-order matching to sample tasks through direct matching. 24 experimentally unaware children participated in the experiment, aged 9 to 12, in the fourth grade the elementary school in the cities of Xalapa, Veracruz and Puebla, Puebla. A pre-test/ post-test design was applied, five training sessions and three transference tests for each language mode. The results demonstrated that the speed and the final level of acquisition and translativity were greater in the speaking mode, medium in writing and lower in pointing out. The average results demonstrated a greater cross modal transference in the pointing out mode while speaking and writing were used during the training procedure. These results suggest that the transference is greater when during the training, the mode having more arbitrary morphological characteristics is used, and in the transference tests the least arbitrary morphological modes are used. |
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88. Progressive Ratio Schedules and Subcutaneous Administration of Haloperidol |
Area: EAB; Domain: Basic Research |
FARA G. ARREOLA ROMERO (University of Guadalajara, Mexico), Diana D. Bejar Kleiman (University of Guadalajara, Mexico), Carlos F. Aparicio (University of Guadalajara, Mexico) |
Abstract: Recent studies in our laboratory have shown that the effects of haloperidol on motor and motivational systems depend on the way in which it is administrated. The present study tested this idea with rats responding for food in progressive ratio (PR) schedules. The parameters of Killeen’s Mathematical Principles of Reinforcement model were used to estimate the effects of haloperidol on motor and motivational systems. Four doses of haloperidol were assessed (sc) under circumstances where the PR schedules differed in the size of the step (1 vs. 3 responses), the type of reinforcer (food vs. saccharine pellets), and their context in which these reinforcers were presented (noisy vs. quiet). The parameters of activation, response time, and coupling changed as a function of type of reinforcer and dose of haloperidol. But, they were not affected by the size of the step. The implications of these results for the anhedonia hypothesis will be discussed. |
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89. The Role of Commodity Type and Reciprocity in the Iterated Prisoner's Dilemma |
Area: EAB; Domain: Basic Research |
CADE T. CHARLTON (Utah State University), Shawn R. Charlton (University of California, San Diego) |
Abstract: Performance in the single-player iterated prisoner's dilemma has been shown to be a function of the probability of reciprocation. However, the exact form of this relationship has not been explored (for example, is there a linear, hyperbolic, or other type of change?) nor has the effect of the type of outcome on performance. This poster reports on an experiment that tests both of these questions using a mixed 2 x 5 factorial design. Two types of commodity are tested between subjects (money and iTunes downloads). Five levels of reciprocation are tested within subject (1.0, 0.75, 0.50, 0.25, and 0.0). Results are discussed with relation to theories of Intertemporal choice. |
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90. Operant Variability and Behavioral Contrast |
Area: EAB; Domain: Basic Research |
MICHELE R. BISHOP (University of Nevada, Reno), Patrick M. Ghezzi (University of Nevada, Reno) |
Abstract: The purpose of the study was to first demonstrate that variable and non-variable responding could be controlled by discriminative stimuli arranged in a multiple schedule and second to examine variability in a behavioral contrast preparation. Responses consisted of a series of four left and right mouse clicks on a computer screen. Variable and non-variable responses were reinforced in the presence of discriminative stimuli. Variability was measured by calculating a U-value score for every 16 trial block. Results of Experiment 1 suggest that variable and non-variable responding could be controlled by discriminative stimuli arranged in a multiple schedule. However, data also indicated that these responses were difficult to establish and maintain. The transition to Experiment 2 occurred following stable variable and non-variable responding. The transition was marked by a change from a continuous to an intermittent schedule of reinforcement. Next, all programmed consequences were withheld in the variable component and changes in variability were examined in the non-variable component. Results of Experiment 2 suggest difficulty maintaining variable and non-variable responding following the transition to intermittent reinforcement. Behavioral contrast was not observed. A discussion about methodological considerations and directions for future research will be presented. |
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91. An Index of Emotional Responses toward Ratio Size: The Startle Response on Multiple Fixed-Ratio Schedules |
Area: EAB; Domain: Basic Research |
JOSEPH RICHARDSON (University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee), Alan Baron (University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee) |
Abstract: A consequence of preratio pausing on fixed-ratio schedules is that rates of reinforcement are reduced. One hypothesis that has attempted to explain this counterproductive behavior is that the organism is responding to aversive features of the amount of work on the upcoming ratio. The startle response has been used as a means of measuring emotional reactions to aversive events. In the present experiment, the startle response was evoked while rats were responding on a multiple schedule containing two different ratio sizes (multiple FR20 FR80). The startle response was measured during brief periods of timeout between the multiple schedule components in which the discriminative stimuli of the upcoming ratios were presented. Similar to previously reported findings, the preratio pause was longer when the upcoming ratio was FR80 than when it was FR20. In addition, the startle responses were more extreme in the presence of stimuli that signaled that the upcoming ratio would be FR80. The correlation of the extent of preratio pausing and the magnitude of the startle response provides support for the hypothesis that pausing is governed by emotional processes. |
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92. Relationship Between Rate of Eating and Degree of Satiation |
Area: EAB; Domain: Basic Research |
NATHAN H. AZRIN (Nova Southeastern University), Jeannie S. Brooks (Nova Southeastern University), Michael J. Kellen (Nova Southeastern University), Benita L. Forman (Donna Klein) |
Abstract: Cognitive-behavioral psychologists have developed effective methods of treatment for obesity, including cognitive restructuring, mealtime regulation, avoidance of taboo foods and removal of identified precursors to the binging behavior (Wilson & Pike, 2001; Fairburn, Marcus, & Wilson, 1993). More recent research has demonstrated a positive correlation between speed of eating and urge to vomit in individuals suffering from bulimia (Azrin, Kellen, Ehle, Vinas, and Brooks, 2005). It is suggested from the findings that consuming food at a slow compared to a fast rate significantly reduces the urge to vomit in bulimic individuals. Accordingly, the present study seeks to generalize these findings to weight conscious individuals. 10 participants were instructed to consume equal amounts of food under slow and fast eating conditions. The results suggest that consuming food at a slow rate helps individuals achieve satiation quicker when compared to consuming food at a fast pace. Thus, consuming food at a slow versus fast pace and consequently achieving satiation quicker prevents excessive food consumption in weight conscious individuals, constituting an effective means of weight management. |
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93. Contingency Differences between Variable Ratio and Interval Schedules of Reinforcement shown by Survival and Time Series Analysis |
Area: EAB; Domain: Basic Research |
TAKAYUKI TANNO (Keio University, Japan), Takayuki Sakagami (Keio University, Japan) |
Abstract: Four rats were trained to lever press for food pellets under variable ratio (VR) and inter-reinforcement intervals yoked variable interval (VI) schedules. All rats responded faster under VR than VI. We got following results from survival and time series analyses: (1) Log survivor plots of interresponse times (IRTs) showed that responses were emitted as bout under both schedules; (2) Response-reinforcer cross correlation coefficients just prior to reinforcers were positive under VR but negative under VI; (3) IRTs were classified into two categories, within- and between-bout, by several criterion times (CT), then we calculated several indices such as relative bout duration. The results showed that relative reinforcements in within-bouts were high under VR than VI over the whole CT range; (4) Two models, the simple exponential model which simulates exponential IRT distribution and the composed model which simulates bout-like IRT distribution, were compared about results from time series analyses. The results showed that differences in above indices between VR and VI were disappeared when the exponential model was examined. These results indicate that there are different response-reinforcer contingencies between VR and VI, but they seemed to heavily depend on bout-like response patterns. |
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94. Assessing Individual Preschoolers' Preferences in a Group Context |
Area: EAB; Domain: Basic Research |
STACY A. LAYER (University of Kansas), Gregory P. Hanley (University of Kansas), Nicole Heal (University of Kansas), Jeffrey H. Tiger (University of Kansas) |
Abstract: Effective methods for determining individual’s preferences for both discrete items (foods, toys) and contexts (interventions, teaching practices) are administered to children one at a time, thus prohibiting an important application of preference assessment methodology - to simultaneously determine preferences of multiple children. This study sought to determine the accuracy and efficiency of an assessment format in which selection outcomes were delayed and probabilistic, unavoidable features of an assessment designed to simultaneously determine context preferences of multiple children. During the single arrangement, preference hierarchies were established by having a child repeatedly select from among several foods and sequentially restricting preferred items from the array. After being taught the associations between colored stickers and the same food items, group assessments were conducted with 3 children simultaneously, in which each child chose a sticker, and all children received the food correlated with a randomly selected sticker. Interobserver agreement data were collected on 100% of sessions and averaged 97.6%. Data analysis revealed that variability was not imposed on preference hierarchies by the group arrangement, and that the group assessment was associated with less selection variability for most of the participants. Thus, the group assessment is posited as an accurate and efficient arrangement for determining preferences. |
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95. The Effects of Sample Differences and Probability of Reinforcement On Pigeons’ Accuracy in a Matching Task |
Area: EAB; Domain: Basic Research |
ANTHONY DEFULIO (University of Florida), Rachel Mertz (University of Florida) |
Abstract: Flashing lights were used as sample stimuli in a matching-to-sample (MTS) procedure with pigeon subjects. For any given session, two flash rates served as samples. On-time for each flash was held at 0.1 s for all conditions throughout the experiment. The off-time for one sample (adjusting/slow) was changed across conditions within a phase. The off-time for the other sample was held constant (standard/fast) throughout a phase. Across phases the off-time for the standard/fast stimulus was manipulated. Shorter standard off-times and greater differences between the samples produced greater accuracy on the MTS task. In a second experiment using the same subjects, stimulus differences were held constant within a phase. Across conditions within a phase probability of reinforcement was manipulated. Across phases stimulus differences were manipulated and the same series of reinforcement probabilities was repeated across conditions. Accuracy on the MTS task was lowest when probability of reinforcement was 0.1 or less. |
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96. Sensitivity to Changing Contingencies of Concurrently Available Slot Machines |
Area: EAB; Domain: Basic Research |
ERICA D. POZZIE (Bradley University), Laura L. Portera (Southern Illinois University), Mark R. Dixon (Southern Illinois University) |
Abstract: Gambling research concerning participants’ play of slot machines operating on titrating schedules is limited in the literature to date. Working to expand knowledge in this area the study was conducted to examine 10 college students’ awareness of titrating schedules in operation on two concurrently available slot machines. Experimenters analyzed subjects’ responses between machines as schedules reversed and behavioral switch points between machines due to titration. The investigation included the amount of control exerted by the prevailing contingencies on subject behavior as well as the role played by self rules and history of wins on a certain machine. The results, implications, and suggestions for future research to help problem gamblers are discussed. |
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97. An Experimental Study of the Effect of Uncertainty on a Making Decision Task |
Area: EAB; Domain: Basic Research |
OSCAR GARCIA LEAL (University of Guadalajara, CEIC), David Luna (University of Guadalajara, CEIC), Luis Alfaro Hrnández (University of Guadalajara) |
Abstract: In this poster we assess the effect of uncertainty on a making decision task, using animals (rats) as participants, and operant chambers as experimental equipment. Uncertainty is operationally defined as the probability to get a reinforcement associated with each one of two different levers. A group of animals were exposed to an experimental procedure in which they must choose between one of two different retractile levers associated with different probabilities of reinforcement. In spite of that, magnitude of reinforcement was equal for both alternatives at the end of the session, so that getting a reinforcement implied different quantity of reinforcer. Firstly, during training phase animals were exposed separately to each lever, associating each lever with a different color-light stimulus, so that animals learned about the probability of reinforcement corresponding to each lever. Following, during test phase, both levers were presented simultaneously and animals chose one of them. We analyze decision making taking into account latencies of responses associated with each lever, and number of elections on each alternative.q |
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98. A Behavioral Analysis of Counting Behavior in Rats |
Area: EAB; Domain: Basic Research |
CAROLINE PAGE (Illinois Wesleyan University), James D. Dougan (Illinois Wesleyan University) |
Abstract: Numerous studies in the field of animal cognition have suggested that rats have at least a limited ability to “count.” Because these studies originate in a cognitive field, the focus has generally been on “counting” as a mental process. There has been little attempt to discuss counting under a behavioral framework. In behavioral terms, “counting behavior” would be said to occur when rats are able to correctly respond in a task in which the discriminative stimulus is the number of items or the number of events. The present study used a task in which the discriminative stimulus was the number of items available in the environment. Rats were placed in an open field containing a number of small containers, with a food pellet located in one of the containers. Containers were arranged such that numeric position was a discriminative stimulus for the location of the pellet. Other factors, such as olfactory and spatial cues, were eliminated. Generalization tests were conducted once the rats had mastered the task. The results are discussed in terms of the behavioral analysis of cognitive processes. |
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99. A Verbal Analysis of Impulsive Behavior |
Area: EAB; Domain: Basic Research |
SUSAN F. MAKDISI (Western Michigan University), R. Wayne Fuqua (Western Michigan University) |
Abstract: This study examined whether impulsive behavior, as defined in the behavioral literature, changes if subjects are told, or are asked to interpret, consequences of behavior. To test for impulsive behavior, all subjects were asked to click one of two buttons displayed on a computer screen. Clicking one button revealed a short, immediate video clip, the impulsive choice, while clicking the other button revealed a longer, delayed clip, the self-controlled choice. One group of subjects was given a rule, based on behavior during the first of two sessions, about the consequences of clicking each button, and one group was asked to generate a rule about the consequences of clicking each button. This group was also given feedback based on that rule after the subject had had gone through the procedures after stating the rule. A third group was a control group. Data were analyzed to determine which intervention had the greatest impact on behavior, and which rules were made by which subjects. The relationship between risky behaviors that are generally associated with impulsive behavior in the literature, in which subjects engaged regularly as assessed through a questionnaire, and participants’ behavior during this experiment, were also examined. |
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100. Variable Ratio with Added Counter and the Operant Respondent Distinction |
Area: EAB; Domain: Basic Research |
ROBERT W. ALLAN (Lafayette College), Zane Ferguson (Lafayette College) |
Abstract: When a counter is added to variable ratio performance the potential for the intrusion of respondent control of pecking emerges. The present work manipulated the signal properties of the counter stimulus to determine what effect the added counter had on ongoing behavior. |
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101. Eye Movement and Location of Touch Response in Matching to Multiple Samples |
Area: EAB; Domain: Basic Research |
CHATA A. DICKSON (West Virginia University), William V. Dube (University of Massachusetts Medical School, E.K. Shriver Center) |
Abstract: Four adolescents with Developmental Delay, and three typically developing adults participated in a delayed matching-to-multiple-samples task. Data collected with an eye tracking apparatus were used to analyze eye movements during sample observations. During the sample presentation period, a touch to one of two sample stimuli resulted in the removal the sample stimuli and the presentation of comparison stimuli. The coincidence of looking at and touching one of the multiple sample stimuli was analyzed to investigate the relation between these responses. The location of the touch response usually -- but not always -- corresponded with eye movements at the time of the response (75% of trials). The results indicate that nondifferential responses such as pointing, often referred to as "observing responses" in matching-to-sample procedures, may not indicate the status of current observing behavior. |
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102. Effects of a Confederate Behavior on the Choice of Social Partial-Altruism Contingencies |
Area: EAB; Domain: Basic Research |
NORA RANGEL (University of Guadalajara, Mexico), Emilio Ribes Iñesta (University of Guadalajara, Mexico), Ulises Valdez (University of Guadalajara, Mexico), Celeste Romero (University of Guadalajara, Mexico) |
Abstract: Twelve dyads solved a visual puzzle on two synchronized computer screens. All dyads involved a confederate. Participants and confederates could track the performance of his/ her peer, and also place pieces in either puzzle. Dyads were assigned to four groups. All dyads were exposed to two baseline sessions and each group was exposed to a different sequence of three experimental conditions. Conditions consisted in how the confederated behaved: 1) by reciprocity of responding, 2) by prompting responses in his/her peer’s puzzle, or 3) by being indifferent to the peer’s responding. Results are discussed in terms of the effects of the confederate’s behavior on choice of social contingencies. |
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103. The Effects of Training Emotional Discriminations to Individuals with Acquired Brain Injury Using the International Affective Picture System on Pre- and Post-Ratings of Emotion Evoking Stimuli |
Area: EAB; Domain: Basic Research |
STACEY L. SMALL (Southern Illinois University, Carbondale), Mark R. Dixon (Southern Illinois University) |
Abstract: This study examined a stimulus equivalence training procedure used to teach persons with traumatic brain injury (TBI) emotional self-discriminations and verbal descriptions of emotion. Three adult males with TBI were exposed to a subset of the International Affective Picture System (IAPS) and asked to rate these norm-referenced emotional stimuli on three emotional rating scales (e.g., happy to sad). During training, participants were taught how to discriminate emotional states by matching a sample word of a specific emotion (e.g., happy) to comparison stimuli (i.e., image of participant expressing the corresponding emotion and IAPS image). Upon completion of the equivalence task, participants were again exposed to the rating task. Rating data were compared to normative data to assess effects of training. Results support findings that conclude persons with traumatic brain injury often fail reach mastery criteria in equivalence tasks. Evidence demonstrated participants were not able to rate emotionally arousing images with the same degree of accuracy as in normative data. Training did however, improve the ability to more accurately discriminate emotional stimuli and one participant was able to make improved accurate self-discriminations after training. Implications for the use of this training procedure with private events in the science of behavior are discussed. |
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104. Critical Flicker Fusion Thresholds: Can Hens see Television? |
Area: EAB; Domain: Basic Research |
RENEE RAILTON (University of Waikato, New Zealand), Catherine E. Sumpter (University of Waikato, New Zealand), William Temple (University of Waikato, New Zealand), Therese Mary Foster (University of Waikato, New Zealand) |
Abstract: The use of television and computer screens for presenting stimuli to animals is increasing in animal research as it is non-invasive and the researcher can have precise control over the stimuli. However, conventional television and computer screens have been designed with the human visual system in mind and have a refresh rate of 50-60Hz per second. Any images presented on these screens, may therefore, appear as nothing but a series of flickers to animals with a critical flicker fusion frequency (CFF) higher than this. CFF is defined as the lowest frequency at which a flickering light is perceived by an organism to be a steady or continuous light source. While the CFF of hens has been suggested to be similar to that of pigeons, there is little empirical data on this. To determine the CFF of hens, six hens were trained to discriminate between a flickering and a still light. The flicker rate was then increased by 5Hz over blocks of trials for a total of 10 sessions each in order to determine the CFF of these hens. It was found that their CFF thresholds ranged between 70-100Hz with most between 80-90Hz. This is much higher than the CFF of humans which is reported to be around 50-60Hz. As a result, conventional screens seem to be an inappropriate tool to use when presenting stimuli to hens and other avian species. |
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105. Effects of Response-dependent and Response-independent schedules of Reinforcement in the Inter-trial Interval of a Concurrent-chains Procedure |
Area: EAB; Domain: Basic Research |
PAUL ROMANOWICH (University of California, San Diego), Edmund J. Fantino (University of California, San Diego) |
Abstract: Either a response-independent (Fixed Interval) or response-independent (Fixed Time) schedule of reinforcement was added to the inter-trial interval (ITI) of a concurrent-chains procedure. Previous research has indicated that response-independent presentations of reinforcement during the ITI of a concurrent-chains procedure has no effect on the initial-link choice proportions. However, response-dependent schedules have never been tested to determine what effect they may have on the initial-link choice proportions. A change in initial-link choice proportions will require modifications to all major theories of choice, such as Delay Reduction Theory (DRT), Contextual Choice Model (CCM), and Hyperbolic Value Added (HVA). |
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106. Probability of Ordinal Class’s Emergence Following Teaching of Numeric Relations |
Area: EAB; Domain: Basic Research |
GRAUBEN ASSIS (Para Federal University), Ana Letícia Nunes Moraes Moraes (Para Federal University) |
Abstract: The equivalence paradigm has been useful in the explanation of complex behavioral processes like those involved in numeric conceptual behaviors. Several studies have looked for a comprehension of how performances under control of order are established and maintained. The purpose of the present study was to verify if ordinal classes could emerge following arbitrary matching to sample (AMTS) and sequence production. Three students with developmental disabilities participated of the study. The visual stimuli were abstract forms in different quantities (A), cardinal numbers (B), and written word in capital letters (C). The experimental sessions were conducted in a room of APAE-BELÉM and a software controlled and recorded the behavioral data. The AB/AC relations were trained and the emergence of three equivalence classes was tested. After the forward chaining procedure to teach one sequence (A1,A2,A3), the emergence of novel sequences was assessed (e. g. B1,B2,B3 and C1,C2,C3). Substitutability tests assessed the ordinal classes formation (e.g. A1,B2,C3). Generalization tests also were presented in order to verify if a response involving numerosity would occur with new stimuli. Results showed that the participants responded to novel sequences readily or with gradual emergence. The stimulus control topography analysis in that kind of task was helpful to the comprehension of the ordinal relations. All participants responded to sequences with new stimuli. The procedure was also effective in the transfer of ordinal functions in people with developmental disabilities. Keywords: Equivalence, sequences, ordinal classes, numeric relations, developmental disabilities, math education. |
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107. Discounting of Past and Future Rewards of Texas Hold’Em Gamblers |
Area: EAB; Domain: Basic Research |
MATTHEW D. STIEG (Southern Illinois University, Carbondale), Mark R. Dixon (Southern Illinois University) |
Abstract: Current discounting literature dictates that gamblers may discount more steeply in the gambling context than a non-gambling context. This research further examines the role of the gambling context through a within-subjects analysis of the discounting of hypothetical monetary awards with poker players. Eight participants in a Texas Hold’Em poker tournament were sampled before playing and immediately after losing all their chips. Standard delay discounting procedures were used, as well as past discounting, a novel procedure consisting of hypothetical monetary award choice comparisons offered between “yesterday” and at various times prior to yesterday. Results indicated that all eight participants' responses fit the curve of the widely accepted hyperbolic-like model. Further, a significant difference was found between the four individuals who gamble with more than ten dollars at a time and the four who gamble with less. |
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108. A Comparison of Two Different Methods of Schedule Sequencing on Schedule Induced Polydipsia in Rats |
Area: EAB; Domain: Basic Research |
JACQUELINE NICOLE FLEISCHER (Eastern Michigan University), James T. Todd (Eastern Michigan University) |
Abstract: The goal of this study is to demonstrate that different experimental methodologies for studying schedule-induced behavior produce highly different patterns of excessive drinking in rats. Traditionally, research on schedule-induced drinking is done by presenting blocks of several daily sessions with the same length of time between pellet deliveries. The shortest interpellet interval length is used first, with interval lengths becoming progressively longer. In previous research the interval lengths have sometimes been progressively lengthened then shortened again. Using this approach, schedule-induced drinking typically increases to a maximum when the pellets are about three minutes apart, then decreases to zero when the pellet deliveries are about five minutes apart. However, when the interval lengths are varied each day unsystematically from one value to another, strong drinking continues even when the interval lengths are as long as sixteen minutes. This study will explore the reasons why the two different methods of sequencing interval lengths produce different results. |
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109. Effects of Remote Histories on Fixed-Interval Schedule Performances in Humans: An Experimental Analysis using Freeman & Lattal’s (1992) Within-Subject Comparison Design |
Area: EAB; Domain: Basic Research |
MARIKO HIRAI (Osaka Kyoiku University, Japan), Hiroto Okouchi (Osaka Kyoiku University, Japan), Akio Matsumoto (Osaka Kyoiku University, Japan) |
Abstract: Four undergraduate firstly were exposed to a multiple fixed-ratio (FR) and differential-reinforcement-of-low-rate (DRL) schedule in which each schedule component was correlated with a red or green circle presented on a display monitor. Second, they were exposed to a fixed-interval (FI) schedule with a white circle. Third, the FI schedule continued to operate but red or green circles replaced the white circle. Finally, they were exposed to the multiple FR DRL schedule again. Response rates were higher under the stimulus that had been correlated with the FR schedule than under the stimulus that had been correlated with the DRL schedule during all 20 FI sessions for 1 of 4 subjects and during the first several trials for the remaining subjects. Response rates were differentiated between the FR and DRL schedules during the second exposure. Such stimulus control under the FI schedule continued 4 to 12 sessions for another group of subjects who were exposed to the multiple FI FI immediately after the multiple FR DRL. No control by the stimuli or the schedules was observed for the third group of subjects having no history of the multiple FR DRL. |
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#338 International Poster Session - EDC |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
12:00 PM–1:30 PM |
Grand Hall |
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110. Building Oral Reading Fluency and Retelling Comprehension with Fourth-Grade Students in a Highly Diverse Elementary School |
Area: EDC; Domain: Applied Research |
WILLIAM J. SWEENEY (University of South Dakota), Carla L. Pierce (University of South Dakota) |
Abstract: The purpose of this project was to document the importance and effectiveness of a repeated readings and daily goal setting procedure combined with Precision Teaching measurement approaches for assisting students considered at-risk for academic difficulties due to linguistic, cultural differences improve their overall oral reading fluency and retelling comprehension. Three integrated classrooms of regular and special education students took part in a combined repeated readings, goal setting, and Precision Teaching instructional intervention. Students from these classes worked in groups of 2 to 3 students with trained undergraduate practicum tutors from a local university’s special education program. These tutors used a combined repeated reading procedure with daily goal setting as well as Precision Teaching evaluation approaches to document the students’ progress at building oral reading fluency and retelling comprehension. The tutors and students set daily frequency goals before reading instruction. The Standard Celeration Chart and the student’s daily goals were then evaluated at the conclusion of the repeated readings session. Tutor’s rewarded the student’s with stickers or other tokens when they met or exceeded their daily reading goals. The chart and daily goal setting was determined to function as an important source of feedback related to the students’ success in meeting their ultimate instructional aim of oral reading 180 to 210 words per minute and retelling between 18 to 26 information units on a selected reading passage across a series of sessions. |
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111. Oral Reading Fluency Gains Under Typical Instruction and After Targeted Intervention |
Area: EDC; Domain: Applied Research |
BRIAN K. MARTENS (Syracuse University), Scott P. Ardoin (University of South Carolina) |
Abstract: This study compared gains in oral reading fluency by second grade students after receiving typical reading instruction and a targeted intervention consisting of phrase drill error correction, listening passage preview, repeated readings, goal setting, and reinforcement. A total of 175 students in 9 classrooms participated. To assess gains in oral reading fluency under typical instruction, students were administered three, grade-level DIBELS benchmark probes in January and again in March (9 weeks apart). The intervention was then implemented with the bottom quartile of students in each classroom on two occasions, with 3 weeks between intervention sessions. Following each intervention session, fluency gains were assessed immediately after training on the intervention passage (i.e., direct intervention effects) as well as a high-word-overlap (HWO) passage (i.e., generalized effects). Fluency gains were also assessed on both passages 2 days later (i.e., a measure of retention). Targeted intervention gains were highest on the trained passage 2 days later, followed by the trained passage the same day, the HWO passage 2 days later, and the HWO passage the same day. The extent to which immediate and generalized gains from the targeted intervention correlated with gains under typical instruction was also examined. |
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112. Words Correct per Minute: How Important is the Denominator, Time Required to Read? |
Area: EDC; Domain: Theory |
JACQUELINE WILLIAMS (University of Tennessee), Christine E. Neddenriep (University of Wisconsin, Whitewater), Andrea D. Hale (Eastern Kentucky University), Christopher Skinner (University of Tennessee), Renee Hawkins (University of Cincinnati) |
Abstract: Words correct per minute (WC/M) is a rate or rate measure that has been used by practitioners and researchers to formatively (repeatedly) assess general reading skills in order to evaluate intervention effects. Earlier analysis showed that WC/M revealed strong correlations with reading cluster scores (r = .901, .866, and .654) for 4th (N = 22), 5th (N = 29), and 10th (N = 37) grade students respectively. WC/M includes accurate aloud reading in the numerator and time required to read in the denominator. The purpose of the current study was to determine how much variance in Broad Reading Cluster Score of the Woodcock-Johnson III Tests of Achievement (WJ-III ACH) is accounted for by the denominator (time required to read equivalent 400 word passages), relative to the numerator (aloud reading accuracy) and both combined (WC/M) across 4th, 5th, and 10th-grade students. Discussion focuses on the importance of measuring reading speed (time required to read) as opposed to accurate reading. Additionally, recommendations for simplifying procedures for measure reading skills are provided. |
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113. The Effects of Repeated Guided Readings and the Goodbye Word List on the Accuracy and Fluency of Reading in a Student Diagnosed with a Learning Disability |
Area: EDC; Domain: Basic Research |
KRISTIN N. BAKER (Whitworth College), Melissa Binford (Whitworth College), Betty Fry Williams (Whitworth College) |
Abstract: The purpose of this study was to see if a student with remedial reading skills could benefit from repeated guided readings accompanied by a “goodbye” word list. The 1st intervention consisted of the student reading a passage to the researchers, hearing the passage read by the researchers, and rereading the passage. This interaction 3-5 times per week with a new passage for each session. Correct pronunciation of a difficult word, and self-correction were rewarded with praise. During the second intervention, a “goodbye” word list with previously misread words was reviewed before a new passage was introduced. Upon reading a word correctly over three sessions, the word was removed from the list. The average number of words read incorrectly (per minute) during cold reads decreased from 3.5 to 2. The average words read per minute during cold reads increased from 42.5 to 67.5. The procedure was cost effective and required little training to implement. |
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114. Using Repeated Readings to Build Oral Reading Fluency and Retelling Comprehension of Fourth-Grade Students Considered Academically At-Risk |
Area: EDC; Domain: Applied Research |
ROBERT W. BERINGER (University of South Dakota), William J. Sweeney (University of South Dakota), Paul Malanga (Arlington Developmental Center) |
Abstract: The combination of repeated reading procedures and Precision Teaching measurement systems for improving oral reading fluency of students at-risk for academic difficulties is resulting a robust intervention system for use in the schools (Sweeney, Ring, Malanga, & Lambert, 2003). The effectiveness of these procedures were successfully used with students with learning disabilities (Tiegen, Malanga, & Sweeney, 2001), with high school students with severe emotional and behavioral disorders (Devine, 2004), with an adult described as functionally illiterate (Sweeney, Omness, Janusz, & Cooper, 1992). Similar procedures were used with linguistically diverse students (Bolich & Sweeney, 1996), students enrolled in English Language Learner Programs (Sweeney, in press), as well as in the general education classroom (Sweeney, et al., 2003). Unfortunately, only a few studies evaluated the additional variable of comprehension as related to the effectiveness of implementing repeated reading procedures and Precision Teaching measurement systems (Sweeney, 1992). Therefore, this study sought to evaluate not only the effect of repeated readings and Precision Teaching approaches on oral reading fluency with four fourth-grade students enrolled in a highly diverse elementary school, but it also evaluated the effects of retelling comprehension with these students. |
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115. Effects of Repeated Reading on Fluency and Comprehension of Urban Students At Risk for Reading Failure |
Area: EDC; Domain: Service Delivery |
LEFKI KOUREA (The Ohio State University), Gwendolyn Cartledge (The Ohio State University), Sarah Knebel (South-Western City Schools) |
Abstract: The study investigated the effects of the Repeated Reading intervention on elementary-aged African-American students who were identified at risk for reading failure at the beginning of the school year. A multiple-baseline across subject design was utilized to evaluate the effects of the Repeated Reading strategy in an urban school setting. Six urban, second-grade students were identified at risk based on two standardized measures: (a) the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Achievements and (b) the fall DIBELS Benchmarks on oral reading fluency. The dependent variables were the number of correct words read per minute and the number of comprehension items answered correctly. Students had to reach a certain performance criterion (read 90 wpm and identify five comprehension items correctly after three trials) before they would move on to the next grade-level passage. Results of the study showed that students made significant fluency and comprehension grade-level gains compared to baseline (i.e., sustained silent reading). Further discussion of the results will be provided (i.e., tables and graphs will be presented). Consumer satisfaction data will be shown. Finally, implications for utilizing such intervention in urban classroom settings will be suggested. |
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116. Monitoring The Implementation Of Evidence Based Math Interventions |
Area: EDC; Domain: Applied Research |
JANE MANGUM (Nicholls State University), Larry Stout (Nicholls State University), Natalie J. Boudreaux (Nicholls State University) |
Abstract: Recognition of problems in math achievement has resulted in a proliferation of materials/methods/ practices that propose to be evidence based. This poster will show the graphed progress of an elementary and a middle school student with disabilities in achieving grade level CBM goals and in achieving fluency in computing basic math facts. The graphs will display aimlines, trendlines, intervention lines, and a brief description of each intervention. Each participant will receive a copy of the posted items and an annotated bibliography. The bibliography will contain a list of evidence based interventions (materials/ methods/practices) which can be used for class wide, supplementary, and/or intensive instruction. It will also specify the source (i.e., the What Works Clearinghouse, Promising Practices Network, IRIS Center, ACCESS Center, National Center on Accessing the General Curriculum (NCAC), Center on Accelerating Student Learning, Learning Disabilities: Current Practice Alerts, and the National Center on Student Progress Monitoring) which reviewed or evaluated the evidence-base of programs sited. |
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117. Math-to-Mastery: An Examination of a Mathematics Intervention Package to Increase Math Fluency |
Area: EDC; Domain: Service Delivery |
JENNIFER S. KAZMERSKI (Mississippi State University), Masanori Ota (Mississippi State University), Rachelle Schuck (Mississippi State University), Kristi Campbell (Mississippi State University), Richard Anthony Doggett (Munroe-Meyer Institute), Carlen Henington (Mississippi State University) |
Abstract: This study examined the efficacy of Math-to-Mastery, a packaged mathematics intervention program. The intervention package is tied to nationally identified benchmarks for basic skills. The intervention package involved probe previewing, repeated practice, feedback, graphing of progress across time for individual students and differential reinforcement. Efficacy of the program was examined using time series analysis and curriculum based assessment. Variables examined included digits correct per minute and errors per minute. Preliminary results indicate that students with significant delays increased their mathematics performance such that were able move from instructional levels below their current grade placement to mastery level at their grade level. Reliability and integrity measures were taken and demonstrated to be .85 or greater. A discussion, potential limitations, and future research will be provided. |
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118. Math Mastery and Preference in Students with Disabilities: A Preliminary Investigation |
Area: EDC; Domain: Applied Research |
DEVENDER BANDA (Texas Tech University), David L. Lee (Pennsylvania State University) |
Abstract: This study was conducted to determine preference for math addition digit facts versus word problems and its relationship to mastery of math tasks with four middle school students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Students were first administered several forced-choice trials to determine their preferences toward either digit or word addition problems. Additionally, mastery assessments were conducted using content similar to that presented in preference assessments. Results indicate that mastery influenced preference across all students; when two equally mastered task sets were presented, students did not show a clear preference for either format. However, when fully mastered tasks were presented simultaneously with unmastered tasks, students’ preferences were clearly for fully mastered tasks. Results are discussed within the context of interspersing requests and high-probability request sequences. Implications for preference assessments and interventions based on preferences are discussed. |
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119. Comparing the Effects of Presentation Format with and without Choice Conditions on Academic Performance |
Area: EDC; Domain: Applied Research |
YOUJIA HUA (Pennsylvania State University), Mandy J. Kubo (Pennsylvania State University), David L. Lee (Pennsylvania State University) |
Abstract: Existing research suggests that instructional variables such as assignment presentation format may change student problem behaviors. Previous research also indicates that providing choice making opportunities for individuals with disabilities can decrease the occurrence of problem behaviors. However, few studies have focused on the effectiveness of providing choice opportunities for equivalent academic assignments that have different presentation formats. In the current study, an alternating treatment design will be used to evaluate the effects of providing choice making opportunities on academic performance for elementary students receiving special education services. Students’ math task performance will be compared across three conditions: (a) choice of math tasks containing the same problems using flashcards or a worksheet; (b) math tasks presented on a worksheet assigned by the teacher; and (c) math tasks presented on flashcards assigned by the teacher. Results will be discussed in relation to using antecedent-based interventions to improve students’ academic performance. |
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120. The Effects of Task Demands and Additive Interspersal Ratios on Fifth-grade Student Mathematics Accuracy |
Area: EDC; Domain: Basic Research |
RENEE HAWKINS (University of Cincinnati), James Hawkins (University of Tennessee), Christopher Skinner (University of Tennessee) |
Abstract: Assignments were altered to determine if interspersing additional briefer and easier mathematics problems enhanced students' accuracy on longer, more difficult target problems across two types of mathematics assignments. Students (N=52) from three fifth-grade classes completed six math assignments incorporating two task demands and three interspersal ratios. The interspersal ratios were no interspersal, one interspersed problem per three target problems (1:3), and one interspersal problem per one target problem (1:1). For the written (low-attention) assignments, students completed problems via paper and pencil. For the cognitive (high-attention) assignments, the experimenter read problems aloud and students had to compute mathematics problems in their heads, using paper and pencil only to record answers. Results showed that for the cognitive assignments, target problem accuracy was significantly higher for the 1:3 ratio relative to the other two ratios. On the written assignments, target problem accuracy levels were significantly higher on the 1:1 ratio assignments relative to the no interspersal assignments. Discussion focuses on applied and theoretical implications of the current results. |
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121. A Math Fact Fluency Intervention with Scaffolding for Generalization |
Area: EDC; Domain: Service Delivery |
SHARLA N. FASKO (University of Toledo), Ryan Leach (University of Toledo) |
Abstract: In this intervention, a 10-year old student who has ADHD, organizational difficulties, and an IQ score within the average range had never mastered the fluency of math facts. In addition, she has difficulty staying on task. Baseline was established through a timed written worksheet completed by the student that contained one hundred single-digit multiplication facts using digits 1 – 9. This baseline data was used to identify which facts were already learned and which were not yet learned. A set of flashcards were prepared for tutoring, identifying which were “known” and which were “unknown.” A structured flashcard drill was developed based on a combination of folding-in and the Fact Flash drill developed by Fasko (1994). Although several studies have examined the use of different ratios of learned to unlearned facts (i.e., (Dickinson & Butt, 1989; Gickling & Rosenfield, 1995; Cooke & Reichard, 1996), there has been no consensus as to which system is best for quickly attaining fluency. It was decided to use a proportion of 5 learned to 5 unlearned for the drill deck. When a fact was correctly identified 5 times in a row (as evidenced by the “+” marked on the back), the card was considered mastered, and it was retired. If the card was one that had been identified as previously learned, it was replaced with another previously learned card; if it was a fact that had not been previously learned, it was replaced by another unlearned fact card. Thus the 50/50 proportion was always maintained. It was hypothesized that an additional “scaffold” might be helpful in bridging the gap from oral responding to written responding. Thus, the student was taught to state the facts and their products to herself while writing the product down. This concept was introduced at the beginning of the intervention and helped the student stay focused on that problem and its product. The results indicated a significant improvement in fact fluency in all fact families addressed. |
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122. The Value of Building Fluency on Individually-Determined Error Sets in the Teaching of Basic Math Facts |
Area: EDC; Domain: Applied Research |
ANGELA GALVIN (Judge Rotenberg Educational Center), Michelle Harrington (Judge Rotenberg Educational Center), Ed Langford (Judge Rotenberg Educational Center), Matthew L. Israel (Judge Rotenberg Educational Center) |
Abstract: Subjects worked through a curriculum of basic math facts that was presented on a computer using the see/type learning channel. The curriculum was modeled after the principles of Precision Teaching. Materials were presented in small increments, each lesson was worked on until a high rate of fluency was achieved and data were plotted on the standard celeration chart. Subjects went through the addition and subtraction curriculum, or the addition and multiplication curriculum, with and without building fluency on individually-determined sets of errors that the student has made in the previous chapter. This option was automatically activated if the student got any problem(s) incorrect. The software presents the incorrect problem(s) and prompts the student to complete as many 20 second timings as necessary until the student makes no errors. We examined how this option affected retention and if it had an effect on the amount of time it took to master the curriculum. |
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123. A Home-Based Self-Monitoring Intervention to Increase Math Fact Fluency for a Student with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder |
Area: EDC; Domain: Applied Research |
PHILIP L. CONCORS (Project REACH, Lehigh University), Lee Kern (Lehigh University) |
Abstract: A self-monitoring academic intervention was evaluated for a fourth-grade student diagnosed with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Oppositional Defiant Disorder. A hand-held electronic learning game was utilized in the home during the summer to provide repeated practice for math facts (multiplication tables 2-7). The student was taught to monitor his progress by self-recording accuracy and fluency data. A reinforcement contingency was established as a motivator for continued practice. Inter-Observer Agreement measures obtained by a family member and the researcher were consistently high (100% IOA across 82% of sessions). Results of a multiple-probe design across exemplar sets (pairs of multipliers) suggested an overall increase in accuracy and fluency. Implications for home-based academic interventions for students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders are discussed. |
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124. Effects of An Improved Computer-assisted Peer-tutoring Program on Acquisition of Time-telling Skills of Elementary Students |
Area: EDC; Domain: Basic Research |
YAO MA (The Ohio State University), Christopher D. Yawn (The Ohio State University), Ralph Gardner III (The Ohio State University), Timothy E. Heron (The Ohio State University) |
Abstract: This study was designed to examine the effects of a computer-assisted peer-tutoring program on the accuracy, proficiency, generalization, and maintenance of time-telling skills with elementary school students with learning disabilities and behavior disorders. The tutoring program was designed based on the peer-tutoring model created by Cooke, Heron, and Heward (1983). Some procedures from the Cooke et al. model were altered. For example, peer tutoring folders were replaced by the computer and specially designed software created by the experimenter. This study was a systematic replication of a master thesis study completed by McKain (2004), with major modifications in software functioning design, procedure, and data collection to address problems raised in McKain’s study report. |
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125. The Effects of Peer Tutoring on the Tutor and Tutee’s Problem Solving Repertoires: A Systematic Replication |
Area: EDC; Domain: Applied Research |
ELISABETH L. KRACHER (Columbia University Teachers College), JoAnn Pereira Delgado (Columbia University Teachers College), Lynn Yuan (Columbia University Teachers College), R. Douglas Greer (Columbia University Teachers College and Graduate School) |
Abstract: This study was a systematic replication of a 2004 study that tested the effects of peer tutoring on the tutee and tutor’s problem-solving skills. In Experiment 1, a multiple probe across programs design was used to test the effect of peer tutoring on 1 tutor’s and 1 tutee’s correct responses to problems of constructing contractions and measuring lines. In Experiment 2, a multiple probe across participants design was used to test the effect of peer tutoring on 2 tutors’ and 2 tutees’ correct responses to place value problems. All participants were students in a self-contained classroom for students with developmental disabilities at a school outside a large metropolitan area, with a staff ratio of 8:1:3 (student : teacher : teaching assistant). The results of this study were consistent with the original study and showed that peer tutoring was successful in teaching both the tutee and tutor problem solving skills with the use of a script. |
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126. Effects of Classwide Peer Tutoring: A Strategy to Increase Multiple Choice Responding to Vocabulary and Reduce Disapprovals |
Area: EDC; Domain: Service Delivery |
YASMIN J. HELOU-CARE (Columbia University Teachers College), R. Douglas Greer (Columbia University Teachers College and Graduate School) |
Abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of peer tutoring on vocabulary acquisition. This study also measured the effects of peer tutoring on disapprovals of tutors toward respective tutees. The tutees were two 10-year old male students who did not meet criterion for weekly vocabulary quizzes. The tutors were two 10-year old male students who met criterion on weekly quizzes and had frequent disapprovals toward each respective tutee. The dependent variable was the tutees’ number of correct responses to multiple choice vocabulary questions on a weekly quiz following tutoring sessions. The second dependent variable was the number of vocal disapprovals emitted by the tutor toward the tutee. The results showed that there was a significant increase in vocabulary acquisition for each tutee, and vocal disapprovals from each tutor decreased significantly during intervention phases. |
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127. Effects of Jigsaw: A Behavioral Approach to a Cooperative Learning Strategy |
Area: EDC; Domain: Applied Research |
TIM M. BARRETT (The Ohio State University) |
Abstract: The historical significance of “Jigsaw” as a cooperative learning (CL) strategy was a response to race riots at the time of Brown v. Board of Education. Elliot Aronson and colleagues created Jigsaw for social outcomes, with data represented mostly through survey research. Jigsaw may be an effective CL strategy for academic performance, though empirical data are lacking. Recently, Jigsaw was implemented from a behavioral perspective and adapted for the physical education environment. In particular, dependent variables operationally defined and which focused on student performance were of interest. Specifically, an A-B-A-B withdrawal design was used to assess a Jigsaw CL package intervention with sixth-grade students across 18 physical education lessons. The data indicate there was a functional relationship between Jigsaw and the percent correct of trials. The participants (N=4) average percent correct during the first A condition was 55% (45-73%). Following implementation of Jigsaw, average percent correct was 90% (70-100%). Returning to baseline the percentage correct dropped to 54.6%. In the second “B” condition the average percent correct was 95%. Moreover, functional relationships were demonstrated across all skill levels, ranging from low to high skilled. In fact, the low-skilled students performed as well as their high-skilled peers during the Jigsaw condition. |
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128. A Cost Benefit Analysis: Traditional Assessment versus Curriculum-Based Evaluation |
Area: EDC; Domain: Applied Research |
SONIA M. LEWIS (Lewis Learning Center) |
Abstract: Revolutionary changes are occurring in the field of school psychology. With the reauthorization of IDEA, the school psychologist’s role is shifting from special education gatekeeper to problem-solver and interventionist. New responsibilities come with these innovative roles and combined with the national shortage of school psychologists and budget cuts, the school psychologist’s time is more precious than ever. Therefore, school psychologists should use time-efficient, functional assessments to make research-based instructional recommendations. Traditionally, school psychologists have used standardized tests to determine special education eligibility and to make broad academic recommendations. These assessments can take from 1-3 hours to administer and inherently cannot be linked to specific interventions. Despite these limitations, these tests have been the status quo and many school psychologists, administrators, and teachers are reluctant to use alternative assessments. This poster will examine the use of traditional versus curriculum-based evaluation measures at a private education clinic. A comparison will be made between the amount of time spent utilizing the two types of assessments to the number of research-based interventions each assessment yields. The hypothesis is that not only a greater number of, but also more specific recommendations can be made by using quick, curriculum-based measures rather than traditional standardized tests. |
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129. Kellar Instructional Handheld data (KIHd) System |
Area: EDC; Domain: Service Delivery |
HEIDI J GRAFF (George Mason University), Anna S. Evmenova (George Mason University), Brianna N. Stegall (George Mason University) |
Abstract: This session will demonstrate the Kellar Instructional Handheld data (KIHd) System, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) based teacher data collection system, using Microsoft Access. The system enables wireless online discrete trial data collection by teachers, parents and aides and can collect frequency, duration, accuracy and fluency data and graph session results in real time. The KIHd System addresses accountability and documentation of individual student progress by providing a technologically advanced way of collecting and instantly displaying discrete trial data upon which to base instructional decisions. Armed with instant performance data, teachers will be immediately be able to make instructional data decisions child by child based on his or her previous performance. Additionally, data will be available for IEP decisions related to domains, skill areas, skill objectives, personnel, and time. Finally, local education agencies will be able to analyze data across interventions, using random assignment and statistical measures to show efficacy of interventions. The session will 1) briefly discuss the need for the KIHd System, 2) demonstrate the working beta version of the KIHd System, 3) discuss the past, present, and future research with this system, 4) and allow for audience participation with the device. |
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130. Empirically Validating Frequency Aims for Children with Autism |
Area: EDC; Domain: Applied Research |
SARA J. PAHL (Fabrizio/Moors Consulting), Michael Fabrizio (Fabrizio/Moors Consulting), Alison L. Moors (Fabrizio/Moors Consulting) |
Abstract: When building skills in learners with autism and related disabilities, certain outcomes are critical if the skills are to be useful to the learner. Those outcomes include skill retention, endurance, stability, and application. Given their importance, these outcomes can and should be measured before teaching ends. The application of measurement procedures from Precision Teaching allows clinicians to predict those outcomes by measuring learners’ performance rates and comparing them to frequency aims suggested within the extant literature. The current paper will document ongoing efforts to validate, through empirical testing, frequency aims used as performance benchmarks for children with autism. Data on the performance of more than 45 children and 400 individual student Standard Celeration Charts will be presented showing the frequency ranges of performance for each skill that predicted skill retention, endurance, stability, and application. |
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131. Differentially Improving Best Performance Through Goal Setting |
Area: EDC; Domain: Applied Research |
SHANE D. ISLEY (University of North Texas), Jesus Rosales-ruiz (University of North Texas), Michael Fabrizio (Fabrizio/Moors Consulting) |
Abstract: In the field of precision teaching, clinicians have shown that skills are attained at various celerations with practice, feedback, and reinforcement. An important variable that is suspected to be associated with celeration is goal setting. Low goals will likely produce low celeration and higher goals higher celeration. The purpose of the present research was to study the effects of goal setting on the celeration of performance. College students were asked to solve subtraction and division math problems using a number keypad on a computer. During baseline the students were told to do their best in terms of accuracy and speed. Following each timing, the students were shown the speed and accuracy of performance. At the end of the timings, the students received payment, five dollars, which was delivered independently from their performance. Once their best performance was stable for subtraction and division, performance goals were manipulated based on specific values of celeration, while feedback, reinforcement contingencies, and numbers of practices were held constant. In one task, daily goals were assigned according to a X2 celeration per week and in the other task daily goals were assigned according to a X1.25 celeration. Results are in progress. |
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#339 International Poster Session - TPC |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
12:00 PM–1:30 PM |
Grand Hall |
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132. Increasing Self-control in Pathological or Problem Gamblers Using a Matching to Sample Procedure |
Area: TPC; Domain: Applied Research |
BETHANY A. HOLTON (Southern Illinois University), Mark R. Dixon (Southern Illinois University) |
Abstract: The purpose of this study is to examine if a matching to sample procedure can increase self-control in gamblers. First, the potential participants will be asked to complete the South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS). This will determine if the participants are possible problem or pathological gamblers. Second, the selected participants will complete a delayed discounting procedure programmed in visual basic.net. The “Now” button will be yellow and the “Later” button will be orange. These colors will be used in the matching to sample procedure. The purpose of the different colors is to alter the participant's indifference points obtained in the delay discounting procedure. Thus the color will be involved in deriving relationships instead of deriving a relationship using the written words “Now” and “Later.” After the participants finish the delay discounting procedure twice, the participants will be asked to complete the matching to sample procedure programmed in visual basic.net. Arbitrary stimuli will be used for the “A” class. The B1 stimulus will be a yellow color square (NOW), B2 will be an orange square (LATER) and B3 will be a neutral stimulus, such as, a pink square. The C1 stimulus will be the written word “LOSER,” the C2 stimulus will be the written word “WINNER,” and the C3 stimulus will be the written word “CAR.” During this phase of the experiment, A stimuli will be trained to B and C stimuli, and derive a relationship between the B and C stimuli. Following the matching to sample procedure, the participants will complete the delay discounting procedure again. The experimenter will measure the indifference points again and compare them to the original delay discounting. |
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133. Publication Patterns of Women in Behavioral Psychology |
Area: TPC; Domain: Theory |
LINDSAY ANN MARIE WOODS FROHLICH (University of Manitoba), Stephen W. Holborn (University of Manitoba, Department of Psychology) |
Abstract: In the ever growing field of psychology, women are quickly becoming the majority of students in university programs around the world. Because women tend to work in applied fields, as practitioners rather than as researchers, a concern is that they will publish less than men would, with a resulting decline in the knowledge base of psychology. Research studies suggest that women are outnumbering men in psychology programs at universities in North America. However research has shown that they are not increasing their relative proportion of authorships, especially of first authorships, at a rate comparable to their increase in, and graduation from, psychological programs. My research examined changes over time of female versus male publications in two behavior analytic journals (experimental and applied) and examined comparison data from two developmental control journals. Gender differences in higher positions in publishing (such as editors, associate editors, and members of editorial boards for the selected journals) were also examined. My research provided more extensive data than previous studies, included the use of more accurate measures of identifying authors’ names, and examined relative rates of rejection in the journals to determine if women’s submissions are being rejected more often than men’s. Results and discussion will be presented. |
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134. Applications of the Computational Model of the Selection by Consequences |
Area: TPC; Domain: Theory |
SAULE KULUBEKOVA (Emory University), Jack J. McDowell (Emory University) |
Abstract: The poster will discuss an ongoing project investigating the behavior of a digital organism on RR (random ratio) schedules of reinforcement. The digital organism is a software application conceived and developed by Dr. J. J McDowell, Emory University. The digital organism is a virtual representation of a computational model of selection by consequences. The organism possesses a repertoire of behaviors undergoing selection, reproduction, and mutation over many generations. The behavior of the digital organism on RI (random interval) schedules of reinforcement has been found to be consistent with the behavior of biological organisms on these schedules (McDowell, JEAB, 81, 297-317). The purpose of the current project is to explore the behavior of the digital organism on RR schedules, including phenomena such as higher response rates than on RI schedules, ratio strain, and the failure of responding at high ratio values. The goal is to confirm that the computational model applies to behavior on RR schedules, which would further support the applicability of selection by consequences as a promising dynamic account of behavior. |
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135. Behavioral History: Terms Associated with the Word “History” in Publications of JEAB and JABA |
Area: TPC; Domain: Theory |
CARLOS CANCADO (Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais), Paulo Guerra Soares (Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais), Sergio Dias Cirino (Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais), André Luiz Dias Freitas (Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais) |
Abstract: The Experimental Analysis of Behavior has produced consistent empirical evidence about the determination of behavior by present as well as by past contingencies of reinforcement. However, an analysis of behavior-analytic literature shows no agreement in conceptually describing the effects of exposure to a prior set of contingencies. An example is the high number of terms associated with the word “history” in a large number of studies, not necessarily concerned with “behavioral history effects”. This paper presents an analysis of terms associated with the word “history” found in title, abstract and key- words of articles published in The Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior (JEAB) and in The Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis (JABA), considering the period of 1958 to 2004. The selection of articles was conducted through the JEAB website database. Results demonstrate a high number of terms used to describe effects of prior exposure to contingencies of reinforcement. Key words: behavioral history, history of reinforcement, past contingencies |
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136. Behavioral History: Some Definitions in Behavior-analytic Literature |
Area: TPC; Domain: Theory |
