Fan-favorite Dr. Andy Bondy joins me again to talk about... you guessed it... AAC! In this episode, we discuss a paper he published last year in the journal, Advances in Neurodevelopmental Disorders, that is titled, "Issues Related to AAC and SGD Use by Adolescents and Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder." We get into why he felt this paper was necessary to write, how he chose to communicate his thoughts to an audience beyond those of us in behavior analysis, why he likes the term, "under what conditions" so much, what does and does not constitute a "robust" communication repertoire, the role of teaching words like "please" and Andy's nuanced view of this practice, whether the sound from Speech Generation Devices matter, and lots more.  We also got into a really interesting discussion on the distinction between pointing to pictures vs. exchanging them with communicative partners, and how that difference impacts Joint Attention.  We closed the show by talking about two topics that have been receiving lots of discussion as of late: Spelling to Communicate and Gestalt Language Processing. Lastly, ended the show by taking a question from a Patreon member about Andy's thoughts regarding the use of activity schedules, and whether they qualify as prompts, or something else.  Andy's previous episodes (the shownotes to these shows also have many links to great studies germane to this episode). Jason Traver's episode. All things PECS.  A critical review of Natural Language Acquisition. GLP is a Fad IG page.  SLPs against pseudoscience IG page.  This episode is brought to you by: The University of Cincinnati Online. UC Online designed a Master of Education in Behavior Analysis program that is 100% online and asynchronous, meaning you log on when it works for you. Want to learn more? Go to online.uc.edu and click the “request info” button. HRIC Recruiting. Barb Voss has been placing BCBAs in permanent positions throughout the US for just about a decade, and has been in the business more generally for 30 years. When you work with HRIC, you work directly with Barb, thereby accessing highly personalized service. So if you're about to graduate, you're looking for a change of pace, or you just want to know if the grass really is greener on the other side, head over to HRIColorado.com to schedule a confidential chat right away. ACE Approved CEUs from .... Behavioral Observations. That's right, get your CEUs while driving, walking your dog, doing the dishes, or whatever else you might have going on, all while learning from your favorite podcast guests! Behavior University. Their mission is to provide university quality professional development for the busy Behavior Analyst. Learn about their CEU offerings, including their brand new 8-hour Supervision Course, as well as their RBT offerings over at behavioruniversity.com/observations.

If you've completed a VB-MAPP at some point in your career, you're familiar with the EESA component of the assessment protocol. In today's podcast, I had the chance to talk with Dr. Barbara Esch, who created the Early Echoic Skills Assessment, which has evolved into the stand-alone product called the Early Echoic Skills Assessment and Program Planner.  In this conversation, we talk about how Barb got into Behavior Analysis, she shared some humorous stories from being mentored by Drs. Jack Michael and Jim Carr, why she created the original EESA, who the EESAPP is for and who it's not for, and some fantastic advice for newly-minted BCBAs. In addition to these topics, we spent a decent amount of time talking about some speech therapy concepts that were definitely new to me, especially the idea of co-articulation. We also talked about the order in which one should target specific skills. To me, this highlights the importance of collaboration, especially if you don't have a strong background in typical speech development.  As a side note, I inadvertently used the acronyms, EESA and EESAPP, interchangeably throughout the conversation, and apologize if this confused anyone.  Barb is giving not one, but two talks at this year's Verbal Behavior Conference. Are you coming? I sure hope so. If you can't make it to Austin on February 29th and March 1st, please consider joining us virtually through the magic of BehaviorLive.com. There's also an amazing conference workshop being taught by the incomparable Dr. Lina Slim on the 28th.  There will be many other amazing speakers and talks at the VBC, so whether you join in person or virtually, I hope to see you there! Here are some helpful resources from our conversation: barbaraesch.com. Where to buy the EESAPP. The VBC event schedule. Barb's other podcast appearances, research publications, and more. Other events where Barb is speaking. This show is brought to you by: Behavior University. Their mission is to provide university quality professional development for the busy Behavior Analyst. Learn about their CEU offerings, including their brand new 8-hour Supervision Course, as well as their RBT offerings over at behavioruniversity.com/observations. HRIC Recruiting. Barb Voss has been placing BCBAs in permanent positions throughout the US for just about a decade, and has been in the business more generally for 30 years. When you work with HRIC, you work directly with Barb, thereby accessing highly personalized service. So if you're about to graduate, you're looking for a change of pace, or you just want to know if the grass really is greener on the other side, head over to HRIColorado.com to schedule a confidential chat right away. ACE Approved CEUs from .... Behavioral Observations. That's right, get your CEUs while driving, walking your dog, doing the dishes, or whatever else you might have going on, all while learning from your favorite podcast guests!

Session 252 is the recording from the 2023 Verbal Behavior Conference Panel discussion. The participants were Troy Fry, Drs. Lina Slim, Sam Bergmann, Sarah Frampton, Einar Ingvarsson, Pat McGreevy, and Andresa de Sousa; and the voice at the beginning and end of the panel is Kelle Rich, who founded and currently leads these great conferences. In this Q and A segment, the panel addressed the following topics: Considerations moving from vocal-verbal speech to AAC. Focusing one's clinical resources given limited therapy times.  The high abandonment rate of AAC devices. The role of clinical judgement. Adapting clinical strategies to varying cultural contexts. The nuances associated with encouraging caregivers to adopt research-based treatments. The role of singing versus speaking... that was a fascinating part of the panel that comes towards the end. As you'll hear in this podcast, when you attend the Verbal Behavior Conference, you'll have numerous opportunities to ask the speakers questions. And not just in the panel itself. If you're there in person in Austin, Texas, you'll very likely have the opportunity to have direct interactions with the speakers between talks, while grabbing coffee, and so on.  What strikes me as unique about these events is that they are purposely small and intimate so that one can have these types of experiences.  What's in store for the 2024 VBC? First, the conference itself takes place on February 29th and March 1st, and it's preceded by a full day workshop from the incomparable Dr. Lina Slim on February 28th.  This year's conference speakers include Drs. Barbara Esch, Eb Blakely, Mirela Cengher, fan-favorite Patrick McGreevy, Alice Shillingsburg, and Hank Schlinger, whom we heard from a few episodes ago.  If you can't make it in person, don't worry. BehaviorLive has you covered. Nobody does virtual events like BehaviorLive, and they will broadcast the entire conference with best-in-class audio and video.  Papers, resources, etc... The event list for the 2024 VBC. How to register for the VBC. Valentino et al. (2018). Using a Prerequisite Skills Assessment to Identify Optimal Modalities for Mand Training.  Thompson et al. (2013). Enhancing Early Communication Through Infant Sign Training.  Sigafoos et al. (2000). Identifying Potential Communicative Acts in Children with Developmental and Physical Disabilities. Essential for Living. "Big Mac" buttons. Allen and Warzak (2013). The problem of parental nonadherence in clinical behavior analysis: Effective treatment is not enough.  Grow et al. (2017). An Evaluation of Instructive Feedback to Teach Play Behavior to a Child with Autism Spectrum Disorder.  Before we get to this episode, I want to let you know that we’re brought to you today by the University of Cincinnati’s Masters in ABA program. This program is 100% online and asynchronous, so that means you log on when it works for you. Want to learn more? Go to online.uc.edu and click the “request info” button. Also, if you want to earn BACB Approved Continuing Education Units while listening to your favorite Behavioral Observations episodes, go to behavioralobservations.com/get-ceus to see the shows that are available for continuing education. Whether its supervision, ethics, functional assessment, or other topics, there’s something there for just about everyone. 

In this 12th and final installment in the Apollo Case Study Series, Dr. Jim Moore joins me along with Lauren Elliott, Jeanne Ambrose, and Dr. Lyndsy Macri.  In the first few minutes of the podcast, Lauren fields some follow up questions from our episode on DRO interventions. Huge thanks to Jenna Mazzillo for sending in these great questions (and by the way, be sure to follow her in Instagram at @abanaturally).  We then moved into a more free flowing discussion of how to make good career decisions as a BCBA. Specifically, when looking for job opportunities, what things should candidates prioritize? From pay to caseloads to benefits and culture, there's no shortage of things to consider.  Also, what about supporting career progression? Work/life balance?  We talk about all of these things and more, and discuss how each of the panelists have navigated these topics in their careers at Apollo.  If you are interested in learning more about Apollo or want to connect with the Founder & CEO, Kim Dean, or Chief Clinical Officer, Jim Moore, you can find them on LinkedIn here and here.  To follow Apollo on Instagram, click here, and to learn more about Apollo's locations and services, click here. 

Shhh! I'm not supposed to be working this week... However, I am somewhat of a traditionalist, and as such obligated to publish the annual Year in Review show with my friends at ABA Inside Track. So here's a really quick rundown. As usual, we reviewed the passings of several behavior analysts in 2023. This is always sad, but at the same time, we tried to highlight the achievements and contributions of the behavior analysts we talked about.  We also recognize that Behavior Analysis, with over 60 thousand BCBAs and BCBA-Ds, is a rapidly growing field, and with these larger numbers comes the increased probability of us missing someone in this process, and we apologize if we left anyone out as a consequence of this.  But the Year in Review is not just for remembering the passing of fellow Behavior Analysts. We discussed a few things happening in the field, some updates to our podcasts that we've made and are continuing to make, and talked about the book chapter we collaborated on in the edited text, Disseminating Behavioral Research (note: Amazon Associate link). Other personal highlights of mine this year include starting a new endeavor with my colleagues Paulie Gavoni and Anika Costa that we've named The Behavioral Toolbox, thanks to the huge contribution from Miguel Avila, providing BOP episodes to Spanish speaking members of the community with the BOP en Español series, invitations to speak at the Florida Association for Behavior Analysis and BABAT, revamping behavioralobservations.com, and probably many more things I'm forgetting right now.  In closing, it's been a great 2023 for me, despite its occasional challenges. The podcast is coming up on its 8th birthday, with almost 5 million downloads, and it nonetheless continues amaze me that people want to tune in. All of this to say that I'm incredibly grateful for your listenership, and I hope you have a happy and healthy 2024! Resources, etc... mentioned in this episode: Disseminating Behavioral Research (2023). Check out the new BOP site (grab some CEUs while you're there!). The Behavioral Toolbox. Iwata, B.A., Dorsey, M.F., Slifer, K.J., Bauman, K.E., & Richman, G.S. (1982/1994). Toward a functional analysis of self-injury. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 27, 197-209. doi: 10.1901/jaba.1994.27-197. Johnston, J.M., Pennypacker, H.S., & Green, G. (2020). Strategies and tactics of behavioral research and practice. (4th ed.). Routledge. Twyman, J., Pinkelman, S., Kenyon, S., Heward, W.L., Lattal, K.A., & Critchfield, T.S. (2023). Ronnie Detrich (1946-2023): A versatile behavior analyst who demanded more of behavior analysis and education. Behavior Analysis in Practice. doi: 10.1002/jaba.1043. Griffith, A.K. & Ré, T.C. (Ed.) (2024). Disseminating Behavioral Research. Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-47343-2. Hartley, B.K., Courtney, W.T., Rosswurm, M., & LaMarca, V.J. (2016). The apprentice: An innovative approach to meet the behavior analysis certification board’s supervision standards. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 9, 329-338. doi: 10.1007/s40617-016-0136-x. Gingles, D., Watson-Thompson, J., Anderson-Carpenter, K.D., Tarbox, J., & Peterson, S.M. (2022). Leading the charge: A look inside the Behavior Analysis in Practice emergency series of publications on systemic racism and police brutality. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 15, 1015-1022. doi: 10.1007/s40617-022-00759-9.

It's kind of a podcast cliche - one that I'm certainly guilty of - to refer to an interview as, "wide-ranging." However, in this case, that description certainly fits. I had the pleasure of chatting with Dr. Hank Schlinger, who, amongst other pursuits, teaches in the Department of Psychology at Cal State Los Angeles.  During this conversation we talked about the state of ABA when he entered the field; his behavioral interpretations of psychological concepts like intelligence, consciousness, object permanence, and others; books he's written on parenting and developmental psychology; Skinner 1945 and the idea of explanatory fictions; why it's easy to be a skeptic about some things and harder with others; and, as the title of this podcasts suggests, how to foster critical thinking skills.  We also spent a bit of time previewing what he and Dr. Eb Blakely will be presenting on at the 2024 Verbal Behavior Conference. As always, we conclude the show with advice for the newly-minted BCBA.  Lastly, Hank is an accomplished musician, and we spent a few minutes on how being a Behavior Analyst influences his approach to songwriting. In fact, Hank has given me permission to play a portion of the song, One More Invention, that was inspired by, you guessed it, behavior analytic principles. As such, you’ll  hear that instead of the normal outro music as the show concludes. Here are the links to some of the things we talked about. The Verbal Behavior Conference speakers' list. Malott's Principles of Behavior, 8th edition.* Skinner (1945). The Operational Analysis of Psychological Terms. Hank's Skeptic Magazine article, Consciousness is nothing but a word. Hank's Instagram. Hank's book, How to build good behavior and self esteem in children.* A Behavior Analytic View of Child Development, also by Hank.* Hank's 1998 album, One More Invention. This show is brought to you by: HRIC Recruiting. Barb Voss has been placing BCBAs in permanent positions throughout the US for just about a decade, and has been in the business more generally for 30 years. When you work with HRIC, you work directly with Barb, thereby accessing highly personalized service. So if you're about to graduate, you're looking for a change of pace, or you just want to know if the grass really is greener on the other side, head over to HRIColorado.com to schedule a confidential chat right away. ACE Approved CEUs from .... Behavioral Observations. That's right, get your CEUs while driving, walking your dog, doing the dishes, or whatever else you might have going on, all while learning from your favorite podcast guests! Behavior University. Their mission is to provide university quality professional development for the busy Behavior Analyst. Learn about their CEU offerings, including their brand new 8-hour Supervision Course, as well as their RBT offerings over at behavioruniversity.com/observations.

Drs. Whitney Ence and Elisabeth Sheridan joined me to talk about the diagnosis of Autism. You might be thinking that this sounds like an impossibly broad topic... and you're right. But in this show, we tried to narrow it down a bit to discuss the various routes in which people can acquire an Autism diagnosis, which of these routes represent best practice, the critical diagnostic features of Autism, severity levels in Autism (and the extent to which these terms are useful), the role of intense interests, specific assessment instruments and techniques, and the importance of working with interdisciplinary teams.  We also talk about how the diagnosis has changed over the years, including the retirement of terms such as Pervasive Developmental Disorder and Asperger's Syndrome. During this part of the conversation, we also discussed self-diagnosis of Autism, and how clinics sometimes triage screening for individuals seeking diagnoses.  Towards the end of the podcast, we did touch on a few terms and topics that are relatively new to the Autism discourse. Specifically, we discussed the term Neurodiversity, the social model of disability, "Severe Autism" as a separate diagnosis, and Pathological Demand Avoidance. It's important to note that his part of the podcast should not be construed as a deep exploration of these topics, as I really wanted to initially focus on what the current state of the science has to say about the diagnosis of Autism as a condition requiring medically-necessary treatment.  I also want to draw your attention to what could be considered a companion podcast about the diagnostic characteristics of Autism. I’m in the middle of listening to a long episode from the Huberman Lab Podcast, in which Dr. Andrew Huberman interviews Dr. Karen Parker from Stanford University about the causes of, and treatments for Autism. This is from a more neuro-biological perspective, and thus far, quite interesting.  Here are links to the topics we discussed: Does TikTok Provide Accurate Information about Autism? Dr. Whitney Ence's About Page. Dr. Elisabeth Sheridan's About Page. CEU's from The Behavioral Observations Podcast (thanks for the impromptu review Whitney!). Diagnostic Criteria for 299.00 Autism Spectrum Disorder. Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network. Therapeutic Assessment Institute.  If you'd like to support the show or its sponsors, check out the following: To receive Behavioral Observations episodes ad and commentary-free, that is, just the interviews themselves, consider supporting the show with a Patreon subscription. Consider Behavioral Observations as a source for your continuing education. I have almost 50 events that span a variety of topics, all from your favorite podcast guests. So if you want catch up on your professional development while walking the dog, commuting to work, making dinner, or whatever else you do while listening to podcasts, go to behavioralobservations.com/get-ceus to learn more. The Verbal Behavior Conference is right around the corner. If you haven’t heard me talk about it before, the VBC is a 2 day event that is available both virtually and in-person in Austin, Texas. It’s happening on February 29th and 30th, and will feature speakers like Drs. Pat McGreevy, Alice Shillingsburg, Barbara Esch, and more. There’s even a full-day pre conference workshop by Dr. Lina Slim. This is a really fun event that provides many opportunities for individual interactions with the speakers, and there’s even a panel discussion moderated by yours truly. To learn more, go to behaviorlive.com/vbc, or simply hit the shownotes for this episode to learn more. The University of Cincinnati Online. UC Online designed a Master of Education in Behavior Analysis program that is 100% online and asynchronous, meaning you log on when it works for you. Want to learn more? Go to online.uc.edu and click the “request info” button.

Behavior Analyst and sleep educator extraordinaire Emily Varon joins me in Session 247 to talk about how to understand sleep problems in children. In this episode, we cover how she first got interested in the area of sleep intervention, what research and resources she used to expand her scope of competence in this area, how sleep challenges can be met without using extinction, sleep problems specific to individuals with Autism, the impact of screentime on sleep disruption, cultural considerations for practices like co-sleeping, the importance of bedtime routines, and whether wearable devices are actually helpful.  You can learn more about Emily's work in this area, get free "sleep kit," and participate in continuing education events at Emily's website, Ready Set Sleep.  We mentioned numerous resources in this episode, and I have links for them below: Jin, Hanley, and Beaulieu (2013). An individualized and comprehensive approach to treating sleep problems in young children. JOMO: The Joy of Missing Out. Sleep Better!: A Guide to Improving Sleep for Children with Special Needs, Revised Edition (note: Amazon Associates link). Whoop Strap sleep and fitness device (note: this is an affiliate link).  This episode is brought to you by: The University of Cincinnati Online. UC Online designed a Master of Education in Behavior Analysis program that is 100% online and asynchronous, meaning you log on when it works for you. Want to learn more? Go to online.uc.edu and click the “request info” button. HRIC Recruiting. Barb Voss has been placing BCBAs in permanent positions throughout the US for just about a decade, and has been in the business more generally for 30 years. When you work with HRIC, you work directly with Barb, thereby accessing highly personalized service. So if you're about to graduate, you're looking for a change of pace, or you just want to know if the grass really is greener on the other side, head over to HRIColorado.com to schedule a confidential chat right away. ACE Approved CEUs from .... Behavioral Observations. That's right, get your CEUs while driving, walking your dog, doing the dishes, or whatever else you might have going on, all while learning from your favorite podcast guests! Behavior University. Their mission is to provide university quality professional development for the busy Behavior Analyst. Learn about their CEU offerings, including their brand new 8-hour Supervision Course, as well as their RBT offerings over at behavioruniversity.com/observations.

Dr. Jim Moore, Chief Clinical Officer of Apollo Behavior, joins me in the 11th installment of the Apollo  Case Study Series. In this podcast, Jim also brought three of his Apollo colleagues into the discussion: Lydia Lindsey, Christina Nylander, and Lauren Elliott. We started off the show with Lydia providing some background on her ABA career and how it brought her to Apollo. Spoiler alert: we managed to fit in a shout-out to Auburn University's ABA program (insert the obligatory "War Eagle" chant! (note: Christina and Lauren were guests in ACSS episodes Six and Nine, respectively). This conversation centered around the use of Differential Reinforcement of Other (DRO) behavior procedures that the Apollo team implemented with two clients. As such, we discuss the following From a conceptual perspective, is DRO a reinforcement or punishment-based intervention? Why they chose this procedure over a more specific FCT intervention. The importance of determining a precise Inter-Response Time. How to avoid ratio strain. How to successfully fade DRO schedules. Balancing the effectiveness and efficiency of behavioral interventions. The importance of accurately re-setting the DRO interval. Coaching behavioral technicians to implement this procedure correctly, even when it is challenging to do so (see Dr. Claire St. Peter's excellent work in the general area of Treatment Integrity too). The Seven Steps to Instructional Control (disclosure: Amazon Associates link). The "London Cabbies Test." The importance of conducting client-oriented research in clinical settings. If you are interested in learning more about Apollo Behavior, you can follow them on Instagram, LinkedIn, or visit their website here. 

Si no queda claro con el título, este episodio está lleno de temas que son algo esotéricos para la corriente dominante de practicantes de análisis de conducta. Sin embargo, la conversación con Valeria nos aterriza varias veces en la relevancia de la atención integrada para optimizar la colaboración e integración de esfuerzos por parte de profesionales de la salud y equipos multidisciplinarios; la necesidad de la educación proactiva de habilidades relacionadas a la sexualidad y las oportunidades para darles más y mejores apoyos a adultos con desafíos en el desarrollo. Una vez más los temas abundan pero espero que despierten curiosidad y finalmente los inspiren a recorrer caminos menos convencionales pero importantes como lo ha sido para la multifacética carrera de Valeria.  

Frank Bird and Dr. Jill Harper join me, along with JABA Editor in Chief, Dr. John Borrero, in the 17th installment of Behavioral Observations' Inside JABA Series.  Both of our guests hail from Melmark. Jill is their Senior Director of Professional Development and Training, and Frank is the Executive Vice President of Clinical Services of this storied institution. As an aside, if you're not familiar with Melmark, we spend a few minutes talking about its history, mission, current services, and more. However, we spent the majority of this podcast discussing the paper Jill and Frank published with their colleagues that you can find in the Fall 2023 issue of JABA.  The paper is called, Teaching clinicians and nurses to prepare for and present at interdisciplinary meetings through behavioral skills training. If this sounds like a familiar topic, you're correct. We covered how to improve the and productivity of meetings in my first conversation with Dr. Florence DiGennaro-Reed almost two years ago.  While there's something Dilbert-esque about examining the precision and efficiency of meetings, like so many things we talk about on this podcast, my guests make the case as to why this is important in their context.  At the same time, reading this paper made me reflect on the various "processes" I have in place for a number of tasks that I have to do. I use quotes to underscore that fact that for so many of these activities, I don't have written procedures for, and probably should put some thought to this. Maybe you're in the same boat? Let me know either way by going to the newly revamped behavioralobservations.com and leaving a comment on the shownotes page for this episode.  While you're there, consider signing up for the email list. By doing so, you'll get episode show notes delivered straight to your inbox. Also, this episode, along with many, many others, is eligible for BACB Continuing Education. In fact, it's eligible for highly sought-after supervision CEUs, second only the the even-more-highly-sought-after ethics CEUs! To learn more, head to the CEUs page of the site. If you don't see this one right away, check back in a couple of days and it will be there.  Thank you so much for supporting the show with your Patreon membership!

In Session 243, Dr. Casey Dupart joins me to talk about School Psychology, and in doing so, we touched on a range of related topics including the challenges of military families, multi-tiered systems of supports, socio-emotional learning, school refusal, educational policy, and so much more.  As you'll hear in the interview, Casey has been a School Psychologist in various roles across several states. She also provides consultation and training through her company, Embracing Resilience. And while we're on that topic, she has a few webinars and workshops coming up on topics like Multidisciplinary Collaboration and Improving School Climate and Culture. You can find links to these events at the shownotes for this episode, or simply go to Embracingresiliance.org and click the services tab here.  I believe BCBAs serving in public school settings may be an increasing area of practice. According to the BACB, about 12% of the BCBA and BCBA-D certificants work in educational settings. Also, I was invited to speak about low-tech interventions for disruptive classroom behavior at the recent BABAT conference, and I was honestly shocked to how many attendees were interested in this topic, particularly given the many other excellent talks that were going on in the same time slot. As some of you may already know, I’ve been working with Anika Costa and Dr. Paulie Gavoni on a project called thebehavioraltoolbox.com to provide BCBAs and other school-based professionals trainings and tools to help them perform more successfully in these settings. Our first course, Ready, Set, Consult! is now available, and we’ve been really pleased with the feedback that we’ve gotten from our initial participants. We’re also hard at work on getting our second course ready. This one is based off of the talk I gave at the recent BABAT conference. Our working title currently is, When NOT to FBA: 5 Quick Strategies for Improving Behavior in Classroom. I mention all of this to perhaps underscore the importance of being able to work both collaboratively and effectively in school settings. And I think this conversation with Casey will be helpful for BCBAs who are new to school settings, or who simply want to be more successful with the students they serve.  Here are some links to resources, etc... we discussed during the podcast: Back to School with PBIS, Session 198. PBIS, School Mental Health, and Supporting Students with Trauma: Session 78. Other school-related BOP shows. CASEL: Fundamentals of Social Emotional Learning. Sold a Story Podcast. Chronic absenteeism article. More school refusal literature. ABA Inside Track episode on chronic absenteeism.

Merrill Winston returns to the podcast for what seems to be the umpteenth time (and if you didn't catch the SNL reference we discussed, see here). In this episode, we discuss a presentation he recently gave that dove into the seminal Catania paper, The Myth of Self-Reinforcement. In this episode Merrill distinguishes between procedures and processes, why what we think of as self-reinforcement is likely more attributable to negative reinforcement, and the age-old problem of the term "non-contingent reinforcement." Merrill also spends a few minutes discussing the contributions of Dr. Henry "Hank" Pennypacker, what he intends to talk about at this year's Stone Soup Conference (shameless plug: save at checkout using promo code PODCAST), and rounds out the episode with some more constructive ways to think about self-management.  This was a fun episode, and if you enjoyed it, please consider sharing with friends and colleagues.  This podcast is brought to you by: The Stone Soup Conference, which is taking place on October 20th. Use code PODCAST to save on your registration as well. Behavior University. Their mission is to provide university quality professional development for the busy Behavior Analyst. Learn about their CEU offerings, including their brand new 8-hour Supervision Course, as well as their RBT offerings over at behavioruniversity.com/observations. HRIC Recruiting. Barb Voss has been placing BCBAs in permanent positions throughout the US for just about a decade, and has been in the business more generally for 30 years. When you work with HRIC, you work directly with Barb, thereby accessing highly personalized service. So if you're about to graduate, you're looking for a change of pace, or you just want to know if the grass really is greener on the other side, head over to HRIColorado.com to schedule a confidential chat right away.

Dr. Jim Moore and I get back together to talk about a few specific client outcomes that we thought would be helpful for the audience to learn about.  In this podcast, we talked about: The general profile of learners across the Apollo clinics. They pace at which learners make progress in their programs. Skinner's Attitudes of Science. Universal Behavioral Protocols. The Seven Steps to Instructional Control. Rapport Building and Instructional Fading Prior to Discrete Trial Instruction: Moving From Child-Led Play to Intensive Teaching (Shillingsburg, et al., 2018). How Apollo's unique training approach contributes to increasing staff flexibility. PEAK training curricula implementation. The Gulf Coast ABA Conference, where Jim is talking more about RFT outcomes. Who is heavier, James Hetfield or Dave Mustaine? What are the P.R.I.D.E. skills Jim talked about? Some stories about insurance authorizations (towards the end). Whether our children are interested in Behavior Analysis.  Jim closes the show by sharing that he has other cases he could discuss. Please let us know if you want more of these stories!

Rich Brooks returns to the podcast to talk about how he's grown as a business owner. And while he's in a different industry, there are tons of parallels to what we do in the world of Applied Behavior Analysis.  Rich has historically discussed all things digital marketing (see here and here), but this is a more personal story of how he had to step out of his role as a website designer and marketer in order to effectively lead and grow his business, Flyte New Media.  Also, I've finally taken my own advice and had his team tear down Behavioralobservations.com and rebuild it from the ground up. Yes, I finally had to invest in myself, just like Rich has done, and I couldn't be happier with the outcome! If you want to learn more about digital marketing, check out Rich's upcoming conference, The Agents of Change Digital Marketing Conference, which is going down in Portland, Maine on October 4th and 5th, and will be available virtually for those who aren't in striking distance of one of the coolest cities in the country. He also has a great podcast, which you can find at that site as well.  If you have questions for Rich about anything digital marketing, or even restaurant recommendations in the greater Portland area, hit him up on LinkedIn. 

Anika Costa and Dr. Paulie Gavoni joined me in Session 239 to discuss their latest book, Quick Wins: Using Behavior Science to Accelerate and Sustain School Improvement. In our conversation we talk about why they felt this book was necessary, who represents their ideal reader, and whether we ask too much of school leaders. That last point is something I've been thinking about a lot recently, as we oftentimes ask people with no background in behavior analysis to engage in complex activities like pinpointing performance indicators, diagnosing performance problems, and so on. We also talk about the distinction between leading and lagging indicators, viewing relationships as accomplishments, their Quick Walk protocol, and what things leaders should do before providing corrective feedback to staff members. Paulie and Anika are presenting what sounds like a great talk at this year's Stone Soup Conference, which by the way, if you decide to attend, you can save on your registration by using the promo code, PODCAST. Lastly, the three of us engaged in a little shameless self-promotion by talking about the project we've been working on called The Behavioral Toolbox, which is essentially an e-learning site we built for school-based professionals who are interested in learning how to improve student behavior in educational settings.  We just launched our first course, Ready, Set, Consult! and we have many more in various stages of development. If you work in these types of settings, please check it out. I should also note that the courses we're designing aren't just for Behavior Analysts. We've done our best to communicate in plain English rather than behavioral jargon so that the content is as accessible as possible. To stay up to date on all things toolbox related, be sure to sign up for The Behavioral Toolbox's newsletter on LinkedIn.   

What exactly is Joint Attention? How does Joint Attention interact with Eye Contact? What does the literature say about these repertoires, and how does that coincide with self-reports of the aversive nature of eye contact from Autistic people?  These have been a few of the questions rolling around in my head for some time. A few years ago, we briefly touched on this subject with my guest today, Dr. Francesca Degli Espinosa, but it was in the backdrop of a larger panel discussion at the 2022 Verbal Behavior Conference.  Fast forward to 2023, I recently heard Francesca on Dr. Mary Barbera's show talk about Joint Attention in great detail, so I asked her to join me to extend the conversation.  In this show, we cover: What people mean when they use the term Joint Attention How JA typically develops in infancy and beyond Why 'attention' may not be an especially helpful term Some of the neuroscience and eye tracking studies that have examined the development of eye contact in typically developing and Autistic populations How to increase the value of looking at peoples' faces Why eye contact should be thought of as a reinforcing consequence  Some strategies to foster JA in the context of learner assent The difficulty of integrating the findings of different literatures that publish research in the area of Autism What she's talking about at this year's Stone Soup Conference (spoiler alert: She's going to go deep into this topic, and remember, save on your registration by using the promo code PODCAST) The problem associated with teaching eye contact via the 'look at me' method Here are some of the links to the many resources we discussed: 2022 Verbal Behavior Conference Panel Discussion  Francesca on Mary Barbera's podcast  Francesca's available online courses  Dube et al. (2004). Toward a Behavioral Analysis of Joint Attention Silva and Fiske (2020). Evaluating the Effects of Establishing Eye Contact on the Skill Acquisition of Individuals with Autism Nuske et al. (2015). No Evidence of Emotional Dysregulation or Aversion to Mutual Gaze in Preschoolers with Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Eye-Tracking Pupillometry Study Clin and Kissine (2023). Neurotypical, but not autistic, adults might experience distress when looking at someone avoiding eye contact: A live face-to-face paradigm A sample of the many eye tracking studies conducted by Dr. Ami Klin and colleagues This podcast is brought to you by: The Stone Soup Conference, which is taking place on October 20th. Use code PODCAST to save on your registration as well. The University of Cincinnati Online. UC Online designed a Master of Education in Behavior Analysis program that is 100% online and asynchronous, meaning you log on when it works for you. Want to learn more? Go to online.uc.edu and click the “request info” button. Behavior University. Their mission is to provide university quality professional development for the busy Behavior Analyst. Learn about their CEU offerings, including their brand new 8-hour Supervision Course, as well as their RBT offerings over at behavioruniversity.com/observations.

While I don't personally use TikTok, I am aware of the considerable influence it has across a range of topics. As many listeners can imagine, Autism is one of those topics that generates unfathomable amounts of content on the platform.  Unlike other forms of medical and scientific dissemination, there are really no barriers to saying whatever one wants, not only on TikTok, but on any other internet-based media platforms, podcasts included of course. And as you might imagine, this brings with it lots of variability in terms of information accuracy. Today's guests, Drs. Elisabeth Sheridan and Giacomo Vivanti, along with their colleagues Diego Aragon-Guevara and Grace Castle, took up the challenge of analyzing the accuracy of Autism-related content on TikTok. They published their results in a recent issue of the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders in a paper titled: The Reach and Accuracy of Information on Autism on TikTok.  In this interview, we discuss the audience scope on TikTok - spoiler alert: it's massive, why they decided to undertake this study, how they categorized the veracity of the TikTok videos they reviewed, what type of content creators had more and less accurate videos, what were some commonalities to the inaccurate videos they surveyed, and lots more. We also spent some time talking about the reaction to this paper, which has been considerable.  Here are the links: The paper itself: Aragon-Guevara, et al. (2023). A popular press write up of this paper in Psychology Today. Another interview of these authors on the Autism Science Foundation's podcast.  The Parenting Translator on TikTok.  Drs. Sheridan and Vivanti on LinkedIn.  The A.J. Drexel Autism Institute at Drexel University.  Thanks so much for supporting the BOP on Patreon! If you have friends and colleagues who'd also enjoy getting these ad-free episodes, let them know how they can join too! This podcast is brought to you by: The Michigan Autism Conference, which is taking place on October 11-13 in Kalamazoo, and online as well. We’ll hear more about this event later on in the show, but if you’re impatient like me, to go michiganautismconference.org, and use the code MAC10 to save $10 at checkout. The Stone Soup Conference, which is taking place on October 20th. This is an amazing event, benefitting a great cause, all for a very reasonable price. Use code PODCAST to save on your registration as well. Behavior University. Their mission is to provide university quality professional development for the busy Behavior Analyst. Learn about their CEU offerings, including their 8-hour Supervision Course, as well as their RBT offerings over at behavioruniversity.com/observations.

Dr. Callie Plattner joins me in Session 236 to talk about her work in the area of Motivational Interviewing. Callie is the Vice President of Clinical Operations at Mosaic Pediatric Therapy, and happens to be a fellow Auburn grad (War Eagle!).  Now longtime listeners will know that we've covered MI on the podcast before. Back in Session 158, my friend Dr. Jim Murphy, who incidentally also happens to be an Auburn grad, discussed MI in the context of helping young adults reduce binge drinking and other substance-related problems.  Also, my good friend and colleague, Dr. Paulie Gavoni, has been talking about MI for years. In fact, he's in the process of developing a course on this topic for the project that Paulie and I, along with our colleague Anika Costa, have been working on called The Behavioral Toolbox (brace yourselves for hearing a lot more about this coming up ;-).  This background aside, in this episode, Callie gives an overview of what exactly Motivational Interviewing is, and defines the four "micro-skills" of asking Open-Ended questions, providing Affirmations, Reflecting, and Summarizing... the so-called "OARS" skills.  Callie then discusses the research she's conducted with Dr. Cynthia Anderson, which will be coming out soon in Behavior Analysis in Practice, and more generally talks about how MI can be an effective tool to build rapport with stakeholders and possibly improve things like staff and parent adherence to behavior plans, therapy attendance, and so on.  Links from this episode: A brief history of ABA with Jim Johnston.  Mosaic Pediatric Therapy.  The Behavioral Toolbox. A Behavior-Analytic Account of Motivational Interviewing (Christopher and Dougher, 2009). Not discussed in this episode, but still relevant, and worth checking out: Taking a Motivational Interviewing Approach to Prevention Science: Progress and Extensions (Shaw and Wilson, 2021). If you get anything from these shownotes, watch these videos: The Ineffective Physician and the Effective Physician (huge shout out to Dr. Carolynn Kohn for sharing these with me!).  The Helpful Response Questionnaire.  This podcast is brought to you by: The Michigan Autism Conference, which is taking place on October 11-13 in Kalamazoo, and online as well. We’ll hear more about this event later on in the show, but if you’re impatient like me, to go michiganautismconference.org, and use the code MAC10 to save $10 at checkout. The Stone Soup Conference, which is taking place on October 20th. Use code PODCAST to save on your registration as well. The University of Cincinnati Online. UC Online designed a Master of Education in Behavior Analysis program that is 100% online and asynchronous, meaning you log on when it works for you. Want to learn more? Go to online.uc.edu and click the “request info” button. Behavior University. Their mission is to provide university quality professional development for the busy Behavior Analyst. Learn about their CEU offerings, including their brand new 8-hour Supervision Course, as well as their RBT offerings over at behavioruniversity.com/observations.

Drs. Jane Howard and Gina Green join me today in a podcast that could've spanned several hours. In the time we had, we did manage to cover quite a bit of territory, including the following: What Gina has been up to since retiring from the Association for Professional Behavior Analysts (spoiler alert: she's not hanging out at the beach reading mystery novels). We talk about Jane's career in behavior analysis, including how she got into the field, some of her many, many accomplishments (including being recently honored as a Fellow of the Association for Behavior Analysis International), and what she is working on these days. The basics of research design, including why some experimental questions lend themselves to certain designs over others. In this segment, we also cover group or between-subjects designs and meta analyses, which are relevant to understand when looking at the ABA outcome literature.  The distinction of criterion vs. norm referenced assessments. We discussed a number of initiatives and resources in the general realm of ABA treatment, including the current state of licensure, The ABA Coding Coalition, The Autism Commission on Quality, & CASP. We talked at length about critical thinking, healthy skepticism, and epistemology in Behavior Analysis.  In addition to these topics, we probably spent the most time talking about the empirical support for ABA interventions for individuals with Autism. In doing so, we discussed the large research projects that Jane and Gina led, what to make of some of the criticisms of this literature that is starting to gain some notoriety, and what research questions we still need answers to.  Jane and Gina mentioned numerous studies and resources, and I've done my best to catalog them below: Session 21 (my first interview with Gina in 2017). Howard, J., Sparkman, C., Cohen, H., Green, G, & Stanislaw, H. (2005). A comparison of intensive behavior analytic and eclectic treatments for young children with autism. doi.org/10.1016/j.ridd.2004.09.005 Howard, J. S., Stanislaw, H., Green, G., Sparkman, C. R., & Cohen, H. G. (2014). Comparison of behavior analytic and eclectic early interventions for young children with autism after three years.  Stanislaw, H., Howard, J., & Martin, C. (2020). Helping parents choose treatments for young children with autism: A comparison of applied behavior analysis and eclectic treatments.  Eldevik, S., Hastings, R. P., Hughes, J. C., Jahr, E., Eikeseth, S., & Cross, S. (2010). Using participant data to extend the evidence base for intensive behavioral intervention for children with autism.  Klintwall, L., Eldevik, S., & Eikeseth, S. (2015). Narrowing the gap: Effects of intervention on developmental trajectories in autism.  Padilla, K.L., Weston, R., Morgan, G.B., Lively, P., & O’Guinn, N. (2023). Validity and reliability evidence for assessments based in applied behavior analysis: A systematic review.  Steinbrenner, J. R., Hume, K., Odom, S. L., Morin, K. L., Nowell, S. W., Tomaszewski, B., Szendrey, S., McIntyre, N. S., Yücesoy-Özkan, S., & Savage, M. N. (2020). Evidence-Based Practices for Children, Youth, and Young Adults with Autism. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, National Clearinghouse on Autism Evidence and Practice Review Team.  ABA Coding Coalition (2022). Model Coverage Policy for Adaptive Behavior Services. https://abacodes.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Model-Coverage-Policy-for-ABA-01.25.2022.pdf American Educational Research Association, American Psychological Association, & National Council on Measurement in Education (2014) Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing. Washington, DC: American Educational Research Association. https://www.testingstandards.net/uploads/7/6/6/4/76643089/standards_2014edition.pdf Behavior Analyst Certification Board & Association of Professional Behavior Analysts (February 2019). Clarifications Regarding Applied Behavior Analysis Treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder: Practice Guidelines for Healthcare Funders and Managers (2nded). https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.apbahome.net/resource/collection/1FDDBDD2-5CAF-4B2A-AB3F-DAE5E72111BF/Clarifications.ASDPracticeGuidelines.pdf Johnston, Pennypacker, and Green (2019). Strategies and Tactics for Behavioral Research and Practice. This podcast is brought to you by: The Michigan Autism Conference, which is taking place on October 11-13 in Kalamazoo, and online as well. We’ll hear more about this event later on in the show, but if you’re impatient like me, to go michiganautismconference.org, and use the code MAC10 to save $10 at checkout. The Stone Soup Conference, which is taking place on October 20th. Use code PODCAST to save on your registration as well. HRIC Recruiting. Barb Voss has been placing BCBAs in permanent positions throughout the US for just about a decade, and has been in the business more generally for 30 years. When you work with HRIC, you work directly with Barb, thereby accessing highly personalized service. So if you're about to graduate, you're looking for a change of pace, or you just want to know if the grass really is greener on the other side, head over to HRIColorado.com to schedule a confidential chat right away. ACE Approved CEUs from .... Behavioral Observations. That's right, get your CEUs while driving, walking your dog, doing the dishes, or whatever else you might have going on, all while learning from your favorite podcast guests!  

