Aba Inside Track

Next week's episode will be all about teaching empathy.  And who better to help us kick off this preview episode than some very special guests: puppets! After that, we share an excerpt from our upcoming interview with Whitney Hammel of Autism Compassion Africa to highlight the work of her and her staff in bringing treatment of individuals with autism to Ghana.  We're so motivated to help out that we even announce a fundraiser in honor of Autism Awareness Month where all CE processing fees will be donated to ACA.  So, listen to as many episodes as you can: every CE you purchase increases the funds heading to treatment of autism in West Africa.    Articles for next episode: Schrandt, J.A., Townsend, D.B., & Poulson, C.L.  (2009).  Teaching empathy skills to children with autism.  Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 42, 17-32.  doi: 10.1901/jaba.2009.42-17 Argott, P.J., Townsend, D.B., & Poulson, C.L.  (2017).  Acquisition and generalization of complex empathetic responses among children with autism.

We're back with another full-length episode on the subject of ethics in the workplace.  This week, we're all convinced that you probably need an ethics guru to steer your ship with best practices.  And it'd be great if they understood confidentiality laws too, otherwise, your files might end up at the mercy of a data hamburglar! While you start hiring this magical individual, we'll do our best to walk you through HIPAA, FERPA, and all its friends including Diana's handy-dandy legal quiz.  Some fun facts to whet your appetite: a pod of hippos is not a HIPPA and Rob's passwords all start with names of Star Wars characters.  Articles discussed this episode: Cavalari, R.N.S., Gillis, J.M., Kruser, N., & Romanczyk, R.G.  (2015).  Digital communication and records in service provision and supervision: Regulation and practice.  Behavior Analysis in Practice, 8, 176-189. doi: 10.1007/s40617-014-0030-3 Brodhead, M.T. & Higbee, T.S.  (2012).  Teaching and maintaining ethical behavior in a professional organiz

Put down that Facebook! Drop those Twitters! You can't risk a moment more on social media without first listening to this important episode on the ethics of social media.  Think it's ok to share pictures of your fellow BCBAs relaxing on the beach on Instragram? What about Snapchatting with colleagues to discuss possible solutions a client with SIB? Y'know what: Don't even try to answer without listening to Rob, Diana, and Jackie discuss articles all about social media and the ethical quandry you may already be in! And, don't forget a handy link to the updated BACB Ethical Guidelines so you can read along. Articles discussed this episode: O'Leary, P.N., Miller, M.M., Olive, M.L., & Kelly, A.N.  (2017).  Blurred lines: Ethical implications of social media for behavior analysts.  Behavior Analysis in Practice, 10, 45-51. doi:10.1007/s40617-014-0033-0 Chretien, K.C., Goldman, E.F., Beckman, L., & Kind, T.  (2010).  It's your own risk: Medical students' perspetives on online professionalism.  Academic Me

Because one episode wasn't enough, we've got TWO big ethics episodes coming up throughout the rest of March.  And not just any ethics! We're going to dive deep into the pitfalls inherent in social media and technology.  How the heck can I post inappropriate pictures online and stay on the right side of my ethical obligations (answer: you can't!) and is it possible to teach my staff and co-workers to be an upstanding citizen of ethics (answer: it is!).  In the meantime enjoy some Errata about a poorly behaved cat and a Rob ProTip about snagging your dream jobs.  The power is yours! Articles for the next two weeks: O'Leary, P.N., Miller, M.M., Olive, M.L., & Kelly, A.N.  (2017).  Blurred lines: Ethical implications of social media for behavior analysts.  Behavior Analysis in Practice, 10, 45-51. doi:10.1007/s40617-014-0033-0 Chretien, K.C., Goldman, E.F., Beckman, L., & Kind, T.  (2010).  It's your own risk: Medical students' perspetives on online professionalism.  Academic Medicine, 85, S68-S71. doi:

This week I had the pleasure of interviewing Katherine McLaughlin of Sexuality and Developmental Disability Workshops, creator of a sex education curriculum for individuals with disabilities.  We talk about how she came to this topic, the process of developing her curriculum, the challenges educators face in bringing up sex education, and why it's about time sexuality is being discussed in special education.  More information about Katherine and her curriculum can be found here. Articles mentioned in this episode: Shapiro, J.  (2018, January 9) For some with intellectual disabilities, ending abuse starts with sex ed.  Retrieved from https://www.npr.org  Collier, L.  (2017, December).  Seeking intimacy.  Monitor on Psychology, 48(11), pp. 48 Anthes, E.  (2017, December 7) Some adults with autism traits reject conventional sexual labels.  Retrieved from https://spectrumnews.org Griswold, A.  (2017, May 3) Sex and other foreign words.  Retrieved from https://spectrumnews.org

