Aba Inside Track

UNLOCKED from our Patreon page, it’s the “Activity Schedules for Children with Autism” Book Club! Interested in more Book Clubs? Want to vote on what we read next? Feeling FOMO at getting this a full year late? Wish your 2 CEs for listening to the episode were FREE??? Join us on Patreon to get all of our episodes a week early, access to these bonus episodes, plus other goodies. For our Spring 2024 Book Club we decided to read something a little lighter that could lead right into some new practice options. And, boy did we hit gold with McClannahan and Krantz’s “Activity Schedules for Children with Autism”! We gush profusely about the majority of the book’s content for a while then dive in with a review of the basics of teaching a child to independently use an activity schedule…with some modern quality-of-life suggestions where things get a little dated. Listen and learn nearly everything you need to know about creating and teaching activitiy schedules. Coming soon: Our Language Master-compatible recording on 1

While Jackie’s away (and stuck in an elevator) Rob and Diana will play…podcast hosting duties for the month. This month last spring’s Book Club choice, “Activity Schedules for Children with Autism” gets released to the free feed (with free CEs for Patreon subscribers!) with new episodes on preference assessments and practicing within a school context. And speaking of pairs of awesome behavior analysts, special guest, John Staubitz, gives us the rundown on special education laws and what BCBAs really need to know about the scope of schoolwork. Now’s the time on podcast when we dance! Articles for May 2025 (UNLOCKED) Activity Schedules for Children with Autism Book Club McClannahan, L.E. & Krantz, P.J. (1999). Activity schedules for children with autism: Teaching independent behavior. Woodbine House. McClannahan, L.E. & Krantz, P.J. (2010). Activity schedules for children with autism: Teaching independent behavior. (2nd ed.). Woodbine House. Rehfeldt, R.A. (2002). A review of McClannahan and Krantz's

Though the steps involved in developing a good, evidence-based treatment plan are well documented on our podcast, what good is any of that hard work if the families you purport to use it with kinda, sorta hate your plan. Well, this week, rather than complaining about how unappreciated your procedures are, why not take a step back and ask yourself, “How can I better learn from families I work with what will meet their needs?” We take a run down to explore the ever-confusing and complex world of family services, take a qualitative look at social validity in treatment planning, and review some key contexts that spell the difference between a good plan and a plan that works. This episode is available for 1.0 CULTURAL (ETHICS) CEU. Articles discussed this episode: Russa, M.B., Matthews, A.L., & Owen-DeSchryver, J.S. (2015). Expanding supports to improve the lives of families of children with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 17, 95-104. doi: 10.1177/1098300714532134 Moes, D.

“WAZOWSKI! YOU DIDN’T FILE YOUR PAPERWORK LAST NIGHT!” is a line that resonates with all of us (and we make about 50 times in this episode). But, despite a fear of our own personal Rozes at work, most of us still tend to let those pesky piles of papers slip our minds as we go about the important business of being a behavior analyst (the direct helping of others). But, as with most skills, there’s got to be a better way and, this week, we take that mantra all the way to the In Box with research on how you too can become a paperwork pushing master. This episode is available for 1.0 LEARNING CEU. Articles discussed this episode: Luna, O. & Rapp, J.T. (2019). Using a checklist to increase objective session note writing: Preliminary results. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 12, 622-626. doi: 10.1007/s40617-018-00315-4 Halbur, M., Reidy, J., Kodak, T., Cowan, L., & Harman, M. (2024). Comparison of enhanced and standard data sheets on treatment fidelity and data collection for tact training. Behavior Analysis

We’re finishing up our two-part Listener Choice episodes highlighting tutorial articles that give you the “how to” when it comes to important BCBA skills. And if you enjoyed our episode on procedural integrity, you’re going to LOVE this tutorial all about using token economies. We dive into some token economy history, basic set up, application, and come to the conclusion that WE’VE BEEN DOING TOKEN ECONOMIES WRONG! Or, at least not as well as we could be. If you’ve ever laminated Sponge Bob stickers, you owe it to yourself to listen to this episode. This episode is available for 1.0 LEARNING CEU. Articles discussed this episode: Ackerman, K. B., Samudre, M., & Allday, R. A. (2020). Practical components for getting the most from a token economy.Teaching Exceptional Children, 52(4), 242-249. doi: 10.1177/0040059919892022 Kazdin, A.E. (1982). The token economy: A decade later. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 15, 431-445. doi: 10.1901/jaba.1982.15-431. doi: 10.1901/jaba.1982.15-431 Degli Espinosa, F. &