And we're back with another installment in the Inside JABA Series. In this episode, Dr. John Borrero and I are joined by Drs. Jessica Nastasi and Nicole Gravina. We discuss their recent JABA publication, Breaks and Productivity: An Exploratory Analysis (see Nastasi, Tassistro, and Gravina, 2023; and subscribe to JABA here if you want).  Although this is a shorter episode by Inside JABA standards, we cover quite a bit of territory, including what motivated this research, the broader literature on breaks and productivity, the novel research design that was employed, and how the authors analyzed the data.  And because this an Inside JABA Series podcast, we spent some time talking about why this study was published in JABA when other alternatives were available.  In the coming days, this episode will be available for BACB CEU credit, so if you are interested in fulfilling your professional development needs while listening to the podcast, click here to learn more.   The Wages and Fair Labor Standards Act. How to Get Better Results with John Austin. How to Take Better Breaks at Work, HBR. The Pomodoro Technique. Dr. Gravina's page at U. of Florida. Dr. Gravina's lab on Facebook and Instagram. Drs. Nastasi and Gravina on LinkedIn. Inside JABA Series 9: Applied and Translational Research in Healthcare (Ethics CEU). Skinner (1955): A Case History of the Scientific Method. What I forgot to mention: Sidman's discussion of what constitutes a "Pilot Study."

Sea desde el sur de Sudamérica o desde Norte América, desde el Medio Oriente o desde una isla exótica, Carola Scolari porta en grande la bandera de la Perspectiva de las Circunstancias. Este episodio se centra en el artículo de Dr. Patrick Friman publicado en el 2021 titulado No existe tal cosa como un niño malo: la Perspectiva de las Circunstancias de la conducta problemática. Carola se tomó el trabajo de traducir el artículo con el permiso de Dr Friman y estará disponible a partir del momento que este episodio sea publicado. Les recomiendo encarecidamente que lo lean y por supuesto que se tomen el tiempo de escuchar este episodio de casi 2 horas donde hacemos una detallada revisión y Carola nos enriquece con sus ejemplos e interpretaciones. Estoy muy orgulloso de este episodio y de Carola. Espero que lo disfruten. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Whether from the south of South America or from North America, from the Middle East or from an exotic island, Carola Scolari carries the banner of the Circumstances View. This episode focuses on Dr. Patrick Friman's 2021 article titled There's no such thing as a bad boy: The Circumstances View of problem Behavior. Carola took the trouble to translate the article with the permission of Dr. Friman and it will be available from the moment this episode is published. I strongly recommend that you read it and of course that you take the time to listen to this episode of almost 2 hours where we do a detailed review and Carola enriches us with her examples and interpretations. I am very proud of this episode and of Carola. I hope you enjoy it.

Dr. Aaron Blocher-Rubin joins me in Session 232 to talk providing ABA services as a non-profit agency. Aaron is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Arizona Autism United, a multi-site provider of ABA and other therapeutic services. In this conversation, we talk about how Aaron got into Behavior Analysis, what led him to found the agency he now runs, supporting the family along with the client, and the importance of offering a variety of services. We also spent a considerable amount of time discussing what it's like to work in a non-profit setting. From funding, to governance, to staffing, we get into the nitty-gritty details, and one can't help but to contrast these settings with private equity funded nation-wide providers.  And Aaron and his colleagues must be doing something right because they were recently voted the 2023 Arizona Top Workplace (and for the second time at that!). We also talked about some of Aaron's essays on what he calls ABA Red Flags that he's posted on LinkedIn, as well as some of the reactions to them.  Here are the links: Jobs at AZA. The Autism Investor Summit. Aaron's podcast, SR Plus. The Autism Impact Fund. Aaron's LinkedIn. Donate to AZA. This episode is brought to you by: The University of Cincinnati Online. UC Online designed a Master of Education in Behavior Analysis program that is 100% online and asynchronous, meaning you log on when it works for you. Want to learn more? Go to online.uc.edu and click the “request info” button. HRIC Recruiting. Barb Voss has been placing BCBAs in permanent positions throughout the US for just about a decade, and has been in the business more generally for 30 years. When you work with HRIC, you work directly with Barb, thereby accessing highly personalized service. So if you're about to graduate, you're looking for a change of pace, or you just want to know if the grass really is greener on the other side, head over to HRIColorado.com to schedule a confidential chat right away. ACE Approved CEUs from .... Behavioral Observations. That's right, get your CEUs while driving, walking your dog, doing the dishes, or whatever else you might have going on, all while learning from your favorite podcast guests! Behavior University. Their mission is to provide university quality professional development for the busy Behavior Analyst. Learn about their CEU offerings, including their brand new 8-hour Supervision Course, as well as their RBT offerings over at behavioruniversity.com/observations.

In the 9th installment of the Apollo Case Study Series, I'm joined by Jim Moore, Valencia Harper, Chesley Herring, and Lauren Elliott. And in this show, we discuss all things mentorship, both at Apollo, as well as the guests' other professional experiences.  In particular, we got into: Defining mentorship The importance of saying, "I don't know" The importance of asking questions Common needs of mentees Apollo's BAT program Why BCBAs need communities And the idea that, "closed mouths don't get fed" Some resources we discussed include: Apollo CSS 8  My recent podcast with John Austin  The movie, Whiplash  Recommended Practices for Individual Supervision of Aspiring Behavior Analysts (Sellers, Valentino, and LeBlanc, 2016) While you're here, click here to follow Apollo on LinkedIn and Instagram. 

Today's guest is Dr. John Austin, who has been in the OBM trenches as a student, professor, and frontline consultant for over 20 years.  Before continuing with the usual opening remarks, I'm going to make a rare ask of you. Two asks actually.  This is perhaps one of the most actionable podcasts I've published. If you listen to this show and act on some of the suggestions, you can improve your practice right away. And that's not hyperbole. So the first ask is to make sure you listen to the show in its entirety, and go to reachingresults.com/results-toolkit for additional support.  The second ask is that you take a few minutes and share this episode with friends and colleagues. In your workplace, you might even consider discussing this episode, and more importantly, John's book Results: The Science-Based Approach to Better Productivity, Profitability, and Safety, in your staff meetings.  In this episode, we cover: The evolution of OBM practice over the last few decades. Why OBM consulting in ABA organizations can be more difficult than other settings. How to form better relationships with the people you work with.  Ways to pinpoint and measure your interactions with colleagues and supervisees.  The importance of asking questions. Agreeing on, instead of setting expectations. Why the book Atomic Habits irks me.  John's conceptualization of Burnout and Psychological Safety. What is a Mastermind, and why might you consider joining one. Other resources mentioned include: The Fearless Organization by Amy Edmonson. Building a Psychologically Safe Workplace, a TedTalk by Amy Edmonson.  Teaching Employees How to Receive Feedback: A Preliminary Investigation (Ehrlich et al., 2020).  ABA on Reddit here and here.  Radical Candor: Fully Revised & Updated Edition: Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity by Kim Scott.  HBR article: Good Leadership Is About Asking Good Questions. John's interview with Dr. Paulie Gavoni. My interview with Dr. Aubrey Daniels.  Rapid Change: Immediate Action for the Impatient Leader, by Joe Laipple.  This podcast is brought to you by: Behavior University. Their mission is to provide university quality professional development for the busy Behavior Analyst. Learn about their CEU offerings, including their 8-hour Supervision Course, as well as their RBT offerings over at behavioruniversity.com/observations. And check out the Leadership CEU I mentioned here. ACE Approved CEUs from .... Behavioral Observations. That's right, get your CEUs while driving, walking your dog, doing the dishes, or whatever else you might have going on, all while learning from your favorite podcast guests!

This is a conversation I've really been looking forward to sharing with you. Jose Rios is a legend in our field, particularly if you're a behavior analyst in California, where he's based out of.  In this conversation, Jose recounts his more than 50 year career in providing ABA services to individuals with developmental disabilities. We cover the following: How he got started in the field at the tender age of 17. What the field of ABA was like in the early 70s. What it takes to provide amazing experiences for group home residents and staff. The founding of the Latino Association for Behavior Analysis. The evolution of behavior support plans over the years. Jose's intense mentoring program. What makes for good presentations. Jose is an avid reader, and we spent almost a half hour talking about our favorite fiction authors before hitting the record button. In the interview itself however, we do mention a few books and other resources that are more pertinent to the topic of Behavior Analysis, including: The various works of Dr. Gary LaVigna. The various works of Dr. John Lutzker. Teaching dating skills to individuals with disabilities (Cuvo et al., 1985). Vollmer et al. (1992). A content analysis of written behavior management programs.  Resonate, by Nancy Duarte. Presentation Zen: Simple Ideas on Presentation Design and Delivery (Voices That Matter) 3rd Edition, by Garr Reynolds. The Last Lecture, by Randy Pausch. The Supervisor’s Guidebook: Evidence-Based Strategies for Promoting Work Quality and Enjoyment Among Human Service Staff, Reid & Parsons. This conversation is like a lesson in the history of Applied Behavior Analysis, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.  This podcast is brought to you by: ACE Approved CEUs from .... Behavioral Observations. That's right, get your CEUs while driving, walking your dog, doing the dishes, or whatever else you might have going on, all while learning from your favorite podcast guests! HRIC Recruiting. Barb Voss has been placing BCBAs in permanent positions throughout the US for just about a decade, and has been in the business more generally for 30 years. When you work with HRIC, you work directly with Barb, thereby accessing highly personalized service. So if you're about to graduate, you're looking for a change of pace, or you just want to know if the grass really is greener on the other side, head over to HRIColorado.com to schedule a confidential chat right away.

The Apollo Case Study Series returns with a conversation that many Behavior Analysts will likely resonate with.  In this episode, I speak with Kristen Vaughn, Vice President of Clinical Operations of Apollo Behavior. We discuss her career arc, and focus on her transition from providing mainly clinical services to her current role in executive management.  We cover her early clinical experiences, what it's like to get direct and perhaps difficult to hear feedback, the challenges of letting go of clinical duties, and what it's like to work with a leadership coach.  If you're a BCBA, or an aspiring one, chances are, you'll have to supervise the work of others in some capacity, so there are many great lessons in this episode for you.  Related to this, we talked about the book, Motivating human service staff: Supervisory strategies for maximizing work effort and work enjoyment, by Reid and Parsons. It, along with The Supervisor’s Guidebook: Evidence-Based Strategies for Promoting Work Quality and Enjoyment Among Human Service Staff, should be considered must-reads for those in supervisory positions.  Click here to check out previous Apollo Case Study Series podcasts, and to learn about all the fun employee engagement activities they're up to, follow them on Instagram. 

In the 15th installment of the Inside JABA Series, Editor and Chief Dr. John Borrero and I chat with Drs. Lesleigh Stinson and Jesse Dallery about their novel application of a Contingency Management intervention. In this case, they used CM procedures to reduce excessive social media use.  Lesleigh is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Florida's Center for Behavioral Economic Health Research, and Jesse is a Professor of Psychology, also at UF.  If you're not sure what Contingency Management is, don't worry, Lesleigh and Jesse cover the basics of it in this show. For additional information, you can also check out Jesse's previous appearance on the Inside JABA Series, where he and his colleagues used smartphone mediated technologies in conjunction with CM to reduce cigarette smoking.  This is a truly "Under the Dome" paper, and in our discussion of it, we touch on topics that include Internet Addiction, the recent APA Health Advisory on social media use, motivational interviewing, stages of change, and the benefits of single-case designs.  This podcast, as with all other Inside JABA Series shows, is available for continuing education. To learn more about that, click here. If you want to subscribe to JABA, click here.  We mentioned many resources and studies during this podcast. I've done my best to list them all below: Center for Behavioral Economic Health Research Jesse Dallery's lab: BHaT Lab Reducing problematic social media use via a package intervention (Stinson and Dallery, 2023) APA Health advisory on social media use in adolescence  N of 1 collaborative Screen Sanity (great resources for families) A behavior-analytic account of motivational interviewing (Christopher and Dougher, 2009) “I’s” on the prize: A systematic review of individual differences in Contingency Management treatment response (Forster et al., 2020) Toward an era of impact of digital contingency management in the treatment of substance use disorders (Dallery et al., 2023) A Preliminary Evaluation of the Effects of a Contingency Management + Deposit Contract Intervention on Problematic Smartphone Use With College Students (Williams-Buttari et al., 2023) Contingency management for smartphone and social media use: a feasibility study (Stanley et al., 2021) The association between social media use and sleep disturbance among young adults (Levenson et al., 2016) How Motivational Interviewing Helps Reduce Alcohol Use Problems in Young Adults: Session 158 with Jim Murphy

Problemas Pediátricos de la Alimentación con la Dra Varsovia Hernández Eslava Aunque el tema de este episodio se centra en problemas pediátricos de la alimentación, la Dra Varsovia Hernandez Eslava nos comparte una muy interesante trayectoria profesional y un panorama e historia del análisis de la conducta en México. De aquella mirada inicial pasamos a una nueva panorámica muy detallada de los problemas pediátricos de la alimentación empezando por describir qué son y de ahí a conocer los procesos de evaluación y sus subsecuentes intervenciones. Son importantes los detalles y aclaraciones que la Dra Varsovia nos ofrece acerca del proceso evaluativo como también los varios componentes y etapas durante la intervención (los dejamos con intriga para que lo escuchen con detenimiento). Fue fascinante apreciar todas las sutilezas que un profesional competente considera a nivel clínico y de validez social. Esa importancia de las experiencias supervisadas, el obtener y mantener competencias fue claramente enfatizado. Dado el profesionalismo y responsabilidad que describe la Dra Varsovia para con las partes interesadas, no fue sorpresa escuchar de los altos niveles de adherencia, participación y satisfacción para aquellos que han interactuado con ella en estos contextos. Un modelo para nosotros seguir. Nos deja con la reflexión de buscar mentores y una búsqueda constante por nuevos y más profundos aprendizajes; de ser éticos y humildes. Pediatric Feeding Issues with Dr. Varsovia Hernández Eslava Although the theme of this episode focuses on pediatric feeding problems, Dr. Varsovia Hernandez Eslava shares with us a very interesting professional career and an overview and history of behavior analysis in Mexico. From that initial look, we move on to a new, very detailed overview of pediatric feeding problems, beginning by describing what they are and from there, learning about the evaluation processes and their subsequent interventions. The details and clarifications that Dr. Varsovia suggests that the evaluation process is important, as are the various components and stages during the intervention (we leave you intrigued so that you are prompted to listen carefully). It was fascinating to appreciate all the subtleties that a competent professional considers at a clinical and socially validity level. The importance of supervised experiences, obtaining and maintaining competencies was clearly emphasized. Given the professionalism and responsibility that Dr. Varsovia describes with regard to the relationship with stakeholders, it was not surprising to hear of the high levels of adherence, participation, and satisfaction for those who have interacted with her in these contexts. A model for us to follow. It leaves us with the reflection of looking for mentors and a constant search for new and deeper learning; to be ethical and humble.

In Session 225, Shira Karpel and Shayna Gaunt from How To ABA return to the show to discuss a recent webinar that they provided for their online community (note: see here for their first appearance on the podcast).  Their talk discussed code element 1.10, from the Behavior Analysis Certification Board's Ethics Codes for Behavior Analysts. For a quick recap, it reads as follows: 1.10 Awareness of Personal Biases and Challenges • Behavior analysts maintain awareness that their personal biases or challenges (e.g., mental or physical health conditions; legal, financial, marital/relationship challenges) may interfere with the effectiveness of their professional work. • Behavior analysts take appropriate steps to resolve interference, ensure that their professional work is not compromised, and document all actions taken in this circumstance and the eventual outcomes. In the spirit of this code element, Shira and Shayna discuss how they define these  biases, and how they can potentially occur in practice. More importantly, they discuss steps for detecting and responding to such biases when they do surface.  This podcast will be available for BACB Continuing Education (1.0 Ethics Credits). To learn more about how to obtain, click here. If you want to learn more about the great community that Shira and Shayna are leading, click here. In the meantime, be sure to check out their blog, free resources, and podcast. If you decide to join their community, use the promo code, BOP, when signing up to save on your membership!

Many-time guest Dr. Andy Bondy returns to the podcast for a fun chat. Our conversation centered around a recent talk he gave which was titled, "Verbal Behavior: Myths and Misconceptions." What myths and misconceptions are we talking about here? Well, I certainly don't want to spoil the podcast, but we did manage to cover a wide variety of topics, including: PECS' Certified Classroom process. The conceptual rather than data-based nature of the Verbal Behavior book itself. Recall versus recognition. Aided versus unaided communication systems. Selection versus topography-based communication systems. The more subtle aspects of the autoclitic. Whether PECS limits improvised communication. The topic of Matching-to-sample vs. Tacting in PECS. The nature of prompts. Constructional aspects of learning. As many of my chats with Andy have gone, this is a podcast that could've been twice as long. Good news though: we've already scheduled a follow up interview for later on in the summer. If you have questions based on this podcast, perhaps we can feature an "Ask Andy Anything," segment. Keep an eye on the BOP emails for future announcements. Andy grounded his points in many empirical studies (and of course the OG text, Verbal Behavior). I've done my best to capture all of them below: Kuhn's, The Structure of Scientific Revolutions. Potter and Brown (1997). A review of studies examining the nature of selection-based and topography-based verbal behavior. Tincani (2004). Comparing the Picture Exchange Communication System and Sign Language Training for Children with Autism. Tincani et al. (2006). The Picture Exchange Communication System: Effects on Manding and Speech Development for School-Aged Children with Autism. Marckel et al. (2006). A preliminary analysis of teaching improvisation with the picture exchange communication system to children with autism. Chaabane et al. (2009). The effects of parent-implemented PECS training on improvisation of mands by children with autism. Schreibman and Stahmer (2014). A randomized trial comparison of the effects  of verbal and pictorial naturalistic communication strategies on spoken  language for young children with autism. See here for Andy's previous appearances on the BOP. Find out more about PECS' services, products, and trainings here. The University of Cincinnati Online. UC Online designed a Master of Education in Behavior Analysis program that is 100% online and asynchronous, meaning you log on when it works for you. Want to learn more? Go to online.uc.edu and click the “request info” button. Behavior University. Their mission is to provide university quality professional development for the busy Behavior Analyst. Learn about their CEU offerings, including their 8-hour Supervision Course, as well as their RBT offerings over at behavioruniversity.com/observations. ACE Approved CEUs from .... Behavioral Observations. That's right, get your CEUs while driving, walking your dog, doing the dishes, or whatever else you might have going on, all while learning from your favorite podcast guests!

This is a fun conversation to share, not only because it involves chatting with three very smart grad students from my alma mater, Auburn University, but also because the topic tackles an issue that is outside of what we might consider the "mainstream" of Applied Behavior Analysis. A few months ago, Ashley Anderson, Daniel Sheridan, and Anna Kate Edgemon reached out to me, and informed me of the great work they're doing supporting justice-involved youth in a juvenile detention setting. As I learned, there is some history of behavior analysts practicing in this area, and these grad students, led by Dr. John Rapp and colleagues, have been developing effective interventions in these settings. And when I say effective, I'm talking about incredibly low recidivism rates... But I'm getting ahead of myself. If this is unfamiliar territory for you, don't worry. We go over enough introductory terms and definitions to get you up to speed straight away. Also, there are some great meta-lessons embedded in this conversation about rapport building, staff training, cultural competence, teaching real-life skills, and more. So even if this specific topic is not your thing, there are parts of this interview that I think will apply to your practice. I left this conversation really inspired by the somewhat untapped potential for our field, and I hope the intervention strategies these guests and their colleagues are publishing become adopted at a much wider scale! This research group has been prolific, and here are some of not only their papers, but others in this space that you might find helpful: Related to Juvenile Justice (History & Review): Morris (1980) Apel & Diller (2017) Children/Persons in Need of Supervision (CHINS). Mack (1909). The Juvenile Court. Auburn’s Partnership & Related Research: Luna et al. (2022) Brogan et al. (2018). Sheridan et al. (2023). Bush et al. (in press). Coon et al. (2022). Brogan et al. (2020). Edgemon et al. (2020). What does "War Eagle!" mean? This session of Behavioral Observations is brought to you by the following: How to ABA - their goal is to make you feel supported and confident while helping your clients make real progress! In their membership community, you will find all the assessments, programs, data sheets, and materials you need so that your job is just a little easier. To learn more about their thriving and supportive online community, CEU events, support materials, and more, go to howtoaba.com/join, and use code BOP at checkout to get 10% off a yearly subscription. ACE Approved CEUs from .... Behavioral Observations. That's right, get your CEUs while driving, walking your dog, doing the dishes, or whatever else you might have going on, all while learning from your favorite podcast guests! The University of Cincinnati Online. UC Online designed a Master of Education in Behavior Analysis program that is 100% online and asynchronous, meaning you log on when it works for you. Want to learn more? Go to online.uc.edu and click the “request info” button. Behavior University. Their mission is to provide university quality professional development for the busy Behavior Analyst. Learn about their CEU offerings, including their brand new 8-hour Supervision Course, as well as their RBT offerings over at behavioruniversity.com/observations.

El Balance entre la Ciencia y la Cultura con la Dra. Corina Jimenez Gomez A la Dra Corina Jimenez Gomez le gusta “echar cuentos”. Ella lo atribuye a como fue criada y a su amor a la literatura. En otras palabras, lo atribuye “al reforzamiento diferencial de su conducta verbal”. Tengo que admitir que como Venezolano tenía un gran interés de hablar con una paisana con quien comparto algunas nostalgias y experiencias de emigrante pero también un orgullo y admiración por alguien que puede navegar en océanos académicos, experimentales y aplicados. Como tal, sus adaptaciones a varios lenguajes, culturas y conocimientos le han dado una gran sensibilidad en su comunicación y el abordaje a sus distintas audiencias. Si ella puede construir puentes entre el realismo mágico y el lenguaje científico, quién mejor para examinar nuestras culturas y subculturas dentro de nuestra profesión y para observar cómo interactuamos con quienes colaboramos. Espero que disfruten y aprendan de esta conversación tanto como yo.  Nota: el uso de lenguaje metafórico en las notas del show es intencional :) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Balance between Science and Culture with Dr. Corina Jimenez Gomez Dr. Corina Jimenez Gomez likes to "tell stories." She attributes it to how she was raised and her love of literature. In other words, she attributes it "to differential reinforcement of her verbal behavior." I have to admit that as a Venezuelan I was very interested in talking with a compatriot with whom I share some nostalgia and experiences as an emigrant, but also a pride and admiration for someone who can navigate academic, experimental and applied oceans. As such, her adaptations to various languages, cultures, and knowledge have given her great sensitivity in her communication and approach to different audiences. If you can build bridges between magical realism and scientific language, who better to examine our cultures and subcultures within our profession and to observe our interactions with those we collaborate with. I hope you enjoy and learn from this conversation as much as I did. Note: The use of metaphorical language in the show notes is intentional :) *Interview and shownotes by Miguel Avila **previous appearances by Dr. Jimenez-Gomez on the BOP  

In Session 221, I had the opportunity to talk with Melissa Willa and Colin Davitian. These guys are a husband and wife team who founded the ABA provider, Kyo, formerly known as the Gateway Learning Group. Our conversation focused on two hot-button topics when it comes to providing services to individuals with Autism: Treatment Dosage and Value Based Care. With regard to the former, Melissa and Colin, along with their colleagues, conducted a retrospective analysis of treatment outcomes for learners in under their care. In doing so, they looked at the role that treatment dosage had on their overall progress, as measured by standardized assessments. You may already be wondering what they found, so don’t worry, we get into that and lots more in this episode. We also try to place their findings in the context of existing studies that examined the relationship between treatment dosage and treatment outcomes. As I mention during the interview, there’s lots of discussion of this topic that’s happening, particularly in the various ABA social media groups, and as is true with so many other things, it’s refreshing to elevate the discourse by looking at empirical analyses as opposed to anecdotal observations and hunches. If you’re a clinical director or practice owner who’s also interested in this topic, Melissa and Colin suggest strategies for mining the data you probably already have access to via client electronic health records. Towards the end of the podcast, we turned our attention to Value Based Care. Colin and Melissa define what that is, and contrast it with the more traditional fee-for-service approach for health care reimbursement. Not to spoil the punchline here, but these guys seemed pretty bullish on the potential for shifting Autism services to a Value Based Care model. As a sidetone, for a longer discussion on the topic of VBC, check out Session 194 with Amanda Ralston. I have other guests that I’ve been meaning to bring on to talk about this as well. Lastly, I want to thank Melissa and Colin for patiently responding to all of my “yeah, but…” questions. Even though I don’t personally provide services in an insurance funded model, I am old enough to remember the days when accessing ABA services was next to impossible due to the lack of both funding and providers, so I’m fairly reluctant to cede ground as it relates to how many hours individuals can receive authorization for, and my line of questioning most likely revealed this. I’ve also seen cases where learners have received very intensive early intervention, and made so much progress that they entered kindergarten with little to no supports. As such, I think it’s fair to say that I had some level of bias heading into this conversation. Long story short, these are complicated topics, and whether you agree or disagree with the findings we discuss in this episode, I think you’ll find the conversation thought provoking. Lastly, if you want to read up on this topic in more detail, I have several of the articles we referenced in this episode’s show notes. I also have Melissa and Colin’s LinkedIn profiles, so I’d encourage you to connect with them if you have questions or thoughts about these topics. To learn more about Kyo or to connect with Colin and Melissa: www.kyocare.com Melissa Willa - LinkedIn Colin Davitian - LinkedIn Here are some links to studies we directly or indirectly referred to in this episode: Ostrovsky, A., Willa, M., Cho, T. et al. Data-driven, client-centric applied behavior analysis treatment-dose optimization improves functional outcomes. World J Pediatr (2022). Rogers SJ, Yoder P, Estes A, Warren Z, McEachin J, Munson J, et al. A Multisite Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing the Effects of Intervention Intensity and Intervention Style on Outcomes for Young Children With Autism. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2021;60(6):710-22. Virués-Ortega, J. (2010). Applied behavior analytic intervention for autism in early childhood: Meta-analysis, meta-regression and dose–response meta-analysis of multiple outcomes. Clinical Psychology Review, 30, 387-399. Cohen, H., Amerine-Dickens, M., & Smith, T. (2006). Early intensive behavioral treatment: Replication of the UCLA model in a community setting. Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, 27, S145-S155.  Eikeseth, S., Smith, T., Jahr, E., & Eldevik, S. (2002). Intensive behavioral treatment at school for 4- to 7-year-old children with autism: A 1-year comparison controlled study. Behavior Modification, 26, 46-68.  Howard, J. S., Sparkman, C. R., Cohen, H. G., Green, G., & Stanislaw, H. (2005). A comparison of intensive behavior analytic and eclectic treatments for young children with autism. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 26, 359-383  This podcast is brought to you by the following sponsors: How to ABA - their goal is to make you feel supported and confident while helping your clients make real progress! In their membership community, you will find all the assessments, programs, data sheets, and materials you need so that your job is just a little easier. To learn more about their thriving and supportive online community, CEU events, support materials, and more, go to howtoaba.com/join, and use code BOP at checkout to get 10% off a yearly subscription. ACE Approved CEUs from .... Behavioral Observations. That's right, get your CEUs while driving, walking your dog, doing the dishes, or whatever else you might have going on, all while learning from your favorite podcast guests! HRIC Recruiting. Barb Voss has been placing BCBAs in permanent positions throughout the US for just about a decade, and has been in the business more generally for 30 years. When you work with HRIC, you work directly with Barb, thereby accessing highly personalized service. So if you're about to graduate, you're looking for a change of pace, or you just want to know if the grass really is greener on the other side, head over to HRIColorado.com to schedule a confidential chat right away.

Drs. Jason Vladescu, Lauren Schnell, and Jessica Day-Watkins join me in Session 220 to talk about their research in training parents and caregivers on safe sleeping habits for infants.  As you'll learn, there are sleeping practices that are recommended by Pediatric groups that reduce the likelihood of Sudden Unexpected Infant Deaths (SUIDs) in general, and Accidental Suffocation and Strangulation in Bed (ASSB) incidents. If those are new terms to you, don't worry, we get into what they mean, how frequently they occur, and lots more.  And while this may seem like a depressing or morbid topic, and I've known people who've had children succumb to this, I also see this as a story of hope in that studies like these will lead to a wider adoption of sleeping practices that, over time, should reduce unnecessary infant deaths.  Jason is a Professor in the Applied Behavior Analysis Department at Caldwell University, Lauren is an Assistant Professor at Hunter College, and Jessica is an Assistant Professor at the AJ Drexel Autism Institute.  Together they worked on several projects in the area of infant safe sleeping, which culminated in some publications in the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, which we discuss in this podcast.  What I found fascinating about this topic is that it allowed us to discuss a wider range of issues that transcend safe sleeping practices. These include staff training, cultural humility, public health and policy, contingency management, video modeling, dissemination... the list goes on. There's an angle here for everyone. Here are some links to what we discussed: Vladescu et al. (2020).  Mery et al. (2022). Mery et al. (2023). Inside JABA 14. Inside JABA 6. American Association of SIDS Prevention Physicians. AAP Safe Sleep Recommendations. This podcast is brought to you by the following sponsors: How to ABA - their goal is to make you feel supported and confident while helping your clients make real progress! In their membership community, you will find all the assessments, programs, data sheets, and materials you need so that your job is just a little easier. As a member, you’ll also be invited each month to join a live CEU and a live mentorship  session in their private community group. You’ll also have access to their extensive CEU library of recorded on-demand CEU’s on relevant, practical topics to BCBA’s in the field. Go to https://members.howtoaba.com/join.  When you join today and use code BOP, you’ll receive 10% off a yearly subscription (includes CEU’s!). ACE Approved CEUs from .... Behavioral Observations. That's right, get your CEUs while driving, walking your dog, doing the dishes, or whatever else you might have going on, all while learning from your favorite podcast guests! HRIC Recruiting. Barb Voss has been placing BCBAs in permanent positions throughout the US for just about a decade, and has been in the business more generally for 30 years. When you work with HRIC, you work directly with Barb, thereby accessing highly personalized service. So if you're about to graduate, you're looking for a change of pace, or you just want to know if the grass really is greener on the other side, head over to HRIColorado.com to schedule a confidential chat right away.  

Dr. Greg Hanley returns to Behavioral Observations for another round of fun conversation on the assessment and treatment of severe problem behavior.  This show gets into the weeds of the Practical Functional Assessment/Skills-Based Treatment Process right away, so if you have nuanc-ey questions or concerns about PFA/SBT, this is the show for you.  In this segment of the show, we discuss the changes his company, FTF, had to roll with over the last few years, what he and his colleagues are up to now. We spend a considerably amount of time discussing what they've learned about functional assessment and treatment, and how their process has evolved over the years, especially in terms of the types of individuals who benefit from these interventions, as well as those who do not.  Perhaps my favorite part of the conversation was when we discussed the complex nature of Skills-Based Treatment. To this end, Greg talked about the kind of training one ideally needs to be able to implement an SBT session successfully. Long story short, it's more than teaching someone to say, "My Way."  Speaking of training, FTF offers a variety of on-demand virtual trainings, in-person live workshops, and short and long-term consultation engagements.  Greg also mentioned numerous papers, most of which you can find here. If there are others not represented on this page, let me know and I'll add those to the show notes.  What we didn't get into is the outreach FTF is making with using this process in public school settings. We also didn't get a chance to get into the SBT data collection app that his colleagues at Hi-Rasmus has created, but you can check out here.  OK, back to the interview... after a lengthy nuts and bolts discussion of the what makes for successful SBT interventions, we broadened the lens to discuss many of the so-called 'hot topics,' in Behavior Analysis these days. This included: The influence of social media groups.  Overly rigid rule adherence, in which we spend a fair bit of time talking about token systems. Greg's perspective on Trauma-informed and Trauma-assumed ABA. Other aspects of "Hyphenated-ABA" that are being discussed.  Practical perspectives on assent... and if you're like me, and often think about the limitations of assent-based models of treatment, this will be helpful (and by the way, check out this article by Dr. Paulie Gavoni and Steve Ward), and,  The use of extinction.  Greg also opened up a bit about how he almost left the field of ABA. You read that correctly. You'll have to listen to the show to hear about this in his own words.  Greg was extremely generous with his time, and even stuck around to answer questions that I solicited from Patreon members. As you might imagine, there were a lot of great questions, and the answers were punctuated with a few really funny stories that you won't want to miss.  All of this to say that I enjoyed this conversation immensely, and I hope you do too :-) This podcast is brought to you by How to ABA - their goal is to make you feel supported and confident while helping your clients make real progress! In their membership community, you will find all the assessments, programs, data sheets, and materials you need so that your job is just a little easier. As a member, you’ll also be invited each month to join a live CEU and a live mentorship  session in their private community group. You’ll also have access to their extensive CEU library of recorded on-demand CEU’s on relevant, practical topics to BCBA’s in the field. Go to howtoaba.com/join.  When you join today and use code BOP, you’ll receive 10% off a yearly subscription (includes CEU’s!). ACE Approved CEUs from .... Behavioral Observations. That's right, get your CEUs while driving, walking your dog, doing the dishes, or whatever else you might have going on, all while learning from your favorite podcast guests! The aforementioned Verbal Behavior Conference. This is conference is as equally fun as it is informative, and BehaviorLive makes it available virtually as well, so I hope to see you there! Behavior University. Their mission is to provide university quality professional development for the busy Behavior Analyst. Learn about their CEU offerings, including their brand new 8-hour Supervision Course, as well as their RBT offerings over at behavioruniversity.com/observations.

In Session 218 of Behavioral Observations, Troy Fry joins me to talk about his long career in Behavior Analysis helping individuals with disabilities improve their quality of life by learning meaningful skills. In particular, we discussed: How he found his way to Behavior Analysis at a time when it wasn't nearly as seemingly ubiquitous as it is today. What it was like to be mentored by Ray Miltenberger, Don Baer, Barbara Etzel,  Montrose Wolf, and more. How Troy became colleagues with Pat McGreevy. A brief history of the treatment of adults with severe developmental challenges in the United States. Troy's extensive international work in France and Italy, and what it's like to provide services in large, congregate-care facilities. We also spend a bit of time talking about his talk at the upcoming Verbal Behavior Conference. As he describes in our conversation, EFL is rolling out the Performance Analysis Tool, and his talk at the Verbal Behavior Conference will elaborate on that in more detail. If you're interested in what Troy has to say, consider attending the Verbal Behavior Conference on March 30th and 31st. The on-site event will be held in Austin, TX, but if you can't make it there, the virtual event is a fantastic option. The cool thing about the VBC, especially in-person, is that attendees really have lots of opportunities to interact with the speakers. In fact, at the end of the first day, I have the honor of moderating a panel with all the speakers. A panel, in this case, is really just an opportunity for you to ask the speakers questions directly. And audience Q and A is open to both virtual and in-person attendees. In fact, in last year's conference, we had more questions from our virtual audience! This podcast is brought to you by  •    How to ABA - their goal is to make you feel supported and confident while helping your clients make real progress! In their membership community, you will find all the assessments, programs, data sheets, and materials you need so that your job is just a little easier. As a member, you’ll also be invited each month to join a live CEU and a live mentorship  session in their private community group. You’ll also have access to their extensive CEU library of recorded on-demand CEU’s on relevant, practical topics to BCBA’s in the field. Go to howtoaba.com/join.  When you join today and use code BOP, you’ll receive 10% off a yearly subscription (includes CEU’s!). •    The University of Cincinnati Online. UC Online designed a Master of Education in Behavior Analysis program that is 100% online and asynchronous, meaning you log on when it works for you. Want to learn more? Go to online.uc.edu and click the “request info” button. •    ACE Approved CEUs from .... Behavioral Observations. That's right, get your CEUs while driving, walking your dog, doing the dishes, or whatever else you might have going on, all while learning from your favorite podcast guests! •    The aforementioned Verbal Behavior Conference. This is conference is as equally fun as it is informative, and BehaviorLive makes it available virtually as well, so I hope to see you there!

En esta segunda sesión de la serie de Behavioral Observations para Hispanohablantes, el Dr. Luis Morales Knight vuelve a compartir su experiencia como Psicólogo Clínico. Esta vez centra su historia de origen en resaltar sus experiencias en el análisis de comportamiento tradicional que lo llevaron a su práctica utilizando ACT y Psicoterapia Analítico-Funcional.  El Dr. Knight enfatiza la importancia de una base teórica sólida para mejorar la práctica. Comparte su transición a la telemedicina impulsada por la pandemia y los desafíos comunes de sus clientes después de la pandemia, incluida la "adultez", los efectos del consumo de las redes sociales y la medicalización de la experiencia humana. También comenta acerca de las diversas dinámicas de las sesiones terapéuticas con niños, adolescentes y adultos.  Por último, nos deja con una gran nota sobre alejarnos de la perspectiva de la culpa y pasar a una visión a las circunstancias que nos lleva a tener más compasión (¿te suena familiar?). ------------------------------------------------------- Si te sientes estancado con algunos de tus aprendices que tienen grandes desafios en el desarrollo, y aunque inviertas horas y horas en enseñarle, no estás mejorando su vida significativamente. Si estás confundida y no sabes por dónde empezar o sabes que las herramientas que has utilizado no son adecuadas para ellos Queremos decirte algo, ¡puedes mejorar su calidad de vida significativamente si re piensas qué estás enseñando y cómo lo estás enseñando! El jueves 2 de marzo realizaremos un evento en línea y gratuito llamado Re-Pensando el Rumbo, donde enseñaremos a profesionales como tú a utilizar el currículum Essential for Living (Esenciales para la Vida) para identificar qué habilidades son imprescindibles enseñar a niños y adultos con grandes desafíos en el desarrollo para mejorar su calidad de vida. Para Participar, haz click en este enlace  www.diversitad.com/re-pensando-el-rumbo e inscríbete. ¡Aun No es tarde para repensar el rumbo! ------------------------------------------------------- Functional Analytic Psychotherapy, ACT and Telemedicine with Dr. Luis Morales Knight In this second session of the series Behavioral Observations for Spanish Speakers, Dr. Luis Morales Knight comes back to share his experience as a Clinical Psychologist.  This time he focuses his origin story on highlighting his experiences in traditional behavior analysis leading to his practice using ACT and Functional Analytic Psychotherapy. Dr. Knight emphasizes the importance of strong theoretical foundations to enhance better practice. He shares his transition to telemedicine prompted by the pandemic and the common struggles of his clients post pandemic including “adulting”, effects of social media consumption, and the medicalization of the human experience. He also discusses the various dynamics of the therapeutic sessions with children, adolescents and adults. Lastly, he leaves us with a great note about moving away from the blame perspective and into a circumstantial view that leads us to have more compassion (sound familiar?)

Dr. Lina Slim joins me in Session 217 for a wide-ranging conversation that is almost impossible to describe in a list of bullet points.  But I will try... In this show we discussed: Her pivot from studying animal behavior and language to teaching children with Autism. Her unease with seeing lackluster applications of ABA. Starting her own school while earning her Ph.D., while raising two children. Providing services all over the world. Detecting your own biases when providing services (please check this part out if you listen to nothing else in this podcast!!!). Developing trust through asking questions.  What it's like to practice ABA in three different languages. What she plans on talking about at this year's Verbal Behavior Conference (and please consider attending, it's a great time!). Great advice for the newly-minted BCBA. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did! This podcast is brought to you by: ·      Rose Griffin's FREE masterclass, The Power of Joint Attention. This 30-minute course will show you how to use books in therapy so your students are running over to listen to you read. The course also covers how to use songs in therapy so that your students are eager to participate and play and are ready to engage with you every session. Rose shares actionable tips that you can use in your next therapy session and provides BONUS pintables that you can practice right away. To learn more, go to abaspeech.org, and click the Free Masterclass tab at the top! ·       Being a behavior professional is hard. At How to ABA their goal is to make you feel supported and confident while helping your clients make real progress! In their membership community, you will find all the assessments, programs, data sheets, and materials you need so that your job is just a little easier. As a member, you’ll also be invited each month to join a live CEU and a live mentorship in our private community group. You’ll also have access to their extensive CEU library of recorded on-demand CEU’s on relevant, practical topics to BCBA’s in the field. It’s more than enough for recertification! With a Bx Resource membership, you’ll save time, feel confident, and master what you love! Go to howtoaba.com/join.  When you join today and use code BOP, you’ll receive 10% off a yearly subscription (includes CEU’s!). ·      The aforementioned Verbal Behavior Conference. This is conference is as equally fun as it is informative, and BehaviorLive makes it available virtually as well, so I hope to see you there!