We're celebrating 50 episodes of ABA Inside Track by going where BCBAs are wary to tread: mental health! We discuss why ABA and mental health stopped getting along and discuss ideas as to how behavior analysis can make a difference in treating mental illness.  Then we save a nice chunk of time for Rob to go full hippy in his tear down of Big Pharma.  But, can any of this content help Diana get over her mall-o-phobia?     Articles discussed this episode: Harvey, M.T., Luiselli, J.K., & Wong, S.E.  (2009).  Application of applied behavior analysis to mental health issues.  Psychological Services, 6, 212-222.  doi: 10.1037/a0016495 Wong, S.E.  (2006).  Behavior analysis of psychotic disorders: Scientific dead end or casualty of the mental health political economy? Behavior and Social Issues, 15, 152-177.  doi: 10.5210/bsi.v15i2.365   Singh, N.N., Matson, J.L., Lancioni, G.F., Singh, A.N., Adkins, A.D., McKeegan, G.F., & Brown, S.W.  (2006).  Questions about behavioral function in mental illness (QABF-MI)

Next week we're doing an historical dive into the past of behavior analysis to discuss just why it is that ABA isn't "cool" when treating mental illness and to figure out just what ABA has to offer the field of mental health.  But first, it's Wilford vs. Willard, BCBAs vs. outdated New York laws, and Rob's ranting vs. Rob's raving in a no-holds barred edition of Errata. Articles for next week: Harvey, M.T., Luiselli, J.K., & Wong, S.E.  (2009).  Application of applied behavior analysis to mental health issues.  Psychological Services, 6, 212-222.  doi: 10.1037/a0016495 Wong, S.E.  (2006).  Behavior analysis of psychotic disorders: Scientific dead end or casualty of the mental health political economy? Behavior and Social Issues, 15, 152-177.  doi: 10.5210/bsi.v15i2.365   Singh, N.N., Matson, J.L., Lancioni, G.F., Singh, A.N., Adkins, A.D., McKeegan, G.F., & Brown, S.W.  (2006).  Questions about behavioral function in mental illness (QABF-MI): A behavior checklist for functional assessment of maladapti

Take a deep dive into the Matrix...Training research world with special guest Cormac MacManus.  Find out everything you needed to know about this efficient and powerful teaching tool but were afraid to ask.  In addition to learning the inside scoop about Cormac's matrix training/video modelling mash-up research, we'll explore the origin story of Irish Batman, Jackie's slow descent into podcasting madness, and Rob's brief brush with stardom.      Articles discussed this episode: Axe, J.B. & Sainato, D.M.  (2010).  Matrix training of preliteracy skills with preschoolers with autism.  Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 43, 635-652.  doi: 10.1901/jaba.2010.43-635 MacManus, C., MacDonald, R., & Ahearn, W.H.  (2015).  Teaching and generalizing pretend play in children with autism using video modeling and matrix training.  Behavioral Interventions, 30, 191-218.  doi: 10.1002/bin.1406 If you're interested in ordering CEs for listening to this episode, click here to go to the store page. You'll need to en

::RING RING:: Hello, we know you're out there.  We can feel you now.  We know that you're afraid.  You're afraid of efficient teaching methodology.  I don't know the future.  I didn't come here to tell you how to train individual exemplars.  I came here to tell you about matrix training.  I'm going to hang up this phone, and then I'm going to podcast to BCBAs what you don't want them to hear.  I'm going to tell them about a world of recombinative generalization, a world taught along the diagonal, a world where anything is possible.  Where we go from there is a choice I leave to you.  ::CUE RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE:: Articles for next week: Axe, J.B. & Sainato, D.M.  (2010).  Matrix training of preliteracy skills with preschoolers with autism.  Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 43, 635-652.  doi: 10.1901/jaba.2010.43-635 MacManus, C., MacDonald, R., & Ahearn, W.H.  (2015).  Teaching and generalizing pretend play in children with autism using video modeling and matrix training.  Behavioral Interven