PAULO GUERRA SOARES (Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais), Carlos Cancado (Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais), Sergio Dias Cirino (Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais), André Luiz Dias Freitas (Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais) |
Abstract: The notion that behavior is determined by exposure to past contingencies of reinforcement as well as by current ones is considered a consensus among behavior analysts. It is not clear, however, what is meant when the term “behavioral history” is used. Notions and definitions of this phenomenon have been proposed since the early times of Behavior Analysis as a scientific discipline (Ferster & Skinner, 1957; Sidman, 1960; Weiner, 1969; Branch, 1987; Wanchisen, 1990; Freeman & Lattal, 1992; Metzger, 1992). Although some of these proposals occurred in a context in witch the study of “behavioral history” was not the main concern, they have indeed contributed to latter trials of definition of the term. The purpose of this paper is to review some behavioral history notions and definitions in general behavior analytic literature and to analyze the evolution of this concept as well as the implications for the constitution of a research area. Key-words: behavioral history, history of reinforcement, past contingencies |
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137. Views on the Efficacy and Ethics of Punishment: Results from a National Survey of ABA Members |
Area: TPC; Domain: Applied Research |
FLORENCE D. DIGENNARO REED (Syracuse University), Benjamin J. Lovett (Syracuse University) |
Abstract: Punishment-based interventions are among the most controversial treatments for behavior disorders in the applied behavior analysis literature. The controversy concerns both the efficacy and the ethics of punishment. Five hundred randomly selected ABA members were sent a one-page survey concerning their views on the efficacy and ethics of punishment. Respondents were asked to rate 11 statements on a six point Likert scale and answer several open-ended questions. One hundred seventy six surveys were completed, returned and analyzed. Respondents exhibited marked variability in their attitudes toward punishment as well as their experience with punishment procedures in their clinical work. In general, female respondents had a slightly less positive view of punishment compared to their male counterparts. Attitudes toward punishment were also related to other demographic variables including years of professional experience and employment setting. Implications for professional practice and future research will be discussed. |
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138. Calculating Reliability vs. Agreement of Real-Time Event Coding |
Area: TPC; Domain: Theory |
ELLIE C. HARTMAN (University of Minnesota), Erin M. Holton (University of Minnesota), Chin-Chih Chen (University of Minnesota), Hijung Chung (University of Minnesota) |
Abstract: To help ensure the consistency and objectivity of experimental variables, observer agreement and/or reliability is calculated. Different types of agreement and reliability measures include intra-, inter-observer agreement, kappa, internal consistency, stability, equivalence, and generalizability coefficient. Selecting among these measures for real time event data recording depends on the unit of analyses that is the focus of a specific research question. This point is illustrated via specific guidelines for selecting the appropriate agreement and/or reliability measures for a longitudinal direct observation study on preschool aggression. |
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140. Notation in Behavior Analysis: Some Tentative Proposals |
Area: TPC; Domain: Theory |
JON A. LOKKE (Østfold University College, Norway), Erik Arntzen (Akershus University College , Norway), Gunn Lokke (Østfold University College, Norway) |
Abstract: One of the major objectives in natural science is to describe aspects of nature quantitatively, and deciding how to describe nature. Furthermore, means of communicating and educating significant patterns of the natural world is necessary. This includes syntax for describing variables, operations, processes, causal relations, and functions. Syntax is central for precision, and theories involving mathematical equations, or logical notation, are generally more precise and exhausting than verbal statements. In behavior analysis there is an inconsistent notation of central terms in textbooks, and a lack of notation for various terms: negative punishment, negative reinforcement, and motivational operations. Inconsistency, and partial lack of notation result in problems communicating to a broader audience – especially teaching behavior analysis in colleges. Furthermore, a more sophisticated notation system is a sign of a well-developed natural science. We have reviewed major textbooks, and document inconsistent notation and lack of notation for central terms. |
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141. Implications of the Biological Rhythms on Animal Time Behavior: A Conceptual and Empirical Review |
Area: TPC; Domain: Theory |
DAVID LUNA (University of Guadalajara, CEIC), Oscar Garcia Leal (University of Guadalajara, CEIC) |
Abstract: This poster discusses the relationship between temporal learning on animals and biological rhythms. On the study of temporal learning on animals specific theoretical models (e.g. scalar timing theory, behavioral theory of timing) have been developed about behavioral fits to temporal intervals, within a range that include milliseconds, seconds or even minutes, having the scalar property like hallmark. Some recent papers report data in opposite to the scalar property, employing duration ranges longer than traditional. In this sense, biological rhythms could be one relevant variable in the way to obtain a behavioral explanation about the aforementioned evidence. In this poster, we analyze possible implications of biological rhythms about current timing theories. Specifically, we focus the followings: 1) necessary modifications of scalar timing theories and 2) contributions to find out some elements of the biological clock (i.e. the system to exert which rhythms) nowadays unknown. |
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International Paper Session - Interpreting "Cognitive Processes" Behaviorally |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
1:30 PM–2:20 PM |
Roswell |
Area: TPC |
Chair: Francois Tonneau (Universidad de Guadalajara) |
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Ideomotor Theory for Behaviorists |
Domain: Theory |
FRANCOIS TONNEAU (Universidad de Guadalajara) |
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Abstract: The ideomotor theory of action control, formulated by Lotze and made popular by James, assumes that goal-directed behavior is initiated by activating a mental image of the goal. In modern cognitive terms, the theory assumes backward associations from the results of an action to a representation of this action, so that activation can spread from the former to the latter. In this talk, I review some of the recent evidence of favor of the ideomotor theory, explain why the theory is relevant to the explanation of operant behavior, and show how the ideomotor representations can be replaced by molar properties of the environment. |
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New Behavioral Definitions of “Memory” and “Thinking” |
Domain: Theory |
MASAYA SATO (Teikyo University, Japan) |
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Abstract: The present author defined “memory” as a behavioral process that makes past behavioral events a part of controlling variables of present behavior, and “thinking” as a behavioral process that evokes an operant behavior bringing reinforcement without operant conditioning in an inexperienced situation. These new behavioral definitions might clarify many behavioral events concerning “memory” and “thinking”. |
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The Problems of Uncertainty, Structuralism, and Parsimony in Cognitive Neuroscience: The Need for a New Behavioral Neuroscience |
Domain: Theory |
STEVEN F. FAUX (Drake University), Harold L. Miller Jr. (Brigham Young University) |
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Abstract: A new version of cognitive science recently has developed known as cognitive neuroscience. Its growing popularity is due, in part, to its use of sophisticated brain-imaging technology, involving positron emissions, magnetic resonance, and brain-electric fields. However, cognitive neuroscience has not solved three central problems: uncertainty, structuralism, and lack of parsimony. The new imaging methods are unable to simultaneously resolve time and location. Scientists from this field still assume that reasonable inferences about unobserved neural mechanisms can be made from overt behavior. Further, cognitive neuroscience attempts to give a brain location to those unobserved processes. These new developments are still subject to criticisms originally made by B. F. Skinner that superimposing unobserved mechanisms upon the brain results in little more than a "conceptual nervous system," with a great potential to misguide. We identify the need for a new behavioral neuroscience that avoids these problems or at least recasts them to be workable. |
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Acquisition of New Capabilities from Contextual and Indirect Contact with Contingencies |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
1:30 PM–2:50 PM |
Auburn |
Area: EDC; Domain: Applied Research |
Chair: Jessica Singer-Dudek (St. John's University & CABAS) |
Abstract: This symposium is devoted to new research regarding the induction of new capabilities in preschool, Kindergarten, and first grade children through direct and indirect contact with environmental contingencies. The first paper will summarize research from several experiments investigating the acquisition of conditioned reinforcement as a function of observation by students with and without observational learning capabilities at the outset of the study. The second paper will present research on a procedure for conditioning adult voices as reinforcers for students without listener capabilities. The third paper will present research on the effectiveness of a yoked peer contingency game to induce observational learning in two pairs of first grade students. The fourth paper investigated the effect of a multiple exemplar history on the induction of regular past tense usage and its relation to the use of irregular verbs. These four papers examine the acquisition of new capabilities resulting from either contextual contingencies or indirect environmental contingencies. |
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Observational Learning of Conditioned Reinforcement. |
JESSICA SINGER-DUDEK (St. John's University & CABAS), R. Douglas Greer (Columbia University Teachers College and Graduate School), Lynn Yuan (Fred S. Keller School) |
Abstract: We report experiments in which observations of peers under specific conditions functioned to convert neutral stimuli (plastic discs or small pieces of string) from non-reinforcers to reinforcers for responding and learning by preschool and Kindergarten children. Pre and post observational intervention tests compared each child’s responding on: (a) performance tasks in which the child received either a preferred item or the neutral stimulus for accurate performance and (b) new instructional goals using the neutral stimuli only as consequences for correct responses. These pre-intervention experimental tests showed that neutral stimuli did not reinforce learning or performance while the preferred items did. During the peer observational intervention each observing student and a peer simultaneously engaged in another performance task for repeated sessions. A partition blocked the observing students from seeing the accuracy of their peers’ performance; they did, however, observe their peers receiving discs or string, while they did not receive discs or string, regardless of the accuracy of their performance. These sessions continued until the target children requested the stimuli repeatedly or attempted to take their peers’ discs or string. The post observational tests showed that the discs and string had acquired reinforcement functions for accurate responding on both performance tasks and the learning of instructional objectives. |
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Effects of the Observational System of Instruction on the Acquisition of Observational Learning and the Naming Repertoire. |
ELISABETH L. KRACHER (Columbia University Teachers College), R. Douglas Greer (Columbia University Teachers College and Graduate School), Karla Weigand (Columbia University Teachers College), Tracy Reilly-Lawson (Columbia University Teachers College), Darcy Walsh (Columbia University Teachers College) |
Abstract: These studies tested the effects of the Observational System of Instruction on the acquisition of observational learning and the naming repertoire. The first experiment tested the effects of a yoked peer contingency game on the acquisition of observational learning repertoires in two pairs of students. Three, typically developing first graders and one first grader diagnosed with autism participated in this study with a delayed multiple baseline across participants design. Initial results show that the yoked peer contingency effectively increased students’ correct responses to observed learn units in a post-probe condition. The second experiment tested the effects of the observational learning repertoire on the acquisition of observational learning and the naming repertoire. Two students lacking observational learning and two students lacking both observational learning and the naming repertoire participated in the study. A delayed multiple baseline across subjects was used. Results showed that observational learning was acquired through the observational system of instruction, and that the naming repertoire developed as a result of the acquisition of observational learning. |
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Conditioning Adult Voices to Induce Listener Capabilities. |
JOANN PEREIRA DELGADO (Fred S. Keller School), R. Douglas Greer (Columbia University Teachers College and Graduate School), Dolleen-Day Keohane (Columbia University Teachers College & CABAS), Jessica Singer-Dudek (St. John's University & CABAS) |
Abstract: This study investigated the effects of a “conditioning voices” procedure on pre and post daily learn units (instructional trials) required to meet objectives across curricula programs for 3-4 year old students diagnosed with developmental delays. The students in this study had pre-listener and pre-speaker or emergent speaker levels of verbal behavior and had difficulty achieving instructional objectives. Additionally, the students did not have a naming repertoire. That is, they could not identify pictures by pointing (listener) or tacting (speaker) after they were taught to match sets of pictures (i.e. match “ball”). The dependent measures in this study were the students’ learn units to criterion and the acquisition of the listener/speaker component of naming. That is, following the conditioning voices procedure, could the student identify pictures by pointing and/or tacting post conditioning voices. During the conditioning procedure, a pair and test trail was used to condition adult voices via an audio tape. Following the completion of the conditioning procedure, probes were conducted on the dependent measures. The results are discussed in terms of the importance of developing a listener repertoire and acquisition of a naming repertoire. |
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Kids Say the Darnedest Things. |
LYNN YUAN (Fred S. Keller School), R. Douglas Greer (Columbia University Teachers College and Graduate School), JoAnn Pereira Delgado (Fred S. Keller School) |
Abstract: The purpose of this research was to examine the effects of multiple exemplar instruction on the production of regular past tense usage and its relation to the use of irregular verbs for typically developing children and children with developmental delays. Preschool children and first grade students participated in this study. In the pre-experimental phase, probe sessions on three sets of regular verbs and two sets of irregular verbs across participants were conducted. The baseline condition was introduced by teaching the present and past tense in one set of regular verb separately to criterion. As the participants met criterion for both tenses, probe trial sessions on irregular verbs were conducted to test for the occurrences of untaught responses. Data showed that participants emitted low numbers or no correct responses. Following the probe trial sessions, multiple exemplar instruction was presented and the participants were taught regular verb forms through the multiple exemplar instruction across present and past with contextual pictures. Results showed an emergence of derived regular verb forms and the irregular verb usage across all participants. |
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An Evaluation of Clinical Procedures in Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention Programs for Children with Autism |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
1:30 PM–2:50 PM |
Regency VII |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
Chair: Janice K. Doney (University of Nevada, Reno) |
Discussant: JiYeon H. Yoo (Center for Autism and Related Disorders) |
CE Instructor: Janice K. Doney, M.A. |
Abstract: This symposium addresses effects of clinical procedures that may be encountered in an early intensive behavioral intervention program for children with autism. The first paper is a discussion of an analysis on the effects of decreases in number of treatment hours per week on accuracy of performance on previously mastered tasks and problem behavior. The second paper is a discussion of an examination of whether vocal or non-vocal feedback following an incorrect response is more effective in teaching a child with autism a new skill. The third paper is a discussion of the comparison of retention of academic skills following fluency-based versus discrete trial instruction with children with autism. |
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Analysis of the Effects of Decreases in Treatment Hours during Early Intervention for Children with Autism. |
SIENNA GREENER-WOOTEN (Center for Autism and Related Disorders), Rachel S. F. Tarbox (Center for Autism and Related Disorders), Jonathan J. Tarbox (Center for Autism and Related Disorders), JiYeon H. Yoo (Center for Autism and Related Disorders), Doreen Granpeesheh (Center for Autism and Related Disorders) |
Abstract: There is no consensus regarding the optimum number of hours per week of ABA based intervention for children diagnosed with autism. Previous authors have suggested that more than ten hours per week of ABA treatment is necessary to affect significant change (e.g. Lovaas, O.I., 1987; Smith et al, 1997), however, one study found no correlation between change in IQ scores and number of intervention hours per week (Sheinkopf & Siegel, 1998). There are a number of ways to interpret this finding (e.g. perhaps more impaired children received more intensive therapy), but no one has empirically evaluated this as of yet. Moreover, other previous investigators have suggested that 30 to 40 hours per week of therapy results in the greatest treatment gains (for a review see Smith 1999), however often times this recommended level of intervention is not met. Decrements in treatment hours resulting from circumstances such as decreases in funding for services or frequent or prolonged absences from treatment (i.e., for vacation or due to illness) often occur. However, the effects of such circumstances on treatment efficacy have yet to be evaluated. An analysis on the effects of decreases in number of treatment hours per week on accuracy of performance on previously mastered tasks and problem behavior will be presented. |
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Effects of Vocal and Non-Vocal Feedback on Discrete Trial Instruction with Young Children with Autism. |
AMY KENZER (University of Nevada, Reno), Ginger R. Wilson (University of Nevada, Reno), Patrick M. Ghezzi (University of Nevada, Reno) |
Abstract: Discrete trial instruction has been demonstrated to be very effective in the education of children with autism. However, it is unknown whether vocal or non-vocal feedback following an incorrect response is more effective in teaching a child a new skill. Due to deficits in language development, vocal feedback following an incorrect response (i.e., “No” or “Try again”) may be confused with vocal feedback following a correct response (i.e., “Yes” or “That’s right”). Thus, vocal feedback in general may be reinforcing and lead to continued incorrect responding. Non-vocal feedback following an incorrect response may be less likely confused with the consequence for a correct response. Unfortunately, very little documentation is available to demonstrate that either type of feedback following incorrect responses leads to faster acquisition of a new skill. This study compared vocal and non-vocal feedback on the rate of acquisition of a novel task using discrete trial instruction. |
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A Comparison of Discrete Trial Instruction and Fluency Instruction on Retention of Academic Tasks with Young Children with Autism. |
AMY KENZER (University of Nevada, Reno), Patrick M. Ghezzi (University of Nevada, Reno) |
Abstract: The use of discrete trials procedures is currently viewed as the method of choice for educating individuals with disabilities. Fluency instruction, in contrast, is rarely implemented with children with autism. Further, investigations concerning potential beneficial outcomes of fluent performance have primarily included undergraduate students. Thus, the extent to which benefits of fluency instruction extends to individuals with developmental disabilities is not known. The retention of academic skills was assessed up to 21 weeks following fluency and discrete trial instruction with children with autism. |
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International Symposium - Behavior Analysis and Biomedical Science |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
1:30 PM–2:50 PM |
Montreal |
Area: EAB; Domain: Basic Research |
Chair: M. Christopher Newland (Auburn University) |
Abstract: Behavioral methods and measures are making inroads into biomedical science and are providing theory-based assessments of behaviour that are useful in the assessment of many biomedical questions – and in enhancing the appreciation of behaviour as essential to understanding the dynamics between insult or injury and outcome. Equally, biomedical research is beginning to help us redefine our understanding of learning and behavior. We present two empirical papers that relate prenatal undernutrition to adult behavior, one focused on changes in reinforcer effectiveness, and the other on learning difficulties and preference for exercise. We also present recent results concerning mercury, dopamine receptors and schedule performance, and we consider the implications for learning of the activation of glutamate NMDA and dopamine D1 receptors. From a more general viewpoint, we will also discuss the question of reductionism and behaviour analysis. |
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Effects of Prenatal Food Restriction on Reinforcer Efficacy and the Cannabinoid System. |
ERIN B. RASMUSSEN (Idaho State University), Daniel Selvage (Idaho State University), Alexa A. Wakley (Idaho State University), Shilo L. Smith Ruiz (Idaho State University) |
Abstract: Prenatal food restriction is linked to low birth weight and length, and later to increased risk of obesity and obesity-related illnesses, including cardiovascular disease and type-II diabetes. A wealth of experimental and epidemiological data has been garnered on the neuroendocrinology of prenatal food restriction’s effects, and the long-term physiological changes in the organism which are primarily related to alterations in biochemical sensitivity to hunger and satiety signals. However, few behavioral data exist on how these changes manifest as everyday operant behavior. One possible behavioral mechanism for overeating may be that the reinforcing properties of food are stronger in prenatally food restricted rats than in controls. The data presented here demonstrate that prenatal food restriction leads to lasting biochemical changes (e.g., changes in leptin, a satiety hormone, as well as the cannabinoid system, which is linked to feeding) that manifest as persistent changes in the reinforcing efficacy of food. |
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Early-life Nutrition and Behavior. |
CHRISTIAN ULRICH KRAGELOH (University of Auckland, New Zealand), Michael C. Davison (University of Auckland, New Zealand), Jason Landon (University of Auckland, New Zealand), Nichola Thompson (The Liggins Institute), Bernhard Breier (The Liggins Institute) |
Abstract: Our research group investigates the effects of pre- and postnatal nutrition on learning and behavior in adulthood. Offspring of undernourished mothers are significantly smaller at birth and are more likely to develop obesity after puberty. In several independent studies, we investigated the long-term effects of fetal undernutrition in the rat, as well as the effects of a postnatal high-fat diet, on learning in a frequently changing environment, preference for food versus exercise, and self control and preference reversal. |
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Clocks and Dopamine: Drug Effects on Behavior under Clocked and Unclocked FI Schedules. |
MIRANDA REED (Auburn University), M. Christopher Newland (Auburn University) |
Abstract: Behavior under strong stimulus control is sometimes resistant to drug challenges and dopamine pathways may be involved with this resistance. We examined the effects of gestational MeHg, which influences catecholamines, on behavior under FI schedules and the acute effects of drugs that affect catecholamine neurotransmitter systems. Female rats exposed gestationally to MeHg lever-pressed under a MULT FI 120" (Clock) FI 120" (NoClock) schedule of sucrose reinforcement. The "Clock" component contained 5, 24" bins, each associated with a different auditory stimulus. During baseline, the Clock component maintained lower rates relative to the NoClock in the early portion of the interval. The clock protected against response rate increases early in the FI produced by desipramine and a D1 agonist. The clock conferred no protection against rate increases produced by cocaine or a D2 agonist or against rate decreases by any drug at the end of the FI. MeHg exposure altered sensitivity to some drugs in both the clock and no-clock components. Noradrenergic or D1 agonists increased low response rates and exteroceptive stimuli protected against these rate-increasing effects. The clock exerted no protection against D2 agonists. Antagonists only decreased response rates under all conditions. Research supported by NIEHS 10865. |
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Neuroscience meets Sniffy: Lever-Press Shaping Requires D1 and NMDA Receptor Activation in a Distributed Corticostriatal Network. |
MATTHEW E. ANDRZEJEWSKI (University of Wisconsin, Madison) |
Abstract: From a behavioral neuroscience perspective, learning is generally thought of in terms of the long-term neural changes that result from experience, rather than the long-term changes in behavior, which may be said to be the focus of behavior analysis. However, these two positions are not mutually exclusive; they focus on two different aspects of the same phenomena. An emerging model of those long-term physiological changes, or neural plasticity, involves activation of glutamate NMDA and dopamine D1 receptors in a widely distributed network of brain structures. The results of several experiments demonstrate that NMDA and D1 receptor activation, in a distinct neural network, is indeed required for the initial shaping of a rat's lever-press and in some cases, the maintenance of that behavior. The results of several detailed analyses of intra-session data and control experiments involving progressive ratio schedules of reinforcement help elucidate separate and distinct roles for these receptors in operant conditioning. Moreover, they suggest that behavioral neuroscience can be a fruitful ground for collaboration between behavior analysts and neuroscientists. |
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International Symposium - Behavioral Approaches to Changing Organizational Culture |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
1:30 PM–2:50 PM |
Cairo |
Area: OBM; Domain: Theory |
Chair: Scott A. Herbst (University of Nevada, Reno) |
Abstract: Organizational psychologists have recognized the importance of cultural change as an impetus for successful intervention. This symposium will present perspectives detailing how cultural change might be approached and concepts relevant to doing so from a behavioral perspective. |
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A Behavioral Approach to Value Alignment in Organizations. |
SCOTT A. HERBST (University of Nevada, Reno), Ramona Houmanfar (University of Nevada, Reno) |
Abstract: The alignment of employee and employer values has been a focus of organizational psychologists for a number of years. This paper will provide an overview of different ways in which values are conceptualized, discuss how these conceptualizations drive applications, provide a behavioral account of what it means to "value" something, and provide recommendations as to how behaviorists might approach value alignment. |
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The Impact of Pay-for-Performance on Organizational Culture: A Review of the Literature and a Proposed Theoretical Account. |
KRISTEN A. MAGLIERI (University of Nevada, Reno), Ramona Houmanfar (University of Nevada, Reno), Denis P. O'Hora (University of Ulster) |
Abstract: Traditional compensation systems pay employees for time spent on the job. Behavioral researchers have been amongst the most vocal critics of this practice and have suggested that instead, pay be provided as reinforcement for behaviors that support profit making by the organization. In fact, in recent years, the use of pay-for-performance (PFP) has grown considerably in the United States (Rynes, Gerhart, & Parks, 2005). Not all PFP systems are the same, however, and such systems have been shown to have negative effects as well as positive effects on profit making. The current paper first describes the different types of PFP systems used in organizations and reviews previous research on their effects. We then consider the impact of these forms of PFP on the verbal behaviors of employees. In particular, using the concepts provided by Zettle and Hayes (1982), we suggest that effective forms of PFP promote tracking, rule governed behavior maintained by the accuracy of rules, and reduce pliance, rule governed behavior maintained by social reinforcement of rule following per se. |
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Metacontingencies and Macrocontingencies Revisited: Theoretical Analysis. |
DIANA M. DELGADO (University of Nevada, Reno), Ramona Houmanfar (University of Nevada, Reno) |
Abstract: The use of behavioral concepts such as those of macrocontingencies and metacontingencies has been justified by the study of complex behavioral relations that involve more than one individual. In the most complex cases, where the subject of interest involves the analysis of cultural systems these concepts have been useful to describe patterns of behavioral relations between individuals, and groups of individuals. The extent to which these notions show continuity and coherence with the basic philosophical and theoretical assumptions of a science of behavior, has been a subject of discussion and merits further analysis. Recognizing that a frame of analysis different from that of the behavior of an individual organism is needed we will discuss: a) some of the concerns raised with respect to the identification of the unit of analysis and selection as the interlocking behavioral contingency, b) the definition of macrocontingencies, c) an interpretation of the functional relations that these concepts describe form a molecular operant perspective and c) some practical implications of this analysis on the design of cultural contingencies. |
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Behavioral Parent Training in Child Welfare |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
1:30 PM–2:50 PM |
Greenbriar |
Area: CBM; Domain: Applied Research |
Chair: Kristin Mayfield (University of Florida) |
Discussant: John R. Lutzker (C.D.C.) |
CE Instructor: Kristin Mayfield, Ph.D. |
Abstract: Three presentations will examine the role of behavioral parent training within the context of child welfare. The first presentation will evaluate program outcomes for the University of Florida Behavior Analysis Services Program (UF-BASP), which provides behavioral parent training to caregivers of children who have been abused and/or neglected and who are currently involved in the child welfare system in Florida. The evaluations will involve both large scale (i.e., over hundreds of caregivers) and single-subject evaluations of the effectiveness of the program at a) teaching parenting skills and b) increasing placement stability for children in foster care. The second presentation will describe a systematic replication of the UF-BASP being conducted at the University of North Texas. Descriptions of the projects progress and future plans will be provided. Our final presentation will describe a behavioral parent training program for parents at risk of committing child maltreatment. Single-subject data on improved parent and child behaviors as a function of parent training will be presented. |
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The Behavior Analysis Services Program and Caregiver Training: Evaluations of Program Effectiveness. |
CAROLE M. VAN CAMP (University of Florida), Janet L. Montgomery (University of Florida, Behavior Analysis Services Program), Han-Leong Goh (University of Florida), Timothy R. Vollmer (University of Florida) |
Abstract: One of the primary objectives of the Behavior Analysis Initiative involves improving caregiver parenting skills, with the ultimate goals to decrease placement disruptions (the movement of a foster child from one foster home to another) from the homes of trained foster parents. Over the last 4 years, hundreds of caregivers have completed a 30-hour positive parenting course, during which 9 parenting skills are taught. Parent performance on these skills is measured on the first day of class (pre-test) and on the last day of class (post-test) via role-play assessments. Hundreds of caregivers have demonstrated an increase in accurate skill use following the completion of the course. Data on caregiver performance on these A-B assessments will be presented. In addition, more controlled evaluations of caregiver performance, which include repeated measures of parent performance and multiple-baseline across skills designs will be presented for a smaller sample of caregivers. Next, data on the effectiveness of the program in increasing the length of placements for individual children will be presented. Finally, the effects of “booster” remedial training on parent performance on skills assessments will be described. |
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Reducing Child Maltreatment in Texas: The Texas Child Welfare Project. |
AARON A. JONES (BehaviorMachine.com), Richard G. Smith (University of North Texas), Kerri P. Berard (University of North Texas), Kathleen S. Laino (University of North Texas), Michelle S. Greenspan (University of North Texas), Anna Whaley Carr (University of North Texas), Roxanne L. Wolf (University of North Texas), Carla M. Smith (University of North Texas) |
Abstract: Last year, the Department of Behavior Analysis at the University of North Texas created a service-learning program to serve child victims of abuse and neglect. The Behavior Analysis Resource Center has established relationships with local and regional organizations and agencies to provide services to parents. Initiated as a systematic replication of the Florida Department of Children and Families' foster parent training program, this project soon developed its own identity as it adapted to the meet the specific needs of the Texas child welfare system. The project, though young, has already begun to produce some impressive results. This presentation offers a description of this project’s inception and growth, its progress so far, and some plans and expectations for the future. Recent accomplishments include the development of a curriculum for training professional personnel to deliver the parent training modules, establishment of a practicum experience for graduate students interested in conducting parent training and delivering related services, and delivery of a five-week sequence of classes to parents referred for intervention from Texas’ Department of Families and Protective Services. |
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Parent Training for Parents At-Risk for Child Maltreatment: Prevention through Intervention. |
JENNIFER L. CROCKETT (Kennedy Krieger Institute), Meagan Gregory (Kennedy Krieger Institute), Michael F. Cataldo (Kennedy Krieger Institute) |
Abstract: We evaluated a Behavioral Parent Training program for parents at risk of Child Maltreatment that focused on increasing parent-child interaction and increasing parents’ effective use of instructions and behavior management skills. Additional targets included increasing child compliance with parental instruction and decreasing child inappropriate behavior. Such parent and child behaviors are related to a trajectory or pathway that begins with poor parenting, Child Maltreatment, disruption of families, and eventually leads to delinquency, violence, and other negative physical and mental health outcomes. Training consisted of didactic instruction, modeling, role-playing, and feedback. Training was conducted in a multiple-baseline design across Child-Lead Play, Parent-Lead Play, and Parent-Lead Demand conditions. Following training, we evaluated the effects of providing live feedback to parents while they worked directly with their children (coaching sessions). Results indicated improvements in parent behavior across conditions following training with further improvements following coaching sessions. Similar improvements were observed with child compliance and behaviors. Parent and child gains continued across generalization and maintenance sessions. Inter-rater reliability was assessed across 49% of sessions, and ranged from 78.44 – 100 (mean 91.77). |
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Behavioral Self-Monitoring Applied to Occupational Safety and Health |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
1:30 PM–2:50 PM |
Vancouver |
Area: OBM; Domain: Applied Research |
Chair: Ryan B. Olson (Oregon Health & Science University) |
Abstract: Behavioral self-monitoring (SM) procedures are a common component of behavioral therapies, and involve having an individual observe, evaluate, and record aspects of his or her own behavior (Korotitsch & Nelson-Gray, 1999). Applications of behavioral SM in the workplace are rare but have received periodic empirical attention for over 30 years. This symposium emphasizes the application of behavioral SM procedures to improve occupational safety and health. Presentations include the most recent and comprehensive review of the relevant research literature and recent laboratory work on the effects of SM-based treatments on postural performance during simulated office work. |
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Behavioral Self-Monitoring in the Workplace: A Literature Review. |
RYAN B. OLSON (Oregon Health & Science University), Jamey Winchester (Claremont Graduate University) |
Abstract: Applications of SM in the workplace are rare but have received periodic empirical attention for over 30 years. A recent trend is to include SM as a component of occupational safety and health interventions (Hickman & Geller, 2003a; 2003b; Krause, 1997; McCann & Sulzer-Azaroff, 1996; Olson & Austin, 2001). This promising work may flounder without a critical consideration of the relevant literature. Twenty-one studies with 36 treatment conditions were reviewed and scored along dimensions relevant to research and practice. Effect sizes were calculated using raw data derived from graphs using GraphClick™ software. The majority of treatments were multi-component (n=30) and effect sizes ranged from 0.5 to 14.5 (dMw=2.6). While these effects encourage including SM in package interventions, the literature is deficient in significant areas. For example, only 5 of the 36 treatment conditions isolated SM and only one study controlled for demand characteristics. Future research should include greater control for confounding variables, broader theoretical analyses, and investigations variables that may enhance the acceptability and functionality of behavioral SM in the workplace. |
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The Effects of Self-Monitoring on Safe Postural Performance. |
NICOLE E. GRAVINA (Western Michigan University), Lori Schroedter (Western Michigan University), Shannon M. Loewy (Florida State University), John Austin (Western Michigan University) |
Abstract: The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of self-monitoring on safe positioning of individuals performing a typing task and an assembly task using a multiple baseline design across tasks and/or behaviors. The study took place in an analogue office setting and participants were seven college students who were able to touch type 25 words per min. The dependent variable was the percentage of observations scored as safe and each session was recorded via a hidden camera. During baseline, participants received information regarding safe positions and demonstrated the positions. In the self-monitoring phase, participants were asked to record whether a targeted posture was safe or at-risk. If constraints of the study permitted it, a third phase was implemented consisting of either an overt camera condition or self-monitoring multiple behaviors. Results showed moderate improvement in safe positioning over baseline for most posture targets when self-monitoring was implemented. For example, participant 4’s baseline arm position was 6% and 16% safe for the typing and assembly tasks, respectively. During self-monitoring percentage of safe observations improved to 54% for the typing task and 26% for the assembly tasks. Similar results were yielded for other participants. |
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Investigating the Effects of Real-Time Visual Feedback on Computer Workstation Posture. |
SIGURDUR OLI SIGURDSSON (Western Michigan University), John Austin (Western Michigan University) |
Abstract: This talk focuses on preliminary findings from pilot participants in a study aimed at improving posture at computer workstations. A multiple-baseline design across behaviors was used, and data were collected on the following postural behaviors: back, head/neck, arms, wrists, legs. Participants performed a transcription task during baseline. During intervention, participants also were exposed to feedback of their own posture through a web-browser window that contained a real-time feed from a digital camera. During intervention, participants also were asked to self-monitor their posture, and record their responses in a web-based self-monitoring form. Results from one pilot participant indicated that feedback and self-monitoring of all five postural behaviors simultaneously resulted in the most consistent high performance. Results for other participants were mixed and more difficult to interpret. The results are discussed in terms of using technology to enhance self-management of postures in office settings. |
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International Paper Session - Choice II |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
1:30 PM–2:50 PM |
Hong Kong |
Area: EAB |
Chair: Felipe Cabrera (University of Guadalajara) |
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Choice and the Initial Delay to Reinforcement |
Domain: Basic Research |
JAY MOORE (University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee) |
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Abstract: This talk will present data from two studies using pigeons and the concurrent chains procedure. The studies are concerned with quantitative analyses of choice as a function of the temporal parameters of reinforcement in the terminal links. In the first study, pigeons were presented with a choice between two random time (RT) schedules. The mean IRI of the schedules was equal, but one was associated with a shorter unit time interval. Once the difference between unit time intervals became sufficiently great, the pigeons preferred the alternative with the shorter unit time interval. In the second study, pigeons were presented with a choice between a terminal link that afforded a fixed duration of access to an aperiodic schedule (the duration was equal to the mean IRI of the schedule) and a terminal link with the same mean IRI that remained in effect until a reinforcer was delivered. When the terminal link schedule was VT, the pigeons preferred the fixed duration alternative, but when the schedule was RT, the pigeons were indifferent. Taken together, the data emphasize the importance of local variables in choice, such as the initial delay to reinforcement, rather than large scale variables, such as the many aggregated parameters of reinforcement common in contemporary models of choice. |
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Concurrent Choice: Two Pairs of Stay and Switch Schedules and a COD |
Domain: Basic Research |
JAMES S. MACDONALL (Fordham University) |
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Abstract: When viewing concurrent choice as consisting of two pairs of choices, at each alternative subjects choose to stay at the present alternative or switch to the other alternative, I have shown that a) behavior ratios were a joint function of the ratios of the ratios of the per-visit probabilities of reinforcement for staying and switching and the ratios of the sums of the per-visit probabilities of reinforcement for staying and switching, and b) the generalized matching law (GML) described choice only for a restricted set of schedules of reinforcement for staying and switching (MacDonall, 2005). The previous research did not use a changeover delay (COD), which changes the stay and switch contingencies, specifically, switching is only reinforced after a delay and stay responses during the delay are reinforced by the delivery of the delayed reinforcer for switching. This experiment used a multiple schedule with identical pairs of stay and switch schedules in each component and a COD in only one component to see if my prior analyses applied when using a COD. The GML poorly described (r2 < .60) the response ratio in the no COD component but did describe (r2 < .85) those in the COD component. My prior analysis described (r2 >.97) the response ratios in both the no COD and COD components. |
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Choice with Multiple Alternatives: Changes in Global Prey Density |
Domain: Basic Research |
FELIPE CABRERA (University of Guadalajara), Roberto P. Maciel (Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de), Carlos F. Aparicio (University of Guadalajara) |
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Abstract: Rats searched for food in a choice situation that varied the prey density in four patches that simulated a radial maze. At the end of each arm (the patch) pressing a lever produced food prey according to a variable interval schedule of reinforcement. To travel among patches, rats were obligated to climb over barriers of 750 and 1100 mm height. The prey’s probability was held constant in all patches, but its global density varied in different conditions. The visit sequences and responses allocation were analyzed within each patch revealing systematic patterns of foraging in the patches. There were small differences in response allocation, but giving-up times and residence times varied with changes in global prey density. The implications of these results for optimal models of foraging will be discussed. |
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Contingency Management for the Treatment of Substance Use Disorders: Contemporary Issues |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
1:30 PM–2:50 PM |
Centennial Ballroom II |
Area: BPH; Domain: Basic Research |
Chair: John M. Roll (Washington State University, Friends Research Institute) |
Discussant: Charles R. Schuster (Wayne State University) |
CE Instructor: John M. Roll, Ed.D. |
Abstract: Contingency management (CM) refers to the systematic application of basic principles delineated by workers in the field of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior to assist individuals in changing their behavior. Primary emphasis is placed on the use of reinforcement and punishment to alter an individuals day-to-day behavior. CM has proven remarkably effective at facilitating both the adoption of new behaviors (e.g., exercise) and the termination of old behaviors (e.g., drug use). A number of CM procedures have been refined for the treatment of a variety of substance use disorders and related problems. These procedures have generally been successful in reducing drug use. This symposium will present data from three of the leaders in this field and include a discussion by a pioneer of the field. |
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Using Voucher-Based Contingency Management in Outpatient Treatment of Substance Use Disorders. |
STEPHEN T. HIGGINS (University of Vermont) |
Abstract: Substance abuse is a problem that confronts society at many levels. Providing effective treatments that assist afflicted individuals in terminating their drug using behavior has been a goal of our group. We have developed and refined contingency management interventions in which participants earn vouchers with a monetary value for providing biological evidence of abstinence. These procedures have been generally successful and have been applied to the treatment of many different types of substance use disorders. This presentation will review our work on this topic to date. |
Dr. Stephen T. Higgins is a Professor of Psychiatry and Psychology, Vice Chair for Research and Director of Substance Abuse Research and Treatment Services in the Department of Psychiatry, at the University of Vermont. Dr. Higgins earned his Ph.D. from the University of Kansas in 1983, and thereafter completed a post-doctoral fellowship in clinical pharmacology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and a staff fellowship at the Addiction Research Center of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) before joining the faculty of the University of Vermont in 1986. Dr. Higgins is a prior member of the Board of Directors of the College on Problems on Drug Dependence, Past-President of the Division of Psychopharmacology and Substance Abuse (Division 28) and a Fellow in four Divisions of the American Psychological Association. His research is a blend of clinical laboratory and treatment-outcome research directed towards furthering scientific understanding of the behavioral and pharmacological processes involved in substance use disorders. Dr. Higgins currently is Principal Investigator on three NIH/NIDA research grants on various aspects of drug abuse and an institutional training grant for pre- and post-doctoral training in drug abuse research. He has more than 200 publications to his credit and has received several awards for research excellence, including the College on Problems of Drug Dependence's Joseph Cochin Early Career Investigator Award, the Hazelden Foundation's Dan Anderson Research Award, the American Psychological Association’s, Division 25, Don Hake Basic/Applied Research Award, an NIH MERIT Award, and the University of Vermont's University Scholar Award. He is an active teacher and mentor in substance abuse research and is an editorial consultant to a number of scientific journals in the areas of substance abuse, psychopharmacology, and behavior analysis. |
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Employment-Based Abstinence Reinforcement in the Treatment of Cocaine Addiction. |
KENNETH SILVERMAN (Johns Hopkins University) |
Abstract: Cocaine addiction is often difficult to treat. Those treatments that do have efficacy can be difficult to sustain in community-based treatment centers. Our group has been working to develop an employment-based procedure for treating cocaine addiction. In this procedure individuals gain access to a workplace based on drug abstinence. We administer the work place and provide vocational training. To date, results have been generally successful. |
Dr. Kenneth Silverman is Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences in the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. His research focuses on developing operant treatments to address the interrelated problems of poverty and drug addiction. His research has focused primarily on the development and evaluation of abstinence reinforcement interventions for heroin and cocaine addiction in treatment-resistant, chronically unemployed adults, and the integration of those abstinence reinforcement contingencies into employment settings. Over the past several years, he has been developing an employment-based treatment called the therapeutic workplace that uses salary for work to reinforce drug abstinence. |
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Prize-Based Contingency Management: A Lower Cost CM Intervention. |
NANCY PETRY (University of Connecticut) |
Abstract: Contingency management interventions have been successful in initiating abstinence from a variety of drugs of abuse. Some have suggested; however, that these procedures have not been widely adopted by community treatment providers because they are potentially expensive. In response to this we have developed a procedure that programs lower-rates of overall reinforcement by allowing participants to draw slips of paper form a receptacle, each of which can be exchanged for a prize. The magnitude of the prizes varies from very low to high and the probability of winning decreases as the magnitude of the prize increases. Results to date have been generally positive. |
Dr. Nancy Petry earned a Ph.D. in psychology from Harvard University in 1994. In 1996, she joined the faculty of the University of Connecticut Health Center, where she is Professor of Psychiatry. She conducts research on the treatment of addictive disorders, ranging from substance use disorders to pathological gambling, and has published over 100 peer-reviewed articles. Her work is funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the National Institute of Mental Health, and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Dr. Petry serves as a consultant and advisor for the National Institute of Health and she is on the editorial boards of six academic journals. She received the American Psychological Association Distinguished Scientific Award for Early Career Contributions to Psychology in 2003. |
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Emerging Research in the Area of Developmental Disabilities and Autism |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
1:30 PM–2:50 PM |
Chicago A-F |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
Chair: Sara M. Olsen (Florida State University) |
Discussant: Mae R. Barker (Center for Autism and Related Disabilities (Univ. FL, Jacksonville)) |
Abstract: Since its humble beginnings, Applied Behavior Analysis has been on the cutting edge in providing effective treatments for developmental disabled and autistic populations. As the field has grown, so has the innovative work with all populations. The current session looks to highlight 3 studies on emerging research in the area of DD and Autism research. |
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The Effects of Schedule Thinning on the Maintenance of Prerequisite Attending Skills in a Child with Autism. |
JENNIFER CAMPBELL (Florida State University), Jessica Tomasi (Florida State University) |
Abstract: Prerequisite attending skills, including eye contact and sitting still, are essential skills needed when using discrete trial training to teach targeted skills to children with autism. In this study, a multiple baseline across behaviors design was used to gain compliance to the commands “Look at me” and “Sit down” with a six year old male with autism. During baseline compliance for both eye contact and sitting targets were at a mean of 40%. During intervention compliance was initially reinforced on an FR1 schedule. Subsequent trials were thinned as training continued. Compliance met and exceeded the goal of 80%, and performance maintained as the reinforcement schedule was thinned. |
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Behavioral Interventions for the Engagement of Inappropriate Sexual Behaviors by Children with Developmental Disabilities or Autism: A Review of the Literature. |
JESSICA TOMASI (Florida State University), Marco D. Tomasi (Florida State University), Jon S. Bailey (Florida State University) |
Abstract: A problem often faced by families and service providers of individuals with developmental disabilities and/or autism is engagement in inappropriate sexual behaviors. We examined the literature of the past thirty years relevant to the treatment of inappropriate sexual behaviors. Special attention was paid to the treatments selected by the authors, the effects of the treatments, and the strengths/weaknesses of the methodologies used. Implications for areas of future research and application were also discussed. |
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Stimulus Discrimination Training: A Tale of Two Students. |
DAWN ALLISON BAILEY (Florida State University, BMC), William Voss (Florida State University, BMC), Marsha Druggan (Florida State University, BMC), Judi O'Neil (Behavior Management Consultants, Inc.) |
Abstract: Simple discriminations are crucial for completion of many functional skills which are involved in a wide variety of daily living activities. Many individuals with severe disabilities have difficulty acquiring simple discriminations with standard training procedures, such as differential reinforcement. In these experiments, a modified Wisconsin General Teaching Apparatus (as described by Graff & Green, 2004) was used to teach discrimination to two students with autism. The first experiment involved teaching a student to identify and choose reinforcers using two procedures, standard differential reinforcement and graduated prompting procedures for one set of stimuli and a stimulus control shaping procedure (in which the differences between training stimuli and the reinforcer accessibility were faded along set criteria) for another stimulus. The data suggest that the stimulus control shaping procedure was more effective in teaching the discrimination. In the second experiment another student was taught discriminations using both “flat” presentations of stimuli and using the WGTA for presentations of stimuli. All other training variables remained constant. Use of the WGTA resulted in faster acquisition of the discriminations. Data shown below are from experiment one only due to limited space. |
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From Chaos to Competence: Implementing ABA Instructional Technology and Procedures in Pre-School Through High School Classrooms |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
1:30 PM–2:50 PM |
Courtland |
Area: EDC; Domain: Applied Research |
Chair: Janet Ellis (University of North Texas) |
CE Instructor: Janet Ellis, Ph.D. |
Abstract: Instruction oftentimes includes more than delivering academic material to students in well-organized, smoothly running classrooms. Behavioral consultants are invited into classrooms where problematic behavior and lack of instructional technology run rampant. These papers include successful interventions conducted in vastly different academic settings: from PPCD classrooms for pre-schoolers with seriously disruptive behavior to a special education life skills classroom wherein one child was taught to feed herself and to walk independently to 3 high school teen-agers with severe reading deficits in regular education classrooms. The 4th paper describes an experiment in literacy training conducted in 2 PPCD classrooms for children ages 3-1/2 to 5 years old. In all of these settings behavioral technology came to the rescue when traditional academic instruction had failed or, due to the ages of the students, had never been undertaken. All data will be presented in graphic formats and a short video clip will also be included. |
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Introducing Environmental Restructuring, Academic Tasks, Staff Training, and Individualized Teaching Materials into a PPCD Classroom. |
JANET ELLIS (University of North Texas), Brook B. Wheetley (Spectrum Center) |
Abstract: This intervention was designed to meet the needs of the 13 different preschool students in morning and afternoon classes. Because of teacher frustration with problematic behavior exhibited by 4 of the 7 students in the morning class and 3 of the 6 children in the afternoon class, we targeted individualized interventions for these 7 while also focusing on necessary environmental changes and individualized academic training for all students in both classes. Relocation of activity areas, discontinuing “open center” activities, providing sound cues for staff and students, establishing a 1-on-1 training area for academics, and staff training were the primary environmental program changes. Also, individualized interventions for these 7 students were designed and implemented. Data will be presented in graphed formats. |
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Yes We Can! Teaching Reading to Pre-Schoolers with DD using Fluency-Based Instructional Technology. |
SARAH A. LAW (University of North Texas) |
Abstract: One-on-one trainers taught reading skills to pre-school children with developmental disabilities. The 6 participants, ages 4 to 5, were trained to expressively and receptively identify sounds and blends in a discrete trial format. Individualized training occurred for 15-30 minutes/day/child. When students met 90% mastery criterion for each letter sound both expressively and receptively, fluency-based instruction was introduced. Fluency-based instruction consisted of short timings that included mastered letter sounds following by timings of blends and short words. Pre-and post data are presented in graphed formats showing the week-to-week progress of each student. |
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Developing Reading Repertoires for Teenaged-High School Nonreaders: Success Story with A Bittersweet Ending. |
LISA G. FALKE (University of North Texas) |
Abstract: NCLB mandates that schools will be accountable for student reading and math test scores regardless of student skill level. In a pilot program for 3 high school non-readers: 2 entered training on 8 November 2004; 1, on 24 January 2005. They attended two 1-hr training sessions/day. In addition to reading, comprehension was also targeted as all students, regardless of skill level, took an NCLB-mandated reading achievement test in April 2005. Teaching materials included the Morningside Phonics Fluency, DISTAR Decoding, and the SRA Specific Skill Series. The morning training session focused on training fluent decoding, while afternoons trained reading comprehension. Baseline and post training data will be presented in graphed format. The bittersweet ending was that after the pilot project and school administration saw that reading skills could be improved significantly over a short time span the administrators decided to hire a “reading specialist” to train all the non-readers in the 11-12th grades. |
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Teaching Critical Survival Skills (Self-Feeding, Drinking, Walking) for Long-Term Retention. |
JASON C. COHEN (University of North Texas) |
Abstract: Early intervention is important in building functional skills into behavioral repertoires of children with disabilities. A 4-year-old girl with multiple disabilities in a PPCD classroom could not walk without assistance, feed herself, drink independently, or imitate adaptive behavior. The purpose of the intervention was to shape skills including independent walking, self-feeding, independent drinking, gross motor imitation, and the use of a picture based communication system. Walking was trained using most to least prompting (first standing alone then walking) and access to preferred items contingent on independent standing and walking. Self-feeding and drinking were trained using hand-over-hand prompting and a prompt fading procedure. Gross motor imitation was also trained using hand-over-hand prompting, prompt fading, and access to preferred items contingent on approximations of imitative behavior. The picture communication system was introduced initially by using photographs of preferred items. Data indicate the progress made in all skill sets. |
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From Gorillas to Killer Whales: Behavioral Research and Welfare Advancements in Zoos and Aquarium |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
1:30 PM–2:50 PM |
Spring |
Area: EAB; Domain: Basic Research |
Chair: Otto C. Fad (Busch Gardens) |
Discussant: C. Thad Lacinak (Busch Entertainment Corporation) |
Abstract: Over the past several decades, zoos and aquariums have become increasingly concerned with the welfare of their captive species. This has been especially true for various primate and marine mammals in captivity, and great lengths have been taken through numerous environmental and behavioral strategies to increase their well-being. The use of “naturalistic” enclosures, introduction of objects that can be consumed and/or manipulated, changes in the type and ways food is presented, and the use of operant conditioning and other training procedures are just a few examples of the attempts aimed at increasing the well-being of captive animals. This focus on using environmental and behavioral procedures to increase welfare has also produced a need to quantify their effects. Through research, zoos and aquariums have found concrete ways of measuring changes in the welfare of their captive animals. The following three talks will examine several research projects aimed at documenting the welfare improvements of primates and marine mammals in zoos and aquariums. |
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The Effects of Foraging Devices as Enrichment in Captive Walruses (Odobenus Rosmarus). |
EDUARDO J. FERNANDEZ (Indiana University), William D. Timberlake (Indiana University) |
Abstract: Walruses display a number of stereotypic and destructive activities in captivity. Many of these behaviors appear directly related to foraging activities, and can include flipper sucking, vibrissae/tusk contact against various parts of the enclosure, suction/ingestion of various non-edible objects, and repetitive swimming circles. In the wild, walruses spend a considerable amount of their time foraging across the ocean floor for mollusks and other food items, so their attempts to engage in these repetitive and abnormal behaviors appears to adhere to their typical foraging requirements. Two experiments examined feeding devices that allowed three captive walruses to forage within their enclosure. In Experiment 1, two 3.5’ x 5’ mats with inserted fish and clams were examined. In Experiment 2, two 20” plastic balls with several 1 3/8” holes were tested with food as well. In both experiments, decreases in stereotypic activity and increases in foraging device contact and non-patterned swimming were observed. Implications for the future of captive walruses, as well as the use of foraging devices with captive animals in general, will be discussed. |
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Enhancing the Psychological Well-Being of Captive Primates using Behavioral Tasks. |
SUZANNE MACDONALD (York University and The Toronto Zoo), Heidi Marsh (York University and The Toronto Zoo) |
Abstract: The primate order contains over 180 species, each with unique physical, social and behavioral characteristics. Ensuring the psychological well-being of nonhuman primates in zoo environments is thus a particularly interesting challenge. In this talk, I will describe work we have done with a variety of primate species, including prosimians, monkeys, and Great Apes, to provide behavioral enrichment as well as to understand and explore their highly developed cognitive abilities. Our methods range from employing naturalistic foraging environments to training the animals to use 'virtual' environments displayed on touch-screen computers. Results from studies of primate spatial memory and foraging strategies, as well as abstract concept discrimination and 'reasoning', will be discussed. |
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Life History Information Obtained from Captive Killer Whales (Orcinus Orca). |
STEVEN CLARK (SeaWorld, Inc.) |
Abstract: SeaWorld has had the opportunity to collect data on various aspects of killer whale (Orcinus orca) life histories. Analysis of these datasets has then allowed comparison to data from wild animal studies. Various aspects of nursing behaviors in calves, morphometric and growth data, and killer whale cow/calf relationships have been examined. Two aspects that allowed for the collection of such data include the use of operant conditioning to train milk collections, growth measurements, and similar husbandry behaviors, as well as the use of “whale watch” internships with local college students. Data collected from two other species maintained at SeaWorld, false killer whales (Pseudorca crassidens), and beluga (Delphinapterus leucas) will also be discussed. The effects of captivity notwithstanding, data from these studies provided valuable baseline information, adding to our overall knowledge of killer whale and other cetacean life histories. Indeed, captive situations provide unique opportunities to examine certain aspects of cetacean behavior and life history data relatively difficult, perhaps impossible, to obtain from their wild counterparts |
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Functional Analytic Psychotherapy: Overview, Methodology for Measuring Psychotherapeutic Process and Outcome, and Empirical Examples |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
1:30 PM–2:50 PM |
Kennesaw |
Area: CBM; Domain: Applied Research |
Chair: Jonathan W. Kanter (University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee) |
Discussant: Robert J. Kohlenberg (University of Washington) |