Dr. Sal Ruiz and I recorded a long overdue podcast where we went over all things SAFMEDS, Instructional Design, best practices for online learning, and much more.  In this podcast we covered a lot of ground, but I think one of the most interesting things I took from the conversation are the procedural variations that have been explored. It turns out that there are some ways to do SAFMEDS that lead to better results depending on what outcomes you're looking for.  We also explore instructional design, and in that, we talk about starting with the end in mind, tailoring lessons for in-person, synchronous, and asynchronous modalities, how guided notes fit into all of this, and much more.  Long story short, whether you're a student, a university instructor, or even if you're responsible for training people outside of the university context, there are many lessons to be learned from this podcast.  Lastly, Sal's parting advice to BCBAs is really good. The advice involves choosing continuing education topics. I'm not going to spoil the details of this advice here, so definitely listen all the way through and check out what he has to say on the topic! Here are the links to the resources we discussed: Ruiz ABA on Facebook  Quigley 2014 dissertation, Evaluations of Various SAFMEDS Procedures  Ward-Horner and Sturmey 2013, Component Analysis of Single Subject Experimental Designs: A Review  Ruiz et al. 2021, Impact of Guided Notes on Graduate Student Retention of Facts  Riden et al., 2020, The Nature and Extent of Component Analyses for Improving or Mitigating Behavior: A Systematic Review  Since you're going to ask, you can find Jen Farris here and here, and ask her about the SSC for Practical Functional Assessment (and find training opportunities here) Wu 2015, Online learning in postsecondary education: a review of the empirical literature (2013-2014) Hunter College ABA Program  Sal's Mock exams (very reasonably priced IMHO!!!) Sal's social media: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram  This session of the BOP was brought to you by: The University of Cincinnati Online. UC Online designed a Master of Education in Behavior Analysis program that is 100% online and asynchronous, meaning you log on when it works for you. Want to learn more? Go to online.uc.edu and click the “request info” button. HRIC Recruiting. Barb Voss has been placing BCBAs in permanent positions throughout the US for just about a decade, and has been in the business more generally for 30 years. When you work with HRIC, you work directly with Barb, thereby accessing highly personalized service. So if you're about to graduate, you're looking for a change of pace, or you just want to know if the grass really is greener on the other side, head over to HRIColorado.com to schedule a confidential chat right away. ACE Approved CEUs from .... Behavioral Observations. That's right, get your CEUs while driving, walking your dog, doing the dishes, or whatever else you might have going on, all while learning from your favorite podcast guests! Behavior University. Their mission is to provide university quality professional development for the busy Behavior Analyst. Learn about their CEU offerings, including their brand new 8-hour Supervision Course, as well as their RBT offerings over at behavioruniversity.com/observations.

Editor’s note: A few months ago, my friend Miguel Avila and I thought it would be fun to offer some Behavioral Observations content to Spanish speaking ABA professionals, parents, and other folks who would enjoy it. Thanks to Miguel’s hard work, we have a few shows recorded, and more in the works. Our plan is to release about one episode a month for a few months. If you know folks who would be interested in these episodes, please consider sharing it with them. Lastly, we’d like to thank Essential for Living, which is now available in Spanish, for giving Miguel the time to record these thought-provoking conversations! Hace unos meses, mi amigo Miguel Avila y yo pensamos que sería divertido ofrecer contenido de Behavioral Observations (Observaciones Conductuales) a profesionales de ABA de habla hispana, padres y otras personas que podrían disfrutarlo. Gracias al arduo trabajo de Miguel, tenemos algunos programas grabados y más en proceso. Nuestro plan es lanzar alrededor de un episodio al mes durante algunos meses. Si conocen a personas que estarían interesadas en estos episodios, consideren compartirlo con ellos. Por último, nos gustaría agradecer a Essential for Living (Esenciales para la Vida), que ahora está disponible en español, por darle a Miguel el tiempo para grabar estas conversaciones que invitan a la reflexión. En esta sesión, el Dr. Javier Virues Ortega se une a Miguel para examinar el estado de la práctica del análisis de la conducta en los países de habla hispana. El Dr. Virues Ortega ofrece sus observaciones sobre la historia del análisis de la conducta en España y América Latina. A raíz de la salida de la BACB como una certificación internacional, revela algunas de las complejidades del desarrollo y las operaciones de los organismos de certificación y acreditación. El Dr. Virues Ortega y Miguel destacan las iniciativas modestas pero importantes que han observado de profesionales dedicados en Iberoamérica que quieren que la profesión del análisis de comportamiento prospere. También menciona algunos de los recursos y programas que se han puesto a disposición en español hasta el momento. Nos deja un valiosísimo consejo y una gran anécdota sobre la perseverancia. International certification, accreditation, and regulation of behavior analysts. Initiatives for Spanish speakers with Dr. Javier Virues Ortega In this session, Dr. Javier Virues Ortega joins Miguel to examine the state of the practice of behavior analysis in Spanish-speaking countries. Dr. Virues Ortega offers his observations on the history of behavior analysis in Spain and Latin America. In light of the departure of the BACB as an international certification, he unpacks some of the complexities of the development and operations of certification and accreditation bodies. Dr. Virues Ortega and Miguel note the modest, but important initiatives they have observed from dedicated professionals in Iberoamerica that want the behavior analysis profession to prosper. He also mentions some of the resources and programs that have been made available in Spanish thus far. He leaves us with invaluable advice and a great anecdote about perseverance.

I've been asked many times to highlight the work of Registered Behavioral Technicians, and in this installment of the Apollo Case Study Series, we do just that.   Dr. Jim Moore, Rachel Packiam (Director of Clinical Excellence), Christina Halverson (RBT Training Coordinator), and Emily Jackson (Lead RBT) joined me to discuss Apollo's unique organizational strategies for onboarding and training their RBTs.   As you'll learn in this episode, by the time an RBT works 1:1 with a child, they have had the training and confidence necessary to implement programming successfully. It is important to emphasize that this just doesn't happen by accident. There are many additional hours of supervising and mentoring that happen - hours that go far beyond the basic requirements. And as an outsider looking in, it's impressive to me just how much non-billable time they invest in ensuring their staff are as prepared as possible.   If you're a practice owner, or if you have some administrative role, you're going to want to grab a pen and paper to take some notes, because there are a lot of ideas for staff development and support in this podcast. We go over topics including rapport-building with trainees, soft-skills, staff morale, professionalism, teaching and upholding core organizational values, common struggles of trainees, and lots more!   If you're an RBT or BCBA, and this model of training and service delivery appeals to you, connect with Jim, or contact the folks at Apollo directly to learn more about potential job opportunities in their Atlanta-area clinics.  

Thanks so much for checking out installment number 14 in the Inside JABA Series on Behavioral Observations. Dr. John Borrero, JABA's Editor in Chief, and I are joined by Drs. Brett Gelino and Derek Reed to discuss a novel study that they and their colleagues conducted on the University of Kansas campus.   The study, which culminated in the paper, "Tobacco-free policy reduces combustible tobacco byproduct," shows how a group Behavior Analysts teamed up with university policy-makers to craft and evaluate a campus-wide tobacco-free initiative.     On the one hand, policy evaluation may sound like a dry topic. But if you step back and think about this for a minute, this is an example of how we can use Behavior Analytic concepts and principles to solve relevant problems at scale. How many times have you seen well-intended policies produce the dreaded "unintended consequences," because the people who made the policy did not have sufficient expertise in behavioral concepts and principles?    So to my mind, this piece of research is a very exciting and promising development. Long story short, this one is for all my fellow policy-wonks out there, and there are many cool elements to this study when it comes to data collection and analysis.     And here are some links that we discussed: Gelino et al., (2023). Tobacco-free policy reduces combustible tobacco byproduct.   Critchfield and Reed (2017). The fuzzy concept of Applied Behavior Analysis research.  Fawcett et al., (1988). Behavior Analysis and public policy.  Chapman and Risley (1974). Anti-litter procedures in an urban high-density area. You've subscribed to JABA, right? Huitema (2011). Simple interrupted time-series designs.  This podcast will eventually be available for BACB CEUs, and to learn more about how to get continuing education credits for listening to this show, click here. 

This was a really fun episode. Dr. Tim Hackenberg joined me to discuss both what we know, and what we don't know about token economies. This conversation was inspired by my interview with Dr. Matt Brodhead in Session 205, where in listening to that show, Tim picked up on a misstatement of mine. We get into the specifics of this in our interview, but in brief, I made an off-the-cuff comment about token economy research. Thankfully, Tim reached out  to me and offered to discuss this issue in more detail, and more importantly, correct my point of view on this matter.  And I'm so glad he did just that. I really learned a lot in this episode. In it, we discuss the basics of what constitutes a token economy, the importance of generalized reinforcers, early research in this area, troubleshooting ineffective token economies, and perhaps most interestingly, directions for future research.  Our discussion centered around Tim's 2018 JABA paper, Token Reinforcement: Translational Research and Application. As I mention in the interview, it's simply an impressive work of scholarship, and I highly recommend taking the time to read through it.  So whether you're a newly-minted BCBA, or a seasoned pro, I think there's something here for everyone.  Tim also shared that he, along with Dr. Francesca Delgi Espinosa, created two token economy courses. One is a brief overview course that's free, and there's an advanced course titled, "Token economies: Bridging the gap from research to practice." You can find out more about them here.  Session 212 is brought to you by: The University of Cincinnati Online. UC Online designed a Master of Education in Behavior Analysis program that is 100% online and asynchronous, meaning you log on when it works for you. Want to learn more? Go to online.uc.edu and click the “request info” button. Rose Griffin's FREE masterclass, The Power of Joint Attention. This 30 minute will show you how to use books in therapy so your students are running over to listen to you read. The course also covers how to use songs in therapy so that your students are eager to participate and play, and are ready to engage with you every session. Rose shares actionable tips that you can use in your next therapy session, and provides BONUS printiables that you can practice right away. To learn more, go to abaspeech.org, and click the Free Masterclass tab at the top! Behavior University. Their mission is to provide university quality professional development for the busy Behavior Analyst. Learn about their CEU offerings, including their 8-hour Supervision Course, as well as their RBT offerings over at behavioruniversity.com/observations.

It's that time of year again folks. If you're new to the show, every year, I get together with my friends from ABA Inside Track for a Year in Review show, and this year was no different. In this podcast, we went over a handful of happenings in the world of Applied Behavior Analysis.  In this episode, we covered: The changes in leadership of the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis and the Association for Professional Behavior Analysis. What shows from each of our pods resonated with our respective audiences. Whether West Coast or New England IPAs are best (c'mon, is this even worth talking about?), including an impromptu short history of American Craft Beer.  Other questions from the audience. The passings of Tameka Meadows, Beth Sulzer-Azaroff, David Jarmolowicz, and Dale Bretthower. With regard to the latter, I would like to say that I wish we had more time to elaborate on the contributions of these behavior analysts. We were pressed for time, not only for recording, but also in terms of show preparation, and I apologize if that segment of the show fails to live up to the standards you've come to expect from Behavioral Observations.  We also fielded a great question from long time listener, Penny Holloway. Again, time did not allow us to do her question justice, but if you listen to the very end of the show, I do my best to address it, and I hope you get a chance to check that out.  Huge thanks again for the ABA Inside Track crew, along with Alan Haberman for being such great conversational partners. I look forward to sharing more fun discussions with you in 2023 and beyond!!! Here are the links to some of the things we discussed: Inside JABA 13 (John Borrero and Linda LeBlanc). Inside JABA 2 (Big Idea Papers). Session 205 (Matt Brodhead/Ethics and the use of Punishment). Session 201 (Holly Gover/Preference for Contingent Reinforcement). Session 180 (Merrill Winston/Why Your Behavior Plan Stinks). Inside JABA 10 (Rajaraman/Austin/Trauma Informed Behavior Analysis). Apollo Case Study Series. For Kids With Severe Behaviors, Hospital ERs Increasingly Becoming De Facto Homes. ABA Inside Track - Facilitated Communication. ABA Inside Track - A Call to Action re: Rekers and Lovaas. Session 122 (Justin Leaf/The Case Against Social Stories).

If you're a long-time listener, you've likely heard me talk about the Verbal Behavior Conference at various points over the last few years. If you're not familiar with the event, it's a two-day workshop that my friends at the Central Texas Autism Center have been putting on for years.  What you're about to hear is the panel discussion from the 2022 event, which was the first post-pandemic live event for the conference, which took place, as always, in Austin, Texas.  This panel discussion included Kevin Luczynski, Sarah Lechago, Francesca Delgi Espinosa, Tamara Kasper, Mark Sundberg, David Palmer, David Roth, and Pat McGreevy.  This particular panel discussion started off with going over some granular details about Joint Attention and Joint Control, but as panels often do, this one got a little more freewheeling as it went on. For example, there were some great discussions regarding assessing bilingual clients, the role of eye contact, core vs. fringe vocabulary, rule-governed behavior, and much more! I had the honor to be invited to moderate this amazing lineup. These duties included asking my own questions, taking questions from the in-person crowd (and huge thanks to Kelle Rich for sprinting around the mic!), and monitoring the on-line chat to take questions from those participating at home. As such, there are some occasional long pauses here and there throughout the discussion, so please bear with that, as I think it will be worth your time.  If an event like this sounds fun to you, you're in luck because the 2023 Verbal Behavior Conference is just around the corner. It's taking place on March 30th and 31st, as always, in Austin, Texas. However, if you can't be there in person, the Verbal Behavior Conference will be presented online via Behavior Live, and for what it's worth, they do a fantastic job doing this. Whether virtually or in person, I'd love to see you there.  This year's event includes talks from Pat McGreevy, Troy Fry, Lina Slim, Andresa De Souza, Sarah Frampton, Einar Ingvarsson, and Samantha Bergman. Once again, I will be moderating the panel at the end of the first day. All in all, it's a really fun time.  If you're listening to this and it's still 2022, early-bird pricing is still in effect, so if this all sounds fun to you, grab your ticket today and save some cash in the process.  This podcast is brought to you by: The University of Cincinnati Online. UC Online designed a Master of Education in Behavior Analysis program that is 100% online and asynchronous, meaning you log on when it works for you. Want to learn more? Go to online.uc.edu and click the “request info” button. Session 204 guest Rose Griffin's FREE masterclass, The Power of Joint Attention. In this 30 minute training you will learn how to use books in therapy so your students are running over to listen to you read. The course then moves onto using songs in therapy so that your students are eager to participate and play, so that your students are ready to engage with you every session. Rose shares 3 actionable tips that you can use in your next therapy session, and shares BONUS printiables that you can use and share with parents. Behavior University. Their mission is to provide university quality professional development for the busy Behavior Analyst. Learn about their CEU offerings, including their brand new 8-hour Supervision Course, as well as their RBT offerings over at behavioruniversity.com/observations.

I'm really excited to chat with Dr. Paulie Gavoni again on the podcast. As long time listeners know, he's been on the show many times, and always brings a down-to-earth, practical point of view to what we do as Behavior Analysts. In preparation for a talk at the recent Hoosier Association for Behavior Analysis event, Paulie did a deep dive on characteristics of bad leadership. It went over very well, and we thought it would make for an informative podcast episode. And Paulie presents his findings in his own unique and fun manner. I won't spoil it here, so be sure to hear him go through it all. I should also note that Paulie and I talk all the time and our banter may have drifted into what I'll refer to here as 'middle school language.' Nothing terribly profane mind you, but I did want to give a heads up because I know many of you listen to the podcast while ferrying your kids around. On a different note, Paulie and I, along with our colleague Anika Costa, are working on a really fun project for behavioral professionals in public school settings. We are hoping to have it out in the first quarter of 2023, so stay tuned for that. Here are the links: Follow Paulie on LinkedIn; he's always posting thought provoking-articles. Check out Paulie's Podcast. Paulie's first appearance on BOP. Hoosier ABA. The Magic Relationship Ratio. Quick Responses for Reducing Misbehavior and Suspensions. Quick Wins! Accelerating School Transformation through Science, Engagement, and Leadership. Deliberate Coaching: A Toolbox for Accelerating Teacher Performance. Downloadable Performance Diagnostic Checklist. This podcast is brought to you by: The Empowering Parents with ACT course, from Praxis Continuing Education and Training. Taught by Dr. Lisa Coyne and Dr. Evelyn Gould, this course presents a powerful acceptance and commitment training-based approach to supporting parents and caregivers with evidenced-based interventions. Designed for anyone who works with caregivers and their families, including children with mental health issues, autism, physical or developmental differences, chronic health issues, and other challenges, this self-paced training will help you work with caregivers to help their families grow and thrive. To watch a free video lesson from Empowering Parents with ACT, go to: praxiscet.com/parents. Session 204 guest Rose Griffin's FREE masterclass, The Power of Joint Attention. In this 30 minute training you will learn how to use books in therapy so your students are running over to listen to you read. The course then moves onto using songs in therapy so that your students are eager to participate and play, so that your students are ready to engage with you every session. Rose shares 3 actionable tips that you can use in your next therapy session, and shares BONUS printiables that you can use and share with parents. The University of Cincinnati Online. UC Online designed a Master of Education in Behavior Analysis program that is 100% online and asynchronous, meaning you log on when it works for you. Want to learn more? Go to online.uc.edu and click the “request info” button.

Editor's Note: I generally publish three episodes a month, but I wanted to share this bonus, fourth episode with you as I know there will be a lot of people embarking on road trips in the coming days. As such, I’ve chosen one of my earliest interviews to re-release, and it’s my first interview with Dr. Pat Friman (originally released in August of 2016!?!?), who as many of you know, went on to appear in several more Behavioral Observations Episodes. What I will say though is that if you’re listening to this re-release of Session 10 shortly after it is published, that there is a huge CEU sale going on right now. These huge discounts that are available now through November 27th. And if you’re catching this show after the sale is over, I usually have a few different discounts going so it’s worth checking out no matter when you hear this.  And speaking of Pat Friman, three of his later appearances on the show are indeed eligible for CEUs, so if you enjoy his message and want to hear more of it, and earn CEUs along the way, then this sounds like a win-win. In Session 10 of The Behavioral Observations Podcast, I speak with none other than Dr. Pat Friman. Pat is the Vice President of Behavioral Health Services at Boys Town as well as a Clinical Professor of Medicine in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Nebraska School of Medicine. In today's show, Pat tells the story of how he literally wandered into a career in Behavior Analysis as well as the remarkable story of how Boys Town was started and how it serves children and families today. We then talk about his point of view on functional assessment practices, how he interviews parents, his take on what we refer to as, "kids these days," and Behavior Analysts as parents. With regard to the latter, I accidentally broach some of my own parenting struggles, so you might have some fun at my expense (your welcome). If you enjoyed the show, please share it with friends and colleagues!

In the 6th installment of the Apollo Case Study Series, I'm joined by my regular conversation partner, Dr. Jim Moore, along with Christina Nylander. Christina is a BCBA who works at Apollo's Lawrenceville, GA clinic. In this episode, Christina opens up quite a bit and describes how she encountered Applied Behavior Analysis, her early experiences as an RBT, the mentoring and supervision she's received as a BCBA in the early stages of her career, the value of learning about typical child development, the successes she's had as a clinician, learning the PEAK curriculum, and much more.  Christina quite vulnerably discussed juggling the immense challenges of being a working mother in our field as well. From sleep deprivation to feeling like one is never fully caught up... she candidly describes how she navigated that process.  Throughout the podcast, Jim related Christina's points to Apollo's unique clinical and supervision models. If you are interested in learning more about what they do, you can find more information here.  Here are some of the resources we discussed:  Prior Apollo Case Study podcasts. Making the Science Part of Your Practice, Session 167. Rapport Building and Instructional Fading Prior to Discrete Trial Instruction: Moving From Child-Led Play to Intensive Teaching (Shillingsburg, et al., 2019). Last year's Verbal Behavior Conference. For those who are interested, the 2023 VBC (disclosure: VBC is a podcast sponsor). In parting, I have two requests:  First, if you have any questions about this episode or any other ACSS podcasts, I encourage you to hit Jim up on LinkedIn.... even if it is just to say hello. Second, please share this show with friends and colleagues. I think Christina's story is highly representative of many people in the field right now, and this podcast may be helpful to quite a few BCBAs out there. 

In Session 206, I spoke with Dr. Melissa Gonzalez, BCBA-D, about Pediatric Feeding Disorders, and what Applied Behavior Analysis can offer in this area.  Melissa is the Clinical Therapy Director at the Siskin Children's Institute in Chattanooga, Tennessee, arriving there by way of Louisiana State University's Clinical Psychology program and the Kennedy Krieger Institute, amongst other waypoints.  In this episode, we discussed how she got into working with individuals with Pediatric Feeding Disorders, what are the diagnostic criteria for this repertoire, what we know what works for PDFs, the difference between picky eaters and individuals with PFDs, the importance of taking a multidisciplinary approach to treatment, and much more! This is a topic I'm not terribly familiar with, so I learned a ton. If you have the same reaction to this podcast, please share it with friends and colleagues! Here are some of the resources we discussed: Feedingmatters.org  Pediatric Feeding Disorders Fact Sheet  S3E7: Ethical Considerations of Behavioral Feeding Interventions with Lisa Tereshko and Mary Jane Weiss Ethical Considerations of Behavioral Feeding Interventions (the paper... Tereshko, et al., 2021). Pediatric Feeding Disorder: A Nationwide Prevalence Study (Kovacic, et al., 2020). Pediatric Feeding Disorder: Consensus Definition and Conceptual Framework (Goday, et al., 2019). This podcast is brought to you buy: Abaspeech.org - the brainchild of Session 203 guest, Rose Griffin, is giving listeners a 30% discount on all of her courses which include, The Advanced Language Learner, Help Me Find My Voice, and Start Communicating Today. The offer is valid through December 1st, 2022. Go to abaspeech.org, check out the ‘courses’ link, and use the promo code, aba30, at checkout. The University of Cincinnati Online. UC Online designed a Master of Education in Behavior Analysis program that is 100% online and asynchronous, meaning you log on when it works for you. Want to learn more? Go to online.uc.edu and click the “request info” button.  HRIC Recruiting. Barb Voss has been placing BCBAs in permanent positions throughout the US for just about a decade, and has been in the business more generally for 30 years. When you work with HRIC, you work directly with Barb, thereby accessing highly personalized service. So if you're about to graduate, you're looking for a change of pace, or you just want to know if the grass really is greener on the other side, head over to HRIColorado.com to schedule a confidential chat right away.

After a long hiatus, Dr. Matt Brodhead returns to Behavioral Observations. In this episode, we discuss the use of punishment in the context of creating effective, ethical behavioral interventions.  Of course, pursuant to the Behavior Analysis Certification Board's Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts, punishment should only be considered, "only after demonstrating that desired results have not been obtained using less intrusive means, or when it is determined by an existing intervention team that the risk of harm to the client outweighs the risk associated with the behavior-change intervention" (Code Element 2.15, page 12).  So Matt and I talked about what this means in practice, the role of coercive or aversive events in everyday life, weighing the pros and cons of treatment choices, and much more.  As we state in the first few minutes of the show, we made the editorial decision not to discuss the ABAI Task Force report on Contingent Electric Skin Shock. It's not that we don't have opinions on this topic; rest assured, we certainly do. But we felt like it would be more helpful for practitioners to hear Matt's thoughts on things like response cost, time-out, and so forth, as these are procedures that are more likely to be used by "everyday" practitioners.  We also meandered into a few other topics, like the necessity of teaching cooperation and compliance under certain stimulus conditions, the utility or role of descriptive assessments vs. analog functional analyses, as well as other digressions.  On a stylistic note, because Matt and I have gotten to know each other pretty well, this is an even more conversational episode that usual (versus one that is a series of questions and answers), with the attendant joking around that we usually engage in. If you're interested in Matt's work, go over to his website, betteraba.com, and pick up a copy of his excellent workbook, Behavioral Systems Analysis and Ethical Behavior. It's a bargain at $25 bucks... and remember, the holidays are right around the corner  Matt is also available for workshops and consultations, and you can reach him through the same website.  And while I'm plugging Matt's stuff, the popular text book he co-authored with Drs. David Cox and Shawn Quigley, is out in its second edition (disclosure: Amazon Associates Link). Other resources we discussed: Brodhead and Oteto (2022): Ethics and Ethical Problem Solving.  Thomas and Brodhead (2022): Bringing Challenge to Coercion and the Status Quo.  Matt's earlier appearances on the BOP.  Musical references: "I Love this Bar" and "Check Yo Self" Hanley et al. (2005). On the Effectiveness of and Preference for Punishment and Extinction-Based Components of Function-Based Interventions.  Hanley (2012): Functional assessment of problem behavior: dispelling myths, overcoming implementation obstacles, and developing new lore. Congenital Insensitivity to Pain. Perone (2003): The Negative Effects of Positive Reinforcement. The Importance of Red Teams, Peter Attia, MD. Michael (1975): Positive and Negative Reinforcement, a Distinction That Is No Longer Necessary; Or a Better Way to Talk about Bad Things. MacKenzie (2021): Caring by Lying.  Fisher et al. (1996): On the reinforcing effects of the content of verbal attention.  CBIT for Tic Disorders. Inside JABA #3 with Iser DeLeon on Accumulated vs. Distributed Reinforcement. This podcast is brought to you with the generous support of: Behavior University. Their mission is to provide university quality professional development for the busy Behavior Analyst. Learn about their CEU offerings, including their brand new 8-hour Supervision Course, as well as their RBT offerings over at behavioruniversity.com/observations. Abaspeech.org - the brainchild of Session 203 guest, Rose Griffin, is giving listeners a 30% discount on all of her courses which include, The Advanced Language Learner, Help Me Find My Voice, and Start Communicating Today. The offer is valid through December 1st, 2022. Go to abaspeech.org, check out the ‘courses’ link, and use the promo code, aba30, at checkout. Behavior Development Solutions For BCBA and BCaBA candidates, they report a 98.5% pass rate for first-time exam takers… plus a money-back guarantee! They also have solutions for RBT aspirants, plus CE courses, and live webinars (most of which are free for anyone to attend). To learn more, head over to bds.com/bop for a special offer for podcast listeners! 

On November 26th, 2019, the first Inside JABA Series podcast was published. This series was the brainchild of Dr. Linda LeBlanc, who at the time was the incoming Editor in Chief, and I have to say, doing these shows has been a highlight of producing this podcast.  As I remind people often, I'm not involved in the production or publication of Behavior Analytic research, so you can imagine how much I've learned about this process in making what is now 13 Inside JABA Series podcast episodes.  At the same time, it's been an incredible privilege to share these shows - including the papers we've hi-lighted therein - with you. At the time of this recording, Linda recently transitioned out of the role of Editor in Chief. This position is now filled by Dr. John Borrero, from the University of Maryland Baltimore County.  As such, for the 13th installment in this series, the three of us got together to discuss a range of nerdy JABA topics, including how editors-in-chief are selected, what repertoires make for successful editors-in-chief, how to manage the review process, and more.  We also talked about what makes a paper a "JABA paper." I think you might find some of Linda and John's thoughts on this surprising. Linda also shared a story on how she solved a specific clinical problem she encountered early on in her career by getting inspiration from the pages of JABA.  Finally, we closed the show by looking back on some of Linda's accomplishments and discussed where John sees JABA moving forward. I won't spoil it here, but let's just say he has some really cool ideas, so please be sure to tune in for that segment. Even if you're not involved in conducting and publishing research, I think you'll find the discussion of how our flagship journal works very interesting.  Lastly, as I have expressed numerous times, I am profoundly grateful for this opportunity to work with the JABA team, and I look forward to working with John on future installments of the Inside JABA Series. References mentioned in this episode: Previous JABA Podcasts. Treatment of Self-Injury and Hand-Mouthing Following Inconclusive Functional Analyses. (Vollmer, Marcus, and LeBlanc, 1994). Editor's note: The Power of Big Ideas (LeBlanc, 2020). Dr. Claire St. Peters' research on treatment integrity.  Sign up for the Newsletter. Grab some Inside JABA (and other) CEUs!

In the world of Behavior Analysis, Rose Griffin is a unicorn of sorts, which is the unofficial mascot of those select few who hold both Speech Language Pathologist and Board Certified Behavior Analyst credentials.  For 20 years, Rose supported students in public school settings, but these days, she is concentrating on taking all the knowledge she's acquired and sharing it in the form of podcasts, online trainings and courses, and much more.  In this interview, Rose and I discuss how she got into speech therapy and then behavior analysis, the challenges and benefits of collaboration, the subtleties of joint attention that many behavior analysts miss in our training programs, her awesome podcast, the Autism Outreach Podcast, and advice for newly-minted BCBAs.  Rose and I also spend a few minutes nerding out over our mutual podcasting hero, Pat Flynn.  Here are the links to the things we discussed: Rose's website. The Autism Outreach Podcast. Free Joint Attention Training for Parents and Staff. Rose's solo show on Joint Attention. Rose's interview with Jared Stewart. Language Development: An Introduction, by Robert Owens (note: Amazon Associates link). American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Univ. of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension child development newsletter. Rose's Advanced Language Learner Course. Pat Friman's Public Speaking Tutorial (also available as a CEU). Rose on Pat Flynn's podcast. ABA Speech on TikTok. The Verbal Behavior Conference/Central Texas Autism Center. Rose was kind enough to provide listeners with a 30% discount on her courses through December 1st, 2022. These courses include: The Advanced Language Learner, Help Me Find My Voice, and Start Communicating Today. Just use the promo code, aba30, at checkout, and you'll be good to go. Two footnotes to add: First, I mistakenly noted in this interview that Rose was the first SLP/BCBA on the show. That honor goes to Dr. Barbara Esch, who appeared on a panel discussion for the Verbal Behavior Conference.  Second, in the spirit of transparency, I want to note that ABASpeech.org will be sponsoring several upcoming podcast episodes.  Speaking of sponsors, Session 203 is brought to you by the following: The University of Cincinnati Online. UC Online designed a Master of Education in Behavior Analysis program that is 100% online and asynchronous, meaning you log on when it works for you. Want to learn more? Go to online.uc.edu and click the “request info” button. HRIC Recruiting. Barb Voss has been placing BCBAs in permanent positions throughout the US for just about a decade, and has been in the business more generally for 30 years. When you work with HRIC, you work directly with Barb, thereby accessing highly personalized service. So if you're about to graduate, you're looking for a change of pace, or you just want to know if the grass really is greener on the other side, head over to HRIColorado.com to schedule a confidential chat right away. Behavior University. Their mission is to provide university quality professional development for the busy Behavior Analyst. Learn about their CEU offerings, including their brand new 8-hour Supervision Course, as well as their RBT offerings over at behavioruniversity.com/observations.

After a brief hiatus, the Apollo Case Study Series returns to Behavioral Observations for its fifth installment.  In this episode, Dr. Jim Moore shares his approach to modifying existing clinical programs that aren't making progress. More specifically, we talk about the temptation to go out and purchase the 'new shiny thing' (as in curriculum, assessment protocol, data collection systems, etc...), and what things to consider before deciding whether making such changes is an appropriate course of action.  If you're a clinical director or supervisor, I'd say this is a must-listen episode. At one point, our internet connection phases out. Thankfully it passes quickly and the remaining conversation is pretty stable.  If you're digging these conversations with Jim, hit him up on LinkedIn, or email him  (jim.moore at apollobehavior dot com). Also, many of you have reached out to see if Apollo is a good fit as an employer, and if you're wondering the same thing, you can talk to Jim about that too, or check out their openings in the Atlanta Metro area.  Here are the links to what we discussed: Previous ACSS shows. Session 167 with Jim, "Making Science Part of Your Practice." Fisher et al. (2014). Increasing the saliency of behavior-consequence relations for children with autism who exhibit persistent errors.  Fisher, Kodak, and Moore (2007). Embedding an identity-matching task within a prompting hierarchy to facilitate acquisition of conditional discriminations in children with autism. Cariveau et al. (2019). A Review of Error Correction Procedures during Instruction for Children with Developmental Disabilities. Hayes et al. (1999). The Scientist Practitioner: Research and Accountability in the Age of Managed Care (2nd Edition) 2nd Edition (note: Amazon Associates link).  EFL Methods of Alternative Speaking (Pat, you're welcome ;-). I hope you enjoy this ad and intro-free episode, brought to you courtesy of Apollo Behavior! If you enjoy it, please share it with friends and colleagues!

Would you rather earn preferred items or get them for free? More technically stated, would you prefer response-contingent reinforcers over response-independent ones (and to further split hairs, if the preferred items are provided response-independently, are they really reinforcers?)? It turns out that there has been some basic and applied research in this area, and some studies demonstrated participants' general preference for earning reinforcers as opposed to simply getting them for "free." My guest for Session 201, Dr. Holly Gover, published a review and meta-analysis on this topic in a recent issue of The Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, called, "On the generality of preference for contingent reinforcement."  In this episode, we discuss how she became interested in this topic, what motivated her to review this literature, what she learned from this process, and perhaps of most interest to you, what implications these findings have for practice.  Towards the end of the conversation, we changed gears a bit and discussed Holly's work in the area of feeding challenges. She quickly reviewed what is currently known about the assessment and treatment of these problems, as well as the unique approach to resolving feeding issues that she has outlined.  Holly will be presenting on this topic at the upcoming Stone Soup Conference on October 21st (disclosure: the Lake Ridge Community Support Services, host of the conference, is a BOP sponsor, and they are providing listeners with discounted registration when using the promo code, PODCAST).   Lastly, I'd be remiss if I didn't ask - no, I mean beg you to to listen to Holly's advice for newly-minted BCBAs. I'm not kidding you that this has to be one of the best pieces of advice offered on this podcast. Please do yourself a favor and check it out and let me know if you agree.  OK, here are some links: Holly's Vanderbilt University page. Holly's Google Scholar page. TRIAD - Treatment and Research Institute for Autism Spectrum Disorders. Session 186: Enhanced Choice Model, Adithyan Rajaraman. Luczynski and Hanley (2013). Do Children Prefer Contingencies? An evaluation of the efficacy and preference for contingent versus non-contingent social reinforcement during play.  Luczynski and Hanley (2010). Examining the Generality of Children's Preference for Contingent Reinforcement via Extension to Different Reinforcers, Responses, and Schedules. QCABA - Quebec Association for Behaviour Analysis. Koffer and Coulson (1971). Feline indolence: Cats prefer free to response-produced food. Osborne (1977). The free food (contrafreeloading) phenomenon: A review and analysis. Honig & Staddon: Handbook of Operant Behavior (disclosure: Amazon Associates link). In addition to the Stone Soup Conference, if you're interested in learning more about addressing feeding challenges, my colleague, Jen Farris, is putting together a 10-week mentoring cohort on this topic called Happy, Relaxed, and Eating. This is for a 10-week cohort consisting of 6, 2-hour LIVE virtual meetings and includes 12 CEs. There is also an option for no CEs at a discounted rate. And she is giving podcast listeners a 10% discount. So use the code BOP at checkout, or just tell Jen you heard about it on the podcast. If you're looking for continuing education on a wide variety of topics, don't forget that many of your favorite Behavioral Observations shows are available for approved continuing education.

I’ve always maintained that this is a show that is all about the listeners and the guests, and so it is with that in mind that I’m thrilled to share the following interview segments that were nominated by so many of you. We did have many entries, so I couldn’t fit all of them in, but I genuinely appreciate all of you who took the time to write in and share your thoughts. While I’m expressing gratitude here, I’d be remiss to not mention the support that I’ve received from podcast sponsors, especially the OG’s like Barb Voss at HRIC Recruiting and Behavior University. I’m also very thankful to all of you who have supported the show through Continuing Education sales, and Patreon memberships. Together, we’ve created this medium that has been downloaded almost 3.6 million times in over 100 countries. As I’ve told many friends and colleagues, back when I was conceptualizing this show, I always knew there would be an audience for this type of content, but I had no idea that it would develop into what it is these days. All of this to say that I’m extraordinarily thankful for all of you who have tuned in over the years. Thanks so much for letting Behavioral Observations into your commutes, your workouts, your laundry folding, your dog walking… or when or wherever else you take in the show. It’s been a privilege to be able to share these conversations with you, and I look forward to the next 200 episodes! Here's what we have in store for you: Session 87: Merrill Winston Session 31: Pat McGreevy Session 181: Francesca Delgi Espinosa Session 51: Ashley Rose Session  193: Claire St. Peter Inside JABA 7: Pat Friman Session 41: Russ Harris Session 160: Greg Hanley Session 63/91: Chuck Merbitz Lastly, huge thanks to Miguel Avila, Celia Heyman, Natalie Todd, Rob Harvey, Sarah DiGioia, Alesia Patterson, Alexa, as well as my colleague, Jen Farris (who also nominated some of the same segments from Session 63, which I forgot to mention in the broadcast). 

If your social media consumption is anything like mine, you've likely seen some feel-good stories in the media as of late that report on non-speaking students - generally students with Autism - who are graduating from college, giving valedictorian speeches, and so forth.  Unfortunately, what's often underpinning many of these cases is a form of Facilitated Communication, or FC for short. What is FC? Glad you asked! In today's episode, Dr. Jason Travers, Associate Professor at Temple University, joins me today to answer this very question (follow him on Twitter here).  We covered the history of Facilitated Communication, the early scientific investigations that discredited this practice, FC's variants like the Rapid Prompting Method and Spelling to Communicate, where the practice of FC stands today, the harms that Facilitated Communication causes both users and caregivers, and how Behavior Analysts should both view and talk about these practices.  Jason also provides the audience with a treasure trove of additional resources: Jason's Research Gate and Google Scholar pages. Facilitatedcommunication.org  ASHA Policy Statements on Facilitated Communication and Rapid Prompting Method. Facilitated Communication—what harm it can do: Confessions of a former facilitator (Boynton, 2012). An Examination of the Role of the Facilitator in “Facilitated Communication” (Shane and Kearns, 1994). Ideomotor Effect explained. The Demon Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark (note: Amazon Associated link). Skeptic Magazine (Amazon Associate Link); The Skeptical Inquirer.  The Reading Wars. Facilitated Communication: The Clinical and Social Phenomenon (Shane 1994; Amazon Associate Link). This podcast is brought to you by the following sponsors: Supervision Sidekick. Supervision Sidekick is not only a comprehensive curriculum that helps you mentor the next generation of Behavior Analysts, it's also a community of like-minded supervisors. Check out their easy to use digital platform and comprehensive instructional materials at www.sidekicklearning.net. Also, if you sign up for a monthly or yearly program, use coupon code behavioralobservations and save 10% at checkout. Behavior Development Solutions (aka “BDS”) is back to sponsor Behavioral Observations! I know BDS, because their modules were part of my own exam prep strategy when I took the BCBA exam back in 2002. Their modules are so thorough, you’ll feel confident at the Board Exam and, you’ll be well prepared for your career. For BCBA and BCaBA candidates, they report a 98.5% pass rate for first-time exam takers… plus a money-back guarantee! They also have solutions for RBT aspirants, plus CE courses, and live webinars (most of which are free for anyone to attend). To learn more, head over to bds.com/bop for a special offer for podcast listeners!  The 2022 Stone Soup Conference! Great speakers, great cause, all for a great price. October 22nd (or later if you're busy that day). Come hear from Kirk Kirby, Drs. Camille Kolu, Nasiah Cirincione-Ulezi, Merrill Winston, Holly Gover, Tom Higbee, and Florence DiGennaro-Reed. Be sure to save at registration by using the promo code, PODCAST. The University of Cincinnati Online. UC Online designed a Master of Education in Behavior Analysis program that is 100% online and asynchronous, meaning you log on when it works for you. Want to learn more? Go to online.uc.edu and click the “request info” button.