Then, from beyond the realms of known behavior analysis comes the research grab bag.  This lumbering beast has returned yet again to bring forth research from all corners of the globe.  Gaze upon the grab bag's works, ye mighty, and despair that you have yet to learn of disguised mands, portion control, and text-message cueing.  But you will, good listener...you will! Articles discussed this episode: Hausman, N.L., Borrero, J.C., Fisher, A., & Kahng, S.  (2014).  Improving accuracy of portion-size estimations through a stimulus equivalence paradigm.  Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 47, 485-499.  doi: 10.1002/jaba.139      Grosberg, D. & Charlop, M.H.  (2017).  Teaching conversational speech to children with autism spectrum disorder using text-message prompting.  Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 50, 789-804.  doi: 10.1002/jaba.403 Najdowski, A.C., Bergstrom, R., Tarbox, J., & St. Clair M.  (2017).  Teaching children with autism to respond to disguised mands.  Journal of Applied Behavior

Next week's episode is a magical multiple of 12 which means we'll be diving straight into the grab bag! What articles have piqued our fancies this week? Fortunately, Jackie and Diana decide to hijack the podcast with the amazing origin stories of their articles.  Rob begrudgingly goes along for the ride.  Afterwards: erRATta from listeners! Articles for next week: Hausman, N.L., Borrero, J.C., Fisher, A., & Kahng, S.  (2014).  Improving accuracy of portion-size estimations through a stimulus equivalence paradigm.  Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 47, 485-499.  doi: 10.1002/jaba.139      Grosberg, D. & Charlop, M.H.  (2017).  Teaching conversational speech to children with autism spectrum disorder using text-message prompting.  Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 50, 789-804.  doi: 10.1002/jaba.403 Najdowski, A.C., Bergstrom, R., Tarbox, J., & St. Clair M.  (2017).  Teaching children with autism to respond to disguised mands.  Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 50, 733-743.  doi: 10.1002/

By reading and discussing these two articles, we're pretty confident that every important aspect of social reinforcer assessment gets covered.  From back pats to nose beeps, from finding social reinforcers to assessing them.  Seriously.  It's all here in these two articles.  And when you gaze into social reinforcer assessments, social reinforcer assessments gaze into you! Articles discussed this episode:   Smaby, K., MacDonald, R.P.F., Ahearn, W.H., & Dube, W.V.  (2007)  Assessment protocol for identifying preferred social consequences.  Behavioral Interventions, 22, 311-318.  doi: 10.1002/bin.242 Kelly, M.A., Roscoe, E.M., Hanley, G.P., & Schlichenmeyer, K.  (2014).  Evaluation of assessment methods for identifying social reinforcers.  Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 47, 113-135.  doi: 10.1002/jaba.107 If you're interested in ordering CEs for listening to this episode, click here to go to the store page. You'll need to enter your name, BCBA #, and the two episode secret code words to complete

Our newest topic, social reinforcer assessments, gives us such joy, we're seeing fireworks! But, before we get to talking about the big issue, we share some ABA-entertainment for these cold, snowy days, though mostly end up talking about home invasion movies and Hallmark romances.  Plus, recent erRATta from the Facebook page.   Articles for next week: Smaby, K., MacDonald, R.P.F., Ahearn, W.H., & Dube, W.V.  (2007)  Assessment protocol for identifying preferred social consequences.  Behavioral Interventions, 22, 311-318.  doi: 10.1002/bin.242 Kelly, M.A., Roscoe, E.M., Hanley, G.P., & Schlichenmeyer, K.  (2014).  Evaluation of assessment methods for identifying social reinforcers.  Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 47, 113-135.  doi: 10.1002/jaba.107

This week our special guest becomes our special guest co-host as Nick Green from BehaviorFit returns to the podcast to talk with us about behavioral fitness.  Can the Good Behavior Game increase our activity levels? And just how do variable-ratio schedules deal with obesity.  All that, plus an update on Nick's movement about movement.  Don't make the rest of us run: we're full of chocolate! Articles discussed this episode: De Luca, R.V. & Holborn, S.W.  (1992).  Effects of a variable-ratio reinforcement schedule with changing criteria on exercise in obese and nonobese boys.  Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis,  25, 671-679.  doi: 10.1901/jaba.1992.25-671 Galbraith, L.A. & Normand, M.P.  (2017).  Step it UP! Using the Good Behavior Game to increase physical activity with elementary school students at recess.  Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 50, 856-860.  doi: 10.1002/jaba.402 If you're interested in ordering CEs for listening to this episode, click here to go to the store page. You'll need to

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts Subscribe on Google Play Subscribe on Stitcher It's that time of the year when Rob spends way too much time combing through the nonsensical garbage that didn't make the actual podcast to put together a semi-coherent amalgamation of our screw-ups, tangents, and off-task singing.  It's our second volume of bloopers! Seriously, Rob spent hours editing this...try to laugh a little. Articles discussed this episode: None! There is nothing of value here!

