Behavior Modification

Single-case experimental designs (SCEDs) have grown in popularity in the fields such as education, psychology, medicine, and rehabilitation. Although SCEDs are valid experimental designs for determining evidence-based practices, they encounter some challenges in analyses of data. One of these challenges, missing data, is likely to be occurred frequently in SCEDs research due to repeated measurements over time. Since missing data is a critical factor that can weaken the validity and generalizability of a study, it is important to determine the characteristics of missing data in SCEDs, which are especially conducted with a small number of participants...

Past research suggests behavioral treatments are effective for challenging behavior in children and young adults with neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, access to these services can be limited and require substantial resources. To address this issue, the current study provides a programmatic description of an individualized parent-mediated service model targeting moderate challenging behavior. In the program, therapists coached parents to implement functional analyses and individualized function-based treatment packages...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

It is considered best practice to conduct a functional analysis and visually inspect data collected to determine the function of problem behavior, which then informs the intervention approaches applied. Visual inspection has been described as a "subjective" process that may be affected by factors unrelated to the data. Structured decision-making guidelines have been established to address some of these shortcomings. The current paper is a follow-up to earlier work describing positive outcomes related to the viability of a decision support system based on structured criteria from Roane et al...

Single case research is a viable way to obtain evidence for social and psychological interventions on an individual level. Across single case research studies various analysis strategies are employed, varying from visual analysis to the calculation of effect sizes. To calculate effect sizes in studies with few measurements per time period (<40 data points with a minimum of five data points in each phase), non-parametric indices such as Nonoverlap of All Pairs (NAP) and Tau-U are recommended. However, both indices have restrictions...

Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) by proxy is the intentional destruction of one's own body tissue through the elicitation of another being's actions. Despite its clinical relevance, research on NSSI by proxy is limited and there are no available measures of this behavior. This research aimed to characterize NSSI by proxy among young adults and provide preliminary data on the validity of a new self-report measure, the NSSI by Proxy Questionnaire (NSSIBPQ). Two nationwide community samples of young adults (one general community sample and one with a history of traditional NSSI and suicidality) completed online studies...

Previous research has highlighted many of the challenges faced by individuals with psychosis in romantic relationships. The present study aimed to evaluate the impact of a novel group intervention for men with first-episode psychosis (FEP) on dating success, romantic and sexual functioning, self-esteem, self-stigma, mentalizing skills, and symptomatology, while using a repeated single-case experimental design and comparing results across two treatment modalities (i.e., in-person or online). Twenty-seven participants from five treatment sites completed a 12-week group intervention...

Several methods for assessing baseline performance in chained tasks have been outlined in the literature, including the fixed-opportunity probe (FOP) and the multiple-opportunity probe (MOP). Concerns have been raised regarding how each of these methods might change the baseline performance of a task, affecting the interpretation of experimental control. The purpose of the current study was to conduct a within-subject comparison of both the FOP and MOP procedures for children with autism performing daily living and self-care skills...

There are currently a multitude of quantification techniques that have been developed for use with single-case designs. As a result, choosing an appropriate quantification technique can be overwhelming and it can be difficult for researchers to properly describe and justify their use of quantification techniques. However, providing clear descriptions and justifications is important for enhancing the credibility of single-case research, and allowing others to evaluate the appropriateness of the quantification technique used...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

Behavior disorders (BDs) are common and, without treatment, can have long-term impacts on child and family health. Behavioral Parent Training (BPT) is the standard of care intervention for early-onset BDs; however, structural socioeconomic barriers hinder treatment outcomes for low-income families. While digital technologies have been proposed as a mechanism to improve engagement in BPT, research exploring the relationship between technology use and outcomes is lacking. Thus, this study with 34 low-income families examined the impact of parents' use of adjunctive mobile app components on treatment efficiency in one technology-enhanced (TE-) BPT program, Helping the Noncompliant Child (HNC)...