If you're anywhere in the upper part of the northern hemisphere, you already know that fall is in the air. And with that comes the annual return of students to their community schools.  As such, I thought it would be fun to bring on fellow New Hampshire behavior analyst, Elissa Johnson, to talk about the work she's doing in school settings.  Elissa is the Director of Behavioral Health for Constellations Behavioral Services, which was founded right here in the Granite State. As an aside, long time listeners might remember my interview with Kim and Tim Heald, the founders of Constellations way back in Session 35.  So in the episode, Elissa and I discuss how she got into the field, some common mentors we worked with, and how Constellations has transitioned into an ESOP or employee-owned company (a topic perhaps worthy of its own podcast for sure).  However, we spent the bulk of our time discussing how to do good behavior analytic work in school settings, including implementing multi-tiered systems of support, such as PBIS. If you're new to these terms, don't worry, because we do go through and define all the acronyms that are so common in this type of work.  As always, we end with some great advice for the newly-minted. And Elissa had some special words for those of you who are still in your coursework or otherwise working on becoming a newly-minted BCBA, so you'll want to stick around for that.  I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did! Stuff we mentioned in the show: Session 35 with the CBS founders.  The Behavioral Health Improvement Institute. Session 67, Deliberate Coaching with Paulie Gavoni. Session 171: How to Play the Good Behavior Game with Jeanne Donaldson. What is an ESOP (employee owned company)? How to use Choral Responding in classroom settings. New Hampshire Ed MTSS-B Technical Assistance Center. Session 173: Quick Responses for Problem Behaviors in School Settings. SAEBRS Social-Emotional Universal Screening Tool. Session 78: PBIS, Mental Health, and Supporting Students with Trauma Histories, with Barry McCurdy. This session of Behavioral Observations is brought to you by the following: Behavior Development Solutions (aka “BDS”) is back to sponsor Behavioral Observations! I know BDS, because their modules were part of my own exam prep strategy when I took the BCBA exam back in 2002. Their modules are so thorough, you’ll feel confident at the Board Exam and, you’ll be well prepared for your career. For BCBA and BCaBA candidates, they report a 98.5% pass rate for first-time exam takers… plus a money-back guarantee! They also have solutions for RBT aspirants, plus CE courses, and live webinars (most of which are free for anyone to attend). To learn more, head over to bds.com/bop for a special offer for podcast listeners!  The 2022 Stone Soup Conference! Great speakers, great cause, all for a great price. October 22nd (or later if you're busy that day). Come hear from Kirk Kirby, Drs. Camille Kolu, Nasiah Cirincione-Ulezi, Merrill Winston, Holly Gover, Tom Higbee, and Florence DiGennaro-Reed. Be sure to save at registration by using the promo code, PODCAST. Want to get a data-based picture of your physical activity, sleep habits, and more? I've been wearing the Whoop Strap for over two years now, and I can't tell you how much I've enjoyed getting quantitative information on all aspects of my health, including sleep analytics, heart rate, heart rate variability, calorie burn, exercise intensity, and Whoop's proprietary "strain" score. I could extol this neat device's virtues indefinitely to you, but instead, you can go check it out for yourself. To get your first month free, head over to behavioralobservations.com/whoop!

The full title of Merrill's talk is, "Whitesplaining Racism: Part Deux! Logic, Disproportionality, Avatars, Hate Crimes, and Uncomfortable Feelings." As you'll learn in this episode, Bruce was in the audience for most of Merrill's talk, and was so enthused with it, he wanted him to review its main points here on Behavioral Observations. So we did just that, and Bruce was kind enough to join us as a discussant.  But in the first segment of the show, we get to know a little about Bruce and his background. It turns out that he's had quite a bit of success reducing the overall rates of restraint in the school he worked in, so we spend a some time discussing how he was able to create that change. Bruce also closed out the show with some great advice for BCBAs, so you'll definitely want to stick around for that. This episode is quite long, even by Behavioral Observations' standards, so I'm going to keep these opening comments short. For your convenience, I tracked down most of the links and references we discussed below: Black Applied Behavior Analysts. 2023 Conference Info. Donate to BABA. Winston Behavioral Solutions. Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network. The movie, Highlander (not to be confused with Outlander). All-things Merrill on BOP. Adam Ruins Everything. Daryl Davis' Ted Talk. Session 197 is brought to you by the following: Supervision Sidekick. Supervision Sidekick is not only a comprehensive curriculum that helps you mentor the next generation of Behavior Analysts, it's also a community of like-minded supervisors. Check out their easy to use digital platform and comprehensive instructional materials at www.sidekicklearning.net. Also, if you sign up for a monthly or yearly program, use coupon code behavioralobservations and save 10% at checkout. Behavior Development Solutions (aka “BDS”) is back to sponsor Behavioral Observations! I know BDS, because their modules were part of my own exam prep strategy when I took the BCBA exam back in 2002. Their modules are so thorough, you’ll feel confident at the Board Exam and, you’ll be well prepared for your career. For BCBA and BCaBA candidates, they report a 98.5% pass rate for first-time exam takers… plus a money-back guarantee! They also have solutions for RBT aspirants, plus CE courses, and live webinars (most of which are free for anyone to attend). To learn more, head over to bds.com/bop for a special offer for podcast listeners!  The 2022 Stone Soup Conference! Great speakers, great cause, all for a great price. October 22nd (or later if you're busy that day). Come hear from Kirk Kirby, Drs. Camille Kolu, Nasiah Cirincione-Ulezi, Merrill Winston, Holly Gover, Tom Higbee, and Florence DiGennaro-Reed. Be sure to save at registration by using the promo code, PODCAST.

If you care about the future of ABA, it's important to understand not only its strengths, but also the myriad challenges the field faces. And to that end, I can't think of a more difficult challenge the field of Applied Behavior Analysis has right now than figuring out how to adequately measure outcome quality, and how this relates to funding ABA services.  My guest for Session 196 is Amanda Ralston, and she's been thinking a lot about these issues for quite some time, and she was kind enough to spend some an hour with me to share her thoughts.  As you'll learn in this episode, Mandy has been in the ABA field for over 20 years, and has experience founding and operating a large, statewide ABA provider, consulting with large multi-state ABA organizations, and much more. Mandy most recently founded NonBinary Solutions, which she talks about briefly. We discuss the current model of insurance reimbursement, and contrast that with what's referred to as Value-Based Pay or Value-Based Care. These payment models differ considerably from the current Fee-For-Service arrangements that most listeners are likely familiar with.  While Behavioral Observations is not a health-care policy podcast, I was encouraged to explore this topic by some friends and confidants, largely because this treatment model may be coming our way at some point. Given that Behavior Analysis is not a mature field as of 2022 - especially when it comes to funding our services - I thought it would be a good idea to explore the topic.  If you experience this conversation the same way I did, I think you'll come to the realization that there are more questions than answers when it comes to Value-Based Care (many of which are articulated in this short video), so I may return to this topic from time to time as things develop.  Here are some links to resources we discussed: NonBinary Solutions website, Instagram. Mandy's personal website, with links to related topics of interest. Council of Autism Service Providers (CASP). Behavioral Health Center of Excellence, plus Session 163 with Sara Litvak and Dr. Ellie Kazemi (discussion of standards, etc... in ABA Practice). The International Consortium for Health Outcomes Measurement (ICHOM). A series of Forbes articles on VBC. Session 196 is brought to you by the following: The 2022 Stone Soup Conference! Great speakers, great cause, all for a great price. October 22nd (or later if you're busy that day). Come hear from Kirk Kirby, Drs. Camille Kolu, Nasiah Cirincione-Ulezi, Merrill Winston, Holly Gover, Tom Higbee, and Florence DiGennaro-Reed. HRIC Recruiting. Barb Voss has been placing BCBAs in permanent positions throughout the US for just about a decade, and has been in the business more generally for 30 years. When you work with HRIC, you work directly with Barb, thereby accessing highly personalized service. So if you're about to graduate, you're looking for a change of pace, or you just want to know if the grass really is greener on the other side, head over to HRIColorado.com to schedule a confidential chat right away. Behavior University. Their mission is to provide university quality professional development for the busy Behavior Analyst. Learn about their CEU offerings, including their brand new 8-hour Supervision Course, as well as their RBT offerings over at behavioruniversity.com/observations. The University of Cincinnati Online. UC Online designed a Master of Education in Behavior Analysis program that is 100% online and asynchronous, meaning you log on when it works for you. Want to learn more? Go to online.uc.edu and click the “request info” button.

In the fourth installment of the Apollo Case Study Series, Dr. Jim Moore and I are joined by his fellow Apollo clinician, Jennifer Freedman. Jen is a newer BCBA, and we spent most of this episode talking about the advanced training and professional development she's received while working in Apollo's unique clinical model.  Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | YouTube In particular, here are just a few of the topics we covered in this wide-ranging conversation: How Jennifer learned advanced skills in the staff development practices at Apollo A review of the case of Jennifer's biggest success at Apollo The importance and utility of using universal behavior management protocols How Jennifer learned to use Relational Frame Theory concepts in her practice How to help learners who hit seemingly have hit developmental plateaus The role that various assessment and curricula have at Apollo (PEAK, EFL, VB-MAPP, etc...) How to communicate successful outcomes to funding sources How Jennifer learned to incorporate ACTraining in clinical practice Ways in which the clinical approach at Apollo is responsive to many current critiques of ABA Jim's critique of current social skills training approaches, and how he looks at it differentlyA Unique Approach for Staff Development As always, huge thanks to Kim Dean, Jim Moore, and everyone else at Apollo Behavior for bringing this case study series to you commercial free. Please take a minute to check Apollo out, either at their website, or on social media.  Resources mentioned in this podcast: Apollo Behavior (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn) PEAK Materials (FYI: no sponsored relationship... Mark, you're welcome   Emergent Learning Academy (PEAK and AIM Training Resources) A handful of ACT CEUs here (see Sessions 6, 14, 50, and 92) Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life (note: Amazon affiliate link)

According to the Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts, Code Element 1.07 states:  "Behavior analysts actively engage in professional development activities to acquire knowledge and skills related to cultural responsiveness and diversity," and that "they evaluate their own biases and ability to address the needs of individuals with diverse needs/ backgrounds..."  In order to provide some direction in this effort, the guests for the 12th installment of the Inside JABA Series, Drs. Corina Jiminez-Gomez and Lauren Beaulieu have written a pair of well-researched and thoughtful papers that have been published in the spring and summer issues of JABA. These papers are: Cultural responsiveness in applied behavior analysis: Self-assessment (Beaulieu and Jimenez-Gomez, 2022), and, Cultural responsiveness in applied behavior analysis: Research and practice (Jimenez-Gomez and Beaulieu, 2022). And they were kind enough to join Dr. Jeff Tiger and me to discuss their scholarship in this area. In particular, we talked about how Lauren and Corina became interested in this topic, some basic terms - as well as misconceptions - in this area, the importance of self-assessment, what it's like to venture into unfamiliar literatures, the role of culturally responsive functional assessment practices, "western science" as a culture, mistakes we sometimes make as practitioners, social validity, and much more.  This episode will be available for 1.5 Credits (Ethics) of BACB Continuing Education, and you can find out how to access this it here. Also, if you want to support the mission of JABA, please consider subscribing. As we mention in the episode, each JABA issue is about the size of a small textbook, and to my way of thinking, it represents an incredible value. If you have limited space on your bookshelf, you can purchase an online-access subscription too.  As noted above, these papers are extremely well-researched, and Lauren and Corina mentioned tons of work in the literature during the podcast. I've done my best to capture as many of those references as possible below. But for more information, I recommend simply going to the reference sections of the papers themselves, as they represent a treasure-trove of additional reading for those who are interested. Editor's Note: The Power of Big Ideas (LeBlanc, 2020) Multicultural alliance of behavior analysis standards for cultural competence in behavior analysis (Fong and Tanaka, 2013) Cultural Humility in the Practice of Applied Behavior Analysis (Wright, 2019) A Race Is a Nice Thing to Have: A Guide to Being a White Person or Understanding the White Persons in Your Life 3rd ed. Edition (Helms, 2019) Cultural Humility vs Cultural Competence (Tervalon and Murray-Garcia, 1998) Racial-cultural competence: Awareness, knowledge, and skills (Sue & Torino, 2005) Using Behavior Analysis to Examine the  Outcomes of Unproven Therapies: An Evaluation of Hyperbaric Oxygen  Therapy for Children with Autism (Lerman et al., 2008) An experimental analysis of gender-biased verbal behavior and self-editing using an online chat analog (Oda et al., 2022) Reporting Demographic Variables in JOBM and JAP: A Comparison and Call to Action (Natasi, Crowe, and Gravina, 2022) On the Standardization of the Functional Analysis (Jessel et al., 2020) Humble Behaviorism Redux (Kirby et al., 2022) Dr. Melanie Domenech Rodriguez Google Scholar Page  Assessment of social validity trends in the journal of applied behavior analysis (Ferguson et al., 2019)

If you've been tuning into one of the many Inside JABA Series I've done over the last few years, you're undoubtedly familiar with today's guest, Dr. Claire St. Peter. Claire is a Professor as well as the Director of Graduate Training at West Virginia University.  According to her university bio, Claire's "primary research interest is the assessment and intervention of challenging behavior. She is particularly interested in the development of effective interventions for challenging behavior displayed in school contexts (including the effects of degraded integrity on intervention efficacy) and with the dissemination of behavioral approaches to caregivers (teachers, parents, etc.)." And we do get to this very important topic of supporting typically developing individuals with behavior problems in school settings... but we get there in a roundabout way.  Before getting there, we talk about how she got into behavior analysis, and we spent a little more time on this than usual, because as it happens, Claire was doing her graduate training at The University of Florida at a time when many other prominent researchers and practitioners in Behavior Analysis were going through that program. I won't spoil the story here, but it's worth checking out because in my opinion it provides an interesting window into the development of an incredibly productive cohort of people.  We then transition into a primer of sorts in what's known as the "Constructional Approach" to behavioral treatment, intervention, and so forth. This approach was first described by Dr. Israel Goldiamond, and I highly recommend reading his seminal paper on this topic that was published in 1974. This topic has been getting a lot of attention in our field as of late, and I was thrilled to have Claire walk us through the basics of this perspective.  Towards the end of the podcast, Claire shares a fascinating case study in which she and her colleagues used this constructional approach to develop a novel behavioral intervention for a child who was exhibiting behavior problems in a school setting.  Again, if you're familiar with Claire's contributions to the Inside JABA Series, you know she loves a good soapbox, and in keeping with that, she offers some great advice for the newly minted at the close of the show.  Lastly, I don't want to forget to mention that Claire is the Editor in Chief of the journal, Education and Treatment of Children, which I think we mention briefly. There's a lot of good work being published there, so check it out if you get a chance. Also, Claire has made significant contributions in the area of treatment integrity (aka procedural fidelity), and I look forward to having her back on the show for a deep dive into that important topic.  Here are links to some of the resources we mentioned: Claire's lab website  Claire's Google Scholar Page  Goldiamond (1974): Toward a constructional approach to social problems: ethical and constitutional issues raised by applied behavior analysis  More Goldiamond: A Programming Contingency Analysis of Mental Health  Layng (2009). The Search for an Effective Clinical Behavior Analysis: The Nonlinear Thinking of Israel Goldiamond  Romano, St. Peter, Milyko, Mesches, and Foreman (2021). Incorporating Curricular Revision to Treat Escape-Maintained Behavior for Children with ADHD  Mammacare  Word of the Podcast  Inside JABA 7: There's No Such Thing as a Bad Boy, with Pat Friman Friman (2021). There is no such thing as a bad boy: The Circumstances View of problem behavior  Johnston, Pennypacker, and Green: Strategies and Tactics for Behavioral Research and Practice (note: Amazon Associates link).  Session 193 is brought to you by the following: Supervision Sidekick. Supervision Sidekick is not only a comprehensive curriculum that helps you mentor the next generation of Behavior Analysts, it's also a community of like-minded supervisors. Check out their easy to use digital platform and comprehensive instructional materials at www.sidekicklearning.net. Also, if you sign up for a monthly or yearly program, use coupon code behavioralobservations and save 10% at checkout. HRIC Recruiting. Barb Voss has been placing BCBAs in permanent positions throughout the US for just about a decade, and has been in the business more generally for 30 years. When you work with HRIC, you work directly with Barb, thereby accessing highly personalized service. So if you're about to graduate, you're looking for a change of pace, or you just want to know if the grass really is greener on the other side, head over to HRIColorado.com to schedule a confidential chat right away. Behavior University. Their mission is to provide university quality professional development for the busy Behavior Analyst. Learn about their CEU offerings, including their brand new 8-hour Supervision Course, as well as their RBT offerings over at behavioruniversity.com/observations. The University of Cincinnati Online. UC Online designed a Master of Education in Behavior Analysis program that is 100% online and asynchronous, meaning you log on when it works for you. Want to learn more? Go to online.uc.edu and click the “request info” button.

Dr. Jim Moore returns in the third installment of the increasingly popular Apollo Case Study Series (which by the way, is also Session 192).  In this episode, we cover quite a lot of ground, such as: Jim and his team's practical approach for language intervention How Jim encountered Relational Frame Theory by accident How rigid language repertoires can contribute to problem behavior How one does not need to be dogmatic as it relates to specific camps (i.e., Verbal Behavior vs. RFT; Isolated FA's vs. Synthesized ones, etc...) The "heaviness" of Megadeath and Metallica  Deriving or Bi-Directional Naming? Multiple Exemplar Training Is PEAK synonymous with RFT? When Jim uses the VB-MAPP and/or the Essential for Living  The Verbal Behavior Conference  Apollo CSS 2, CSS 1  I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did! And by the way, this episode is presented to you ad-free by Apollo Behavior. To learn more about them, check out their website, Facebook page, and LinkedIn profile. 

Why do people lie? It's an age-old question that's been asked for perhaps as long as our species has had verbal capabilities.  In this episode, Dr. Corey Stocco from The University of The Pacific joins me to discuss the existing scholarship in this area, as more specifically, the work that he and his colleagues have done in this area. Specifically, we walk through a recent paper that was published in Behavioral Interventions, Further Evaluation of Contingencies on Lying About Homework Completion.  Regarding this paper, we got way into the weeds in terms of how he recruited participants, the data that they had to leave out for space considerations, what they learned from this work, and where they want to go next in looking into the lying/truth-telling dynamic.  We even talked about how Kevin Luczynski's kid earned reinforcement for peeing on his floor.  As always, Corey closes out the show with some great advice for the newly minted! Lastly, on a housekeeping note, if I sounded more nasally than usual, your ears are working correctly. I was battling a cold during the interview, and I hope it wasn't too distracting for the purposes of this interview.  Bon Iver  Matt Norman's appearance in Session 65 of the BOP Prisoners of Silence film Rollins College speech (see the likely incomplete Editor's note at the bottom of the article) UW Eau Claire Behavior Analysis Undergraduate Program  Pat Friman's Under the Dome article A Behavior Analytic View of Human Development by Hank Schlinger (note: Amazon associates link) Stocco et al. (2021). Further evaluation of contingencies on lying about homework completion.  Resources for Corey's lab (website, IG) Say-Do Correspondence review paper  Parsons (1989). Lying  Victoria Talwar's Google Scholar page  Nurtureshock: New thinking about children (Amazon associates link) Bergstrom et al. (2016). Teaching children with Autism to tell socially appropriate lies  This episode of Behavioral Observations is brought to you by: Behavior Development Solutions (aka “BDS”) is back to sponsor Behavioral Observations! I know BDS, because their modules were part of my own exam prep strategy when I took the BCBA exam back in 2002. Their modules are so thorough, you’ll feel confident at the Board Exam and, you’ll be well prepared for your career. For BCBA and BCaBA candidates, they report a 98.5% pass rate for first-time exam takers… plus a money-back guarantee! They also have solutions for RBT aspirants, plus CE courses, and live webinars (most of which are free for anyone to attend). To learn more, head over to bds.com/bop for a special offer for podcast listeners!  The University of Cincinnati Online. UC Online designed a Master of Education in Behavior Analysis program that is 100% online and asynchronous, meaning you log on when it works for you. Want to learn more? Go to online.uc.edu and click the “request info” button. Do you need CEUs? Do you want to learn while you're on the go? Check out the podcasts that are available for BACB Continuing Education. Learn about Functional Assessment, Ethics, Supervision, and lots more from your favorite Behavioral Observations guests!

Have you ever felt the thrill of rolling a 20-sided die? If you're in the general demographic of a Behavioral Observations listener, I'd guess probably not. However, it may not surprise you to learn that being the cosmically uncoordinated and socially challenged kid of the 80s, I certainly have.  Which is why I jumped at the chance to speak with Session 190 guest, Rob Harvey, about how he uses role-playing games, like Dungeons and Dragons (D&D for short), to teach social skills to his clients.  If you're not familiar with D&D, don't worry. We go over what that is in this podcast. Rob also goes on to explain that by playing these games, clients get to practice skills like speech prosody, turn taking, teamwork, conflict resolution, perspective taking, and so much more. So even if you are not interested in role-playing games in principle, you might want to check this show out nonetheless because of the benefits it may have for the people you work with.  I would also offer that this type of activity seems like an unexplored area for research. Rob shared some of the anecdotal outcomes he's seen in this podcast, and it just made me think of how great it would be to see if these findings could be scientifically investigated. As far as numbers go, Rob has some data that suggest over 90% of his clients go on to play these games with peers outside of therapeutic hours, so it definitely seems like something is there.  Here links to things we discussed: Rob's grad program and BOP Sponsor (and no, we didn't plan this), University of Cincinnati Online. Rob's band, Vose. D & D stuff on Amazon (disclosure: affiliate link). Famous people who play D & D. Dungeons & Dragons Reddit.  Dungeons & Dragons Wikipedia page. D & D Discord.  What is an Alignment? Here's a quiz to find out your alignment. Game To Grow organization. Geek Therapeutics organization. Link to the Stranger Things D&D scene from the picture above. Session 190 is brought to you with support from: HRIC Recruiting. Barb Voss has been placing BCBAs in permanent positions throughout the US for just about a decade, and has been in the business more generally for 30 years. When you work with HRIC, you work directly with Barb, thereby accessing highly personalized service. So if you're about to graduate, you're looking for a change of pace, or you just want to know if the grass really is greener on the other side, head over to HRIColorado.com to schedule a confidential chat right away. Behavior University. Their mission is to provide university quality professional development for the busy Behavior Analyst. Learn about their CEU offerings, including their brand new 8-hour Supervision Course, as well as their RBT offerings over at behavioruniversity.com/observations. The University of Cincinnati Online. UC Online designed a Master of Education in Behavior Analysis program that is 100% online and asynchronous, meaning you log on when it works for you. Want to learn more? Go to online.uc.edu and click the “request info” button. Lastly, need CEUs on the go? Check out the podcasts that are available for BACB Continuing Education.

Oh boy, as the kids these days say, this show is a straight up banger. Dr. Jim Moore joins me again in our second installment in the Apollo Case Study Series, where we go deep into all things functional assessment.  Right out of the gate, I want to note that we do spend time reviewing both functional analysis and treatment data of clients that Jim has worked with in the past. We do the best we can to narrate the these data, but you're going to want to go to the show notes of the episode to see what we're talking about in order to get the most out of the discussion.  OK, in this episode, we discuss the following: How much evidence does one need in order to move forward with a behavioral intervention. How to assess the confidence in your functional assessment interview, and get the most out of these interactions with caregivers. How to train staff to be great interviewers. Treatment decisions based on functional assessment outcomes. When to use Isolated vs. Synthesized contingencies. How the staff at Apollo are mentored and supported in these functional assessment and treatment strategies. This list could actually go on and on (including a sidebar about values-based care - a topic I'd like to return to at some point), so I encourage you to listen to the episode all the way through. For example, in the last moments of the show, we discussed how to navigate some of the quasi-tribal verbal behavior that comes with the functional analysis territory. You definitely don't want to miss that.  Here are some links to resources we discussed in this episode: The inaugural Apollo Case Study Series show where Jim discusses scientific problem-solving. Mueller, Sterling, and Moore (2005). Towards Developing a Classroom-Based Functional Analysis Condition to Assess Escape-to-Attention as a Variable Maintaining Problem Behavior. A podcast I did with longtime friend, Dr. Jim Murphy, on Motivational Interviewing.  Forehand and Long book, as well as a podcast I did on those parenting principles with Brandon Franklin. Apollo Behavior's website, as well as their Facebook and LinkedIn pages. House, MD.

This was a fun one for sure. In Session 188, I chatted with Drs. Jill Dardig and Bill Heward about a whole host of topics, including their new book, Let's Make a Contract: A positive way to change your child's behavior.  In this conversation, we covered: How Jill and Bill discovered Behavior Analysis, especially at a time when it wasn't as ubiquitous as it is now. How they of course met each other (yes, there is a love story here). Why they wrote an earlier iteration of this book titled, Sign Here: A contracting book for children and their parents. The success Jill and Bill had in getting their works translated in various languages, and distributed to countries across the globe. The power of storytelling. The basics of behavioral contracting.  Special circumstances that make contracting challenging, and what to do about them. What to make of the "open economy" of today's screen-based reinforcers. Directions for future research in this area. Advice for the newly minted. Their hopes for the future of ABA.  This bullet list of course could go on and on. There are so many storylines in this conversation, from the history of ABA, to dissemination across cultures and languages, to the power of storytelling, to parenting, and so much more. I think there is something in this episode for everyone (note: we get to the actual mechanics of behavioral contracting about 1/2 to 2/3 the way into the conversation). Bill and Jill more generally offer some great parenting strategies in their description of the contracting process. We discussed some of the following resources in this episode: Their book of course, Let's Make a Contract. Michael (1993). Concepts and Principles of Behavior Analysis. Highlights for Children magazine. Risley (2005). Montrose Wolf memoriam in JABA. Today's ABA with Greg Hanley (Session 160; shameless plug: CEU for this podcast here). Gover et al (2021). On the generality of preference for contingent reinforcement.  Their soon-to-be developed companion website for the book.  Strain and Joseph (2004). A not so good job with "good job," A response to Cohn (2001). Session 188 is brought to you with support from: HRIC Recruiting. Barb Voss has been placing BCBAs in permanent positions throughout the US for just about a decade, and has been in the business more generally for 30 years. When you work with HRIC, you work directly with Barb, thereby accessing highly personalized service. So if you're about to graduate, you're looking for a change of pace, or you just want to know if the grass really is greener on the other side, head over to HRIColorado.com to schedule a confidential chat right away. Behavior University. Their mission is to provide university quality professional development for the busy Behavior Analyst. Learn about their CEU offerings, including their brand new 8-hour Supervision Course, as well as their RBT offerings over at behavioruniversity.com/observations. The University of Cincinnati Online. UC Online designed a Master of Education in Behavior Analysis program that is 100% online and asynchronous, meaning you log on when it works for you. Want to learn more? Go to online.uc.edu and click the “request info” button. Also: Check out the BOP Patreon Tiers if you want an ad-free feed that includes occasional bonus content! Need CEUs on the go? Check out the podcasts that are available for BACB Continuing Education.

In Session 187, Steve Ward joins me to discuss how to help individuals - in particular, individuals with severely limited communicated repertoires - who demonstrate challenging repertoires that are colloquially referred to as Anxiety.  Given that tortured sentence, you can probably already imagine that in this episode, we discuss how Steve conceptualizes what exactly Anxiety is, especially in populations who cannot verbally report on their private verbal behavior. More importantly, we discuss how he developed what he calls the "calm counts" procedure, and review a case study of this intervention that he recently published.  Here are the resources we discussed in this podcast: Using Differential Reinforcement in the Presence of Stressors to Teach Self-Calming (Ward, 2022). Calm Counts data sheet. Video of the technique being implemented. Whole Child Consulting (Steve's website that has tons of resources).  Whole Child Consulting FB Page. Good Learner Repertoires FB Group. Task As Reinforcer paper. Pink Floyd reference. Top Shelf Sports Bar and Grille. Steve's first appearance on BOP, Session 111. Friman, Hayes, and Wilson (1998). Why Behavior Analysts Should Study Emotion: The example of anxiety.  This session is brought to you with support from: Behavior Development Solutions (aka “BDS”) is back to sponsor Behavioral Observations! I know BDS, because their modules were part of my own exam prep strategy when I took the BCBA exam back in 2002. Their modules are so thorough, you’ll feel confident at the Board Exam and, you’ll be well prepared for your career. It's the premier exam-prep and curriculum supplement for BCBA and BCaBA candidates with a 98.5% pass rate for first-time BCBA exam takers… plus a money-back guarantee! They also have solutions for RBT aspirants, plus CE courses and live webinars (most of which are free for anyone to attend). To learn more, head over to "bds.com forward-slash "B O P"  for a special offer!  The University of Cincinnati Online. UC Online designed a Master of Education in Behavior Analysis program that is 100% online and asynchronous, meaning you log on when it works for you. Want to learn more? Go to online.uc.edu and click the “request info” button. Pick up some CEUs while you listen to Behavioral Observations! Click here to see the various ACE events on topics like Functional Assessment, Trauma-Informed Behavior Analysis, ACT, and much more!

In Session 186, I am joined by Chrissy Barosky, Clinical Director for Bierman Autism Centers. In this episode, we discussed how their organization adopted a Precision Teaching approach for their learners.  You heard that correctly, a large multi-state organization transitioned all of their data collection practices to the Standard Celeration Chart. So in this show, we dive into how Chrissy and her colleagues managed to pull this off, what they learned during the process, and the benefits they've seen from taking on such a large endeavor. We also discussed a paper that Chrissy and her colleagues published in Behavior Analysis in Practice titled, Increasing Trials Presented to Children With Autism: Using Frequency Building With Modeling and Feedback. This is a case study of how the authors taught behavioral technicians to improve the efficiency of their teaching using a frequency-building approach. Whether or not you care about the chart, I think this is an interesting episode because it speaks to a larger issue of organizational change. Chances are, if you're listing to this podcast, you're not using the chart. Imagine for a moment that your agency decided to adopt it? So in many respects, this episode presents an opportunity for a fun thought experiment about about changing clinical practices, and I hope you find the exercise helpful.  As a matter of housekeeping, I to apologize for some of the audio quality challenges issues we had during this episode, including my dogs barking for several minutes when my town decided to do some tree-trimming along my road. I don't think it detracts from the overall conversation, but wanted to make a note of this.  Here are links to some of the resources we mentioned: Bierman Autism Centers  Can precision teaching save the world?  Barosky, Keane, and Gallagher (2021). Increasing Trials Presented to Children With Autism: Using Frequency Building With Modeling and Feedback A slideshow where a 5 year old teaches a charting tutorial (translation: you can do it too!) Where you can purchase charts and learn more. The Standard Celeration Society FB group Links to several BOP shows on Precision Teaching Bulla et al (2021). Introduction to the Special Section: Precision Teaching: Discoveries and Applications Octave's Project Blue training for aspiring charters Rick Kubina's Precision Teaching books PrecisionX charting software Session 186 is brought to you with support from: HRIC Recruiting. Barb Voss has been placing BCBAs in permanent positions throughout the US for just about a decade, and has been in the business more generally for 30 years. When you work with HRIC, you work directly with Barb, thereby accessing highly personalized service. So if you're about to graduate, you're looking for a change of pace, or you just want to know if the grass really is greener on the other side, head over to HRIColorado.com to schedule a confidential chat right away. Behavior University. (who incidentally is sponsoring the Stone Soup Conference!) Their mission is to provide university quality professional development for the busy Behavior Analyst. Learn about their CEU offerings, including their brand new 8-hour Supervision Course, as well as their RBT offerings over at behavioruniversity.com/observations. The University of Cincinnati Online. UC Online designed a Master of Education in Behavior Analysis program that is 100% online and asynchronous, meaning you log on when it works for you. Want to learn more? Go to online.uc.edu and click the “request info” button.

In Session 185, AKA Inside JABA Series #11, I'm joined by Drs. Linda LeBlanc, Jeff Tiger, and Javier Virues-Ortega for a deep dive into automatically maintained behavior. This session was inspired by the study Javier and his colleagues published in the Spring 2022 issue of JABA (Virues-Ortega, Clayton, Perez-Bustamante, Gaerlan, and Fahmie, 2022).  In this episode, we discuss the nature of, and challenges with automatically-maintained problem behavior. And this is tackled from both conceptual and treatment angles. As I mention in the episode, I don't encounter these types of problem behaviors that frequently these days, so it was a treat to update my knowledge in this area.  It's easy to think of automatic reinforcement as a monolith, but as it turns out, even dividing it up between positive and negative reinforcement may not be sufficient enough to render effective treatment.  We spent probably the first 25-30 minutes discussing some of the known challenges associated with assessing and treating these repertoires, and then spend the remaining time discussing Javier and his colleagues' paper, which presented two very unique investigations.  If you work with individuals with these profiles, you'll want to listen all the way through, and better still, check out the paper itself.  Here are some of the studies we discussed: Functional analysis patterns of automatic reinforcement: A review and component analysis of treatment effects (Virues-Ortega et al., 2022) An analysis of the reinforcing properties of handmouthing (Goh et al., 1995) Delineating subtypes of Self Injurious Behavior maintained by automatic reinforcement (Hagopian, Rooker, and Zarcone, 2015). A retrospective analysis of stereotypy: Applicability of the behavioral subtyping model (Wunderlich, Hemstreet and Best, 2022; not discussed during this episode, but in the same issue of JABA, and on my list to read next).  Lastly, I'd be remiss if I did not take a minute to thank Linda LeBlanc for reaching out to me to start the Inside JABA series. As I tell her every chance I get, I consider it an honor to be involved with the flagship journal in our field. If someone told me as an undergraduate at the University of New Hampshire that I'd be regularly involved with JABA in some capacity, I wouldn't have believed them.  As some of you might know, Linda's term as Editor in Chief is expiring, but we are planning to continue the podcast series with incoming EIC, Dr. John Borrero. More info on this to come, but in the meantime, please enjoy this installment of the Inside JABA Series. 

I'm really excited to introduce a new special podcast series that I'm publishing with Dr. Jim Moore of Apollo Behavior. In this series, we're going to talk about a lot of practical topics that we hope will resonate with BCBA's of all experience levels. We have great plans to discuss topics like supervision, functional assessment, skill acquisition, and much more. Real world challenges that just about every practitioner faces. In this episode, we focused on a clinical problem solving model that Jim's been developing over the years. So if you're working with learners who are struggling to make progress, this is the show for you. We don't have a ton of links for this one, but here are some things that we referenced: Apollo Behavior's website The 7 Steps to Instructional Control The Founder (movie Jim references) Skinner's Attitudes of Science What does Mise en Place mean? Lastly, I should note that this series is brought to you ad-free by Apollo Behavior. If you're interested in what they do, and/or if you want to learn more about what Jim discussed, reach out to them either at info@apollobehavior.com or jim@apollobehavior.com.

I've seen posts on social media here and there about World Behavior Analysis Day, but honestly I did not know a whole lot about it. And this is why I was really excited to sit down and chat with WBAD President, Elizabeth Drago, for a deep dive.  It turns out that WBAD is more than a 'high five' amongst like minded behavioral scientists. In fact, the WBAD Alliance is doing a lot for dissemination, especially internationally. So as you might expect by now, we get into that and a whole lot more in this special episode of Behavioral Observations! In our chat, Elizabeth mentioned various resources, etc... and I hope I've captured all of them below:     The WBAD main website  The WBAD contact page for inquiries WBAD on YouTube  Ways to get involved  WBAD on Facebook and Instagram  Please note: Check out the 2022 Verbal Behavior Conference! Learn about the benefits of subscribing via Patreon! Grab some CEUs on the go... learn by listening to your favorite Behavior Analysts!

Dr. Kevin Luczynski joins me for a really fun conversation in Session 182 of The Behavioral Observations Podcast. If you're not familiar with Kevin, he is an Assistant Professor at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and the Director for the recently initiated Virtual Care Program at the Munroe Meyer Institute.  In this episode, we cover the following: How Kevin discovered Behavior Analysis. How Kevin endeared himself to his then co-worker, now wife, and previous BOP guest, Dr. Nicole Rodriguez. What inspired some of the early Preschool Life Skills studies. How universal protocols like Balance and PLS fit into PBIS.  The role of preference for contingent reinforcement, and, A brief primer on Joint Control... something I am not very familiar with, but am looking forward to learning more about, especially at Kevin's upcoming talks at the 2022 Verbal Behavior Conference.  Kevin also leaves us with four pieces of just outstanding advice. I've been pushing my guests lately to really think hard about answering this question lately, and Kevin does not disappoint. As such, you're going to want to listen through to the end.  For Patreon subscribers, we spend an additional 5-10 minutes talking about his interest in the role that ecological validity plays in applied research.  Here are some resources for what we discussed: Session 164 with Kelsey Ruppel. The folks at FTF! An Introduction to Joint Control. Lowenkron (2006). The maintenance of behavior change as an indicator of social validity. Kennedy (2002). Nearly all the other publications we discussed. Never split the difference, Chris Voss. How to have impossible conversations, Boghossian and Lindsay. Cruciallearning.com. This podcast is brought to you with support from: Institutional Tier Patron Greenspace Behavioral Technology. Greenspace behavior offers cutting edge supervisor coaching, performance and competency-based trainings, and organizational supports for new BCBA and trainees. Find out how you can optimize your supervision practices, improve clinical outcomes, and increase employee satisfaction at Greenspacebehavior.com. We are also brought to you by HRIC Recruiting. If you’re a new BCBA – or a BCBA of any experience level for that matter – and you need an independent person to advise you on today’s job market, go to HRIColorado.com to schedule a confidential appointment with Barbara Voss. Are you interested in getting CEUs on the go, all while listening to your favorite BOP episodes? Click here to learn more!

In Session 181, Dr. Francesca Degli Espinosa, Ph.D, BCBA-D, joins me for a wide-ranging conversation that in my opinion, got better and better as it went on! If you're not familiar with Francesca or her work, she is director and consultant at ABA Clinic Ltd., adjunct professor at the University of Salerno, and a guest lecturer at Queen's College, Belfast, and Pennsylvania State University. She is regarded as an expert in Skinner's analysis of verbal behavior, and will be one of the featured speakers at the 2022 Verbal Behavior Conference, which incidentally, is coming up right around the corner. We cover quite a lot in this interview, including why she pivoted away from studying medicine, her first response to reading Verbal Behavior, how she 'stalked' Vince Carbone at a conference, her paper, Teaching generalized question-discrimination skills to children with Autism: Conceptual and applied considerations, why clinicians at all levels should still do direct therapy, what she plans to discuss at this year's Verbal Behavior Conference, why we should seek to understand concepts and principles better rather than being overly technological in nature, and lots more! As always, we close the public feed with Francesca sharing some excellent advice for newly-minted BCBA's. And, for you, the Patreon subscriber, we spend another 15-minutes or so discussing dog training. In this subscriber-only segment, Francesca talks about why she finally got a dog (his name is Darwin), the ups and downs of training, and what she's learned from this experience.  Other resources mentioned in this podcast Schlinger (1995). A Behavior Analytic View of Child Development. Remington et al. (2007). Early intensive behavioral intervention: Outcomes for children with Autism and their parents after two years.  Michael, Palmer, and Sundberg (2011). The multiple control of verbal behavior. Horne and Lowe (1996). On the origins of naming and other symbolic behavior.  Miguel (2016). Common and Intraverbal Bidirectional Naming. Verbal Behavior Conference registration page.  Session 181 is brought to you with support from: Behavior University. Their mission is to provide university quality professional development for the busy Behavior Analyst. Learn about their CEU offerings, including their brand new 8-hour Supervision Course, as well as their RBT offerings over at behavioruniversity.com/observations. Tate Behavioral, a progressive ABA provider located in the Pioneer Valley of Massachusetts. If you’re a BCBA looking to work for a supportive and innovative team, and live in the heart of charming New England, visit their jobs page by clicking here! The Secret Agent Society Small Group Program helps kids 8 to 12 years old crack the code of emotions and friendships through an animated ‘secret agent’ theme.  With a sophisticated digital health platform now at the heart of the program, you can deliver groups face-to-face, with telehealth, or a combination of formats. Follow this link to book a live demo from anywhere around the world. Also, don’t forget to mention that “Matt sent you” to have your SAS Provider establishment fee waived (a minimum $500 USD value)! Last but not least, special thanks goes to this year's Verbal Behavior Conference! Click here to learn more and register.