Abstract: Functional Analytic Psychotherapy (FAP; Kohlenberg & Tsai, 1991) is based on a behavioral analysis of the process of therapeutic change that leads to an intense focus on the client-therapist relationship. FAP also provides a set of treatment recommendations based on Skinnerian functional analyses of complex clinical phenomena, such as cognitions and an understanding of the self. These are largely theoretical but nonetheless provide the FAP therapist with a consistent behavioral conceptualization. FAP has been described as “getting ahead of the data” (Corrigan, 2001). A foundational tenet of any behavior-analytic intervention is that treatment starts with, and is based on, idiographic assessment of problem behaviors. As such, FAP resists easy manualization and standardized outcome measurement, a crucial first step in modern clinical research. This may be one reason why FAP research has lagged behind theory. The current symposium addresses this issue. First, Sara Landes presents an overview of FAP, research supporting FAP, and lines of evidence highlighting the importance of FAP’s focus on the relationship. Second, David Baruch presents a research methodology for functional assessment of client and therapist in-session behavior to identify the hypothesized mechanism of change. Third, Andrew Busch presents data generated by this methodology. Robert Kohlenberg will discuss. |
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Functional Analytic Psychotherapy: Background, Theory, and Empirical Support. |
SARA J. LANDES (University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee), Keri Popp (University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee), Ryan Neibauer (University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee), Jennifer Leonard (University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee), Jonathan W. Kanter (University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee) |
Abstract: The first presentation in this symposium discusses the challenge of doing FAP research. A review of empirical research and additional lines of evidence in support of FAP is presented. These additional lines of evidence draw from diverse areas of psychology including social psychology, behaviorism, and research on the psychoanalytic notion of transference reactions. An overview of FAP principles and the FAP mechanism of change also is presented as an introduction to the next two presentations in this symposium, which outline a methodology for measuring process and outcome in FAP and present an empirical example of this methodology. |
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A Methodology for Measuring Psychotherapeutic Process and Outcome in Functional Analytic Psychotherapy. |
DAVID E. BARUCH (University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee), Andrew Busch (University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee), Laura Turner (University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee), Jonathan W. Kanter (University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee) |
Abstract: This presentation describes a methodology for measurement of client and therapist behavior in session that allows for empirical analysis of Functional Analytic Psychotherapy (FAP) process and outcome that is consistent with the principles of clinical behavior analysis. The development and initial reliability data in support of a functional measurement system is reported. The Functional Analytic Psychotherapy Coding System (FAPRS) is an observer-based coding system for assessing client and therapist behavior in FAP. It uses a turn-by-turn methodology such that every turn-at-speech is coded into one of 10 client codes or 15 therapist codes. This system codes client and therapist interactions sequentially to allow for analyses of the impact of therapist behavior on the client over time using lag-sequential analysis. Inter-rater reliability of coders has been found to be acceptable. The FAPRS allow for a complete idiographic assessment of in-session client and therapist behavior to analyze the effect of in-session interactions on out-of-session behavior both within a particular session and weekly over the course of therapy. This effectively isolates the hypothesized mechanism of change in FAP which is therapist contingent responding to client problems and improvements as they occur in the context of the client-therapist relationship. |
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Measuring Process and Outcome in Functional Analytic Psychotherapy. |
ANDREW BUSCH (University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee), Laura C. Rusch (University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee), David E. Baruch (University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee), Sara J. Landes (University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee), Jonathan W. Kanter (University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee) |
Abstract: In this final presentation of this symposium, the methodology described earlier is applied to individual cases. This paper presents data from empirical single case studies using Functional Analytic Psychotherapy (FAP; Kohlenberg & Tsai, 1991) or FAP in combination with other CBT approaches. For all clients, Functional Analytic Psychotherapy Rating Scale (FAPRS) was used to assess in-session client and therapist behavior across all sessions. For some cases, the frequency of specific interpersonal problems was tracked over the course of therapy. This data supports the assertion that client interpersonal improvement can be shaped through therapist contingent responding. |
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Functional Behavioral Applications in Acquired Brain Injury: Assessment and Intervention |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
1:30 PM–2:50 PM |
Baker |
Area: CBM; Domain: Applied Research |
Chair: Yors A. Garcia (Southern Illinois University) |
Discussant: Michael P. Mozzoni (Timber Ridge Group, Inc.) |
Abstract: The symposium will address common behavioral issues encountered in post-acute settings for individuals with acquired brain injury (ABI). The information presented will detail applied behavioral assessment protocols and intervention in neurobehavioral treatment settings. The issues to be presented range from the utilization of functional assessment methodology to address bizarre vocalizations in the ABI population, to stimulus equivalence applications to address self-control and discrimination in the ABI population. |
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Racial Discrimination and Equivalence Relations: A Relational Account of Racial Bias in ABI. |
JOHN M. GUERCIO (Center for Comprehensive Services), Angela R. Branon (Southern Illinois University, Carbondale), Holly L. Bihler (Southern Illinois University), Taylor Johnson (Southern Illinois University), Mark R. Dixon (Southern Illinois University) |
Abstract: Then assessment and treatment of racial discrimination issues will be addressed in this paper. An adult with an acquired brain injury (ABI) residing in a neurobehavioral program will serve as the participant in this study. Pre and posttests will involve validated racial attitudes scale administration that assess the level of discriminatory attitudes that the participant holds. Physiological monitoring in the form of galvanic skin response (GSR) measures will also take place during the pre and post tests, as well as during presentation of the stimuli that will be used in the equivalence procedures that follow. The training component of the study will consist of arbitrary relational assessment and training of stimuli depicting the interaction of different races and accompanying assessments of these racial stimuli by the participant. Pre and post training data will be taken on the ultimate equivalence classes that will be trained. The physiological measures will also be taken during the pre and post tests to determine the efficacy of the training procedures in terms of physiological arousal to racial stimuli. |
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The Role of Derived Verbal Functions in the Development of Self-Control for Persons with Acquired Brain Injury. |
JONAH D. MARTIN (Southern Illinois University), Mark R. Dixon (Southern Illinois University) |
Abstract: The present study will examine the role that derived stimulus functions may play in altering choice responding between sooner smaller and larger later rewards for persons with acquired brain injury. First, four adult participants that suffered from an acquired brain injury (ABI) will be asked to complete a rehabilitation activity in the absence of any programmed reinforcement. Second, all participants will be asked to choose between a smaller immediate reinforcer or a larger delayed reinforcer contingent upon completion of the same daily living task at higher than baseline rates. Third, participants will complete training and testing procedures, which will involve making conditional discriminations between nine stimuli arranged to form 3-three member equivalence classes. Stimuli consists of novel objects, common words, and different colored rectangles. Following each participant reaching mastery criteria during training, they will be then re-exposed to the choice conditions between sooner smaller and larger delayed reinforcers. It is expected that derived stimulus functions will result in an increase in choice allocation for the larger delayed reinforcer. Implications for a rule-governed analysis of self-control, the matching law, and delay reduction theory are discussed. |
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Functional Analysis of Bizarre Vocalizations in ABI: Environmental Control of Verbal Behavior. |
JOHN M. GUERCIO (Center for Comprehensive Services), Bethany A. Holton (Southern Illinois University), Holly L. Bihler (Southern Illinois University) |
Abstract: The present study utilizes traditional functional analysis methodology to determine the function of inappropriate verbalizations in an adult with acquired brain injury (ABI). Traditional functional analysis protocols were used to identify the functions of bizarre, threatening verbalizations in an adult male with an ABI. All sessions were conducted in a room at the participant’s residential treatment facility. Occurrences of appropriate and inappropriate vocalizations were collected during 10-min sessions. The procedure consisted of a functional analysis in which the four conditions (attention, demand, alone, and control) were alternated in a multielement design. The intervention consisted of differential reinforcement of alternative behavior (DRA). The intervention was alternated with a baseline condition in a reversal design using the same experimenter across all conditions. The functional analysis was then utilized to construct a verbal treatment intervention whereby decreases in the inappropriate verbalizations of the participant with ABI could be observed through the use of the verbal intervention procedure. Results indicated that inappropriate verbal behavior was maintained by attention and that the DRA procedure was effective in reducing the number of inappropriate verbalizations. A concomitant increase in the frequency of the appropriate verbalizations was also displayed by the participant. |
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Further Developments in FCT: Assessment of Communication Modalities and Stimulus Prompts |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
1:30 PM–2:50 PM |
International Ballroom North |
Area: DDA; Domain: Applied Research |
Chair: Anjali Barretto (Gonzaga University) |
Discussant: Robert H. Horner (University of Oregon) |
Abstract: In this symposium, we will present applications of functional communication training that evaluate the effects of communication modalities and stimulus prompts on responding. Terry Falcomata from The University of Iowa will present an experimental analysis of communicative responses across various stimulus conditions. John Lee from the University of Iowa will present on the effects of two visual cues on manding. Lisa Kemmerer from Portland State University will describe the effects of stimulus prompts on mand selection. Following the presentations, Rob Horner from the University of Oregon will discuss the presentations. |
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An Evaluation of Appropriate Communication. |
TERRY S. FALCOMATA (University of Iowa), John A. Northup (University of Iowa), Linda J. Cooper-Brown (University of Iowa), Joel Eric Ringdahl (University of Iowa), Jason M. Stricker (University of Iowa) |
Abstract: We examined appropriate communicative responses (i.e., card handing, microswitch, signing) exhibited by two children diagnosed with autism and mental retardation during various stimulus conditions. During study 1, two distinct appropriate communicative responses (i.e., card touch, sign “please”) were compared across similar stimulus conditions. The stimuli associated with one response were then used to occasion novel signing (i.e., “please”, “finished”). Next, an additional novel sign (i.e., “want”) was occasioned in a similar manner and all three signs were examined across various stimulus conditions. Results suggested an interactive effect across signs, stimulus conditions, and reinforcement contingencies. During study 2, independent responding was first examined across distinct communicative responses (i.e. microswitch, card hand, sign “please”). After allocation of responding was examined when each communicative response was reinforced on identical FR1 schedules of reinforcement, the effectiveness of the respective associated stimuli in occasioning a novel sign was examined. Results suggested that stimuli associated with the response with which the participant previously allocated all of his responding were more effective in occasioning the novel sign. IOA was obtained during at least 30% of all sessions and averaged above 90% for all target responses. Implications will be discussed in terms of stimulus control and FCT. |
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Evaluation of Target Behaviors Across Two Alternating Visual Cue Conditions during a Mand Analysis. |
JOHN F. LEE (University of Iowa), Jay W. Harding (University of Iowa), David P. Wacker (University of Iowa), Wendy K. Berg (University of Iowa), Kelly M. Schieltz (University of Iowa) |
Abstract: We conducted an evaluation of manding and problem behavior across two alternating visual cue conditions. The participant was a preschool-aged girl with autism who engaged in destructive behavior. All procedures were conducted in the child's home with the mother serving as therapist. A combination of multielement and reversal designs was used to evaluate results. Inter-rater agreement was assessed across 30% of all sessions and averaged 96%. During Phase 1, a functional analysis showed that problem behavior was maintained by both negative and positive (tangible) reinforcement. During Phase 2, a manding analysis was conducted and showed that a PECS card resulted in less manding and more destructive behavior than a photograph of toys during the tangible condition. In Phase 3, we alternated the presentation order of the PECS card and the photograph during the tangible condition, with the photograph being more effective than the PECS card in reducing problem behavior and increasing manding. However, when the photograph was used just prior to the PECS card, the PECS card was more effective than when it was presented first. We will discuss regarding the importance of mand selection during treatment with FCT. |
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The Effects of Stimulus Prompts on the Selection of Mands Used During Functional Communication Training. |
LISA C. WINBORN-KEMMERER (Portland State University), Nicole Poor (Portland State University), Donna Fletcher (Portland State University), Ron Fennell (Portland State University), Megan Stephen (Portland State University) |
Abstract: We evaluated the influence of stimulus prompts on the selection of mands used during functional communication training (FCT) for a twenty-one year old female with Down syndrome. Interobserver agreement was assessed across 30% of all sessions and averaged 92%. During Experiment 1, a functional analysis was conducted to identify the maintaining variables for problem behavior and communication. Neither, problem behavior or communication was observed however, indirect measures suggested that problem behavior was maintained by staff attention. FCT was then implemented to teach the participant to use a microswitch and picture card to obtain staff attention within a multielement and reversal designs. The results of Experiment 1 demonstrated an increase in communication with both the microswitch and the picture card, and problem behavior remained low. Experiment 2 was conducted within a concurrent schedules and ABAB reversal designs to evaluate the participants’ selection of mands in the presence of a gestural cue (Condition A) and in the absence of a gestural cue (Condition B). The results of Experiment 2 showed that during both conditions, the participant selected the picture card almost exclusively over the microswitch. However, when the gestural cue was present, the participant’s communication with the card was much higher. |
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Implementing an Evidence Based Educational Program for Children with Autism: What are the Characteristics of a Good ABA Classroom? |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
1:30 PM–2:50 PM |
Regency V |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
Chair: Michael F. Dorsey (Vinfen Corporation & Simmons College) |
Discussant: Patricia A. Gonzalez (U.S. Department of Education) |
CE Instructor: Michael F. Dorsey, Ph.D. |
Abstract: The primary focus of this symposium will be to discuss the concurrence between the federal regulations requiring evidence-based practices found in the No Child Left Behind Act of 2003, as well as in the 2001, the U.S. Department of Educations Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) report by the National Research Council on the education of children diagnosed with autism, and the generally accepted educational practices of Applied Behavior Analysis. The participants will first to operationally define evidence-based, and second to describe an externally validated process by which a research literature might be reviewed systematically. Next, a review of the evidence base and present survey data on the types, characteristics, intensity, and combinations of services approved, as opposed to recommended, will be presented for very young children. Finally, an objective measurement system for evaluating educational services, based on current literature, will be presented with examples taken form actual assessments. The Discussant, from the Education Sciences -- U.S. Department of Education, will comment on the implications of these regulations on special education services for children with Autism. |
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Evidence-Based Practice in Autism: Why We Need It and What it Is. |
JOSEPH N. RICCIARDI (National Autism Center) |
Abstract: Over the past several years the demand for educational and intervention services for children with autism and related conditions has risen. A range of approaches are presently popular and widely available. However, few of these approaches are supported by scientific evidence, though most claim such. In addition, a veritable “cottage-industry” of interventions and products with claims of efficacy and even cure for autism has emerged. No doubt, a rationale for identifying what constitutes evidence of effectiveness would help families, educators, and policy-makers. The purpose of this presentation is to 1) operationally define evidence-based, 2) describe an externally validated process by which a research literature might be reviewed systematically and with care to reduce bias, in order to identify evidence-based interventions, and 3) to report current thinking on which programmatic and procedural interventions for autism presently meet criteria as “evidence-based”. This presentation includes both theoretical/conceptual material, service delivery recommendations, and data. |
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Evidenced Based Practices in ABA: Application to Early Intervention and Preschool Programs. |
RAYMOND G. ROMANCZYK (Institute for Child Development), Jennifer M. Gillis Mattson (State University of New York, Binghamton) |
Abstract: Prior to participation in ABA classrooms, many children receive services as part of Early Intervention programs, home programs, and preschool programs. Great controversy exists as to which treatment approaches, and what treatment intensities, are appropriate for very young children. We briefly review the evidence base and present survey data on the types, characteristics, intensity, and combinations of services approved, as opposed to recommended, for very young children. Appropriate program characteristics are presented in the context of the rapid developmental changes for children 1-5 years of age. ABA programs for children in this age group are critiqued for poor goal selection and poor repertoire assembly, as well as poor procedural integrity. Supposed evidenced based programs must meet the boundary conditions of the research protocol if use of the now ubiquitous self-promotion of ‘evidenced based practice’ is to be claimed. Quality control indicators for consumers are presented. |
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The Use of Applied Behavior Analysis in the Education of Children With Autism: What is a “Good ABA Classroom?” |
MICHAEL F. DORSEY (Simmons College), Katherine A. Johnson (Advances Learning Center and Simmons College) |
Abstract: The use of Applied Behavior Analysis is widely recommended for use in the education of children with autism, including: support from the United States Surgeon General, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education, the National Science Foundation, the New York Department of Health Clinical Practices, among others. Educational services for children diagnosed with Pervasive Developmental Disorder/Autism, requires consistent attention to detail, including the application of scientifically validated educational approaches (No Child Left Behind Act of 2003). However, in a review of the current literature, no objective definition of what constitutes the critical components of such services is found. This presentation will attempt to clarify this issue, by combining various recommendations from numerous publications and other sources. In addition, an objective assessment tool for the evaluation of classrooms will be presented for use by teachers, administrators and evaluators. |
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Inside the NIH Peer Review System |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
1:30 PM–2:50 PM |
Manila |
Area: EAB; Domain: Applied Research |
Chair: Kathryn Saunders (University of Kansas) |
Discussant: Kathryn Saunders (University of Kansas) |
Abstract: Understanding how grant proposals are reviewed will undoubtedly make you a better proposal writer. This symposium combines the expertise of four ABA members who are part of that process, as funding recipients, as reviewers, and as NIH staff. Tom Tatham is an NIH Scientific Review Administrator, Richard Serna is a standing member of the Child Psychopathology and Developmental Disabilities Study Section (formerly BBBP6), and Carol Pilgrim and Kate Saunders serve on the Small Business: Developmental Disabilities, Communication, and Science Education review panel, as well as serving on other panels ad hoc. Find out what happens to your proposal as it works its way through the system, and things that you can do in preparing your proposal to increase the possibility of a positive outcome. Three talks will be presented, one of which simulates a review-panel discussion of a Behavior-Analytic proposal. A portion of the symposium will be a question and answer period. |
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The NIH Peer Review System. |
THOMAS A. TATHAM (National Institutes of Health, Center for Scientific Review) |
Abstract: N/a |
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Notes to Behavior Analysts from the CPDD Study Section. |
RICHARD W. SERNA (University of Massachusetts Medical School, E.K. Shriver Center) |
Abstract: N/a |
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An Inside Look at an NIH Review Panel at Work: A Simulated Proposal Review Meeting. |
THOMAS A. TATHAM (National Institutes of Health, Center for Scientific Review), Carol Pilgrim (University of North Carolina, Wilmington), Richard W. Serna (University of Massachusetts Medical School, E.K. Shriver Center), Kathryn Saunders (University of Kansas) |
Abstract: N/a |
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Intervening to Reduce High-Risk Drinking Among Students Across Environmental Settings |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
1:30 PM–2:50 PM |
Lenox |
Area: CSE; Domain: Applied Research |
Chair: Chris S. Dula (East Tennessee State University) |
Abstract: Four data-based presentations on student alcohol use and abuse will be presented. The first paper presents data assessing the prevalence of drinking and driving following Division I NCAA football games. Implications for intervention efforts to reduce levels of DUI after these types of sporting events will be discussed. The second presentation reports on research conducted to determine the intoxication levels of university students and their friends when celebrating 21st birthdays in a community setting. Implications of the findings for future studies of alcohol consumption by college students on their 21st birthdays, as well as the development of interventions to prevent DUI, will be discussed. The third paper presents research assessing the efficacy of interventions designed to curtail alcohol use among high school students attending prom dances. Two national intervention programs, “None for the Road” and “Prom Promise”, were implemented by school personnel at four rural high schools in eastern Virginia. Results of these interventions on student alcohol use on prom night will be presented and discussed. The final paper presents data indicating that an incentive/reward intervention can effectively reduce alcohol consumption in a high-risk setting (e.g., at fraternity parties). Also, the effects of multiple exposures to this intervention were assessed. |
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Blood Alcohol Levels of Tailgaters at NCAA Collegiate Football Games. |
STEVEN W. CLARKE (Virginia Tech), Christi Blake (Virginia Tech), Christopher O. Downing, Jr. (Virginia Tech), Matthew G. Cox (Virginia Tech), Robin C. Lawson (Virginia Tech) |
Abstract: This field study was designed to study intoxication levels of persons tailgating both before and following collegiate football games. Participants included 1,023 individuals (612 men and 411 women) attending tailgate parties at one of six NCAA Division 1-A college football games at Virginia Tech. Research assistants approached tailgaters in one of three randomly selected parking lots. The tailgaters were recruited to complete questionnaires, and self-administer a Breathscan® tester after the game, just before they left the parking lot. Tailgaters returned the breathalyzers to research assistants at the exits of the parking lot in exchange for a raffle entry form to win $250. A positive breath test indicated whether the driver was at or above a BAC of .05 (accuracy = ±.005). Ninety-three percent of drivers agreed to participate, and 52.5% returned a breath tester. Results indicated that 33.7% of drivers and 44% of non-drivers tested positive. There was a significant positive correlation between the observed amount of university apparel worn by participants and having a positive breath test, r = .27. The implications of these findings for future studies of alcohol consumption at tailgate parties will be discussed, as well as the development of interventions to prevent DUI. |
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Analysis of Blood Alcohol Levels Among 21st Birthday Celebrants on a College Campus. |
ELISE A. DRAKE (Virginia Tech), Steven W. Clarke (Virginia Tech), Thomas R. Cunningham (Virginia Tech), Leah Farrell (Virginia Tech), Sara E. Valentino (Virginia Tech), Si Jun Kim (Virginia Tech) |
Abstract: It is well known that the 21st birthday is one time when there is a significant amount of high-risk drinking among college students. For many college students (especially moderate-risk drinkers), the 21st birthday is one of the heaviest drinking occasions while they are in college. The aim of the current study was to determine the intoxication levels of university students and their friends when celebrating their 21st birthday, and to explore ways to reduce this problem. Participant’s blood alcohol levels (BALs) were measured at the end of the evening. In addition, participants verbally reported various drinking behaviors, and completed a questionnaire the next day to indicate the number of negative outcomes they experienced. Results indicated that 21st birthday celebrants BAL were extremely high (M = .107, SD = .057), as were the BALs of other celebrating with them (M = .107, SD = .057). Overall, few participants made attempts to moderate their consumption. Specifically, 13.6% of participants reported turning down one alcoholic beverage and an additional 15.0% reported turning down multiple alcoholic beverages. Self-reports also indicated that 78.8% of attempts to moderate consumption were unsuccessful. The implications of these findings for future studies of alcohol consumption at by college students on their 21st birthdays, as well as the development of interventions to prevent DUI, will be discussed. |
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Investigating the Impact of Two National Interventions for Reducing Alcohol Consumption by High School Students on Prom Night. |
RYAN C. SMITH (Virginia Tech), Kent E. Glindemann (Virginia Tech), E. Scott Geller (Virginia Tech) |
Abstract: Alcohol consumption and subsequent negative outcomes resulting from high-school prom dances is a highly recognized problem. Two national intervention programs, “None for the Road” and Nationwide Insurance’s “Prom Promise”, have been developed and independently incorporated into 4,343 high schools across the country. However, to date little or no outcome data have been collected to determine the efficacy of these programs. This study investigated the effectiveness of these two programs at four rural high schools in eastern Virginia. The two interventions were implemented by the participating schools over a three-day period during the week prior to the prom at each high school. The week following the proms, juniors and seniors (n = 263) were targeted to complete an evaluative survey asking them about their degree of exposure to the interventions and their prom-night behaviors. The most encouraging results were associated with school-sponsored after-prom parties. Students who attended these after-prom parties not only reported having less alcohol available, but also reported consuming less alcohol than those who did not attend these school-sponsored parties, p < .05. Results will be discussed with implications for future interventions designed to curtail alcohol use among high-school students attending prom dances. |
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Assessing the Effects of Multiple Exposures to an Intervention Aimed at Reducing Fraternity Party Alcohol Use. |
KENT E. GLINDEMANN (Virginia Tech), Kristin A. Williamson (Virginia Tech), Matt C. Camden (Virginia Tech), Christina L. Goodwin (Virginia Tech), David W. Feigal, III (Virginia Tech) |
Abstract: College student alcohol use continues to be a concern on this nation’s campuses, contributing to a variety of negative consequences ranging from physical harm to reduced academic success, and impaired decision-making to driving under the influence (DUI). This study investigated the ability of an incentive/reward intervention to reduce alcohol use at university fraternity parties. Four fraternities were recruited and placed into either a standard A-B-A design (two fraternities, three parties each) or an extended A-B-B-B-A design (two fraternities, five parties each), the latter being implemented to study the effects of multiple exposures to the above intervention. At baseline parties, all participants completing a brief questionnaire and having their Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) assessed with a handheld breathalyzer were entered into a raffle for $100 to be drawn before the research team left the party. At intervention parties, a contingency was implemented in which only those participants whose BAC was below .050 were entered into the raffle. Independent variables included Gender, Fraternity Party, and Greek-Life Status, with the primary dependent variable being assessed BAC level. The cash raffle incentive reduced significantly the amount of intoxication, but repeated exposure did not increase the beneficial impact of this intervention. Results will be discussed with an emphasis on directions for further research using this unique intervention. |
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On Skinner |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
1:30 PM–2:20 PM |
Dunwoody |
Area: TPC |
Chair: Tracie B. Mann (University of Kansas) |
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Skinner's Citation Practices: Allegations, Facts, and Interpretations |
Domain: Theory |
TRACIE B. MANN (University of Kansas), Edward K. Morris (University of Kansas) |
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Abstract: B. F. Skinner has been criticized for too often citing his own work and too infrequently citing the work of others. This paper reports the results of a study of whether the criticism is true. For our methods, we (a) coded Skinner’s journal articles that reported original empirical research for their numbers of self and other citations and (b) compared these findings to those we coded in the articles that preceded and followed them. In this, we controlled for the journal, year of publication, article type (i.e., empirical only), participant species (i.e., nonhumans only), authorship (e.g., sole, multiple), and article length. We also compared Skinner’s referencing practices with those of his neobehaviorist colleagues Tolman and Hull, using the same controls, and examined changes in Skinner’s and their citation numbers over time. Based on a 20% sample of Skinner’s population of articles, we found that his mean number of self-citations was 81.3%, while that of his colleagues was 10.7%. His mean number of references per article was 6.3, while that of his colleagues was 12.8. In our discussion, we address variables that may account for these differences and relate our findings to the literature on citation practices in general. |
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B.F. Skinner/Thomas North Whitehead: An Encounter Remembered; Similarities in Their Research Strategies |
Domain: Theory |
CALVIN K. CLAUS (National-Louis University, Prof. Emeritus) |
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Abstract: In his book, Verbal Behavior, Skinner recounts an incident that occurred in 1934 at a dinner. It involved a hypothetical question posed to him by Alfred North Whitehead. Also present was Thomas North Whitehead, son of the elder Whitehead. Whitehead, the younger, briefly noted this encounter in a memoir. There were some discrepancies in their recollections of the same event. However, the important element is the evidence that these two significant behavioral researchers did have an occasion to interact. In 1927 Thomas Whitehead was the principle investigator in a Harvard Business School project at Chicago's Western Electric Hawthorne Plant. The Hawthorne Effect concept is rooted there. In this factory, over five years, the moment-to-moment output of five research subjects was recorded. Frequency-per-unit-time data, accurate to .2 of a second, were collected. This was done during an eight hour work day, five days per week, for fifty weeks each year. Some 3,000,000 bits of output behavior were thus recorded. In a 1934 monograph Whitehead shows a "cumulative output curve" for one of the workers. There are startling similarities in the research strategies of Whitehead and Skinner. |
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Positive Behavioral Support and Applied Behavior Analysis: Is there a necessary distinction? |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
1:30 PM–2:50 PM |
Centennial Ballroom III |
Area: AUT/DDA; Domain: Applied Research |
CE Instructor: David A. Celiberti, Ph.D. |
Chair: David A. Celiberti (Private Practice) |
JAMES E. CARR (Western Michigan University) |
GLEN DUNLAP (University of South Florida) |
GINA GREEN (San Diego State University) |
LEN LEVIN (Coyne & Associates) |
Abstract: For the last 15 years, the field has witnessed much interest in the area of Positive Behavioral Support (PBS) as reflected by conference events, published literature, and the formation of the PBS SIG. This burgeoning interest has been met with concerns about the need for a new school of thought, the potential for misconceptions and schisms to arise, and the extent to which PBS actually falls under the umbrella of ABA. In recent years, there have been a few attempts to address the relationship between Positive Behavioral Support and Applied Behavior Analysis. Unfortunately, some of these discussions have been not been constructive, were often one sided, and may even be perceived as contentious. This topic deserves a professional and balanced dialogue. To that end, the panel will tackle this critically important matter and be comprised of individuals with rather divergent perspectives. |
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Project REACH: Interventions for Severe Emotional and Behavioral Challenges |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
1:30 PM–2:50 PM |
University |
Area: EDC; Domain: Applied Research |
Chair: Lee Kern (Lehigh University) |
Discussant: Maureen Conroy (University of Florida) |
Abstract: Students with severe behavioral and emotional challenges are highly resistant to most universal and targeted interventions. Instead, these students require individualized, intensive interventions based on function-based assessment and which are implemented with integrity. This symposium presents an overview of Project REACH, a 5-year longitudinal investigation, a description of its research methodology, and several single case design studies demonstrating intensive interventions. |
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Project REACH: An Overview of Literature, Methods and Research Strategies. |
FRANK M. GRESHAM (Louisiana State University), Lee Kern (Lehigh University) |
Abstract: This presentation provides an overview of the methods, research, and principles guiding this five-year longitudinal investigation. Risk and protective factors will be addressed as well as the methodological principles underlying this investigation. |
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Project REACH: Recruitment and Selection of Participants: Pitfalls, Punishers, and Ratio Strain. |
CLAYTON R. COOK (University of California, Riverside), Ramon B. Barreras (University of California, Riverside) |
Abstract: This presentation describes the recruitment and sample selection procedures for this longitudinal investigation. Response costs association with conducting longitudinal research along with other aversive stimuli will be described. The cost-benefit of conducting this type of research will be described in terms of ratio strain. |
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Intervention Effects for Students with Severe Emotional and Behavioral Challenges. |
CLAYTON R. COOK (University of California, Riverside) |
Abstract: A series of single case design studies will be presented showing the effects of individually-designed, intensive interventions. Barriers and solutions to conducting this type of research in schools will be discussed. |
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Recent Developments in the Assessment and Treatment of Severe Challenging Behavior |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
1:30 PM–2:50 PM |
Regency VI |
Area: DDA; Domain: Applied Research |
Chair: Mark O'Reilly (University of Texas, Austin) |
Abstract: Severe challenging behavior continues to be one of the primary barriers to habilitation for individuals with autism and developmental disabilities. In this symposium we present four papers that extend our knowledge of the assessment and treatment of this behavior disorder. In the first paper, the authors combined the results of a preference assessment and a functional analysis to examine the effects of these variables on treatment effects. In the second paper, the effects of continuous and intermittent reinforcement schedules on the persistence of self-injury and mands was examined. Results indicated that manding was equally persistent following either schedule of reinforcement while self-injury was more persistent following a VR2 than a FR1 schedule. In the third paper, the use of brief choice making analyses were examined. Results will be discussed in terms of concurrent schedules of reinforcement and the benefits of utilizing brief choice analyses for the identification of effective treatments. The final paper focuses on examining antecedent variables, and a methodology for examining the interaction between motivating operations on the discriminated stimulus will be proposed. Together the results of these papers contribute further information regarding assessment and treatment selection with severe challenging behavior. |
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Combining the Results of a Preference Assessment and Functional Analysis to Design Interventions. |
KELLY M. VINQUIST (University of Iowa), Wendy K. Berg (University of Iowa), Jason M. Stricker (University of Iowa), David P. Wacker (University of Iowa), Joel Eric Ringdahl (University of Iowa) |
Abstract: A preference assessment and a functional analysis of problem behavior were conducted with a 47-year-old man with severe mental retardation. The results showed that problem behavior rarely occurred when adult attention and preferred items were available on a noncontingent basis (control condition), but high levels of behavior (M = 85% of intervals) were observed when the participant was alone without leisure or work materials (alone condition). Based on the procedures outlined in Ringdahl et al. (1997), the participant was given noncontingent access to the preferred leisure items but no attention was provided. Problem behavior occurred for a mean of 75% of the intervals. The control condition was repeated and problem behavior decreased to near zero levels. We hypothesized that the presence of attention or level of effort required to access the preferred items influenced the occurrence of problem behavior and evaluated the effects of each of these variables on problem behavior within a multi-element design. The removal of attention or variations in the level of effort was sufficient to disrupt the treatment effects even when the preferred stimuli were available. |
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The Effects of Continuous and Intermittent Reinforcement Schedules on the Persistence of Self Injury and Mands. |
ELLIE C. HARTMAN (University of Minnesota), Jennifer J. McComas (University of Minnesota), Chin-Chih Chen (University of Minnesota), Frank J. Symons (University of Minnesota) |
Abstract: While functional analysis has shown to be a useful tool in identifying effective treatments that will reduce self-injurious behavior (SIB) (Iwata et al., 1994), more work is needed on how to program for the generalization and maintenance of treatment effects (Stokes & Baer, 1977). The current study compared two schedules of reinforcement within functional communication training (FCT) (Carr & Durand, 1985). The first treatment consisted of mands on a fixed ratio 1 (FR 1), while SIB on a variable ratio 2 (VR 2). The first treatment consisted of mands on VR 2 and SIB on FR 1. An extinction test followed each treatment, during which the persistence of both mands and SIB were measured. Results indicate that manding was equally persistent following either schedule of reinforcement (FR 1 or VR 2), while SIB was more persistent following a VR 2 than following FR 1. Inter-observer agreement (IOA) was calculated on both dependent and independent variables during 33% of the functional analysis and 33% of the treatment analysis. The average IOA for manding was 91% (87% - 95.8%), SIB was 100%,and all independent variables was 100%. |
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Brief Choice Making Analyses in an Outpatient Clinic Setting. |
JESSICA E. FRIEDER (Idaho State University), Stephanie M. Peterson (Idaho State University), Jachelle Lowe (Idaho State University), Denise Van Stone (Idaho State University), Lloyd D. Peterson (Idaho State University) |
Abstract: Research has demonstrated that brief functional analyses are robust in determining the function of problem behaviors (Northup, J., Wacker, D., Sasso, G., Steege, M., Cigrand, K., Cook, J., & DeRaad, A., 1991; Kahng, S. & Iwata, B.A., 1999; Tincani, M.J., Castrogiavanni, A., & Axelrod, S, 1999). Choice making as a component of reinforcement-based interventions to treat problem behaviors has also been shown to be effective (Dyer, K., Dunlap, G., & Winterling, V., 1990; Peck, S. M., Wacker, D. P., Berg, W. K., Cooper, L. J., Brown, K. A., Richman, D., McComas, J. J., Frischmeyer, P., & Millard, T., 1996). Most studies involving choice-making analyses occur over several sessions. Little research exists on brief functional analyses involving choice making. This presentation will examine two case examples that utilize choice making within a brief functional analysis of problem behavior. One case example examines the use of choice making in the assessment phase, while the other investigates brief analysis of choice making during intervention. Results will be discussed in terms of concurrent schedules of reinforcement and the benefits of utilizing brief analyses for the identification of the function of problem behavior and identification of effective treatments for problem behavior. |
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An Examination of the Influence of the Motivating Operation on the Evocative Effectiveness of the Discriminative Stimulus. |
CHATURI EDRISINHA (University of Texas, Austin), Mark O'Reilly (University of Texas, Austin) |
Abstract: This study examined the evocative effect of the Motivating Operation (MO) on the discriminative stimulus (SD) for positively reinforced challenging behavior (CB). In Phase I, a functional analysis (FA) was conducted to identify the reinforcing contingency. CB was identified as being positively reinforced (i.e., attention and tangible). In Phase II, stimulus discrimination was trained in SD and S? conditions. In Phase III, an MO was identified by manipulating pre-session conditions. This was done by providing pre-session access (MO absent) or withholding pre-session access (MO present) prior to the delivery of the identified reinforcer. In Phase IV, rates of CB during MO present and MO absent conditions were examined under extinction (reinforcement was unavailable) in both SD and S? conditions. This final phase evaluated the evocative effect of the MO on the SD by examining the interaction between MO present versus absent and SD present versus absent conditions. Limitations of the study and implications of examining the MO will be discussed. |
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Recent Research on Establishing Operation Manipulations |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
1:30 PM–2:50 PM |
Centennial Ballroom IV |
Area: DDA; Domain: Applied Research |
Chair: Henry S. Roane (Marcus Autism Center and Emory University School of Medicine) |
Discussant: F. Charles Mace (University of Southern Maine) |
CE Instructor: Henry S. Roane, Ph.D. |
Abstract: In the past 20 years, a number of applied investigations have examined the relative influence of motivational variables on responding during reinforcement-based programs for individuals with developmental disabilities. One category of such variables that has been the subject of considerable research is establishing operations (EOs). An EO is an environmental event that has two effects on behavior: (a) it changes (increases or decreases) motivation for a particular reinforcer; and (b) it changes (increases or decreases) the probability of responses that have produced that reinforcer in the past. The present symposium will focus on three recent areas of research in which EOs have been used to influence appropriate behavior. Collectively, these studies will examine (a) the establishment and termination of reflexive conditioned EOs, (b) the modification of reflexive conditioned EOs to increase in-seat behavior, and (c) the effects of peer observations on item preferences. |
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Basic and Applied Analyses of Reflexive Conditioned Establishing Operations. |
MICHAEL E. KELLEY (Marcus Autism Center and Emory University School of Medicine), Joanna Lomas (Marcus Autism Center), Robert-Ryan S. Pabico (Marcus Autism Center), Michael J. Schafer (Marcus Autism Center), Karen Myers (Marcus Autism Center), Henry S. Roane (Marcus Autism Center and Emory University School of Medicine) |
Abstract: Results of previous research have shown that establishing operation manipulations can influence responding during assessments of preference (e.g., Gottschalk, Libby, & Graff, 2000; Zhou, Iwata, & Shore, 2002), assessment of problem behavior (e.g., Iwata, Dorsey, Slifer, Bauman, & Richman, 1994), assessment of reinforcement efficacy (e.g., Vollmer & Iwata, 1991), and treatment (e.g., Mace & Lalli, 1991). However, the influence of conditioned establishing operations (CEO) on responding has not been well evaluated in the literature (McGill, 1999; Michael, 2000). In the current study, we evaluated the extent to which (1) CEO relations may be generated and terminated and (2) applied treatments may be enhanced as a result of the identification and/or manipulation of CEOs. Thus, the purpose of Experiments 1 was to demonstrate a methodology to both establish and extinguish reflexive CEO relations in a basic arrangement. The purpose of Experiment 2 was to provide an applied example of a reflexive CEO relation and demonstrate its potential for enhancing assessment and treatment development. |
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Manipulating Reflexive Conditioned Establishing Operations with Young Children with PDD. |
M. ALICE SHILLINGSBURG (Marcus Autism Center), Steven Shapiro (Auburn University) |
Abstract: Previous research has demonstrated the effects of manipulating establishing operations (EO) on the effectiveness of items as reinforcement (e.g., Vollmer & Iwata, 1991), preferences for tangible items (e.g., McAdam et al., 2005), and problem behavior (e.g., McComas, Thompson, &Johnson, 2003). Much research on EO has focused on deprivation and satiation effects, whereas little research has been conducted on the manipulation of conditioned EO (CEO), such as surrogate, transitive, and reflexive CEO. We examined the effects of manipulating reflexive CEO on in-seat behavior during instructional tasks. In phase 1, two children diagnosed with Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) were administered tasks during 10-min demand sessions. In phase 2, one therapist removed demands and paired the teaching environment with the participant’s preferred activities while a second therapist continued to conduct demand sessions. In phase 3, both therapists conducted demand sessions. Results indicated that (1) in-seat behavior during demands was higher and aberrant behavior was lower following pairing and (2) pairing the teaching environment with the child’s preferred activities established interacting with the therapist as reinforcement and evoked behaviors that prolonged that interaction. Results are discussed in terms of the benefits of manipulating reflexive EO prior to demand presentation. |
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Peer Observations as an Establishing Operation for Preschool Play Materials. |
JENNIFER LYNNE BRUZEK (University of Kansas), Rachel H. Thompson (University of Kansas) |
Abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of peer observations on the reinforcing value of toys among preschoolers. A 10-item paired choice preference assessment was conducted to identify a preference hierarchy. Based on the results of that assessment, a reinforcer assessment was conducted wherein the most highly preferred item and the least preferred item were presented along with a control (no item) to test the relative reinforcing effects of those stimuli. Data collectors recorded the frequency or duration of the target response and interobserver agreement was assessed during a minimum of 30% of all sessions with a mean agreement of above 85% for all participants. During baseline, no peer observation was conducted, and participants responded consistently for the high-preference item. Participants then observed a peer playing with one of the items for 2 min prior to each reinforcer assessment session. During the peer observation phases, the participants consistently responded for access to the toy manipulated by the peer during pre-session observation, independent of initial preference for that item. These data suggest that preschooler preferences may be, in part, a result of peer observation. |
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Roots of the Behavioral Approach to Developmental Studies |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
1:30 PM–2:50 PM |
Singapore |
Area: DEV; Domain: Theory |
Chair: Jacob L. Gewirtz (Florida International University) |
Discussant: Jacob L. Gewirtz (Florida International University) |
Abstract: Reflections and recommendations on how ‘the good society’ (sometimes termed ‘utopia’) may be achieved have a long history, extending across some two and a half millennia from Plato to Thomas Moore (who invented the word ‘utopia’) to Karl Marx and, of course, to B.F. Skinner whose speculations on this topic in ‘Walden Two’ and his abiding interest in utopias is well-known to this audience. Although some of the pre-behaviorist ideas have emphasized the importance of child-rearing practices for achieving the good society, this emphasis came on to its own with the emergence of the behaviorist tradition. This symposium considers the roots of the behavioral research and theory on developmental phenomena, beginning from the contributions of John B. Watson, and the significant effects of that tradition broadly on the contemporary field of Developmental Research. |
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Developmental Research and Early Hopes for the Good Society. |
PETER HARZEM (Auburn University) |
Abstract: Reflections and recommendations on how ‘the good society’ (sometimes termed ‘utopia’) may be achieved have a long history. It extends across some two and a half millennia, extending from Plato to Thomas Moore (who invented the word ‘utopia’) to Karl Marx and, of course, to B.F. Skinner, in the work well-known to this audience. Even the notion that the scientific method may help in achieving such a society dates back to 17th century when Thomas Hobbes, impressed by the work of Galileo, speculated that the same scientific methods may also be used to research human nature so as to build the good society. He did not, however, find a way to use those methods; that had to wait until early 20th century, coming to a peak in the work of John B. Watson. This paper briefly considers, against the context of this rich literature, Watson’s views on the scientific and social significance of discovering sound methods for child-rearing for building the good society and his experimental research into child behavior. |
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Watson on Emotions and Emotional Development. |
HAYNE W. REESE (West Virginia University (Emeritus)) |
Abstract: A book reviewer said in a recent issue of Science that emotion was a topic that was nearly taboo during behaviorism’s dominance. This is unnervingly silly, because actually not only Watson but also other behaviorists, early and modern, wrote about and studied emotions. I give examples but focus on Watson. Watson is sometimes said to have theorized that three emotions are basic--fear, rage, and love but this was not a theory, it was a conclusion based on research showing that these emotions are present in human newborns and are aroused by narrow ranges of stimuli. Watson and Rayner demonstrated that previously unfeared stimuli can arouse fear in an infant as a result of conditioning and generalization, and Watson theorized that conditioning and generalization account not only for the development of fears and phobias in infancy but also for all emotional development throughout life. This theory and his social philosophy led him to recommend child-rearing practices (I give examples), some that are consistent with modern recommendations, but others that seemed then and still seem outré. I argue that all of them were based on good evidence, a reasonable theory, and a humanitarian philosophy. |
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The Transmogrification of John B. Watson. |
LEWIS P. LIPSITT (Brown University) |
Abstract: John B. Watson is widely noted and justifiably celebrated as the psychologist who did most to bring Pavlovian psychology, the notion that complex behaviors in all animals and humans are based upon simpler mechanisms and processes of behavior and learning, to America. He put forth, in both the scientific and popular literatures, a model for understanding development in terms of the accrual, based upon experience, of ever more socialized behavior from easily elicited reflexive behavior and the delivery of reinforcement. In his theoretical discussions and his presentations of the paradigm, Watson followed the classical conditioning model quite closely. In his demonstrations of the efficacy of learning techniques with children, however, his own behavior as an experimenter was Skinnerian. Closer attention should be paid to the historic importance of Watson as a bridge person from Pavlov to Skinner, whom we know to have read Watson carefully, and admired him. Watson's real life paradigms for learning and development were essentially of an operant conditioning nature. Had Watson's career in Psychology not been abruptly sidetracked, he might have come to the notion that there are two basic styles of conditioning and learning. |
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Teaching Young Children to Read: Formative and Summative Evaluation of Headsprout Early Reading in School Settings |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
1:30 PM–2:50 PM |
Inman |
Area: EDC; Domain: Applied Research |
Chair: Melinda Sota (Florida State University) |
Discussant: Greg Stikeleather (Headsprout) |
Abstract: Headsprout Early Reading is an engaging, Internet-based supplemental early reading program specifically designed to teach young learners the fundamental skills and strategies necessary for reading, including phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension. Headsprout has spent the last 3 years bringing this highly effective program into public and private school settings. This symposium will present both formative and summative data collected from students using Headsprout Early Reading and describe implementation variables from educators using Headsprout in schools. |
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Research-Based Instruction: Formative and Summative Data Collected From Students Using Headsprout Early Reading. |
MELINDA SOTA (Florida State University), Janet S. Twyman (Headsprout), T. V. Joe Layng (Headsprout), Greg Stikeleather (Headsprout) |
Abstract: All Headsprout programs are the outcome of an extremely rigorous, scientific, research and development process. They are based on scientific research and data on what works in education, and have been scientifically designed and thoroughly tested during development and dissemination. An extensive formative research model is the key to the development process that enables Headsprout to make certain that students who finish the program acquire the fundamental reading skills and strategies deemed critical by the National Reading Panel and No Child Left Behind. Headsprout’s patented adaptive instructional technology generates results that are reliable and predictable across a wide variety of learners and learning needs. Since initial development, over 400 million learner interactions have been recorded across more than 100,000 learners. This presentation will introduce Headsprout and provide formative and summative data collected on learners from schools across the nation. |
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The Effects of an Internet-Based Program on the Early Reading and Oral Language Skills of At-Risk Preschool Students and Their Teachers' Perceptions of the Program. |
MARY HUFFSTETTER (University of South Florida) |
Abstract: This investigation examined the effects of instruction, within the context of the Headsprout Reading Basics program, on the oral language and early reading skills of at-risk preschool students, and their teachers’ perceptions of the program. Random assignment was used in a pretest-posttest, comparison group design to assess the effects of this study. Thirty-one students, across two preschool settings, participated in the experimental group, and 31 students participated in the comparison group. The experimental group received instruction through Headsprout. The comparison group received instruction through Millie’s Math House. Thirty minutes of daily instruction was provided for a period of eight weeks. Oral language skills were measured using the Test of Language Development-Primary: 3rd edition, and early reading skills were measured using the Test of Early Reading Ability- 3rd edition. Results indicated that students who received instruction through Headsprout exhibited gains in oral language and early reading skills that were statistically higher than did the students who did not receive this instruction. Effect sizes were found to be large. Analysis of interview data indicated that the teachers viewed Headsprout as a desirable way to increase the oral language and early reading skills of their students. Implications for future research are discussed. |
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Meeting the Federal Mandates: Feasibility and Effectiveness of Parent Implemented Computer-based Reading Programs. |
SEKHAR PINDIPROLU (University of Toledo), David E. Forbush (Utah State University), Lori J. Marks (East Tennessee State University) |
Abstract: Recent evidence suggests that an estimated 10 million school age children in the nations schools fail to become proficient readers. One potential way to overcome some of the existing barriers in meeting student reading needs is to supplement classroom instruction with computer based reading programs (CBRP) that provide systematic, comprehensive, and explicit instruction that reflect the five evidenced-based reading components advocated by the National Reading Panel (NRP). In this presentation, outcomes of a study, supported by the U.S. Department of Education, examining the feasibility and effectiveness of parents as trainers in employing computer-based reading programs for teaching reading skills to young children with reading difficulties will be presented. The project evaluated a parent implemented computer-based DI program (Funnix) and a comparative parent implemented computer based non-DI program (Plato & Headsprout). Descriptive information of the participants, procedures, treatment fidelity, statistically significant results, and effect sizes will be presented. The results of the study will be discussed in the context of recent federal mandates. Further, the potential implications of the results for teachers and parents of students with reading difficulties will be discussed. |
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The Analysis of Complex Human Behavior |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
1:30 PM–2:50 PM |
Centennial Ballroom I |
Area: VBC/EAB; Domain: Basic Research |
Chair: William F. Potter (California State University, Stanislaus) |
CE Instructor: Mark L. Sundberg, Ed.D. |
Panelists: JOHN L. MICHAEL (Western Michigan University), DAVID C. PALMER (Smith College), MARK L. SUNDBERG (Sundberg and Associates), JANET S. TWYMAN (Headsprout) |
Abstract: The panelists will discuss approaches to analyzing complex human behavior, providing examples as well as directions for future research in this area. |
JOHN L. MICHAEL (Western Michigan University) |
Dr. Jack Michael was born in 1926 in Los Angeles, and entered UCLA in 1943 as a chemistry major. He served two years in the army, and returned to UCLA in 1946, this time as a psychology major. He obtained a B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. at UCLA, finishing in 1955. As a graduate student his main interests were statistical methodology, physiological psychology, and learning theory. During his first teaching job (Kansas University) he was much influenced by B. F. Skinner's Science and Human Behavior, and since then has been primarily involved in teaching behavioral psychology; at Kansas U., University of Houston, Arizona State University, and since 1967 at Western Michigan University. In 1957 as a result of influence by the rehabilitation psychologist, Lee Meyerson, he began to apply Skinner's behavior analysis to applications in the areas of mental retardation, mental illness, and physical disability. During the next several years "behavior modification" was in a period of rapid expansion and Michael contributed with his teaching, writing, and public presentations. Most recently he has been concerned with the technical terminology of behavior analysis, basic theory regarding motivation, and verbal behavior. He contributed to the founding of the Association for Behavior Analysis in 1974 and served as its president in 1979. He was Western Michigan University’s Distinguished Faculty Scholar for 1989. He received the 2002 Award for Distinguished Service to Behavior Analysis from the Association for Behavior Analysis; and the 2002 Don Hake Award from Division 25 of the American Psychological Association. |
DAVID C. PALMER (Smith College) |
Dr. David C. Palmer discovered Skinner by reading Walden Two while on a caving trip to North Carolina, because he thought it must have had something to do with his hero, Thoreau. He spent the next decade on a soap box preaching about Walden Two and reading the rest of the Skinner canon. Eventually he realized that he was no Frazier, and he applied to graduate school in behavior analysis under John Donahoe. He was happy in grad school and would be there still if the University of Massachusetts hadn’t threatened to change the locks. He has spent the last 17 years as the token behaviorist at Smith College. During that time he co-authored, with Donahoe, Learning and Complex Behavior. He continues to puzzle over the interpretation of memory, problem-solving, and, particularly, verbal behavior. He once referred to himself, in a jocular vein, as a goose-stepping Skinnerian, but he found that the label fit, and he now wears it without apology. |
MARK L. SUNDBERG (Sundberg and Associates) |
Dr. Mark L. Sundberg received his doctorate degree in Applied Behavior Analysis from Western Michigan University (1980), under the direction of Dr. Jack Michael. Dr. Sundberg is a Licensed Psychologist and Board Certified Behavior Analyst who has been conducting language research with children with autism for over 30 years. He is the founder and past editor of the journal The Analysis of Verbal Behavior, and is the co-author (with James W. Partington) of the books Teaching Language to Children with Autism or Other Developmental Disabilities, The Assessment of Basic Language and Learning Skills: The ABLLS, and (with Jack Michael) A Collection of Reprints on Verbal Behavior. He has published over 40 professional papers, given over 400 conference presentations and workshops, and taught 80 college courses on behavior analysis, verbal behavior, sign language, and child development. Dr. Sundberg received the 2001 “Distinguished Psychology Department Alumnus Award” from Western Michigan University. |
JANET S. TWYMAN (Headsprout) |
Dr. Janet S. Twyman is the Vice President of Instructional Development at Headsprout, where she significantly contributed to the development of Headsprout’s Generative Learning Technology and led the effort to build that technology into a highly effective beginning reading program. Twyman developed the research methods and systems that led to Headsprout’s ground breaking scientific formative evaluation model of program development, coordinating all elements of instructional design, scripting, graphic creation, animation, sound engineering, story development and writing, software engineering, and usability testing within the research model. Twyman was formerly the Executive Director of the Fred S. Keller School, a model early childhood center, and an adjunct associate professor at Columbia University Teachers College. She is a long-time advocate and investigator of research-based instruction and systems design. While at the Keller School and Columbia University, she conducted research and taught courses focusing on effective instruction, technology and education, teacher development, and systems approaches to effective education. She has published experimental studies with a particular emphasis on the verbal behavior of children and on topics of broader conceptual interest. She is a board member of several schools and organizations and is currently a member of the Executive Council of the Association for Behavior Analysis. In addition, she oversees the association’s graduate program accreditation processes. Twyman earned her PhD from Columbia University Teachers College. She holds certification as an elementary and special education teacher and as a principal/school administrator. |
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International Symposium - The Implicit Relational Assessment Procedure (IRAP) I: A Behavior-Analytic Methodology for Assessing Implicit Beliefs and Attitudes |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
1:30 PM–2:50 PM |
International Ballroom South |
Area: EAB; Domain: Basic Research |
Chair: Ian T. Stewart (National University of Ireland, Galway) |
Abstract: Relational Frame Theory (RFT) is a modern behavioural approach to human language and cognition, the central postulate of which is that higher-cognitive functioning is composed of relational acts. A recent development in this research area is an RFT-based procedure for measuring implicit relations, termed the Implicit Relational Assessment Procedure (IRAP). Initial studies have shown that the IRAP may be used to measure relational networks or attitudes that individuals are either unaware of or may wish to conceal. The IRAP appears to offer advantages over other methods that use reaction time measures to assess attitudes (e.g. the Implicit Association Test), both in its theoretical rationale and its ability to measure many types of relationships. This symposium presents first a conceptual paper which presents the conceptual and empirical background to the development of the IRAP and then three further papers which report recent IRAP-based research including the employment of the IRAP as a tool to investigate national stereotyping (Paper 2), the analysis of the relational properties of the IRAP (Paper 3) and the ‘fakeability’ of IRAP performance (Paper 4). |