Here come Research Cottontail. Hoppin’ down the ABA trail. Hippity hoppity, Grab Bag’s on it’s waaaaaaaay! Bringing every behavior analyst Baskets full of discussion panelists Things to make your Grab Bag podcast greaaaaaat!   This episode is available for 1.0 LEARNING CEU. Articles discussed this episode: Nevill, R.E., Crawford, M.F., Zarcone, J.R., Maquera, E., Rooker, G.W., Schmidt, J.D. (2024). A retrospective consecutive controlled case series analysis of the assessment and treatment of elopement in children with autism in an inpatient setting. Behavior Analysis in Practice. doi: 10.1007/s40617-024-00979-1 Santa Cruz, H. A. C.,  MIltenburger, R. G. & Baruni., R. R. (2024). Evaluating remote behavioral skills training of online gaming safety skills. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 17, 246-256. doi: 10.1007/s40617-023-00830-z Kelly-Sisken, S., Reeve, K. F., McPheters, C. J., Vladescu, J. C, Reeve, S. A., & Jennings, A. M. (2025). Comparing equivalence-based instruction to a PowerPoint video lecture

Enjoy a short preview of our latest full-length Book Club episode.  Want to hear the whole thing and get 2.5 CEs for FREE? Subscribe to our Patreon today at the premium $10+ levels for that plus other bonuses! Could this book actually save your marriage? Well, that's not really the point of it; however, we found a LOT to enjoy and reflect on in our discussion of "Divergent Minds" by Jenera Nerenberg, a broad look at adult female neurodiversity in the modern era. Just how much of our socialization process practically mandates masking behavior in autistic women? And what does it mean to an individual labeled "highly sensitive" when entering the workforce or family life? Join us as we take a look at five commonly identified neurodivergences and the experiences of the women learning to live in a world not designed for them. This full version of this episode is available for 2.0 LEARNING CEUs. Patrons at the $10 and up level, as part of your subscription, you’ll be able to earn these CEs for no charge! Subscribe t

Spring has sprung on us with a bunch of freezing rain. So what better time than now to get set for a cozy crop of new podcasts for April. First up, as visit from our favorite mythical bunny with a grab bag of goodies in the form of new articles to discuss. Then finally wrap up our (winter!) Listener Choice episode with a tutorial on token economies before coming up with new ways to finish our paperwork and create meaningful family supports. Then, for patrons-only, our Spring Book Club looking at the female neurodivergent-supporting book, Divergent Mind. By the time you’ve listened to all of these episodes, the flowers will definitely be in bloom. Articles for April 2025 Hoppin’ Down the Grab Bag Trail (Spring 2025 Grab Bag) Nevill, R.E., Crawford, M.F., Zarcone, J.R., Maquera, E., Rooker, G.W., Schmidt, J.D. (2024). A retrospective consecutive controlled case series analysis of the assessment and treatment of elopement in children with autism in an inpatient setting. Behavior Analysis in Practice. doi: 10.100

While I doubt any of us would purposefully cheer on ableist behavior in our daily work, what if I told you that you may be secretly promoting ableism every single day? This week we do some tough reflection on the medical model that most of us work within and how it may inherently dismiss the environmental factors at play in determining the impact of disabilities on individuals’ lives. And while we’re boosters of the neurodiversity movement, is it possible that their critiques might be going too far in regards to ABA? Hot buttons will get pressed in this episode! This episode is available for 1.0 TRAUMA-INFORMED CEU. Articles discussed this episode: Kapp, S.K., Gillespie-Lynch, K., Sherman, L.E., & Hutman, T. (2013). Deficit, difference, or both? Autism and neurodiversity. Developmental Psychology, 49, 59-71. doi: 10.1037/a0028353 Graber, A. & Graber, J. (2023). Applied behavior analysis and the abolitionist neurodiversity critique: An ethical analysis. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 16, 921-937. doi:

While most of us engage with goal writing, have you ever stopped to think whether the goals you’ve proposed to your client are…pointless? If so, put down your bopy of “101 Great Trigonometry Objectives” and join us and special guest, Dr. Shanna Bahry, to explore resources for crafting goals with your clients that might actually lead them to a productive, happier adulthood. We review some useful tools from Dr. Bahry, some pointers for how to use (and NOT use) many popular assessments, and discuss where and when those trigonometry goals could meaningfully come into play. Yes, there’s a time and place for every goal. This episode is available for 1.0 ETHICS CEU. Articles discussed this episode: Bahry, S., Gerhardt, P.F., Weiss, M.J., Leaf, J.B., Putnam, R.F., & Bondy, A. (2022). The ethics of actually helping people: Targeting skill acquisition goals that promote meaningful outcomes for individuals with autism spectrum disorder. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 16, 672-695. doi: 10.1007/s40617-022-00757-x Bahr

