Behavioral Community Psychology: Training a Community Board to Problem Solve1

Abstract

This study demonstrated the effect of training nine lower socio-economic adults participating as policy board members in a federally funded rural community project to make behaviorally defined statements to increase problem-solving behaviors in board meetings. A multiple-baseline design across subjects and skills was used to analyze the behavioral categories of: (1) stating the problem; (2) finding solutions to the problem, and (3) implementing the action to the solution. Problem-solving responses during board meetings increased for subjects following training and remained higher than baseline during follow-up.DESCRIPTORS: training problem solving, adults, rural poor, board training, behavioral community psychology, group problem solving, multiple baseline Applied behavior analysis, which began as an experimental-therapeutic endeavor with individual subjects exhibiting deviant or undesirable behavior (Ullmann and Krasner, 1965) has broadened in scope and application such that the principles may now be applied to solve social problems. The term Behavioral Community Psychology seems appropriate to denote applications to socially significant problems in unstructured community settings where the behavior of individuals is not considered deviant in the traditional sense. Encouraging welfare recipients to attend self-help meetings (Miller and Miller, 1970), reinforcing the picking up of litter (Burgess, Clark, and Hendee, 1971;Chapman and Risley, 1974;Clark, Burgess, and Hendee, 'This research is based upon a thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the M.S. degree of the first author under the chairmanship of the second author.

INCREASING SENIOR CITIZEN PARTICIPATION IN A COMMUNITY‐BASED NUTRITIOUS MEAL PROGRAM1

“…Behavior analysts have become increasingly cognizant of the fact that a demonstration of experimental control over a clearly defined response may not be sufficient to ensure that a given treatment or program will be adopted for use in settings other than those devoted primarily to research. Accordingly, recent studies have attempted to establish "social validity", both for the selection of the behaviors targetted for change (Quilitch, 1975) and for the degree of change (Briscoe et al, 1975;Minkin, Braukmann, Minkin, Timbers, Timbers, Phillips, and Wolf, 1976), by asking potential consumers or knowledgeable referees subjectively to evaluate these aspects of the research. In addition, when cost-efficiency analyses are performed, potential consumers can then be asked to evaluate a program's behavior-change capabilities in light of its associated costs, as was done in the present study.…”

“…Recent studies in the area of behavioral community psychology (Briscoe, Hoffman, and Bailey, 1975) have emphasized the use of prompting and reinforcement procedures in ameliorating many problems found in the natural or unstructured environment, and these techniques seem applicable to the recruitment and maintenance of senior citizen participation in community programs. Turner and Vernon (1975) found that telephone prompts increased the number of therapy appointments that were kept at a community mental health center; Geller, Farris, and Post (1973) (Clark, Burgess, and Hendee, 1972), increasing the usage of public transportation (Everett, Hayward, and Meyers, 1974), and maintaining attendance at self-help meetings for welfare clients (Miller and Miller, 1970).…”

Utilization Analysis of a Pedestrian Safety Training Program

“…One subspecialty area within applied behavior analysis that has concerned itself with the study of larger subject populations has been termed "behavioral community psychology" (Briscoe, Hoffman, & Bailey, 1975;Fawcett, Mathews, & Fletcher, 1980;Glenwick & Jason, 1980). The dissemination of existing technologies of behavior change to expanding spheres of influence as large as the community and evenutally to state and national levels would most plausibly proceed through demonstration and community levels of analysis prior to large-scale implementation.…”

Behavior Analysis in Consumer Affairs: Encouraging Dental Professionals to Provide Consumers With Shielding From Unnecessary X‐ray Exposure

“…This prospect has been an impetus for a program of research whose scope, nature, and purpose are suggested by terms such as community behavior analysis (Greene, 1981) and behavioral community psychology (Briscoe, Hoffman, & Bailey, 1975). This research has introduced behavioral engineering to systems responsible for energy conservation (Winett, 1980), traffic safety (Greene, Bailey, & Barber, 1981;Van Houten & Nau, 1981), and health care (Reiss, Piotrowski, & Bailey, 1976 Although community behavior analysis seems promising, it has generally introduced no more change in these systems than necessary to produce specific changes in the behavior of its consumers.…”