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The Implicit Relational Assessment Procedure (IRAP) I: Background and Rationale. |
DERMOT BARNES-HOLMES (National University of Ireland, Maynooth), Yvonne Barnes-Holmes (National University of Ireland, Maynooth), Ian T. Stewart (National University of Ireland, Galway) |
Abstract: Relational Frame Theory (RFT) is a modern behavioural approach to human language and cognition, the central postulate of which is that higher-cognitive functioning is composed of relational acts. A recent development in this research area is an RFT-based procedure for measuring implicit relations, termed the Implicit Relational Assessment Procedure (IRAP). Initial studies have shown that the IRAP may be used to measure relational networks or attitudes that individuals are either unaware of or may wish to conceal. The IRAP appears to offer advantages over other methods that use reaction time measures to assess attitudes (e.g. the Implicit Association Test), both in its theoretical rationale and its ability to measure many types of relationships. The current paper presents the conceptual and empirical background to the development of the IRAP. |
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The Implicit Relational Assessment Procedure (IRAP) II: Revealing Hidden National Stereotypes. |
PATRICIA M. POWER (National University of Ireland, Maynooth), Dermot Barnes-Holmes (National University of Ireland, Maynooth), Yvonne Barnes-Holmes (National University of Ireland, Maynooth), Ian T. Stewart (National University of Ireland, Galway) |
Abstract: This paper presents a series of studies that sought to determine if the IRAP can be used to assess implicit national stereotypes. In one study, Irish participants were required to respond TRUE or FALSE given a relational cue comparing different nationalities along the dimension of likeability. One task, for example, presented “Irish more likable than Scottish?” and another “Scottish more likeable than American?” If participants responded more rapidly to these tasks when asked to respond TRUE than when asked to respond FALSE, this would indicate that they implicitly believed that the Irish are more likeable than the Scottish, but the Scottish are more likeable than Americans. Results showed a divergence between performance on the IRAP and explicit likert-based measures, indicating that the IRAP can measure implicit beliefs directly and can also measure networks of interconnected beliefs. |
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The Implicit Relational Assessment Procedure (IRAP) III: How Relational is the IRAP? |
CLAIRE CULLEN (National University of Ireland, Maynooth), Dermot Barnes-Holmes (National University of Ireland, Maynooth), Yvonne Barnes-Holmes (National University of Ireland, Maynooth), Ian T. Stewart (National University of Ireland, Galway) |
Abstract: This paper presents a study that sought to determine if the IRAP effect depends upon the presence or absence of relational terms as response options. Adult participants were exposed to two different types of IRAPs. One IRAP presented the sample stimuli “Good” and “Bad” with examples of good and bad people as target stimuli, and the response options “Similar” and “Opposite.” The second IRAP was identical except the response options were “True” and “False.” In addition, the examples of good and bad people included Irish and Non-Irish individuals. The results from the study shed light on the relational nature of the IRAP and the extent to which responding is differentially sensitive to the individual target stimuli that are presented within the task. |
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The Implicit Relational Assessment Procedure (IRAP) IV: Can You Fake the IRAP? |
IAN MCKENNA (National University of Ireland, Maynooth), Dermot Barnes-Holmes (National University of Ireland, Maynooth), Yvonne Barnes-Holmes (National University of Ireland, Maynooth), Ian T. Stewart (National University of Ireland, Galway) |
Abstract: This paper presents a study that sought to determine if it is possible to fake the IRAP. Three groups of adult participants were exposed to a baseline IRAP. The IRAP presented the sample stimuli “Pleasant” and “Unpleasant” with examples of pleasant and unpleasant things as target stimuli, and the response options “Similar” and “Opposite.” Having completed the first IRAP, one group of participants received information about the IRAP and how it works; the second group received similar information but were asked to try to fake the next IRAP by thinking of pleasant things as unpleasant and unpleasant things as pleasant; the third group also received similar information, but were explicitly told how to fake the IRAP by deliberately slowing down on the easier trials. The results from the study have important implications for the reliability of the IRAP, as a measure of implicit beliefs and attitudes, and indicate the extent to which the procedure may be faked by participants. |
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International Paper Session - Spanish Track Presentation: Toma de perspectiva y teoría de la mente: Un análisis alternativo y evidencias empíricas desde un marco contextual |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
2:00 PM–2:50 PM |
Fairlie |
Area: AUT |
Chair: María Jesús Martín-García (University of Almería, Spain) |
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Spanish Track Presentation: Toma de perspectiva y teoría de la mente: Un análisis alternativo y evidencias empíricas desde un marco contextual |
Domain: Applied Research |
MARÍA JESÚS MARTÍN-GARCÍA (University of Almería, Spain), Inmaculada Gomez Becerra (University of Almería, Spain), Mapy Chavez-Brown (Wagner College), R. Douglas Greer (Columbia University Teachers College and Graduate School) |
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Abstract: En primer lugar, se presenta una novedosa línea conceptual y alternativa a la Teoría de la Mente analizando desde un punto de vista funcional y contextual la toma de perspectiva, su evaluación y su explicación. En segundo lugar, se propone conceptual y metodológicamente pruebas alternativas a los tests de falsas creencias y los comportamientos prerrequisitos para interpretar los estados mentales y emocionales propios y ajenos. Bajo este marco se presentan dos estudios llevados a cabo hasta el momento por los autores Gómez, Martín, Greer y Chávez-Brown, (2004, 2005, en revisión). |
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An Analysis of Stimulus-Stimulus Pairing Procedures for Increasing Language in Children with Autism |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
3:00 PM–4:20 PM |
Chicago A-F |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
Chair: Laura Lee McIntyre (Syracuse University) |
Discussant: Meredith S. Needelman (AMAC) |
CE Instructor: Laura Lee McIntyre, Ph.D. |
Abstract: Stimulus-stimulus pairing has been suggested as a means by which children learn language, and therefore a means by which children with lagging language skills may be taught to communicate. Studies presented will address the effectiveness of stimulus-stimulus pairing procedures with augmentative communication, manding procedures, and comparisons of stimulus-stimulus pairing with contingent reinforcement procedures. |
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Stimulus-stimulus Pairing Used with Augmentative Communication for Students with Autism. |
BOBBY NEWMAN (Room to Grow), Rocio E. Chavez (AMAC), Laura Lee McIntyre (Syracuse University), Debora Harris (ELIJA Foundation), Nicole Dibra (ELIJA Foundation) |
Abstract: Stimulus-stimulus pairing procedures have been described as a means of teaching language to children with autism. The literature has focused exclusively on spoken responses, however. In this paper, the use of stimulus-stimulus pairing will be examined with an augmentative communication system. |
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Stimulus-stimulus Pairing used to Teach Manding in Students with Autism. |
ROCIO E. CHAVEZ (AMAC), Tammy Hammond Natof (EPIC), Laura Lee McIntyre (Syracuse University), Bobby Newman (Room to Grow) |
Abstract: Stimulus-stimulus pairing procedures have been described as a means of increasing language. Several published studies, however, have focused on phonemic responses that had no meaning to a listener. The current study will examine such a procedure applied to manding in students with autism. |
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Stimulus-stimulus Pairing Versus Direct Reinforcement for Increasing Language in Students with Autism. |
LAURA LEE MCINTYRE (Syracuse University), Bobby Newman (Room to Grow), Rocio E. Chavez (AMAC) |
Abstract: Stimulus-stimulus pairing procedures have been recommended as a means of increasing language. There is no direct reinforcement of a spoken response within such procedures, however. The stimulus-stimulus pairing procedure will be compared with a direct contingent reinforcement procedure for increasing language in students with autism. |
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An Empirical Tribute to the Life and Work of Raymond C. Battalio |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
3:00 PM–4:20 PM |
Manila |
Area: EAB; Domain: Basic Research |
Chair: Leonard Green (Washington University) |
Abstract: Raymond C. Battalio, experimental economist and early contributor to the field of behavioral economics died in December of 2004. This symposium will pay tribute to Ray's memory by showcasing the diversity of experimental economic research being conducted in the field of behavioral economics. |
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Continuing Behavioral-Economic Contributions: Team vs. Individual Play in Games. |
JOHN KAGEL (Ohio State University), David Cooper (Case-Western Reserve University) |
Abstract: Ray Battalio was a pioneer in the field of experimental economics. One of the enduring legacies of experimental research is the introduction of behavioral principles into economics that had been ignored or denied within standard economic theory or were simply beyond discussion since there was no theoretical basis for addressing the issues. My talk will summarize some ongoing research on team versus individual play in games that is of relevance to both economists and behaviorists. The news for behaviorists is that we find significant synergies in team as opposed to individual play, and strong positive cross-game learning, in contrast to the usual results reported in psychology experiments. We attribute these differences to differences in structure between interactive games and the individual decision making experiments that typically underlie psychology experiments on these topics. |
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A Behavioral-Economic Model of Social Support. |
EDWIN B. FISHER, JR. (University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill) |
Abstract: Social support is critically important (social isolation being as lethal as smoking one pack of cigarettes per day), but poorly understood, to wit, "It wasn't anything he did or said but just knowing he was there." From the perspective of behavioral economics, support may be modeled as a valued commodity, the key characteristics of which are features like attractiveness and availability. As a commodity, support may substitute for harmful commodities such as nicotine or alcohol. Evidence consistent with this perspective includes increases in smoking after divorce or widowhood, when an important source of the substitute commodity is withdrawn. Similarly, relapse following the termination of supportive treatments is consistent with a model in which a substitute commodity must continue to be available in order to decrease smoking or alcohol consumption. In contrast, more-traditional models which view support as somehow strengthening the individual, conveying coping skills, or enhancing "self efficacy" have trouble explaining that benefits of support end when availability of support is terminated. The commodity view also is consistent with meta-analyses indicating that the best predictors of sustained behavior change in health-promotion programs are duration and variety of contact, not any "magic bullet" of program content. Finally, in a parent-support intervention that reduced children’s’ hospitalizations for asthma by 50%, previous contacts with the "Asthma Coach" predicted subsequent contacts, after controlling for key demographic and clinical variables. This suggests the importance of the attractiveness and availability of the Coach, that is, the Coach serving as a commodity. |
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A New Demand Law and the Essential Value of Reinforcers. |
STEVEN R. HURSH (Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine & SAIC) |
Abstract: Empirical support for an exponential demand equation with human and nonhuman subjects responding for a variety of reinforcers will be examined. Implications for quantifying and understanding reinforcer efficacy, behavioral sensivity, etc. will be discussed. |
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Behavioral Economics of Relative Reinforcer Efficacy. |
GREGORY J. MADDEN (University of Kansas), John R. Smethells (University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire), Eric E. Ewan (University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire), Steven R. Hursh (Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine & SAIC) |
Abstract: Results of two experiments will be presented. Both studies were conducted to test the predictions of two behavioral economic models of reinforcer efficacy. The first experiment examined demand for food and an economic substitute (fat), while the second examined demand for food and an economic complement (water). Results tended to support the normalized demand approach outlined by Hursh and Winger (1995). |
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International Symposium - Applications of Acceptance & Commitment Therapy with Children and Adolescents |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
3:00 PM–4:20 PM |
Kennesaw |
Area: CBM; Domain: Service Delivery |
Chair: John Tanner Blackledge (University of Wollongong) |
Discussant: Laurie A. Greco (Vanderbilt Children's Hospital) |
Abstract: Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) has been successfully applied to a variety of adult populations, but empirical outcome research applying ACT to child and adolescent populations has just begun. This symposium will highlight the results of three separate international 'ACT with Kids' projects just recently completed. |
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Acceptance & Commitment Training with a Normal Sample of Eighth Grade Students. |
JOHN TANNER BLACKLEDGE (University of Wollongong), Joseph Ciarocchi (University of Wollongong), Linda Billich (University of Wollongong) |
Abstract: This presentation will detail the pre-post results of a five session ACT Training intervention with a sample of normal eighth grade students. To allow a more intensive focus, this intervention specifically targets social values (i.e., family, friendship, and couples relationships), though does not discourage applications of ACT-based strategies to other typical ACT values domains. Pre-post scores from the intervention group on a number of outcome measures focused general psychological functioning, and ACT-specific process and adherence measures, are compared to pre-post scores from a wait-list control group. |
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ACT for Adolescents with Chronic Health Conditions: Feasibility and Pilot Data from an Uncontrolled Clinical Trial. |
SARAH DEW (Vanderbilt University), Laurie A. Greco (Vanderbilt Children's Hospital), Kerstin Bloomquist (Vanderbilt University), Jocelyn Smith Carter (Vanderbilt University), Shelly Ball (Vanderbilt University), Lynette Dufton (Vanderbilt University), Sarah E. Williams (Vanderbilt University) |
Abstract: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT; Hayes, Strosahl, & Wilson, 1999) is an innovative and empirically grounded behavioral intervention that is ideal for treating patients with chronic health issues, such as chronic or recurring pain. Consistent with contemporary models of pain (e.g., McCracken & Eccleston, 2003), ACT conceptualizes low levels of psychological acceptance as a key contributor to symptom maintenance, associated disability, and unnecessary personal suffering. The purpose of our paper is to describe the ACT for Teens Program and to present initial findings on our ACT protocol developed specifically for adolescents with functional abdominal pain, a chronic and often disabling condition that cannot be treated effectively with medical interventions alone. We will present preliminary data on the feasibility and impact of the ACT for Teens Program and discuss directions for future clinical research. Many cognitive-behavioral interventions for youth continue to adopt eliminative agendas that focus narrowly on symptom reduction, with little or no emphasis on constructing flexible and functional repertoires that are consistent with personally chosen values and life goals. Our work attempts to fill important empirical and clinical gaps in the literature that are relevant to both third-wave behavior therapies and child and adolescent health psychology. |
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Improving Chess-players Performance with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). |
FRANCISCO JOSE RUIZ-JIMENEZ (University of Almería, Spain), Carmen Luciano Soriano (University of Almería, Spain) |
Abstract: Chess-players performance is decreased for some psychological barriers. Some of these barriers are functionally equivalents and comprehensible from the experiential avoidance perspective (Luciano & Hayes). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (Hayes et al., 1999; Wilson & Luciano, 2002) is an intervention focused in the rupture of this functional class which limits clinical subject’s life and which could be involved in the low sport performance (Gardner & Moore, 2004). This paper presents data of an ACT intervention of four hours with young chess-players (age: 14-20). During this collective intervention the barriers they evaluated like the most important for them were treated. Results of the last four years of these subjects were collected and they constitute a broad baseline for everyone. The preliminaries results shows an improvement of the group in an experimental task (play chess with a computer) and they also improved their results in international tournaments. We also present another study with six young chess-players (age: 22-24). In this case the intervention was individual and the preliminary results shows significantly improve of their performance in four of them. The results shows positive data of the extension of ACT for the improvement of sport and intellectual performance. |
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Battling Procrastination: Self-Managing Studying and Writing for Competency Exams and Dissertation Defenses |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
3:00 PM–4:20 PM |
University |
Area: EDC; Domain: Applied Research |
Chair: Summer Ferreri (Michigan State University) |
Discussant: William L. Heward (The Ohio State University) |
Abstract: Five recent graduates from The Ohio State University’s Special Education and Applied Behavior Analysis doctoral program are self-described as last minute "chunkwriters". With the looming prospect of two consecutive summers of studying and writing for competency exams and dissertations, the graduates developed self-management plans to increase the likelihood of timely, consistent, and quality scholarly behavior. The presenters will share graphs of studying and/or writing behaviors, details of the individualized self-management plans, and a “top ten list” for successful competency exam and dissertation preparation. The symposium participants will encourage self-management as a strategy for others facing similar high stakes scholarly activities. |
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Losing the Criteria Battle but Winning the Graphing War. |
SUMMER FERRERI (Michigan State University), Terri Hessler (The Ohio State University, Newark) |
Abstract: Two doctoral students developed and implemented self-management plans to increase time-management skills and quality writing behaviors related to competency exam preparation. The students continued the self-management programs during the preparation of the dissertation manuscript and defense. The primary components of the plans were self-regulated reinforcement contingencies and graphing of studying and writing behaviors. Although both students neglected to regularly reach self-imposed criteria, they developed knowledge about effective self-management components, and ultimately were successful in earning their doctorates. |
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Balancing Scholarly Commitments and Still Taking That Much Needed Vacation! |
NATALIE ALLEN-WILLIAMS (Weber State University), Michele M. Nobel (Antioch University, McGregor) |
Abstract: Two doctoral students shared reinforcers and kept each other honest while delivering self-regulated consequences. Shared reinforcers consisted of social interactions including earned workout time, meeting for lunch, and taking a vacation to Utah. Presenters will share their contingency plans, graphs of their scholarly behaviors, and discuss advantages of sharing reinforcers and providing support for self-regulated consequences. This particular self-management program helped shape behaviors that lead to successful competency exams, dissertations defenses, and ultimately graduation. |
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What I Did Last Summer: Self-Management Plans for Writing Candidacy and Dissertation Manuscripts. |
MARY D. SALMON (The Ohio State University) |
Abstract: One doctoral student set a time-based contingency to work on two comprehensive take-home papers in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a candidacy exam. Similar contingencies were employed for dissertation preparation. The dependent measures included the number of hours worked per day and a cumulative graph of the number of words written. Additionally, the student set a deadline for completion of each paper. The self-management plans were very successful as the student met predetermined deadlines. Information regarding specific reinforcers and contingencies employed as well as graphs will be shared. |
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Behavior Analysis: A Worldly View |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
3:00 PM–4:20 PM |
Lenox |
Area: CSE |
Chair: Kurt Salzinger (Hofstra University) |
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Social Discrimination, Behavioral Processes and Social Policy |
Domain: Theory |
ROBIN RUMPH (Stephen F. Austin State University), Chris Ninness (Stephen F. Austin State University), Glen L. McCuller (Stephen F. Austin State University), James Holland (Stephen F. Austin State University) |
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Abstract: Social discrimination is a frequent target for improvement of those who seek a fairer society. Racial, ethnic, gender, religious, disability status based and other forms of social discrimination have been the target of legislated social policy. and special interest group activity for many years. This paper attempts to define social discrimination in a logically positivistic manner in order to better analyze the behavioral processes involved and to predict the effects of social policies aimed at decreasing instances of social discrimination. |
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School Uniforms in Taiwan: A Behavioral Influence Outside of the Classroom |
Domain: Applied Research |
LI-CHING HUNG (Mississippi State University), Cary S. Smith (Mississippi State University) |
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Abstract: For many years, students in Taiwan (primary, secondary, and college) wore school uniforms on a daily basis, an age-old practice used throughout Asian culture. As the 21st century unfolds, however, this custom is slowly being extinguished and replaced with American modes of dress and behavior. One possible result arising from this Western inundation is the increase in juvenile delinquency. Instead of teenagers wearing their uniform to school and to Bushi-Bons (private schools that teach myriad subjects, i.e., math, English, music, etc.), they are dressing in faded blue jeans and t-shirts; that is, if they attended school. Many teens are skipping class and becoming adept in with many skipping school to visit arcades to play pool or gamble with slot machines. Many Taiwanese legislators feel this is a sign of impending doom for their millennia old culture, and are demanding that something be done. The government has toyed with the idea of mandating that all students attending public schools must wear their uniform or receive severe corporal punishment. Statistics given by the Taiwanese Ministry of Education were used in order to run a Pearson Correlation; the results were fascinating. Today, we will discuss our findings and its significance for Taiwan’s future. |
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Behavior Analysis and the U.S. Peace Corps |
Domain: Theory |
ERICK M. DUBUQUE (University of Nevada, Reno), Ramona Houmanfar (University of Nevada, Reno) |
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Abstract: This presentation will provide an overview of how behavior analysts might contribute to our understanding of social and cultural characteristics of other socio-cultural groups, and how we might manage our efforts to renew communities, economies, businesses, and relations in other nations through our involvement with aid organizations such as U.S. Peace Corps. In that regard, our discussion will focus on U.S. Peace Corps as an organizational entity that may offer behavior analysts the opportunities to bring the field to a variety of underrepresented international countries as well as apply the trade to a variety of social issues in areas that have trouble meeting basic needs. More specifically, we will address potential issues that can arise for Peace Corps volunteers and also how basic behavioral principles can be employed to address those issues. Our discussion will center around analyzing and setting up organizational systems that could potentially work to address social issues on the village level. |
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Behavior-Analytic Description of Political Behavior. |
Domain: Theory |
KURT SALZINGER (Hofstra University) |
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Abstract: General psychological and even behavioral descriptions of a sort by non-behavior analysts are not uncommon in the political science literature. Although many of them are interesting and suggestive, their insufficiencies argue that better informed behavior-analytic descriptions might help to improve the understanding of political behavior. This state of affairs tempts one to provide solutions to our political problems. In order to be able to suggest behavior-analytic solutions for political problems, however, it is incumbent on us to identify the putative variables at play in those political behavior situations. This paper will begin that process of analyzing political interactions by examining political behavior ranging from recorded presidential one-on-one conversations and cabinet meetings, to presidential press conferences and other conferences including various government officials with nongovernmental individuals, presidential addresses and presidential debates to international policy decisions and their effects. |
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Behavioral Developmental Approaches to Interventions with People and Organizations |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
3:00 PM–4:20 PM |
Singapore |
Area: DEV; Domain: Applied Research |
Chair: Patrice Marie Miller (Salem State College) |
CE Instructor: Patrice Marie Miller, Ed.D. |
Abstract: We examine how the Model of Hierarchical Complexity, a behavioral-developmental model of stage-like development, improves interventions with people and organizations. Behavior analytic techniques are helpful in bringing about the acquisition of single behaviors in a sequence. But almost all ABA approaches are limited to the acquisition of 2 or 3 behaviors in a sequence. Each sequence has to be discovered on its own. Here, we address some issues which people and organizations find difficult. We examine how elemental behaviors are formed into complex behaviors, and those in turn are formed into even more complex behaviors. The more complex behaviors are more than chains; they are defined in terms of the elemental behaviors and organize them. This model identifies what new behaviors must be more hierarchically complex, specifying the sequence of actions that would be most helpful. It also helps identify what current behaviors can be combined to form a more complex combination and what the entire sequence of increasingly more complex behaviors should be. With a universal notion of how complex behaviors are formed, many problematic issues stand a better chance of being successfully solved. Using this model, we address interventions with interpersonal and social relationships, teachers, and organizations. |
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Organizing Components into Combinations: How Transition Works. |
MICHAEL LAMPORT COMMONS (Harvard Medical School) |
Abstract: To plan how to intervene in problems that people and organizations may have, it is important to understand both the new behavior to be acquired and the means by which the intervention is to proceed. The Model of Hierarchical Complexity, a non-mentalistic model of development, suggests that more complex behavior results from non-arbitrarily combining two or more less complex behaviors. The resulting combinations are not arbitrary chains, but instead, new, more powerful behaviors that can be shown to more effectively address the problems at hand. Using this model as a generator, sequences of tasks can be constructed. These sequences, as will be illustrated in this symposium, allow specification of both prerequisite behaviors, and the behavioral goals of interventions. Performance of a task at a particular order of complexity is said to be at a particular stage. Transition from one stage to the next is posited to consist of alternations in previous-stage behavior. As transition proceeds, the alternations increase in rate until the previous stage behaviors are “smashed” together. Once the smashed-together pieces became co-ordinated, new-combination behavior can be said to have formed. This view of transition is used to make suggestions for interventions in the papers that follow. |
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Teaching Stages and Interventions to Change Teacher Stage. |
PATRICE MARIE MILLER (Salem State University) |
Abstract: We present a sequence of minimal behavioral developmental stages at which teaching takes place. The stages range from the Primary Stage, exhibited by many Teacher’s Aids, who are closely supervised, to the Concrete stage for the early grades of Elementary School in which teachers carry out an established curriculum, to Formal Operations for High School teachers, and Systematic stage for four-year college instructors. Metasystematic performance is required to design an entire educational enterprise such as computer aided instruction that works really well. Serious problems occur with concrete and abstract stage performance. Formal stage performance is needed to have the skills to provide empirically based solutions to individual student problems. But with extensive training and support, people who normally function at the abstract stage may also solve such problems. Performing at a higher stages may increase the teacher’s effectiveness but may lead individuals to leave teaching at that level for better opportunities. Following the overall model of how to bring about transition, when individual’s current strategies of doing things fail, sets the conditions for them try different behaviors. If new behaviors modeled and reinforced stage change may take place. |
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Deficits in “Attachment Stages” in Adults and Suggested Interventions for Each Stage. |
SUSANNE T. LEE (Dare Institute) |
Abstract: The Model of Hierarchical Complexity has generated descriptions of predictable sequential behavioral changes in close relationships with others. Here, we argue that behaviors characteristic of each stage determine what kinds of interventions to carry out. For example, the Preoperational stage is characteristic of young children do not differentiate between individual’s their fantasies and reality, and tend to provide magical explanations for occurrences. This stage is usually seen only in highly disordered adults, such the most dangerous prisoners. Suggested interventions focus on providing supervision and support to understand others’ perspectives and to differentiate fantasy from reality. At the formal stage -- the adult modal stage -- individuals generate simple one-cause models for explaining behavior of themselves and others. As a result, formal operational explanations of relationships often include blaming the other or oneself for relationship problems. Because of the greater tendency of individuals at this stage to reflect upon their own behavior, the strategy is to expose them to situations in seeing how each person’s behavior contributes to the success and failures. This may occur during impasses when focusing on the bidirectional interaction begins to improve both individuals’ behavior. |
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Bringing About Changes in Workplace Behavior. |
MICHAEL LAMPORT COMMONS (Harvard Medical School) |
Abstract: stage organizations are characterized by bureaucracy, and one-dimensional logically-understood regulations. Systematic stage organizations look to the purpose of regulations, balance multiple relationships to achieve goals. We propose that the hierarchical complexity of the contingencies that constitute a particular workplace atmosphere affects how the individuals within it behave. Individual’s stage of performance is described by the hierarchical complexity of the task demands and contingencies that they discriminate and prefer. Most organizations have short lives because below the Metasystematic stage, conformity is valued over creativity. Organizations that show unchanging allegiance to their founders and their principles do not flourish in the long run. Organizations that are democratic are also less creative, especially those relying on a popularity vote. At the metasystematic stage, the contingencies tend to be based upon absolute creative achievement alone, not popularity. Research universities and start-ups are the exceptional organizations and many tend to be organized using metasystematic principles. Some companies are also experimenting in being “learning” organizations by reorganizing along the lines of research universities. |
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Behavioral Economic Applications in Individuals with Developmental Disabilities |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
3:00 PM–4:20 PM |
Centennial Ballroom IV |
Area: DDA; Domain: Applied Research |
Chair: Iser Guillermo DeLeon (Johns Hopkins University) |
Discussant: Steven R. Hursh (Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine & SAIC) |
CE Instructor: Iser Guillermo DeLeon, Ph.D. |
Abstract: In behavioral economics, reinforcement contingencies are viewed as transactions in which work (responding/behavior) is exchanged for a commodity (a reinforcer or stimulus). Overall consumption of a commodity is determined as a function of its price (work or response requirements), often in relation to the availability and price of concurrently available commodities that vary with respect to the degree to which they substitute for the first. Investigators have recently begun to explore behavioral economic relations in the response allocation of individuals with developmental disabilities, most notably with the aim of interpreting responding under various experimental constraints related to enhancing habilitative efforts. The present symposium will further discuss ongoing research in translating behavioral economic theory into practical application for individuals with developmental disabilities. Collectively, the presentations will examine (a) the relation between relative stimulus preference and demand and response output functions; (b) consumption of various reinforcers examined through demand and work functions derived from progressive-ratio schedules; (c) and the influence of unit price on response output in the context of treating problem behavior. |
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Demand and Response Output Functions for High and Low Preference Stimuli. |
WILLIAM H. AHEARN (New England Center for Children), Kathleen M. Clark (New England Center for Children), Kacie Burregi (New England Center for Children), William V. Dube (University of Massachusetts Medical School, E.K. Shriver Center) |
Abstract: Behavioral economics views behavior as a transaction between the supply of a functional consequence and the demand for it whereby the amount of reinforcer accessed is analyzed with respect to the responding that was emitted for that access. Demand and response output functions are generated by exposing behavior to varying contingencies for access to a specific reinforcer. This presentation will describe the demand and response output functions obtained for commodities identified as either high or low preference during paired stimulus preference assessment. A discussion of the preference assessment procedures will follow presentation of the results of the study. Steady state responding was obtained with several variable ratio schedules (from VR6 up to a maximum of VR45) for access to both high and low preference commodities. A progressive ratio (PR) exposure to the same schedule values was conducted after the maximum VR schedule was completed for each item. Demand and response output functions are presented for each of these analyses. Generally, demand and response output functions were systematic with responding for the high preference item occurring at higher levels relative to the lower preference item. Results were not always systematic for the PR exposures to the same schedule values. |
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The Utility of Progressive Ratio Schedules to Determine Reinforcer Value: An Economic Analysis. |
HENRY S. ROANE (Marcus Autism Center and Emory University School of Medicine), Ashley C. Glover (Marcus Autism Center), Michael E. Kelley (Marcus Autism Center and Emory University), Robert-Ryan S. Pabico (Marcus Autism Center), Joanna Lomas (Marcus Autism Center) |
Abstract: Progressive ratio (PR) schedules allow for the examination of responding under multiple schedule values that increase throughout the course of a single experimental observation. As such, PR schedules provide a method for briefly determining the relative value of a reinforcer. Despite this utility, relatively few studies have examined the usefulness of PR schedules in applied setting. In this presentation, sample data will be presented in which PR schedules were used to evaluate the relative value of reinforcers for individuals with developmental disabilities. Specifically, data will be presented in which PR schedules were used to evaluate the efficacy of different reinforcers when (a) the reinforcers were presented in a single- or concurrent-operant arrangement, and (b) different magnitudes of similar reinforcers are presented under PR schedules. Responding for and consumption of various reinforcers will be presented by examining demand and work functions. Results will be discussed in terms of procedural differences that might affect responding for reinforcers under PR schedules. |
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Applying the Concept of Unit Price to Severe Problem Behavior: A Descriptive Analysis. |
JOHN C. BORRERO (University of the Pacific), Monica T. Francisco (University of the Pacific), Alayna T. Haberlin (University of the Pacific), Noel A. Ross (University of the Pacific), Sandeep K. Sran (University of the Pacific), Jamie Bartels (University of the Pacific) |
Abstract: We evaluated behavior exhibited by several individuals with developmental disabilities using the behavioral economic conceptualization of unit price. Descriptive observations were conducted during interactions between the participants and their primary care providers in a clinical laboratory environment, the participants’ home or school. Data were recorded on potential reinforcers and problem behavior. After identifying reinforcers for each participant’s problem behavior by way of functional analysis, the descriptive data were analyzed retrospectively, using the concept of unit price. Results showed that in some, but not all cases, overall response output decreased, when unit price increased. The results represent an extension of the concept of unit price to severe problem behavior under naturally occurring environmental conditions. |
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Cambridge Center Symposium: The Accreditation of Behavioral Applications: Promoting Evidence-Based Practices |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
3:00 PM–4:20 PM |
Centennial Ballroom I |
Area: OBM; Domain: Applied Research |
Chair: Dwight Harshbarger (Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies) |
Discussant: Dwight Harshbarger (Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies) |
CE Instructor: Dwight Harshbarger, Ph.D. |
Abstract: Behavior analysis is engaged in a competition to determine whether services aimed at making positive changes in behavior and in the impact or results of behavior will be based on demonstrably effective methods or left to tradition, professional custom, and union or guild protection. If the arbiters of success are uninformed client choices, testimonials, and unsubstantiated claims, that competition may not be winnable. If client choices can be based on evidence of effectiveness, services grounded in applied behavior analysis have a higher probability of being chosen. In addition, evidence-based decisions may provide a method to help us sort more effective from less effective behavior-analytic methods. The Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies has recent initiatives that award accreditation to behavioral programs of service based on evidence of effectiveness. Accreditation of principles of behavior-based safety programs has now been awarded to multiple organizations. Standards and methods for accrediting applied behavior analytic clinical services have been developed and the launch of this initiative is underway. The presenters in this symposium will discuss evidence-based accreditation, including alternatives in standards and methods. Initial problems and successes with accreditation efforts will be presented and analyzed. |
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Standards for Accreditation. |
HENRY S. PENNYPACKER (University of Florida) |
Abstract: The public relies on a variety of accreditation or certification sources for information to inform their purchasing decisions. Such organizations as Good Housekeeping, Consumer Reports, and Underwriters Laboratory have earned the trust of the public over a long period by producing data that are both understandable and reliable. The Cambridge Center would like to join this select group by accrediting programs that engender desirable behavior change in identifiable populations of consumers. To succeed in this endeavor, the Center must adopt a set of standards against which candidate programs may be evaluated. I have suggested elsewhere that the standards used by the Food and Drug Administration, safe and effective, serve as temporary placeholders until more suitable ones can be crafted. We may have problems in reaching agreement on how to evaluate effectiveness. I will argue that we should adhere firmly to our traditions of direct, objective behavioral measurement and eschew such devices as testimonials, consumer satisfaction surveys, and the like. I will illustrate this strategy with a short discussion of how we have developed criteria for certifying clinical breast examiners that rely on accepted concepts of sensitivity and specificity. |
Dr. Henry Pennypacker, Jr. has been a guiding force in Behavior Analysis since the 1960s. His seminal book "Strategies and Tactics in Behavioral Research" with Johnston has been used as an essential textbook and reference by many in the field. His most recent book with Gutierrez and Lindley titled "Handbook of the standard celeration chart" was recently published by the Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies. His six books along with 21 book chapters and over 60 scholarly publications has established Dr. Pennypacker as one of ABA's most prolific authors. He was president of ABA from 1986-1987. Since the 1970's Dr. Pennypacker devoted his considerable talents toward applying ABA to the early detection of breast cancer. His work in this area has earned him patents in the US, Germany, Britain, and Canada as well as a grant from the National Cancer Institute. He is currently a Professor Emeritus at the University of Florida, President of Precision Teaching of Florida, Inc., and CEO of Mammatech Corporation. |
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Accrediting Principles of Behavior-Based Safety Programs. |
BILL L. HOPKINS (Auburn University, Emeritus) |
Abstract: CCBS began accrediting safety initiatives built on the principles of behavior in 2004 to recognize and publicize exemplary programs. The need for this accreditation will be argued. The primary standard for accreditation of a safety program is evidence of effectiveness. Accreditation also requires strong arguments that the chosen safety data are important to conditions at the site, evidence that the safety data are accurate, methods that are based on the principles of behavior, and a written description of the program that is sufficiently detailed to allow for replications. Reasons for advancing the nomenclature “principles-of-behavior-based” rather than “behavior-based” or “applied-behavior-analysis-based” will be explained. The accreditation methods will be presented and explained. To date four programs have been accredited. Common and unique characteristics that go beyond the standard behavior-based safety program and primary data of accredited programs will be presented. Arguments will be advanced that applied behavior analysis can succeed as a widely used source of services only if it promotes evidence of effectiveness as the primary means of deciding program value. |
Dr. Bill L. Hopkins is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Psychology of Auburn University. He has done applied behavior analytic research with developmentally disabled children, with chronically mentally ill adults, with normal school children, and, since nineteen-seventy, with adults in work organizations . He has published many research and technical papers as well as papers on research methodology and four edited books about behavioral applications to education. Hopkins has served on the editorial boards of JABA, JOBM, and TBA. He has also sat as a member of study sections for several government agencies reviewing proposals for research and training and chaired the study section of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. He was the Director of the John T. Stewart Children’s Center at the University of Kansas and Head of the Department of Psychology at Auburn University. He chaired the ABA committee that drafted standards and guidelines for the certification of graduate programs of instruction in behavior analysis. He chaired the Cambridge Center committee that drafted standards and guidelines for the accreditation of principles-of-behavior-based safety programs and has chaired the review and site-visit teams for all of the successfully accredited programs. |
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Accreditation of Organizations Providing Applied Behavior Analysis Services. |
MICHAEL WEINBERG (Southbury Training School) |
Abstract: The purpose of the CCBS Behavior Analysis clinical services accreditation is to establish a set of standards for programs and services that utilize Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) as a core or essential treatment approach. The standards and accreditation process are intended to provide a higher quality of service, and assurances to consumers of the services, and the public, that sound intervention methods are being used. Given the many significant developments in the field over the past two decades, and the questionable methods used in the name of applied behavior analysis, there has been confusion among the public and purchasers of these services. These events have also led to varying degrees of harm to service recipients which will be briefly reviewed. These concerns were among the reasons for creating a certification process (BACB). The BACB devised a means of identifying those using sound practices in the field, and has also promoted the notion that ABA is also a treatment approach. We believe that the time has arrived for the accreditation organizations that provide ABA services. The reasons and implications for the field and society will be further discussed during the presentation. |
Dr. Michael Weinberg is the director of psychological services at Southbury Training School in Connecticut, and is the owner and CEO of Orlando Behavior Health in Florida. He received his Ph.D. in 1985 in the experimental analysis of behavior program at Temple University in Philadelphia, and was previously at the E.K. Shriver Center and Northeastern University where he received his B.A. in psychology in 1977, with an emphasis in Applied Behavior Analysis. Dr. Weinberg is a licensed psychologist in three states, and is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst with 30 years of experience in the field, providing treatment to children and adults with developmental disabilities, autism, and various behavioral and learning disorders. Dr. Weinberg has been on the part-time faculty of Temple University, Psychology Department, and also adjunct at Rutgers University, where he taught courses in basic principles of behavior. Since becoming a charter certificant with the BACB, he has been teaching pre-approved courses for certification in Florida for the past five years, and is ACE coordinator for his company which is a BACB approved Type 2 CE provider. Dr. Weinberg is also the editor of the Behavior Analyst Today, an online journal which publishes articles in the philosophical, experimental and applied aspects of behavior analysis. Dr. Weinberg has also published articles and book chapters in behavior analysis, has developed a behavioral approach to treating reactive attachment disorder, and conducts workshops and seminars on OBM. He has been collaborating with the Cambridge Center since early 2005 to develop accreditation standards and review processes for programs and agencies providing ABA services. Dr. Weinberg is also a Trustee of the Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies. |
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International Paper Session - Choice III |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
3:00 PM–4:20 PM |
Hong Kong |
Area: EAB |
Chair: Brent L. Alsop (University of Otago, New Zealand) |
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Fix and Sample with Rats |
Domain: Basic Research |
CARLOS F. APARICIO (University of Guadalajara), William M. Baum (University of California, Davis) |
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Abstract: The generality of the fix and sample pattern of behavior discovered with pigeons, was extended to the study of choice with rats. Rats’ presses on two levers produced food according to concurrent variable-interval variable-interval schedules. Seven different reinforcer ratios were arranged within each session, without cues identifying them, and separated by blackouts. To alternate between levers, rats pressed on a third changeover lever. Choice changed rapidly with changes in component reinforcer ratio, and more responses were emitted in the lever with the higher reinforcer rate. With continuing reinforcers, choice shifted progressively in the direction of the reinforced lever, but shifted more slowly with each new reinforcer. Sensitivity to reinforcer ratio, as estimated by the generalized matching law, reached 1.0 and was higher than that documented in previous studies with pigeons. Visits to the more-reinforced lever preceded by a reinforcer from that lever increased in duration, while all visits to the less-reinforced lever decreased in duration. Thus, the rats’ performances moved faster toward fix and sample than did pigeons’ performances in previous studies. Analysis of the effects of sequences of reinforcer sources indicated that sequences of five to seven reinforcers might have sufficed for studying local effects of reinforcers with rats. This study supports the idea that reinforcer sequences control choice between reinforcers, pulses in preference, and visits following reinforcers. |
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Describing Choice Among Three Alternatives |
Domain: Basic Research |
JAMES S. MACDONALL (Fordham University) |
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Abstract: Concurrent choice among two alternatives remains a focus of research in several laboratories. However, complex human behavior frequently presents choice among three or more alternatives. While some previous investigations used three alternatives these results were analyzed according to the proportional matching law; these data are not available. Because it is not intuitively clear how to extend the generalized (ratio) matching law to the three-alternative case the generality of the generalized matching law remains unclear. Schneider and Davison (2005) showed that a variation of an equation suggested by Natapoff (1970), which reduces to the generalized matching law when using two alternatives, described the results of a four-alternative choice procedure. Because the choices were among different response sequences (LL, LR, RR, RL) it is not clear this equation applies to the typical choice among spatially different responses. The present experiment exposed rats to choice among three levers and varied the rates of reinforcement associated with each lever. The modified Natapoff equation provided adequate descriptions of response and time allocations. As is frequently reported with two-alternative choice, the descriptions were better for time allocation, and undermatching was consistently found. Not surprisingly, there was a consistent bias for the middle of the three levers. |
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Delayed Matching-to-Sample: Conjoint Reinforcer Control by Key Location and Color |
Domain: Basic Research |
BRENT L. ALSOP (University of Otago, New Zealand), Brent Maxwell Jones (University of Auckland, New Zealand) |
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Abstract: Pigeons were trained in a delayed matching-to-sample procedure. Unequal frequencies of reinforcement were arranged for correct responses, but both the color and the location of reinforced correct responses were constrained. Both dimensions of the choice keys controlled performance. Modelling these effects and their implications for understanding reinforcer control in standard delayed matching-to-sample procedures will be discussed. |
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Comparing Methods to Improve the Tact Repertoire in Children with Autism |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
3:00 PM–4:20 PM |
Centennial Ballroom III |
Area: AUT; Domain: Service Delivery |
Chair: Kelle Wood Rich (Central Texas Autism Center, Inc.) |
Discussant: Kelle Wood Rich (Central Texas Autism Center, Inc.) |
CE Instructor: Kelle Wood Rich, M.Ed. |
Abstract: These studies compared relative effectiveness of procedures to improve the tact repertoire in children with autism. The first study compared the Effects of Mimetic-Tact versus Intraverbal-Tact training on the Acquisition of Sign Tacts in a Child with Autism. Similar to results obtained by Partington, Sundberg, Newhouse, & Spengler (1994), the subject acquired 14 tacts via intraverbal-tact transfer while acquiring 2 via mimetic-tact transfer demonstrating the superiority of intraverbal-tact transfer. The second study, a Comparison of Two Procedures for Teaching the Tact Repertoire in Children with Autism compared the relative effectiveness of repeated set prompting versus errorless teaching of individual items on rate of acquisition of tacts. Results revealed superior improvement in rate of acquisition in the repeated set prompting group and improved retention and application. The last study, the Effect of Tutor Modeled Successive Approximations Versus Tutor Modeled Adult Forms to Improve Topography of Tacts, extended the findings of Kasper and Godwin, 2003 and Carbone, 2005 from the echoic repertoire to the tact repertoire. Tutor-modeled successive approximations were used to improve topography of the vocal tact in a child with poor articulation. Use of tutor-modeled approximations resulted in improved articulation of tacts compared to other methods. |
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Effects of Mimetic-Tact versus Intraverbal-Tact training on the Acquisition of Tacts in a Child with Autism. |
TAMARA S. KASPER (CCC-SLP/BCABA), Jennifer R. Godwin (Early Autism Project, Inc.) |
Abstract: Development of verbal repertoires in children with autism and limited vocal repertoires is the focus of many intensive behavior programs. For children who are non-verbal, manual sign language has been encouraged as an effective response form (Carr, 1979; Fulwiler & Fouts, 1976, Brady & Smouse, 1992; Layton, 1988). Many have examined procedures to facilitate the tacting repertoire. Carroll & Hesse (1987) and Arntzen & Almas (2002) examined the effects of mand-tact and tact-only training procedures on the acquisition of tact performance and demonstrated that fewer trials were needed to learn tacts in the mand-tact condition. Partington, Sundberg, Newhouse, & Spengler (1994) used procedures to transfer stimulus control from verbal to nonverbal stimuli in a subject who has an established mand repertoire and the subject was able to quickly acquire a total of 18 tacts. The current study extends these findings. The subject acquired 14 tacts via intraverbal-tact transfer while acquiring 2 via mimetic-tact transfer demonstrating the superiority of intraverbal-tact transfer compared to mimetic-tact transfer or no training for a child with autism who possessed an imitative repertoire but experienced difficult acquiring tacts. |
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Comparison of Two Procedures for Teaching the Tact Repertoire in Children with Autism. |
ANGIE B. KEITH (Early Autism Project, Inc.) |
Abstract: This study compared the relative effectiveness of repeated set prompting versus errorless teaching of individual items on rate of acquisition of tacts in children who demonstrated slow acquisition rates of tacts. Repeated set prompting involved echoic prompting for each member of a target set of tacts with systematic probes and mastery criteria for the entire set. The Individual item condition consisted of training individual tacts via errorless teaching with systematic structure fade and time delay fading (Touchette and Howard, 1984) with mastery criteria for individual tacts. Comparison of results of the two independent variables to a no treatment group revealed gains with both methodologies, but superior improvement in rate of acquisition in the repeated set prompting group. In addition, improved retention and application were demonstrated for items acquired via repeated set prompting which may be related to three learning outcomes associated with automatic, or fluent behavior: retention, endurance, and application (Binder, 1993, 1996). |
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Effect of Tutor Modeled Successive Approximations versus Tutor Modeled Adult Forms to Improve Topography of Tacts. |
ANN D. ELDRIDGE (Early Autism Project, Inc.) |
Abstract: Improving speech intelligibility is often an important component of home treatment programs for children with autism. Kasper and Godwin (2003) explored the effectiveness of use of tutor-modeled successive approximations to target words (based on the work of Nancy Kaufman 1998, 2001) to improve speech intelligibility in a child with autism. Results revealed significant improvement in intelligibility across the verbal operants and response class generalization to non-target words in one child with autism and apraxia of speech. Carbone (2005) compared the relative effectiveness of tutor-modeled approximations to tutor-modeled adult forms and demonstrated superiority of the approximations (Kaufman, 1998, 2001) in terms of rate of acquisition and articulatory precision for three children with autism. The current study extends these finding to the tact repertoire in which tutor-modeled successive approximations were used to improve topography of the vocal tact in a child with adequate stimulus control for tacting, but poor topography. Results were compared to tutor modeled adult forms and no treatment conditions. Use of tutor-modeled approximations resulted in improved articulation of tacts for the subject studied compared to other methods. |
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International Symposium - Contemporary Issues in Stimulus equivalence: nodal distance, phonological interference and non arbitrary response options |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
3:00 PM–4:20 PM |
Vinings |
Area: VBC; Domain: Basic Research |
Chair: Louise A. Mchugh (University of Wales, Swansea) |
Abstract: A comprehensive understanding of equivalence relations is critical to a learnt account of language. In accord with this there is a wealth of empirical work being conducted in the analysis of equivalence relations. The papers in this symposium are a representation of some of the work in this area. The first two papers address a topical issue in the equivalence literature, that is, whether the variables responsible for nodal distance effects in equivalence classes are due to nodal distance itself (i.e. a structural network of connections) which causes differing degrees of relatedness among stimuli or whether it is due to the fact that stimuli receive differing degrees of reinforcement (i.e. a common history of reinforcement). Findings support the latter hypothesis. The third paper compares orthographic and phonological interference during stimulus equivalence with both normal and dyslexic participants. Results indicate that, for the dyslexic participants, the provision of incorrect comparisons that were orthographically and phonologically similar to samples during equivalence testing interfered with responding in accordance with equivalence relations. Finally, the last paper in the series investigates the issue of competing non-arbitrary relational response options during equivalence testing interfering with the emergence of equivalence. |
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Examination of Nodal-Distance Effects in Equivalence Class Formation. |
ROBERT WHELAN (University College, Dublin), Louise A. Mchugh (University of Wales, Swansea), Carla Thomas (University of Wales, Swansea), Ting Wang (University of Wales, Swansea) |
Abstract: Eight undergraduates were trained on a series of conditional discrimination tasks with type of training, paced (serial) or massed (concurrent) as a between-subject variable. Four participants in each condition were trained and tested on two six-member equivalence classes. Emergent relations were categorized according to nodal distance (i.e. the number of stimuli across which transitivity would have to hold in order for the relation to emerge). In the paced condition, class appropriate responding was an inverse function of nodal distance. Interestingly, in the massed condition no effects of nodal distance emerged. The participants were then trained to “build” a different number of bricks (each spacebar press produced a brick on the screen) in the presence of the two C and D stimuli, respectively. In the response transfer test for the paced condition, nodal distance effects emerged relative to the responses trained to the C and D stimuli. However, for the massed condition, the A, B and E stimuli evoked responses similar responses trained to the C and D stimuli in the same class. The current findings counteract previous findings that the relatedness of stimuli in an equivalence class is a relatively permanent inverse function of nodal distance. |
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Effects of Nodal Distance and Speed Contingencies on Equivalence Class Formation. |
LOUISE A. MCHUGH (University of Wales, Swansea), Charlotte N. Dack (University of Wales, Swansea), Robert Whelan (University College, Dublin) |
Abstract: This study compared performances on a series of conditional discrimination tasks with unequal or equal numbers of training trial types, and presence or absence of a speed contingency as between-subject variables. Sixteen undergraduates participated, four in each condition. Each of the participants was trained and tested on two five-member equivalence classes across eight training sessions. Response speed was an inverse function of nodal number with and without the speed contingency only in the unequal training trial types condition. There was a tendency for accuracy to peak during conditions without the speed contingency. The results of this experiment indicate that training across the eight sessions eliminated the effects of nodal distance within the equivalence classes. Implications for a relational operant, rather than a structural, account of derived relations are discussed. |
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Further Research on Orthographic and Phonological Interference during Stimulus Equivalence Test Trials. |
DENIS P. O'HORA (University of Ulster), Ian Thomas Tyndall (AMCD/National University of Ireland, Galway), Roisin Thompson (University of Ulster) |
Abstract: Previous research (Tyndall & O’Hora, 2005) demonstrated that, for four dyslexic and four non-dyslexic individuals, the provision of incorrect comparisons that were orthographically and phonologically similar to samples during equivalence testing interfered with responding in accordance with equivalence relations. Similarly to this research, in both experiments in the current study, participants were provided with the training required to demonstrate four three-member equivalence classes consisting of real words and nonsense syllables. Experiment 1 replicated the work of Tyndall and O’Hora with a greater number of participants to test whether there were statistically significant differences in response latencies and errors across the four interference conditions. Experiment 2 employed the same four interference conditions during the equivalence test as Experiment 1 except that, instead of providing incorrect comparisons that were similar to the samples, the incorrect comparisons provided were similar to the correct comparisons. Findings are discussed in the context of current research in derived relational responding and have implications for the behavioral understanding of specific language impairments. |
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Stimulus Equivalence, Transitivity & Non-Arbitrary Relations. |
LORNA POWER (National University of Ireland, Galway), Ian T. Stewart (National University of Ireland, Galway) |
Abstract: Previous research has shown that competing non-arbitrary relational response options during equivalence testing can interfere with the emergence of equivalence. Recent work has extended this analysis by showing that competing non-arbitrary relational options do not similarly affect symmetrical relational responding. The present study continues the analysis of this phenomenon by examining the effect of competing non-arbitrary relations on transitivity. Four groups of adult participants were exposed to three blocks each of training and testing for the formation of three 3-member equivalence relations. All four groups were trained using black and white stimuli. Group 1 participants were then immediately exposed to a color interference equivalence test in which the sample was always differently colored from the experimenter-designated ‘equivalent’ comparison, but was the same color as one of the non-equivalent comparisons, thus producing a conflict between arbitrary and non-arbitrary relational control. Group 2 received black and white transitivity testing before receiving two exposures to color equivalence testing. Group 3 received black and white transitivity and equivalence testing before color equivalence exposure while Group 4 received color transitivity testing before exposure to color equivalence tests. The results raised a number of issues for derived relational control, and these will be discussed. |
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Current Research on the Assessment of Basic Learning Abilities (ABLA) |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
3:00 PM–4:20 PM |
Regency VI |
Area: DDA; Domain: Applied Research |
Chair: W. Larry Williams (University of Nevada, Reno) |
Discussant: Doreen Granpeesheh (Center for Autism and Related Disorders) |
Abstract: This symposium will present current research concerning the Assessment of Basic Learning Abilities (ABLA). Three papers will address (A) Tactile discriminations as they relate to the discrimination hierarchy of the ABLA, (B) Discrimination Abilities and Within Modal Stimulus Equivalence, and (c) Extending the ABAL beyond level 6. |
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Establishing Basic Tactile conditional discriminations in persons above and below ABLA level 6: The role of visual information. |
JEREMY A. BIESBROUCK (University of Nevada, Reno), W. Larry Williams (University of Nevada, Reno) |
Abstract: The hierarchical nature of the motor, visual and auditory discrimination skills of the assessment of Basic Learning abilities ( ABLA) leads to questions concerning the relative location of tactile and gustatory discrimination skills with respect to visual and auditory skills. Although conceptually viable, the shaping of pure tactile discriminations is a challenging undertaking. This paper will present preliminary data on shaping of tactile discriminations in persons with ABLA skills above and below level 6. Additionally we will address the issue of the confounding of tactile discriminations by visual and auditory information. |