This recording was a fun and way-overdue Patreon member hangout with the incomparable Dr. Merrill Winston. In this episode, we discussed how Greg Hanley influenced Merrill's departure from his previous employer, how he wanted to do more than be considered as the restrain and seclusion guru, his new enterprise, Winston Behavioral Solutions, when it's OK to break the rules, and much more.  As a matter of fact, we spent the most amount the hangout discussing what makes a good behavior plan (and conversely, why some of them stink!).  This session started out in an interview format, but we quickly transitioned to Q and A with the attendees, and what resulted was a genuinely enjoyable conversation amongst several experienced Behavior Analysts. And if you don't listen to anything else, you have to listen to the hilarious story that Merrill closes the hangout with. While I'd love it if you listened to the podcast in its entirety, you could be forgiven for skipping to the end to hear it.  Here are some links to things that came up in Session 180: Merrill's new company/website. Callahan et al. (2019). Behavioral Artistry: Examining the Relationship Between the Interpersonal Skills and Effective Practice Repertoires of Applied Behavior Analysis Practitioners. Before Rosa Parks, There Was Claudette Colvin. The Patreon Group! Merrill's first and second appearances on the show. Shoutout to Dr. Paulie Gavoni (grab his latest book here). Correlation between self-reported rigidity and rule-governed insensitivity to operant contingencies (Wulfert, Greenway, Farkas, Hayes, and Dougher, 1994). Who was Troy McClure? This podcast is brought to you by: The Secret Agent Society Small Group Program helps kids 8 to 12 years old crack the code of emotions and friendships through an animated ‘secret agent’ theme.  With a sophisticated digital health platform now at the heart of the program, you can deliver groups face-to-face, with telehealth, or a combination of formats. Follow this link to book a live demo from anywhere around the world. Also, don’t forget to mention that “Matt sent you” to have your SAS Provider establishment fee waived (a minimum $500 USD value)! The 2022 Verbal Behavior Conference! The 2022 event will be taking place both in-person and virtually over April 7th and 8th. If you can't make it to Austin, Texas, then head over to behaviorlive.com/vbc for info on how to tune in from afar. The conference itself will feature Vince Carbone, Francesca Degli Espinosa, Tamara Kasper, Pat McGreevy, Sarah Lechago, Kevin Luczynski, Kelle Rich, David Roth, Mark Sundberg, and Hank Schlinger. I will be there too to host the 2022 Panel Discussion, so again, if you’re interested in learning more, head on over to behaviorlive.com/vbc for more details. Institutional Tier Patron Greenspace Behavioral Technology. Greenspace behavior offers cutting edge supervisor coaching, performance and competency-based trainings, and organizational supports for new BCBA and trainees. Find out how you can optimize your supervision practices, improve clinical outcomes, and increase employee satisfaction at Greenspacebehavior.com. Yours Truly... If you're in need of BACB Continuing Education, get some credit for the shows you're already listening to, because the Behavioral Observations Podcast is an Approved Continuing Education provider. That's right, learn on-the-go with some of your favorite podcasts guests. Click here to learn about not only the variety of topics offered, but also the significant discounts for bulk purchases!

Dr. John Michael Guercio joins me again to discuss a topic that we briefly covered in his last appearance; Behavioral Relaxation Training. In this show, John does a deep dive into this work, drawing on the research of Drs. Roger Poppen, Duane Lundervold, and of course John himself.  Along with the aforementioned Drs. Poppen and Lundervold, John is the co-author of the third edition of the text, Behavioral Relaxation Training. He is also the author of Assessment of Adult Core Competencies: Teaching Skills to Adults with Autism and Severe Behavioral Challenges, which we discussed at length in his earlier appearance in Session 140.  We discuss how BRT was developed, its current applications, and the training required to do it. We also spent a good deal of time talking about becoming trained to implement BRT, scope of practice issues, and protecting client safety. So in case we were not clear in the discussion, if this is something you'd like to do, please seek out the appropriate training and supervision. For Patreon Subscribers, there is an additional 10 minutes or so where John tells a fun story about meeting his childhood football hero, and how said hero invited him to his house for wings and beer. How cool is that!?!? I hope Tom Brady hears this so I can have a similar experience in the next 10 or 15 years, lol.  Here are links to resourced mentioned in the show: The movie, Paper Tigers Stillness Speaks, by Eckhart Tolle NADD Accreditation Programs Why Behavior Analysts Should Study Emotion: the example of anxiety. (Friman, Hayes, and Wilson, 1998) John's ABAI bio sketch (with email contact link) This podcast is brought to you by: Behavior University. Their mission is to provide university quality professional development for the busy Behavior Analyst. Learn about their CEU offerings, including their brand new 8-hour Supervision Course, as well as their RBT offerings over at behavioruniversity.com/observations. Tate Behavioral, a progressive ABA provider located in the Pioneer Valley of Massachusetts. If you’re a BCBA looking to work for a supportive and innovative team, and live in the heart of charming New England, visit their jobs page by clicking here! The Secret Agent Society Small Group Program helps kids 8 to 12 years old crack the code of emotions and friendships through an animated ‘secret agent’ theme.  With a sophisticated digital health platform now at the heart of the program, you can deliver groups face-to-face, with telehealth, or a combination of formats. Follow this link to book a live demo from anywhere around the world. Also, don’t forget to mention that “Matt sent you” to have your SAS Provider establishment fee waived (a minimum $500 USD value)! The Whoop Strap! I've been wearing the Whoop Strap for over a year now, and I can't tell you how much I've enjoyed getting quantitative information on all aspects of my health, including sleep analytics, heart rate, along with heart rate variability, calorie burn, exercise intensity, and Whoop's proprietary "strain" score. I could extol this neat device's virtues indefinitely to you, but instead, you can go check it out for yourself. To get your first month free, head over to behavioralobservations.com/whoop! Also, feel free to join the Behavior Analysts who Whoop Facebook group!

In Session 178, we're going to hop in the time machine and take a trip back to April 2021. That's correct.  This episode of The Behavioral Observations Podcast comes from the recorded panel discussion at last year's Verbal Behavior Conference. The panel consisted of Drs. Pat McGreevy, April Kisamore, Nicole Rodriguez, Alice Shillingsburg, Hank Schlinger, and Vince Carbone. With regard to Vince's appearance on the panel, I'm told that he really never does them, so our hosts at the Central Texas Autism Center must have been incredibly persuasive to get him to participate! Here are just a few things we covered in this panel event: Prompts and prompt dependence Training, supervision, and burnout issues for direct service providers How to think about the concept of ‘behavioral artistry’ How the behavior of the client informs and influences the behavior of the therapist How to advocate teaching functional skills instead of academic ones How three BCBAs hired an OBM consultant to assess their practice Why some of the panelists feel teaching to the BACB task list is not good for the field One of the reasons I held back on publishing this until now is that the 2022 VBC is coming up soon, and I thought that this would be a great way to get folks adequately prepared for it.  The 2022 event will be taking place both in-person and virtually over April 7th and 8th. If you can't make it to Austin, Texas, then head over to behaviorlive.com/vbc for info on how to tune in from afar.  One of the unique things about the 2022 event is that Dr. Hank Schlinger will be teaching a four-part Verbal Behavior master class to get you prepared for the conference. These will occur in four, 2-hour sessions that will take place on February 16th, February 23rd, March 2nd, and March 9th.  The conference itself will feature Vince Carbone, Francesca Degli Espinosa, Tamara Kasper, Pat McGreevy, Sarah Lechago, Kevin Luczynski, Kelle Rich, David Roth, Mark Sundberg, and Hank Schlinger. I will be there too to host the 2022 Panel Discussion, so again, if you’re interested in learning more, head on over to behaviorlive.com/vbc for more details. This episode is brought to you by Tate Behavioral, a progressive ABA provider located in the Pioneer Valley of Massachusetts. If you’re a BCBA looking to work for a supportive and innovative team, and live in the heart of charming New England, visit tatebehavioral.com We are also brought to you by HRIC Recruiting. If you’re a new BCBA – or a BCBA of any experience level for that matter – and you need an independent person to advise you on today’s job market, go to HRIColorado.com to schedule a confidential appointment with Barbara Voss.

As far as podcast go, this episode was kind of tough to write a headline for (a task that I probably devote way too much time to doing!). My guest in Session 177, John McElwee, has been in the field - to paraphrase a line from Aubrey Daniels - before there was a field. John has had a long and productive career that's had some very interesting twists and turns. He's still going strong these days, and learning new things to help individuals with a wide variety of developmental and behavioral challenges. With that in mind, I suppose an overarching theme in this episode could be thought of as how John charted his own career path. In other words, by being open to new experiences, and actively investing in his professional development, he has been able to do some really interesting things in the field of ABA. So for early career professionals, try to listen to this episode with this in mind. In this episode, we discuss how John got into the field, the he took a detour in his graduate training to work as a union electrician, the work he did in the area of marriage and family systems, his connections with folks like Drs. Alan Kazdin and Russell Barkely, and lots more. But in the latter half of the show, we spend a considerable time discussing how John serendipitously discovered Relational Frame Theory by chatting up Dermot and Yvonne Barnes-Holmes at an ABAI conference, and how he saw the benefits of using this approach with individuals with ASD in an Early Intervention context. Along the way, we discuss the upcoming webinar series that John's doing with Peak Behavioral. If you're interested in learning more about this, it starts in March 2022. You can find information about this webinar series as well as individualized coaching opportunities with John through Peak Behavioral Services' website: www.pkservice.org/purchase. If this is something you're interested in and you'd like to save a few bucks in the process, use the promo code "podcast22" at checkout to receive a discounted price of $79 per webinar. Resources mentioned in this episode: Check out John's webinar series with Peak Behavior! Oregon Social Learning Center. Dr. Russell Barkley. Dr. Alan Kazdin. The Purple Book.* Brief Report: The Training and Assessment of Relational Precursors and Abilities (TARPA): A Preliminary Analysis (Moran, Stewart, McElwee, and Ming, 2010). Using RFT to Promote Generative Language, Volume 1 (Ming, Stewart, and McElwee). This podcast is brought to you with the support of: The Whoop Strap! I've been wearing the Whoop Strap for over a year now, and I can't tell you how much I've enjoyed getting quantitative information on all aspects of my health, including sleep analytics, heart rate, along with heart rate variability, calorie burn, exercise intensity, and Whoop's proprietary "strain" score. I could extol this neat device's virtues indefinitely to you, but instead, you can go check it out for yourself. To get your first month free, head over to behavioralobservations.com/whoop! Institutional Tier Patron Greenspace Behavioral Technology. Greenspace behavior offers cutting edge supervisor coaching, performance and competency-based trainings, and organizational supports for new BCBA and trainees. Find out how you can optimize your supervision practices, improve clinical outcomes, and increase employee satisfaction at Greenspacebehavior.com. And of course, the aforementioned Peak Behavioral, where you can sign up for John's webinar series using the discount code, podcast22 at checkout.

In the 10th (tenth!!!) installment of the Inside JABA Series, Dr. Linda LeBlanc and I are joined by Drs. Jenn Austin and Dithu Rajaraman to discuss the paper they co-authored with Drs. Holly Gover, Tony Cammilleri, David Donnelly, and Greg Hanley. The paper is titled, Towards Trauma-Informed Applications of Behavior Analysis, and you can find it in the latest issue of the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis. If you haven't seen the paper yet, check out the abstract below: Despite a growing acknowledgement of the importance of understanding the impacts of trauma on therapeutic approaches across human service disciplines, discussions of trauma have been relatively infrequent in the behavior analytic literature. In this paper, we delineate some of the barriers to discussing and investigating trauma in applied behavior analysis (ABA) and describe how the core commitments of trauma-informed care could be applied to behavior analysis. We then provide some examples of how trauma-informed care might be incorporated into ABA practice. We conclude by suggesting opportunities to approach trauma as a viable avenue for behavior analytic research and argue that omitting trauma-informed care from ABA could be detrimental not only to the public perception of ABA, but to the effectiveness of our assessment and treatment procedures. Rajaraman et al. (2022) During the discussion, we covered: How this large group of authors became connected. What motivated them to write this paper. What literatures outside of Behavior Analysis informed their point of view. How this paper is a "Big Idea Paper." Why Behavior Analysts may shy away from discussing trauma. The core commitments of Trauma-Informed ABA. The parallels between Compassionate Care and Trauma-Informed ABA. The role of Respondent Conditioning. Whether a Trauma-specific certification for ABA providers would be helpful. If you haven't done so already, I do recommend going back in the catalog and checking out Session 131 with Dr. Camille Kolu. As a matter of fact, I've been in contact with her recently, and we're planning on a follow up episode, so if you're interested in learning more about the implications of adverse experiences as they relate to the practice of Behavior Analysis, simply stay tuned. As with the other shows in the Inside JABA Series, this episode is available for BACB Continuing Education. If you'd like to learn more about how to access these podcasts for your professional development needs, click here. Also, if you enjoy the Inside JABA content, please consider subscribing to the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis. Compared to other journals, it's quite a bargain price-wise, and it helps to support the Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior. Resourced discussed in this episode: The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma* Toxic Childhood Stress* Compassionate Care in Behavior Analytic Treatment. Taylor, LeBlanc, and Nosik (2018). Centers for Disease Control ACES page.

As noted in the first few minutes of this episode, Dr. Florence DiGennaro Reed has been one of the most-requested guests by audience members, and I'm thrilled to have her back on the show for a one-on-one chat.  Dr. DiGennaro Reed, better known as Flo by friends and colleagues, is the Chairperson of the Department of Applied Behavioral Science as well as the Director of The Performance Management Laboratory at the University of Kansas.  In this interview, we chat about her unique early experiences in Behavior Analysis and the fascinating research that she's conducting at KU. We also spent a good chunk of time talking about meetings. I know that may sound boring, but hear me out... we talk about the attributes of bad meetings, and conversely how to run effective meetings. We also talk about how to determine whether that meeting you had really could have bene an email (insert meme here ;-).  We then segued into discussing navigating power differentials in the workplace, having difficult conversations in the workplace, optimizing Behavioral Skills Training sequences, and learning essential professional repertoires for today's BCBAs.  We close the public feed of this interview with some fantastic advice for the newly-minted BCBA (or BCBAs of all experience levels for that matter!) For Patreon subscribers, we spend some additional content time discussing how to present effectively via Zoom or other conferencing platforms.  Resources discussed in this episode: The Performance Management Laboratory. An Introduction to Behavior Analysis (disclosure: Amazon Affiliate Link).  Meeting vs. Email decision chart.  Planning and Leading Effective Meetings (LeBlanc and Nosik, 2019).  Enhancing the training integrity of human service staff using pyramidal behavioral skills training (Erath et al, 2020).  Training human service staff to implement behavioral skills training using a video-based intervention (Erath, DiGennaro Reed, and Blackman, 2021).  Functional Assessment and Intervention for Organizational Behavior Change: Improving the Timeliness of Staff Meetings at a Human Services Organization (Fienup et al, 2013).  Crucial Conversations (disclosure: Amazon Affiliate Link). ACT Bullseye Exercise.  Reddit ABA page. Session 175 is brought to you with support from: HRIC Recruiting. Barb Voss has been placing BCBAs in permanent positions throughout the US for just about a decade, and has been in the business more generally for 30 years. When you work with HRIC, you work directly with Barb, thereby accessing highly personalized service. So if you're about to graduate, you're looking for a change of pace, or you just want to know if the grass really is greener on the other side, head over to HRIColorado.com to schedule a confidential chat right away. Behavior University. (who incidentally is sponsoring the Stone Soup Conference!) Their mission is to provide university quality professional development for the busy Behavior Analyst. Learn about their CEU offerings, including their brand new 8-hour Supervision Course, as well as their RBT offerings over at behavioruniversity.com/observations.

Hi folks, as I note in my opening comments, my friends from ABA Inside Track and I got together again for a Year-In-Review episode. Perhaps in keeping with our mood, we kept this year's review somewhat light. Instead of discussing the weighty issues of Behavior Analysis, we talked about what we've been up to in 2021. Jackie and I talk about our Covid stories, Diana shares her go to source on all things pandemic, and Rob and I talk about what we're seeing in schools these days. We also talk about what's new for our shows, and at the very end, we discuss some of our favorite non-ABA podcasts too. Before signing off for 2021, I want to extend a huge thanks to everyone who listened to the show this year. I'd also like to thank my awesome sponsors (special shout outs to Behavior University and HRIC!), Patreon subscribers, and CEU customers. Collectively, you've all made this podcast truly viable, and for that I am eternally grateful! On that note, I hope everyone in listener-land has a safe, happy, and prosperous New Year. I look forward to sharing more fun conversations with you in 2022!

If you're like me, you are seeing more and more news articles about the challenges schools are facing with students engaging in problem behavior. For example, not too far from my home, a school district in Vermont recently proposed to shorten the school week in order to provide teachers with extra time to prepare for, and perhaps recover from, challenging behaviors in the classroom setting. As we've discussed many times before on this podcast, clearly there is a role for Behavior Analysis in these settings. And it is with that in mind that I was excited to chat with Dr. Paulie Gavoni, Anika Costa, and Andrew Houvouras about the book that they recently published with co-authors Frank Krukauskas and Eric Gormley. It's called "Quick Responses for Reducing Misbehavior and Suspensions: A behavioral toolbox for classroom and school leaders." In this episode, we spend a good chunk of time discussing the impact of the pandemic on student behavior, and why they felt this type of book was necessary to write. And while they provide an overview of the Quick Room process, I do think the book is worth getting for any school leader who is grappling with these increasingly common problems. For Patreon subscribers, we spent an additional 10-20 minutes talking about the book writing process more generally, along with what the authors learned after putting this incredible resource together. If you'd like to become a Patreon member to get commercial free access to the show, it's really easy to do so. Just go to Patreon.com/behavioralobservations to learn more. During our chat, we referenced a ton of resources, and I have done my best to catalog them below: The Quick Responses book The "Sprick Ratio" The 5:1 ratio in marriage "Human Competence," Thomas Gilbert Motivating Human Services Staff, Reed and Parsons (2006) School consultation pods (Session 74, Session 101, Session 78, etc...) Motivational Interviewing This podcast is brought to you by the following: Institutional Tier Patron Greenspace Behavioral Technology. Greenspace behavior offers cutting edge supervisor coaching, performance and competency-based trainings, and organizational supports for new BCBA and trainees. Find out how you can optimize your supervision practices, improve clinical outcomes, and increase employee satisfaction at Greenspacebehavior.com. Our very own BOP CEU offerings! Did you know we offer over 28 CEU events? To add to that, I'll have a few more that I'll be putting out there in early 2021, so if you'd like to learn about functional assessment, supervision, ethics, school consultation, along with the nerdy goodness of all the Inside JABA episodes, learn more at Behavioralobservations.com/Get-ceus! Lastly, if your 2022 plans include marketing your product, service, or agency to one of the largest and most engaged ABA audiences, consider advertising on Behavioral Observations.

Mandy Mason's road to discovering Behavior Analysis is a little different than most of my guests. When her daughter was diagnosed with Autism, she literally traveled the globe to find out how best to help her. I don't want to spoil the story too much, but what I will say is that Mandy's search for an effective treatment changed not only her daughter's life, but the lives of countless others. That's because once Mandy discovered ABA, and combined it with the power of Precision Teaching and Precision Measurement, she was off to the races. Mandy is the founder and CEO of Fit Learning Australia, where she and her team provide learning and behavioral interventions for a wide variety of clients. Her talents extend far beyond the world of Precision Teaching though. She is an Autism advocate in Australia, a Motivational Speaker, and in her spare time, a World Champion sprinter. Oh yeah, in her "spare" time, she also hosts The ABA and PT Podcast, which you can find on just about all podcast platforms (please check it out, and if you do, be sure to leave a great rating and review!). In this episode, we get into how Mandy discovered ABA, what led her to adopting a PT approach to her daughter's programming, how she connected with longtime friend-of-podcast Dr. Kimberly Berens, how she started Fit Learning Australia, how she balances such incredible work and life demands, and much more. For Patreon subscribers, we spend about another 20 minutes talking about how she got into sprinting, athlete management and coaching, and other fitness-related topics. This podcast is brought to you by: HRIC Recruiting. Barb Voss has been placing BCBAs in permanent positions throughout the US for just about a decade, and has been in the business more generally for 30 years. When you work with HRIC, you work directly with Barb, thereby accessing highly personalized service. So if you're about to graduate, you're looking for a change of pace, or you just want to know if the grass really is greener on the other side, head over to HRIColorado.com to schedule a confidential chat right away. Behavior University. (who incidentally is sponsoring the Stone Soup Conference!) Their mission is to provide university quality professional development for the busy Behavior Analyst. Learn about their CEU offerings, including their brand new 8-hour Supervision Course, as well as their RBT offerings over at behavioruniversity.com/observations. The Professional Crisis Management Association, or PCMA for short. Later on in the show, you'll hear from one of the most popular podcast guests, Dr. Merrill Winston, where he'll talk about how PCMA helps agencies support individuals who exhibit dangerous behaviors. For more info on them, go to PCMA.com.

If you're a BCBA supporting kids in public school settings, or even if you're a parent who has kids in school, you probably already know that sound classroom management is hard to come by. This phenomenon is perhaps more acute as schools have to contend with the disruptions in continuity imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic. As such, it is reasonable to ask what Behavior Analysis has to offer when it comes to helping teachers spend more time teaching, and less time dealing with conduct problems. Luckily, Behavior Analysis has provided us with a tried and true, easily implemented strategy for improving classroom management, and it's called The Good Behavior Game (GBG for short). And in Session 171, I had the opportunity to speak with Dr. Jeanne Donaldson from Louisiana State University about the GBG in quite a bit of detail. As you'll discover in the interview, Jeanne earned her Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Florida and is now an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at Louisiana State University, where she conducts research on commonly-encountered childhood behavioral challenges. She was the 2018 recipient of the B. F. Skinner Foundation New Applied Researcher Award from APA Division 25. She is currently an Associate Editor at the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis. Dr. Donaldson is a BCBA-D and Licensed Behavior Analyst in the state of Louisiana. In this episode we discuss how Jeanne got into Behavior Analysis, we provide an overview of the general structure of the GBG, and we hear what it was like for Jeanne to run the GBG for the first time in a classroom setting. We also talk about procedural variations of the GBG as well as how to troubleshoot when the GBG. In these exchanges, I hope you'll develop an appreciation of the broad applicability of this approach, especially in light of some of the positive outcomes that have been documented in some longitudinal studies of the GBG. At the same time, I always get a bit disappointed when discussing the GBG, because we have an extraordinarily robust intervention ready to offer the world, but as we discuss in this episode, most public school teachers have no clue about it. It's kind of the opposite of the Habit Reversal literature, where the behavioral treatment of tic disorders could be considered standard-of-care these days. As such, for my fellow school-based practitioners, I'd love to hear what you think the barriers are to this intervention. Lastly, Jeanne has also contributed to the Time Out literature, and for Patreon subscribers, we spend the last 15 minutes or so discussing what some current best practices are for using this procedure. Patreon subscribers can get early access and ad-free episodes, along with bonus content like this. Here are links to the resources we discussed: Kindergarten Cop. Perone (2013), The Negative Effects of Positive Reinforcement. Groves and Austin (2018), Does the GBG Evoke Negative Peer Pressure? Joslyn et al (2020), A Practitioner's Guide to the GBG (ed note: highly recommended!). Donaldson et al (2013), An Evaluation of the GBG in Kindergarten Classrooms (data from Jeanne's first use of the GBG, as discussed in the episode). Where to sign up to hear Jeanne's talk at MABA 2021. Asking for a discount/the world is more flexible than you think (comfort challenge reference) This podcast is brought to you with the support of: HRIC Recruiting. Barb Voss has been placing BCBAs in permanent positions throughout the US for just about a decade, and has been in the business more generally for 30 years. When you work with HRIC, you work directly with Barb, thereby accessing highly personalized service. So if you're about to graduate, you're looking for a change of pace, or you just want to know if the grass really is greener on the other side, head over to HRIColorado.com to schedule a confidential chat right away. Behavior University.  Their mission is to provide university quality professional development for the busy Behavior Analyst. Learn about their CEU offerings, including their brand new 8-hour Supervision Course, as well as their RBT offerings over at behavioruniversity.com/observations. Consider joining the BOP Patreon. Patreon members get early access to podcasts, bonus podcast material, discounts on CEU events from FTF and other continuing ed purveyors, occasional Zoom hangouts, and more! Institutional Tier Patron Greenspace Behavioral Technology. Greenspace behavior offers cutting edge supervisor coaching, performance and competency-based trainings, and organizational supports for new BCBA and trainees. Find out how you can optimize your supervision practices, improve clinical outcomes, and increase employee satisfaction at Greenspacebehavior.com.

In the ninth installment of the Inside JABA Series, I'm joined by Drs. Claire St. Peter, Jeff Tiger, and many-time guest Derek Reed. Unfortunately the JABA Editor in Chief, Dr. Linda LeBlanc, was not able to join us, but she did choose some very cool articles for us to talk about. The articles are: Vaidya & Armshaw (2021). Surface electromyography and gamification: Translational research to advance physical rehabilitation. Gravina et al. (2021). Increasing adherence to a standardized rounding procedure in two hospital in-patient units. The reason Derek joined us for this episode because he was the action editor for these two papers. And while we did review the papers, we went super deep into the inner workings of the JABA review process. In doing so, what qualities an action editor looks for in selecting manuscript reviewers and how reviewers become 'known' for specific areas of expertise. While we didn't solve the mystery of why Reviewer #2 is consistently a pain in the neck, we did talk about considerations of when to publish in JABA, and when to look towards other scientific outlets. This led to an unexpected but nonetheless fascinating discussion of how to disseminate one's research outside of mainstream behavior analytic journals. If you don't listen to any other part of this episode, please check that section out. I'll leave you with this quote from the abstract from Sidman (2011):   I have written before about the importance of applied behavior analysis to basic researchers. That relationship is, however, reciprocal; it is also critical for practitioners to understand and even to participate in basic research. Although applied problems are rarely the same as those investigated in the laboratory, practitioners who understand their basic research background are often able to place their particular problem in a more general context and thereby deal with it successfully. Also the procedures of applied behavior analysis are often the same as those that characterize basic research; the scientist-practitioner will appreciate the relation between what he or she is doing and what basic experimenters do, and as a consequence, will be able to apply therapeutic techniques more creatively and effectively. As always, the Inside JABA Series podcasts are presented without sponsors, though I would encourage listeners to subscribe to JABA, which when compared to many other journals, is relatively inexpensive, especially when you consider the number of papers that a typical issue of JABA has. When I first started subscribing to JABA in the 90's, I think the issues were about 1/5 to 1/4 of the size of those that are published currently. If this is something you're interested in, click here to subscribe. The last thing I'd like to mention is that these Inside JABA episodes are eligible for BACB Continuing Education credits though the CEU store at behavioralobservations.com. What's even better is that because so much of this episode focused on dissemination, this one will qualify for 1.5 hours of ethics related CEU's. That's code element 6.02 for those playing along at home. If I could beg of you one final indulgence, if you are enjoying the Behavioral Observations Podcast, please share your favorite episodes with friends, colleagues, random people on the street, and so on.

This, my friends, is a conversation that I've been looking forward to sharing with you for quite some time. In this episode, I'm joined by Drs. Mara Vanderzell and Erik Jacobson from the Upstate Cerebral Palsy Center.  As you'll hear right out of the gate, we started the episode off by attempting to operationally characterize the Boy Band pop music genre. You read that correctly... but, don't worry if you're not a fan of Nsync or 98 Degrees... there's a lot of fantastic insights into the clinical leadership model in this conversation.  And if you are indeed interested in organizational and clinical change on a big scale, this is the episode for you. As Erik and Mara describe, residential and day treatment centers have historically provided treatment from a care model. Over the past few years however, the leadership at UCP has been busy changing this philosophy to an active treatment model.  As such, they've made considerable investments in bringing in various thought leaders in the field to implement things like Essential for Living, Pre-school Life Skills, the BALANCE program, Skills-Based Treatment, and much much more. In our conversation, we discuss what they've learned from this process, and where the organization is going moving forward.  We also went down a few unexpected rabbit holes here and there, so you'll want to check out the entire conversation. One of those included Mara telling us about what it was like to be a student of Ted Carr. That's a segment you definitely don't want to miss.  If you’re a Patreon subscriber, well, you’re not listening to this feed as the ad-free subscriber feed was published last week. That episode also featured an additional 15-20 minutes of content at the end of the interview, where the three of us discuss things like running, cross-fit, and health/fitness more generally. So if you’d like to learn more about this, please check out patreon.com/behavioralobservations. Last but not least, I'd like to thank Dr. Tony Cammilleri, the Director of Education at FTF and all around great guy, for his help in crafting the questions and talking points for this conversation. Here are the links to the things we referenced in the show: Carr and Durand 1985. Carr 1977. Upstate Cerebral Palsy. UCP YouTube Clinical Playlist. Practical Functional Assessment. FTF Behavioral Consulting. Essential for Living. DoBetter. Pyramid Educational Consultants.  The Daily BA. John Kotter. Adam Grant. Motivating Human Resource Staff, Reed and Parsons, 2006 (*disclosure: Amazon Affiliate Link). This episode was brought to you with the support from the following sponsors: The Secret Agent Society Small Group Program helps kids 8 to 12 years old crack the code of emotions and friendships through an animated ‘secret agent’ theme.  Now with flexible face-to-face or telehealth options, services who have used the SAS program for many years are blown away and excited by the new digital health solution. Mention this podcast for a free Secret Agent Society Assistant Short Course to sample the SAS program. Also, if you’re interested in learning more, there will be a free SAS demo on November 2nd. Institutional Tier Patron Greenspace Behavioral Technology. Greenspace behavior offers cutting edge supervisor coaching, performance and competency-based trainings, and organizational supports for new BCBA and trainees. Find out how you can optimize your supervision practices, improve clinical outcomes, and increase employee satisfaction at Greenspacebehavior.com. HRIC Recruiting. Barb Voss has been placing BCBAs in permanent positions throughout the US for just about a decade, and has been in the business more generally for 30 years. When you work with HRIC, you work directly with Barb, thereby accessing highly personalized service. So if you're about to graduate, you're looking for a change of pace, or you just want to know if the grass really is greener on the other side, head over to HRIColorado.com to schedule a confidential chat right away.

My friends at the Virginia Association for Behavior Analysis were kind enough to invite me to moderate their panel discussion at their annual conference that took place last April. One of the fun parts of moderating panels like these is being able to share it with the wider Behavioral Observations audience. This event was no exception. The 2021 VABA panel featured Drs. Nasiah Cirincione-Ulezi, Christine Barthold, and T.V. Joe Layng. In our chat, we fielded questions from VABA attendees, which occasioned discussion of some of the following topics: How to deal with Imposter Syndrome. Subtle biases in the workplace. Advice the panelists would give to their early-career selves. Reading literatures outside of Behavior Analysis. Ecological Systems Theory and Meta-Contingencies. How perspective taking in married couples is overrated. The value of mentoring (including some exceptional mentee duties Joe performed as a graduate student... not to be missed, and gives new meaning to the phrase, "and other duties as assigned"). I should note at the outset that we had both connection issues and some general unevenness in the audio feed. I've done my best to smooth things out in post production, so please bear with us, because I think the conversation is really interesting. Again, it's worth pausing and giving a shoutout to our hosts, VABA, as well as their conference sponsor, Mary Baldwin University. If you'd like to attend their 2022 convention, it is taking place on April 29th and 30th, with speakers, etc... to be determined (hop on their email list here to keep up to date as more info becomes available, and you can follow them on Facebook here). This episode is brought to you by: The Stone Soup Conference, again, use the promo code PODCAST to save, and hear talks from folks like Drs. Linda LeBlanc, Adithyan Rajaraman, Jordan Belile, and more! Behavior University. (who incidentally is sponsoring the Stone Soup Conference!) Their mission is to provide university quality professional development for the busy Behavior Analyst. Learn about their CEU offerings, including their brand new 8-hour Supervision Course, as well as their RBT offerings over at behavioruniversity.com/observations. Consider joining the BOP Patreon. Patreon members get early access to podcasts, bonus podcast material, discounts on CEU events from FTF and other continuing ed purveyors, occasional Zoom hangouts, and more! The Professional Crisis Management Association, or PCMA for short. Later on in the show, you'll hear from one of the most popular podcast guests, Dr. Merrill Winston, where he'll talk about how PCMA helps agencies support individuals who exhibit dangerous behaviors. For more info on them, go to PCMA.com.

Dr. Jim Moore returns to Behavioral Observations in this session. And I'm so thankful he had the time to chat, because this episode is jam-packed with great information for practitioners at all experience levels. We spent a few minutes catching the audience up on some of the changes in Jim's life since his last appearance on the show. In particular, we discuss his new job as Chief Clinical Officer of Apollo Behavior and his move to the Atlanta area. Afterwards, we managed to touch on several important issues in clinical practice, including the following: Our differing (initially) views on what it means to engage in scientific behavior... i.e., who is and is not a scientist. How identifying research questions differs in academia and practice. Solving behavior problems by examining overly strict rule adherence (and what to do about it). What to pay attention to when interviewing caregivers about problem behavior. How to trouble shoot stalled learner progress. Using Socratic questioning during clinical supervision (if you listen to any part of this episode, listen to this one!). A preview of what sounds like an incredibly interesting talk at the upcoming Stone Soup Conference (and if you're interested in attending this incredibly affordable and informative event, use the code PODCAST to save even more at checkout). Jim's point of view on the varying functional analysis practices that are being discussed in the literature. We also recorded about 20 or so minutes of bonus content, which is available to Patreon subscribers (check out this link to learn more). In this segment of the show, Jim went into some detail regarding his ups and downs with his health and fitness, and how he's trying to get back on track, what it's like to be a Saints fan in the Atlanta Metro area, the parallels between good coaching and good leadership, and lots more. Lastly, Jim was too gracious to shamelessly plug his practice group, but if the type of practice he describes interests you, hit him up on LinkedIn, or elsewhere on social media, as he's pretty easy to find. Here are links to some resources we discussed: Jim's Research Gate page (lots of cool stuff!). Hayes, et al., 1986. Instructions, Multiple Schedules, and Extinction: Distinguishing rule-governed from scheduled-controlled behavior. Hayes, et al., 1986a. Rule-governed behavior and sensitivity to changing consequences of responding. Skinner's Six Attitudes of Science Quizlet (credit: Hillary Robbins). The Seven Steps to Instructional Control. Quote #1: The differences between applied and basic research are not differences between that which “discovers” and that which merely “applies.” Both endeavors ask what controls the behavior under study                                          Baer, Wolf, & Risley (1968) Quote #2: An applied behavior analysis will make obvious the importance of the behavior changed, its quantitative characteristics, the experimental manipulations which analyze with clarity what was responsible for the change, the technologically exact description of all procedures contributing to that change, the effectiveness of those procedures in making sufficient change for value, and generality of that change                                          Baer, Wolf, & Risley (1968) Quote #3: Applied research is designed to solve practical problems of the modern world, rather than to acquire knowledge for knowledge’s sake. One might say that the goal of the applied scientist is to improve the human condition.                                          Lawrence Berkley National Laboratory This episode is brought to you by: The aforementioned Stone Soup Conference, again, use the promo code PODCAST to save, and hear talks from folks like Drs. Linda LeBlanc, Adithyan Rajaraman, Jordan Belile, and more! Behavior University. (who incidentally is sponsoring the Stone Soup Conference!) Their mission is to provide university quality professional development for the busy Behavior Analyst. Learn about their CEU offerings, including their brand new 8-hour Supervision Course, as well as their RBT offerings over at behavioruniversity.com/observations. Consider joining the BOP Patreon. Patreon members get early access to podcasts, bonus podcast material, discounts on CEU events from FTF and other continuing ed purveyors, occasional Zoom hangouts, and more! The Professional Crisis Management Association, or PCMA for short. Later on in the show, you'll hear from one of the most popular podcast guests, Dr. Merrill Winston, where he'll talk about how PCMA helps agencies support individuals who exhibit dangerous behaviors. For more info on them, go to PCMA.com.

I'm not a gamer... well, at least not at this stage of my life. But that aside, I really enjoyed this conversation with FIT doctoral student, James Riswick-Estelle. We talked about his he got into ABA in the first place, a brief history of eSports, the current status of eSports, and then, how he uses behavior analytic principles to enhance the performance of athletes. To be honest, I was blown away with how vast and popular eSports is right now. So popular that Florida Tech now has their own department dedicated to it! And James and I discussed how he "pitched" the use of ABA to the eSports director, and shared his thoughts on how to do this successfully. We went on to discuss some of the specific interventions that he and his colleagues have used to optimize player performance. I think you'll find it quite interesting. Even if you're not a gamer, I believe there will be many parallels that you'll likely readily identify. In this episode, we mentioned the following resources: James on LinkedIn. Department of Behavior Analysis at FIT. FIT eSports Department. FIT eSports on Twitch. FIT eSports on Instagram. FIT eSports on Twitter. FIT eSports Discord. The practice of gifting books. The movie Moneyball. A background on eSports. "Don't Wag the Dog: Expanding the Reach of Behavior Analysis," Normand & Kohn. A primer on Implementation Science. Today's episode is brought to you with the support of the following sponsors: The ABA Marketing Minute from Rich Brooks at Flyte New Media. If you're wondering how to successfully market your ABA practice, go to takeflyte.com/abaminute, and check out Flyte New Media's free 35 minute lesson on building effective websites. The Professional Crisis Management Association, or PCMA for short. Later on in the show, you'll hear from one of the most popular podcast guests, Dr. Merrill Winston, where he'll talk about how PCMA helps agencies support individuals who exhibit dangerous behaviors. For more info on them, go to PCMA.com. HRIC Recruiting. Barb Voss has been placing BCBAs in permanent positions throughout the US for just about a decade, and has been in the business more generally for 30 years. When you work with HRIC, you work directly with Barb, thereby accessing highly personalized service. So if you're about to graduate, you're looking for a change of pace, or you just want to know if the grass really is greener on the other side, head over to HRIColorado.com to schedule a confidential chat right away. Institutional Tier Patron Greenspace Behavioral Technology. Greenspace behavior offers cutting edge supervisor coaching, performance and competency-based trainings, and organizational supports for new BCBA and trainees. Find out how you can optimize your supervision practices, improve clinical outcomes, and increase employee satisfaction at Greenspacebehavior.com.

In Session 165, I spoke with Brett Yarris, founder of The Bx Movement and co-founder of the Pro Football Network. I first heard about Brett when he was featured on The Controversial Exchange podcast with Ryan and Dimitri. In that episode, I recall how passionately Brett advocated for a wider application of our science, and in this regard, he is really leading by example. In this episode, we discussed how he found his way into Applied Behavior Analysis, how his frustration with the status quo led him to start his own company, how he got into coaching elite-level football players, and how he broke into the crowded and noisy field knowns as the NFL sports media. In addition to these topics, I think the two most interesting segments of this show came from his discussion of how he devotes a significant amount of consultation and training time to helping individuals with Developmental Disabilities improve their physical health, and then later on in the show, where Brett shares his thoughts on the relevance of the Behavior Analysis Certification Board. That part of the show came towards the end, and without spoiling things too much, Brett doesn't hold back, so you'll definitely want to listen all the way through. I should also note that there are some over-arching lessons in this conversation, mainly about identifying one's occupational interests and values, and offering novel solutions and/or services to common problems, all while using behavior-analytic principles as a guide. As such, if you've been contemplating striking out on your own, this is a must-listen episode, regardless of whether you care about the NFL, sports, wellness, and so on. Lastly, for Patreon subscribers, Brett hangs out a little while longer and answers some questions about the upcoming NFL season. In particular, we discuss the 2021 prospects of my son's favorite team, the LA Chargers, and then of course, the New England Patriots. With regard to the latter, Brett shared some insider insight as to why New England cut Cam Newton, and we discussed the AFC East more generally. We ended the Patreon segment with Brett's prediction for the Superbowl. Here are the links to the resources we discussed in this episode: Brett's company, The Bx Movement. Pro Football Network. The Controversial Exchange episode with Brett. The More Than Football show. "Don't Wag the Dog: Extending the Reach of ABA," (Normand and Kohn, 2013). Dr. Kim Berens' 2nd appearance on the BOP. The Offensive Value Metric. Precision Teaching in One Minute (Ryan O'Donnell and Amy Evans). This podcast is brought to you by: The ABA Marketing Minute from Rich Brooks at Flyte New Media. If you're wondering how to successfully market your ABA practice, go to takeflyte.com/abaminute, and check out Flyte New Media's free 35 minute lesson on building effective websites. The Professional Crisis Management Association, or PCMA for short. Later on in the show, you'll hear from one of the most popular podcast guests, Dr. Merrill Winston, where he'll talk about how PCMA helps agencies support individuals who exhibit dangerous behaviors. For more info on them, go to PCMA.com. The 2021 New Hampshire ABA Conference! If you're in New England on September 11th, 2021, take the short drive to beautiful Concord, NH to attend this year's event. If you're not local to the region, don't worry, the event is available virtually as well! This year's program features both clinical and business tracks, a free lunch, an afternoon ice cream social, oh, and there will be great talks too, including Drs. Kelsey Ruppel, Paulie Gavoni, Byron Wine, Peter Gerhardt, Antonio Harrison, and more! Go to NHABA.net, and click the conference tab for details. While you're there, use the promo code Matt2021 to save at checkout. Institutional Tier Patron Greenspace Behavioral Technology. Greenspace behavior offers cutting edge supervisor coaching, performance and competency-based trainings, and organizational supports for new BCBA and trainees. Find out how you can optimize your supervision practices, improve clinical outcomes, and increase employee satisfaction at Greenspacebehavior.com.