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts Subscribe on Google Play Subscribe on Stitcher Subscribe on YouTube We get ready to welcome back guest Nick Green to talk about behavioral fitness on our next full-length episode.  But, before then, let's look back on 2017 together with a discussion of some of our personal, most essential research articles.  Special note: Episode 46 will be released in 2 weeks (i.e., AFTER New Year's).  Next week's episode will be our year-end blooper special.  Whoopee! Articles for next week: De Luca, R.V. & Holborn, S.W.  (1992).  Effects of a variable-ratio reinforcement schedule with changing criteria on exercise in obese and nonobese boys.  Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis,  25, 671-679.  doi: 10.1901/jaba.1992.25-671 Galbraith, L.A. & Normand, M.P.  (2017).  Step it UP! Using the Good Behavior Game to increase physical activity with elementary school students at recess.  Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 50, 856-860.  doi: 10.1002/jaba.402

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts Subscribe on Google Play Subscribe on Stitcher Whether you're a female or a male behavior analyst, we're sure you'll get a kick out of our discussion about the history of and challenges facing women in ABA.  Don't believe us? Well, maybe Devon Sundberg, the primary organizer of the Women In Behavior Analysis conference can convince you.  Devon brings us three fascinating articles discussing barriers of gender norms, the role of mentorship for young practitioners, and a batch of women in behavior analysis trivia.  And after you listen in, perhaps you'll be inspired to attend the Women in Behavior Analysis conference this March.  Tell 'em ABA Inside Track sent you! Articles discussed this episode: Ruiz, M.R.  (2003).  Inconspicuous sources of behavioral control: The case of gendered practices.  The Behavior Analyst Today, 4, 12-16.  doi: 10.1037/h0100005 LeBlanc, L.A.  (2015).  My mentors and their influences on my career.  The Behavior Analyst, 38, 237-245.  doi: 10/1007/s40614-015-

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts Subscribe on Google Play Subscribe on Stitcher Subscribe on YouTube Next week we'll be talking with special guest Devon Sundberg, coordinator of the Women in Behavior Analysis conference on the topic of--wait for it--women in behavior analysis.  But first, some listener love for the Lake House and feedback on our feeding episode.  Alliteration ahoy! Articles for next week: Ruiz, M.R.  (2003).  Inconspicuous sources of behavioral control: The case of gendered practices.  The Behavior Analyst Today, 4, 12-16.  doi: 10.1037/h0100005 LeBlanc, L.A.  (2015).  My mentors and their influences on my career.  The Behavior Analyst, 38, 237-245.  doi: 10/1007/s40614-015-0035-4 Simon, J.L., Morris, E.K., & Smith, N.G.  (2007).  Trends in women's participation at the meetings of the association for behavior analysis: 1975-2005.  The Behavior Analyst, 30, 181-196.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts Subscribe on Google Play Subscribe on Stitcher While responding to challenges related to feeding isn't easy, aren't there set treatments that can be implemented to overcome any problem? Well....yes and no.  While you ponder that mystery, enjoy this discussion of recent research related to a few of the common food refusal treatments including escape extinction, stimulus fading, and DRA.  Be sure to listen all the way to the end for the terrifying twist ending!! Articles discussed this episode: Patel, M.R., Piazza, C.C., Martinez, C.J., Volkert, V.M., & Santana, C.M.  (2002).  An evaluation of two differential reinforcement procedures with escape extinction to treat food refusal.  Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 35, 363-374.  doi: 10.1901/jaba.2002.35-363 Mueller, M.M., Piazza, C.C., Patel, M.R., Kelley, M.E., & Pruett, A.  (2004).  Increasing variety of foods consumed by blending nonpreferred foods into preferred foods.  Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 37, 159-17

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts Subscribe on Google Play Subscribe on Stitcher Subscribe on YouTube We can't think of anyone who works with individuals with autism who hasn't been faced with food refusal.  Next week, we'll be reviewing articles related to responding to feeding issues including using escape extinction and stimulus fading.  But, in the meantime, enjoy this preview episode where we become the only ABA podcast willing to play the Crossfire 80's TV show jingle.  We're just that brave. Articles for next week: Patel, M.R., Piazza, C.C., Martinez, C.J., Volkert, V.M., & Santana, C.M.  (2002).  An evaluation of two differential reinforcement procedures with escape extinction to treat food refusal.  Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 35, 363-374.  doi: 10.1901/jaba.2002.35-363 Mueller, M.M., Piazza, C.C., Patel, M.R., Kelley, M.E., & Pruett, A.  (2004).  Increasing variety of foods consumed by blending nonpreferred foods into preferred foods.  Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 37, 159-170.