Since you can only get so far with surveys of how frequetly registered behavior technicians want to quit their jobs due to burnout, we wondered, is it possible to gather more relevant, actionable research questions? Enter Dr. Nicole Gravina who, with her colleagues, used qualitative analysis research design to dig deeper into more of the “whys” behind how burnout develops for RBTs in Florida, and what supervisors can do to help. Put down your calculators and get out your dictionaries for this episode: We’re looking at words in research! This episode is available for 1.0 LEARNING CEU. Articles discussed this episode: Nastasi, J.A., McGarry, K.M., Peters, K.P., Leon, Y., Bacotti, J.K., & Gravina, N. (2024). A qualitative analysis of variables contributing to the Registered Behavior Technicians’ burnout and turnover in Florida. Behavior Analysis in Practice. doi: 10.1007/s40617-024-01033-w Nastasi, J.A., Green, V., Te, P.J., & Gravina, N.E. (2024). “Everybody needs to take breaks”: A qualitative analysis

Maybe it’s the lousy Smarch weather, but we’re in a bit of a mood to start of this month. Not because our special guests aren’t awesome. We had so much fun learning about qualitative analyses in exploring RBT burnout with Dr. Nicole Gravina and how to be more ethically responsible in creating meaningful goals for autistic adolescents and adults with Dr. Shanna Bahry. And not because we’re not reviewing tough issues like turnover in human services, deconstructing ableist practices in the medical model, and respectfully disagreeing with the abolitionist neurodiversity critique. Now that I’m writing about all the awesome episodes coming out this month, I can’t even remember why we sound so crabby. Oh, right…the state of the United States political system. And rude emails. Articles for March 2025 Qualitative Analysis of RBT Burnout w/ Dr. Nicole Gravina Nastasi, J.A., McGarry, K.M., Peters, K.P., Leon, Y., Bacotti, J.K., & Gravina, N. (2024). A qualitative analysis of variables contributing to the Registered

We’re pretty social people, and we love working with other professionals to support client outcomes. But we’ve also learned that collaboration goes way beyond five-minute consult sessions and a few friendly emails. This week we’re bringing the research and our professional practice together to make a delicious cake of transdisciplinary goodness focusing on the ethics of great collaboration. Because what’s a BCBA without friends? Bonus: See the whole episode with our slide deck as a video on our YouTube channel. It’s like our podcast but with lots of pictures! This episode is available for 1.0 ETHICS CEU. Articles discussed this episode: Bowman, K.S., Suarez, V.D., & Weiss, M.J. (2021). Standards for interprofessional collaboration In the treatment of individuals with autism. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 14, 1191-1208. doi: 10.1007/s40617-021-00560-0 Gasiewski, K., Weiss, M.J., Leaf, J.B., & Labowitz, J. (2021). Collaboration between behavior analysts and occupational therapists in autism service pr

As voted on by our patrons, a new (hopefully) long-running mini-series turning research directly into updated practice: Tutorial! This month, we’re looking at research to up your procedural integrity process. Just what should go into your PI checklists? How do you turn your observations into meaningful fidelity data instead of a series of “yeses” and “nos”? And just what good are training manuals, anyway? So, listen in! Your supervisees and clients will thank you. This episode is available for 1.0 LEARNING CEU. Remember, Patrons get access to the video version of this episode AND a free CEU for this episode. Not a patron? Join today! Articles discussed this episode: Bergmann, S., Harman, M.J., Brand, D., & Vladescu, J.C. (2024). A survey of procedural-fidelity data collection in behavior-analytic practice. Behavior Analysis in Practice. doi: 10.1007/s40617-024-00995-1 Morris, C., Jones, S.H., & Oliveira, J.P. (2024). A practitioner’s guide to measuring procedural fidelity. Behavior Analysis in Practic

UNLOCKED from our Patreon page, it’s the “Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Behavior Analysts” Book Club! Interested in more Book Clubs? Want to vote on what we read next? Feeling FOMO at getting this a full year late? Wish your 2 CEs for listening to the episode were FREE??? Join us on Patreon to get all of our episodes a week early, access to these bonus episodes, plus other goodies. While we've covered acceptance and commitment therapy a few times before, we'd never really dug too deeply into exactly HOW ACT is behavior analytic. As in the exact mechanisms by which the fabulous steps of the hexaflex "work" as described in 100% behavioral terms. Now, thanks to our listeners (and book authors Dixon, Hayes, and Belisle), we can! Join us as we learn about ACT from theory to practice in our two-hour discusion of "Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Behavior Analysts". Plus, you'll finally get to discover which branch of the hexaflex is our all-time favorite! Is it acceptance? Committed action? Self-as con