Earlier this summer I had the chance to chat with Dr. Kelsey Ruppel, who is a Senior Consultant and the Director of Operations at FTF Behavioral Consulting. After I stopped getting tongue-tied in the introduction, we were able to cover a wide variety of topics, including: How she got into ABA. Pro-tips for remote consultation. A quick review of the Preschool Life Skills curriculum. Her research on addressing emerging problem behaviors, i.e., the development of the BALANCE program. More pro-tips: How to speed up the Skills-Based Treatment Process. What Kelsey plans to talk about at the upcoming Stone Soup Conference. And what is meant by the term, "Gray Reinforcement." In short, this interview has tons of practical tips for everyday BCBA's, and I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did. Here are some links to what we discussed: An Evaluation of “Balance”: a Home-Based, Parent-Implemented Program Addressing Emerging Problem Behavior (Ruppel et al., 2021). Session 145 with The Consultants for Children (Lessons from Implementing the PFA Process). Preschool Life Skills: Recent Advancements and Future Directions (Fahmie and Luczynski, 2018). Prevention of problem behavior by teaching functional communication and self-control skills to preschoolers (Luczynski and Hanley, 2013). Free resources and downloads re: all things Practical Functional Assessment, Skills Based Treatment, and more! The Stone Soup Conference (save at registration using coupon code: PODCAST). Not included in the interview, but just as exciting, Kelsey will keynote the New Hampshire ABA 2021 conference on 9/11/2021. Link is here, and you can save at registration by using coupon code Matt2021. The FTF on-demand courses. As an FYI, Early-adopter and above tier Patrons can get a 20% discount on the 10-hour PFA/SBT course, the BALANCE course, and the Stereotypy course. And here are some bluetooth earpieces in case anyone is interested (note: Amazon affiliate link). This episode is brought to you with the support of the following: The 2021 Stone Soup Conference! I challenge you to find a better CEU value in any virtual conference out there. With pod faves like Drs. Linda LeBlanc, Dithu Rajaraman, Jim Moore, Kerri Milyko, and more, there's something for everyone at this event. Use promo code PODCAST to save even more at checkout! Click here for additional details. The 2021 New Hampshire ABA Conference! If you're in New England on September 11th, 2021, take the short drive to beautiful Concord, NH to attend this year's event. If you're not local to the region, don't worry, the event is available virtually as well! This year's program features both clinical and business tracks, a free lunch, an afternoon ice cream social, oh, and there will be great talks too, including Drs. Kelsey Ruppel, Paulie Gavoni, Byron Wine, Peter Gerhardt, Antonio Harrison, and more! Go to NHABA.net, and click the conference tab for details. While you're there, use the promo code Matt2021 to save at checkout. If you like what you hear on the Behavioral Observations Podcast, you can support the show by either joining the Patreon group, which provides numerous benefits (ad-free podcasts, members-only events, discounts on cool stuff, and more!), or by considering the BOP for your continuing education needs.

Sara Litvak and Dr. Ellie Kazemi return to the podcast - this time together - to catch us up on what's new with the Behavioral Health Center of Excellence, or BHCOE for short. Specifically, we discuss how the BHCOE has grown since Sara last checked in with us, how Ellie joined up with the organization as their Chief Science Officer, how the BHCOE determines quality standards, documentation guidelines for clinical records, ethical marketing practices, why the BHCOE is the "nicest place to complain to," and much more. We close the show by talking about what newly-minted BCBAs should look for when selecting an employer. If you'd like to learn more about what the BHCOE does, head over to BHCOE.org. Here are some links to resources, etc... we discussed: Sara's first appearance in Session 62 of the podcast. Ellie's first appearance in Session 88 of the show. BHCOE's most recent Annual Report. BHCOE's position statement on the use of Non-Compete Agreements in ABA. BHCOE's guide to ethically marketing your ABA practice. BHCOE on Instagram. BHCOE on Facebook. This show is brought to you by the following sponsors: Behavior University. Their mission is to provide university quality professional development for the busy Behavior Analyst. Learn about their CEU offerings, including their brand new 8-hour Supervision Course, as well as their RBT offerings over at behavioruniversity.com/observations. I also want to let you know that Behavior University is also a huge supporter of the 2021 Stone Soup Conference! I challenge you to find a better CEU value in any virtual conference out there. With pod faves like Drs. Linda LeBlanc, Dithu Rajaraman, Jim Moore, Kerri Milyko, and more, there's something for everyone at this event. Use promo code PODCAST to save even more at checkout! Click here for additional details. HRIC Recruiting. Barb Voss has been placing BCBAs in permanent positions throughout the US for just about a decade, and has been in the business more generally for 30 years. When you work with HRIC, you work directly with Barb, thereby accessing highly personalized service. So if you're about to graduate, you're looking for a change of pace, or you just want to know if the grass really is greener on the other side, head over to HRIColorado.com to schedule a confidential chat right away. Lastly, if you get a chance, check out the BOP CEU offerings as well as the benefits of joining our Patreon group.

Dr. Natalie Parks from Behavior Leader stopped by the podcast again for another fun conversation. In her previous appearance, we talked about the importance of providing feedback "the right way." And in this episode, we extend that theme and discuss the work that she and her colleagues have done in helping several fire departments in the St. Louis area improve their operations. In particular, we covered: The challenges of consulting in a shift-work setting. The cultural idiosyncrasies of fire departments. Working with unionized personnel. Streamlining policies and procedures for more efficient fire department operations, and, Making inroads relative to diversity and inclusion in these settings. Even if you have no connection with, or interest in emergency service settings, I encourage you to listen all the way through this episode anyway, as I think there are plenty of lessons that easily translate to other workplace environments. I also want to note that Natalie's company, BehaviorLeader, offers training in the areas of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Leadership, and Business Development. They're even developing a course on inclusion, which you can learn more about here . Be sure to follow their work on Facebook. Session 161 is brought to you by the following: The ABA Marketing Minute from Rich Brooks at Flyte New Media. If you're wondering how to successfully market your ABA practice, go to takeflyte.com/abaminute, and check out Flyte New Media's free 35 minute lesson on building effective websites. The Professional Crisis Management Association, or PCMA for short. Later on in the show, you'll hear from one of the most popular podcast guests, Dr. Merrill Winston, where he'll talk about how PCMA helps agencies support individuals who exhibit dangerous behaviors. For more info on them, go to crisisintervention.com. If you like what you hear on the Behavioral Observations Podcast, you can support the show by either joining the Patreon group, which provides numerous benefits, or by considering us for your continuing education needs.

In Session 159 of The Behavioral Observations Podcast, Michael Maloney returns to the show. We spend a few minutes catching up since the last time we spoke (see Session 129), but then pivot to his recent collaboration with the Canadian charity organization, the Amorak Society. With help from the Rotary International's literacy initiative, these partners deployed Michael's reading program, The Maloney Method, to over 2500 children in some of the poorest areas of Bangladesh via a smartphone-based app.  I won't spoil the all the good parts here in the episode description, but let me just say that this is an amazing story of dissemination that I hope you enjoy as much as I did.  For those interested in learning more about Michael and/or the reading software, check out his website, MaloneyMethod.com. Michael will also be conducting a series of webinars with Behavior Development Solutions throughout the month of June, so please check those out if you'd like to learn directly from him.  This episode of Behavioral Observations was brought to you with support from: HRIC Recruiting. Barb Voss has been placing BCBAs in permanent positions throughout the US for just about a decade, and has been in the business more generally for 30 years. When you work with HRIC, you work directly with Barb, thereby accessing highly personalized service. So if you're about to graduate, you're looking for a change of pace, or you just want to know if the grass really is greener on the other side, head over to HRIColorado.com to schedule a confidential chat right away. Consider joining the BOP Patreon. Patreon members get early access to podcasts, bonus podcast material, discounts on CEU events from FTF and other continuing ed purveyors, occasional Zoom hangouts, and more! The Whoop Strap! I've been wearing the Whoop Strap for just a few weeks and I can't tell you how much I've enjoyed getting quantitative information on all aspects of my health, including sleep analytics, heart rate, along with heart rate variability, calorie burn, exercise intensity, and Whoop's proprietary "strain" score. I could extol this neat device's virtues indefinitely to you, but instead, you can go check it out for yourself. To get your first month free, head over to behavioralobservations.com/whoop! Also, feel free to join the Behavior Analysts who Whoop Facebook group! Lastly, check out the 2021 Stone Soup Conference! I challenge you to find a better CEU value in any virtual conference out there. With pod faves like Drs. Linda LeBlanc, Dithu Rajaraman, Jim Moore, Kerri Milyko, and more, there's something for everyone at this event. Use promo code PODCAST to save even more at checkout! Click here for additional details.

Rather than writing up a compelling introduction to this episode, I'm tempted to say, "just listen to the whole thing!" and leave it there. In Session 158, I chat with one of my oldest friends and Auburn classmate (obligatory "War Eagle!"), Dr. Jim Murphy from the University of Memphis, about the impossibly-broad topic of Substance Use Disorders (SUDs). Fortunately for us, Jim has spent over 20 years studying this issue from Behavior Analytic/Behavioral Economic points of view, and he has developed an uncanny ability to discuss these complicated repertoires in easy to understand, everyday terms. As such, in this episode we cover the following: How the environment often plays a key role in substance use. Why the abstinence model for problem drinkers may not be the best fit for some individuals. Why the terms, "alcoholic," and "addict," are neither descriptive, nor helpful. Why we should be more concerned about binge drinkers. How alcohol increases social interactions. How certain age-ranges are at risk for binge-style use patterns. What is Motivational Interviewing, and how it can be used to address binge drinking. The differences in substance use patterns between young adults who do and don't go to college. How developing hobbies and other values-based activities can help curb problem drinking. What does the research say about Alcoholics Anonymous and similar 12-step programs, and in general, the pros and cons of these approaches. How using a Hypothetical Demand Curve analysis can be used to assess motivation to reduce drinking behavior. Why BCBAs should consider getting training in Motivational Interviewing. Jim was also kind enough to stick around after the interview for a few more minutes in the commercial-free Patreon feed. In this bonus segment, Jim shares his thoughts on drug legalization in America, particularly the legalization of cannabis. If you're interested in checking this out, as well as partaking in other Patreon-only benefits, check out patreon.com/behavioralobservations. Here are the links to the resources we discussed: Jim's page at The University of Memphis. Jim's Google Scholar page. Drunk Monkeys video. Rat Park study. Alcohol/Social Bonding experiment. Marlatt, et al. (1999). Screening and Brief Intervention for High-Risk College Student Drinkers. A scientific review of Alcoholics Anonymous. Relevant APA Divisions: Division 50 (Society of Addiction Psychology) and Division 28 (Psychopharmacology and Substance Abuse). National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Maureen Dowd's NYT column (2014; will make sense for those listening to the extended Patreon episode). Please permit me a few quick housekeeping notes: We had a few connection issues, so the audio fades in a few places, but I don't think it detracts from the overall content of the show. As with Session 157, this episode was recorded in December of 2020, so there may be a few time-based references that will seem out of sync... however, I don't think they have much bearing on the overall gist of the podcast. This episode is brought to you today with the generous support of: Institutional Tier Patron Greenspace Behavioral Technology. For more information on their products and services check out greenspacebehavior.com. The Whoop Strap! I've been wearing the Whoop Strap for just a few weeks and I can't tell you how much I've enjoyed getting quantitative information on all aspects of my health, including sleep analytics, heart rate, along with heart rate variability, calorie burn, exercise intensity, and Whoop's proprietary "strain" score. I could extol this neat device's virtues indefinitely to you, but instead, you can go check it out for yourself. To get your first month free, head over to behavioralobservations.com/whoop! Also, feel free to join the Behavior Analysts who Whoop Facebook group! Behavior University. Their mission is to provide university quality professional development for the busy Behavior Analyst. Learn about their CEU offerings, including their brand new 8-hour Supervision Course, as well as their RBT offerings over at behavioruniversity.com/observations. Consider joining the BOP Patreon. Patreon members get early access to podcasts, bonus podcast material, discounts on CEU events from FTF and other continuing ed purveyors, occasional Zoom hangouts, and more!

Dr. Becca Tagg from Del Mar Behavioral Health joins me to discuss the unique approach her agency uses to train early-career BCBAs. This conversation was inspired by the interview I conducted with Dr. Mary Jane Weiss last year, in which we talked about how cool it would be if the field had an ABA equivalent of a medical residency model, so that BCBAs can learn about practicing with a variety of populations. As you'll hear in the interview, Becca heard this and reached out to say that this is exactly what they do, and we spend the majority of the conversation discussing just how they implement this unique training strategy. Before we get to the residency topic, we spent a little bit of time catching up since our last chat, and especially focus on how Del Mar's services adapted to the Covid-19 pandemic. To this end, I should also note that we recorded this conversation in December, and as such, some of the references may seem a bit anachronistic, but many of these challenges are still with us in the Spring of 2021, so I chose to keep that part of the conversation in this episode. If you like these types of topics, I suggest that you join the ABA Business Builders Facebook Group if you haven't already done so. While you're there, say hello to Becca! Here are the links to resources we discussed: Becca's first episode with me, Session 97. My interview with Mary Jane Weiss (definitely check out if you haven't heard it yet), Session 128. A golden oldie, my conversation with Tim Courtney, Session 46. Becca's podcast and business consulting services. Sniffy, the Virtual Rat. #DoBetterMovement. Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most, Stone, Patton, Heen and Fisher. This episode of Behavioral Observations was brought to you with support from: HRIC Recruiting. Barb Voss has been placing BCBAs in permanent positions throughout the US for just about a decade, and has been in the business more generally for 30 years. When you work with HRIC, you work directly with Barb, thereby accessing highly personalized service. So if you're about to graduate, you're looking for a change of pace, or you just want to know if the grass really is greener on the other side, head over to HRIColorado.com to schedule a confidential chat right away. Consider joining the BOP Patreon. Patreon members get early access to podcasts, bonus podcast material, discounts on CEU events from FTF and other continuing ed purveyors, occasional Zoom hangouts, and more! The Whoop Strap! I've been wearing the Whoop Strap for just a few weeks and I can't tell you how much I've enjoyed getting quantitative information on all aspects of my health, including sleep analytics, heart rate, along with heart rate variability, calorie burn, exercise intensity, and Whoop's proprietary "strain" score. I could extol this neat device's virtues indefinitely to you, but instead, you can go check it out for yourself. To get your first month free, head over to behavioralobservations.com/whoop! Also, feel free to join the Behavior Analysts who Whoop Facebook group!

Dr. Adithyan "Dithu" Rajaraman joins me in Session 156 to discuss his work in the Practical Functional Assessment/Skills-Based Treatment literature.  Dithu is a former student of pod-fave Dr. Greg Hanley, and as one might expect, Dithu approaches his work with a similar degree of humility and open-mindedness. He earned his Ph.D. at Western New England University, and is now an Assistant Professor at the University of Maryland Baltimore County  As we discuss in the first few minutes of the show, I met Dithu about four or five years ago at APBA, and I was instantly struck with how well he communicated complex ideas in a manner that just about anybody can understand. We've kept in touch since then, and I was fortunate enough to find a time where we could get together for an in-depth conversation on the podcast.  In this episode, we covered his entry into the field of ABA, the seemingly false distinction of behavior-reduction vs. skill instruction, the basics of the Practical Functional Assessment and Skills-Based Treatment models, dealing with caregiver objections to these approaches, Dithu's research on what he calls the Enhanced Choice Model of skill instruction, implementing these procedures in public school settings, and much more. We also talk about how he stumped me with a question when I was a panelist at an ABAI event… You’re going to want to stay through to the very end because Dithu provides some really unique advice – not only for newly-minted BCBAs, but practitioners of all experience levels. The Patreon version of this show involves an extra 45-50 minutes of content, in which we talk about Dithu’s passion for the sport Cricket and field questions from Patrons. Last but not least, Dithu, as some of you might know, is quite the singer, and he ends the bonus footage by sharing his vocal stylings. To get access to this content, as well as commercial-free podcast feeds, discounts on FTF trainings, and more, check out patreon.com/behavioralobservations. And while we’re on the topic of Patreon, Dithu has agreed to do a Zoom call with members, where he’ll take questions directly from listeners. I should also add that Dithu insisted I give some shoutouts to the following folks who helped him with his research, and they include the aforementioned Greg Hanley, as well as Holly Gover, Johanna Staubitz, John Staubitz, Kathleen Simcoe, Rachel Metras, Robin Landa, and Kelsey Ruppel. This research has been recently published in Behavior Analysis in Practice as well, so I recommend you check it out when you get a chance.  If you like Dithu's approach and want to learn more from him, my friends at Behavior University are hosting a webinar with him titled: Enhanced Choice Model: Trauma-informed Process for Assessing and Treating Dangerous Behavior. Behavior University is a sponsor of the podcast, and if you'd like to save on your registration for this event, use the code PODCAST at checkout.  Also, if you're looking for a grad program and you really want to dive deep into this area, UMBC is always accepting applicants to their Master's program in ABA, which is closely affiliated with the Kennedy Krieger Institute, and that Dithu is accepting doctoral students in the Applied Developmental Psychology program.  In addition to Behavior University and the Patreon Group, this episode is also brought to you by How-to-ABA. Being a BCBA can be lonely and overwhelming.  At howtoaba.com, we help BCBA’s feel supported and confident by providing easy to access printables, CEU's and a collaborative community. Also, your monthly pro membership includes access to CEU’s! Along with the community of over 1000 ABA professionals, howtoaba.com will help you save time, feel confident and master what you love! For more information, Go to howtoaba.com/joinbxresource.  When you join today and use code BOP, you’ll receive 10% off a yearly subscription (includes CEU’s!).

In previous appearances on this podcast and elsewhere, Pat Friman has told the story of Father Flanagan, founder of BoysTown. According to Pat, Father Flanagan often made the following statement when describing his philosophy of helping troubled youths: "there is no such thing as a bad boy, only bad environments, bad modeling, and bad teaching." For the Spring 2021 issue of the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, Dr. Linda LeBlanc invited Pat to expand on these remarks in the issue's lead paper. In this podcast, I'm joined by both Linda and Pat, as well as Inside JABA regular, Dr. Claire St. Peter, where we talk at length about the "circumstantial view" of behavior as it applies to both clinical practice in particular, and societal trends more generally. Specifically, we discuss the following: How this paper fits into LeBlanc’s “big idea paper” concept. How “big idea” papers are often conceptual rather than data based. Why Pat stopped presenting papers with original data, and why he started giving more thematic talks. The difference, from Pat’s perspective between giving a talk and writing a journal article. A brief history of BoysTown. Just what is the Circumstantial View of problem behavior? Some examples from Pat’s life where he failed to take the Circumstantial View of behavior. Why the Circumstantial View has failed to flourish? How supervisors can incorporate these views with trainees and other team members? Why it is important to tell a real-life story as a vehicle for explain a behavioral principles. Why Pat’s view of Walden Two has changed. Movies that demonstrate both the Circumstantial and Characterological View of behavior. And much more! During this conversation, we discussed many papers and other resources. I've done my best to capture all of them below: The paper that inspired this podcast, "There is no such thing as a bad boy: The circumstantial view of problem behavior." The JABA Homepage. Pat Friman's appearances on Behavioral Observations (Session 10, Session 16, Session 42, and Session 77). Goldiamond (2002). Toward a Constructional Approach to Social Problems: Ethical and Constitutional Issues Raised by Applied Behavior Analysis. Pat's TedTalk. The short film Pat referenced. The DailyBA clip we discussed (Pink Sweater/Didn't Know her Circumstances). This Way of Thinking (CE/Short film by Team OnLocation). Session 72: Compassionate Service Delivery. Quotable Quote: “When a flower doesn’t bloom, you fix the environment in which it grows, not the flower.” – Alexander Den Heijer. Thinking Fast and Slow, Daniel Kahneman. A Clockwork Orange. Walden Two. In keeping with previous Inside JABA Series podcasts, there will be no ads in this episode. However, this show happens to be eligible for BACB Continuing Education. So click here for more information. And, to help incentivize getting Pat's important message out there, I’m running a 50% 55% off sale from now, through the first week of May, 2021. Use offer code Boystown, to get more than half off any CEU in the Behavioral Observations catalog. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. If so, please consider sharing with friends and colleagues!

I had a great chat with fellow Auburn University alum Dr. Alice Shillingsburg. Alice has been doing great work in the field for decades, as you can see from her bio below: Dr. Shillingsburg currently serves as Sr. Vice President of Children’s Clinical Services and Training at May Institute. She received her PhD in clinical psychology from Auburn University and completed her predoctoral internship and post-doctoral fellowship at the Marcus Institute. She previously served as the Director of the Language and Learning Clinic at the Marcus Autism Center and held an appointment of Associate Professor at Emory University in the Division of Autism and Related Developmental Disabilities. Dr. Shillingsburg is a licensed psychologist and Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA-D). Her clinical expertise includes the development of language and behavioral programming to address a variety of behavioral difficulties and social communication deficits associated with autism and other developmental disabilities. She has published over 50 empirical papers and book chapters on interventions for children with autism and related developmental disabilities. She is currently an associate editor for the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, editorial board member of Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, and is past associate editor for The Analysis of Verbal Behavior. In this episode we talk about: How she got into the ABA field. Our similar experiences at Auburn University's Psychology Department.  Her work in clinical leadership at The May Institute. Things to avoid when trying to advocate for change. Her upcoming talks (two of them!) at the Verbal Behavior Conference 2021.  Teaching Social Skills. Using Speech Generation Devices... and so much more.  As noted in the interview, the VBC is coming up right around the corner. If you do decide to register, use the code Podcast10 at checkout to save some $$$. As we mentioned towards the end of the show, the May Institute is looking for staff to invest in, so click here to learn more about available job opportunities. This podcast is brought to you by the following: Behavior University. Their mission is to provide university quality professional development for the busy Behavior Analyst. Learn about their CEU offerings, including their brand new 8-hour Supervision Course, as well as their RBT offerings over at behavioruniversity.com/observations. How-to-ABA. Being a BCBA can be lonely and overwhelming.  At howtoaba.com, we help BCBA’s feel supported and confident by providing easy to access printables, CEU's and a collaborative community. Also, your monthly pro membership includes access to CEU’s! Along with the community of over 1000 ABA professionals, howtoaba.com will help you save time, feel confident and master what you love! For more information, Go to howtoaba.com/joinbxresource.  When you join today and use code BOP, you’ll receive 10% off a yearly subscription (includes CEU’s!). Consider joining the BOP Patreon. Patreon members get early access to podcasts, bonus podcast material, discounts on CEU events from FTF and other continuing ed purveyors, occasional Zoom hangouts, and more!

In Session 153, , which I'll get to in just a minute. But to set the context for our conversation, I'd like to start by noticing that I often see the quote by Skinner, "When you run into something interesting, drop everything else and study it," posted on social media quite frequently. In fact, when I plugged that quote into Google, it returned almost 9 million results! Now, I could be wrong about this, but this notion of following one's interests would seem to fly in the face of developing a successful research career. That is, it may be more productive from a publishing point of view to go an inch-wide and mile-deep into a particular topic, and that academic contingencies perhaps nudge researchers away from investigating a wider range of phenomena. What does all this have to do with this interview? Well, it seems that Nicole had done quite well in bucking this tendency, and that she has been quite successful doing research across a wide area of clinical topics. And in this conversation, we cover many of these research and practice interests, including supporting individuals with restricted and repetitive problem behaviors, the effects of physical reactions to aggressive behavior, what she's going to be talking about at the 2021 Verbal Behavior Conference, her outreach to Spanish speaking clients and families, and what it's like to pursue so many different research ideas. She closes out the show with some fantastic advice that is not only applicable to newly minted BCBA's, but practitioners of all experience levels. I don't want to spoil it here in the intro, so you'll want to make sure to listen all the way through. Long story short, this was a fun conversation, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. In this episode, we discussed the following: Athens and Vollmer (2010). Hood, Rodriguez, Luczynski, and Fisher (2019). Fisher et al. (1996). Howard and Rice (1988). Dr. Solandy Forte on ABA Inside Track. The 2021 VBC. If you decide to attend, use code Podcast10 to save at checkout! This podcast is brought to you with support from the following: Institutional Tier Patron Greenspace Behavioral Technology. For more information on their products and services check out greenspacebehavior.com. HRIC Recruiting. Barb Voss has been placing BCBAs in permanent positions throughout the US for just about a decade, and has been in the business more generally for 30 years. When you work with HRIC, you work directly with Barb, thereby accessing highly personalized service. So if you're about to graduate, you're looking for a change of pace, or you just want to know if the grass really is greener on the other side, head over to HRIColorado.com to schedule a confidential chat right away. Consider joining the BOP Patreon. Patreon members get early access to podcasts, bonus podcast material, discounts on CEU events from FTF and other continuing ed purveyors, occasional Zoom hangouts, and more! Become a Patron!

Are you consulting Google to determine how to keep your clients and co-workers safe in this seemingly never-ending Covid-19 pandemic? Well, lucky for you, my guests in Session 152 have done the heavy lifting and thoroughly researched best practices in risk-mitigation in ABA clinical practice. My guests for this episode include Drs. Zahra Hajiaghamohseni, Mary Caruso-Anderson, Jennifer Sweeny, Sarah Duarte, and Christy Evanko. These Behavior Analysts hail from all over the country and came together to develop a continuum of care screener, which is a tool that ABA providers can use to manage risk in their practice. In this show, we discuss what risk-mitigation means, why the practice of ABA presents unique risk-mitigation challenges, and steps providers can take to reduce the likelihood of becoming infected with Covid-19. We cover a lot of ground in this episode, and this may be one that you want to share with your co-workers, supervisors, and anyone else who is charged with the health and safety of clients and staff members. Here are the links to some resources that were discussed: World Behavior Analysis Day (shout out Elizabeth Drago!). Greenspace workshop on Covid-19 Risk Mitigation. The Continuum of Care Screener. The Whoop Strap discount link (disclosure, this is an affiliate link). Zahra's appearance in Session 90 of the BOP. Apollo's Arrow: The Profound and Enduring Impact of Coronavirus on the Way We Live (Christakis, 2020). Inside JABA Series #1, Peer Review. OSHA Covid-19 page. CDC Covid-19 page. Session 143, The Whoop episode. This episode is brought to you with support from: The 2021 Virginia Association for Behavior Analysis Conference! This year's VABA conference is April 15th and 16th. While this will be a safe and socially-distanced in-person event, it will also be available online, so don't worry if you're not local to the Virginia area. If you do sign up for it, use the promo code, GOMBU - a nod to conference sponsor, Mary Baldwin University, to save at checkout. HRIC Recruiting. Barb Voss has been placing BCBAs in permanent positions throughout the US for just about a decade, and has been in the business more generally for 30 years. When you work with HRIC, you work directly with Barb, thereby accessing highly personalized service. So if you're about to graduate, you're looking for a change of pace, or you just want to know if the grass really is greener on the other side, head over to HRIColorado.com to schedule a confidential chat right away. The Whoop Strap! I've been wearing the Whoop Strap for just a few weeks and I can't tell you how much I've enjoyed getting quantitative information on all aspects of my health, including sleep analytics, heart rate, along with heart rate variability, calorie burn, exercise intensity, and Whoop's proprietary "strain" score. I could extol this neat device's virtues indefinitely to you, but instead, you can go check it out for yourself. To get your first month free, head over to behavioralobservations.com/whoop! Also, feel free to join the Behavior Analysts who Whoop Facebook group! Consider joining the BOP Patreon. Patreon members get early access to podcasts, bonus podcast material, discounts on CEU events from FTF and other continuing ed purveyors, occasional Zoom hangouts, and more!

In Session 151, I chat with Dr. Nasiah Cirincione-Ulezi about a range of topics, but we spent the majority of the time discussing her recent paper in Behavior Analysis in Practice titled: Black Women and Barriers to Leadership in ABA. Nasiah is the CEO of two organizations, Ulezi, LLC and Pivot 2 Inclusion. If you haven't read her paper yet, please pause this show and go do so. It's a sobering account of some of the struggles faced by Black women in our field. Nasiah highlights her findings in this conversation, so I don't want to spoil them here in the introduction, so let's just say it's unsettling, yet necessary to hear about some of the challenges faced by Black women in our field.  Fortunately, Nasiah discusses some potential solutions, and more generally, provides us with some things to think about moving forward. In this episode, we also discussed her upcoming keynote address at this year's Virginia ABA conference, which is scheduled for April 16th and 17th. VABA is offering this event as both an in-person conference as well as a virtual experience. It you'd like to learn more, go to Virginiaaba.org, and if you sign up, use the code GOMBU to save at registration.    We closed the show out with a brief discussion of what behaviorally-based life-coaching looks like, as that's a service that Nasiah has been offering for some time. And then she closes the show with some outstanding advice for Behavior Analysts of all experience levels.  Here are the links to the resources we discussed: Ulezi LLC and Pivot 2 Inclusion. Virginia ABA 2021 Conference. Blog post by Shawn T. Capell: The current status of African Americans within the field of Applied Behavior Analysis. Humble Behaviorism (Neuringer, 1991).   Nasiah's YouTube channel, Ulezi the Advocate. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much a I did, and thanks so much for supporting the show! This podcast is brought to you with support from: Gateway Learning Group, and their Autism Leadership Academy. Designed for new Regional Directors, the Autism Leadership Academy develops motivated BCBAs into successful leaders in the autism field. If you’re interested in running your own regional center and want to learn the skills to do so successfully, check out gatewaylg.com/BOP. Note: Immediate openings available in Texas. BCBAs across the U.S. are encouraged to apply! Consider joining the BOP Patreon. Patreon members get early access to podcasts, bonus podcast material, discounts on CEU events from FTF and other continuing ed purveyors, occasional Zoom hangouts, and more!

In Session 150 of The Behavioral Observations Podcast, I got a chance to finally interview Dr. Vince Carbone. In our conversation we covered a lot of interesting topics. Instead of covering the ins and outs of Verbal Behavior - the topic it's fair to say that Vince is best known for - we talked about the history and evolution of the field of Behavior Analysis. Specifically, we discussed how he transitioned from aspiring baseball player to Psychology student, what the field was like when he first got started, his early career experiences in the Juvenile Justice and public education systems, and why he started the Carbone clinics. We spend a fair amount of time on his ideas for sustainably growing an ABA practice, including how he built a pipeline of exceptional clinicians and some of the challenges he sees in the field as a whole. Vince also shared many anecdotes from his various interactions with B.F. Skinner. Additionally, Vince shared his thoughts on the recent passing of Jack Michael. Here are a few references that were mentioned in the show: Why are we not acting to save the world? Reflections on Behaviorism and Society. The B.F. Skinner Foundation. Carbone and Lynch (1982). The Functional Analysis of Behavior in a Juvenile Detention Facility. Vince will be giving two talks at the 2021 Verbal Behavior Conference, which is on April 22-23, and is brought to you by my friends at the Central Texas Autism Center. There will be many other great speakers at the conference as well, and like last year, they invited me to facilitate a panel discussion, so if you'd like to learn more, click here to learn more. If you decide to register, use the code Podcast10 to save 10% at checkout! Today's episode is brought to you with the generous support of the following: Essential For Living. The Essential for Living is the most comprehensive life skills curriculum and teaching handbook on the market today. It is designed for both children and adults with moderate-to-severe disabilities, including, but not limited to autism. The EFL is extraordinarily helpful in guiding the instruction of all adults with moderate-to-severe intellectual disabilities. To learn more, go to essentialforliving.com, and if you decide to purchase any EFL materials, use the code BOEFL to save 10% off your order now through the end of March! How-to-ABA. Being a BCBA can be lonely and overwhelming.  At howtoaba.com, we help BCBA’s feel supported and confident by providing easy to access printables, CEU's and a collaborative community. Also, your monthly pro membership includes access to CEU’s! Along with the community of over 1000 ABA professionals, howtoaba.com will help you save time, feel confident and master what you love! For more information, Go to howtoaba.com/joinbxresource.  When you join today and use code BOP, you’ll receive 10% off a yearly subscription (includes CEU’s!). Behavioral Observations Patreon. A lot of folks have been joining the BOP Patreon Group since its launch in January. So if you're interested in getting awesome discounts for professional development from FTF, accessing an ad-free podcast feed, listening to bonus patrons-only content, and more, head over to patreon.com/behavioralobservations.

I've known that the 5th anniversary of the podcast has been coming up for quite some time now, and I've been wracking my brain on how best to commemorate this milestone. After considering a few different options, I eventually decided that there was no better place to start than by looking back at the first episode of Behavioral Observations, my interview with Dr. Greg Hanley. In this episode, we discussed the origins of what is now called the Practical Functional Assessment approach, back when it was referred to as the IISCA. I wanted to replay this show for a few reasons. First, even though the PFA process has gone through many refinements over the last few years, in this episode, Greg describes the factors that led him to deviate from the Standard Functional Analysis procedure. I think that part of the show on its own is worth revisiting. The second reason for sharing this conversation again is that every day new listeners are coming in contact with the show. While I get emails from some of them who tell me that they binge the back catalog, with nearly 150 shows, I don't expect that everyone is going to subject themselves to that. Lastly, this particular episode is the most downloaded episode when compared to all the other shows I've published. As of this writing, the show has been downloaded over 56,000 times. About 15,000 times more than the second-most downloaded show (which by the way, is Session 7, again with Greg... want to guess who's in the third-most downloaded show?). So for all those reasons and more, I hope you enjoy this episode, whether it is for the first time, or if you're dusting it off for a re-listen. On a broader note, I'd like to talk for a minute about my thoughts on the show turning five. It's not an understatement when I tell you that creating this podcast has been a life-changing experience for me. Most certainly life-changing in a professional sense, and very likely from a personal one as well. With regard to the former, starting the show really re-energized my passion for the field at a time when I was teetering on the brink of burnout (before burnout became a fashionable term). With regard to the latter, I've met several hundred people and made some amazing friends throughout this journey. And when milestones like these come up, it is incredibly overwhelming to think through all of the people who've helped me make this show happen. First, there are so many people who have been listeners and supporters since Session 1. People who've listened to every single episode... all of my filler words, awkward silences, vocal fry, the whole nine yards. I once had someone actually take data on my filler words and would send it to me from time to time. That's dedication! All kidding aside, this show would've quietly faded out over time if it wasn't for the support and encouragement from you, the listener. I'm also grateful to everyone who shares episodes with friends and co-workers. And of course supervisors and professors who who force their mentees and students to consume this content. It is both amazing and gratifying that this fun side project is helping people learn more about the science we all know and love. I've had countless people and organizations support the show financially, whether by purchasing CEUs*, subscribing to my Patreon membership, sponsoring episodes, or inviting me to speak at events. To be perfectly candid, the ability to generate some revenue from Behavioral Observations allows me to put more time into the show, and I'm grateful for everyone who has helped me do just that. It is always a danger to list specific people to thank in situations like these, as it is all too easy to inadvertently leave someone out. As such, I've chosen to limit my shoutouts to one person in particular: my friend John Corley. John is not a Behavior Analyst, but he is a programmer and all around tech-savvy guy. I shared the idea of a podcast with him over a few beers, and he relentlessly encouraged me to follow through with it. In fact, he helped me set up my website, the podcast's RSS feed, showed me the basics of GarageBand, and lots more. He remains on standby to me whenever I have a bug or glitch that needs sorting out. John Corley and me ~ 2017 So huge thanks to both John, and everyone else who has played a part in getting this show to nearly 2.5 million downloads in these last five years. I could say thank you a million times and it wouldn't be enough. I look forward to sharing these conversations with you for the next five years and beyond! The 2021 Virginia Association for Behavior Analysis Conference! This year's VABA conference is April 15th and 16th. While this will be a safe and socially-distanced in-person event, it will also be available online, so don't worry if you're not local to the Virginia area. If you do sign up for it, use the promo code, GOMBU - a nod to conference sponsor, Mary Baldwin University, to save at checkout. Also, I'm throwing a 5-year anniversary sale for all BOP CEU events. Get 55% off all CEU events by using the promo code "fiveyears." This offer expires at the end of February, 2021. Don't need CEU's, but want to get ad-free podcasts, access to bonus content, member Q & A zooms, and more? Consider joining the BOP Patreon Group. For more info, check out patreon.com/behavioralobservations!

So the title of this show may be a bit of a misnomer. Let me explain... In Session 148, Shira Karpel and Shayna Gaunt, founders of HowToABA.com, join me to talk about one of my favorite topics: supporting the newly-minted BCBA. As you might know by now, that's very often my closing question of the podcast. In this episode however, we pretty much spent the entire time talking about strategies for helping early-career professionals succeed. So what is the misnomer all about? As it turns out, the advice that Shira and Shayna provided - on topics ranging from obtaining mentorship to setting professional boundaries - is helpful for BCBA's of all experience levels. Moreover, Shira and Shayna created HowToABA.com to provide materials and continuing education opportunities for BCBA's, as well as a supportive community of like-minded practitioners. And in this episode, they share their experiences and insight and address the following: Common challenges faced by newly-minted BCBA's (and how to address them). Common mistakes early-stage practitioners make. Strategies to establish professional boundaries. What practitioners are looking for in their Continuing Education. Why they started HowToABA.com. The ABA Forum that they're hosting. It's a virtual 3-night event where they bring together recognized speakers in the field who will share on different topics in Behavior Analysis - from supervision to ethics and social skills and everything in between. Again, despite the headline, there's something in this episode for everyone. Also, I want to note that we had some intermittent Zoom connectivity challenges, and Shira's audio flaked in and out in a few spots. I chose not to edit those segments out because I think she was still able to make her points known, and thankfully, we were able to resolve it as the show went on. Here are links to some of the things we discussed: The HowToABA.com homepage (and if you sign up for the BxResource, use code BOP to save 10%). The ABA Forum registration page. Surveys of the use (or lack thereof) Functional Analysis by practitioners (Oliver, Pratt, and Normand, 2015; Roscoe, et al., 2015). Great article about setting boundaries and avoiding burnout. And here's another perspective. Today's episode is brought to you by: The 2021 Virginia Association for Behavior Analysis Conference! This year's VABA conference is April 15th and 16th. While this will be a safe and socially-distanced in-person event, it will also be available online, so don't worry if you're not local to the Virginia area. If you do sign up for it, use the promo code, GOMBU - a nod to conference sponsor, Mary Baldwin University, to save at checkout. HRIC Recruiting. Barb Voss has been placing BCBAs in permanent positions throughout the US for just about a decade, and has been in the business more generally for 30 years. When you work with HRIC, you work directly with Barb, thereby accessing highly personalized service. So if you're about to graduate, you're looking for a change of pace, or you just want to know if the grass really is greener on the other side, head over to HRIColorado.com to schedule a confidential chat right away. Also, I'm throwing a 5-year anniversary sale for all BOP CEU events. Get 55% off all CEU events by using the promo code "fiveyears." This offer expires at the end of February, 2021. Don't need CEU's, but want to get ad-free podcasts, access to bonus content, member Q & A zooms, and more? Consider joining the BOP Patreon Group. For more info, check out patreon.com/behavioralobservations!

In this episode of Behavioral Observations, I chat with Drs. Florence DiGennaro-Reed, Derek Reed, and Gregory Madden. While we talked a bit about their new book, An Introduction to Behavior Analysis, we framed the discussion around the process of teaching itself, textbook notwithstanding. Before getting into the content itself, let me introduce our guests: Dr. DiGennaro-Reed is an Associate Professor in and Chairperson of the Department of Applied Behavioral Science at the University of Kansas where she directs the Performance Management Laboratory and Performance Management Center. Her research examines effective and efficient staff training and performance improvement practices. She also conducts translational research in on-campus laboratory facilities. Dr. Derek Reed is a familiar voice to long-time BOP listeners. He is, among other things, an Associate Professor in the Department of Applied Behavioral Science at the University of Kansas where he directs the Applied Behavioral Economics Laboratory. Dr. Gregory Madden teaches and conducts research at Utah State University. Here is an excerpt of his bio in his own words: "I am a Professor in the Department of Psychology. I teach PSY1400/1410, which is the introductory course in behavioral processes. Topics range from free will to interventions designed to treat depression and drug dependence. I also teach an upper-division course on applying behavior-change technology to workplace settings." It turns out that they've been working on this book for roughly six years. We talked about why they thought a new ABA text was necessary, what makes this book stand apart from other really good ones that are out there, and how they attacked the massive challenge that is the writing process itself. Along the way, we ended up getting into what makes for good university instruction, the need (perceived or otherwise) to "sell" students on Behavior Analysis, and lots of other interesting nuggets and tips for those who have the important task of teaching the next generation of behavior analysis students. As such, I think there are a lot of meta-lessons embedded in this episode that are relevant whether or not you teach this material. Here are the links for this episode: An Introduction to Behavior Analysis * (Madden, Reed, and DiGennaro-Reed, 2021). Studyblue.com (online flashcard maker that was referenced). A blog post explaining what Habit Stacking is, based on the book * by S.J. Scott. Derek Reed on Session 17 and Session 113 on the BOP. LeBlanc, Heinicke, and Baker (2012). Expanding the Consumer Base for Behavior-Analytic Services: Meeting the Needs of Consumers in the 21st Century. This podcast is brought to you with support from: If you want to study ABA and Positive Behavior Supports at a top-notch setting in Europe, then look no further than the Tizard Center at the University of Kent. Since 1986, they've been training professionals to support individuals with disabilities. Their primary focus has always been promoting values-based and ethical approaches to supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. If you would like to learn more about ABA and PBS training on an international stage, check out www.tizard.org. Gateway Learning Group, and their Autism Leadership Academy. Designed for new Regional Directors, the Autism Leadership Academy develops motivated BCBAs into successful leaders in the autism field. If you’re interested in running your own regional center and want to learn the skills to do so successfully, check out gatewaylg.com/BOP. Note: Immediate openings available in Texas. BCBAs across the U.S. are encouraged to apply! Behavior University. Their mission is to provide university quality professional development for the busy Behavior Analyst. Learn about their CEU offerings, including their brand new 8-hour Supervision Course, as well as their RBT offerings over at behavioruniversity.com/observations. Consider joining the BOP Patreon. Patreon members get early access to podcasts, bonus podcast material, discounts on CEU events from FTF and other continuing ed purveyors, occasional Zoom hangouts, and more!