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Discrimination Abilities and Within Modal Stimulus Equivalence. |
MARIANNE L. JACKSON (University of Nevada, Reno), W. Larry Williams (University of Nevada, Reno) |
Abstract: Six participants, with varying levels of developmental disabilities, were assessed on a variety of discrimination abilities and basic language skills. Standard scores of IQ, language, social and adaptive behavior were also reported. All participants were exposed to a computerized stimulus equivalence training program, using only visual stimuli, and were trained on a variety of baseline conditional discriminations that would be necessary for the formation of four, three member stimulus equivalence classes. All participants were then tested on all derived equivalence relations and results are discussed in relation to their pre-existing discrimination abilities. |
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Extending the Assessment of Basic Learning Abilities beyond Level 6. |
DONALD R. KARR (University of Nevada, Reno), W. Larry Williams (University of Nevada, Reno) |
Abstract: The Assessment of Basic Learning Abilities (ABLA) has proved useful in assessing levels of ability to perform typical daily living types of tasks. Two shortcomings of the ABLA in its table-top format are the focus of this analysis. First, there is little research on the relative effectiveness of stimulus modalities in the presentation of choice alternatives (Martin, Yu, & Vause, 2004). Second, it has been reported that individuals who pass ABLA level 6 vary in behavioral capacity beyond that level and may range from just testable on typical assessment instruments to normal functioning (Richards, Williams & Follette 2000). We will present a computer program version of the ABLA and extend the assessment criteria above level 6. The program employs multiple combinations of visual and auditory stimulation and evaluates the viability and efficacy of equivalence classes as possible assessment vehicles. If reliable correlation to other testing modalities can be demonstrated, the computerized ABLA might provide a more economical and expedient form of establishing reasonable learning expectations. |
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Evidence-Based Practice and Special Education: An Analysis of Cultural Contingencies |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
3:00 PM–4:20 PM |
Courtland |
Area: EDC; Domain: Service Delivery |
Chair: John E. States (Wing Institute) |
Discussant: Timothy A. Slocum (Utah State University) |
CE Instructor: Ronnie Detrich, M.S. |
Abstract: The purpose of this symposium is to examine the characteristics of culture within special education, analyze how these characteristics either facilitate or obstruct a movement toward evidence-based practices. We focus on special education because it has largely been ignored in the education reform efforts and, in many ways, it is a separate system from general education. Specifically, we will examine the role of formal and informal contingencies and how they relate to evidence-based practice in special education. Those contingencies operate at several levels. We propose an expanded model of an evidence-based education approach that requires both a demonstration of efficacy in controlled research conditions but also demonstrations of effectiveness once practices are taken to scale and implemented under usual conditions; a continuum of rigor that allows decision makers when the best available evidence does not meet the most rigorous standards of research. Finally, we propose a set of steps that can be taken to build an evidence-based culture within special education. |
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An Expanded Model of Evidence-based Practice in Special Education. |
RONNIE DETRICH (Wing Institute), Randy Keyworth (Wing Institute), John E. States (Wing Institute) |
Abstract: The movement toward evidence-based education requires that we define what is a necessary and sufficient demonstration for evidence. It is the perspective of this paper that the necessary demonstration of evidence is not only a demonstration that an intervention is efficacious (producing results in a controlled research setting) but it is also necessary to demonstrate that the intervention is effective (producing results when taken to scale). A demonstration that a procedure is efficacious is an important step but it is critical as evidence based procedures are applied more broadly that consideration is given to the various social and political contingencies that may ultimately impact the effectiveness of an intervention. A simple example is that an intervention that is efficacious but is not acceptable to teachers expected to implement it is not likely to produce the expected results because the teachers are not likely to implement the intervention with sufficient integrity to produce the results. In addition to proposing a model of evidence-based practice that includes demonstrations of effectiveness, some of the common social and political contingencies that may negatively impact wide scale implementation will be described. Examples of successful and unsuccessful large-scale implementation will be considered for illustrative purposes. |
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The Evidence Based Practice Bandwagon: Should Behavior Analysts Jump On? Can We? |
MARK D. SHRIVER (Munroe-Meyer Institute) |
Abstract: Although behavior analysts have previously discussed the need to bridge the divide between basic and applied research and the need to more effectively disseminate behavior analytic technology and principles, it is apparent that behavior analysis techniques and principles are still not widely accepted or used. In the past decade, there has been an increasing emphasis in education, medicine, and psychology as well as federal policies and legislation on the identification and dissemination of evidence based practices (EBP). In essence, there is a bandwagon of support across professional and governmental groups for EBP. Fads come and go and typically it is best to stay off bandwagons. It can readily be argued; however, that applied behavior analysis (ABA) is all about EBP. Barriers to the dissemination of ABA technology and principles for EBP are obstructing ABA’s jump on this bandwagon. This paper presents on some of those barriers including definitional issues (i.e., what do we disseminate?), research to practice issues (i.e., ABA research is not practice) and issues in how we disseminate technology and principles (i.e., ABA as an organization does not have a strategy to disseminate research to practice or EBP). Possible solutions to overcoming these barriers are presented. |
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Getting There From Here: Creating an Evidence-based Culture within Special Education. |
JOHN E. STATES (Wing Institute), Randy Keyworth (Wing Institute), Ronnie Detrich (Wing Institute) |
Abstract: At each level in the special education culture there exist obstacles to implementing evidence-based practices. This paper will provide suggestions for each level within the special education culture. From a systems perspective, it is important that each level of the system has pieces in place that promote evidence-based practices. Failing to do so will result in the ultimate collapse of an evidence-based culture. One of the critical features of an evidence-based culture is that there is evidence for decision makers to evaluate. A second feature is that the decision makers routinely interact with the data. Curriculum based measurement shows great promise for bringing decision makers into regular contact with the relevant data. Other levels within the special education system also require attention if evidence-based practice is to become the primary working model for decision-making. As an example, the due process procedures built in as a safe-guard for parents has become so expensive for school districts that they often agree to settle disputes rather than proceed with a hearing to determine services. Problems arise when the settlement results in the adoption of unvalidated procedures. |
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Functional Analysis and Assessment in the Applied Environment |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
3:00 PM–4:20 PM |
Regency VII |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
Chair: Susan Ainsleigh (Simmons College) |
Discussant: Michael F. Dorsey (Vinfen Corporation & Simmons College) |
CE Instructor: John Stokes, Other |
Abstract: The purpose of this symposium is to review innovative methods for conducting functional analysis in the applied setting. The first paper demonstrates how to train staff teacher and families to implement functional analysis condition using performance feedback and video modeling. The second two presentations review innovative methods for conducting functional assessment and analysis. Additionally the relevance for using hypothesis driven interventions based off of the results of assessment is reviewed. All programs review present Reliability and results graphically. |
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The use of Performance Feedback and Video Modeling in Training Staff and Parents to Implement Functional Analysis Conditions. |
JOHN STOKES (Charles River ARC), Michael F. Dorsey (n/a) |
Abstract: The present Study examined the use of performance feedback, video modeling and workshop training for staff and family member to conduct functional analysis. Results indicated that all 4 subjects met accuracy criterion following individual training and feedback. During generalization probes two subjects accurately conducted sessions with individuals in the day program. |
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Functional Assessment in the Public School Classroom: Methods for Selecting Effective Treatment for Compliance to Academic Instruction. |
KRISTOFER VAN HERP (Stoneham Public Schools, Massachusetts), Susan Ainsleigh (Simmons College) |
Abstract: An unwillingness to participate in academic instruction on the part of a student prevents optimal learning in school settings. Research shows that high rates of engaged academic learning time is associated with a higher degree of success on the part of the student (Fischer & Berliner, 1985; Ysseldyke & Christensen, 2002). Teachers must identify the conditions associated with optimal learning in order to maximize instructional time and minimize time away from engaged learning in school settings. The subject of this study was a 7-year old non-verbal male diagnosed with pervasive developmental disorder (PDD) who attended a public school inclusive classroom. The student demonstrated low rates of compliance to academic instruction and, concurrently, high rates of problem behaviors such as self-injurious behavior, aggression, and bolting from the instructional setting. Indirect and direct functional assessment methods were utilized to identify variables hypothetically associated with optimal learning and compliance to instructional tasks. A structured analog assessment using a reversal design was conducted to verify these hypotheses. Results of these assessments were used to identify classroom-based interventions to increase academic compliance and, hence, engaged time in the classroom. Results demonstrate an overall increase in compliant behavior following implementation of the intervention package. Subsequent interview of teachers implementing the intervention package support its efficiency for use in the classroom. |
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Functional Assessment and Analysis of Bolting Behavior in a Preschool Setting: Analyzing Topography of Attention Maintaining Problem Behavior. |
ELISE COOKE (Simmons College), Susan Ainsleigh (Simmons College) |
Abstract: Indirect and direct functional assessment methods were used to develop hypotheses regarding the maintaining variables of the bolting behavior of a 3.5 year old male diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. The subject of this study demonstrated bolting behavior in school and community settings. A long-term 1:1 staffing assignment was determined to be inefficient for maintaining this student during transitions, yet continued concerns for safety of the subject had been reported by both teachers and parents. The results of functional assessments suggested that attention from adults was a likely maintaining variable of bolting behavior. In order to determine the form of attention that was maintaining the bolting behavior, four attention conditions were implemented using an alternating treatment design: stern vocal attention with physical guidance (Condition A), physical guidance with no vocal attention or eye contact (Condition B), playful physical attention with no vocal attention or eye contact (Condition C) and playful physical attention and playful vocal attention (Condition D). Conditions were scheduled randomly, and each condition was scheduled for an entire school day; data were collected during three separate daily transitions. All staff throughout the school that typically interacted with the student were involved in implementing each condition, including teachers, therapists, secretaries, and the school nurse; the Lead Teacher provided direct training to each participant. Results showed that Condition D (playful physical attention and playful vocal attention) was associated with high rate bolting behavior and Condition A (stern vocal behavior with physical guidance) was associated with low rate bolting behavior. Results were used to design a multi-component treatment package. Implementation of the treatment package resulted in near zero-rate bolting behavior after 2 month follow-up. Functional analysis procedures can be successfully and efficiently implemented in public school elementary school classrooms, and can result in individually design treatment plans. |
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Further Analysis of Assessment and Treatment: Progressing from Early Identification and Treatment through Functional Analysis |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
3:00 PM–4:20 PM |
International Ballroom North |
Area: DDA; Domain: Applied Research |
Chair: Michael E. Kelley (Marcus Autism Center and Emory University School of Medicine) |
Abstract: Although much research focuses on assessing current behavioral problems, avoiding the development of problem behavior by identifying at-risk populations and providing early intervention services may prevent expensive, time-consuming assessment and treatment. The following papers offer a systematic progression of assessment and treatment methods that range from early identification of at-risk children to school-age children displaying more severe problem behavior. The first paper focuses on the identification and remediation of proto-injurious behavior, which may prevent the development of more severe problem behavior. Similarly, the second presentation offers a method for producing appropriate behavior (e.g., turn-taking) and reducing problem behavior (e.g., aggression) in children in a pre-school, suggesting that more severe behavior problems may be avoided by implementing services at an early age. The third paper focuses on outcome data on assessment of existing problem behavior in an outpatient clinic using brief-functional analysis procedures within the context of time-limited services. Finally, the fourth paper evaluated the extent to which the results of brief functional analysis results matched those of more extended analyses for children whose behavior problems warranted admission to an inpatient hospital. |
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Early Intervention for Automatically Maintained Proto-injurious Behavior Exhibited by Young Children with Disabilities. |
DAVID M. RICHMAN (University of Maryland, Baltimore County), Heather M. Teichman (University of Maryland, Baltimore County), Joy Kolb (University of Maryland, Baltimore County) |
Abstract: The presentation will summarize preliminary results of an early intervention package for six young children (mean chronological age of 22 months) with developmental disabilities exhibiting proto self-injurious behavior (SIB). The intervention package was designed to (a) decrease current nonsocially mediated proto-SIB via response blocking coupled with enriched environment (Phase I); and (b) increase the participants’ response repertoire to appropriately request social consequences via early augmentative functional communication training (Phase II). Interobserver occurrence agreement for dependent variables (mean = 91%, range = 43% to 100%) was collected across all phases of the study and all participants (mean = 46% of sessions, range between participants = 23% to 75%). The effects of the intervention package on proto-SIB were evaluated via multiple baseline and reversal designs for the first six participants in the study. Phase I of the treatment package resulted in a mean 71% (range, 39% to 98%) reduction in proto-SIB from baseline levels. Four participants have completed Phase II of the treatment package, and all four participants quickly learned to exhibit mands during functional communication training. Results will be discussed in terms of future research on early intervention and prevention of some forms of SIB. |
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Programming Learning Opportunities to Develop Preschool Life Skills. |
GREGORY P. HANLEY (University of Kansas), Nicole Heal (University of Kansas), Jeffrey H. Tiger (University of Kansas), Einar T. Ingvarsson (University of Kansas) |
Abstract: Recently, non-maternal, center-based child care has been linked to problem behavior in young children (NICHD, 2003). In an effort to derail the development of problem behavior, a comprehensive skills training program to promote critical preschool life skills (PLSs) was evaluated with a classroom of 16 children between the ages of 3.9 and 5.3 years. Classroom observations were conducted during provocative situations to determine the likelihood of problem behaviors (vocal or motor disruptions, aggression) and preschool life skills. The class-wide intervention was then implemented in a staggered manner across the areas of instruction-following, functional communication, delay tolerance, and friendship skills. More specifically, each of thirteen PLSs was conveyed to children during scripted role-play scenarios. Continued observation and opportunities for teaching the skills were then embedded into typically scheduled activities (circle, free-play, transitions, meals) throughout the day. The effects of the classwide skills-training program on the emergence of PLSs and the probability of problem behavior were evaluated in a multiple probe design (all interobserver agreement exceeded 85%). The program resulted in a 69% reduction in problem behavior and over a 3-fold increase in PLSs. Implications for the design of early childhood experiences for preempting the development of serious problem behavior are discussed. |
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Further Review of Brief Functional Analyses Conducted in an Outpatient Clinic. |
KATHERINE V. POWERS (Marcus Autism Center), Henry S. Roane (Marcus Autism Center and Emory University School of Medicine), Michael E. Kelley (Marcus Autism Center and Emory University School of Medicine) |
Abstract: Previous researchers have employed brief functional analyses (BFA) to examine the functional properties of aberrant behavior exhibited by children and adults with developmental disabilities (Derby et al., 1992; Northup et al., 1991), especially in outpatient clinics where access to clients may be limited. Previous research has shown that the BFA procedures successfully identified the variables maintaining problem behavior in over 70% of cases. In the current study, we present (1) outcomes of BFAs conducted in an outpatient clinic setting that used procedures similar to those described by Derby et al. and (2) data from additional analyses when BFA results were inconclusive. Results of the current analyses suggest that, in the majority of cases, BFAs did not identify the variables that maintained problem behavior, and additional analyses were warranted. |
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Correspondence between Brief and Extended Functional Analyses Conducted across Clinical Settings. |
TODD G. KOPELMAN (University of Iowa), Joel Eric Ringdahl (University of Iowa), Jayme Mews (University of Iowa), Tory J. Christensen (University of Iowa), Terry S. Falcomata (University of Iowa), Jeffrey R. Luke (University of Iowa) |
Abstract: The correspondence between brief and extended functional outcomes has been of interest to clinicians and researchers providing behavioral assessment services. For example, Kahng and Iwata (1999) compared rates of responding between full functional analyses and the first session of each analysis for individuals referred for an evaluation of SIB or aggression. Findings indicated a high rate of correspondence when the results of the extended functional analyses were clear, but much lower correspondence when the results of the extended analyses were unclear. In this study, the results of brief functional analyses conducted in an outpatient setting were compared to the results of extended functional analyses completed with the same participants during subsequent short-term inpatient evaluations. Data sets from the brief and extended functional analyses were independently reviewed by behavior analysts to identify the variables maintaining aberrant behavior. For each participant, analysis results were categorized as a “match” (same function identified across evaluations), a “false positive” (a function was identified in the brief analysis but not in the extended analysis) or a “false negative” (a function was not identified in the brief analysis but was identified in the extended analysis). Results will be discussed relative to the level of match across functions. |
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How to Build a Quality Autism Program in Your School District |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
3:00 PM–4:20 PM |
Regency V |
Area: AUT/EDC; Domain: Service Delivery |
CE Instructor: Elisabetta Pestrichella, M.S. |
Chair: Donna K. Anzalone (The Autism Help Center) |
DONNA K. ANZALONE (The Autism Help Center) |
BRIAN GOLDBERG (The Autism Help Center) |
ELISABETTA PESTRICHELLA (Long Island University) |
Abstract: Because the prevalence of autism continues to rise dramatically, school administrators struggle with the needs of children with autism and how best to provide appropriate, data-based programming in their district. This symposium will provide administrators and other district persons with practical solutions to assist in including students with autism into their district and building quality programs that fit their needs and add benefit to their staff. We will discuss the building of a district program by following several case study districts from their inception to their recognition by the state of New York as a quality school district program for students with autism spectrum disorder. Often, administrators find challenges at all levels of program creation, including finding resources, training personnel, and answering tough questions from parents and staff about including students with autism. The presenters will provide participants with answers to difficult questions and practical solutions to the challenges faced by administrators looking to create new programs. For those administrators who have existing programs in their district, this workshop will highlight issues of quality control and how to maintain programs as the district continues to grow. Handouts will include a framework for administrators to use with their district and a quality control checklist. |
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Interdisciplinary Research: Biomedical and Behavioral Experimentation |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
3:00 PM–4:20 PM |
Montreal |
Area: EAB; Domain: Basic Research |
Chair: Diana M. Delgado (University of Nevada, Reno) |
Discussant: JiYeon Yoo (Center for Autism and Related Disorders) |
Abstract: Biomedical and behavioral sciences are increasingly engaging in collaborative efforts to study the specific environmental conditions under which behavior occurs, and the ways in which genetic mutations or neuro-chemical changes relate to observed behavioral outcomes. From two different levels of analysis, the laws and principles pertaining to each scientific enterprise contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of behavioral and biological phenomena. New avenues for exploration and experimentation in behavior analysis are opened as a result of these interdisciplinary efforts. |
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Pavlovian Conditioning Endotoxin Tolerance in Mice. |
YUKIKO WASHIO (University of Nevada, Reno), Linda J. Parrott Hayes (University of Nevada, Reno), Kenneth W. Hunter (University of Nevada, Reno) |
Abstract: Endotoxin is a biological molecule produced by Gram-negative bacteria (e.g., Escherichia coli) that causes an often fatal syndrome known as septic shock. Endotoxin induces the release of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-?), a cytokine that actually mediates the physiological changes seen in this syndrome. As a defense against overproduction of TNF-?, repeated exposure to endotoxin results in the inhibition of TNF-? release, a phenomenon known as endotoxin tolerance. A method of mimicking endotoxin tolerance could represent a therapeutic approach to this clinical problem. Oberbeck et al. (2003) showed that endotoxin tolerance in rats was subject to elicitation by saccharin when this stimulus was paired with endotoxin in a Pavolvian conditioning arrangement. The present study is a systematic replication of the Oberbeck et al. study with mice. Complete endotoxin tolerance was observed in the conditioning groups, with minimal to no tolerance observed in several different control groups. |
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The Utility of Murine Models in the Understanding of Autism. |
DIANA M. DELGADO (University of Nevada, Reno), Linda J. Parrott Hayes (University of Nevada, Reno), Kenneth W. Hunter (University of Nevada, Reno) |
Abstract: Murine models of psychopathological conditions have proved successful both in biology and the behavioral sciences. In the biological realm, they have contributed to the study of genetic and physiological correlates of neurodegenerative diseases. In psychology, some attempts have been made to model disorders such as depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, and more recently, autism. Although the validity of these studies has been a subject of debate, it is our view that when interpreted with caution these studies may contribute to the exploration of new hypothesis about complex psychological phenomena. Similarities between the behaviors of genetically manipulated mice and certain characteristics of autistic behavior suggest that investigations of autism by way of murine models have been successful in this regard. We argue that a better integrated and more complete understanding of this disorder will be achieved through collaborative efforts between geneticists and behaviorists than by either of these disciplines in isolation. |
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MAJDA M. SEUSS (ABAI) |
Abstract: BLANK |
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International Symposium - Intersections Between Joint Attention and Social Referencing in Children With Autism and Typically Developing Children |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
3:00 PM–4:20 PM |
Centennial Ballroom II |
Area: DEV; Domain: Applied Research |
Chair: Rebecca P. F. MacDonald (New England Center for Children) |
Discussant: Jacob L. Gewirtz (Florida International University) |
CE Instructor: Rebecca P. F. MacDonald, Ph.D. |
Abstract: Joint attention and social referencing have received increased attention in developmental psychology and behavior analysis because of their relation to the development of autism. Joint attention involves the coordinated attention between a social partner and an object in the environment and has been identified as one of the earliest emerging social behaviors in typically developing children. Social referencing involves the child searching or looking for cues in the facial expressions of the caregiver to determine how to act in the context of ambiguity. Deficits in joint attention and social referencing are apparent in very young children with autism. The development of operant models for the analysis of joint attention and social referencing are seen as important to the treatment of these deficits. The purpose of this symposium is to describe several research projects in which the authors are using an operant analysis of joint attention and social referencing to develop protocols for evaluating and treating children with autism. Data that support the etiology of social referencing with 18 very young infants will be reported. The implications of these analyses will be discussed as they relate to a behavioral analysis of this very important developmental phenomenon. |
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Analysis and Treatment of Joint Attention in Young Children with Autism. |
REBECCA P. F. MACDONALD (New England Center for Children), William V. Dube (University of Massachusetts Medical School, E.K. Shriver Center), Jennifer L. Klein (New England Center for Children), Sally N. Roberts (New England Center for Children), Krista Smaby (New England Center for Children), Emily E. Wheeler (University of Massachusetts Medical School, E.K. Shriver Center) |
Abstract: This paper will describe a contingency analysis of joint attention in which the characteristic gaze shifts, gestures, vocalizations, are shaped and maintained by conditioned socially mediated reinforcers. According to this analysis, joint attention deficits in children with autism spectrum disorders may be related to failures of socially mediated consequences to function as conditioned reinforcers. Profiles of child performance will be shown using data from a concurrent choice procedure used to determine the value of social reinforcers, as well as, assessment data on joint attention initiations and responsiveness to joint attention bids. The assessments were administered to both children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders and typically developing children, aged 2 to 4 years. Interobserver agreement was high for all behavioral measures. Case examples of intervention procedures to establish joint attention initiations will be presented. Results will be discussed in the context of the posited behavioral contingency analysis of joint attention. |
Dr. Rebecca MacDonald is a Licensed Psychologist in Massachusetts and a Board Certified Behavior Analyst who serves as the Director of Intensive Instructional Preschool Program for children with autism at the New England Center for Children. She is an Adjunct Professor in the Masters in Applied Behavior Analysis (MABA) Program at Northeastern University. Rebecca received her doctorate in Developmental and Child Psychology from the University of Kansas in 1983. Dr. MacDonald began at The New England Center for Children as the Clinical Director in 1983. She then taught for three years in the Graduate School of Education at Simmons College in Boston (1992-1995). In 1995 she returned to the New England Center for Children in her current position. Dr. MacDonald was a past Program Chair for the American Psychological Association for Division 25. Rebecca has presented her research at numerous conferences over the past twenty years and published studies that have appeared in the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, Research in Developmental Disabilities, and Analysis and Intervention of Developmental Disabilities. Dr. MacDonald’s research interests currently include; assessment and teaching joint attention, teaching play and social reciprocity to children with autism, and measuring clinical outcomes of early intensive behavior intervention. |
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Infants Learning to Reference Maternal Facial Expressions of Emotions. |
MARTHA PELAEZ (Florida International University) |
Abstract: The assumption that infant social referencing behaviors can result from contingency-based learning processes was tested. In a context of ambiguity or uncertainty, maternal emotional expressions can be learned by the infant as cues for positive and aversive events. Eighteen 4- to 5-month-old infants and their mothers participated in a repeated-measures reversal design. Infants were trained differentially to reach for an ambiguous object following joyful maternal expressions and not to reach following fearful maternal expressions. During baseline, none of the infants responded differentially to the joyful and fearful maternal expressions. After training sessions, however, infants learned to reach differentially following presentations of joyful and fearful cues. During a subsequent extinction (reversal) phase, the pleasant and aversive contingencies on reaching for the ambiguous object were discontinued producing extinction of the differential reaching response. During the last phase, infants were retrained differentially to respond again to the two maternal expressions. This study provides the basis for the alternative hypothesis that infant social referencing may result from contingency-based learning. |
Dr. Martha Pelaez is a Professor of Psychology. In 1992, she received her Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology, winning the International Dissertation Award from the International Society for Infant Studies (ISIS) on "Infant learning to reference maternal emotional expressions." In 1994, she completed a postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Miami, School of Medicine. She has studied mother-infant interactions, maternal depression and its effects on infant behavior, and early social-learning processes like attachment, fears, and social referencing. Her theoretical contributions include the creation of taxonomy of rules and a behavior–analytic approach to moral development. Dr. Pelaez has published more than 40 articles in refereed journals (including the American Psychologist and the journal of Child Development); co-authored 11 chapters, published 1 textbook (with G. Novak) on child development, and edited several monographs. Martha Pelaez was the past Program Chair for the American Psychological Association for Division 25 and past Program Co-Chair for the Association for Behavior Analysis. She is the founder of the Behavior Development Bulletin and has served as its editor since 1990. She was awarded Fellowship status by the American Psychological Association. Currently, she serves in nine editorial boards of refereed journals, including The Behavior Analyst and is a member of the Florida Board of Governors--the board that rules the State University System. |
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The Role of Joint Attention in Verbal Operants. |
PER HOLTH (The Behavioral Center, Oslo) |
Abstract: Research on joint attention, the synchronizing of the attention of two or more persons, has progressed mainly outside of behavior analysis. Research within the cognitive-developmental tradition has shown that deficient joint attention skills are strongly correlated with later developing ‘language abilities’ and that children diagnosed with autism may display a syndrome-specific joint attention deficit. The present paper focuses on the role of joint attention phenomena in verbal operants, such as tacts, mands, verbal behavior controlled by verbal stimuli, and autoclitics. An operant analysis of joint attention skills and how they are interwoven with verbal operants may point directly to suggestions for effective intervention strategies. |
Dr. Per Holth is currently a researcher at the Norwegian Center for the Studies of Conduct Problems and Innovative Practice and associate professor at Akershus University College. He is interested in behavior analysis in general; basic research as well as conceptual issues and various areas of application. His interest in an operant analysis of joint attention arose while he was the program director at the Center for Early Intervention in Oslo, working with children diagnosed with autism (2000-2003). His interest in verbal behavior extends back to his early study days, when he came across a copy of Skinner’s (1957) book (some people are lucky), and he teaches courses on verbal behavior at the Masters Program in Learning and Relational Competence at Akershus University College, Norway. |
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Negative Reinforcement: Some Lessons from Animal Training |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
3:00 PM–4:20 PM |
Spring |
Area: PRA; Domain: Applied Research |
Chair: Michelle Lamancusa (University of North Texas) |
Discussant: T. V. Joe Layng (Headsprout) |
Abstract: This symposium describe three experimental analyses of the effects of using negative reinforcement during training. The first experiment shows some detrimental effects in dog’s behavior due to training that combined positive and negative reinforcement. This was compared to the effects of training using only differential positive reinforcement. The second experiment shows the effects of shaping cow’s approaches to humans by first using differential negative reinforcement of alternative behavior and second, by shifting the negative reinforcement contingency to positive reinforcement. The third experiment shows the effects of differential reinforcement of alternative behaviors on the aggressive behaviors of several dogs. All the papers discuss the uses, appropriateness or inappropriateness, and effectiveness of negative reinforcement contingencies during training. The operant components of behavior classified as emotional are also discussed within the context of negative reinforcement. |
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Some Detrimental Effects of Combining Positive and Negative Reinforcement During Training. |
NICOLE BYRD (University of North Texas), Jesus Rosales-ruiz (University of North Texas) |
Abstract: Karen Pryor suggests that a cue, or SD, established with a combination of negative and positive reinforcement leads to the breakdown of the behavior both preceding and following the cue due to an increase in avoidance behaviors and the uncertainty that exists in terms of the consequence that will follow. The purpose of this presentation is to compare the effects of combining negative reinforcement and positive reinforcement during training with the effects of using positive reinforcement alone. Two dogs served as subjects. Each dog learned the same behavior under two different stimulus conditions associated with two different training methods. One method involved the presentation of the cue “ven”, and the reinforcement of successive approximations to the target behavior. The other method involved the presentation of the cue “punir,” the physical prompting of the target behavior by pulling the leash, and the delivery of a reinforcer. Differences in the behavior between the two conditions are documented, as well as differences in the stimulus functions of “ven” and “punir.” |
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Transition from Negative to Positive Reinforcement during Shaping Cow’s Approach to Humans. |
MELISSA MOREHEAD (University of North Texas), Jesus Rosales-ruiz (University of North Texas) |
Abstract: Negative reinforcement can be a powerful tool for behavior analysts, yet it is often overlooked as a treatment method. Pryor (1999) outlines a method for approaching a “timid” animal using a combination of negative reinforcement and positive reinforcement. When the animal stands still, the human operates a clicker, and then retreats from the animal. Gradually, the human moves closer to the animal through the clicking and retreating shaping process. Once the human is standing close enough, food may be offered as a positive reinforcer, and the negative reinforcer is canceled out. The purpose of this study was to experimentally demonstrate the click-retreat technique with cows. A multiple-baseline design across subjects was used to test this technique. Results show that the click and retreat technique was effective. Results are discussed in terms of the difference between the click-retreat technique and systematic desensitization. |
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Aggression in Dogs: A Differential Negative Reinforcement Protocol. |
KELLIE S. SNIDER (University of North Texas), Jesus Rosales-ruiz (University of North Texas) |
Abstract: Aggression in dogs is a serious problem in the United States, with over 4,700,000 people bitten annually, and over 800,000 requiring medical treatment (K. Delise, 2002). Common aggressive behaviors seen in dogs include barking, chasing, lunging, snarling, growling and biting. Many such behaviors are maintained by the removal or distancing of other people or dogs. The training protocol presented shows the effects of differential negative reinforcement on aggressive behavior of dogs. Aggressive dogs were tethered on 6 foot leashes. An experimenter walked toward the dog until the dog performed an aggressive behavior. She stood still until the behaviors stopped, then walked away contingent upon a desirable behavior such as looking toward the owner, or turning away from the experimenter. In subsequent approaches the experimenter stopped walking toward the dog before the point at which the dog had previously performed the behavior, and exited based on performance of a desirable behavior. Proximity was systematically increased. If at any time the approach provoked aggressive behavior, the experimenter stopped and waited until the behavior ended before exiting. The aggressive behaviors diminished or were eliminated with as little as 1 hr. of treatment with some dogs. Successful generalization occurred in several cases. |
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Popular Delusions, Compelling Illusions, and Specious Conclusions: Skeptics Examine Belief in Questionable Treatments Inside and Outside of Behavior Analysis |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
3:00 PM–4:20 PM |
Dunwoody |
Area: TPC; Domain: Applied Research |
Chair: Cloyd Hyten (University of North Texas) |
Abstract: The world is full of bogus therapies promulgated by pseudoscience and bad science. How can we distinguish real from bogus therapies? What can we learn about human behavior from examining why people believe in questionable or bogus therapies, or in any phenomena for which there is poor quality evidence? This symposium will highlight the skeptic’s approach, based on the scientific method, to the analysis of claims of therapeutic effectiveness and beliefs in such claims. In doing so, we will examine therapies and treatments advocated by people inside and outside of behavior analysis in such areas as autism treatment and education. We will also discuss theories regarding the controlling variables for the complex human behavior of believing. |
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Strangers in a Strange Land: A First-hand Behavior Analytic Account of Facilitated Communication Training. |
JAMES T. TODD (Eastern Michigan University) |
Abstract: This is a first-hand behavior analytic account why people who attend workshops on facilitated communication (FC) often find FC more compelling than scientifically validated treatments. FC workshops consist largely of testimonials, demonstrations, and some hands-on instruction. Attendees readily accept the validity of FC despite direct evidence of facilitator control, serious confounds in the few research studies presented, and little indication that FC has led to functional independence in the participants with autism. Attendees who readily adopt an internally inconsistent rational system in which disconfirmatory evidence is regarded as support, terms sometimes mean their opposites, and claims that people with autism have "normal minds in bad bodies" co-exist with claims that autism is characterized by serious cognitive deficits. Behavior analysts, in contrast, often require adoptees to learn rigorous standards of observation, analysis, technique, and internal consistency. FC promoters establish no such expectations, and actively discourage scientific analysis in favor of easily digested testimonial evidence and the embrace of post-hoc rationalizations. Behavior analysts need not abandon science to engage their audiences, but might benefit by more effectively tailoring their presentations to accommodate consumers who are interested in scientifically validated treatments but are not expecting to become scientists themselves. |
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Old Wine in New Bottles: Science, Quackery, and Autism. |
MATTHEW P. NORMAND (Florida Institute of Technology) |
Abstract: Pseudoscientific claims concerning medical treatments for all varieties of illness are nothing new. With respect to autism, many of the claims currently parading as fact actually are rooted in the pseudoscience of years past. A skeptical approach to the world around us is important, but so is some familiarity with the mistakes of the past so that they can be avoided in the present. The present paper discusses the relationship between several quack treatments and theories of recent history that are enjoying nothing sort of a rebirth in the field of autism today. Special attention will be given to the topics of mega-vitamin treatment regimens and the purported link between MMR vaccinations and autism. Hyperbaric chambers, gluten-casein free diets, and various other pseudoscientific claims also are addressed. |
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Skepticism Begins at Home. |
GINA GREEN (San Diego State University & University of North Texas) |
Abstract: Behavior analysts have been justifiably critical of others who fail to apply skeptical thinking and scientific methods to novel ideas and claims about interventions. But are they similarly critical of ideas and interventions arising within behavior analysis? Are behavior analysts applying the rules of logic and science to their own practices? This paper examines some claims about interventions in autism and education that are described as behavior analytic in the context of widely accepted definitions of skepticism, science, and evidence-based practice. |
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Weird Beliefs, Everyday Beliefs, and Scientific Beliefs: Why Does Anyone Believe Anything? |
CLOYD HYTEN (University of North Texas) |
Abstract: As a field, behavior analysis has not contributed much to the study of belief as a human behavioral phenomenon. The legacy of animal-based models of behavior and simple direct conditioning accounts gave us very few tools for dealing with believing as a regular activity of humans. Yet, beliefs are at the forefront of such important societal issues as the anti-evolution movement as well as militant ideologies involved in global terrorism. Analyses of the origin and maintenance of beliefs regarding a variety of subjects have been put forward by non-behavior analysts, including Shermer especially in dealing with so-called “weird” beliefs. This paper will examine explanations for the origin, maintenance, and change of beliefs in an attempt to bring this complex human phenomenon into the purview of modern behavior analytic theory. |
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International Symposium - Relational Frame Theory and Education |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
3:00 PM–4:20 PM |
Auburn |
Area: EDC; Domain: Applied Research |
Chair: Claire E. Egan (National University of Ireland, Maynooth) |
Abstract: The current symposium examines issues relevant to applying Relational Frame Theory to Education. The first paper examines the derived transfer of mands in young children with autism. The second and third papers evaluate the Implicit Relational Assessment Procedure in relation frames. The fourth paper evaluates the relationship between rule-following and psychopathology. |
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A Derived Transfer of Relational Mands In Children with a Diagnosis of Autism. |
CAROL C. MURPHY (National University of Ireland, Maynooth), Dermot Barnes-Holmes (National University of Ireland, Maynooth), Yvonne Barnes-Holmes (National University of Ireland, Maynooth) |
Abstract: Mand functions with 5 different relational values were trained with arbitrary stimuli with 3 children who had diagnoses of autism. During training the mand stimuli, A, B, C, D, E, acquired relational values, -1, -2, 0, +1, and +2, respectively. Each of the mand stimuli were then incorporated into sets of conditional discriminations with other arbitrary stimuli as follows: A1-B1-C1, A2-B2-C2, A3-B3-C3, A4-B4-C4, A5-B5-C5. Tests were subsequently conducted to determine if participants demonstrated derived relational manding in accordance with the trained conditional discriminations. The expectation was that participants would mand with C1 for -1, mand with C2 for -2, mand with C3 for 0, mand with C4 for +1, and mand with C5 for +2. Findings are discussed with regard to the literature on derived mands and future development of complex mand repertoires. |
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The Implicit Relational Assessment Procedure (IRAP): A Systematic Investigation of Four Different Relational Frames. |
CATRIONA O'TOOLE (National University of Ireland, Maynooth), Dermot Barnes-Holmes (National University of Ireland, Maynooth) |
Abstract: This paper presents a study that sought to examine four different relational frames using the IRAP. Participants were exposed to four different IRAPs, the order of which was counterbalance across participants. The four IRAPs assessed the relations of Same/Different, Comparison (Bigger/Smaller), Before/After, and Hierarchy (Concept/Example). In addition, participants completed an IQ test and a rigidity scale, and these measures were compared to the IRAP performances. The results of the study shed light on the extent to which derived relational responding correlates with a traditional measure of intellectual ability and a personality variable. Implications for educational practice will be discussed. |
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Evaluating ‘Self-Esteem’ using the Implicit Relational Evaluation Procedure in Young Children with ADHD. |
GER SCANLON (National University of Ireland, Maynooth), Dermot Barnes-Holmes (National University of Ireland, Maynooth), Yvonne Barnes-Holmes (National University of Ireland, Maynooth) |
Abstract: Conflicting findings have suggested that ADHD children demonstrate low self-esteem; others suggest that their self-esteem may be artificially high in a context of behavioural difficulties and poor achievements. The lack of a functional definition of the concept of self-esteem itself is one of the most likely factors that contribute to the inconclusive findings. While one study to date appears to have attempted a functional analysis of the concept of self-esteem through administering a matching-to-sample (MTS) procedure. This procedure does not allow for an examination of stimulus relations as opposed to stimulus classes in that, it is difficult to determine if the two stimuli are simply being associated or if the participant is applying a specific relation to them. The Implicit Relational Evaluation Procedure (IREP) has been developed to provide a means of assessing specific relational responses that may have been established for individuals or specific populations. The current study investigated levels of self-esteem in children with ADHD. |
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Experimental Analyses of Rule-Following. |
MARIE GORHAM (National University of Ireland, Maynooth), Yvonne Barnes-Holmes (National University of Ireland, Maynooth), Dermot Barnes-Holmes (National University of Ireland, Maynooth), Dave McAuliffe (National University of Ireland, Maynooth) |
Abstract: Previous research has highlighted the relationship between rule-following and psychopathology. Indeed, findings from relevant research have indicated that excessive rule-following is correlated with some features of psychopathology, including depression. The results of a number of recent studies have shown that high-depressed teenagers were more likely to follow rules that were inconsistent with environmental contingencies than low-depressed teenagers. Furthermore, this excessive rule-following occurred more often in the context of pliance than tracking. The current work was designed to replicate previous research to determine whether differential patterns of rule-following would be observed in the context of pliance versus tracking and whether these performances would correlate with a range of psychological measures. The results of the study are discussed in terms of Relational Frame Theory and its implications for human psychopathology and psychotherapy. |
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International Symposium - The Implicit Relational Assessment Procedure (IRAP) II: A Behavior-Analytic Methodology for Assessing Implicit Beliefs and Attitudes |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
3:00 PM–4:20 PM |
International Ballroom South |
Area: EAB; Domain: Basic Research |
Chair: Ian T. Stewart (National University of Ireland, Galway) |
Abstract: Relational Frame Theory (RFT) is a modern behavioural approach to human language and cognition, the central postulate of which is that higher-cognitive functioning is composed of relational acts. A recent development in this research area is an RFT-based procedure for measuring implicit relations, termed the Implicit Relational Assessment Procedure (IRAP). Initial studies have shown that the IRAP may be used to measure relational networks or attitudes that individuals are either unaware of or may wish to conceal. The IRAP appears to offer advantages over other methods that use reaction time measures to assess attitudes (e.g. the Implicit Association Test), both in its theoretical rationale and its ability to measure many types of relationships. This symposium is the second of a pair whose theme is IRAP-based research. The first and fourth papers present work concerned with the reliability of the IRAP, the second presented IRAP-based research on attitudes to self and others in prisoner and non-prisoner populations and the third examined the malleabilty of the IRAP. |
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The Implicit Relational Assessment Procedure (IRAP) V: How Reliable is the IRAP? |
MICHELLE KELLY (National University of Ireland, Maynooth), Amanda D. Kelly (National University of Ireland, Maynooth), Yvonne Barnes-Holmes (National University of Ireland, Maynooth), Dermot Barnes-Holmes (National University of Ireland, Maynooth), Ian T. Stewart (National University of Ireland, Galway), Claire Campbell (National University of Ireland, Maynooth) |
Abstract: This paper presents a series of studies that sought to determine if the IRAP effect is maintained across repeated exposures and whether or not the IRAP produces a release-from-suppression rebound effect. The IRAP presented the sample stimuli “Pleasant” and “Unpleasant” with examples of pleasant and unpleasant things as target stimuli, and the response options “Similar” and “Opposite.” In Experiment 1, participants were exposed to the same IRAP across multiple exposures, with two exposures per day across five separate days. On day six, novel stimuli were employed with the IRAP to determine if any reduction in the original IRAP effect would generalize to novel stimuli. In Experiment 2, participants were exposed to the IRAP but were asked to “fake” the test try thinking of pleasant things as unpleasant and unpleasant things as pleasant. Subsequently, they were exposed to another IRAP, but this time participants were instructed to respond as normal (treating pleasant as pleasant and unpleasant as unpleasant). Results from both experiments shed light on the reliability of the IRAP and its possible use in thought suppression research. |
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The Implicit Relational Assessment Procedure (IRAP) VI: Self, Others, and Crime? |
NIGEL AUGUSTINE VAHEY (National University of Ireland, Maynooth), Suzanne Comerford (National University of Ireland, Maynooth), Yvonne Barnes-Holmes (National University of Ireland, Maynooth), Dermot Barnes-Holmes (National University of Ireland, Maynooth), Ian T. Stewart (National University of Ireland, Galway), Claire Campbell (National University of Ireland, Maynooth) |
Abstract: This paper presents two experiments that sought to determine if the IRAP can be used to assess attitudes to self and others in prisoner and non-prisoner populations. In Experiment 1, Irish prisoners and non-prisoners were presented with the sample stimuli “Similar” and “Opposite” with examples of good and bad characteristics as target stimuli, and the response options Participant’s own name and Not participant’s own name. In Experiment 2, non-prisoner participants were exposed to an IRAP that presented the words “Safe” and “Dangerous” as samples, pictures of black and white men holding either guns or power-tools, and the response options “Similar” and “Opposite.” Results from the study have implications for the IRAP as a possible measure of implicit attitudes towards self and others in the context of crime and imprisonment. |
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The Implicit Relational Assessment Procedure (IRAP) VII: How Malleable is an IRAP Performance? |
CLAIRE CULLEN (National University of Ireland, Maynooth), Dermot Barnes-Holmes (National University of Ireland, Maynooth), Yvonne Barnes-Holmes (National University of Ireland, Maynooth), Ian T. Stewart (National University of Ireland, Galway) |
Abstract: This paper presents a study that sought to determine if the IRAP effect can be modulated through exposure to relevant positive and negative exemplars. Adult participants were exposed to an IRAP, in which the sample stimuli were “Young People” and “Old People,” with positive and negative target words as target stimuli, and the response options “Similar” and “Opposite.” After this first IRAP, half of the participants were exposed to examples of positively valenced old people and negatively valenced young people; the remaining participants were exposed to examples of positively valenced young people and negatively valenced old people. All participants were then re-exposed to the IRAP. The results from the study shed light on the extent to which implicit attitudes, as measured by the IRAP, are best considered dynamic and flexible, rather than rigid and unchangeable behaviors. |
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The Implicit Relational Assessment Procedure (IRAP) VIII: How Reliable is the IRAP with Socially Sensitive Stimuli? |
NIAMH O'DOWD (National University of Ireland, Galway), Ian T. Stewart (National University of Ireland, Galway), Dermot Barnes-Holmes (National University of Ireland, Maynooth), Yvonne Barnes-Holmes (National University of Ireland, Maynooth) |
Abstract: This paper presents a series of studies that sought to determine if the IRAP effect is maintained across repeated exposures in the context of socially sensitive stimuli and whether or not the IRAP produces a release-from-suppression rebound effect with regard to these stimuli. The IRAP presented the sample stimuli “More Likeable” and “Less Likeable” with pairs of names of nationalities as target stimuli, and the response options “True” and “False.” In Experiment 1, participants were exposed to the same IRAP across multiple exposures, with two exposures per day across five separate days. On day six, novel stimuli were employed with the IRAP to determine if any reduction in the original effect would generalize to novel stimuli. Results from this experiment shed light on the reliability of the IRAP in the context of socially sensitive stimuli. |
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The Journey Begins: How Headsprout Early Reading is Working to Eliminating Illiteracy in Young Children |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
3:00 PM–4:20 PM |
Inman |
Area: EDC; Domain: Applied Research |
Chair: April Heimlich (Headsprout) |
Discussant: Deirdre Lee Fitzgerald (Eastern Connecticut State University) |
Abstract: Headsprout Early Reading is a research based supplemental reading program, designed for typically developing 4-7 year old students. Using a scientific formative process, students using Headsprout Early Reading learn to read in just 30 hours of online instruction. Headsprout Early Reading is being used in every state in the United States as well as many counties around the world. Substantial reading gains are continually being produced by schools implementing Headsprout Early Reading. Implementation variables with regards to teacher training and program familiarity will be discussed. Data will be presented based on research in West Virginia, and Iowa. In addition videos and testimonials from consultants, teachers, students and parents using Headsprout is schools in Chicago and Iowa will also be shown. |
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Assessment of Headsprout Reading Basics. |
VENNESSA L. WALKER (West Virginia University), Philip N. Chase (West Virginia University) |
Abstract: Headsprout Reading Basics (Headsprout) is an individualized, web-based program designed to facilitate development of early reading skills such as phonics, phonemic awareness, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension. Two experiments addressed the efficacy of Headsprout as a supplemental reading program in a classroom setting by comparing students who received Headsprout instruction to those who did not. Results for Experiment 1 were inconclusive because only 1 subject completed the Headsprout program by the end of the year due to student motivation and teacher implementation issues contributed to slow progress through the program. Experiment 2 corrected some of these issues, and also directly compared Headsprout to Compass, another web-based supplemental program for reading. Nearly half of the students completed the Headsprout program in one semester. Results indicate a strong direct training effect of Headsprout, which supports the internal validity of the program. There was no difference between the Headsprout and Compass groups on the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS), a standardized test of early reading aptitude, however. Discrepancies between the skills trained by Headsprout and those tested by DIBELS are discussed as a possible reason for the failure to find a significant impact of Headsprout on DIBELS performance. |
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Successes and Challenges Bringing the Teaching Machine to Urban Schools. |
BRADLEY G. FRIESWYK (BGF Performance Systems, LLC.) |
Abstract: With earmarked technology funds but a shortage of tech-savvy personnel, urban schools have had some challenges implementing the Headsprout Early Reading program and other technology based teaching systems. However, when these challenges are overcome, low performing schools are finding themselves with a delightful situation that they have not experienced in the past, first grade readers. These are some stories from Chicago and other urban districts that are currently implementing Headsprout. |
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Four Years of Headsprout with 150 Kindergarten Kids: And We Still Love the Turtle Song! |
JOHN E. HUMPHREY (Cedar Rapids Schools) |
Abstract: Longitudinal evaluation of a year-round school in Iowa that has been using Headsprout Early Reading for the last four years. Headsprout has become part of the everyday routine of students, and school faculty and has really helped to promote a reading environment. While Headsprout Early Reading has continued to be supplemental, the school has embraced a way to use Headsprout so that not only are students learning to read via the computer and in a classroom, but they are becoming confident readers so that when paired with older students everyone is working together to learn and be successful. Included are data, videos, war stories, and thoughts from working with over 100 students with Headsprout. |
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Where Do We Fit in: Behavior Analysis in Psychiatric and Medical Settings |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
3:00 PM–4:20 PM |
Greenbriar |
Area: CBM; Domain: Applied Research |
Chair: Ivy M. Chong Crane (William Beaumont Hospital) |
Discussant: Martin J. McMorrow (Center for Comprehensive Services, Inc.) |
CE Instructor: Ivy M. Chong Crane, Ph.D. |
Abstract: The role of behavior analysts working amongst inter-disciplinary teams within health care settings has varied over time. In the age of managed care the need for empirically based treatment options has amplified the utility of behavior analysis within these settings. However, due to the constraints of the philosophical underpinnings of the medical model behavior analysts have been forced to adapt. Although behavior analysts typically follow a functional approach to understanding human behavior, much success has been witnessed by integrating these two models. The current symposium examines the specific dynamics within this integrative model through an exploration of theoretical concepts, challenges involved and current case examples within both psychiatric and primary care facilities |
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The Role of Behavior Analysts in Psychiatric Settings. |
KIMBERLY DWYER-MOORE (Our Lady of Peace), Jaime Flores (Our Lady of Peace), Katherine Miriam Johnson-Patagoc (Our Lady of Peace) |
Abstract: This paper examines the history and current practice of behavior analysis in psychiatric settings. Whereas the psychiatric approach to care has traditionally been predominated by the medical model, the effectiveness of combining the medical model with the behavior analytic treatment model is examined. A case illustration of this model in practice at Our Lady of Peace psychiatric hospital is presented. This facility is a unique and multi-faceted organization that provides state-of-the-art services to a range of inpatient and outpatient populations. Within this 200-bed facility behavior analyst work specifically with children and adolescents with developmental disabilities or brain injuries and psychiatric disorders including bi-polar disorder, conduct disorder and oppositional defiant disorder. Behavior Analysts work in conjunction psychiatrists and other trans-disciplinary team members to develop and implement individualized function based behavioral support plans derived from functional assessment outcomes. The role of behavior analysts in designing and implementing behaviorally based data collection procedures to aid psychiatrists in making clinically relevant decisions regarding medications, community access, length of stay and discharge placement is discussed within this case example. |
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A Present Day Illustration of Behavior Analysis in a Psychiatric Setting. |
JAIME FLORES (Our Lady of Peace), Kimberly Dwyer-Moore (Our Lady of Peace), Beth A. Duncan (Our Lady of Peace) |
Abstract: The current paper depicts the role of behavioral assessment, data collection, treatment and staff training within Our Lady of Peace psychiatric hospital. Within this 200-bed facility, the Innovations and Neurobehavioral Centers encompass 62 beds and employ a unique combination of the behavior analytic and medical treatment models. The inpatient acute level of care required for admission and the rapid rates of admission and discharge necessitate immediate initiation of data collection and basic standard treatment protocols. While these basic protocols are in place, the behavior analyst immediately begins a thorough assessment including preference assessments, descriptive analyses, and analog functional analyses as appropriate. Following assessment, individualized function-based behavior intervention plans are developed. Intervention plans consist of customized data collection, proactive procedures, antecedents to problematic behaviors, strategies for teaching replacement behaviors and function based crisis intervention. A major focus of the behavior analysts is staff, family, and community provider training. Case illustrations exemplify the diverse and challenging population served and the innovative interventions implemented focusing on least restrictive treatment alternatives in a psychiatric setting. Challenges to providing treatment in this setting are explored. |
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Beaumont Hospital Brings HOPE: Behavior Analysis Within the Medical Model. |
JENNIFER A. DELANEY (William Beaumont Hospital), Ivy M. Chong Crane (William Beaumont Hospital), Veronica J. McAtee (William Beaumont Hospital), Ruth M. Anan (William Beaumont Hospital) |
Abstract: The Division of Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics has been providing diagnostic, assessment, and treatment services since 1968. An inter-disciplinary team including developmental pediatricians, child psychiatrists, child psychologists, and clinical social workers collaborate to identify problems and develop treatment plans for children with variety of diagnosis (e.g. autism, selective mutism, ADHD, disruptive behavior disorders). More recently behavior analysts have increasingly been involved in treatment decisions and interventions (i.e., functional assessment, parent training, intensive early intervention, and behavioral consultation). Historically behavior analytic services have been dichotomized from the medical model, as they are traditionally viewed as educational in nature rather than psychological or medical. As the healthcare community continues to strive for empirically based, efficacious treatment modalities, behavior analysts have been able to provide reimbursable services within the medical model. Currently, seven members of the psychological staff are nationally recognized Board Certified Behavior Analysts. Case examples of children who were treated with behavioral analytic principles and procedures under a mental health billing system will be reviewed. |
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International Paper Session - Early Language Acquisition |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
3:30 PM–4:20 PM |
Learning Center |
Area: VBC |
Chair: Philip W. Drash (Intellectual Development Center, Inc.) |
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How to Teach At-Risk Infants and Toddlers to Talk: Implications for the Prevention of Autism |
Domain: Applied Research |
PHILIP W. DRASH (Autism Early Intervention Center) |
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Abstract: This paper will present verbal behavior techniques and procedures for teaching at-risk infants and toddlers to talk. The verbal behavior procedures used with these young children are in many respects similar to those used in teaching young children with autism to talk. Procedures for early identification and treatment of these at-risk infants and toddlers have direct implications for establishing behavioral programs for the prevention of autism. Illustrative cases ranging in age from 8 months to 2 years will be presented and discussed. |