This study evaluated the effects of a center-based Intensive Behavioral Intervention (IBI) model for preschool aged children with autism. Outcomes of 25 children receiving IBI was compared to the outcomes of 14 children receiving autism specific, eclectic, special education. Both provisions were described as appropriate treatment options by the professional agency who diagnosed the children, and the decision of where to enroll the child was made by the parents after consultations with the specialists. After 14 months of treatment, children from the IBI group improved significantly on standard scores in intellectual functioning and adaptive behavior and had a significant reduction in autism severity compared to the children in the autism specific, eclectic, special education group...

Behavioral parent training (BPT) is an evidence-based treatment for children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Stimulus control techniques (antecedent-based techniques, e.g., clear rules, instructions) and contingency management techniques (consequent-based techniques, e.g., praise, ignore) are the most common ones that are being taught to parents in BPT. However, research into the additive effects of these techniques is scarce. In this replicated single-case experimental ABC phase design, including six children on stable medication for ADHD (8-11 years) and their parents, the added efficacy of consequent-based techniques on top of antecedent-based techniques was evaluated...

This special issue on telehealth in Behavior Modification features 10 studies related to developing and delivering behavioral interventions through telehealth. The studies in this issue cover a variety of topics including using telehealth to train caregivers, training clinicians to use telehealth, and directly implementing interventions or assessments through telehealth. The special issue concludes with a comprehensive literature review examining variables that impact the effectiveness of telehealth as a service-delivery tool...

Disruptive behaviors such as elopement, calling-out, and aggression are often a major barrier to instruction in preschool classrooms. One widely used class-wide behavior management system is Class-Wide Function-Related Intervention Teams (CW-FIT). To date, we could only locate two studies on CW-FIT used in preschool settings which found a therapeutic change in on-task behavior as well rates of teacher praise, teacher reprimands, student socials skills, and student problem behaviors. The current study used a withdrawal design to also evaluate the effectiveness of Tier 1 CW-FIT on on-task student behavior and teacher praise and reprimand behavior in a preschool setting during both large and small group activities...

Multilevel modeling (MLM) is an approach for meta-analyzing single-case experimental designs (SCED). In this paper, we provide a step-by-step guideline for using the MLM to meta-analyze SCED time-series data. The MLM approach is first presented using a basic three-level model, then gradually extended to represent more realistic situations of SCED data, such as modeling a time variable, moderators representing different design types and multiple outcomes, and heterogeneous within-case variance. The presented approach is then illustrated using real SCED data...

Individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) exhibit deficits in social interaction and communication. Kronfli, Vollmer, et al. developed an in-person assessment to evaluate participant response to social cues indicating uninterest in a conversation. In the current study, we sought to extend these procedures to the assessment of conversation skills via telehealth given the ongoing pandemic and so that participants in remote areas could receive services. Participants were exposed to a hierarchy of social cues of uninterest ranging in salience from one-word responses to a clear verbal statement of uninterest until they demonstrated sensitivity to a social cue...

The present study evaluated the effectiveness of using telehealth technologies to remotely train caregivers of children with ASD to conduct discrete-trial instruction (DTI). We used a multiple-baseline-across-participants design to evaluate caregiver correct implementation of the DTI procedures and child emission of independent correct tacts as dependent measures. We observed robust and immediate improvements for all three caregivers and two of three children. Treatment effects were maintained during follow-up and generalization probes...

Behavioral technicians (BT) within the field of applied behavior analysis may be at greater risk for experiencing burnout and stress due to the nature of their clients, job demands, and work environments. Burnout and stress may negatively impact BT's work performances, more specifically, their treatment integrity. Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT) may be a useful tool to address the private events as well as the covert and overt behaviors associated with burnout and stress. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of an ACT intervention on improving treatment integrity and reducing work-related burnout and stress amongst BTs...

Relatively few empirical studies of pediatric chewing interventions have been published in the psychology literature. The purpose of this paper was to systematically review chewing interventions within the applied behavior analysis literature. We identified a small, but growing, behavior analytic literature demonstrating the effectiveness of various multicomponent treatment packages to teach and improve chewing skills. Future researchers should consider a range of participant characteristics, including results of oral motor assessments, explore a more extensive definition of chewing to target the complex nature of chewing as well as component skills, and examine the necessary and sufficient components of chewing interventions along with the potential benefits of multidisciplinary interventions...