In the sixth edition of the Inside JABA Series, I'm joined by Inside JABA regulars Drs. Linda LeBlanc and Claire St. Peter, as well as Dr. Jesse Dallery, to talk about the paper he and his colleagues published in the latest issue of the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis. This paper fits nicely in JABA's ongoing series on Public Health and Telehealth, and is a great example of the potential for Behavior Analysis to be used for so much more than the type of work many BCBAs are doing currently. As Linda states during the show, "public health is all around us," and that public health challenges, at the end of the day, are behavioral in nature. As an aside, if you're not currently subscribed to JABA, you can do so here.  Here are some of the topics we discussed: The current scope of cigarette smoking in the United States. How cigarette smoking occurs disproportionately in individuals of lower socio-economic status. Previous research in the contingency management (CM) of cigarette smoking. The logistical challenges of previous work in CM. How Jesse and his research team addressed these challenges in the current study by developing a mobile system of carbon monoxide sampling. The relationship between the literatures of CM and Delay Discounting, and more generally, Behavioral Economics (I couldn't' help myself from butting in and asking a few questions about this). Here are the links to papers, podcasts, apps, and other resources we talked about: mMotiv8: A smartphone-based contingency management intervention to promote smoking cessation. Dallery, Stinson, Bolivar, Modave, Salloum, Mendoza Viamontes, and Rohilla (2020). Quitbet (smoking cessation app). Smokefree.gov (smoking cessation resources from the US Federal Government). Jesse's homepage at the University of Florida. Previous episodes discussing Behavioral Economics: Session 11 (Dr. Erin Rasmussen), Session 17 & Session 113 (Dr. Derek Reed), and Session 99 (Dr. David Cox). New Evidence That Cigarette Smoking Remains the Most Important Health Hazard (Schroeder, 2013). As with previous Inside JABA Series Podcasts, this one is eligible for BACB approved Continuing Education, click here to learn more! While we're on the topic of CEUs, allow me to suggest subscribing to the Behavioral Observations' Patreon page, where enrolled patrons get access to discounts in the BOP CEU store, as well as other purveyors of behavior analytic training. To learn more, head over to patreon.com/behavioralobservations!

In Session 145, I speak with Deidre Sturm and Anne Denning from The Consultants for Children, an agency that supports individuals with ASD based out of Colorado. Together, Anne and Deidre tell the story of how they completely revamped their agency’s approach to supporting individuals with problem behavior. After not seeing much success with their existing functional assessment practices, they dove deep into the work of Dr. Greg Hanley and his colleagues. After taking all the online professional development that’s available on the IISCA or PFA approach, Deidre and Anne, along with the rest of their colleagues at The Consultants for Children, began slowly rolling out this process on an agency-wide basis. During this conversation, we cover how they got started, what they’ve learned from implementing these procedures “in the real world” – especially in the context of telehealth – and lots more. Here are the links to the resources we discuss: FTF Behavioral Consultants’ online course library (Patron discount available!). Greg’s companion website, Practical Functional Assessment. The IISCA App. Cusp Emergence University (Dr. Camille Kolu’s online training resources for Trauma Informed Care). CEU’s from The Behavioral Observation Podcast (Patron discount available!). Greg Hanley’s appearances on the BOP. Camille Kolu’s appearance on the BOP. WYZE Indoor Cameras (Amazon associate link). Children’s Habilitation Rehabilitation Program Waiver (CHRP; State of Colorado). As an aside, an ad-free version show has already been shared with members of my Patreon group, which you can learn more about at patreon.com/behavioralobservations. Also, if you're a member of the All-Access Patron Tier or above, you have access to 20% discount codes to FTF's online trainings. There are more benefits available too, but this one alone is literally worth the cost on its own. Session 145 is also brought to you with support from: Gateway Learning Group, and their Autism Leadership Academy. Designed for new Regional Directors, the Autism Leadership Academy develops motivated BCBAs into successful leaders in the autism field. If you’re interested in running your own regional center and want to learn the skills to do so successfully, check out gatewaylg.com/BOP. Note: Immediate openings available in Texas. BCBAs across the U.S. are encouraged to apply! HRIC Recruiting. Barb Voss has been placing BCBAs in permanent positions throughout the US for just about a decade, and has been in the business more generally for 30 years. When you work with HRIC, you work directly with Barb, thereby accessing highly personalized service. So if you're about to graduate, you're looking for a change of pace, or you just want to know if the grass really is greener on the other side, head over to HRIColorado.com to schedule a confidential chat right away.

I've been wanting to interview Dr. Carl Hart ever since I first heard him speak at the 2015 Mass ABA conference. Put differently, when asked who would be a 'bucket list' interview, Carl Hart was usually the first name that I answered with. Ever since learning about Carl's work, I've admired his ability and willingness to advance science-based arguments in the popular press media. If this is your first time hearing his name, let me share a little of his background information. Carl is the Ziff Professor of Psychology at Columbia University, where he's been researching the behavioral and neuropharmacological effects of psychoactive drugs in humans for nearly 20 years. Carl's research, along with his personal experience and observations, has shaped an honest and refreshing point of view as to how society treats the behavior of drug taking, and what we need to do in terms of changing public policies in this area. Even if you disagree with his main thesis, I encourage you to listen all the way through our interview. Personally, I have my own homework to do in terms of thinking through whether the full legalization of all classes of drugs is a good idea, but I think in general, it's good to challenge our assumptions and views, even if only periodically. One of the other things that I like about Carl is that he has been successful in communicating complex and nuanced scientific findings in the area of mass media. He's been featured in the op-ed pages of major newspapers and on network television. Carl has also been a guest on The Joe Rogan Experience, which is, by audience standards, very likely the largest podcast out there right now. Even more impressive though is how Carl has taken the time to share his views in popular press books. His first book, High Price, was a New York Times bestseller, and I have no doubt that Drug Use for Grown Ups will meet or exceed the success of it. Long story short, I think there are lessons for dissemination we can all learn from him.  Here are the links to the various sources we mentioned: Carl's latest book, Drug Use for Grown Ups: Chasing Liberty in the Land of Fear. His debut book, High Price: A Neuroscientist's Journey of Self-Discovery that Challenges Everything You Know About Drugs and Society. The Declaration of Independence. The Harrison Narcotics Tax Act of 1914. Carl's website. Carl's Twitter. Carl's appearances on the JRE. The difference between a Coroner and Medical Examiner.   Today's episode is brought to you with the generous support of the following: Behavior University. Their mission is to provide university quality professional development for the busy Behavior Analyst. Learn about their CEU offerings, including their brand new 8-hour Supervision Course, as well as their RBT offerings over at behavioruniversity.com/observations. How-to-ABA. Being a BCBA can be lonely and overwhelming.  At howtoaba.com, we help BCBA’s feel supported and confident by providing easy to access printables, CEU's and a collaborative community. Also, your monthly pro membership includes access to CEU’s! Along with the community of over 1000 ABA professionals, howtoaba.com will help you save time, feel confident and master what you love! For more information, Go to howtoaba.com/joinbxresource.  When you join today and use code BOP, you’ll receive 10% off a yearly subscription (includes CEU’s!). The long-awaited Behavioral Observations Patreon. For the last few years, I've run a private membership group on my website, and I'm excited to announce that I'm transitioning this over to the Patreon platform. There are several different options based on your needs and budget, so if you're interested in getting awesome discounts for professional development from Greg Hanley's company, FTF, accessing an ad-free podcast, listening to bonus patrons-only content, and more, head over to patreon.com/behavioralobservations.

In Session 143, I chat with John Capodilupo, co-founder of Whoop, the maker of the Whoop strap system I've been talking about for the last several episodes. At the risk of sounding like an informercial for this neat product, I've really enjoyed using the Whoop strap for the last few months. If you aren't familiar with it, the Whoop strap is a wearable device that tracks all sorts of cool metrics, including sleep, calorie burn, heart rate, and more. As John notes in the podcast, the folks at Whoop are using data science and machine learning to optimize personal health. And they do this through these proprietary metrics that are generated from the device. John gets into the weeds on this topic, and regardless of whether you're in the market for wearable tech, I think you'll find it quite fascinating! We also discuss Whoop's involvement in research in detecting the early stages of both Covid-19 and Alzheimer's disease. I think this device and the data it produces, is giving us a window to the future of big data and public health research. Fascinating times we live in for sure! If you're interested in trying out a Whoop strap for yourself, check out join.whoop.com/matt and save $30 in the process. You can also go to behavioralobservations.com/whoop, and that will take you in the right direction too. At the request of a listener who's been a Whoop user for quite a while, I've created a Facebook group, Behavior Analysts who Whoop, so feel free to join the group, ask questions, and so on. Here are the links to the resources we discussed: The Plos One article on Covid-19 detection. Research from Cornell on Alzheimer's. The Locker, Whoop's blog. The Whoop Podcast. I also wanted to let you know that I've decided to start a Patreon for Behavioral Observations. I arrived at this after much consideration. When I first heard about Patreon, it felt like a mechanism for asking for a handout... kind of like an internet tip jar, and I didn't start one because there was not enough value in it for the listener. Fortunately, Patreon has really stepped up their game to the point where they are able to offer subscribers really cool benefits. Specifically, depending on which membership tier is chosen, subscribers can access an ad-free podcast feed, subscribers-only bonus content, discounts in the Behavioral Observations CEU store, and much more. Earlier today, I just uploaded a great Q & A session with Greg Hanley that we recorded last spring, which is available for All Access and Institutional level subscribers. I'm also working with a few different companies and I hope to be able to offer subscriber-only discounts for products and services from other folks in the ABA space. So if this sounds good to you, head over to patreon.com/behavioralobservations to learn more!

My friends over at ABA Inside Track - Robert Parry-Crews, Diana Parry-Crews, and Jackie Macdonald, got together for our third annual year-in-review collaboration. And suffice to say, what a year it has been. In this episode, we discuss the events of 2020, both in the world of Behavior Analysis and beyond. We spoke at great length about the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic on the provision of services, as well as how Behavior Analysis responded to the challenges of racism, policing, and the like. Finally, we round out the episode by honoring the memories of some of the pioneers in our field who passed away in 2020. So grab a beverage of choice, put your earbuds in, and join us in kicking 2020 to the curb and look forward to a hopefully more reinforcing 2021! Here is a very likely incomplete list of links to things we discussed: Previous Year in Review Shows: 2018 Year in Review. 2019 Year in Review. Cox, Plavnick, and Brodhead (2020). A Proposed Process for Risk Mitigation During the COVID-19 Pandemic. LeBlanc, et al. (2020). The Role of Compassion and Ethics in Decision Making Regarding Access to Applied Behavior Analysis Services During the COVID-19 Crisis: A Response to Cox, Plavnick, and Brodhead. BOP Covid-19 Facebook Banter Part 1. BOP Covid-19 Facebook Banter Part 2 (140 comments!). Session 116, Wendy Machalicek on Telemedicine. Session 13, Megan Miller on Telemedicine. Session 113, The Behavioral Economics of Toilet Paper with Derek Reed. Session 114, Keep your kids learning at home with Amy Evans. Session 121, Coping in Quarantine with Russ Harris. Session 128, Mary Jane Weiss. Session 120, Listening to Perspectives that Matter (please check out if you missed this one!!!). ABA Inside Track 128, Diversity and Inclusion with Adrienne Bradley and Kat Jackson. Session 124, Behavior Analysis and policing with John O'Neill. Session 138, More on policing with Tina Long and Officer Joe Schlenz. BACB Podcast on global certification changes. Operants fall issue with Adithyan Rajaraman re: Online instruction. In Memoriam: Jack Michael. Jose Martinez-Diaz. Patricia Krantz. On a final note, I'd be remiss if I didn't say how grateful I am for everyone who listens to and supports the show. I was raised to not discuss money in public, but the pandemic has cut the revenue of my consultation practice by more than half, and despite that, we managed to get through the worst of it because of the support from the audience. So whether you've purchased CEU's, subscribed to the membership community, patronized my wonderful sponsors, or simply shared favorite episodes with friends and minded behavior peeps, you've really come through and helped me avoid what could have been a financial disaster. For all of this and more, to say that I am thankful doesn't even scratch the surface. I'm looking forward to 2021, and I'm excited to continue to produce and share these conversations. And from my family to yours, please have a happy and safe holiday! Special thanks to the following (apologies in advance, as they're likely to be folks that I forgot to mention): HRIC Recruiting. Behavior University. Gateway Learning Group's Autism Leadership Academy. How-to-ABA.com. New Hampshire Association for Behavior Analysis. FTF Behavioral Consulting/Greg Hanley. Essential for Living/Pat McGreevy. Brett DiNovi and Associates. Central Reach/Rick Kubina. The Applied Behavior Analysis Center/Adrienne Fitzer. Connections Behavior Planning and Intervention. Britton Behavioral Consulting/Lisa Britton. Praxis Continuing Education and Training. Hillcrest Educational Centers. University of Kent Tizard Centre ABA Program. Rich Brooks and the crew at Flyte New Media. My friends over at WHOOP.

In Session 141 I speak with Sasha Shtern and Dr. Eric Moody about using the Goally Learning Device with families. Sasha is the CEO of Goally and Eric holds the title of Research Professor at the Wyoming Institute for Disabilities. Goally is an Android-based stand-alone device that allows users to program visuals schedules, create task analyses, manage token economies, and even log problem behaviors. In this episode we talk about the conditions that motivated the creation of this device, the research and implementation science that's been conducted with it, and how both clinicians and parents have been using it to support children across their day. If you'd like to learn more about Goally, click here to check them out. While there, be sure to check out their blog (I found the articles on supporting kids in remote learning situations particularly interesting... here is one of them). In the spirit of transparency, I'd like to make clear that as of this writing, Goally is not a sponsor of Behavioral Observations, nor is there any affiliate relationship. However, this episode is brought to you with the support of the following: How-to-ABA. Being a BCBA can be lonely and overwhelming.  At howtoaba.com, we help BCBA’s feel supported and confident by providing easy to access printables, CEU's and a collaborative community. Imagine, having an all-in-one resource to save you time and help your clients, having getting your toughest questions answered, and being part of a collaborative group of professionals to share ideas. Plus, your monthly pro membership includes CEU’s! Along with over 1000 ABA professionals, howtoaba.com will help you save time, feel confident and master what you love! For more information, Go to howtoaba.com/joinbxresource.  When you join today and use code BOP, you’ll receive 10% off a yearly subscription (includes CEU’s!). The Whoop Strap! I've been wearing the Whoop Strap for just a few weeks and I can't tell you how much I've enjoyed getting quantitative information on all aspects of my health, including sleep analytics, heart rate, along with heart rate variability, calorie burn, exercise intensity, and Whoop's proprietary "strain" score. I could extol this neat device's virtues indefinitely to you, but instead, you can go check it out for yourself. To get your first month free, just click here! HRIC Recruiting. Barb Voss has been placing BCBAs in permanent positions throughout the US for just about a decade, and has been in the business more generally for 30 years. When you work with HRIC, you work directly with Barb, thereby accessing highly personalized service. So if you're about to graduate, you're looking for a change of pace, or you just want to know if the grass really is greener on the other side, head over to HRIColorado.com to schedule a confidential chat right away.

In Session 140, Dr. John Michael Guercio joins me to talk about best practices for supporting adults with Autism. He is well suited to do just this, as John has been working with adults with various developmental disabilities for decades. He is currently the Clinical Director for Benchmark Human Services in St. Louis, Missouri, and is the author of the recently published book, "Assessment of Adult Core Competencies: Teaching Skills to Adults with Autism and Severe Behavioral Challenges." As you'll likely tell, I really enjoyed talking with John, and I think you're likely to learn a lot from his knowledge and expertise in the area of serving adults. In this episode we obviously get into John's formative experiences in the field of Behavior Analysis and talk about his book for a bit. But we also spend quite a bit of time discussing Behavioral Relaxation Training, escalation, crisis management, and so much more. I really think there's something in here for just about anyone in the field. Also, early on in the conversation, John and I discover that we both saw the original line up of The Grateful Dead back in the day. Don't worry though if you're not interested in this because we got back on topic right away. However, after the official interview concluded, we resumed this discussion on our favorite jam bands for about 15 minutes, and this bonus footage is available to those who are signed up in the Behavioral Observations Membership group. John mentioned numerous resources during our chat, and I have attempted to note them all here: John's book. The Controversial Exchange #16, reacting to Skinner's address to the APA (highly recommended!). Guercio et al, 2004: Using stimulus equivalence technology to teach emotion recognition to adults with acquired brain injury. Guercio and Dixon, 2011: The Observer Effect and Its Impact on Staff Behavior in an Acquired Brain Injury Neurobehavioral Treatment Setting. Guercio and Dixon, 2010: Improving the Quality of Staff and Participant Interaction in an Acquired Brain Injury Organization. Wilson, et al., 2014: Exploring the Clinical Utility of a Stimulus Avoidance Model to Enhance a Relaxation Training Model. Dr. Camille Kolu's BOP episode on Trauma. Dr. Merrill Winston's BOP episode on Restraint. Jay Moore: The Conceptual Foundations of Radical Behaviorism.* Singh, et al., 2003: Mindfulness on the Soles of the Feet study. Dixon, et al., 2015: Research Rankings of Behavior Analytic Graduate Training Programs and Their Faculty. LeBlanc, Sellers, and Ala'I, 2020: Building and Sustaining Meaningful and Effective Relationships as a Supervisor and Mentor.* The Aura Ring. Carr et al, 2013: The original Performance Diagnostic Checklist article, An Assessment-based Solution to a Human-Service Employee Performance Problem. Felitti, et al., 1998: Relationship of Childhood Abuse and Household Dysfunction to Many of the Leading Causes of Death in Adults: The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study. LaFrance, et al., 2019: Multidisciplinary Teaming: Enhancing Collaboration Through Increased Understanding. Adler, et al., 1987: Relaxation Induced Panic (RIP): When Resting Isn't Peaceful. This show is brought to you with support from the following: Gateway Learning Group, and their Autism Leadership Academy. Designed for new Regional Directors, the Autism Leadership Academy develops motivated BCBAs into successful leaders in the autism field. If you’re interested in running your own regional center and want to learn the skills to do so successfully, check out gatewaylg.com/BOP. Behavior University. Their mission is to provide university quality professional development for the busy Behavior Analyst. Learn about their CEU offerings, including their brand new 8-hour Supervision Course, as well as their RBT offerings over at behavioruniversity.com/observations. The Whoop Strap! I've been wearing the Whoop Strap for just a few weeks and I can't tell you how much I've enjoyed getting quantitative information on all aspects of my health, including sleep analytics, heart rate, along with heart rate variability, calorie burn, exercise intensity, and Whoop's proprietary "strain" score. I could extol this neat device's virtues indefinitely to you, but instead, you can go check it out for yourself. To get your first month free, head over to behavioralobservations.com/whoop!

A few months ago, a few BCBA's from the Boulder Valley School District reached out to me and offered to share the story of how they are fielding a team of Behavior Analysts in the public school setting. As someone who has spent a career consulting to public schools, I was instantly sold. I believe that as if this recording, the BVSD employs about 10 BCBA's, and in Session 139, I'm joined by four of them: Kelly Miller, Cosmina Barbat, Stephanie Gregory, and Shelly Roberts. We were also fortunate enough to be joined by their fearless leader, their Director of Special Education, Joy Larson. Someone who understood the value of developing internal behavior-analytic resources to support the district's students. In this episode we cover the following: How the district decided to invest in the hiring of internally placed behavior analysts. How the district BCBA's work collaboratively with professionals in other disciplines. How BCBA's support students not just with specialized educational and behavioral needs, but also in mainstream educational settings. How working as a public school employee is different than working in an at-home or clinic setting. And advice for schools that want to hire their own BCBA's, as well as advice for BCBA's who want to dip their toes into the public school waters. Lastly, I think the argument for having more Behavior Analysts in school settings speaks for itself. As we discuss in the interview, these amazing BCBA's have contributed to reducing Boulder Valley's out of district placements by 70%! Here are the links for Session 139: The Boulder Valley School District. Just in case you're thinking of relocating. Well Managed Schools curriculum. The Mystery Motivator. Questions / comments for these guests? Kelly Miller has agreed to field them. Contact her here. Session 139 is brought to you with generous support from: How-to-ABA. Being a BCBA can be lonely and overwhelming.  At howtoaba.com, we help BCBA’s feel supported and confident by providing easy to access printables, CEU's and a collaborative community. In the howtoaba.com membership, Shira Karpel and Shayna Gaunt share their best resources from years of practice in the field.  Whether you’re a beginner or a long time practitioner, you will benefit from both these resources as well as a supportive community.  Imagine, having an all-in-one resource to save you time and help your clients, having getting your toughest questions answered, and being part of a collaborative group of professionals to share ideas. Plus, your monthly pro membership includes CEU’s! Along with over 1000 ABA professionals, howtoaba.com will help you save time, feel confident and master what you love! For more information, Go to howtoaba.com/joinbxresource.  When you join today and use code BOP, you’ll receive 10% off a yearly subscription (includes CEU’s!). The Whoop Strap! I've been wearing the Whoop Strap for just a few weeks and I can't tell you how much I've enjoyed getting quantitative information on all aspects of my health, including sleep analytics, heart rate, along with heart rate variability, calorie burn, exercise intensity, and Whoop's proprietary "strain" score. I could extol this neat device's virtues indefinitely to you, but instead, you can go check it out for yourself. To get your first month free, just click here!

Shortly after I published Session 124 on Police Academy training with John O'Neill, Tina Long, a BCBA from Northern Virginia, emailed me to share the outreach work that she has done with her local police department in Fairfax County. Specifically, in the wake of the nationwide re-examination of the role of policing, Tina felt compelled share what she has learned about the ACT Matrix with local law enforcement personnel, and after leaning more about her story, I thought it was definitely worth sharing on the podcast. Tina and I had a brief conversation that we recorded back in August. At the time, she had the opportunity to do a training with the police department, but unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond her control, her allotted time was cut to 20 minutes. As such, we made plans to connect later on and record another segment once Tina was able to get deeper into the material. So this podcast consists of both the original conversation from August, and our follow up, which was recorded in November 2020.  For Part 2 of this conversation, Tina was able to get Officer Joe Schlenz, the lead crisis intervention training instructor, from the Fairfax County Police Department to join us as well. In this segment, Joe provides a wide-ranging perspective on the role of empathy and compassion in policing, de-escalation, triaging and managing risk, officer burnout and suicide, and so much more. If you're concerned about policing in America, I hope that the work he and his colleagues are doing will give you a sense of optimism. And as I've said in previous shows, it is always great to talk about how people from different fields consume and apply concepts from the behavioral sciences.  Here are some of the resources we discussed: Tina's website for NV Instruction (clearinghouse for lots of related content).  Facebook Group for clinicians using the ACT Matrix. Tina's Crowdcast page (lots of free training resources). The ACT Matrix: A new approach to building psychological flexibility across settings and populations (Polk and Schoendorff 2014)* Crisis Intervention Team International. University of Memphis CIT Center. I think this is really the first podcast where we talk about the ACT Matrix. If you're a long time listener, we've done many shows on ACT itself, but I'm looking forward to learning more about the ACT Matrix itself, so you can probably expect to hear more about it in 2021.  This podcast is brought to you with the support of the following: HRIC Recruiting. Barb Voss has been placing BCBAs in permanent positions throughout the US for just about a decade, and has been in the business more generally for 30 years. When you work with HRIC, you work directly with Barb, thereby accessing highly personalized service. So if you're about to graduate, you're looking for a change of pace, or you just want to know if the grass really is greener on the other side, head over to HRIColorado.com to schedule a confidential chat right away. The Whoop Strap! I've been wearing the Whoop Strap for just a few weeks and I can't tell you how much I've enjoyed getting quantitative information on all aspects of my health, including sleep analytics, heart rate, along with heart rate variability, calorie burn, exercise intensity, and Whoop's proprietary "strain" score. I could extol this neat device's virtues indefinitely to you, but instead, you can go check it out for yourself. To get your first month free, head over to behavioralobservations.com/whoop! CEU's from ... Yours Truly... or, more specifically, podcast guests such as Greg Hanley, Steve Hayes, Mark Dixon, Megan Miller, Pat Friman, and much more. Head over to behavioralobservations.com/get-ceus to learn more about which trainings are available, as well as some pretty steep discounts for multiple event purchases.  *denotes Amazon Affiliate link

I can't believe it's been over two years since Andy Bondy of PECS fame came on the show! How time flies... This episode was inspired by a Facebook post Andy made a few weeks ago talking about how mand repertoires go beyond simply requesting preferred items. There were some interesting exchanges that followed Andy's post, and upon reading them, it occurred to me that this would make for a fun and educational podcast chat. (IMAGE CREDIT J. MCANINCH) So in this episode, we talk about what inspired Andy to write the post in the first place, and discuss teaching mand repertoires across a variety of contexts, many of them beyond requesting preferred items. We also take some excellent questions that were generated by The Behavioral Observations Membership Group. Specifically, Andy gets asked about autoclitic frames, core versus fringe vocabulary, and why prompts - from Andy's perspective - are like knives (you'll have to listen to understand what this means). Here are links to resources, etc... that we discussed: The Facebook post that spurred this conversation. The new extended edition of Verbal Behavior. The PECS USA homepage. Latest PECS research. Delaware Autism Program. Eve Skinner multi-part interview w/BF Skinner (YouTube). Andy's first appearance on BOP. An upcoming workshop from Andy on prompting, stimulus control, and error correction. (more workshops here). Schreibman and Stahmer (2014). Randomized control trial study comparing PECS and Pivotal Response Training. Charlop-Christy, et al., (2002). Using the picture exchange communication system (PECS) with children with autism: assessment of PECS acquisition, speech, social-communicative, and problem behavior. The BOP membership program. This podcast is brought to you by: Gateway Learning Group, and their Autism Leadership Academy. Designed for new Regional Directors, the Autism Leadership Academy develops motivated BCBAs into successful leaders in the autism field. If you’re interested in running your own regional center and want to learn the skills to do so successfully, check out gatewaylg.com/BOP. Behavior University. Their mission is to provide university quality professional development for the busy Behavior Analyst. Learn about their CEU offerings, including their brand new 8-hour Supervision Course, as well as their RBT offerings over at behavioruniversity.com/observations. The Whoop Strap! I've been wearing the Whoop Strap for just a few weeks and I can't tell you how much I've enjoyed getting quantitative information on all aspects of my health, including sleep analytics, heart rate, along with heart rate variability, calorie burn, exercise intensity, and Whoop's proprietary "strain" score. I could extol this neat device's virtues indefinitely to you, but instead, you can go check it out for yourself. To get your first month free, head over to behavioralobservations.com/whoop!

Dr. Kim Berens (@KimberlyBerens5) joins me for a third time to discuss her new book, Blind Spots: Why Students Fail and the Science That Can Save Them.* In this show, we talk about her motivation to write this book, what she believes is wrong with the current approach to educating children in the United States, and what can be done to remedy this situation. Like our recent episode with Amelia Bowler earlier this month, this is another great example of people trained in Behavior Analysis stepping out of our community and speak directly to a broader community. In short, it's an excellent model of dissemination, and should be applauded for this reason, along with all the other excellent attributes of the book. I was honored to write a blurb for the promotion of the book, and if you'll indulge me, I'll share it here: In 1984, B.F. Skinner wrote The Shame of American Education, in which he described how the American educational system failed to incorporate scientifically validated instructional practices. Sadly, this paper is just as relevant after almost four decades since its publication. In Blind Spots: Why Students Fail and the Science That Can Save Them, Dr. Kimberly Berens courageously picks up where Skinner left off by shining a light on the dysfunctional practices of the American educational establishment. In doing so, she debunks many popular myths that pervade current educational practices. More importantly, Dr. Berens offers concrete solutions for helping all students learn through the application of the natural science of behavior. This is a book that should be read by every parent, school board member, administrator, and teacher. I could go on and on both about this book as well as the interview I'm about to play. But instead, I'll just ask you to give the show a listen, and if you're so moved, to pick up a copy of the book. Or even better, gift a copy of the book if you happen to know a teacher, school administrator, and so forth. Here are the links for the references that came up in Session 136: Blind Spots: Why Students Fail and the Science That Can Save Them.* Kim's first and second appearance on the podcast. Kim's website, DrKimberlyBerens.com. Kim's interview on The Controversial Exchange. A Liberated Mind,* by Steve Hayes. Re-Booting Capitalism,* by Anthony Biglan. Dr. Biglan's Twitter handle. Neuroplasticity,* The MIT Press Essential Knowledge Series, by Moheb Costandi. FitLearning Atlanta Lab. Cambridge Center white paper on Project Follow Through. My interview with Michael Maloney (with discussion of Project Follow Through). IXL.com (K-12 website that uses fluency based strategies). Today's episode was brought to you with support from: Market Your ABA Practice Like a Pro! A Digital Masterclass with Rich Brooks! Is your ABA practice located in a highly competitive area? Do you struggle with name-recognition and visibility among Autism service providers in your community? Do you wish more parents and stakeholders knew about the awesome services you provide? During this event, you'll discover marketing strategies that will allow you to get your ABA practice to get in front of ideal community stakeholders (parents, guardians, etc…) and referral sources (pediatricians, etc…), by using the digital tools that everyone is being forced to use these days. This can help to attract new clients, families, schools, and even employees! The price of the event is $149, but if you register by Halloween, you can attend the event for just $99. Click here to sign up! The Whoop Strap! I've been wearing the Whoop Strap for just a few weeks and I can't tell you how much I've enjoyed getting quantitative information on all aspects of my health, including sleep analytics, heart rate, along with heart rate variability, calorie burn, exercise intensity, and Whoop's proprietary "strain" score. I could extol this neat device's virtues indefinitely to you, but instead, you can go check it out for yourself. To get your first month free, head over to behavioralobservations.com/whoop! *denotes Amazon Affiliate Link

The latest issue of JABA starts off with an editorial by the Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior's (SEAB) board in which it issued a statement of concern for the controversial paper titled, Behavioral treatment of deviant sex-role behaviors in a male child. This paper described a case study conducted by George Rekers and Ivar Lovaas, and was published in the pages of JABA in 1974. To get right to the point, let me read you the editorial's abstract: In an early study in the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, Rekers and Lovaas (1974) evaluated the Behavioral Treatment of Deviant Sex-role Behaviors in a Male Child. They investigated the use of reinforcement and punishment to target non-gender conforming behaviors of a 5-year-old male child. This study was considered by some to be controversial and concerning, even near the time of publication (Nordyke et al. 1977; Winkler, 1977). The concerns focused on the ethicality of selecting non-gender conforming behavior as a target response and the use of punishment for this type of response, particularly at the behest of parents when the young child was not seemingly distressed. The study has subsequently been used as empirical support for conversion therapy creating concerns about misinterpretation of the original article and harm to the LGBTQ+ community. This editorial reviews the concerns originally presented by Nordyke et al. and Winkler and issues an official Expression of Concern about the various harms that have been associated with this paper. I first heard about this paper many years ago, but it was to my attention again at the 2019 NH ABA conference. At that event, Dr. Sarah Campeau did a great job reviewing this paper, along with cataloging the devastating effects the study had on the participant later on in his life. So in this episode of the podcast, Drs. Linda Leblanc and Henry Roane discuss the rationale behind the statement of concern. In doing so, they talk about why the statement was written now versus earlier in the history of JABA, and what exactly a Statement of Concern is, and why issuing the statement was the specific action taken instead of other options, such as retracting the paper altogether. We also get into the actual shortcomings of the study, particularly in light of the ethical and moral standards of modern times. Linda and Hank close the podcast by giving some advice for practitioners on how to respond to concerns of stakeholders if or when they bring up this or other studies that are not consistent with more modern ethics and values. I should also note that our Zoom connection was spotty here and there, and I apologize if it interferes with the audio quality that you've come to expect from the show. That said, I don't think it poor connection detracted from the substance of the conversation. Dr. Roane is a new voice in the Inside JABA Series, so by way of introduction, Hank is the Gregory S. Liptak MD Professor of Child Development in the Department of Pediatrics at Upstate Medical University in Syracuse NY. In this capacity, he serves as the Chief of the Division of Development, Behavior and Genetics where he directs medical and behavior analysis clinics that provide treatment services for children affected by autism and related disorders. Hank is also the Chair of the Behavior Analysis Studies program in the College of Health Professions at Upstate. As we mention during the conversation, Hank is also the Treasurer of SEAB. In keeping with the previous Inside JABA Series podcasts, there are no ads or sponsors on this episode. However, this episode is eligible for BACB Continuing Education. We also felt that the conversation touched on many code elements in the Professional and Ethical Compliance Code, and as such, it can be counted as an Ethics CEU. Lastly, 50% of the proceeds from sales of the Inside JABA Series CEUs are donated to SEAB. So for more information on the Inside JABA Series CEUs, or any other CEUs that are available through Behavioral Observations, click here. I've also set up a Link Tree across all my social media platforms where you can access all the different podcast offerings, including episode shownotes. For example, if you follow the show on Instagram (@behavioralobservations), just go to the link in the bio, and you'll have many podcast-related links at your fingertips. Here are the links to the resources that were discussed in this episode: Editor's Note: Societal changes and expression of concern about Rekers and Lovaas' (1974) Behavioral Treatment of Deviant Sex‐Role Behaviors in a Male Child. The Rekers and Lovaas (1974) study. Nordyke, Baer, Etzel, and LeBlanc (1977), response to Rekers and Lovaas. Winkler (1977), response to Rekers and Lovaas. Rekers' response to Nordyke et al. and Winkler (1977). The Anderson Cooper four-part expose on the long term effects on the participant in Rekers and Lovaas. Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) website. Retraction Watch. CEU opportunities from Behavioral Observations. BOP linktr.ee (clearinghouse of podcast-related links).

Amelia Bowler, author of The Parent's Guide to Oppositional Defiant Disorder: Your Questions Answered, joins me in Session 134 to talk about her work and personal experiences in supporting individuals with ODD. In this podcast, Amelia demystifies the term ODD and distinguishes it from other emotional/behavioral disorders. She also discusses the importance of developing relationships with individuals with ODD prior to applying first/then or if/then contingencies. We finish the show by discussing some strategies that may be more successful for individuals with ODD, as well as provide suggestions for further reading. Here are the links to the resources that were discussed: Amelia's aforementioned book*. Amelia's website, AmeliaBehaviour.com. ADHD Does Not Exist: The Truth About Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder*, by Richard Saul. Patterson (1982). Coercive Family Process*. Russell Barkley website (ADHD resource). Emotion Coaching (Gottman Institute). Optimistic Parenting* by Mark Durand. Neurotribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity* by Steve Silberman. Ross Greene's appearance on The Controversial Exchange. Additude.com (ADHD resource site). Tiltparenting.com (another parenting website). Mona Delahooke (another blog/popular press resource, the book Amelia mentioned here*). Rundown of the Stillface Experiment (short video here). Session 134 is brought to you by the following sponsors: Behavior University. Their mission is to provide university quality professional development for the busy Behavior Analyst. Learn about their CEU offerings, including their brand new 8-hour Supervision Course, as well as their RBT offerings over at behavioruniversity.com/observations. Gateway Learning Group, and their Autism Leadership Academy. Designed for new Regional Directors, the Autism Leadership Academy develops motivated BCBAs into successful leaders in the autism field. If you’re interested in running your own regional center and want to learn the skills to do so successfully, check out gatewaylg.com/BOP.  Market Your ABA Practice Like a Pro: A Digital Marketing Masterclass with Rich Brooks. That's right, our favorite marketing guru, Rich Brooks and I are teaming up for a fantastic learning opportunity. During this event, you'll discover marketing strategies that will allow you to get your ABA practice get in front of ideal stakeholders. Rich and I are still working out the details and I'll have a site to direct you to shortly. What I can tell you is that you're going to want to block off some time on November 9th. *denotes Amazon Affiliate link

Behavioral Karma: The 5 Scientific Laws of Life and Leadership* is the book that was just recently published by Brett DiNovi and Dr. Pauli Gavoni. In this episode, we talked about what these five laws are, and how one can apply them to just about anything in life, and see positive outcomes as a result. Because both of these gentlemen are previous guests on the show, we started off by catching up a bit. Paulie talked about joining up with Brett's company, Brett DiNovi and Associates, and Brett talked about how he and the rest of the folks at BDA responded to the challenges brought on by the coronavirus pandemic. I also had a chance to pick their brains on a topic that I'm fascinated with: Compensating employees in a Pay-for-Performance model, an idea pioneered by William Abernathy (you can find all the books he wrote on this topic here*). All and all, this was a fun and wide ranging discussion, and I think listeners will be able to get some neat takeaways from it. Here are some links to some of the things that came up in conversation: Brett's first appearance on the show. Pauli's first appearance on the show. Hoosier Association for Behavior Analysis. BDA's YouTube Channel, Behavioral Karma. The Behavioral Karma Podcast, hosted by Billy Brown and Paulie Gavoni. Fighting Words in ABA (Pauli's article on BSci21.org). Pauli's LinkedIn page. Brett's LinkedIn page. The Performance Diagnostic Checklist (Carr et al., 2013). Brett's interview of me at HABA 2018. Today's episode is brought to you by the following: If you want to study ABA and Positive Behavior Supports at a top-notch setting in Europe, then look no further than the Tizard Center at the University of Kent. Since 1986, they've been training professionals to support individuals with disabilities. Their primary focus has always been promoting values-based and ethical approaches to supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. If you would like to learn more about ABA and PBS training on an international stage, check out www.tizard.org. HRIC Recruiting. Barb Voss has been placing BCBAs in permanent positions throughout the US for just about a decade, and has been in the business more generally for 30 years. When you work with HRIC, you work directly with Barb, thereby accessing highly personalized service. So if you're about to graduate, you're looking for a change of pace, or you just want to know if the grass really is greener on the other side, head over to HRIColorado.com to schedule a confidential chat right away. And while I'm promoting the stuff on my website, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the membership program. Think of it as a DIY Patreon… Members get access to a private FB group in which they are able to get nearly instantaneous access to the videos of these podcast interviews. For example, this interview has been available to members for two months. Members get the raw feed. That means no ads, and none of these introductory comments. You just get right to the interview. Another cool thing we do is hold Zoom Hangouts with former guests so where you can interact with them directly. For more information, check out behavioralobservations.com/membership.