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Recombinative Generalization and Learning of a Foreign Language by Young Children |
Domain: Basic Research |
MONIKA M. SUCHOWIERSKA (Warsaw, Poland) |
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Abstract: Recombinative generalization is the demonstration of novel arrangements of previously established linguistic units. Two experiments are reported, in which 6 children participated. In both experiments children were taught to identify (receptively in Ex. 1 and expressively in Ex. 2) 11 pictures described by two-word phrases (color + object) said by the experimenter in German (Ex. 1) and in Spanish (Ex. 2). The taught phrases were a part of a matrix consisting of a total of 36 phrases. The phrases to be taught were arranged in 5 sets. Within sets, the phrases had overlapping elements denoting the color (e.g., blue house, blue flower) or denoting the object (e.g., blue house, green house). Each set contained three training words and from 1 to 9 generalization words. Tests for recombinative generalization determined whether children identified correctly novel phrases that were constructed by recombining elements denoting color and object in ways that had not been directly trained. Results in both experiments are comparable. None of the children identified correctly more than 20% of two-word phrases during the initial tests. During the final tests, children identified correctly high percentages (80% at the minimum) of untrained color-object combinations. |
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Presidential Address: Aversively Motivated |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
4:30 PM–5:20 PM |
Centennial Ballroom I & II |
Chair: Frances K. McSweeney (Washington State University) |
CE Instructor: Thomas S. Critchfield, Ph.D. |
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Presidential Address: Aversively Motivated |
Abstract: Behavior analysis once supported a rich tradition of studying aversive control, that is, behavior change through punishment or negative reinforcement. A variety of factors have shifted our contemporary emphasis -- almost exclusively -- to the study of positive reinforcement. This status quo is most easily justified for service delivery (especially with vulnerable populations) in which we are concerned about excessive reliance on aversive control and the side effects that this can cause. I will argue, however, that our collective disregard for the study of aversive control has left us in an untenable position, both scientifically and practically. Where science is concerned, the past three decades have seen important advances in the understanding of positive reinforcement for which no parallel insights exist regarding aversive control. Moreover, scientists outside of our field have revealed robust aversive-specific phenomena that behavior analysts have largely ignored. Our silence about these effects allows them to be explained within, or even seen as evidence for, nonbehavioristic theoretical frameworks. Where practice is concerned, a lack of new behavior analytic data on aversive control may suggest that we have nothing to say on the topic. As a consequence, perhaps, policy makers and others seeking consensus on issues like corporal punishment may not consult our field for guidance. Moreover, because aversive control is ubiquitous in the everyday world, it is difficult to see how a thorough analysis of socially important behavior can proceed without a proper understanding of aversive control. For instance, emerging notions about aversive control may generate counterintuitive treatment predictions that cannot be reached by thinking about positive reinforcement alone. In summary, the world out there encompasses, and is fascinated by, aversive control, and we should be motivated to reanimate our tradition of studying it. |
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THOMAS S. CRITCHFIELD (Illinois State University) |
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Dr. Thomas S. Critchfield graduated from West Virginia University, where he received his M.A. (1984, under the direction of Dr. Ernest Vargas) and his Ph.D. (1989, under the direction of Dr. Michael Perone). At Auburn University, he coordinated the doctoral program in Experimental Analysis of Behavior and served as Undergraduate Program Coordinator. He currently is Professor of Psychology at Illinois State University. Dr. Critchfield completed terms on the ABA Executive Council as Student Representative (1986-1989) and Experimental Representative (2002-2005), and has held positions with the Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, with Division 25 of the American Psychological Association, and on the editorial boards of a number of behavior analysis journals. His scholarly interests focus on basic operant processes, on verbal behavior, and on scientific translation within behavior analysis. |
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#395 International Poster Session - AUT |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
5:30 PM–7:00 PM |
Grand Hall |
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1. Translating Clinical Practice into Public Practice: Implementing ABA Strategies in a Public School Setting |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
JULIE KEENAN (Illinois State University), Karla J. Doepke (Illinois State University) |
Abstract: Children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) pose significant challenges for the school system. Their understanding of social rules, language difficulties, and behavioral rigidity do not match well with the public school norms for behavior and learning. This is complicated by the fact that teachers often have minimal knowledge of autism spectrum disorders (Helps, Newson-Davis, Callias, 1999). Unfortunately, many of the strategies that have been shown to be effective in teaching children with ASD have been conducted and tested in clinic situations or highly structured settings. Research is needed to not only identify interventions that work in highly controlled settings, but interventions that work given the realities of the child's educational environments. The goals of this investigation included evaluating the effectiveness of ABA training techniques with school personnel and comparing the relative efficacy of the implementation of these techniques with standard teaching practices. Participants in this investigation included 9 school personnel and 7 young children with ASD. Results are presented in terms of the following: pre- and post-assessments of teachers knowledge and implementation of ABA strategies; single-subject data for students to allow for comparisons across teaching strategies (presented as alternating treatments design); and treatment satisfaction data summed across respondents. |
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2. Teaching Pre-Writing Skills to a Child with Autism: Tripod Grips and Drawing Lines |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
LYSIANNE D. KOLT (St. Cloud State University), Emily R. Monn (St. Cloud State University), Sarah E. Roberts (Behavioral Dimensions), Kimberly A. Schulze (St. Cloud State University) |
Abstract: Pre-writing skills were taught to a child with autism using a task analysis and forward chaining in conjunction with modeling. The participant was a 4.5-year-old boy diagnosed with autism who received 25 hours weekly of Intensive Early Intervention. A multiple baseline design across steps of the sequence was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention. Steps consisted of grasping the writing implement using a tripod grip, placing the tip of the writing implement to the writing surface, and drawing a vertical line and horizontal line. Baseline data showed that the participant did not perform any of the steps correctly. Following the implementation of the intervention, the participant reached mastery criteria on each step. Tripod grip and putting the writing implement to paper were mastered sequentially, each within 15 sessions, whereas drawing a line was mastered within 38 sessions. Although variability in the participant’s rate of responding was evident, low rates of responses corresponded with attempts to shape the topography of the responses. Future projects would benefit from examining how antecedent such as the length and width of the writing implement affects how the participant grasps the implement, and whether it facilitates a tripod grip. |
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3. Using Precision Teaching to Teach Daily Living Skills to a 13-year-old with Autism and Mental Retardation |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
KIRSTIN N. SCHIRMER (Fabrizio/Moors Consulting), Kelly J. Ferris (Fabrizio/Moors Consulting), Alison L. Moors (Fabrizio/Moors Consulting) |
Abstract: This data based poster will show the progress in the development of gross motor imitation and how these skills were used to teach daily living activities to a 13 year old boy with autism and mental retardation through the use of Fluency-Based Instruction. The poster will present data showing how the student’s gross motor imitation skills and his independence in his showering routine were taught and monitored using the Standard Celeration Chart (SCC). |
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4. The Effects of Tutor Goal Setting on Accuracy of Data Collection and Student Responding |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
JESSICA LESLIE BROOME (University of North Texas), Shahla S. Ala'i-Rosales (University of North Texas) |
Abstract: Goal setting is a behavior change technique that has been used in a variety of settings and populations (Sulzer-Azaroff, 1991). This study looked at how goal setting affected three tutors’ implementation of programs for a four-year-old child with autism, the accuracy of data collection, and increase in the child’s responding. The tutor participants were all first year graduate students in Behavior Analysis. The study was conducted in a university lab playroom that the child attended for 10 hours per week and in a local Montessori preschool that the child attended three days a week. Intervention consisted of primarily naturalistic teaching with some supplementary discrete trial and precision teaching instruction. All of the teachers had limited experience with naturalistic teaching procedures. The experimenter measured the target behaviors (number of programs implemented per session, number of teaching opportunities, and accuracy of data collected during observation sample) of the three tutors across the two different settings. The intervention consisted of collaborative goal selection, team feedback and problem solving, and supervisor skill instruction. The results were evaluated in a multiple baseline design across settings and individual tutors. Results are discussed in the context of tutor and child’s behavior changes. Data collection is currently underway. |
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5. Academic Self-Management by a Young Learner with Autism |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
VALERIE R. ROGERS (University of Nevada, Reno), Molly Halligan (University of Nevada, Reno), Patrick M. Ghezzi (University of Nevada, Reno) |
Abstract: This procedure examined the effects of discrimination training on the behavior of a young child with autism in his classroom setting. Prior to implementation, the young learner engaged in problem behavior (e.g., crying, whining, rapidly raising/shaking his hand, and inappropriately asking for assistance) when presented with worksheets in his typical classroom. The procedure taught the eight year old boy to correctly label problems as either easy or difficult for him to complete. He was then instructed to complete the easy problems without assistance and would subsequently be provided help for the more difficult problems. Once this academic self-management skill was mastered, problem behavior in the classroom decreased and appropriate behavior increased. |
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6. Learning to Discriminate Between Easy and Hard Academic Tasks |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
MICHELE R. BISHOP (University of Nevada, Reno), Jennifer A. Castellanos (University of Nevada, Reno), Kimberly A. Sigler (University of Nevada, Reno), Patrick M. Ghezzi (University of Nevada, Reno) |
Abstract: The purpose of this case study was to examine the ability to label tasks as easy or hard with a child diagnosed with autism. Difficult academic tasks were selected. A difficult academic task was defined as any task that the child obtained 20% to 0% correct. Tasks may be labeled difficult for several reasons; however, these tasks were identified as difficult because the child did not display the skills necessary to complete it. This discrimination involves a child’s ability to label those tasks that he is able to correctly complete as easy and those that he is not as hard. The experimental design was a multiple baseline across difficult academic tasks. The experimental phases included baseline, easy/hard discrimination, and teaching the skill. Results suggest that as the child learned how to complete the academic tasks the proportion of hard labels decreased. The ability to discriminate between tasks that are easy and hard impacts a child’s behavior in the classroom. After a child has learned to discriminate between tasks that are easy and hard he is then able to accurately identify those skills that he needs help with and those that can be completed independently. |
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7. Resistance to Distraction During the Performance of Academic Tasks |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
DIANA ERVIN (New England Center for Children), Carrie M. Neal (Northeastern University & New England Center for C), William H. Ahearn (New England Center for Children), William V. Dube (University of Massachusetts Medical School, E.K. Shriver Center) |
Abstract: Behavioral momentum theory posits that behavior is more resistant to distraction when reinforced on a denser schedule of a reinforcement. While most research in behavioral momentum has been conducted in laboratory or analogue settings, this experiment studies resistance to distraction in students’ natural environments with familiar activities. Four participants with developmental disabilities were presented with mastered play or academic tasks for which responses were reinforced on a multiple VI VI schedule. Activities were reinforced according to different schedules with one being reinforced more densely than the other. Baseline sessions consisted of alternating components of the two tasks. In the test or distracter sessions, a disrupting item was placed on the student’s desk during the activity in two components of each session. These test sessions consisted of alternations between baseline and distracter components. Responses in the distracter components were compared to within-session responding in baseline components and to responding in previous baseline sessions. Results are consistent with the predictions of the behavioral momentum metaphor for three of four participants. IOA was collected in over 33% of sessions and averaged about 90%. |
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8. The Investigation of Two Educational Approaches; Teaching in Isolation and Teaching with Multiple Exemplars |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
ALLYSON GAUTHIER (HMEA), Jeffrey E. Proos (HMEA) |
Abstract: Past research has proven that the use of the multiple exemplar approach is more effective in increasing acquisition and discrimination rates in children with Autism. This study attempted to further demonstrate this effect. In this present study, both teaching approaches are examined in an alternating research design across students. In the first condition participate one will be taught colors using multiple exemplars. At the same time participant two will be taught the same lesson using an isolated target approach. In the next condition, participant one will be taught shapes using an isolated target approach, while participant two will be taught using the multiple exemplar approach. It is hypothesized that when multiple exemplars are being used, acquisition and discrimination rates will be higher than when an isolated target approach is used. |
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9. Effective Teaching Strategies: A Comparison of the Antecedent and Error Corrections Procedures |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
JASON DETZEL (Virginia Commonwealth University Autism Center), Anna M. Young Zaleska (Faison School for Autism), Katherine M. Matthews (Virginia Commonwealth University), John Tolson (Faison School for Autism), Jennifer Lax (Faison School for Autism), Christina Meluzio (Faison School for Autism), Jennifer Wade (Faison School for Autism), Amanda Laz (Faison School for Autism) |
Abstract: The need for effective teaching methods for children with autism has produced an abundance of strategies. Two of the techniques analyzed in research, the antecedent procedure and the error correction procedure are examined and compared within the current study. This study compared the antecedent and error correction procedures using an alternating treatments design. The number of trials to mastery and rates of behavioral disruptions were compared both within subjects and across subjects in the study. |
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10. An Attempt to Establish Auditory-Visual Conditional Discrimination in Children with Autism |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
ATLI F. MAGNUSSON (Regional Office for the Affairs of Handicapped, Reykjanes), Nicole C. Groskreutz (New England Center for Children), Caio F. Miguel (New England Center for Children) |
Abstract: Teaching children with autism auditory to visual matching to sample (MTS) can sometimes be very difficult. It has been hypothesized that lack of auditory discrimination is a symptom of autism and some children with autism are “visual” rather than “auditory” learners. Thus far there is a lack of physiological evidence to back up this claim, leaving the possibility that this lack of success is due to deficits in current teaching procedures. This study presents some preliminary data on attempts to develop an auditory to visual discrimination curriculum for children with autism who have been unsuccessful at demonstrating this skill during discrete trial sessions. The data presented will be on the initial step of the curriculum, where simple auditory discrimination is established, using a free operant procedure. Data will be presented for one 13-year-old boy with autism, with a history of acquisition of auditory to visual MTS through discrete trial training. His participation in this study was to determine if the free operant procedure was effective in establishing auditory discrimination. |
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11. Transferring Stimulus Control from Arbitrary to Target Stimuli |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
KENNETH W. ATKINS (Marcus Autism Center), Michael E. Kelley (Marcus Autism Center and Emory University School of Medicine), Catherine Trapani (Marcus Autism Center), Wayne W. Fisher (University of Nebraska Medical Center, Munroe-Meyer Institute), Tiffany Kodak (Louisiana State University) |
Abstract: When teaching children with developmental disabilities to comply with instructions, an untrained stimulus may acquire stimulus control over the target response. Erroneous stimulus control may develop if a child attends to an irrelevant aspect of a stimulus (e.g., physical features) as opposed to the relevant stimulus features (e.g., verbal instructions). A backward chaining procedure was employed to teach one participant to follow one-step instructions. When a blocking procedure was implemented to prevent incorrect responding during backwards chaining, the participant responded correctly during 100% of trials. When the blocking procedure was removed, correct responding returned to near-zero levels. A fading procedure was implemented for blocking until stimulus control was transferred from the blocking procedure to the verbal instruction. Results suggested that fading may be a reliable method for transferring stimulus control from non-target stimuli to target stimuli during instructional tasks. |
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12. An Evaluation of a Backward Chaining Procedure during Instructional Trials |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
CHRISTOPHER A. TULLIS (Marcus Autism Center), Michael E. Kelley (Marcus Autism Center and Emory University School of Medicine), Catherine Trapani (Marcus Autism Center), Amanda Zangrillo (Marcus Autism Center), Tiffany Kodak (Louisiana State University) |
Abstract: Limited research exists on the evaluation of backward chaining procedures with some notable exceptions (e.g., treating feeding disorders, Piazza, Farrell, & Amari, 1996; increasing independent walking skills, Gruber, Reeser, & Reid, 1997). However, backward chaining procedures have not been evaluated as a method for increasing acquisition of imitation skills. Imitation skills are considered a prerequisite for a variety of academic and social skills. Thus, identifying an effective prompting procedure to teach imitation skills has implications for educational teaching methodology. In the present investigation, following two participants’ failure to acquire imitation skills during a treatment including a 3-step prompting procedure, backward chaining was implemented. Results indicated the backward chaining procedure was an effective treatment for increasing imitation skills for both participants. |
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13. Assessing Generalization of Sight Word Recognition from Computer Stimuli to Textual Stimuli Using the Discrete Trial Trainer Computer Program |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
JAIME M. SCHILLING (Alpine Learning Group), Hannah Hoch (Alpine Learning Group), Bridget A. Taylor (Alpine Learning Group), Rachel Feinberg (Alpine Learning Group), Melissa Kahn (Alpine Learning Group) |
Abstract: This study replicated a previous study (Schilling et al, 2005), which examined if responses learned via the Discrete Trial Trainer computer program would generalize to textual stimuli. The participant, a six-year-old girl with autism, was taught to identify words via the computer program. Using a multiple baseline probe design across targets, the study assessed generalization from the computer to printed textual stimuli presented at the student's desk. Baseline measures indicated that the participant was not able to perform the responses prior to training on the computer. Results will be discussed in terms of the applicability of computerized instruction on the generalized responding for some children with autism. |
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14. Independent Peer Review of Behavior Plans for Students with Autism in a Specialized Public School Program |
Area: AUT; Domain: Service Delivery |
PETER J. DOEHRING (Delaware Autism Program) |
Abstract: Students with autism can present with behaviors that are dangerous, complex, and/or difficult to change. It can therefore be very challenging to develop behavior plans that are effective yet minimally intrusive, and that safely support the student in the setting that is the most appropriate yet least restrictive. We describe a unique peer review committee (PRC) that has evolved at the Delaware Autism Program (DAP), a specialized public school program that provides comprehensive educational services to more than 500 students with autism between 2 and 21 years of age across the full range of settings. Carefully designed to be independent of DAP, the PRC consists of 3 experts in PBS, applied behavior analysis, and autism/severe disabilities. The panel conducts periodic reviews and provides recommendations for all plans which address behaviors that are potentially dangerous and/or necessitate intrusive procedures (e.g., physical restraint, time-out, etc) or a relatively more restrictive setting. We present examples of comprehensive guidelines and monitoring procedures, as well as data describing the range of behavior targets, behavior management procedures, and types of recommendations made. We conclude that our PRC not only protects students’ rights, but contributes significantly to the quality of educational programming. |
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15. Using Behavioral Procedures to Teach Vocal Verbal Behavior to Young Children with Autism |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
REGINA CARROLL (University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire), Sara M. Weinkauf (University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire), Britta L. Fiksdal (University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire), Kevin P. Klatt (University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire) |
Abstract: This study assessed the effects of a stimulus-stimulus paring procedure that paired a sound with a preferred stimulus to condition automatic reinforcement and increase vocalizations for two children with autism. This study failed to replicate the results of a study done by Miguel et al. (2002) that used a stimulus-stimulus pairing procedure to increase vocalizations for two of three children with autism that participated in the study. A study conducted by Esch et al. (2005) was unable to replicate the effects of the stimulus-stimulus pairing procedure done by Miguel et al (2002). In addition to the study done by Miguel et al. (2002) this study also assessed the effects of a direct reinforcement procedure on an increase of vocalizations. |
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16. Communication Intervention using Augmentative and Alternative Communication for Young Children with Autism or Developmental Disabilities: A Literature Review |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
LYNN GRACE LOCSON (University of Texas, Austin), Hyung-Mee Kim (University of Texas, Austin), Chloe Yeh (University of Texas, Austin) |
Abstract: This article is a quantitative review that summarizes research on communication intervention using augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) for young children with autism or developmental disabilities. Twenty-eight individual cases from ten single-subject researches, published in peer-reviewed journals from 1995 to 2004, were categorized according to participant characteristics, research methodology, types of AAC strategies, intervention procedures, and intervention outcomes. Effectiveness of using AAC and the level of evidence which supports or refutes these claims on effectiveness were also determined. Findings suggest that the use of AAC is fairly to highly effective in improving communication of young children with autism or developmental disabilities. Positive outcomes for behavior and social interaction were also reported in some studies. Voice output communication aid (VOCA) with synthesized speech output is fairly to highly effective, while effectiveness of the use of pictures or graphic symbols is mixed. Level of evidence and recommendations for future research are also discussed. |
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17. Decreasing Non-Contextual Vocalizations in a Student with Autism through the Use of an All Day Schedule |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
ERIN SPARACIO (Eden II Programs/The Genesis School), Mary Ellen McDonald (Eden II Programs/The Genesis School), Linda Bartlett (The Genesis School), Piera Taormina (The Genesis School), Hester Bekisz (The Genesis School) |
Abstract: Children with autism often have deficits in the area of expressive language and in addition may engage in non-conxtual vocalizations. The current study involved the use of an all day schedule and a dense schedule of reinforcement to decrease non-contextual vocalizations in a AB case study format. After intervention, non-contextual vocalizations decreased to near zero levels. In addition, task demands within the schedule were increased over time. |
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18. Effects of Synthetic Speech Output on Requesting in Children with Autism |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
RALF SCHLOSSER (Northeastern University), Jeffrey S. Sigafoos (University of Tasmania), James K. Luiselli (The May Institute), Katie Angermeier (Northeastern University), Ulana Harasymowyz (Northeastern University), Kate Schooley (Northeastern University) |
Abstract: Requesting is often taught as an initial target during communication intervention in children with autism and little or no functional speech. Speech generating devices are purported to have advantages over non-electronic systems because they provide additional auditory stimuli to the learner via synthetic or digitized speech output. Yet, it has been argued (based on the processing of natural speech) as well that speech output may not be compatible with the visual processing preferences of learners with autism. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether children with autism learn to request more efficiently when provided with speech output during instruction rather than without speech output. An Adapted Alternating Treatments design, replicated across five children with autism, was used to evaluate the effects of speech output by teaching learners to use two sets of arbitrary symbols to request objects that were matched for preference and comprehension status. Results indicated that the children improved their performance during intervention sessions in both conditions though without consistent differences across conditions. None of the children reached the learning criterion during testing. Implications for future research are discussed. |
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19. Establishing Mands using Automatic Reinforcement and Direct Echoic Training Procedures: Is there a Difference? |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
ROSI DEDOMENICO (FirstSteps for Kids, Inc.), Jennifer L. Harris (FirstSteps for Kids, Inc.) |
Abstract: The purpose of this study is to determine whether the use of a stimulus-stimulus pairing procedure will lead to echoic or manding behavior faster than direct echoic training in young Autistic children with limited vocal repertoires. Participants will be 2 children between the ages of 2 and 3.5 years of age, diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. The children in this study display very limited vocal play, do not demonstrate any vocal verbal imitation skills, and have yet to show any speaker behavior. This study will employ a single-subject design with alternating treatments (stimulus-stimulus pairing procedure and direct echoic training) presented consecutively. The dependent variable will be the total number of target vocalizations uttered by each participant. The independent variables will be each of the alternating treatments presented. This research adds to the existing body of behavior analytic knowledge since it addresses an area that has not yet been studied – that of the effects of automatic reinforcement on the subsequent acquisition of echoic or manding verbal behavior. In addition, the findings from such a study may contribute to the development of better methods for teaching these elementary verbal operants to children who have traditionally had difficulty acquiring verbal skills. If there is, in fact, a difference in the acquisition rate of manding and/or echoic verbal behavior between subjects that are exposed to an automatic reinforcement procedure and those trained directly, changes may be necessary in the teaching strategies currently implemented for children with Autism. |
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20. The Effects of Self-Monitoring of Teacher Behavior on Student Learning |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
SUDHA RAMASWAMY (Hawthorne Country Day School), Sarah Goldstein (Hawthorne Country Day School), Meghan McDermott (Hawthorne Country Day School), Christine Montalto (Hawthorne Country Day School), Matthew Halem (Hawthorne Country Day School) |
Abstract: This study tests the effects of a self-monitoring procedure on student learning. The independent variable, the self-monitoring procedure, consisted of teachers recording the frequency of their emission of collateral praise to students in the classroom. Two dependent variables were measured: the number of instructional trials delivered per classroom daily as well as the ratio of the number of criteria attained to the number of instructional trials delivered per class. The study implemented a multiple baseline design across classrooms, wherein three teachers from each class were participants. The findings show a functional relationship between the self-monitoring procedure and student learning across 4 classrooms. |
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21. A Review of the Instructional Models used to Teach Skills to Children with Autism |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
SARA CZEKALSKI (University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire), Nicole Berning (University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire), Kevin P. Klatt (University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire) |
Abstract: Within Applied Behavior Analysis there are several techniques/ models for teaching children with autism. These models range from analogue settings to more natural setting. However, several procedures are commonly used within and across behavioral models, thus making it difficult to discriminate between them and decide which is most effective for treating children with autism. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the main procedures, the origin of procedures, and research support for each model. The major models analyzed and compared in this paper include; Discrete trial training, Natural Language Paradigm, Pivotal response training, Incidental teaching, Milieu teaching, SPEAK, and MITS. |
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22. Reading Fluency Development for Young Children with Autism using Audio-CD- based Rate Pacing and Social Stories |
Area: AUT; Domain: Service Delivery |
JACK SCOTT (Florida Atlantic University), Maria Perez (Florida Atlantic University), Sonia Kaye (Renaissance School) |
Abstract: This study examined changes in reading rate in response to a fluency-based reading intervention. Children with autism ages 8-10 years read social stories and then listening to the text on an audio CD. The CD passage was played at a rate above the child's daily performance. The child was instructed to read along with the recorded reading. The number of correct words read per minute and error words were assessed prior to each daily practice with CD-based reading. Results for each of the eight child participants are presented on standard celebration charts. On average, the children doubled their reading rate after just six reading sessions. Gains were obtained with a minimum of instructional effort and in an instructional context that was easily tolerated by the children. Additional information on developing audio CDs for reading fluency is presented. |
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23. Response Acquisition Following the Provision of Reinforcement for Physically Guided Responses |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
WILLIAMS JILL (Marcus Autism Center), Katherine V. Powers (Marcus Autism Center), Michael E. Kelley (Marcus Autism Center and Emory University School of Medicine), Wayne W. Fisher (University of Nebraska Medical Center, Munroe-Meyer Institute), Catherine Trapani (Marcus Autism Center), Tiffany Kodak (Louisiana State University) |
Abstract: Prompting procedures (e.g., 3-step prompt procedure) are traditionally employed during academic instruction with children with developmental disabilities who may exhibit noncompliance and problem behavior during instructional tasks. One common used prompting hierarchy consists of a least-to-most prompting procedure (i.e., verbal, model, and physical prompt). Standardized procedures for delivery of reinforcement at various prompting levels have not been well described in the literature. During acquisition of a skill, praise and a tangible reinforcer are typically provided for correct responding following the verbal or model prompt. However, it remains unclear to what extent reinforcement should be provided following a physical prompt. In addition, numerous studies evaluating compliance during treatment do not consider responding following the physical prompt compliance with the task. Thus, the provision of reinforcement for responding during the physical prompt has not been well evaluated. In the present investigation, reinforcement was provided for responding during physical guidance following one participant’s failure to acquire a skill, despite the implementation of multiple treatment procedures. Results indicated that providing reinforcement during physical guidance may result in rapid acquisition of skills without necessitating changes in the prompting procedures (i.e., implementing more intrusive prompting or treatment procedures). |
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24. Comparison of Two Methods to Teach Receptive Object Labeling to a Young Child with Autism |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
LISA BARSNESS (Minnesota Early Autism Project) |
Abstract: Learning to receptively identify objects is an essential building block to teaching children with autism to comprehend language. There are many different methods documented to teach children to receptively label items. This presentation will compare two methods for teaching receptive labels to a child with autism, a matching technique versus a massed trial procedure. The independent variable will be the average number of trials to meet mastery criterion per condition, the dependent variable will be the type of method used to teach the label. The participant is a preschool age child diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder. |
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25. Project ASSESS: Supporting Students with Asperger's Syndrome and High Functioning Autism in School Settings |
Area: AUT; Domain: Service Delivery |
JESSE W. JOHNSON (Northern Illinois University), Donald Oswald (Virginia Commonwealth University), Martha Coutinho (East Tennessee State University) |
Abstract: Project ASSESS is a federally funded project designed to provide teaches and educational teams with readily usable guidelines and procedures to effectively serve students with Asperger’s Syndrome in the least restrictive environment. Session participants will learn a team-based process to a) identify appropriate goals for intervention, b) gather and analyze relevant information, c) develop individualized intervention plans for the classroom, and d) evaluate the effectiveness of these plans. When faced with the challenges of serving students with Asperger’s Syndrome and High-Functioning Autism, school-based teams need an empirically sound framework for organizing, delivering, and evaluating services. One of the goals of Project ASSESS is to develop a model by which school-based teams can effectively collaborate with parents, teachers and other professionals to meet the academic, social, and behavioral needs of students with AS/HFA. The goals of this poster session are to: 1. Present a set of empirically validated interventions and strategies for students with AS/HFA. 2. Provided with set of specialized tools and instruments for gathering information that can be used in the development of an individualized plan. 3. Provide a series of case studies and examples in a team-based collaboration and problem solving process. This process is designed to assist teams through a) identifying appropriate goals for intervention, b) gathering and analyzing relevant information, c) developing individualized intervention plans for the classroom, and d) evaluating the effectiveness of the plan. |
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26. A Comparison of Textual and Echoic Prompts on the Acquisition of Intraverbal Behavior for Two Children with Autism |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
LAURA MEUNIER (BEACON Services), Joseph M. Vedora (BEACON Services) |
Abstract: A comparison of textual and echoic prompts was conducted to determine which was a more effective prompt for teaching intraverbal behavior for two 7-year old boys diagnosed with autism. A multiple baseline design across three sets of questions was used to assess effectiveness of textual and echoic prompts for teaching question answering. Number of trials required to reach criterion was also scored for both participants. The results suggest that textual prompts produced a more rapid rate of acquisition then echoic prompts. These findings suggest textual prompts may be more effective in teaching complex language skills to children with autism. |
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27. Use of an Activity Schedule to Facilitate Transitions in a 4 year old with Autism |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
BETH ANNE MILES (BEACON Services) |
Abstract: Research suggests that visually based instruction, including activity schedules, can be an effective teaching strategy to increase independence, on task behavior, teach task completion and to decrease inappropriate behavior. To date, little research explores the use of activity schedules to assist with teaching transitions. The present study taught a 4 year old with autism to follow a photographic activity schedule with an embedded token system to complete an end of the school day routine and to wait appropriately for his mother to pick him up. The results suggest the activity schedule led to a reduction in tantrum behavior and increase in independence in completing the transition routine. |
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28. Use of Activity Schedules to Teach Acceptance of the Word “No” |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
BETH ANNE MILES (BEACON Services) |
Abstract: Children with autism frequently demonstrate difficulty with change in routine and being denied access to preferred items or activities. This behavior negatively affects the child and family’s daily social interaction and often limits the child’s access to the larger community. Research suggests that children with autism benefit from visually based instruction. In addition, visual supports can be effective in decreasing disruptive behavior by reducing the intensity of the attention provided. This study utilized an activity schedule with an embedded token system to reduce the tantrum behavior of two boys with autism that resulted when the children were told denied access to a preferred activity or a change in routine. |
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29. Teaching Pedestrian Safety Skills to Children with Autism |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
MAUREEN CHILDS (Texas Young Autism Project), Kristen McClintock (Texas Young Autism Project), Ehsan Bayat (Texas Young Autism Project), Gerald E. Harris (Texas Young Autism Project) |
Abstract: There is little research in teaching community safety skills to children with autism. One study by Steinborn and Knapp (1982) demonstrated behavioral methods to teach an autistic child pedestrian skills. The present study extends those findings and also examines the ability of children, typical and those with autism, to learn to judge safe gaps in traffic. The dependant variable for this study was safe pedestrian skills, as defined by mastery of the nine skills outlined in the task analysis. The sample included two typically developing children and two children with autism enrolled in a discrete trial applied behavior analysis program. Participants were taught pedestrian skills first with the use of a 3D model and then through role-play training at familiar intersections in each child’s neighborhood. Results of a multiple-baseline design indicate that post-intervention, all participants demonstrated significant increase in pedestrian skills compared to baseline, although the typically developing children made greater increases in 7 of the 9 skills. Inter-observer agreement was above 90% for all phases. These findings demonstrate the ability of a specific behavioral approach to teach children basic skills for crossing the street while having awareness of moving vehicles. |
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30. Quality and Quantity of Requests Made by Students using a Pictorial System versus Nonpictorial System |
Area: AUT; Domain: Service Delivery |
JANET A. BUTZ (CARE, LLC), Ceri Edwards (Schertz-Cibolo-U.C. I.S.D.), Cheryl Flores (Schertz-Cibolo-U.C. I.S.D.), Rolando Ocanas (Special Education Director for SCUC Independent School District) |
Abstract: The acquisition of a functional communication system is critical to the development of young children with autism spectrum disorder. In order to have their basic needs and wants met children with autism spectrum disorder need to learn how to make basic requests. The subjects for this applied research project were three preschool aged children diagnosed with autism in one preschool program designed for children with autism and three additional children diagnosed with autism in a similar preschool program designed for children with autism located in another state. The children chosen were selected based on their verbal skills and their ability to use a pictorial functional communication system. An alternating treatment design was used that randomly alternated the pictorial system approach with the nonpictorial system approach over an 8 week period. Student's performance for each treatment was measured daily using a triangulation process; observation, language samples, and a teacher made checklist. The two functional communication systems were randomly implemented with one of either approach conducted each day. A total of 16 days of the pictorial system and 16 days of nonpictorial system were conducted. During weeks one through four, the sessions were conducted during a 10-minute individualized snack session and during weeks five through eight the sessions were conducted during a 10-minute individualized table activity. A teacher made checklist was used to judge the number of the requests made during each session. Language samples were also taken during each session and transcribed from the recordings and tallied by the number of utterances made during each session. Observation of the children's engagement and behavior during the sessions were recorded anecdotally. The checklist results from each child's session were graphed on a daily basis to compare changes in the performance upon the two approaches. Language samples were tallied and graphed to view any correlation between the approaches and the number of utterances for each child. Observational notes were reviewed to determine any significant events that may have impacted performance. The results were compared between the two preschool programs and used to make informed decisions about curriculum, instructional strategies and individualized education programs in each class. |
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31. Effects of a Behavior Contract on a Child Diagnosed with Autism |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
HEATHER J. HUBER (Quality Behavioral Outcomes), Jennifer MacDonald (Quality Behavioral Outcomes), Donald A. Wachelka (Quality Behavioral Outcomes), Scott W. Harrington (Quality Behavioral Outcomes) |
Abstract: Behavior contracts (BC) have been widely used as a pre-cursor to self-management systems. Behavior contracts aide in establishing rule-governed behavior. In this case study, a BC was implemented to decrease noncompliance and aggressive episodes in a 7-year old student diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. The data show that after implementation, the student’s noncompliance and aggressive episodes both decreased. The data reflect a correlation between poor treatment integrity and spikes in the BC phase. |
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32. Precision Teaching Perspective Taking Skills to Children with Autism through Process Narration |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
HOLLY ALMON (Fabrizio/Moors Consulting), Adam Litchfield (Fabrizio/Moors Consulting), Babe Cristine Diakite Aminata Aminata (Fabrizio/Moors Consulting) |
Abstract: This poster highlights the advantages of using narration to teach perspective taking skills to children with autism. Over the course of multiple learning channels, we taught several children to provide steps for their therapists--from the therapist's perspective--that would result in a complete product or process. These products/processes consisted of building a structure, drawing a picture, and completing a series of actions, such as washing hands. Only correct and efficient language resulted in the completed product/process. This poster illustrates several responses that were acquired through precision teaching and fluency-based instruction that address the above pinpoints. |
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33. Evaluating the Development of the Verbal Operants Using the ADOS in Children with Autism Following One Year of Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
MEGAN P. MARTINS (Rutgers University), Karen L. Lenard (Rutgers University), Lara M. Delmolino (Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey) |
Abstract: Skinner's analysis of verbal behavior asserts that language development occurs independently along several verbal operants. Previous research has shown behavioral intervention produces increases in language as measured by standardized assessments but has not explored demonstrating observable increases in verbal operants. Researchers have proposed using the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) to assess language improvement; however the rating system does not provide feedback about the development of specific verbal operants. In the present study, 10 preschoolers with autism participated in an ADOS assessment prior to and after one year in a comprehensive behavioral program. Each ADOS was observed by two experimenters who recorded the frequency and topography of elementary verbal operants. Preliminary data for 5 participants reveal a 108% increase in spontaneous mands during the follow-up assessment. Further, mands were more likely to be multi-word and directed with eye contact after one year of intervention. Inter-observer agreement on mand data averaged 89%. Information on tacts, intraverbals, and echoics will also be presented and changes in the verbal operants will be compared to ratings assigned using the ADOS rating system. Preliminary results indicate changes in the verbal operants following comprehensive behavioral intervention may be observed using repeated administrations of a semi-structured assessment. |
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34. Increasing Behavioral Vocabulary in Teachers through the use of a “Word Of The Week” Program and Differential Reinforcement |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
ANTHONY MAURO (Eden II Programs), Frank R. Cicero (Eden II Programs), Christine M. Jascewsky (Eden II Programs), Harold Mahecha (Eden II Programs), Kenneth Zimmerman (Eden II Programs) |
Abstract: An accepted and agreed upon vocabulary is one of the defining characteristics of an academic field. The field of applied behavior analysis is no exception. Terminology such as “negative reinforcement” and “setting events” are frequently used by behavior analysts, but not well understood by the public. Classroom teachers, who are often the representatives of ABA to parents and professionals, should be able to use behavioral terminology frequently and correctly. The current study was implemented in order to increase the knowledge and use of ABA terminology in teachers within an ABA adult program for individuals with autism. For the study, the program as a whole focused on increasing awareness and knowledge of one ABA vocabulary word per week for three months. The target word was used frequently by administration and was posted around the building by definition and example. Teachers were differentially reinforced for using target vocabulary within clinical meetings and in their classrooms. Data were collected on the frequency and correctness of the target vocabulary used by teachers within clinical meetings. Data show an increase compared to baseline rates. Pretest-posttest data were also collected for vocabulary knowledge across both teachers and assistant teachers. |
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35. A Sequenced Approach to Teaching Fluent Money Skills to Children with Autism |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
KEVIN S. CAULEY (Step By Step Academy), Emily K. Ditner (Step By Step Academy), Elizabeth Benedetto-Nasho (Step By Step Academy) |
Abstract: A direct instruction and fluency-based instructional approach was used to teach children with autism money skills. Component skills were identified and an instructional sequence including both critical and variable attributes was used for instructional planning. All student performance data was charted and analyzed using the Standard Celeration Chart. Student performance charts will be presented. |
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36. Using Time-Based Measurement to Teach Time |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
EMILY K. DITNER (Step By Step Academy), Kevin S. Cauley (Step By Step Academy), Elizabeth Benedetto-Nasho (Step By Step Academy) |
Abstract: A direct instruction and fluency-based instructional approach was used to teach time to children with autism. Component skills were identified and an instructional sequence including both critical and variable attributes was used for instructional planning. All student performance data was charted and analyzed using the Standard Celeration Chart. Student performance charts will be presented. |
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37. The Comparison of Low and High Technology Augmentative Communication Systems to Determine Preference |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
DEBBY HUDSON (University of Washington), Ilene S. Schwartz (University of Washington) |
Abstract: An alternating treatments design was used to determine if there was a preference for a low technology communication system versus a high technology communication system for individual augmentative communication users. Three, 4 year old students, all of whom attended a university affiliated early childhood center participated in this study. All three participants had a diagnosis of autism, demonstrated no functional speech and were augmentative communication system users. The participants had all received training on both low and high technology communication systems. A reinforcer assessment was conducted on each student. Students were then presented with preferred items and given the opportunity to request the preferred item using either the low technology or high technology AAC device. The number of requests the child made for the preferred items, within a given amount of time, was recorded for each communication system. Two sessions were conducted within the 2 hour and 15 minute preschool day. The communication systems were randomly assigned to a session by the flip of a coin. Each communication system was used every day. Data were collected over a 15 day period. The results of the treatments indicated that all students showed a clear preference for one augmentative communication system over another. |
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38. Using an Intensive Staff Training Model for a Center-Based Autism Program |
Area: AUT; Domain: Service Delivery |
JENNIE KAMPF (Ivymount School), Tamara J. Marder (Ivymount School), Susan E. Holt (Ivymount School), Carrie A. Clark (Ivymount School) |
Abstract: The Ivymount Autism Program is a center-based model for students’ diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders. This 11-month program uses one-to–one, two-to-one, and small group instruction to teach 43 students using applied behavior analysis in a functional life skills curriculum. The staff employed within this program includes program support specialists, training coordinator, head teachers, senior teaching assistants, and teaching assistants. The current number of staff in this program is 49 and all have varying degrees of experience before joining the Ivymount Autism Program, therefore an intensive staff training model is required. According to Reid and Parsons (2000) a multifaceted approach is the most prevalent type of behavior training and is the model employed in the Ivymount Autism Program. This training model includes verbal and written instruction, performance modeling, practice, and feedback. Staff training procedures include skills assessments, instructional training following ABA curriculum, in vivo classroom training, performance based evaluations, goal setting and professional development, as well as on going training. Skills assessments and performance evaluations enable the implementation of additional training as well as a measure of staff training outcomes. Staff feedback on training procedures is collected following training and provides information for improving future training procedures. |
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39. The Effects of a Generalization Test on Teaching Addition Math Facts |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
BECKY CUTLER (Child Life Education), Michael F. Dorsey (Simmons College), Michael J. Cameron (Simmons College) |
Abstract: The process of generality is often a deficit for many students with Autism. Finding the correct planning strategy or scope and sequence for teaching a skill becomes a challenge for many teachers. Generalization tests have been used in the field of experimental analysis for many years with animals such as pigeons and rats. Rarely is this process used with humans. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of performing a generalization test on the addition facts of an eight year old with Autism. The study was also designed to identify the best format for programming for generalization of a skill like math equations for a student with developmental disorders. Seven formats or multiple exemplars of each math fact were taught. Daily sessions of math facts in one format were performed. A weekly generalization probe was conducted after a new skill was taught. A stimulus equivalence procedure was introduced to teach similarities between symbols, numbers and words. Interobserver agreement was 100% across all generalization probes and within individual sessions. The results of this study showed that over time, the number of trials to criterion for mastery of a skill, decreased after the introduction of the first skills. Generalization of the math equations grew easier, mastered quicker and with higher rates of success and fluency. Overall, the results from using a generalization test to help plan the sequence of skills and promote generalization and maintenance was undoubtedly successful. |
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40. The Effect Of Un-intrusive Prompting On The Active Engagement Of Children With Autism In General Education Classrooms |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
MIRANDA SIM (Behaviour Institute), Joel P. Hundert (Behaviour Institute), Nicole Walton-Allen (Behaviour Institute) |
Abstract: Many young children with autism may initially receive early intensive behavior intervention in the form of discrete trial teaching, progress to more naturalistic forms of intervention and be placed in a general education classroom with support. One of the goals of supported inclusion may be for the child with autism to learn to participate and learn within a group in the general education setting. Unfortunately, children with autism placed in an inclusive setting have been found to exhibit low levels of attending to tasks, compared to their typically-developing peers. Effective and practical strategies are needed to assist these children in attending to the teacher as well as in completing seatwork assignments. This poster will present the results of a study in which teacher assistants were taught to administer prompts and reinforcement to two children with autism to attend to the teacher during lessons and to seatwork assignments. Teacher assistants were trained to position themselves behind the child and administer prompts and reinforcement in an un-intrusive manner and systematically fade prompting. Measures were taken on the frequency, type, degree, delay of prompting and the distance of the physical proximity of teacher assistant during baseline and teacher assistant training condition. The introduction of training of the teacher assistant was associated with an increased occurrence of active engagement of the child with autism. |
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41. Using Precision Teaching to Increase Intraverbals and Appropriate Verbal Responses in a Young Child with Autism |
Area: AUT; Domain: Service Delivery |
HEIDI CALVERLEY (University of British Columbia & Fabrizio/Moors Consulting), Kelly J. Ferris (Fabrizio/Moors Consulting), Michael Fabrizio (Fabrizio/Moors Consulting) |
Abstract: Communication skills significantly affect all areas of an individual’s life. From getting basic needs and wants met, to forming and maintaining personal relationships. Unfortunately communication skills among individuals with autism are often delayed or severely impaired. This poster will demonstrate how we taught a young child to increase appropriate responses to questions as well as reciprocal statements, through the use of Precision Teaching. We will provide data on the acquisition of reciprocal statements in timed practice and the generalized affect on his echoic behavior during free time. |
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42. Publicly Funded Home-Based ABA Program for Preschool Children with Autism: Outcomes of Two of Three Years of Intervention |
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
DANIELA FAZZIO (St. Amant Research Centre), Angela Cornick (St. Amant Research Centre) |
Abstract: The St. Amant ABA Program is a home-based preschool program funded by the Provincial Government of Manitoba. Thirty three children have completed their second of three years in the program. Their progress was measured by criterion and standardized measures administered at intake and at six months (ABLLS) and one year of participation in the program. |
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#396 International Poster Session - DDA |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
5:30 PM–7:00 PM |
Grand Hall |
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43. Use of Video Self-Modeling and Feedback to Teach Cooking Skills to Individuals with Traumatic Brain Injury |
Area: DDA; Domain: Applied Research |
PAULA K. DAVIS (Southern Illinois University), Michelle McGraw-Hunter (Rehabilitation Institute), Gerald D. Faw (Center for Comprehensive Services, Inc.) |
Abstract: Four individuals with traumatic brain injuries were trained via videotape to prepare a simple stovetop food. A multiple probe design across participants was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the treatment. After the initial baseline phase, an individualized videotape was created for each participant in which the participant demonstrated preparation of the food item. The videotape was edited to remove assistance provided during the making of the tape. Baseline observations were conducted following the creation of the tape to evaluate the effects of making the tape on performance. Subsequently, treatment was provided in which the participant watched the individualized tape, performed the cooking task, and received feedback. Maintenance probes were conducted two and four weeks after meeting acquisition criterion. Additionally, generalization probes with a novel food item were conducted prior to and after training. Results reveal that the creation of the video did not affect performance, that video self-modeling and feedback were effective in teaching stove top cooking to three of the four participants, that those three participants maintained their skills at follow-up, and that the three also generalized their skills to a novel food item. |
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44. The Effects of Response Blocking on the Results of a Functional Analysis of Self-Injurious Behavior |
Area: DDA; Domain: Applied Research |
SAMANTHA HARDESTY (Kennedy Krieger Institute), Stephanie A. Contrucci Kuhn (Kennedy Krieger Institute), Anna E. Chirighin (Kennedy Krieger Institute) |
Abstract: Two common methods utilized to protect individuals from the harmful consequences of self-injurious behavior (SIB) are the implementation of response blocking and the use of protective equipment. Borrero et al. (2002) demonstrated that the use of protective equipment masked the function of SIB during a functional analysis. Similarly, response blocking may affect assessment results. In the current study, results of a functional analysis of SIB in the presence and absence of response blocking with a 17-year old female diagnosed with Moderate Mental Retardation were compared. With response blocking in place, similar levels of SIB were observed across functional analysis conditions. In the absence of response blocking, higher levels of SIB were observed in the social attention condition compared to the other conditions. A comparison between the analyses suggested that response blocking might have hindered identification of a clear function for SIB. Subsequent evaluation of the role of attention on the maintenance of SIB disconfirmed it as a possible function. Reliability data were collected in over one third of both functional analyses sessions and averaged 80% or above. Results from this study demonstrate that variables, specifically response blocking, during a functional analysis may influence the outcome. |
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45. The Use of Functional Communication to Decrease Problem Behavior Maintained by Access to Attention During Transitions |
Area: DDA; Domain: Applied Research |
MICHELLE A. FRANK-CRAWFORD CRAWFORD (Kennedy Krieger Institute), David E. Kuhn (Kennedy Krieger Institute), Camille Mongeon (Kennedy Krieger Institute), Keith MacWhorter (Kennedy Krieger Institute) |
Abstract: For some individuals, transitioning between activities may occasion problem behavior, particularly when going from a high to a low preference activity (e.g., going from playing with toys to completing academics). Assessing the variables maintaining problem behavior associated with transitions has involved examining whether the behavior is maintained by termination of the pre-transition activity or initiation of the post-transition activity (McCord, Thomson, & Iwata, 2001). No research was found examining the variables within the transition itself. The present study examined the effects functional communication training (FCT: attention) and extinction during transitions to reduce self-injury, aggression, and disruptive behavior in a 12-year-old female diagnosed with mental retardation. Following inconclusive assessment of the type of transitions associated with problem behavior, a combination multi-element and reversal design was used to test hypotheses regarding the effects of attention during and following transitions, and inter-observer agreement was maintained at 80% or greater. High rates of problem behavior were observed when the participant was prompted to transition without access to attention, while zero rates were observed when transitioned with attention. These effects were maintained with an FCT treatment and other manipulations. These results support the use of hypothesis testing to identify idiosyncratic variables maintaining problem behavior. |
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46. Does the Matching Law Describe the Relationship Between Parental Attention and Child Appropriate Versus Inappropriate Behavior? |
Area: DDA; Domain: Applied Research |
KERRI L. WALTERS (University of Manitoba), Danielle Lise LaFrance (Florida Institute of Technology), Toby L. Martin (University of Manitoba & St. Amant Research Centre), Dickie C. T. Yu (University of Manitoba & St. Amant Research Centre) |
Abstract: Choice opportunities are a significant part of human daily life. Choice can be studied experimentally by presenting the subject with two or more schedules of reinforcement operating simultaneously and independently (Borrero & Vollmer, 2002). This arrangement often yields a reliable behavioral relation (e.g., Hernstein, 1961; see Catania, 1966) known as the matching law. Using video analysis software we observed parental attention and child behavior for two parent-child dyads during two 10 minute conditions. In the Distraction condition we observed appropriate (e.g., solitary play, social interaction, etc.) and inappropriate (e.g., yelling, aggression, etc.) behaviors. In the Instruction condition we observed compliance and noncompliance to parental demands. In both conditions we coded parental attention following each child behavior. Interobserver agreement was calculated for 20% of the videos and averaged 95% (range 79-100%). The ratio of the rates of appropriate versus inappropriate behavior matched closely the ratio of the rates of positive consequences for those behaviors in both conditions, providing evidence that the matching law accurately describes child behavior in the presence of parental attention in at least two common situations of parent-child interaction. This study addressed the deficit of applied demonstrations of the matching law with clinically significant behavioral problems. |
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47. Potential Reinforcement Contingencies in a Classroom Setting: A Descriptive Analysis |
Area: DDA; Domain: Applied Research |
ANDREW R. WEIHER (Spectrum Center, Inc.), Carrie S. W. Borrero (University of Florida & Spectrum Center, Inc.), John C. Borrero (University of the Pacific) |
Abstract: We conducted descriptive analyses of severe problem behavior exhibited by 2 individuals with developmental disabilities during interactions with their teachers in a classroom setting, in order to identify potential reinforcement contingencies. We evaluated the probability of potential reinforcers (e.g., access to tangible items, adult attention, and escape from instructional demands) following problem behavior, as well as the unconditional probability of those events, using the methods described by Vollmer, Borrero, Wright, Van Camp and Lalli (2001). Results suggest that the method was useful in identifying potential contingencies, and extends prior research by demonstrating the utility of the analyses in the context of an undisturbed classroom environment. |
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48. Comparing Staff Rated Precursor Behaviors of SIB to Actual Precursor Behaviors of SIB |
