The Behaviorist Bookclub

Latest Episodes:

Ep. 22- JABA in One Take- Comparing accumulated vs distributed reinforcer arrangement Dec 06, 2021

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Hey there behaviorists! Check out this new episode on reinforcer arrangement for problem behavior maintained by negative reinforcement.

Ep. 21- JABA in One Take- A unique example of machine learning to behavior analysis Dec 03, 2021

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To end out the week, we have something truly out of left field. The application of machine learning to behavior analytic single case design graphs. These authors focus on the teeter totter between type 1 and type 2 errors. The less type 1 errors, the higher the probability that rater is susceptible to type 2 errors. This presents a particularly interesting challenge for our field, as we stray away from type 1 errors and accept more type 2 errors. This error bias is inherent in our visual analysis methods and our expectation of clear and strong demonstrations of effect size. Due to conflicting research related to the reliability of visual analysis, these authors attempt to demonstrate a potential solution.

Citation + DOI

Lanovaz, M. J., & Hranchuk, K. (2021). Machine learning to analyze single-case graphs: A comparison to visual inspection. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 54(4), 1541-1552. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaba.863

Ep. 20- JABA in One Take- Visual inspection and the application to the trial based functional analysis Dec 01, 2021

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This next article is over another fun and novel concept. The application of a standard visual analysis criteria for the trial based functional analysis. Quickly becoming my favorite clinically practical assessment, the trial based functional analysis excels in practicality, except for one aspect. The standard research suggests a fixed number of trials, and then examining the data in a summary format rather than continued visual analysis. This article attempts to solve that problem by promote a form of ongoing visual analysis and structured set of rules for identifying behavioral functions.

Citation + DOI:

Standish, C. M., Bailey, K. M., Lambert, J. M., Copeland, B. A., Banerjee, I., & Lamers, M. E. (2021). Formative applications of ongoing visual inspection for trial-based functional analysis: A proof of concept. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 54(4) 1526-1540. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaba.866

Ep. 19- JABA in One Take- An beginners look at OBM Nov 29, 2021

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This article is written by Dr. Nicole Gravina and colleagues, and is focused on physician and nursing rounding procedures in a hospital setting. As someone who has recently been in the hospital with a pregnant wife, there is nothing more frustrating than waiting hours and hours for rounds that will never come, only to have your concerns brushed aside by doctors who are too busy to worry about the little things. At first glance, this article may not seem applicable to the everyday clinician, but at its core, these authors discuss changing adult behavior using feedback, checklists, and progress graphing. All of these components can be identified by the performance diagnostic checklist and should be applied in the typical clinical setting.

Citation + DOI:

Gravina, N., Sleiman, A., Southwick, F. S., Matey, N., Harlan, E., Lukose, K., Hack, G., & Radhakrishnan, N. S. (2021). Increasing adherence to a standardized rounding procedure in two hospital in-patient units. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 54(4), 1514-1525. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaba.865

Ep. 18- JABA in One Take-Interteaching and active studying-a component analysis Nov 26, 2021

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Are you struggling with the BCBA exam or trying to teach RBTs new concepts for your clients? This article, while it seems like an academia and classroom teaching intervention, can help with both of those struggles. After all, RBT training is just small group classroom education. The strategy of interteaching has been used throughout education and has resulted in increases in grades, participation, and even student ratings. However, there is still more research needed on the components necessary to maintain this increase in behavior. This study looks at all the different components and does a component analysis to determine the components that result in the greatest change in behavior. In my opinion, this article is a must read (or listen) for all the practitioners trying to supervise and train RBTs in any fashion. By utilizing more efficient teaching strategies, fidelity of treatments will increase and client outcomes will improve.

Ep. 17- JABA in One Take- Creating an efficient concurrent chains assessment Nov 24, 2021

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The concurrent chains arrangement (click here for graphic) is a powerful preference assessment that has been used for over 20 years in behavior analysis research and practice. However, it has always been used in a multiple stimulus arrangement. That is, the initial links (simple stimuli) were always placed on the table, in an array of however many stimuli were present. For example, all 5 color cards were placed on the table, and the client would scan and observe all of them. Basile and colleagues dared to ask the essential question... "Could this be better?" They compared the traditional format to a new initial link presentation and used the paired stimulus format for initial link presentation. This should result in saved time, but do the hierarchies identified match? Read or listen to this one to see one of my personal favorite research questions, which takes a clinical assessment and makes it better. This is similar to Morris and Vollmer (2021) when they asked how they could make their social function assessment more efficient.

Ep. 16- JABA in one Take- An introduction to intraverbal tacting and framing Nov 22, 2021

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Verbal behavior is just BUILT DIFFERENT. What I mean, is that verbal behavior, as a behavioral concept sometimes takes me a little while to digest and understand. This paper is no exception. However, the payoff for understanding the complexities of this article is immense. By breaking down intraverbal tacting with and without autoclitic frame training, these authors make a case for precise programming and timing of verbal behavior goals. The question they ask is simple. Does intraverbal tacting appear quicker when the learner is taught with an autoclitic frame requirement or with traditional conditional discrimination strategies? At least for me, the answer surprised me! By listening to this podcast and reading this article, you can expect to have a much stronger understanding of the intraverbal tacting concepts, as well as an appreciation for the amount of instructional control the autoclitic exerts over our own verbal behavior.

Ep. 15- JABA in One Take- Evaluating the function of social interactions; A clinically practical assessment Nov 19, 2021

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Social interaction is NOT always reinforcing. We have covered previous articles (Click here to listen to Harper et al., 2021) that has shown that not all attention topographies are created equal. However, what Morris and Vollmer demonstrated is that social contexts can be aversive, neutral, or reinforcing, and the identification of which role social contexts play is valuable for treatment effects. For example, if socialization is aversive, the practitioner should not run a preference assessment to identify the most preferred topography. Rather, they should teach new skills that make the social context less aversive. The authors demonstrate a quick and simple method of identifying the function of social contexts and present us with an assessment with high specificity and sensitivity.

Ep.14- JABA in One Take- Increasing BCBAs usage of the PFA with a three hour seminar! Nov 17, 2021

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There must be something in the water over at Western New England University, because the publish more than any lab I have run into to! This article focuses on extending the research on functional analysis training and minimizing the research to practice gap. Specifically, they focus on increasing the amount of functional analyses are completed by practitioners. Some surveys have put the percentage of practitioners who use analyses at below 30%. Utilizing a RCT, they showed that a seminar based model was able to increase the accuracy of IISCA component steps. In addition, following the seminar, attendees reported a fivefold increase in the amount of experimental analyses completed, which is amazing! Regardless of whether you feel that the data show that the IISCA is an assessment that is worthwhile for clinicians to utilize (Click here to see Tiger & Effertz, 2021 for a deeper dive), the fact that practitioners are using more experimental analyses is, for me, a huge win.

Ep. 13- JABA in One Take- Expanding the ethical conversation around reducing motor and vocal stereotypy Nov 15, 2021

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There are multiple different methods to reducing stereotypic behavior in the population we serve. However, there is also a large ethical component to the conversation as well. Should we, as a community of practitioners, should reduce stereotypic behavior? My personal belief is, if the behavior is not interfering with day to day life and learning, then I do not work on the behavior. Supporting my personal belief is that the primary method to reduce stereotypic behavior is response interruption and redirection, which is a punishment procedure. I (and many other practitioners) would argue that such intensive interventions are simply not worth it when the behavior is not severely impacting the progress of a learner. This article extends this topic by evaluating less restrictive interventions in different contexts, demonstrating that restrictive punishment based procedures should be applied only when absolutely necessary.

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