If podcasts are a box of chocolates and behavior analysis is flowers, I guess that makes you our Valentine. We kick off the shortest of months with a check-in with the crew and a review of what’s coming out in time for President’s Day. First, after a year in the vault, our last year’s book club on ACT is unlocked and on the loose. Then the listener’s take the stage with their vote for an episode on procedural integrity. Finally, we try something different with a brand new recording of one of our previous conference talks on the ethics of collaboration. It’s like you were at the conference…but now it’s a podcast episode! Articles for February 2025 (UNLOCKED) Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Book Club Dixon, M.R., Hayes, S.C., & Belisle, J. (2023). Acceptance and commitment therapy for behavior analysts: A practice guide from theory to treatment. Routledge.   (LISTENER CHOICE) Tutorial - Procedural Integrity Bergmann, S., Harman, M.J., Brand, D., & Vladescu, J.C. (2024). A survey of procedural-fidelit

Can you believe we made it all the way to episode 300? Well, we decided to cap off the event by revisiting a topic that was in the headlines way back when the three of us started in the field of behavior analysis…and sadly is STILL a topic of discussion: Vaccines and autism. And while the findings are in the title (they don’t), we review the research as to why there is still any discussion on the matter and reflect on whether approaching the anti-vaccine debate from a purely scientific findings lens might be playing into an ableist narrative that paradoxically feeds the misinformation discourse. Thanks to everyone for supporting our show for all these years (and special thanks to everyone who joined us at our live recording!). This episode is available for 1.0 LEARNING CEU. Articles discussed this episode: Ahearn, W.H. (2010). What every behavior analyst should know about the “MMR causes autism” hypothesis. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 3, 46-52. doi: 10.1007/BF03391757 Deer, B. (2011). How the case against

Despite living more solidly in the psychology domain, Collaborative Problem Solving (CPS) as a treatment for oppositional behaviors is increasingly moving into the mainstream. But does its attempts to change behavior patterns make it behavior analytic or something else? In this episode we look at a few of the earliest studies to evaluate the efficacy of CPS as well as some of the more recent publications on CPS as a treatment for challenging behavior and to discuss just what it is and whether you should be paying attention. But will we answer the key question: Is studying CPS an avenue of collaboration between behavior analysis and psychology or a watered-down version of older behavioral treatments? This episode is available for 1.0 LEARNING CEU. Articles discussed this episode: Greene, R.W., Ablon, J.S., & Goring, J.C. (2003). A transactional model of oppositional behavior: Underpinnings of the Collaborative Problem Solving approach. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 55, 67-75. doi: 10.1016/S0022-3999(

VERSE Should old research articles be forgot, and never brought to ABA podcasts? Should old research articles be forgot, and auld bag syne? CHORUS For auld bag syne, my BCBAs, for auld bag syne, we’ll take a cup of dissemination yet, for auld bag syne.   This episode is available for 1.0 LEARNING CEU. Articles discussed this episode: Graham, S., Keenan, M., & Dillenburger, K. (2024). All for one and one for all: The good inclusion game. Behavioral Interventions. doi: 10.1002/bin.2048 Migan-Gandonou Horr, J. & Campos, C. (2024). Effects of a technology‐based self‐management intervention on social media use in a college student. Behavior Analysis in Practice. doi: 10.1007/s40617-024-00977-3 Schmidt, J., Krantz, J., King, H., Vetter, J., & Maruska, C. (2024). Using a brief experimental analysis for writing speed intervention identification. Behavioral Interventions, 39. doi: 10.1002/bin.2019 If you're interested in ordering CEs for listening to this episode, click here to go to the store page. You'

Despite being a cornerstone of the science of behavior, we’ve gone nearly 300 episodes without ever really delving into the details of the matching law. Maybe it’s because it involves too many equations. Maybe it’s because a lot of the research seems to focus exclusively on choice in basketball shots. In any case we’re getting every up to speed on the basics of the matching law and its importance in studying choice. Plus, Rob has spicy hot takes. Sweet sassy mo-lassy! This episode is available for 1.0 LEARNING CEU. Articles discussed this episode: Reed, D.D. & Kaplan, B.A. (2011). The matching law: A tutorial for practitioners. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 4, 15-24. doi: 10.1007/BF03391780 Alferink, L.A., Critchfield, T.S., Hitt, J.L., & Higgins, W.J. (2009). Generality of the matching law as a descriptor of shot selection in basketball. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 42, 595-608. doi: 10.1901/jaba.2009.42-595 Morris, S.L. & Vollmer, T.R. (2022). The matching law provides a quantitative