Area: DDA; Domain: Applied Research |
ALICE I. SYMMES (Evergreen Center), Thomas L. Zane (Evergreen Center) |
Abstract: The purpose of this poster is to compare staff ratings for precursor behaviors of SIB to recordings of actual precursor behaviors of SIB. An 18 year-old male student diagnosed with PDD-NOS was the subject. Staff familiar with the student were asked to generate a list of precursor behaviors and then asked to rate these behaviors in order of the frequency of occurrence. The student was videotaped during both high demand and low demand activities. These videotapes were then scored for precursors exhibited prior to SIB. The staff ratings and the scores obtained were graphed and compared. Results indicated that staff ratings of frequency of occurrence of precursor behaviors of SIB did not match the scores obtained during videotapes. Implications of staff perception of behavioral precursors and functions are discussed. |
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49. Functional Analysis and Treatment of Problem Behavior Maintained by Access to Wandering |
Area: DDA; Domain: Applied Research |
TORY J. CHRISTENSEN (University of Iowa), Joel Eric Ringdahl (University of Iowa) |
Abstract: A functional analysis was conducted to identify the role environmental variables had on the maintenance of problem behavior. Results from the functional analysis were undifferentiated. During the functional analysis, it was observed that the participant spent a high percentage of session time attempting to escape the testing room. In addition, engagement in problem behavior was observed when elopement attempts were blocked. A subsequent functional analysis was conducted to evaluate the effect elopement from the testing room and access to wandering had on the maintenance of problem behavior. During this second analysis, the test condition (i.e., contingent access to elopement/wandering) was alternated with a free play condition in which elopement was not restricted. Results from this analysis indicated that the average percentage of intervals during which problem behavior occurred was elevated in the test condition; no problem behavior was observed during the free play condition. NCR, DRA, and FCT were implemented as treatment strategies. Each treatment resulted in lower occurrences of problem behavior. Interobserver agreement was collected for at least 20% of the sessions conducted and the mean agreement was not less than 80 percent across sessions. |
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50. Using Experimental Analysis in Assessing Self-stimulatory Behavior |
Area: DDA; Domain: Applied Research |
ARNIE ZENCIUS (Devereux Cleo Wallace), Jeanne M. Brower (Northern Illinois University/Cornerstone Services) |
Abstract: The participant was a 37 year old female diagnosed with Tourette’s Syndrome. Through casual observation it was noted that she engaged in a frequent neck-pulling behavior both at home and at the workshop. This behavior was reported to have occurred for at least 10 years but only occurred during unstructured times. The behavior resulted in 2 permanent bruises on her neck. Through casual assessment interviews and completion of the FAST & QABF, it was found that the behaviors served the purpose of self-stimulation. To further assess the function of behavior an empirical analysis of the behavior was conducted. Data collected from the experimental analysis supported the hypothesis that the behavior served the function of providing self-stimulation. That is, the self-stimulatory behavior occurred in over 90% of all the one minute intervals observed under the condition of austere environment. The self-stimulatory behavior occurred in less than 10% of all intervals scored when she was given the opportunity to participate in programmed activities. A multi-element design was used to demonstrate experimental control using a condition with programmed activities and verbal reminders. Results show that both programmed activities and verbal reminders greatly decreased the self-stimulatory behavior as compared to baseline. |
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51. Service, Learning, and Research at the Behavior Analysis Resource Center |
Area: DDA; Domain: Applied Research |
ROXANNE L. WOLF (University of North Texas), Richard G. Smith (University of North Texas), Carla M. Smith (University of North Texas), Katy Atcheson (University of North Texas), Curtis J. Harris (University of North Texas), Heather A. Moore (University of North Texas), Bryan S. Lovelace (University of North Texas Behavior Analysis Graduate Program), Michelle S. Greenspan (University of North Texas) |
Abstract: The Behavior Analysis Resource Center was initiated in 1994 as a collaborative project between Denton State School and the University of North Texas, Department of Behavior Analysis. The focus of the project is to provide training for Behavior Analysis students while providing a service for the residents and generating research that advances the BA field. Students provide approximately 240 hours a week of service to a total of 159 residents. Responsibilities include development of Behavior Intervention Plans and Psychological Support Plans, assessment and interpretation of behavioral data and training of direct-care staff to implement the programs. |
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52. Evaluation of “Rebound” Effect on Rate of Tics in Persons with Tourette’s Syndrome |
Area: DDA; Domain: Applied Research |
TARA-LYNN BURBEE (Evergreen Center), Thomas L. Zane (Evergreen Center) |
Abstract: “Tics” are sudden, rapid, recurrent stereotyped motor movements or vocalizations. There are reports in published literature that after the imposition of externally-based programs to reduce these behaviors, the subject will actually increase the rate of tics. This alleged “Rebound Effect” has rarely been experimentally studied. The purpose of this study was to measure the rate of tics before and after the implementation of reinforcement programs designed to reduce the rate of these behaviors. Two individuals with dual diagnosis (including either Tourette’s syndrome or Transient Tic Disorder) participated in the study. Experimenters defined motor and verbal tics, and measured the rate of these during baseline and two intervention conditions. “Verbal Instructions” involved asking the subjects to control their tics as much as they could on their own. “DRO” provided differential reinforcement contingent upon periods of no tics. For five minutes after the cessation of each intervention, experimenters continued measuring the rate of tics. Results showed some increase in rate compared to baseline levels, thus tentatively confirming the presence of a rebound effect. |
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53. Using Matching-to-Sample and Video Modeling to Teach Manual Signs to Adults with Mental Retardation |
Area: DDA; Domain: Theory |
A. CELSO GOYOS (Federal University of São Carlos, Brazil), Nassim Chamel Elias (Federal University of São Carlos, Brazil), Muriel D. Saunders (University of Kansas), Richard R. Saunders (University of Kansas) |
Abstract: Seven adults with mild to severe mental retardation participated in this study to teach manual signs through an automated matching-to-sample procedure. Four were hearing impaired and used signs and three were not hearing impaired and did not use signs. The stimuli were pictures (set A), printed words (set B) and manual signs presented as videos (set C). The independent variable was the training of the relations BA and CA. The dependent variable was the emergent relation CB (equivalence test) and the emission of expressive signs (D) given a picture (A) or a printed word (B). The AD and BD tests were recorded for evaluation of inter-observer agreement by a second observer. Each participant was taught with three sets of three stimuli. A pre-test was applied to find out participants’ unknown signs. Teaching was arranged in a multiple baseline design across sets of stimuli. It was expected that, as a result of observing the manual signs (video modeling) during matching-to-sample training, the participants would be able to emit the manual sign in the expressive sign tests without further training. Five of the seven subjects succeeded in the equivalence test and were able to emit at least 50% of the signs. Two were hearing impaired and had signing experience, and three were not hearing impaired and had no signing experience. Thus, observation of video recorded manual signs in a MTS teaching procedure was sufficient for acquisition of some signs by adults with mental retardation. |
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54. Application of a Token Exchange System in the Treatment of Obsessive Touching Behavior |
Area: DDA; Domain: Applied Research |
HEATHER DAWN SIMISTER-FIRTH (University of Manitoba), James Edigar (St. Amant Research Centre) |
Abstract: Traditionally, behavioral self-control programs have involved the reinforcement of self-observing behavior and low rates of the undesired behavior. The present study demonstrates the acquisition of self-control for obsessive touching behavior by a young woman with an intellectual disability using a Token Exchange System (TES) applied within the context of competing reinforcement schedules. During baseline, the rate of inappropriate touching behavior per hour was determined. Treatment involved giving the client a set number of tokens each hour of the day, corresponding to baseline rates of inappropriate touching, which she could either cash-in during that hour for the opportunity to touch or save to cash-in later in the day for highly preferred backup reinforcement. The number of tokens required for the backup reinforcement was gradually increased to the point that all tokens received throughout a day were required to access backup reinforcement. Data indicated a rapid reduction in inappropriate touching behavior as the number of tokens required for the back-up reinforcement increased. The clinical validity of the procedure was corroborated by verbal reports from care providers who commented on the drastic changes in the client’s behavior. The use of competing reinforcement schedules in the training of self-control is discussed. |
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55. Evaluation of a Video-Based Error Correction Procedure for Teaching Table Setting to Four Adults with Developmental Disabilities |
Area: DDA; Domain: Applied Research |
HELEN I. CANNELLA-MALONE (The Ohio State University), John Goodson (The University of Texas, Austin), Jeffrey S. Sigafoos (University of Tasmania), Mark O'Reilly (University of Texas, Austin) |
Abstract: We evaluated a video-based error correction procedure for teaching four adults with developmental disabilities to set a table. Video clips were initially used as an antecedent prompt. Specifically, after watching a video clip showing one step of the task, participants were given the opportunity to complete that step of the task. However, only one of the adults learned to set the table with this procedure. Consequently, the remaining three adults received intervention in which the video clips were also used as part of an error correction procedure. Specifically, if the participant did not complete the step correctly after an initial viewing of the video clip then they were prompted to watch the relevant video clip a second time. This error correction procedure was introduced in a multiple-baseline across subjects design. All three adults reached 100% correct on the task analysis when the error correction procedure was implemented. This error correction procedure may be useful for individuals who fail to acquire with video prompting alone. |
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56. Treatment of Out of Seat Behavior with a Changing Criteria Experimental Design |
Area: DDA; Domain: Applied Research |
ALLISON STUBITS (The May Institute), Diana B. Baker (Northeastern University), Meredith L. Cochran (The May Institute) |
Abstract: In the following study criterion design was utilized to increase in-seat time, and decrease out of seat behavior for John, a five-year-old student diagnosed with Pervasive Developmental Disorder. Out of seat behavior interferes with skill acquisition and is disruptive to the overall educational environment in a classroom. Through observation it was hypothesized that this behavior was maintained by the functions of both escape from demand and access to tangibles. This intervention offered a systematic approach to gradually increase the amount of time that John was required to remain in his seat and reinforcing this behavior by granting breaks from the table following successful in-seat intervals. Out of seat behavior decreased from an average of 55.8 occurrences per 6-hour school day to an average of 20.3 occurrences. IOA data were collected at 10.3% of sessions and averaged 95% agreement. |
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57. Are Passive Engagement Responses Effective in Identifying Preferences and Reinforcers for Children with Intellectual Disabilities and Minimal Movement? |
Area: DDA; Domain: Applied Research |
MAY S. LEE (University of Manitoba), Sara M. Spevack (University of Manitoba), Dickie C. T. Yu (University of Manitoba & St. Amant Research Centre), Garry L. Martin (University of Manitoba) |
Abstract: Some studies have reported difficulty in identifying preferred stimuli for persons with profound intellectual disabilities and minimal movement, and the identified preferred stimuli did not always function as reinforcers in subsequent reinforcer assessments. The topography and effort required by the approach response may have been responsible for this difficulty. We examined the use of passive engagement as approach responses during preferences assessments and then evaluated the reinforcing effects of the preferred stimuli. Two children with severe to profound intellectual disabilities and minimal physical movement participated. Twelve stimuli were presented to each child using a single stimulus preference assessment procedure. The reinforcing values of the most and least preferred stimuli were then evaluated for a switch-pressing (active) and an eye gazing (passive) response. We found that the more preferred stimulus maintained higher rates of responding than the less preferred stimulus with each child for eye gazing, but not for switch pressing. The results extended the use of passive engagement to assess preferences and identified the choice of target response as a potential limiting factor during reinforcer tests for these children. |
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58. Mathematical Principles of Reinforcement and Human Schedule Performance: Preliminary Analyses with Children with Developmental Delays |
Area: DDA; Domain: Basic Research |
GREGORY A. LIEVING (Kennedy Krieger Institute), Louis P. Hagopian (Kennedy Krieger Institute), Lisa M. Toole (Kennedy Krieger Institute), Heather Jennett (Kennedy Krieger Institute), Eric Boelter (Kennedy Krieger Institute) |
Abstract: Mathematical Principles of Reinforcement (MPR) is a quantitative theory of operant behavior that characterizes performance on schedules of reinforcement. According to the model, schedule performance is a function of the interplay among three classes of variables: reinforcer value/motivational, temporal/physical restrictions on response rates, and the degree and nature of the association between responses and reinforcers. In the current study, children with developmental delays (e.g. autism spectrum disorders, mental retardation, etc.) emitted responses on a touch-screen computer that were reinforced on progressive-ratio (PR) schedules and MPR was used to model performance. Responses per second were plotted as a function of ratio value, and MPR models were fit to the data with the three free parameters a (specific activation), d (temporal constraint on response rate), and ? (delay-of-reinforcement gradient). Although variance was somewhat high due to extraneous factors, MPR was used successfully to generate consistent models of performance. The potential value of using MPR to model schedule performance within clinical populations is discussed, particularly with reference to isolating mechanisms and/or behavioral side effects of pharmacotherapy. |
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59. The Assessment and Evaluation of Response Reduction Procedures With and Without Protective Equipment |
Area: DDA; Domain: Applied Research |
KATRINA MARIE ZELENKA (Kennedy Krieger Institute), David E. Kuhn (Kennedy Krieger Institute), Marie Andachter (Kennedy Krieger Institute), Brian Crawford (Kennedy Krieger Institute) |
Abstract: Recent research on the effects of protective equipment (PE) during the functional analysis of self-injurious behavior (SIB) suggests that the application of PE suppresses the occurrence of SIB, thus limiting interpretation of the data (Borrero et al., 2002; Le & Smith, 2002). Hence, the presence of PE may differentially affect assessment results. In the current case example, an 8-year-old girl diagnosed with autism engaged in high rates of SIB during a functional analysis (Iwata et al., 1982/1994) and somewhat lower rates during a treatment evaluation including functional communication and extinction, both with PE. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate whether the presence of PE would differentially affect the identification and evaluation of a response reduction procedure. Initially a stimulus avoidance assessment (Fisher et al., 1994) was completed both with and without PE. Next, the effectiveness of the identified procedure (i.e., facial screen) at reducing SIB was evaluated both with and without PE. The facial screen procedure was demonstrated to be an effective response reduction procedure both with and without PE. Reliability data were collected for at least one third of all assessment and treatment sessions and averaged above 80%. |
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60. Training Staff to Conduct Preference Assessments and Provide Choice Making Opportunities for Children with Autism in Pre-school Settings |
Area: DDA; Domain: Applied Research |
CLAIRE LACEY (Western Care Association), Kenneth Kerr (Western Care Association) |
Abstract: Recent research has documented the benefits of systematically identifying individual preferences and providing of meaningful choice making opportunities for individuals with developmental disabilities. While a number of assessment formats have been developed, few studies have focused on training support personnel to conduct preference assessments. In addition, the utility and practicality of different assessment formats required further examination. This study focused on training staff who support children with autism in pre-school settings to conduct preference assessments. As part of this study staff were also taught to use the results of assessments to provide choice-making opportunities to children as part of their daily routine. Training resulted correct implementation of preference assessments and an increase in provision of choice making opportunities for children with autism. The social validity of preference assessment formats are presented and discussed. |
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61. Training Parents to Conduct Preference Assessments in Home Settings and Parent Evaluation of Preference Assessment Formats |
Area: DDA; Domain: Applied Research |
CLAIRE LACEY (Western Care Association), Kenneth Kerr (Western Care Association), Grace O'Malley (Western Care Association) |
Abstract: Over the last number of years a substantial body of research has emerged on assessment of preferences and provision choices for individuals with disabilities. More recently researchers have begun to compare the effectiveness of preference assessment formats and training for support personnel to conduct assessments. The current study focused on teaching parents of children with autism to conduct preferences assessments. Parents were taught to conduct both paired stimulus and multiple stimulus without replacement preference assessments with their child in home settings. Training resulted in correct implementation and interpretation of preference assessments. Follow-up data are presented and parent evaluation of preference assessment formats is discussed. |
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62. Teaching an Individual with Autism to Attend to “Yes” and “No” Responses as Discriminative Stimuli |
Area: DDA; Domain: Applied Research |
DAVID P. JARMOLOWICZ (Kennedy Krieger Institute), David E. Kuhn (Kennedy Krieger Institute) |
Abstract: Fisher, Kuhn, and Thompson (1998) demonstrated that functional communication can be brought under stimulus control in a multiple schedule arrangement. Responses of “yes” and “no” are commonly used schedule specifying stimuli used by caregivers to indicate when responses will be reinforced and when they will not. Individuals with developmental disabilities often have difficulty responding according to caregiver responses of “yes” and “no”. This may be a function of the child having obtained reinforcement in the presence of both SDs and S?s. In the current examination, a child diagnosed with Autistic Disorder was taught to emit an observing response (i.e., pointing) and subsequently respond according to staff specifying schedules of reinforcement (i.e., saying “yes” or “no”)During initial training, observing behaviors were followed by a dense ratio of “yes” (FR1) to “no” (EXT) responses. Subsequently, this ratio was adjusted, and the participant was taught to respond appropriately in the presence of independent concurrent schedules for stimuli of varying preferences. Reliability data were collected for at least one third of sessions and averaged above 80%. |
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63. Interaction Effects between DRO and Protective Equipment on Self-injury Maintained by Automatic Reinforcement |
Area: DDA; Domain: Applied Research |
AMANDA ZANGRILLO (Marcus Autism Center), Michael E. Kelley (Marcus Autism Center and Emory University), Kelly McKnight (Marcus Autism Center) |
Abstract: Differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO) arranges for the delivery of reinforcement contingent on omitting problem behavior for a criterion amount of time. Past research has evaluated the extent to which DRO may be effective for reducing behavior that is maintained by positive reinforcement (e.g., Lindberg, Iwata, Kahng, & DeLeon, 1999) and automatic reinforcement (e.g., Cowdery, Iwata, & Pace, 1990). In the current study, results of a functional analysis suggested that self-injurious behavior (SIB) was maintained by automatic reinforcement. Subsequent analyses demonstrated that SIB was less likely to occur when the participant was seated in a moving wheel chair. Finally, we evaluated to extent to which access to the moving chair, in the context of various levels of DRO and variable DRO (VDRO), suppressed levels of SIB when protective equipment was either present or absent. Results suggested that the greatest reductions in SIB were attained when VDRO was combined with protective equipment. |
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#397 International Poster Session - EAB |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
5:30 PM–7:00 PM |
Grand Hall |
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64. An Analysis of the Relationship between Auditory Stimulus Magnitude and Preference for Choice |
Area: EAB; Domain: Basic Research |
JOSEPH K. GOLSON (Eastern Michigan University), James T. Todd (Eastern Michigan University) |
Abstract: A relationship between the magnitude of visual conditioned reinforcing stimuli and rate of responding has been shown in studies investigating an organism's preference for free choice over forced choice. Cerutti and Catania have shown that free choice might not be due to a preference for larger key areas. Research on choice in children suggests that stimulus control is weak or unpredictable when multiple dimensions of a stimulus are varied simultaneously. An analysis of the relationship between stimulus magnitude and organism preference using an auditory medium has yet to be done. This study will vary tone length, volume, and frequency in order to ascertain if auditory stimulus magnitude can account for preference for free or forced choice situations. |
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65. Increasing Consumption of a Low-Valued Food via a Positive Induction Procedure |
Area: EAB; Domain: Basic Research |
JASON W. DOUGLAS (University of North Dakota), Laurie P. Parks (University of North Dakota), Jeffrey N. Weatherly (University of North Dakota) |
Abstract: Previous research on positive induction has demonstrated that upcoming food-pellet reinforcement will increase rats rates of operant responding for unsweetened-lemon-juice reinforcers. That research did not, however, demonstrate that the increase coincided with a change in the value of the lemon juice. In the present study, rats responded in operant sessions in which lemon-juice reinforcement was or was not followed by food-pellet reinforcement. Subsequent to each condition, the rats were given free access to unsweetened lemon juice. Results from these sessions indicate that the rats consumed more lemon juice following the condition that produced induction than following the condition that did not. The results therefore support the idea that induction changes the value of the reinforcer. |
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66. Does the Provision of Signs Aid Learning in Cattle? |
Area: EAB; Domain: Basic Research |
AMY TANNAHILL (University of Waikato, New Zealand), Tania Louise Blackmore (University of Waikato, New Zealand), William Temple (University of Waikato, New Zealand), Jenny Jago (Dexcel New Zealand ), Catherine E. Sumpter (University of Waikato, New Zealand), Therese Mary Foster (University of Waikato, New Zealand) |
Abstract: The learning abilities of four Friesian cows were investigated in Experiment 1 by training the cows to discriminate between a yellow (S+) sign and a grey (S-) sign presented concurrently on two gates. All cows learnt the yellow versus grey discrimination (based on an 80% correct over three consecutive sessions). Following this, the cows completed probe trials where the yellow and grey boards were each presented versus no sign. During the yellow probes, all cows continued to choose yellow, but on the grey probes all cows chose the gate with no sign present. Experiment 2, using two Friesian and two Jersey cows in a between-subjects experimental design, examined whether the provision of a yellow sign aids reversal learning in a simple T-maze problem. The results of the two experiments will be presented and discussed in light of implications for automatic milking systems. |
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67. Antecedent Manipulation of Escape Maintained Behaviors within Academic Tasks |
Area: EAB; Domain: Basic Research |
JENNIFER S. KAZMERSKI (Mississippi State University), Richard Anthony Doggett (Munroe-Meyer Institute), Kristin N. Johnson-Gros (Munroe-Meyer Institute) |
Abstract: By manipulating antecedent variables related to academic engagement, it is possible to set the occasion for appropriate rather than inappropriate behavior. It may be possible to avoid the use of extinction or punishment, by intervening at the antecedent level and therefore avoiding intrusive interventions with potential negative side effects. The purpose of the study is to examine the relationship between academic engagement and high and low academic tasks. In addition, the purpose of the study was to examine the effects of a mathematic intervention on academic performance. The participant of the study was an 8 year old African-American male who was referred by his teacher. The study took place in a rural southeastern college town. A series of antecedent manipulations an a intervention was conducted to evaluate the effects on digits correct per minute and academic engagement. Empirical data will be presented for each phase of the study. Reliability and integrity measures were taken and demonstrated to be .85 or greater. A discussion, potential limitations, and future research will be provided. |
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68. Omission Gradients in a Spatial-Memory Task |
Area: EAB; Domain: Basic Research |
FELIPE CABRERA (Universidad de Guadalajara, Mexico), Francois Tonneau (Universidad de Guadalajara, Mexico) |
Abstract: Four hamsters were exposed to the open-field analog of a radial-arm maze with eight arms. Eight stations were placed in circle on a platform. Seven of the stations bore food, whereas one was always empty. On each trial, a hamster was placed at the center of the platform, and was allowed to make eight choices in succession. A choice consisted of climbing on one of the stations (and retrieving food from it if the station was baited). After each choice, the hamster was moved back to the starting position. Over trials, we recorded the number of correct choices, omissions, and errors. The data for omissions revealed orderly generalization gradients with a peak at the fixed, empty location, and depressions in angular positions close to this location. |
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69. An Experimental Analysis of Harris's Cultural Materialism: The Effects of Various Modes of Production on Metacontingencies |
Area: EAB; Domain: Basic Research |
TODD A. WARD (Stephen F. Austin State University), Chris Ninness (Stephen F. Austin State University) |
Abstract: The 1980’s witnessed a union between behavior analysis and a paradigm in cultural anthropology, known as cultural materialism, which led to the conception of the metacontingency and the field of behavioral anthropology. This union provides the conceptual framework necessary to analyze the larger social and ecological contexts in which our behavior is nested. Such a framework is based on the relationship between the natural environment and the methods used to obtain resources needed for survival, known as the mode of production. This appears to be essential in determining the patterns of social organization of a culture. Since this union, scientists have utilized this integrated paradigm to analyze social phenomena; however, they have overlooked one valuable resource – the laboratory. An experimental analysis of these phenomena could shed light on the most fundamental processes in social behavior, and their effects on individual behavior. We propose that the mode of production may consist of a number of factors expressed mathematically and we examine their effects on the emergence of metacontingencies. A research program for the experimental analysis of behavioral anthropology is outlined, and novel applications of these principles are discussed. |
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70. Response Acquisition with Delayed Reinforcement in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats (SHR) |
Area: EAB; Domain: Basic Research |
MIRARI ELCORO (West Virginia University), Karen G. Anderson (West Virginia University) |
Abstract: Spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) have been used as an animal model for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) due to shared behaviors, e.g., inattentiveness, impulsivity. Individuals diagnosed with ADHD, compared to control subjects, may have greater difficulty learning when behavioral consequences are delayed. It is therefore hypothesized that the SHR strain would not readily acquire a novel response with delayed reinforcement. SHR (n = 8) were exposed to a tandem fixed-ratio 1, fixed-time 20-s schedule of food reinforcement for pressing one (operative) lever in a two-lever chamber. Responses on the alternative lever were recorded but had no other scheduled consequences (extinction). During the single eight-hour session, seven rats acquired lever pressing on the operative lever. Overall response rates for SHR were greater than those of Lewis and Fischer 344 rats previously examined in the same procedure. The present results suggest that SHR are capable of learning a novel response with reinforcement delay and that the rate of learning is not lower than other rat strains. The results obtained in this study do not support previous findings with delay sensitivity in the SHR strain, and thus, suggest possible limitations for the use of this strain as animal model for ADHD. |
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71. Formation of Foreign Language Equivalence Classes Using a Respondent-Type Training Procedure |
Area: EAB; Domain: Applied Research |
DEBORAH ROY (Queens College, City University of New York) |
Abstract: 10 participants were exposed to a one-to-many respondent-type training procedure and match-to-sample testing procedures to see if six, five member foreign language equivalence classes emerged. A stimuli were pictures of objects, B stimuli were typed Spanish words, C stimuli were spoken Spanish words, S stimuli were typed German words and E stimuli were spoken German words. Participants were tested for a transfer of function by oral naming of the six pictures in the experiment in German and Spanish. Having been taught 24 relations, 60 new relations emerged that that had not been explicitly trained. This demonstrated that one-to-many respondent type training is an effective training protocol for teaching foreign language words. |
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72. Shaping Procedures and the Training Context in Alcohol Consumption in Rats |
Area: EAB; Domain: Basic Research |
RODNEY L. KLEIN (Concord University), Adam Boland (Concord University), Shawn Carter (University of Northern Illinois) |
Abstract: The current pair of studies addressed two issues, (1) the development of a training procedure for rats to voluntarily consume alcohol and (2) the role of the training/testing context in alcohol consumption rates. In Study 1, the rats were given the opportunity to drink from any one of three water bottles. Each bottle contained either 10% sucrose, 10% sugar, or 10% Splenda solution. It was found that the rats preferred the sugar solution over both the sucrose and the Splenda solutions. In Study 2, the sugar solution was used as the vehicle for the alcohol consumption shaping procedure. All rats were given daily access to a sugar + alcohol solution while in a black-anise context. The shaping procedure was similar to that used by Samson (1986). Following the shaping procedure, Group Black and Group Control were then given an alcohol consumption test in the black-anise context while Group White was given the test in a white-vanilla context. The results suggest that the shaping procedure was successful, the procedure was necessary, and the test context had a significant effect on alcohol consumption rates. |
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73. Toddlers’ Differential Responding to Paintings by Picasso and Monet |
Area: EAB; Domain: Basic Research |
JENNIFER SIMON (University of Kansas), Rachel H. Thompson (University of Kansas), Joseph E. Spradlin (University of Kansas) |
Abstract: The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the acquisition of two complex perceptual stimulus classes among typically developing toddlers. Thus far, three children (26-27 mos) have participated. Each session involved 8 trials consisting of the simultaneous presentation of 2 stimuli (i.e., a picture of a painting by Monet and Picasso) and the auditory stimulus “Point.” One participant was trained to select Monet stimuli (S+) and not Picasso stimuli (S-), whereas, the other two participants selected Picasso stimuli (S+) and not Monet stimuli (S-). Training procedures involved reinforcement of correct responses and repetition of trials with incorrect responding. Two stimulus classes containing at least 4 members each were established for each participant. Following discrimination training, the contingencies associated with each class of stimuli were reversed (i.e., S+ stimuli were designated as S- stimuli), and responding reallocated to the stimuli associated with reinforcement, providing further evidence of the formation of two stimulus classes. Furthermore, the effects of training generalized to novel paintings by each artist. Results replicate work conducted with nonhumans (Watanabe, Sakamoto, & Wakita, 1995) and demonstrate the acquisition of complex stimulus control among individuals with limited language. Interobserver agreement (IOA) was collected on at least 31% of all sessions. IOA was 100%.Keywords: toddlers, stimulus class, discrimination, generalization. |
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74. Effects of Ephedrine on Behavior Maintained by a Differential Reinforcement of High and Low Rate Schedules of Reinforcement |
Area: EAB; Domain: Basic Research |
CHRISTOPHER KREBS (Idaho State University), Jennifer S. Phelps (Idaho State University) |
Abstract: Ephedrine is a controversial over-the-counter “herbal” stimulant that has discriminative properties similar to amphetamines. The effects of ephedrine on behavior maintained by a differential reinforcement of high (DRH) and low (DRL) rate schedules of reinforcement were examined. Five rats (four females and one male) were maintained at 240g and 380 g, respectively. Lever pressing was shaped and eventually maintained under a DRL and DRH 8:4 schedule of reinforcement. After baseline data were established, i.p. injections of ephedrine (1-30 mg/kg) were administered in ascending order. Reinforcement rate and response rate decreased with increasing dose of ephedrine. The dose-response curves were similar to what has been reported with d-amphetamine and fixed ratio schedules. |
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75. Assessment of Behavioral Configurations in Natural Settings |
Area: EAB; Domain: Basic Research |
SILVIA MORALES CHAIN (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México), Carlos Santoyo (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México), Ligia Colmenares (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México) |
Abstract: The aim of this paper was to assess the persistence of academic behavior throughout two quantitative models: matching law and momentum theory. We worked with ten six years old children who participated in a longitudinal study from Coyoacán. We used the Behavioral Observational System of Social Interactions (SOC-IS). The children were observed in six days in the classroom each year during five consecutive years. We used the matching law and the behavioral momentum theory to explain the academic behavior and its persistence to change thru the time involved in academic activity and the time expended in others behaviors both in function of time dedicated to the social interaction like consequences during behavioral transitions. The results show relative rate of response in function of relative rate of reinforcement and the ratio of change obtained thru the rate of response in transition against previous behavior. We discussed the applicability of the matching law and behavioral momentum theory inside experimental analysis of human behavior particularly in natural settings. |
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76. The Role of Instructions and Self-Generated Rules on College Students’ Performance on a Probability Matching Task |
Area: EAB; Domain: Basic Research |
ANDREW D. HUCKS (James Madison University), Sherry L. Serdikoff (James Madison University) |
Abstract: The present study examines probability matching, a type of non-optimal performance that occurs in certain choice situations. The extent to which probability matching is the result of self-generated rules consistent with more molar variables (like history of reinforcement on such tasks) rather than more molecular variables (like those specific to a current task) is explored. Undergraduate students are presented with four 160-trial sessions of a repeated binary choice procedure where one alternative is reinforced on 75% of the trials and the other is reinforced on the remaining 25% of the trials. Each session is identical except for specific instructions given at the beginning: (1) no instructions (2) “The red circle will be correct 75% of the time and the blue circle will be correct the remaining 25% of the time, (3) “Obtaining 75% of the available points is considered a perfect score,” and (4) “Points will be available on only 75% of the trials.” The extent to which the fourth condition leads to self-generated rules that allow individuals to achieve optimal performance is discussed in the context of molar and molecular variables that affect choice and the role of verbal behavior. |
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77. Behavioral Economics of Sexual Decision Making: Probability Discounting of Erotic Stimuli |
Area: EAB; Domain: Basic Research |
STEVEN R. LAWYER (Idaho State University), Scott Chastain (Idaho State University), Sherman Normandin (Idaho State University) |
Abstract: The authors attempt to characterize sexual decision making as choice behavior influenced by the probability of gaining access to sexual stimuli. Adult undergraduate participants (n = 71; 46.5% female) completed two computerized probability discounting tasks that posed a series of choices between relatively small amounts of hypothetical money (e.g., $1) versus a larger amount of money ($10) or relatively small amounts of hypothetical erotica (e.g., 1 min) versus a larger amount of erotica (10 minutes) across five different levels of uncertainty (100%, 90%, 75%, 50%, and 25%). Indifference points representing the current subjective value of probabilistic outcomes were used to estimate discounting parameters. The hyperbolic discounting function [V = 1/(A+hO)] adequately described choice patterns for most (n = 42) participants and choice patterns for money and erotica were similar. However, a significant number of participants (n = 12) evidenced an orderly choice pattern that was directly opposite the orthodox discounting function (i.e., a “reverse discounting” pattern). This pattern was noted in regard to the erotica task but not the money task. These data suggest that the probability discounting paradigm can be used to characterize sexual decision making in some individuals. |
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78. The Effects of Brief Delays and Non-Differential Visual Feedback Stimuli on the Performance of Verbal Conditioning |
Area: EAB; Domain: Basic Research |
KANAME MOCHIZUKI (Teikyo University, Japan), Hitoshi Ohnishi (National Institute of Multimedia Education, Japan) |
Abstract: We examined the effects of brief delays on the performance of verbal conditioning and found that 300m-sec delay of reinforcement disturbed the conditioning. We also examined the effect of "meaningless" words such like "Uh" on the conditioning. During the conditioning phase, participants' echoic verbal responses were reinforced by a verbal praise of computer "Uh... Correct!", when they were recognized properly by a speech recognition system on a computer. When they were not recognized properly, the computer replied "Uh... Wrong!". In this procedure, the echoic performances were significantly increased compared to the baseline. In this experiment, we replaced these "meaningless" words with visual feedback stimuli, and found that the visual stimuli could not "mediate" the delay of consequent event in verbal conditioning even though there were large individual differences. Keywords: verbal conditioning, delay of reinforcement, speech recognition system, human. |
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79. Some Effects of Task Availability During the Delay to Reinforcement on Choice in a Self-control Paradigm Availability During the Delay to Reinforcement on Choice in a Self-control Paradigm |
Area: EAB; Domain: Basic Research |
LEONARDO F. ANDRADE (University of Florida), Rodrigo Gomide Baquero (Universidade de Brasília), Elenice Seixas Hanna (Universidade de Brasília) |
Abstract: Self-control (SC) can be defined as the choice of a larger more delayed reinforcer instead of the smaller more immediate reinforcer (IMP). Studies that investigated the variables that affect this special kind of choice have reported that what the child does during the delay between the response and the reinforcer influence the response distribution of SC and IMP. However, these studies do not present results that allow the identification of the aspects of the contingency present during the delay that facilitate or reduce SC. The present study sought to investigate the effects of task characteristics available during the delay to reinforcement on choice in a self-control paradigm. Thirteen children from Brasilia (Brazil) participated on this study. The basic contingency was composed of concurrent schedules VI10s VI10s programmed on a computer. The task consisted of a game available on the monitor screen during the delay to the self-control choice. Manipulations of the consequences and the reinforcer configurations were made to verify if the effect of the task available during the delay depended on the characteristics of the task. The results show that systematic increases of the choice responses on the self-control alternative were obtained only when the task produced additional conditioned reinforcers. |
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80. Using the Spontaneously Hypertensive Rat (SHR) as an Animal Model to Examine Delay-of-Reinforcement Gradients in Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD) |
Area: EAB; Domain: Basic Research |
JANIE E. WEBB (James Madison University), Sherry L. Serdikoff (James Madison University) |
Abstract: Recent research suggests that Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) may be the result of an altered reinforcement mechanism characterized by shorter and steeper delay-of reinforcement gradients. The current study investigates this possibility in the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR), an animal model of ADHD. SHR and Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY) were trained to emit sequences of responses on two levers, A and B, such that a fixed number of presses on lever-A must be accompanied by a fixed number of presses on lever-B in order to produce a reinforcer. As the overall number of responses separating lever-A responses from the reinforcer were systematically altered, rates of responding on lever-A decreased but at different rates for SHRs and WKYs. Data are discussed in terms of the extent to which the shapes of the delay-of-reinforcement gradients differ for SHR and WKY. These data provide additional evidence for SHR as animal model of ADHD and for the for the altered reinforcement mechanism view of the disorder. |
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81. Satisficing Game Theory: Preliminary Behavioral Studies |
Area: EAB; Domain: Theory |
HAROLD L. MILLER JR. (Brigham Young University), Wynn Stirling (Brigham Young University) |
Abstract: Economic theories of rational-agent utility maximization have fallen on hard times, due largely to the charge from the coalition of behavior analysts and decision theorists that is behavioral economics. A new theory of choice under uncertainty—satisficing game theory—has been proposed by Stirling (2004) to account for collective choice, that is, choices made by individual agents in small groups, including the dyads that figure in social games such as the Prisoner’s Dilemma and Ultimatum. The theory makes three claims. First, each option available to an individual agent is evaluated along two dimensions: selectabilty and rejectability. Second, an individual agent’s preferences are also influenced by the manifest preferences of other agents. Third, using probability theory, it is possible to derive both a group preference function and individual preference functions. Tests of specific predictions of the theory using behavior analytic procedures will be reported. |
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82. Behavioral Variability and Stereotypy in Children: The Effects of Sequence Training |
Area: EAB; Domain: Basic Research |
HECTOR MARTINEZ SANCHEZ (Universidad de Guadalajara, Mexico), Juan Moises De la Serna Tuya (University of Seville, Spain), Sofia Guri Hernandez Torres (Universidad de Guadalajara, Mexico) |
Abstract: Eighteen children were exposed to a particular sequence of variability- and stereotypy- based contingencies with matching-to-sample tasks. The participants could select a comparison stimulus that was identical to, partially identical to, or different from the sample stimulus. Stereotyped choices were reinforced in one phase and variable choices were reinforced in another phase. The order of the phases was varied across six sequences. Stereotyped responses could be made by pressing the same key, or by selecting the same sample-comparison relation (identity, partial identity, or difference) along 36 trials. Variable responses could be made by pressing a different key, by selecting a different sample-comparison relation, or both. Participants were assigned to one of six groups to counterbalance exposure to the conditions. Reinforcing variability or stereotypy in the first phase had differential effects on the acquisition of stereotyped or variable behavior in the second phase. These results confirm that the sequence of training plays a role in the acquisition of behavioral variability and stereotypy on matching-to-sample tasks. Keywords: variability, stereotypy, matching to sample, sequences of training, key pressing, children |
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83. Behavioral Sensitivity on Yoked VI and VR Schedules |
Area: EAB; Domain: Basic Research |
EDHEN LAURA LIMA (West Virginia University), Michael Perone (West Virginia University) |
Abstract: Comparisons of performance on variable interval (VI) and variable ratio (VR) schedules are used to assess sensitivity to contingencies of reinforcement. We compared behavior maintained by VI and VR schedules by yoking the schedules on a within-subject basis across successive conditions. Four rats were trained on a VR schedule and then a succession of VI and VR schedules, with each schedule yoked to the one in the previous condition. Another 4 rats were trained in a parallel fashion; however the difference was that their training began with a VI schedule. In most cases VR and yoked-VR schedules maintained higher response rates and reinforcement rates than VI and yoked-VI schedules. However, exceptions were observed. The VR and yoked-VR schedules tended to reinforce shorter interresponse times whereas longer ones were reinforced by the VI and yoked-VI schedules. The findings suggest limits on the use of yoked VI and VR schedules as a litmus test of behavioral sensitivity. |
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84. The Effect of Instructed Suppression of Thoughts of One Member of an Established Stimulus Equivalence Class |
Area: EAB; Domain: Basic Research |
JIM I. GERHART (Western Michigan University), Matthew S. Willerick (Western Michigan University), Sigurdur Oli Sigurdsson (Western Michigan University), Scott T. Gaynor (Western Michigan University) |
Abstract: Using nonsense words and sample-as-node conditional discrimination training (with A as the nodal stimulus), two 4-member equivalence classes (A1, B1, C1, D1 and A2, B2, C2, D2) were established. Reaction times (RTs) to the stimuli were then assessed in a modified Stroop (color naming) task. Next, B1 was given a new function via a verbal instruction to suppress thoughts of it, but to continue completing the color naming task exactly as instructed prior to the suppression instruction. Responding to B1 was clearly disrupted following the suppression instruction, with 9/9 participants “freezing” when it next appeared. For 7/9, slower RTs to B1 (relative to B2) persisted across the majority of the subsequent 5 trials. RTs to A1 and C1 (relative to A2 and C2) increased across the majority of the subsequent three trials for 7/9 and 5/9 participants, but this effect did not persist into the final three trials and was not seen for D1. These data suggest the suppression instruction altered the stimulus functions of B1, and revealed a modest, limited duration, effect on A1. Additional, more fine-grained analyses seeking to clarify the results found will supplement these preliminary data. |
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85. Preference and Demand for Litter Substrates in Hens |
Area: EAB; Domain: Basic Research |
RENEE RAILTON (University of Waikato, New Zealand), Aimee R. Harris (University of Waikato, New Zealand), Catherine E. Sumpter (University of Waikato, New Zealand), William Temple (University of Waikato, New Zealand), Therese Mary Foster (University of Waikato, New Zealand), Nicola Starkey (University of Waikato, New Zealand) |
Abstract: Six hens’ preferences between 5-min access to each of two litter substrates, sand and sawdust, were measured using a concurrent schedules procedure. In addition increasing fixed-ratio schedules were used to generate demand functions for 5-min access to each of the same two substrates. The results of both procedures are presented. The aim was to assess whether the demand functions for the more preferred litter substrate (as determined by the concurrent schedules) yielded higher initial consumption rates, less elastic demand functions and/or higher Pmax values when compared to the demand functions generated for the less preferred substrate, as has been found for qualitatively different foods. |
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86. Acute Nicotine Effects on Impulsive and Risky Choice in Rats: Evidence for the Need of an Amount Sensitivity Parameter |
Area: EAB; Domain: Basic Research |
MATT LOCEY (University of Florida), Jesse Dallery (University of Florida) |
Abstract: Impulsive choice, or preference for small immediate reinforcers over large delayed reinforcers, has been associated with cigarette smoking. Three experiments examined the role of nicotine in this association. In Experiment 1, rats chose between a smaller, sooner reinforcer and a larger, later reinforcer. Nicotine dose-dependently increased impulsive choice. In Experiment 2, a risky choice procedure was used in which rats made discrete choices between a variable and fixed delay to a single pellet. If nicotine increased temporal discounting, then nicotine should have increased preference for the risky option because it provided more immediate reinforcers than the fixed option. Nicotine did not affect risky choice, however, suggesting that nicotine decreased amount sensitivity rather than increased temporal discounting in Experiment 1. For Experiment 3, we modified the risky choice procedure so that rats chose between a variable delay to a smaller reinforcer and a fixed delay to a larger reinforcer. Nicotine increased risky choice when different amounts were involved, which parallels the finding of an increase in impulsive choice in Experiment 1. Overall, the results suggest that while nicotine does increase impulsive choice, this increase is better accounted for by a decrease in amount sensitivity rather than an increase in temporal discounting. |
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87. Percentile Reinforcement of Long Interresponse Times in Humans: The Effects of Instructions on Sensitivity to Consequences Arrayed over Conflicting Time Scales |
Area: EAB; Domain: Basic Research |
JOSE L. MARTINEZ (Southern Illinois University), Jennifer N. Finney (Southern Illinois University, Carbondale), Joshua Beckmann (Southern Illinois University, Carbondale), Blake A. Hutsell (Southern Illinois University, Carbondale), Eric A. Jacobs (Southern Illinois University, Carbondale) |
Abstract: Participants were exposed to a percentile schedule that maintained a constant ratio of responses to reinforcers while continually differentially reinforcing relatively long interresponse times (IRTs). The molar relationship between overall reinforcement rate and overall response rate arranged by the percentile schedule is similar to that arranged by a random-ratio schedule. Overall reinforcement rate increases as a direct function of overall response rate. Control by the IRT-based contingency, thus, opposes control by molar reinforcement variables because reinforcement of long IRTs decreases overall response rate, thereby decreasing overall reinforcement rate. Six adults participated in three 90-minute sessions in which they watched movies that were subject to brief, random disruption. Lever pressing produced disruption-free viewing periods. In the first two sessions, disruption-free periods occurred following any IRT that was longer than 16 of the previous 20 IRTs. In the third session, disruption-free periods were arranged by a yoked random-ratio (RR5) schedule for the first half of the session, followed by a return to the percentile schedule for the second half of the session. Half the participants received an instruction describing the IRT contingency and the other half received an instruction describing the molar relationship between responding and reinforcement. Response patterns were generally consistent with instructions and were less sensitive to the schedule contingencies, relative to response patterns from uninstructed participants. |
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88. Effects of Suprachiasmatic Nuclei Lesions and Inter-Session Interval on Habituation and Spontaneous Recovery of the Headskake Response |
Area: EAB; Domain: Basic Research |
KELBY L. HOLTFRETER (University of Alaska, Anchorage), Eric S. Murphy (University of Alaska, Anchorage), John W. Wright (Washington State University) |
Abstract: Seven rats received bilateral radio frequency lesions of the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). A second group of eight rats served as sham lesion controls. Subjects responded to four different inter-session intervals (ISIs = 5 min, 2, 24, & 48 hr) during habituation of the headshake response (HSR). Subjects were exposed to 24 trials during the first habituation session, followed by an additional 24 trials during a second session. SCN-lesioned subjects revealed a decrease in responsiveness as compared with controls. Both groups revealed comparable habituation of the HSR. The SCN-lesioned rats did not reveal spontaneous recovery after 24 hr; however, recovery was established at 2 and 48 hr. The results of the present experiment suggest that lesions of the SCN do not alter habituation, although lesions of the SCN delay the 24 hr spontaneous recovery property of habituation (e.g., Groves & Thompson, 1970) to 48 hr. |
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89. Observation of Online Texas Hold’Em Poker Entry in Various Cash Games and Tournament Structures |
Area: EAB; Domain: Basic Research |
MATTHEW D. STIEG (Southern Illinois University, Carbondale), Mark R. Dixon (Southern Illinois University), James W. Jackson (Southern Illinois University, Carbondale) |
Abstract: No current literature to date has examined the behavioral patterns of Texas Hold’Em poker players. In this research, online poker players were observed in actual cash games and tournaments. Variables such as buy-ins (cost), cash outs (wins or losses), length of play, and relative stakes were examined in the observation of cash games, while tournament play was observed was at various costs to play (buy-ins), payout schedules, and the availability of single elimination or re-entry structures. Results and treatment utility are discussed. |
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91. Experimental Analysis of Blocking of Acquisition of Textual Responding (Sight Reading) in Kindergarten Children |
Area: EAB; Domain: Basic Research |
PAMELA D. KELSO (University of Manitoba), Stephen W. Holborn (University of Manitoba, Department of Psychology), Terri L. Otto (University of Manitoba) |
Abstract: Children learn to sight read words faster when the words are presented alone as opposed to being paired with extra-stimulus prompts. This has been attributed to the blocking effect. Because of the difference in the category of stimulus (picture vs. word), overshadowing also may be involved. The present research used an alternating treatment design to assess blocking in textual compound stimuli of the same category (words) in kindergarten children. The standard blocking paradigm was used to investigate whether word acquisition would be faster when the word was presented as a single stimulus versus when it was presented with a corresponding word printed in a different language. The first experiment involved the establishment of a conditioning history of appropriate oral responding to novel words printed in French. The second phase involved pairing the preconditioned French word with the corresponding English word in the experimental condition, and in the control condition pairing novel French words with the corresponding novel English words. Rate of acquisition of sight reading the English words was measured. In the second experiment the respective roles of French and English words were reversed. Results showed a faster rate of acquisition for experimental versus control words in support of a blocking interpretation (unconfounded by overshadowing). |
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#398 International Poster Session - EDC |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
5:30 PM–7:00 PM |
Grand Hall |
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90. Functional Communication Training Without Extinction |
Area: EDC; Domain: Applied Research |
DAWN H. DAVIS (Georgia State University), Laura D. Fredrick (Georgia State University) |
Abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of functional communication training (FCT) that implements concurrent schedules of differing magnitudes of reinforcement in lieu of extinction on reducing problem escape behaviors and increasing alternative mands. Participants were 2 adolescent students diagnosed with severe emotional and behavior disorder (SEBD), and tested as moderately intellectually delayed (MOD). Emphasis was placed on application to classroom settings. This study consisted of 2 phases. First, a functional analysis was conducted for each student where problem behaviors were identified as escape based. Second, FCT was implemented for each student using a reversal design. During FCT, concurrent schedules of reinforcement were applied for inappropriate behaviors, and for alternative, replacement behaviors. The reinforcement provided for inappropriate behaviors was escape from task for 60 seconds (SR-). The reinforcement for the alternative mand was a 60 second escape from task during which access to a preferred activity was provided (SR-/PA). Results for 1 participant revealed a significant inverse relationship between the number of inappropriate escape maintained behaviors, and the number of appropriate escape requests, within a few FCT sessions. Results for the other participant were variable, but revealed important implications for further research in FCT without extinction. |
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92. Effects of Training to Improve Positive Behavior Skills: A Pilot Study |
Area: EDC; Domain: Applied Research |
RANGASAMY RAMASAMY (Florida Atlantic University) |
Abstract: There are over 2500 special education schools in India that cater to about two million children with moderate to severe disabilities. For the purpose of this study, the author selected 50 teachers that teach children with intellectual disabilities in ten schools to determine the use of behavior principles with their students in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. Recently, the author interviewed all 50 teachers and asked about their practice to pinpoint a target behavior and come up with intervention techniques. Ninety percent of the teachers said that they use punishment procedures to control problem behaviors. To avoid these teachers’ use of punishment procedures and to improve their skills in positive behavior principles, the author is currently working with a university to provide a weeklong workshop on positive behavior principles to these teachers. After the completion of the workshop, these teachers will participate as an experimental group and another 50 teachers that did not receive the workshop from the same schools will participate as a control group for this study. All 100 teachers will be provided with a self monitoring data collecting instrument to record their skills in identifying target behavior, come up appropriate intervention procedures, and monitor progress in student’s problem behavior. Data will be collected for four months and analyzed to see if the teachers that received the workshop assisted students with problem behaviors significantly better than the control group. To add social validity to the importance of the workshop, parents of the students that received the interventions from both group of teachers will be randomly interviewed and their recommendations will be used to plan for future workshops across the state to improve the teacher’s skills in positive behavior principles. The results will be shared with the Ministry of Education, special education schools throughout the state, and teacher training colleges in the state of Tamil Nadu to incorporate behavior principles in their training programs. |
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93. Implementing Schoolwide Positive Behavior Supports in Rural West Texas Communities |
Area: EDC; Domain: Service Delivery |
DEANN LECHTENBERGER (Texas Tech University), Frank Mullins (Emporia State University) |
Abstract: Rural West Texas communities face unique challenges in providing supports and services to families with children who have or are at risk for emotional behavioral disorders. Sparse populations spread across wide geographic terrain makes it difficult for many families to access basic medical, mental health, and other services for their children. The local school district is often the most available public service system for many families in rural communities. Through grant support from the Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities, Region 17 Education Service Center has partnered with Texas Tech University’s College of Education to provide training and other supports to a number of school districts throughout the South Plains region of West Texas. Learn how six local school campuses, from three rural school districts from the South Plains region of West Texas, have implemented schoolwide Positive Behavior Supports (PBS) to meet the educational and mental health needs of students. Data reports on behavioral and academic outcomes from 1 high school, 2 middle schools, and 3 elementary schools will be shared and discussed in this session. Lessons learned from identifying school and community leadership teams, developing training and coaching, and implementation strategies will be provided. |
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94. A Case Study of Building Behavioral Support Systems for Students with Behavioral Challenges in Elementary Schools in Japan |
Area: EDC; Domain: Applied Research |
KENICHI OHKUBO (University of Tsukuba, Japan), Fumiyuki Noro (University of Tsukuba, Japan) |
Abstract: Today, how to cope with behavioral problems in regular educational setting has been a big challenges in Japan. Nationwide investigation conducted in 2002 revealed that 2.9% of students show remarkable behavioral difficulties (rating by class teachers). However, Japan is in the stage of first investigation how the behavioral analysts collaborate with the school personnel. In this study, we report the case illustrations targeted behavioral problems in reference to positive behavioral support systems in schools (Crone & Horner, 2003). The case studies include 1)universal interventions for students with mild or no problem behavior, 2)specialized group interventions for students at risk for problem behavior, and 3)specialized individual intervention for students with dangerous behavior. The purpose of this study is to examine the effects, efficiency, and contextual fit of the intervention, and is to consider the perspective of positive behavioral support systems in elementary schools. |
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95. Analysis of a Direct Observation System to Evaluate Students’ Positive Behavior in School-wide Positive Behavior Support |
Area: EDC; Domain: Applied Research |
JAMES J. FOX (East Tennessee State University), Leia D. Blevins (East Tennessee State University), Kim Allison (East Tennessee State University), Nakisha Hairston (East Tennessee State University), Whitney Smith (East Tennessee State University), Cheri Kyzer (East Tennessee State University), Jennifer Freemon (East Tennessee State University) |
Abstract: School-wide Positive Behavior Support (SWPBS) applies behavior principles across an entire student body to prevent challenging behaviors and increase specific positive behaviors. Although SWPBS is reported to be an effective approach in elementary, middle, and high school populations and it emphasizes reinforcement of alternative positive behaviors, most published research has only reported reductions in behavior problems. One exception was a study by Nelson, Colvin & Smith (1996) who observed student behaviors in an elementary SWPBS program and reported increased positive behaviors and reduced negative behaviors. The present study replicates Nelson et al’s (1996) observation system in both elementary and high school populations, refining observation categories to reflect the behaviors in both populations. Observations were conducted in one rural elementary and one high school (average daily attendance of 433 and 1138 respectively). Preliminary analyses indicated high interobserver agreement (Mean = 88.33%; Range = 80 to 100%). Data on positive and negative behaviors in students with high office referral rates and students with low referral rates will be used to evaluate the observations system’s validity as well as changes in the observed behaviors as SWPBS is implemented. Issues in the use of direct observations to evaluate SWPBS programs are discussed. |
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96. Positive Behavior Support at the High School Level: Outcomes and Recommendations |
Area: EDC; Domain: Applied Research |
E. JEMMA ROBERTSON (Vanderbilt University), Kathleen L. Lane (Vanderbilt University), Leslie Rogers (Vanderbilt University), Joseph H. Wehby (Vanderbilt University) |
Abstract: With the reauthorization of IDEA (1997), positive behavior support (PBS) has become a required support that schools must address. As such, the research and teaching communities have shifted their efforts to understanding the necessary components of PBS, identifying more efficient methods of implementing PBS with primary, secondary, and tertiary interventions based on systematic evaluations of students’ responsiveness to intervention, and evaluating changes in students’ behavioral and academic performance as a result of this three-tier prevention model (Walker, Horner, et al., 1996). To date, the majority of the research has been successfully conducted with elementary and middle schools (Taylor-Greene & Kartub, 2000). However, PBS at the high school levels has proven to be a formidable task. This proposed poster documents the results of Project PBS. Project PBS focused on designing, implementing, and evaluating models of positive behavior support in four high schools in Middle Tennessee over a three-year period. This poster will (a) examine the challenges of implementing a PBS model in rural high schools; (b) identify the types and patterns of behavioral problems manifested at the high school level; and (c) evaluate how students with varying types of behavior problems respond to primary and secondary levels of support. |
