Phu and Byrne (2018) argued that the incorrect use of testimonials in advertising behavioranalytic services is potentially widespread and that behavior analysts have an ethical responsibility to report these infractions. We agree with these authors, though we argue that there are 2 concerns that embody ethical oversight run amok. The first is whether behavior analysts should ethically oversee non-behavior-analysts, and the second is what we should do when we encounter a testimonial at one's company that is putatively in ethical violation.
Elopement is a common form of problem behavior but is relatively underrepresented in the functional analysis literature. One barrier to assessing elopement experimentally is the need to retrieve the subject following an instance of elopement. This retrieval confounds programmed session contingencies when the goal is to obtain repeated measurement of free-operant behavior. The current study evaluated latency to elopement as an alternative to free-operant measurement.We first compared response latency to allocation in 5-min sessions and then measured latency alone in a trial-based format. The identified reinforcers matched across both data analysis modalities in the session-based assessments, and the trial-based functional analysis showed a significant time savings in identifying the function of behavior over a session-based assessment. Results indicated that elopement serves idiosyncratic social functions in young children with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and that a latency-based assessment saves time while yielding equally clear results.
The demand for behavioral services is currently outpacing the availability of trained and certified behavior analysts. This need might be felt most acutely in rural communities, where educational funds often do not allow for hiring full-time behavioral staff. This article outlines a model for behavioral consultation that has been successful in several rural school districts. Strategies to build rapport, recommendations for assessment and treatment planning, and methods of expanding the role of the behavior analyst within the school are discussed. Finally, resources for teachers and administrative staff to access behavioral services and pertinent research are included.
Response interruption and redirection (RIRD) often results in a reduction in level of vocal stereotypy in children and adolescents diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, research is still needed on the effects of RIRD on adults and on the mechanism by which RIRD produces its effects (i.e., punishment vs. differential reinforcement). The current study used an uninterrupted data collection procedure to evaluate the effects of RIRD, and specifically the contingent demand component, in an adult participant. Results showed that motor RIRD was effective in reducing vocal stereotypy when the demand aspect (i.e., redirection) was included but was ineffective when neutral talking (i.e., interruption) was presented. The impact of RIRD on appropriate vocalizations is also discussed.
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