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97. Teacher Responsivity to Aggressive and Pro-Social Behavior of Male and Female High Aggressors in Preschool |
Area: EDC; Domain: Applied Research |
ERIN M. HOLTON (University of Minnesota), Jennifer J. McComas (University of Minnesota), Melissa Tarasenko (North Dakota State University), Ellie C. Hartman (University of Minnesota), Frank J. Symons (University of Minnesota) |
Abstract: Patterns of aggressive behavior observed in preschool often follow one of two trajectories. The aggression of some children will decreases with age, with others aggression persists into childhood and adolescence and takes on increasingly serious forms in adulthood. Much less is known about the relationship between social interactions with teachers and differential patterns of aggressive behavior within and across preschool aged children. Naturally occurring aggressive and pro-social behavior among 6 aggressive preschoolers was examined over time and in relation to teacher responsiveness. Real-time direct observational data were collected bi-weekly across 9 months. The frequency of aggressive and pro-social behavior and teacher responses following pro-social and aggressive behavior, along with the temporal relation as indexed by the sequential dependencies between child and teacher behavior were examined. Reliability was calculated by conducting a generalizablility analysis and G-coefficients ranged from 0.8342 to 0.9440. Results are discussed in terms of the influence of social interactions between teachers and highly aggressive children on patterns of aggressive and pro-social behavior and implications for intervention. |
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98. Application of the Engineered Learning Program for children with Emotional Support Needs |
Area: EDC; Domain: Service Delivery |
NADINE GEORGE-HARRINGTON (Children's Crisis Treatment Center), Joseph D. Cautilli (Children's Crisis Treatment Center & Temple University), Mark T. Wilkerson (St. Joseph's University) |
Abstract: The Engineered Leaning Program is a social learning model that was developed in the early 1970s at the University of Oregon to provide emotional support to students with emotional and behavioral problems. The program works on a point system, combined with direct instruction of lessons. Children Crisis Treatment Center is in the second year of this program. This poster will review the outcomes for the second year with respect to academics, attendance, lateness and serious incidents. |
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99. Improving Behaviors in Children with Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity in a Marginal Elementary School |
Area: EDC; Domain: Applied Research |
MARCO WILFREDO SALAS-MARTINEZ (University of Veracruz), Doris Miriam Ladron de Guevara Tejeda (University of Veracruz), Esperanza Ferrant Jimenez (University of Veracruz), Andree Fleming-Holland (University of Veracruz) |
Abstract: Parents and teachers are facing a great problem the behavior of children with Attention Deficit, Impulsiveness and Hyperactivity Disorder. The children that manifest this type of disorders have problems socializing with others, being accepted in their family and school environment and have low academic achievement, hence they develop negative concepts of their own self image. The purpose of this study consisted in identifying and modifying the behavior problems in 22 children through a workshop given about principles in applied behavioral analysis to 22 parents and 19 teachers. To identify the behavior problems in these children, the Mc Connell, Ryser and Higgins (2000) adapted scale for teachers and parents was used. Pre and post evaluations over basic concepts of this disorder were carried out in parents, and the teachers recorded behavior problems within the base line and experimental phases. The obtained results allowed parents and teachers to identify and modify those types of problem behavior. |
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100. Effects of a Clocklight Motivation Program on the Off-Task Behavior and Academic Performance of First Grade Students during Teacher-Monitored Boardwork |
Area: EDC; Domain: Applied Research |
CHERIE ANN FISHBAUGH (The Ohio State University), Corinne M. Murphy (The Ohio State University), William L. Heward (The Ohio State University) |
Abstract: Helping a classroom full of high-energy children learn to reduce off-task is one of the most important classroom management challenges and objectives for teachers. This study evaluated the effects of a positive and proactive classroom management system, the “clocklight,” that several previous studies have found effective in reducing the off-task behavior of students during boardwork. A clocklight is an analog wall clock to which a green rope light has been attached on its circumference. When the clock is on, the green light glows and the hands move, accumulating time that the students can exchange for class rewards (e.g., computer time, watching a video, end-of-the-week popcorn party). When the clock light is turned off, the light goes dark and the hands stops accumulating time. The teacher uses a remote control switch to turn the clocklight on and off. When all students are engaged in appropriate behavior, the clock is on. If inappropriate behaviors are displayed, the teacher simply turns off the clock. The teacher is not supposed to give any reprimands. The study took place during teacher-monitored boardwork time, a 15 minute time period. Off-task behavior and academic productivity were measured. The data were variable but overall results showed a decrease in off-task behavior and an increase in academic productivity when the clocklight intervention was implemented. |
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101. Clocklights: Affecting Group Behavior Using Immediate Feedback |
Area: EDC; Domain: Applied Research |
RIKKI K. WHEATLEY (Utah State University), Richard P. West (Utah State University), Tim G. Smith (Utah State University), Richard B. Sanders (Utah State University) |
Abstract: Clocklight Systems have a history of over 20 year's successful behavior management in a variety of settings. The current application demonstrates the value and limitations of using clocklight programs in large group settings. The current study employed a clocklight apparatus in an elementary school lunchroom to control noise level. Sound level (decibels) was used as a means of measurement instead of the traditional scan/check method used by other clocklight programs. The clocklight program successfully reduced the sound level in the lunchroom. During baseline the sound level averaged 74.85 dB. During the intervention phase sound level was decreased to an average of 72.18 dB. During return to baseline the sound level increased to an average of 74.31 dB, and during reinstatement of the intervention phase the sound level decreased to an average of 70.08 dB. There is very little overlap in the data when comparing baseline to intervention phases, and there are obvious changes in the level of behavior. The amount of change from baseline to intervention phases may be underrepresented in the data due to the logarithmic nature of the decibel scale and the discrepancy between decibel level and perceived sound volume. |
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102. Testing the Effects of a Hero Group Contingency Procedure on Increasing Appropriate Behaviors in Three Children |
Area: EDC; Domain: Applied Research |
MICHELLE L. ZRINZO (Columbia University Teachers College), Lynn Yuan (Columbia University Teachers College) |
Abstract: We studied the effects of a hero group contingency procedure on increasing the appropriate behaviors of three students. All of these participants emitted different inappropriate behaviors that were targeted for change using a hero group contingency procedure. We explained to the student that s/he was working toward a specific targeted goal, and that if s/he received enough tokens on his/her board toward that goal, the whole class would receive a reinforcer that s/he earned for everyone. The level of performance necessary to receive reinforcement for the class increased with each short-term objective. A return to baseline phase was implemented for each participant. Results showed that the hero group contingency was an effective tactic in that each student's target behavior improved when the procedure was in effect and was maintained during the return to baseline condition. |
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103. Using Functional Analysis to Determine Intervention for Students with Severe Disabilities in Schools: A Literature Review |
Area: EDC; Domain: Applied Research |
HAYOUNG CHOI (University of Texas, Austin) |
Abstract: During the last 15 years, considerable attention has been given to the conducting of analogue functional analysis (FA) for developing effective interventions in schools. FA also re-emphasized one of the significant requirements of the IDEA amendment (P.L. 105-17) in 1997. This presentation reviews twenty three cases which used FA to develop intervention in schools during the 1990-2004. Reviewed cases are classified in terms of five identified functions of challenging behavior: attention-maintained; tangible-maintained; escape-maintained; sensory-maintained; and multiple-controlled challenging behavior. The main findings showed that reviewed cases were used FA methodology by Carr and Durand (1985), Iwata et al. (1982/1994), or Wacker et al. (1992). In addition, interventions derived from analogue functional analysis led to decreases in challenging behavior and increases in appropriate behavior. The linkages of FA to intervention, practicality of functional analysis in school settings, and social validity of reviewed studies are discussed. |
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104. Descriptive Analysis and Treatment of Unsportsmanlike Conduct Displayed by Individuals with Severe Behavior Problems |
Area: EDC; Domain: Applied Research |
PHIL A. WEINSTEIN (Florida Institute for Neurologic Rehabilitation), Bridget A. Shore (Florida Institute for Neurologic Rehabilitation), Carrie Reali (Florida Institute for Neurologic Rehabilitation), Mary V. Burke (Florida Institute for Neurologic Rehabilitation), Shanita L. Allen (Florida Institute for Neurologic Rehabilitation) |
Abstract: Although children’s behavior problems during classroom instruction have been frequently examined in the literature, much less research has examined the assessment and treatment of behavior problems during physical education and sports. Most studies have focused on developing sport skills, but not on the reduction of behaviors deemed “unsportsmanlike”. The purpose of this study is to examine the efficacy of descriptive analysis for identifying behavioral functions during sports play by children and adults with severe behavior problems. Participants included 12 children and 10 adults residing in brain injury rehabilitation programs. Conditional probability analyses of videotaped sports activities were conducted for both groups. Results showed high correlations between cessation of one student’s problem behavior following another student’s problem behavior (escape), and attention from a student following a student’s problem behavior (attention). Interobserver agreement was conducted across conditions for 25% of the sessions. Subsequent behavioral interventions for both groups consisting of token reinforcement for appropriate conflict resolution, peer delivery of instruction and praise, and differential reinforcement for the absence of problem behavior were effective in reducing problem behavior and increasing appropriate social interaction during sports play. The results suggest that descriptive analyses may facilitate development of behavioral interventions to improve “sportsmanlike” conduct. |
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105. Comprehensive Functional Behavior Assessment in Pre-School and Head Start Classrooms |
Area: EDC; Domain: Applied Research |
BRAD DUFRENE (University of Southern Mississippi), Richard Anthony Doggett (Mississippi State University), Jennifer S. Kazmerski (Mississippi State University), Amber Hayes (Starkville City Schools), Carey Davis (Mississippi State University) |
Abstract: School personnel have numerous options when choosing from functional behavior assessment procedures for a given referral concern. The decision to choose one procedure over another may be moderated by a number of variables including time requirements, response effort, level of intrusiveness, and expertise required to implement the assessment procedure. The literature regarding the degree to which different functional behavior assessment procedures converge on identified function of behavior is mixed at best. The current study investigated convergence for a comprehensive functional behavior assessment procedure implemented in pre-school classrooms. Four pre-school students and six teachers participated in the study. Each student received a comprehensive functional behavior assessment for problem behavior that included a teacher interview, direct-descriptive assessment, and brief experimental functional analysis. Assessment data were used to develop individualized function-based interventions that were implemented by experimenters and teachers. For three of four participants complete convergence was obtained while partial convergence was obtained for the fourth. Data regarding treatment and social validity are also presented. Implications for practice employing functional behavior assessment and function-based interventions are discussed. |
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106. Functional Analysis of Prosocial Behavior in Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders |
Area: EDC; Domain: Applied Research |
ELIZABETH L.W. MCKENNEY (University of Florida), Maureen Conroy (University of Florida), Jennifer A. Sellers (University of Florida) |
Abstract: Functional analyses are an effective tool in evaluating the environmental contributors to aberrant behavior (Carr et al., 1999; Iwata et al., 1982/1994). However, efforts to introduce functional analysis into the classroom environment have been limited in their scope and efficacy (Broussard & Northup, 1995). Classroom-based assessments of problem behavior have typically been conducted according to various forms of functional behavioral assessment methodology, or FBA (Ervin et al., 2001; Murdock, O’Neill, & Cunningham, 2005). Little research has focused on the use of functional analysis methodology in the classroom setting (Moore et al., 2002; Witt et al., 1997). Less research has extended the use of functional analysis methodology to work with typically developing students, students with moderate disruptive behavior, or adolescents. Further research is needed to investigate the ability of teachers to manipulate and examine classroom environmental factors influencing students’ behavior (Broussard & Northup, 1997; Ervin et al., 2001; Ervin et al., 1998; Vollmer & Northup, 1996). A teacher-implemented multi-element functional analysis design for assessing problem behaviors in middle school classrooms will be presented. Results focusing on teachers’ ability to implement analyses with procedural integrity will be discussed. Further, results of analyses and functionally-linked treatments for three single-case assessments will be presented. |
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107. Function-Based Interventions to Manage Problem Behavior Problems In Elementary Classrooms: A Systemic, Validated Approach |
Area: EDC; Domain: Applied Research |
KATHLEEN L. LANE (Vanderbilt University), Andrea Phillips (Vanderbilt University), Jessica Weisenbach (Vanderbilt University), Annette Little (Vanderbilt University), Megan Merwin (Vanderbilt University) |
Abstract: Functional assessment-based interventions have met with demonstrated success in with a wide range of individuals, in a variety of settings, and with a host of target behaviors. Whereas most teacher-training efforts have concentrated primarily on how to identify the function of the behavior targeted for improvement, this poster introduces the application of a unique, straightforward technique for linking assessment results to one of three intervention methods. We will offer a guide for selecting an appropriate intervention method that is directly linked to the results of the FBA and illustrate the application of this approach with 4 elementary-age students with emotional and behavioral disorders. Method 1 focuses on intervention procedures for students with skill deficits. Method 2 focuses on intervention procedures for altering the antecedent conditions that set the stage for problem behaviors to occur. Method 3 focuses on intervention procedures for providing functionally equivalent consequences for the replacement behavior. Results will be analyzed using single case methodologies. In addition to discussing how to select the appropriate intervention method, we will provide (a) guidelines for selecting an appropriate measurement system; (b) practical strategies for testing the intervention selected; (c) procedures for assessing treatment integrity; and (d) practical methods for evaluating outcomes. |
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108. Descriptive versus Structured Descriptive Analysis in Assessing Behavior Problems in a Classroom |
Area: EDC; Domain: Applied Research |
MARY V. BURKE (Florida Institute for Neurologic Rehabilitation), Bridget A. Shore (Florida Institute for Neurologic Rehabilitation), Carrie Reali (Florida Institute for Neurologic Rehabilitation), Phil A. Weinstein (Florida Institute for Neurologic Rehabilitation), Shanita L. Allen (Florida Institute for Neurologic Rehabilitation) |
Abstract: Descriptive analysis has been demonstrated in a number of studies to be effective in identifying correlations between teacher behavior and problem behavior exhibited by school-aged children in classrooms. Several studies have also examined the efficacy of conducting structured descriptive assessments while having the teacher simulate conditions of typical analog functional assessments. The purpose of this study is to compare the results of a descriptive analysis to a structured descriptive analysis and examine the efficacy of function-based teaching strategies on reducing classroom behavior problems. Two teachers and their students with behavior problems participated in the study. Conditional probability analyses of videotaped classroom behavior were conducted (a) without instructions, and (b) with instructions to the teachers to simulate attention, escape, tangible, and play conditions during classroom sessions. Interobserver agreement was conducted for at least 25% of the sessions. Results showed teacher attention and escape from task instructions highly correlated with student problem behavior in both assessments, but clearer results during the structured analysis. Treatment consisting of reinforcement for appropriate student behavior, attention and escape extinction, and FCT was shown effective in reducing student problem behavior. The study suggests that structured descriptive analyses may facilitate the development of behavioral interventions in educational settings. |
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109. Classroom-based Functional Behavioral Assessments of Aggressive Behaviors in a Child with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder |
Area: EDC; Domain: Applied Research |
MIYUKI NOGUCHI (University of Tsukuba, Japan) |
Abstract: In this study, we examined the efficacy of classroom-based functional behavioral assessment of aggressive behaviors for a child with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD). The participant was a 9-year-old boy. In his classroom, he exhibited aggressive behaviors, and a classroom teacher could not manage with these behaviors. Based on the functional behavioral assessments, hypotheses were generated as follows: (1) triggers for his aggressive behaviors were fights which his friends started around him. (2) reinforcers for his aggressive behaviors were that he wins in fights. Classroom interventions derived from the above hypotheses that were obtained during functional behavioral assessments. First, we instructed all member of his class to say “stop !” when they saw a fight, so that the trigger could not work. Second, we gave him a token when he did not fight against his classmates. The interventions developed from the functional behavioral assessments reduced his aggressive behaviors to zero or near zero levels when implemented by either the consultant or the teacher. Results were discussed in relation to the efficacy and utility of implementing functional behavioral assessment as a means of behavioral intervention for children with AD/HD. |
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110. The Effects of Randomized vs. Expected Reinforcers on Disruptive Classroom Behavior among Preschoolers |
Area: EDC; Domain: Service Delivery |
JENNIFER M. HOAG (Hofstra University), Richard M. O'Brien (Hofstra University) |
Abstract: In preschools, disruptive classroom behaviors reduce instructional time and frustrate teachers. There is limited research on interventions for disruptive preschool behavior. Recent research has shown that group contingencies using contingent randomized reinforcers, or mystery motivators, are effective in reducing disruptive behaviors. There has been no research in which mystery motivators were compared to other positive reinforcement strategies with preschoolers. In the present study, mystery motivators were compared to a known reinforcer in an ABAC, within subjects design using an interdependent group contingency. Two of four classrooms were randomly assigned to an ABAC condition while the other two were treated in an ACAB order. Four out of 15 children, who the teacher had identified as disruptive, were videotaped during a classroom activity. These children were unknown to the other students. Trained raters who were naïve to the intervention, rated tapes using a system developed by Murphy (2003). After inter rater reliability was established, data were compared over the four phases of the experiment. The Conner’s Global Index (Teacher’s Form) was completed at the end of each phase. Tapes are currently being rated. The data will be presented graphically and effect sizes will be calculated on each intervention. |
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111. Learning versus Performance Oriented Instruction and Persistence in Pre-School Children |
Area: EDC; Domain: Applied Research |
BELINDA TRAUGHBER (Middle Tennessee State University), Kim J. Ujcich Ward (Middle Tennessee State University), Janna Ramsey (Middle Tennessee State University) |
Abstract: While the beneficial impact of learning versus performance oriented instructions on the task performance of school age children is well documented, data on pre-school children are limited. 34 preschool children (ages 3-5 years) were presented with two different tasks in sessions several weeks apart. Tasks were games not previously known to the children that required them to balance objects on a moving surface. Each child received learning oriented instructions and feedback on one task and performance oriented instructions and feedback on the other. Both the duration and frequency of child responding were greater in the learning condition. This demonstration of differentiated responding to learning versus performance oriented instructions and feedback in such young children demonstrates the importance of instructional style for pre-schoolers. |
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112. Instructional Antecedents and their Effects on Preschooler’s Compliance with Simple Instructions |
Area: EDC; Domain: Applied Research |
KASEY STEPHENSON (University of Kansas), Gregory P. Hanley (University of Kansas) |
Abstract: Instructional Antecedents and their Effects on Preschooler’s Compliance with Simple Instructions Kasey M. Stephenson, Gregory P. Hanley, Kelsey K. Collins The effects of six different antecedent variables preceding simple instructions on compliance were investigated in typically developing preschoolers. The antecedent variables were presented in an additive fashion and included teacher proximity, sitting or squatting to child’s level, touching child on the shoulder, delivering attention, requiring eye contact, and interrupting play. A multielement design was used to assess the effects of these antecedent variables on the number of instructions completed and the average latency to the complete each instructions. Reliability measures were collected on over 30% of sessions and averaged over 90% for both latency and completed instructions measures. Procedural integrity measures were also collected on 20% of sessions and averaged over 95%. Although idiosyncratic patterns were observed for each individual child, the overall results of the study showed that the number of instructions completed gradually increased and the average latency to the completion of the instruction gradually decreased relative to baseline measures as each antecedent variable was introduced. These results suggest that the antecedent variables used in the present study may be effective in increasing overall compliance levels and decreasing average latency to the completion of simple instructions in preschoolers. |
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#399 International Poster Session - TBA |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
5:30 PM–7:00 PM |
Grand Hall |
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113. Misconceptions about Behavior Analysis |
Area: TBA; Domain: Applied Research |
ERIK ARNTZEN (Akershus University College ), Jon A. Lokke (Østfold University College), Gunn Lokke (Østfold University College) |
Abstract: Students frequently have misconceptions of basic concepts in behavior analysis. We wanted to replicate the study by Lamal (1995), and also expand the study by including some more statements. Furthermore, we wanted to study the misconceptions about behavior analysis held by undergraduates, students at a master program in behavior analysis, and teachers at university colleges. Results are presented, and the implementation of effective teaching strategies is discussed. |
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114. Interteaching in Norwegian University College settings: Application and conceptual considerations |
Area: TBA; Domain: Applied Research |
GUNN LOKKE (Østfold University College), Jon A. Lokke (Østfold University College), Erik Arntzen (Akershus University College ) |
Abstract: Interteaching is an application of behavioral principles in higher education, utilizing the three-term-contingency. Furthermore, interteaching is a user-friendly instruction format highlighting dyadic discussions. Encouraged by Boyce and Hineline (2002), we have used interteaching at two different university colleges in Norway. The interteaching format includes arrangements of antecedents and consequences for three behavioral topographies: talking, writing, and doing (encompassing different kinds of “knowing”). Lectures, demonstrations, and interteaching are mixed. In breaks, the instructor is typically revising the lectures in accordance with information from an interteaching record filled out by the students. In interteaching, antecedents are typically questions or objectives derived from the textbook. Consequences consist of availability of lecturer’s non – demanding attention (walking around), and “low – threshold” prompting and reinforcement of academic activity. In addition, the records of interteaching yield information for the arrangement of the next class lecture (students manding information from the instructor).We propose interteaching as a superordinate, or generic term, while intertalking, interwriting, and interdoing are subordinate terms. We will present data showing that interteaching is an effective teaching technique, which is in accordance with Saville, Zinn, and Elliot (2005) who compared interteaching with other more traditional teaching strategies. |
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115. Novel Production of Beginning Consonant Sounds as a Function of Multiple Exemplar Instruction for a Subset of Consonant/Vowel Combination |
Area: TBA; Domain: Applied Research |
MARY J.E. YANG (Columbia University Teachers College), Dolleen-Day Keohane (Columbia University Teachers College & CABAS), Lynn Yuan (Columbia University Teachers College) |
Abstract: This study tested the effects of multiple exemplar instruction (MEI) on the acquisition of beginning consonant sounds for 3 sets of pictures, each set representing 2 letters, on 3 students with a disability using a multiple baseline probe design. First, a pre-experimental probe was taken for Set 3 of letters P and S. Next, the students were taught to point and then match letters M and H of Set 1. Then, the students were probed for baseline Set 3. After baseline probe, the students were taught Set 2 of letters F and G using MEI (i.e., alternating responses: match, point, & intraverbal). Finally, the students were probed again for Set 3 after MEI of Set 2. Data showed an increase of vocal response to the beginning consonant sounds for letters of Set 3 during post multiple exemplar instruction in comparison to both pre-experimental and baseline probe. As a result, the development of the abstraction of stimulus or stimulus generalization through MEI in the emission of novel and untaught beginning consonant sounds for letters P and S of Set 3 was a function of multiple exemplar instruction of other subset letters in Set 1 and Set 2. Multiple exemplar experiences or instruction was an effective procedure and tactic utilized to teach beginning consonant sounds not directly taught. |
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116. The Effects of Public Posting During PSI Sessions on Student Performance |
Area: TBA; Domain: Applied Research |
MINDY BUNYA ROTHSTEIN (Columbia University Teachers College), JoAnn Pereira Delgado (Columbia University Teachers College), R. Douglas Greer (Columbia University Teachers College and Graduate School) |
Abstract: The purpose of this study was to test the effects of public posting on correct responses to learn units per minute during their Personalized System of Instruction (PSI) sessions and PSI criteria met. There were two multiple baseline design experiments in this study. The first experiment tested the effects of public posting on correct responses to learn units per minute during PSI sessions. Three first graders diagnosed with a range of developmental disabilities participated in this experiment. Public posting consisted of participants coloring in successive numbers on a publicly displayed chart upon completion of each PSI worksheet. For participants 1 and 2 a functional relationship was demonstrated between the public posting tactic and correct responses to learn units per minute during PSI sessions. The second experiment tested the effects of public posting on criteria met by participants 2 and 3. During this experiment, the participants posted on their individual charts using stickers contingent upon achievement of criterion on PSI worksheets/short term objectives. A functional relationship was shown between public posting upon achievement of PSI criterion and PSI criteria met daily and a mean decrease of daily learn units to criterion across programs. |
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117. The Effects of Correction and Reinforcement Procedures on the Learning Process for a Tutor and an Observer during Peer Tutoring |
Area: TBA; Domain: Applied Research |
JIWON KANG (Columbia University Teachers College), Tracy Reilly-Lawson (Columbia University Teachers College), R. Douglas Greer (Columbia University Teachers College and Graduate School) |
Abstract: This study investigated the effects of correction and reinforcement procedures on the learning process for a tutor and an observer during peer tutoring. The participants were two 15-year old female students diagnosed with emotional and behavioral disabilities. They attended a publicly funded private school under the CABAS7 educational model and functioned as a speaker, listener, reader and writer level of verbal behavior. Student A was a tutor, student B was an observer, and a classroom teacher acted as a tutee. The observer was trained to use Teacher Performance Rate/Accuracy Observation procedure (TPRA) that provided an observational learning opportunity. Therefore, the dependent variables in this study were (1) the number of correct responses for both tutor and the observer after the tutoring session in which the tutor gave corrections and (2) the number of correct responses for both tutor and the observer after the tutoring session in which the tutor gave reinforcements. A multiple probe design was used, and interobserver agreement was conducted, which ranged from 92% to 100%. The results showed higher numbers of correct response and faster criterion met by the tutor and the observer in the correction condition compared to the reinforcement condition. |
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118. The Effects of Review Session Format on Quiz Performance and Study Group Attendance in a College Course |
Area: TBA; Domain: Applied Research |
TRACI M. CIHON (The Ohio State University), Judah B. Axe (The Ohio State University), Ruth M. DeBar (The Ohio State University), Amanda E. Guld (The Ohio State University), Madoka Itoi (The Ohio State University), Tracy L. Kettering (The Ohio State University), Nancy A. Neef (The Ohio State University) |
Abstract: Cihon, Dwiggins, and Neef (2005) compared two formats for optional study sessions offered to students in two sections of a research methods course; although there were no differences between game and question and answer (Q & A) formats on student attendance or quiz performance, most students reported a preference for the Q & A format. We replicated and extended the Cihon et al. (2005) study by assessing and controlling for opportunities to respond across sessions, and by using different games that allowed all students to actively participate (rather than simply observe). Review sessions alternated between a game format (e.g., Behavioral Jeopardy, Behavioral Squares, etc.) and a Q & A format, presented in counterbalanced order across the two sections. The alternating treatments design permitted analysis of: (a) differences in quiz performance (involving questions over recent versus previous material) as a function of participation in review sessions; (b) differences in quiz performance as a function of review session format (Q & A vs. games), and (c) preference between the two formats as measured by attendance at the review sessions. |
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119. Testing the Effects of Peer Tutoring on the Acquisition of New Operants by Tutors and Tutees |
Area: TBA; Domain: Applied Research |
LISA E. CUMMINGS (Columbia University Teachers College), R. Douglas Greer (Columbia University Teachers College and Graduate School), Dolleen-Day Keohane (Columbia University Teachers College & CABAS), Jennifer Longano (Columbia University Teachers College) |
Abstract: We investigated if peer tutoring would be an effective tactic in teaching a six year old student diagnosed with autism academic tasks, using a multiple baseline across academic subject areas. Prior to treatment, pre-baseline and baseline probes were conducted across the academic subject areas of sight word reading, addition, and writing numbers, to establish they were not already within the student’s repertoire. Before treatment began the tutor was taught to present accurate learn units. During treatment, the tutor presented learn units to the tutee. The tutor was able to teach the academic tasks using answer keys and teacher prompts since the behaviors were not already within the student’s repertoire. Once the tutee met criteria, baseline probes were repeated for the tutor. The results demonstrated that the student acting as the tutor learned from the peer tutoring procedure. |
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120. Study Mate Flash-based Activities and Games in a Beginning Level ABA Course |
Area: TBA; Domain: Applied Research |
PATRICIA M. DALY (Ohio Dominican University) |
Abstract: Approximately 70 major concepts taught in a beginning level ABA course (undergraduate) were defined. The concepts were uploaded to a Web-CT format as Study Mate files. This authoring tool allowed the creation of flash cards and flashcard games for students in the course to learn the concepts. Two kinds of flashcards were created - simple definitions and special-education based anecdotal descriptions. Students could play a Challenge game (like Jeopardy) and other practice games on Web-CT to learn and practice the concepts. Examples of the games will be shown using a CD and students' comments shared. |
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121. Use of Flash Card Fluency Building to Increase Student Performance in a College Course of Applied Behavior Analysis |
Area: TBA; Domain: Applied Research |
FAN-YU LIN (California State University, Stanislaus) |
Abstract: The targeted college students are enrolled in a behavior analysis course. After terminologies are introduced in class every week, students will develop flash cards with definitions on one side and term on the other side. Students are required to participate weekly practice. While one group of the students focuses on accuracy, the other group of the students aims at fluency (correct terms per minute). Explicit timing procedure will be used in the fluency group. All students attend exams, which require the students to read a case scenario and identify the appropriate behavior terms. Whether and how the levels of fluency increase student performance in application case analysis is examined. |
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122. A Preliminary Analysis of Computer-Based Training to Teach Classroom Behavior Management Strategies |
Area: TBA; Domain: Applied Research |
ELIZABETH C. RUSINKO (University of Kansas), Einar T. Ingvarsson (University of Kansas), Stacy A. Layer (University of Kansas), Gregory P. Hanley (University of Kansas) |
Abstract: A computer-based program was designed to teach basic classroom behavior management skills to novice preschool teachers. The effects of the program were evaluated on teacher’s ability to type appropriate responses to rehearsed and novel questions about preschool scenarios and on their ability to implement proactive and reactive behavior management strategies in analogue classroom situations. Interobserver agreement was collected on 33% of session across all conditions, and mean agreement was 89% (range, 79% to 95%). Computerized training resulted in mean posttest scores of 100% on directly trained items and 75% on items for which training was not provided. Performance during analogue classroom situations, in which teachers were provided with approximately 20 opportunities to implement a trained behavioral strategy, improved marginally for all participants (pre-computer training M = 41%, post-computer training M = 55%). The practical importance of a computer-based program for teaching basic behavior management skills to preschool teachers is discussed as well as the difficulties in promoting generalized performances via computer-based instruction. DESCRIPTORS: behavior management, computer-based training, feedback, proactive, reactive, role-play, teacher training |
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123. Graduate Training in Applied Behavior Analysis at George Mason University |
Area: TBA; Domain: Applied Research |
THEODORE A. HOCH (George Mason University), Johannes Rojahn (George Mason University), Michael M. Behrmann (George Mason University) |
Abstract: The Applied Behavior Analysis training program at George Mason University is a Behavior Analyst Certification Board approved course of study. Program options include a Certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis, Masters Degree in Special Education with a concentration in Applied Behavior Analysis, and Masters programs in Clinical, School, and Applied Developmental Psychology, as well as Doctoral Programs in Clinical and Applied Developmental Psychology. The program and its faculty are detailed in this presentation, and contact and application information is provided. |
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124. Acquisition of Clinical Decision-Making and Rated Difficulty of Clinical Cases During Functional Assessment Training |
Area: TBA; Domain: Applied Research |
MARCIE DESROCHERS (State University of New York, Brockport), Mariana Coutinho (State University of New York, Brockport), Andrea Rodriguez (State University of New York, Brockport), Nicholas Mitchell (State University of New York, Brockport) |
Abstract: Use of functional assessment is recognized as essential in the treatment of severe problem behaviors of individuals with developmental disabilities/mental retardation. Although effective methods of teaching this concept to staff, teachers and students may vary, use of a case strategy approach to illustrate the breadth of possible clinical situations seems necessary. An empirical question that needs to be addressed is: how many clinical cases need to be presented before students demonstrate competency in making clinical decisions using a functional assessment approach? Preliminary data will be presented summarizing the clinical decision-making choices of 7 graduate-level student enrolled in a course in applied behavior analysis at SUNY-Brockport who completed the 10 clinical cases presented in Simulations in Developmental Disabilities: SIDD software. |
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#400 International Poster Session - VRB |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
5:30 PM–7:00 PM |
Grand Hall |
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126. An Examination of the Relationship between Multiple Exemplar Training and the Emergence of Untrained Forms of Verbal Behaviour |
Area: VBC; Domain: Applied Research |
MARCIA WARD (ABACAS Drogheda, Ireland), Juliet M. Quinlan (ABACAS Drogheda, Ireland), Jennifer Mary McMullen (ABACAS Drogheda, Ireland), Shelley Alison Brady (ABACAS Ireland), Fiona Burns (ABACAS Ireland), R. Douglas Greer (Columbia University Teachers College and Graduate School) |
Abstract: Research has indicated that individuals with developmental delays who can match stimuli cannot necessarily emit a selectionist response and point to the same stimulus from an array of exemplars (Greer, Stolfi, Chavez-Brown, & Valdes, 2004). After students acquire this match point repertoire it has been found that they do not necessarily emit pure/ impure tacts these same stimuli without direct instruction (Greer, Stolfi, Chavez- Brown, & Valdes, 2004). Horne, Lowe, & Randle (2004) found that it was possible to train listener behaviour without establishing the corresponding speaker behaviour citing this as consistent with Skinner’s (1957) hypothesis that in the early stages of children’s verbal behaviour development listener and speaker behaviour are functionally independent. This claim of at least early functional independence has been further supported by applied research ( Bell 1999; Likens, Hayes, & Hayes 1993). The majority of mainstream children do however learn to acquire speaker responses after learning a listener response (Catania, 1998). The identification of the controlling variables for the acquisition of this bi-directional relation is of interest to both basic and applied researchers (Greer, Stolfi, Chavez-Brown, Rivera Valdes, 2004) and its acquisition has been differentially explained by a variety of researchers (Lowerkron, 1996; Catania, 1998: Barnes –Holmes, Barnes- Holmes, Cullinan, & Smeets, 2001). A multiple baseline design across three students was implemented in this study to examine the role of multiple exemplar training in acquisition of this bi-directional relationship. The results of this study indicated a functional relationship between multiple exemplar training and the emergence of untrained forms of verbal behaviour across listener and speaker repertoires of verbal behaviour. |
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127. The Use of a Yoked Schedule of Reinforcement and Textual Prompt Fading to Increase the Number of Tacts Emitted Daily by a Student with Autism Diagnosis |
Area: VBC; Domain: Applied Research |
JULIET M. QUINLAN (ABACAS Drogheda, Ireland), Marcia D. Ward (ABACAS Drogheda, Ireland), Jennifer Mary McMullen (ABACAS South Dublin, Ireland), Fiona Burns (ABACAS Drogheda, Ireland), Olive Healy (ABACAS Ireland) |
Abstract: It has been observed that children with autism tend to speak only when spoken to and seldom initiate “spontaneous speech” (Lovaas, 1977). Skinner’s (1957) theory of verbal behaviour questioned the assertion of the spontaneity of language, and introduced the notion of the verbal operant; indicating a means of teaching self-initiated or spontaneous speech where it was deficient. In the current study an initial ABA experimental design demonstrated that a yoked schedule of reinforcement could successfully increase the number of tacts emitted by nine-year-old student with autism diagnosis over the school day, through the occasioning of establishing operations for generalised reinforcement. A subsequent ABABABA treatment design addressed the student’s tact deficit and increased his daily frequency of tacts emitted to 100 per day utilising the yoked schedule of reinforcement and the gradual fading of textual prompts. The results of the study are discussed with reference to relevant research on the development of verbal behaviour. |
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128. Manipulating EO's during Functional Analysis to assist in maximizing functional communication training |
Area: VBC; Domain: Applied Research |
C. A. THOMAS (TCLC MS Behavior Clinic), R. Jade Fraiser (TCLC MS Behavior Clinic) |
Abstract: Taking the effect of EO's into account when conducting functional analysis, measurement of the onset of the EO was measured to determine the most likely point to conduct functional communication training while avoiding the onset of maladaptive responses. |
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129. Matching-To-Sample under Different Functions of Second-Order Stimuli |
Area: VBC; Domain: Basic Research |
MARIO SERRANO (Universidad de Guadalajara-Centro de Estudios e Investigaciones en Comportamiento), Emilio Ribes Iñesta (Universidad de Guadalajara-Centro de Estudios e Investigaciones en Comportamiento), Gustavo Garcia (Universidad Franco Mexicana, Satelite), Alfredo Lopez (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Iztacala) |
Abstract: Three groups of four participants each one were exposed to second-order matching-to-sample task and intramodal, extramodal, and extradimensional transfer tests. Groups differed in the function of second-order stimuli: a) visual modeling of the matching criterion; b) textual description of the relevant matching modalities; c) textual description of the matching criterion. Correct performance was higher for those groups exposed to textual descriptions. Percentage of correct responses in transfer tests was higher for the group trained with textual description of the matching criterion. Additionally, correct performance increased with the complexity of the transfer tests. These results confirm a recent proposal about three different functional forms of identify the matching criterion under second-order stimuli. |
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130. The Effects Of Sensory Matching On A 6-yr-old Male Diagnosed With Traumatic Brain Injury |
Area: VBC; Domain: Applied Research |
PETRA WIEHE (Columbia University Teachers College), Dolleen-Day Keohane (Columbia University Teachers College & CABAS), Jennifer Longano (Columbia University Teachers College), Rebecca Roderick (Columbia University Teachers College & CABAS) |
Abstract: An A-B-A multiple program design was used to test the effects of sensory matching on a 6-yr-old male diagnosed with traumatic brain injury and his ability to match. The sensory matching procedure consisted of two exemplar items that were selected to be identified by the participant through each of the five senses in the format of twenty learn units. Post sensory matching results showed that the participant met two new objectives on the PIRK assessment (McCorkle & Greer, 2003) as well as criterion on all three matching programs run prior to the sensory matching intervention. |
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131. The Effects of Peer Tutoring on the Acquisition of Tacts by the Tutor |
Area: VBC; Domain: Applied Research |
ANISHA ANN MENDEZ (Columbia University Teachers College), Grant Gautreaux (Columbia University Teachers College) |
Abstract: The purpose of the present study was to test the effects of peer tutoring on the acquisition of tacts by the tutor. Four students diagnosed with emotional disturbances were participants in the study. A delayed multiple probe design was used to test the effects. During pre-treatment, an experimental probe was conducted to find two sets of four tacts that the tutor and tutee lacked in their repertoire. During treatment, peer tutoring was implemented. This involved one student presenting learn units for tact operants to another student. The tutor was required to present the antecedent, observe the tutee's response, and consequate the response accordingly. The program was conducted until the tutee met criterion for the set. During post-treatment, an experimental probe was conducted on the tutor. Tutor A and B had 0 correct responses for both sets of tacts prior to peer tutoring. Following peer tutoring, Tutor A emitted 19/20 correct responses for Set 1 and 20/20 correct responses for Set 2. Tutor B emitted 9/20 correct responses for Set 1 and 16/20 correct responses for Set 2. The findings show that tacts were acquired by both tutors as a result of peer tutoring. |
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132. Comparing Stimulus-Stimulus Pairing, Echoic Training, And Control Procedures On The Vocal Behavior Of Children With Autism |
Area: VBC; Domain: Applied Research |
RICHARD A. STOCK (St. Cloud State University), Kimberly A. Schulze (St. Cloud State University) |
Abstract: Recent research has suggested that stimulus-stimulus pairing may result in a particular sound becoming a conditioned reinforcer. This study systematically replicated previous research, using an alternating treatments design, to compare the effects of stimulus-stimulus pairing, standard echoic training, and a control condition on the target (specific one-syllable utterances) and non-target sounds (all other one-syllable utterances) of 3 children who had been diagnosed with autism. Data were recorded during pre-session and post-session observations across the three conditions. During the stimulus-stimulus pairing condition, the experimenter’s vocal model was paired with the delivery of a preferred item. During the standard echoic training condition, the experimenter presented a vocal model and delivered a preferred item contingent on an echoic response. During the control condition, the experimenter presented a vocal model and, after a 10-s delay, presented a preferred edible item. Results from the post-session observations during the stimulus-stimulus pairing condition showed an increase in the target sound for 1 participant. Increases were not observed for any of the participants in the other two conditions. This outcome may suggest that that the participant’s vocalizations were temporarily automatically reinforced. Practical implications of the results are discussed. |
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133. The Effects of Conditional Discrimination and Tact-Textual Training on the Development of Equivalence Classes |
Area: VBC; Domain: Applied Research |
ALEXANDRA MARY STONE (New England Center for Children), Caio F. Miguel (New England Center for Children), Daniel Gould (New England Center for Children) |
Abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine if the use of standard auditory-visual matching-to-sample procedures (listener training), as well as textual + tact training (speaker training) would produce emergent responding in a child with autism (reading comprehension). A 5-year-old male diagnosed with autism who communicated vocally using 3- to 5-word sentences participated in the study. Sessions were held within the student’s work area in a discrete trial format. Materials included 12 cards (pictures and their corresponding printed words). Dependent variables included 1) the percentage of correct independent responses during tests for emergent relations and 2) number of trials to criterion during training. A standard pre/posttest for equivalent relations was used (AB). During Pre/Post-tests all possible emergent relations for reading comprehension were tested (AB, AC, BC, CB, BD, and CD). Tests were conducted prior and after training for the baseline relations. For Set 1, training consisted of the auditory-visual AB and AC relations. For Set 2, training consisted of the BD (tact) and CD (textual) relations. Both listener and speaker training led to stimulus class formation. Future research should further evaluate the effectiveness of verbal behavior/speaker training-only in the development of equivalent classes with children with autism. |
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134. The Impact of Simple Discrimination Training and Class-Specific Reinforcement on Conditional Discrimination and Equivalence Performances in Children |
Area: VBC; Domain: Basic Research |
MAUREEN THERESA ARO (University of North Carolina, Wilmington), Becca Veenstra (University of North Carolina, Wilmington), Anne K. Stull (University of North Carolina, Wilmington), Carol Pilgrim (University of North Carolina, Wilmington) |
Abstract: This study examined the effects of simple discrimination (SD) training, using class-specific reinforcement (CSR), on subsequent conditional discrimination (CD) and equivalence performances. Participants were normally developing children. For SD training with CSR, distinctive reinforcers were presented for selection of each experimenter-designated correct stimulus from among distracter stimuli (e.g., given A1, X4, and X5, selecting A1 produced reinforcer (R)1, whereas given A2, X6, and X7, selecting A2 produced R2). This was followed by CD-CSR training, (e.g., given A1, A2, or A3 as a sample stimulus, selecting the corresponding comparison from B stimuli produced the class-specific reinforcer). Tests were then performed for all possible emergent relations. Class- expansion training followed, using the SD arrangement implemented in at least one of three ways. First, novel stimuli (D1, D2, and D3) were presented along with distracters; correct selections were reinforced class-specifically. Second, selection of novel stimuli (E1, E2, and E3; vs. distracters) was consequated class-specifically with a stimulus previously trained in a conditional capacity (i.e., A stimuli). Third, novel reinforcers (e.g., R1n) consequated selection of A stimuli (vs. distracters). Probe sessions tested for class membership of novel stimuli. Results indicate that acquisition of conditional discriminations occurred rapidly. Data for class equivalence and class- expansion will be presented as well. |
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135. Rule Following as a Function of Rule Complexity in a Self-Control Paradigm |
Area: VBC; Domain: Basic Research |
LUISA FERNANDA CANON GUERRERO (University of Nevada, Reno), Linda J. Parrott Hayes (University of Nevada, Reno) |
Abstract: Rules have been categorized according to four dimensions (a) explicitness, (b)accuracy, (c) complexity, and (d) source (Pelaez, and Moreno, 1998). The probability of rule following has been shown to be a function of a number of variables, among them the type, explicitness, and accuracy of the rule provided, the context in which the rule is provided, and the listener’s history of rule following. The aim of the present study was to examine the probability of rule following as a function of rule complexity as defined by Pelaez & Moreno (1998). A self-control paradigm of the sort described by Kudadjie-Gyamfi & Rachlin (2002) was used in this investigation to allow for the provision of highly complex rules. The rules pertained to the means by which participants could maximize overall reinforcement in the context of this task. Participants were exposed to rules of varying complexity in a reversal design. The results of the present study and their basic and applied implications are discussed. |
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136. A Comparison of Naming and Fixed-Ratio Training on the Emergence and Maintenance of Stimulus Equivalence Classes |
Area: VBC; Domain: Basic Research |
YORS A. GARCIA (Southern Illinois University), Ruth Anne Rehfeldt (Southern Illinois University) |
Abstract: The objective of the present study was compare two procedures for facilitating the emergence of equivalence classes in college students. In one condition, participants were first taught to give class-consistent names to the stimuli which would subsequently be conditionally related. In a second condition, participants, participants were first taught to emit common fixed ratio responses in the presence of stimuli which would subsequently be conditionally related. After this training, participants completed conditional discrimination training, followed by equivalence testing. Finally, participants returned to the laboratory at least one month following their original laboratory experience and completed the equivalence test with stimuli from both conditions a second time. Preliminary results suggest that both approaches were equally effective in facilitating the emergence and maintenance of stimulus classes. These results suggest that naming is not necessarily necessary for class formation. |
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137. Outcome Reversals and Children's Conditional Discrimination, Equivalence, and Reinforcer Probe Performances |
Area: VBC; Domain: Basic Research |
NATALIE B. JACOME (University of North Carolina, Wilmington), Claire E. Metzler (University of North Carolina, Wilmington), Mark Galizio (University of North Carolina, Wilmington), Carol Pilgrim (University of North Carolina, Wilmington) |
Abstract: During Experiment 1, AB and AC conditional discrimination training was conducted in 4 phases using class-specific reinforcement. Upon mastery of the AB conditional discrimination, the stimulus-reinforcer relations were reversed and performance was closely monitored for possible signs of disruption. Next, AC conditional discrimination training was conducted, and again upon mastery, the stimulus-reinforcer relations were reversed as performance was monitored for disruption. Finally, reflexivity, symmetry, equivalence, and reinforcer probes were administered to evaluate equivalence-class formation following the outcome reversals. Experiment 2 was conducted to see if the reinforcers would join the classes if participants repeated Experiment 1 without outcome reversals. Experiment 3 was conducted with a new set of experimental stimuli to determine whether reinforcers would join equivalence classes that had no history of outcome reversals. Unlike the data reported from animal outcome-reversal studies (e.g., Peterson & Trapold, 1982), data from the present study suggest that for young children specific stimulus-reinforcer relations are not critical to the maintenance of conditional discriminations. Results were mixed with respect to the impact of outcome-reversals on equivalence-class formation. While four participants demonstrated strong equivalence performances, four did not following outcome reversals. Interestingly, equivalence probe performances for all participants improved following the implementation of class-consistent outcomes. Experiment 3 yielded highly class-consistent equivalence-probe performances as well. Over all we found little evidence of the reinforcers becoming class members following outcome reversals. Although results were mixed, arranging class-consistent reinforcement contingencies brought probe performances more closely in line with the original equivalence classes. |
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ABA Student Committee |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
7:00 PM–7:50 PM |
Inman |
Chair: Christy A. Alligood (West Virginia University) |
Presenting Authors: |
This meeting is for student members of ABA. During the meeting, we will discuss opportunities for involvement in ABA activities, future Professional Development Series events, and other topics of interest to student members. All students are encouraged to attend. |
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Annual Meeting of the Developmental Behavior Analysis Special Interest Group |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
7:00 PM–7:50 PM |
Lenox |
Chair: Jacob L. Gewirtz (Florida International University) |
Presenting Authors: |
Annual meeting |
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Applied Animal Behavior Special Interest Group |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
7:00 PM–7:50 PM |
Spring |
Chair: Eduardo J. Fernandez (Indiana University) |
Presenting Authors: |
The annual business meeting of the AAB SIG will meet to discuss current membership, the treasure's report, and relevant issues and advances through behavior analysis in the field of applied animal behavior. The SIG will also present awards to the Marion Breland Bailey Student Research and Scholarship Award winners. Everyone is welcome to attend. |
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BACB New Developments Update and Annual Certificant Meeting |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
7:00 PM–7:50 PM |
International Ballroom South |
Chair: Gerald A Shook (Behavior Analyst Certification Board) |
Presenting Authors: |
The meeting will address important developments within the Behavior Analyst Certification Board® (BACB®) relating to growth and changes in the BACB including: new continuing education and recertification requirements, new professional experience and supervisor requirements, university coursework approval and new university practica approval, new examination administration procedures, new ethics requirements for certificants, new specialty credentials, and disciplinary standards. The presentation also will focus on development of the BACB in the future, particularly as it relates to International development, and will explore the possible role of BACB certifications and certificants in the US and abroad. |
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Behavioral Gerontology Special Interest Group |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
7:00 PM–7:50 PM |
Piedmont |
Chair: Linda A. LeBlanc (Western Michigan University) |
Presenting Authors: |
The gerontology SIG's annual business meeting will include a discussion of strategies to prompte behavior analytic research on aging and evaluation of programs and services for older adults. The SIG provides an annual cash award to the best student poster or symposium and sponsors an invited address. |
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Behavioral Medicine Special Interest Group |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
7:00 PM–7:50 PM |
University |
Chair: Joseph D. Cautilli (Children Crisis Treatment Center/St. Joseph's University) |
Presenting Authors: |
This meeting is an introduction to the Behavior Analysis SIG at ABA. We hope that this SIG will begin to foster a greater understanding of the impact of behavior analysis on behavioral medicine. Behavior analysis has had considerable impact on the development of the field of behavioral medicine. Most importantly the study of self injury, feeding disorders, sleep problems, obesity, pain, CP, and smoking reduction. This SIG will focus on continuing and extending the legacy of that impact. A brief review of the literature shows that APA's Task Force (1999) on the promotion of empirically supported treatments list Multi-component operant therapy as a well established treatment for pain (Truner & Clancy, 1988; Turner, et al. 1990), as well as behavioral intervention for obesity (Epstein el al., 1994; Wheler & Hess, 1976). In addition multiple operant based behavioral techniques such as biofeedback are listed. For example biofeedback is listed as probably efficacious for a number of problems. These include EMG biofeedback for chronic pain (Flor & Birbaum, 1993; Newton-John et al, 1995), thermal biofeedback for Raynaud's syndrome (Freedman et al. 1983), thermal biofeedback plus autogenic relaxation training for migraine (Blanchard et. al, 1978; Sargent, et al. 1986) and tension headaches (Blanchard, et. al, 1980). With behavioral research continuing in many areas including vocal distress (Warnes, & Allen, 2005) and epilepsy (Wyler, Robbins, Dodrill, 1979). Most insurance companies cover the costs of operant behavioral intervention such as biofeedback for pain. In addition, many behavior analysts currently work in the hospital setting with clinically ill populations. All are welcome to attend this first meeting. The SIG has announced a robust agenda for 2006-2007. This meeting will serve to finalize the agenda and to ensure that all committee positions are filled:
1. Create a pamphlet series on behavior analytic practice in behavioral medicine issues (Something like - evidence supporting behavioral approaches to TBI, pain, epilepsy, sleep/insomnia, headaches, incontinence, cerebral palsy, feeding disorders, self-injury, medical procedure related anxiety and depression, etc. and what to expect from a behavior analytically oriented practitioner). I think that where appropriate the series can highlight relational frame, ACT issues, multi component operant therapy, functional analysis,
2. Sell the series to ABA and have the SIG collect royalties if or... |
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Council of Directors of Graduate Training Programs in Behavior Analysis |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
7:00 PM–7:50 PM |
Kennesaw |
Chair: Jennifer L. Austin (California State University, Fresno) |
Presenting Authors: |
This is an open meeting for anyone interested in graduate training issues in behavior analysis programs. We will discuss several topics with regard to establishing and maintaining quality graduate training and will share information among programs. |
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Social Workers at ABA |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
7:00 PM–7:50 PM |
Fairlie |
Chair: Mark A. Mattaini (Jane Addams College of Social Work, University of Illinois, Chicago) |
Presenting Authors: |
Social workers and those with an interest in social work will discuss ways to further integrate the science of behavior into social work, and increase social work contributions to the science. |
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Tennessee ABA |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
7:00 PM–7:50 PM |
Techwood |
Chair: Michael S. Tonos (The Team Centers, Inc.) |
Presenting Authors: |
Organizational update of Tennessee ABA. |
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The Instructional Design Special Interest Group |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
7:00 PM–7:50 PM |
Greenbriar |
Chair: Guy S. Bruce (Appealing Solutions, LLC) |
Presenting Authors: |
To talk about current instructional design projects and to plan SIG activities for the coming year. |
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Professional Development Series: Advice from the Recently Hired |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
7:00 PM–8:20 PM |
Baker |
Area: EDC; Domain: Service Delivery |
Chair: Julianne Gallinat (Behavioral Education and Therapy) |
CARIE L. ENGLISH (University of South Florida) |
JOHN C. BEGENY (North Carolina State University) |
ADEL C. NAJDOWSKI (Center for Autism and Related Disorders, Inc.) |
ROBERT WHELAN (University College, Dublin) |
Abstract: Members of this panel will provide information and advice on making the transition from graduate student to member of the professional community. Panelists represent a variety of different educational backgrounds and professional domains. This event is sponsored by the ABA Student Committee. |
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Professional Development Series: APA-Accredited Predoctoral Internship Programs in Behavior Analysis |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
7:00 PM–8:20 PM |
Auburn |
Area: EDC; Domain: Service Delivery |
Chair: Jennifer Mays (The Institute for Effective Education) |
MICHAEL L. HANDWERK (Father Flanagan's Boys Home) |
SUNG WOO KAHNG (Kennedy Krieger Institute) |
HENRY S. ROANE (Marcus Autism Center and Emory University School of Medicine) |
MARK D. SHRIVER (Munroe-Meyer Institute) |
Abstract: Most job indexes predict that the behavioral services field will continue to grow over the next ten years. While this is great news for those working in the field, it suggests a growing challenge to students about to graduate and enter the job market. Specifically, it suggests that the plague of graduates with top-notch educations and little-to-no practical experience will continue to spread. In order to help slow this epidemic and to educate ABA’s student members on the opportunities that are available to them while working on their degrees, this panel discussion will highlight the APA-accredited predoctoral internship programs available at four superb service locations. This is a Student Committee-sponsored event. |
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Professional Development Series: BCBA-Oriented Internship Programs |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
7:00 PM–8:20 PM |
Courtland |
Area: AUT; Domain: Service Delivery |
Chair: Hillary Whiteside (The Institute for Effective Education) |
KRISTINE F. MELROE (Morningside Academy) |
PAMELA G. OSNES (Behavior Analysts, Inc.) |
DANIEL GOULD (New England Center for Children) |
JONATHAN J. TARBOX (University of Nevada, Reno) |
Abstract: The national demand for Applied Behavior Analysis continues to grow and with this growth comes an increased need for Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBA). This panel brings together representatives from several premier ABA service providers to discuss how BCBA-oriented internships can help students prepare themselves to fill these needs and to highlight the internship opportunities that their programs provide. This is a Student Committee-sponsored event. |
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ABA Social |
Monday, May 29, 2006 |
10:00 PM–1:00 AM |
Centennial Ballroom I & II |
Please join us, your friends, and colleagues in the field for music and dancing at the ABA Social. Live music early on and a disc jockey later in the evening will be on hand to play a wide variety of tunes for all ages. A cash bar will also be available. |
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