Dr. Nick Green joins me in Session 132 for his third appearance on the show. In this episode, we discuss: How he responded to being furloughed for a few months. His contributions to Covid-19 research at the University of Florida. Nick's general principles on how he helps clients develop and accomplish fitness goals. How to overcome barriers to fitness, especially when gyms are closed. What are some basic movement patterns that people should train. Some of the great results his fitness clients are seeing. His advice on wearable tech and other methods for collecting fitness analytics. How to think about time allocation so busy people can still meet their fitness goals. How to incorporate health and fitness into a comprehensive ABA program. What steps Behavior Analysts can take to begin work in the health and fitness industry. We also took questions submitted by members of The Behavioral Observations Membership Program. Here are the links to the stuff we talked about: The BehaviorFit homepage. Hell in a Bucket reference (tunes from a simpler time). Dr. John Lednicky from the U. of Florida (Covid-19 researcher Nick worked with). Nick's infographic on the 7 Functional Movements. Silver Sneakers (online fitness program for 65+ people). Onnit Academy (online instructional videos). The Daily Burn (another online instruction site). BehaviorFit on Instagram. Nick's earlier appearances on the BOP. The Whoop Strap (still not a sponsor, but I'm open to it ;-). Nick's podcast, BehaviorFit Radio. Used sporting goods store, Play it Again Sports. My favorite music education YouTube channel. Bannerman, et al (1990). Balancing the right to habilitation with the right to personal liberties: the rights of people with developmental disabilities to eat too many doughnuts and take a nap. Session 132 is brought to you with the support of the following sponsors: Behavior University. Their mission is to provide university quality professional development for the busy Behavior Analyst. Learn about their CEU offerings and podcast-specific discounts over at behavioruniversity.com/observations. The ABA Marketing Minute with Rich Brooks. Digital marketing guru and two-time guest Rich Brooks and I have teamed up to provide listeners with 60-second micro-lessons in digital marketing. You'll hear the first installment later in this broadcast, so I won't spoil it here, but let's just say the message should parallel a lot of what we should strive for in our clinical practice. If you're interested in marketing your practice on social media or Google, or if you want to give your website a makeover, I highly recommend working with Rich and his awesome team over at Flyte New Media. And while I'm promoting the stuff on my website, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the membership program. Think of it as a DIY Patreon… Members get access to a private FB group in which they are able to get nearly instantaneous access to the videos of these podcast interviews. For example, this interview has been available to members for two months. Members get the raw feed. That means no ads, and none of these introductory comments. You just get right to the interview. Another cool thing we do is hold Zoom Hangouts with former guests so where you can interact with them directly. For more information, check out behavioralobservations.com/membership.

Dr. Camille Kolu joins me in Session 131 to provide a primer on all things Trauma, and how this broad area applies to the practice of Behavior Analysis In this interview, Camille talked about how she began working in the area of trauma, what is trauma actually, how she screens for trauma histories, what ABA practices are contra-indicated for individuals with traumatic backgrounds, and so much more. This was an interview that could've gone for at least another hour if time permitted. If you're interested in hearing Camille expand on this topic, I highly suggest checking out the New Hampshire ABA 2020 Conference (disclosure: NHABA is sponsoring this episode). Camille has been a leader in disseminating her work in this area. You can check out her website, cuspemergence.com and browse the dozens of blog posts she's written in the area of Trauma-Informed ABA. If you're like me, and you're interested in taking your knowledge in this area to the next level, she has a series of courses available, and you can find those at cuspemergenceuniversity.com. During our chat, Camille fielded questions from the Behavioral Observations Membership group. The BOP Membership is my DIY Patreon. And lucky for us, Camille has agreed to join the membership for a Zoom hangout, either in late September or early October. Once we get a date nailed down, I'll be sure to share the details via the email list, social media, and so on. Here are the links from Session 131: Cusp Emergence (Camille's main dissemination website). Cusp Emergence University (site for specific courses in T-ABA). Felitti et al, (1998). Relationship of Childhood Abuse and Household Dysfunction to Many of the Leading Causes of Death in Adults: The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study. Camille's blog post, Contraindicated Behavioral Procedures After Trauma. Greer, et al. (2008). The emergence of praise as conditioned reinforcement as a function of observation in preschool and school age children. Research in Social Work Practice (journal recommended by Camille to check out). Extinction effects of Renewal, Resurgence, and Reinstatement (described here in Session 125). My interview with Chuck Merbitz. Camille's ABAC/Cambridge Center presentation. This podcast is brought to you with the support of the following sponsors: The 2020 New Hampshire Association for Behavior Analysis Virtual Conference! NH ABA is only a handful of years old, but for a smallish state, our conference has punched above its weight. The 2020 event will be no exception. This year's speaker list includes Drs. Solanday Forte, Deb Grossett, Bridget Taylor, Alyssa Wilson, Camille Kolu, and Emily Sandoz. NH ABA also acknowledges that the Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in financial burdens on many Behavior Analysts, so they've decided to use a values-based registration fee, which means that while there are suggested registration fees, you can participate in the event for a lot less if that's appropriate to your financial situation. For more information, check out nhaba.net, and I hope that you choose to join us virtually on September 26th! HRIC Recruiting. Barb Voss has been placing BCBAs in permanent positions throughout the US for just about a decade, and has been in the business more generally for 30 years. When you work with HRIC, you work directly with Barb, thereby accessing highly personalized service. So if you're about to graduate, you're looking for a change of pace, or you just want to know if the grass really is greener on the other side, head over to HRIColorado.com to schedule a confidential chat right away.

I've never attended CalABA. In fact, I've never even set foot in the state. And while I live all the way across the country, I recognize the importance of Behavior Analysts banding together to advocate for our clients, our communities, and of course, our profession. When CalABA had to cancel their conference in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, the timing was such that they were not able to recoup the costs associated with hotel reservations, conference venues, and the like. The amount of money CalABA lost from this "black swan" type of event was staggering. In this podcast, Drs. Jennifer Harris and Greg Elsky take us behind the scenes of the events from the ill-fated CalABA 2020 conferecne. Specifically, we talk about what it was like leading up to the scheduled conference itself during the infancy of the Covid-19 pandemic, how they learned they had to cancel the event, what it was like to share this news with the attendees who were streaming into the venue, and we talk at length about the devastating financial consequences of cancelling the event. We also talk about how CalABA can overcome such a difficult situation with their current fundraising campaign. To be candid, without an influx of cash, CalABA's ability to advocate on behalf of the field in the nation's most populous state will be seriously jeopardized. Moreover, legislation that negatively affects the practice of Behavior Analysis in California has the potential to influence other states and provinces. Based on these factors, I will be supporting CalABA in their fundraising efforts. The Covid crisis has hit many of us in the wallet (myself included), however if you have the means to do so, please consider donating to what I believe is a worth cause.

It's back to school time for children, and in this day and age, school is looking a bit different than it has historically. In my neck of the woods, school districts are reopening with a few different models ranging from fully online/remote, hybrid in-person/remote, and full in-person instruction.  It's hard to tell what impact this might have on our children's ability to learn the basics, and it is with this in mind that I'm grateful to have Michael Maloney on the show to talk about his 40+ years of experience using Direct Instruction and Precision Teaching.  In this podcast, we discuss the history of Direct Instruction (DI; also, see Project Follow Through Outcome data below), including the simultaneously fascinating and tragic story of Project Follow Through, how Michael learned about DI and applied it not only to school settings but also in the context of remediating adult illiteracy, his initial forays into running his own educational centers, as well as the instructional software solutions he's developed.  Michael was also kind enough to field some questions from the Behavioral Observations Members. Michael has also been generous enough to give away free instructional materials, so if this is something you're interested in, check out the site, maloneymethod.com.  Here are some of the resources we discussed: Some background on Project Follow Through. Roger Bacon Academy (charter school implementing Direct Instruction). Michael's website, MaloneyMethod.com. Free educational resources. Michael's DailyBA appearance. Michael's appearance on The Controversial Exchange. Michael's book, Teach Your Children Well.  Cyberslate (instructional software). The BOP Membership Program. PROJECT FOLLOW THROUGH OUTCOME DATA Huge thanks to the following sponsors for this episode!!! The 2020 New Hampshire Association for Behavior Analysis Virtual Conference! NH ABA is only a handful of years old, but for a smallish state, our conference has punched above its weight. The 2020 event will be no exception. This year's speaker list includes Drs. Solanday Forte, Deb Grossett, Bridget Taylor, Alyssa Wilson, Camille Kolu, and Emily Sandoz. NH ABA also acknowledges that the Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in financial burdens on many Behavior Analysts, so they've decided to use a values-based registration fee, which means that while there are suggested registration fees, you can participate in the event for a lot less if that's appropriate to your financial situation. For more information, check out nhaba.net, and I hope that you choose to join us virtually on September 26th! My friends at Praxis CET have two great ACT and RFT classes coming up that seem really cool (Understanding and Using Relational Frame Theory for Behavior Analysts with Drs. Siri Ming and Tom Szabo and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy with Parents with Drs. Lisa Coyne and Evelyn Gould). These are live, online courses, where participants can ask questions, get feedback, etc... on the spot. For more information, go to www.praxiscet.com/bopod. If you check it out and decide to enroll, use the code OBSERVATIONS to save some $$$ at registration. Two-time guest and digital marketing guru Rich Brooks dropped another 60-second lesson for ABA Business Owners. In this installment of the ABA Marketing Minute, Rich Brooks talks about how to get your business to rank highly for local search results in Google. If you are interested in a free 30-minute webinar on building an effective website for your practice, check out takeflyte.com/abaminute!

Dr. Mary Jane Weiss joins me in Session 128 to talk about the evolution of the practice of Applied Behavior Analysis. This is the second interview that was recorded live during the virtual Behavior Analyst Leadership Council Conference that was held in April 2020. Mary Jane's accomplishments in the field are too great to list here in their entirety, but this bio-sketch should give you a bit of background: Dr. Mary Jane Weiss is a Professor at Endicott College, where she serves as the executive director of programs in ABA and autism, and as director of the Ph.D. program in ABA. Dr. Weiss has worked in the field of ABA and Autism for over 30 years. She received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Rutgers University in 1990. She previously worked for 16 years at the Douglass Developmental Disabilities Center at Rutgers University, where she served as Director of Research and Training and as Clinical Director. She serves on the Scientific Council of the Organization for Autism Research, is on the Board of Advisors for the Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies, and is a regular reviewer for a variety of professional journals. She is a frequent member of service committees for the Behavior Analyst Certification Board, including many years of service on Disciplinary Review Committees and serving as the inaugural chair of the Code Compliance Committee for the Professional and Ethical Compliance Code. Dr. Weiss authored the Ethics Corner column for APBA for over two years. She is a Past President of the Autism Special Interest Group of ABAI, a former member of the Board of the APBA, and a former Board Vice President for Autism New Jersey. In this podcast, we discuss what ABA practice was like as she came up in her training and early career, and trace that arc up to what she's doing these days as the Executive Director of Programs in ABA and Autism at Endicott College. We also discuss what Mary Jane would do to change the training of new BCBA's if she had that proverbial magic wand, why she really likes teaching online, what makes for good instructional design, how to improve the quality of ABA training, why it's important to have a broad philosophical and conceptual background in Behavior Analysis, how to work well with other professions, and her thoughts on the Autism-centric perception of our profession. And if you listen to any part of the podcast at all, be sure to listen to her closing advice for BCBA's of all experience levels. In short, if you're interested in where our field is going, this is the podcast for you. During our conversation, we discussed the following resources: Let Me Hear Your Voice, by Catherine Maurice. Oliver, Pratt, and Normand (2015). A survey of functional behavior assessment methods used by behavior analysts in practice. LaFrance, et al., (2019). Multidisciplinary Teaming: Enhancing collaboration and increased understanding. ASHA position statement on Rapid Prompting Methods. ASHA position statement on Facilitated Communication. I'd like to thank long-time listener Jim from Colorado, for helping me prepare for this interview, the BALC for making this opportunity happen, and the following sponsors: The 2020 New Hampshire Association for Behavior Analysis Virtual Conference! NH ABA is only a handful of years old, but for a smallish state, our conference has punched above its weight. The 2020 event will be no exception. This year's speaker list includes Drs. Solanday Forte, Deb Grossett, Bridget Taylor, Alyssa Wilson, Camille Kolu, and Emily Sandoz. NH ABA also acknowledges that the Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in financial burdens on many Behavior Analysts, so they've decided to use a values-based registration fee, which means that while there are suggested registration fees, you can participate in the event for a lot less if that's appropriate to your financial situation. For more information, check out nhaba.net, and I hope that you choose to join us virtually on September 26th! My friends at Praxis CET have two great ACT and RFT classes coming up that seem really cool (Understanding and Using Relational Frame Theory for Behavior Analysts with Drs. Siri Ming and Tom Szabo and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy with Parents with Drs. Lisa Coyne and Evelyn Gould). These are live, online courses, where participants can ask questions, get feedback, etc... on the spot. For more information, go to www.praxiscet.com/bopod. If you check it out and decide to enroll, use the code OBSERVATIONS to save some $$$ at registration. Behavior University. Their mission is to provide university quality professional development for the busy Behavior Analyst. Learn about their CEU offerings and podcast-specific discounts over at behavioruniversity.com/observations.

As we discussed in the recent Inside JABA Series podcast, Applied Behavior Analysis has a long history of helping people improve their fitness, nutrition, and overall well-being. In Session 127, Brandon May joins me to delve into this history a little further, while at the same time highlighting some of the amazing research he's conducted in this area (two quick examples of this include teaching college athletes to lift weights with more velocity, and creating a token economy to improve the health and well being of group home residents). Whether you care about these topics or not, there are a lot of great lessons about applying ABA in non-ASD/DD areas, so I encourage you to listen to the episode in it's entirety, particularly as we go down some really interesting rabbit holes towards the end of the show. Brandon received his BA in Psychology and Neuroscience from the University of Colorado and his Master's in Social Work and ABA from Saint Louis University. Right now, he's trying to finish up his dissertation in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, all while raising five kids, running his business, Elite ABA, as well as supporting other behavioral agencies and programs where he lives. In our discussion, we talked about tons of articles, podcasts, and other resources. I've done my best to catalog them here: Brandon's company, Elite ABA, (they're also on FB). Washington University's Autism Clinical Center. Great Circle's Autism Program. Schenk and Miltenberger (2019). A Review of Behavioral Interventions to Enhance Sports Performance. Luiselli and Reed (2011). Behavioral Sports Psychology. Temple, et al. (2008). Overweight children find food more reinforcing and consume more energy than do non-overweight children. Carr and Epstein (2020). Choice is Relative: Reinforcing Value of Food and Activity in Obesity Treatment. May and Treadwell (2020). Increasing Exercise Intensity: Teaching High-Intensity Interval Training to Individuals with Developmental Disabilities Using a Lottery Reinforcement System. Dixon et al., (2019). The Effects of Brief Mindfulness Training on Momentary Impulsivity. The Whoop Strap. Session 70 with Neil Deochand. Session 64 with Jim Moore. Session 65 with Matt Normand. Session 47 and Session 105 with Nick Green. The Controversial Exchange episode 26 (guest: Brett Yarris). Thinking Basketball (podcast). This podcast is sponsored by the following: The 2020 New Hampshire Association for Behavior Analysis Virtual Conference! NH ABA is only a handful of years old, but for a smallish state, our conference has punched above its weight. The 2020 event will be no exception. This year's speaker list includes Drs. Solanday Forte, Deb Grossett, Bridget Taylor, Alyssa Wilson, Camille Kolu, and Emily Sandoz. NH ABA also acknowledges that the Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in financial burdens on many Behavior Analysts, so they've decided to use a values-based registration fee, which means that while there are suggested registration fees, you can participate in the event for a lot less if that's appropriate to your financial situation. For more information, check out nhaba.net, and I hope that you choose to join us virtually on September 26th! My friends at Praxis CET have two great ACT and RFT classes coming up that seem really cool (Understanding and Using Relational Frame Theory for Behavior Analysts with Drs. Siri Ming and Tom Szabo and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy with Parents with Drs. Lisa Coyne and Evelyn Gould). These are live, online courses, where participants can ask questions, get feedback, etc... on the spot. For more information, go to www.praxiscet.com/bopod. If you check it out and decide to enroll, use the code OBSERVATIONS to save some $$$ at registration. HRIC Recruiting. Barb Voss has been placing BCBAs in permanent positions throughout the US for just about a decade, and has been in the business more generally for 30 years. When you work with HRIC, you work directly with Barb, thereby accessing highly personalized service. So if you're about to graduate, you're looking for a change of pace, or you just want to know if the grass really is greener on the other side, head over to HRIColorado.com to schedule a confidential chat right away.

I had the honor of conducting two interviews at the Behavior Analyst Leadership Council's 2020 virtual conference back in April. In Session 126, I'm sharing the first one of those conversations, and it is with a name that should be familiar listeners, and that's Dr. Antonio Harrison (@onecoachdoc). Antonio, as many listeners will remember, was instrumental in pulling together and facilitating Session 120, which was the roundtable discussion with four other African American men and Behavior Analysts in the wake of the George Floyd killing. Today's episode was actually recorded before Session 120, and Antonio and I discussed topics that were important but admittedly lighter by comparison. Specifically, we discussed his introduction to ABA, how growing up in adverse circumstances actually developed some helpful skills, why Bill Belichick is the best football coach in history, (perhaps I'm adding my input here ;-), and how he maintains a high level of productivity. That said, I think the most important lesson is the part of our discussion where he talks about how he's made inroads in applying Behavior Analytic interventions in novel settings, such as coaching football. I think that anyone who is considering making a move to practice outside the area of ASD will benefit from this segment of the interview. We covered a lot of ground in a short amount of time, and here are some links to some of the papers, podcasts, resources, etc... that were brought up: Antonio's current podcast, "Thank you. I love you. I'm sorry." Antonio's Twitter and Instagram feeds. Normand and Cohn (2013). Don't Wag the Dog: Extending the Reach of Applied Behavior Analysis. Harrison and Pyles (2013). The Effects of Verbal Instruction and Shaping to Improve Tackling by High School Football Players. Punished by Rewards, Alfie Kohn. This podcast is sponsored by the following: The 2020 New Hampshire Association for Behavior Analysis Virtual Conference! NH ABA is only a handful of years old, but for a smallish state, our conference has punched above its weight. The 2020 event will be no exception. This year's speaker list includes Drs. Solanday Forte, Deb Grossett, Bridget Taylor, Alyssa Wilson, Camille Kolu, and Emily Sandoz. NH ABA also acknowledges that the Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in financial burdens on many Behavior Analysts, so they've decided to use a values-based registration fee, which means that while there are suggested registration fees, you can participate in the event for a lot less if that's appropriate to your financial situation. For more information, check out nhaba.net, and I hope that you choose to join us virtually on September 26th! My friends at Praxis CET have two great ACT and RFT classes coming up that seem really cool (Understanding and Using Relational Frame Theory for Behavior Analysts with Drs. Siri Ming and Tom Szabo and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy with Parents with Drs. Lisa Coyne and Evelyn Gould). These are live, online courses, where participants can ask questions, get feedback, etc... on the spot. For more information, go to www.praxiscet.com/bopod. If you check it out and decide to enroll, use the code OBSERVATIONS to save some $$$ at registration. Lastly, I want to mention the BOP membership program; think of it as a DIY Patreon… It’s been running for a few years now, and it costs the princely sum of $9/month. Members get access to a private FB group in which they are able to get nearly instantaneous access to the videos of these podcast interviews. The best part is that members get the raw feed. That means no ads, and none of the introductory comments. You just get right to the interview.Another cool thing we do is hold Zoom Hangouts with former guests. We do this about 6 times a year, and it works like this: we schedule a Zoom call, a former guest comes on and joins us, and the members have the opportunity to ask them questions directly.

In Session 125, I had the opportunity to speak with Drs. Corina Jimenez-Gomez and Chris Podlesnik. While we spent a good deal of time discussing translational works in Behavior Analysis and covered important topics like resurgence, renewal, relapse, and generalization. We also discussed things like the ABAI Science Blog - which I highly recommend checking out, and what it's like to find a job as a Behavior Analytic power couple! We discussed a several of studies and resources, and I've done my best to list them here: Wathen, S. N., & Podlesnik, C. A. (2018). Laboratory models of treatment relapse and mitigation techniques. Behavior Analysis: Research and Practice. Podlesnik, C. A., Kelley, M. E., Jimenez‐Gomez, C. & Bouton, M. E. (2017). Renewed behavior produced by context change and its implications for treatment maintenance: A review. JABA. Briggs, A. M., Fisher, W. W., Greer, B. D. Kimball, R. T. (2018). Prevalence of resurgence of destructive behavior when thinning reinforcement schedules during functional communication training, JABA. Meuthing, C., Call, N., Pavlov, A., Ringdahl, J., Gillespie, S., Clark, S., Lomas Mevers, J. (2020). Prevalence of renewal of problem behavior during context changes, JABA. Stokes, T. F. & Baer, D. M. (1977). An Implicit Technology of Generalization, JABA. Mace, F. C. & Critchfield, T. S. (2010). Translational Research in Behavior Analysis: Historical Traditions and Imperative for the Future, JEAB. Cheney and Pierce, Behavior Analysis and Learning, 5th Edition. I also clipped this graphic that will help with the discussion (taken from the Podlesnik, et al. article listed above).     This podcast is sponsored by the following: The 2020 New Hampshire Association for Behavior Analysis Virtual Conference! NH ABA is only a handful of years old, but for a smallish state, our conference has punched above its weight. The 2020 event will be no exception. This year's speaker list includes Drs. Solanday Forte, Deb Grossett, Bridget Taylor, Alyssa Wilson, Camille Kolu, and Emily Sandoz. NH ABA also acknowledges that the Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in financial burdens on many Behavior Analysts, so they've decided to use a values-based registration fee, which means that while there are suggested registration fees, you can participate in the event for a lot less if that's appropriate to your financial situation. For more information, check out nhaba.net, and I hope that you choose to join us virtually on September 26th! HRIC Recruiting. Barb Voss has been placing BCBAs in permanent positions throughout the US for just about a decade, and has been in the business more generally for 30 years. When you work with HRIC, you work directly with Barb, thereby accessing highly personalized service. So if you're about to graduate, you're looking for a change of pace, or you just want to know if the grass really is greener on the other side, head over to HRIColorado.com to schedule a confidential chat right away. Lastly, I want to mention the BOP membership program; think of it as a DIY Patreon… It’s been running for a few years now, and it costs the princely sum of $9/month. Members get access to a private FB group in which they are able to get nearly instantaneous access to the videos of these podcast interviews. The best part is that members get the raw feed. That means no ads, and none of the introductory comments. You just get right to the interview.Another cool thing we do is hold Zoom Hangouts with former guests. We do this about 6 times a year, and it works like this: we schedule a Zoom call, a former guest comes on and joins us, and the members have the opportunity to ask them questions directly.  

The killing of George Floyd and others by police officers seems to have caused considerable reflection on how policing occurs in the United States. We first covered this topic in Session 73 in my interview with Dr. Amy Smith Wiech, and if you're interested in this topic, I would suggest going back and checking that one out. That episode aside, I think many of us in America are trying to come to grips in terms of how these events continue to happen. It is with this in mind that I'm delighted to be joined by Dr. John O'Neill to talk more about this issue. John is the Founder and Director of Research at the Contextual Behavioral Science Institute, where he and his colleagues have published behavior analytic research on many law enforcement-related topics, such as training practices at police academies and the unintentional discharge of firearms. In this conversation, we get into a lot of the difficult topics surrounding policing in America. Specifically, we discuss things like racism, gun ownership, de-escalation training, and much more. While we certainly didn't solve "all the problems" in our society, I think the interview really highlights just how complex law enforcement is, and that there are unfortunately no easy answers to our current predicament. Our conversation was aided by the contribution of questions from the Behavioral Observations Membership group. The membership is the podcast's DIY Patreon if you will, where for a small monthly fee, members can submit their questions to guests, get early, commercial-free video access to these interviews, and participate in occasional Zoom calls with guests. In fact, John has agree to join us in the next hangout so if this topic piques your interest and you'd like to speak with him directly, consider signing up! One final thing I'd like to say about this episode and some of the recent shows that I've put out over the last few months. Since the beginning of the pandemic, I've been trying to cover subjects like this one, that seem to be more topical in nature. If you have a chance, let me if this is something you'd like to see more of. This episode of the podcast is brought to you by the following: The ABA Marketing Minute with Rich Brooks. Digital marketing guru and two-time guest Rich Brooks and I have teamed up to provide listeners with 60-second micro-lessons in digital marketing. You'll hear the first installment later in this broadcast, so I won't spoil it here. If you're interested in marketing your practice on social media or Google, or if you want to give your website a makeover, I highly recommend working with Rich and his awesome team over at Flyte New Media. Behavior University. Their mission is to provide university quality professional development for the busy Behavior Analyst. Learn about their CEU offerings and podcast-specific discounts over at behavioruniversity.com/observations. The new book by Brett DiNovi and Dr. Paulie Gavoni, Behavioral Karma: 5 Scientific Laws of Life and Leadership. It's available for pre-purchase right now. I've gotten a sneak peek at some of the content and look forward to reading the book in its entirety.

In the fourth edition of the Inside JABA Series, I am joined by Drs. Dorothea Lerman, Linda LeBlanc, and Matt Normand to discuss the forthcoming JABA Special Series on Telehealth and Public Health. Linda and Matt are no strangers to this podcast, but this is Dorothy Lerman's first time on the show, so by way of introduction, she is currently a Professor of Behavior Analysis at the University of Houston - Clear Lake, where she directs a master’s program in behavior analysis and serves as Director of the UHCL Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities. Additionally, she has published more than 80 research articles and chapters, served as Editor-in-Chief for The Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis and Behavior Analysis in Practice and has secured more than $2 million in grants and contracts to support her work. In this episode, we discuss the motivation behind commissioning this special series, what exactly a special series is (and how it is different than a special issue and special section), the previous work in these two overlapping areas that has been published in past editions of JABA, the topics of some of the submitted papers for this special series, research questions for future work, and much more. While I believe the entire episode has value, the second half of the conversation - the part where we talk about what we do and don't yet know about telehealth, probably has the most direct relevance to practitioners right now. That's not to take away the importance of applying Behavior Analytic principles towards things like obesity, proper infant positioning, and the like, but nearly all Behavior Analysts have had to transition to remote work in some shape or form. To that end, I hope you find that portion of the show particularly informative. As always with these Inside JABA Series podcasts, there are no commercials other than to say that if you find this information helpful and want to earn CEU's for listening to the show, then head over to behavioralobservations.com/get-ceus, and follow the prompts from there. I should also note, 50% of the proceeds from all the Inside JABA Series Podcasts go towards supporting the Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior. If you're in a pinch and need more than a few CEU's there are volume discounts available for all the continuing ed offerings, of which we have over 20 and counting. We mentioned quite a few studies during the conversation, and I tried my best to jot them all down while we were chatting and have the links below. As always, feel free to contact me if I've missed any. The Control of Eating; Ferster, Nurnberger, and Levitt (1962). A Three-Dimensional Program for the Treatment of Obesity; Stuart (1971). The Consecutive Controlled Case Series; Hagopian (2020). Conducting Functional Analyses of Problem Behavior via Telehealth; Wacker, et al. (2017). Less is More: Psychologists Can Learn More by Studying Fewer People; Normand (2016). Telemedicine and ABA, an Interview with Dr. Wendy Machalicek (2017/2020). Telehealth resources from the Council of Autism Service Providers. There were quite a few more papers that were discussed that will be in the forthcoming issue of JABA, so if you're not already subscribed, please consider doing so.

"Does anyone have a social story for [insert challenging situation here]?" Chances are if you're like me, you've seen this question on the various ABA Facebook groups. Very often, the responses to questions like these generate some controversy, or at the very least, arguing over the empirical support for the use of Social Stories and other story-based narrative interventions. One of these types of Facebook threads popped up a month or two ago, and in response to it, I saw a post from Dr. Justin Leaf from the Autism Partnership Foundation. In it, he described his own research in this area, which casts doubt on the utility of these types of interventions. To be up front with my own biases, I've often been skeptical of Social Story based interventions as well, and thought it would be interesting to discuss this further with Justin. We recorded this podcast episode a while back at the height of the quarantine, so you'll likely hear various background noises from both of our households, though I don't think they detract from the overall sound quality. Our conversation will no doubt generate some controversy, so please feel free to add your thoughts or commentary at Facebook.com/behavioralobservations or right in the comments section of the show notes. Here are the links to the resources we discussed: Justin's appearance on ABA Inside Track. The Facebook post that started this conversation off. Leaf, et al. (2019). A Critical Review of Social Narratives. The Autism Partnership Foundation's free RBT course. Google Scholar results for the Teaching Interaction Procedure. Clinical Judgement, the book Justin co-authored with Ronald Leaf and John McEachin. This session of Behavioral Observations is brought to you by: The ABA Marketing Minute with Rich Brooks. Digital marketing guru and two-time guest Rich Brooks and I have teamed up to provide listeners with 60-second micro-lessons in digital marketing. You'll hear the first installment later in this broadcast, so I won't spoil it here, but let's just say the message should parallel a lot of what we should strive for in our clinical practice. If you're interested in marketing your practice on social media or Google, or if you want to give your website a makeover, I highly recommend working with Rich and his awesome team over at Flyte New Media. The Behavioral Observation Podcast's own Continuing Education offerings. As of this writing, there are over 20 podcasts that are available for continuing education. With discounts available for multiple event purchases and the ability to learn while driving, walking the dog, and so on, there's never been a better time to get caught up with your continuing education. And while I'm promoting the stuff on my website, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the membership program. Think of it as a DIY Patreon… Members get access to a private FB group in which they are able to get nearly instantaneous access to the videos of these podcast interviews. For example, this interview has been available to members for two months. Members get the raw feed. That means no ads, and none of these introductory comments. You just get right to the interview. Another cool thing we do is hold Zoom Hangouts with former guests so where you can interact with them directly. For more information, check out behavioralobservations.com/membership.

Russ Harris and I recorded this episode about three or four weeks ago, when the world's troubles centered around the challenges with Covid-19 related stay-at-home measures. It's amazing how fast things have changed since then! In light of the social upheaval as people in the United States and beyond come to grips with tragic examples of racism and injustice, getting irritated by one's family members pales in comparison in terms of personal suffering. I had briefly thought to shelve this episode in light of this contrast, but the more I thought about it, I believe that the suggestions and thoughts that Russ shared on this episode will be helpful nonetheless. Please check out behavioralobservations.com for this episode's shownotes!

Since the killing of George Floyd, I’ve had colleagues approach me with suggestions on how to address the issue of police brutality and racism on Behavioral Observations. To be honest, none of the suggestions were entirely satisfying. As a white guy living in one of the whitest states in America - someone who has not had any mistreatment based on his skin color - other than condemn the actions of those police officers, sharing my thoughts on this event (as well as the broader topic of racism and police brutality) would not only ring hollow, but not be appropriate for the moment. In other words, I realized that I lacked personal perspective with this issue, and while I may have some thoughts on the matter, those thoughts are more or less academic in nature. So after wracking my brain for a few days on what I could do to leverage the BOP platform for good, I came upon the idea for this show: For Session 120, I want to take myself out of the podcast altogether, and turn it over to a panel of African American men who are also our colleagues in Behavior Analysis. The goal of the show would be for both me and the BOP audience to simply listen rather than talk. I reached out to Dr. Antonio Harrison to see if he would be interested in facilitating this discussion, and thankfully he agreed. We then recruited Shawn Capell, Pierre Louis, Larry West III, and Kirk Kirby to participate in the panel. From there, I stepped out of the rest of the production process. As of this writing, I haven't even listened to the final product yet because I want to experience this conversation as an audience member would. As such, I'm ready to learn more about the experience of African American men in our country and I hope you are too. If you find value in this episode, please share it with as many friends and colleagues as possible. I'm hoping this episode is also disseminated beyond the field of Behavior Analysis as well. Lastly, if you have the means to do so, please consider donating to the group, Black Applied Behavior Analysts, (in case you're wondering, I have and will continue to put my money where my mouth is). Thanks for listening!

Providing feedback to staff members is essential for delivering quality services, but doing it effectively is easier said than done. That's why I'm excited to share this conversation I had with Dr. Natalie Parks from BehaviorLeader.com. Natalie, along with co-authors Adam Ventura, Erica Crowley, and Dennis Uriarte, just published "Feedback F!@# Ups and How to Avoid Them," and in Session 119, we really dive deep into this topic. Natalie describes some best practices for providing feedback, including how to do so in the current digital-meeting age. We also talk about how to provide feedback to the "difficult" staff member, as well as how to incorporate the feedback process in staff on-boarding procedures. If you find this topic interesting, I suggest heading over to BehaviorLeader.com and click on the Featured Products button, and order a copy for yourself. There's also a 5-Day "Fix Your Feedback" Challenge on their website as well, which sounds like a lot of fun! If you find this episode helpful and would like to get a supervision CEU for it, click here to get more info. You'll also find CEU's on many more topics there, and bulk-purchase discounts are available if you're a procrastinator like me ;-) Lastly, I’d like to mention that I've been running a membership program for the podcast for a few years now; think of it as a DIY Patreon… It costs the princely sum of $9/month. Members get access to a private FB group in which they are able to get nearly instantaneous access to the videos of these podcast interviews, often weeks or months before they are published.  The best part is that members get the raw conversation itself. That means no ads, and none of the introductory comments, and sometimes, some bloopers, re-takes, and do-overs. Another cool thing we do is hold Zoom Hangouts with former guests. We do this about 6 times a year, and it works like this: we schedule a Zoom call, a former guest comes on and joins us, and the members have the opportunity to ask them questions directly. So if you'd like to learn more, head to BehavioralObservations.com/membership.

You may recall that a few months back, I interviewed Dr. David Cox (@davidjcox_). In our discussion, we spent a fair amount of time talking about the literature on the use of psychedelics for the treatment of a variety of behavioral and mental health challenges. I recently got the opportunity to extend this conversation with Dr. Matthew Johnson (@Drug_Researcher). Matt Johnson is a Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at John Hopkins University, and he's been a leading figure in this area of research for over 15 years. His expertise in this area is so well regarded that he's been sought out by media outlets such as (takes deep breath): The New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Globe and Mail, Daily Mail, USA Today, Chicago Tribune, San Francisco Chronicle, Denver Post, Baltimore Sun, CNN, CBS News, NBC News, The Atlantic, Newsweek, Vanity Fair, Marie Claire, Vogue, Whole Living, The Washingtonian, Scientific American, Nature, Vice, Insider, Inverse, Healthline, Psychology Today (pause to inhale...) 60 Minutes, CNN’s Wolf Blitzer Situation Room, Fox Business News’ Kennedy, the Dr. Oz Show, PBS’ Retro Report, Labyrint (television show in the Netherlands), Spectrum News NY1, the BBC World Service, NPR’s Morning Edition, NPR’s Kojo Nnamdi Show, New Zealand Radio, and Newstalk Radio Ireland... just to name a few. Matt has also been featured in a special episode of The Tim Ferriss Show on this very topic. As such, I'm a little more than humbled to chat with him on Behavioral Observations! In our chat, we did a quick overview of Delay Discounting, talked about decision making with condom usage, and the behavioral economics of cannabis. As an aside, we've done quite a few shows on Behavioral Economics. Here's a quick list of them if you want to get really up to speed: Session 17, A Behavioral Economics Primer, Derek Reed. Session 114, The Behavioral Economics of Toilet Paper, Derek Reed. The aforementioned David Cox episode. Session 11: Obesity, Food Insecurity, Behavioral Economics, and Mindful Eating, Erin Rasmussen. Session 2: Science and Pseudoscience, Steve Lawyer. Back to this show, Matt and I spent a large part of our chat discussing his groundbreaking work in the area of psychedelics. We really get into the weeds, as it were, of how these studies are done, and discuss everything from recruiting participants, the timing of these trips, how participants are supported through their experiences, bad trips, transformative experiences, hypothesized mechanisms of action, what these treatments will look like in five years, and much, much more.  And before I forget, here are some links to additional readings that we referenced: MacCorquodale and Meehl (1948). Article on Hypothetical Constructs. Rasmussen and Newland (2009). Quantification of the Anti-Punishment Effect in Humans Using the Generalized Matching Equation. Hopkinspsychedelic.org, a clearing house of all the cool research that's being done at JHU. We close with a fun discussion of the concept of impulsivity. In Matt's view, as a psychological construct, the term isn't very useful, and we get into how he came to that conclusion.  This episode is brought to you by: HRIC Recruiting. Barb Voss has been placing BCBAs in permanent positions throughout the US for just about a decade, and has been in the business more generally for 30 years. Like Batman, she works alone, which means that when you work with HRIC, you work directly with Barb and get highly personalized service. So if you're about to graduate, you're looking for a change of pace, or you just want to know if the grass really is greener on the other side, head over to HRIColorado.com to schedule a confidential chat right away. Behavior University. Their mission is to provide university quality professional development for the busy Behavior Analyst. Learn about their CEU offerings and podcast-specific discounts over at behavioruniversity.com/observations. Lastly, I’d like to mention something I don’t bring up all that frequently. I have a membership program for the podcast; think of it as a DIY Patreon… It’s been running for a few years now, and it costs the princely sum of $9/month. Members get access to a private FB group in which they are able to get nearly instantaneous access to the videos of these podcast interviews. The best part is that members get the raw feed. That means no ads, and none of the introductory comments. You just get right to the interview. Another cool thing we do is hold Zoom Hangouts with former guests. We do this about 6 times a year, and it works like this: we schedule a Zoom call, a former guest comes on and joins us, and the members have the opportunity to ask them questions directly. 

You may recall that in Session 112 I chatted with Kelle Rich about, among other things, the upcoming Verbal Behavior Conference. In these pre-pandemic times, the event was supposed to be held in Austin, Texas. However, in anticipation of the stay-at-home orders, quarantines, and so forth, Kelle wisely shifted this event to the online space. So VBC 2020 became a virtual conference, and was executed as scheduled on April 2nd and 3rd. I had the pleasure of moderating the speakers' panel, and I thought it would be fun to share it with you here. This was indeed an august group, and featured Drs. Barbara Esch, Anna Petursdottir, Caio Miguel, Pat McGreevy, David Palmer, and Mark Sundberg. VBC 2020 VIRTUAL PANEL During the panel, we made some references to the speakers' earlier presentations. But don't worry, there's enough context in the Q and A, so I don't think you'll have a problem understanding what we're talking about. The one exception to this is that in Dr. Barbara Esch's presentation, she talked extensively about the book, Enjoy Old Age: A Practical Guide, by Skinner and Vaughn, and I asked her some questions about it, so if you hear a reference to "the book," that's what we were talking about.  I should also note that due to the video conferencing software, the audio - though listenable - is far from podcast quality. I apologize in advance for that, and encourage you to give the show a listen nonetheless, as there are a lot of fun exchanges, anecdotes, and lessons from all the panelists. Lastly, I'd like to thank Kelle Rich and her team at the Central Texas Autism Center for asking me to be a part of this fun event! This podcast is brought to you with support from The Essential for Living curriculum. If you are looking for a curricular alternative for children and adults with limited repertoires, especially those without an effective, efficient method of speaking, seriously consider Essential for Living. From now until May 31, you can use the coupon code ‘efl420’ to receive $20 off the regular price of the Essential for Living handbook. Since we're on the subject of marketing, I also want to let you know about the Behavioral Observations Podcast Membership Program. Think of this as a DIY Patreon program where members get access to ad-free videos of podcast interviews, oftentimes weeks (months in some cases) before they're publicly released. We also hold occasional special events in which I will bring previous guests from the show into a Zoom hangout, and members can have some direct Q & A. For more information about this, click here.

This episode of the Behavioral Observations Podcast is brought to you by Behavior University and GoLotus. Behavior University's mission is to provide you with university quality continuing education. If you're in quarantine like I am, take this time to brush up on your skills, or push yourself to learn something new. For great deals for podcast listeners, head over to behavioruniversity.com/observations to learn more. GoLotus recognizes that ABA providers are facing their most difficult challenges right now. So in light of recent events, Go Lotus has decided to open up its data trackers and scheduling systems for nearly 90% off to help everyone make it through these challenging times. Normally $40/seat, Go Lotus will offer these service for just $5/seat for all new customers until the crisis ends.  Trust me when I say that they are not looking at the pandemic opportunistically. GoLotus was founded by a mother of a child with Autism, and she wants to make sure providers have the tools necessary to serve their clients, even in the face of economic hardships. For more information, please check out GoLotus.com and request a demo today. OK, today's episode is a re-play of a podcast session that was apparently ahead of its time. Back Session 26, I interviewed Dr. Wendy Machalicek about using telemedicine in the context of ABA service delivery. At the time, she was one of a few Behavior Analysts conducting research in this area. Once this current pandemic went into full swing, I gave the episode a re-listen and found that many of the lessons Wendy imparted are still quite relevant today, so rather than reinvent the wheel, I decided to re-publish the show. I'm happy to produce more content in this area, so if this is something you're interested in, please leave a comment in the shownotes for this episode, or on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn. At the same time, I know other ABA podcasters, CEU providers, and the like have created many offerings in the realm of telemedicine, so I'm just as happy to continue pursuing other topics of interest. Long story short, let me know your thoughts either way. Lastly, I'd like to draw your attention to the recent issue of The Journal of Behavioral Education, which put out a special issue on telemedicine. Behavior Analysis and Practice has also published many articles related to service delivery in the midst of this pandemic.

You've more than likely heard the saying, "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush." In the third installment of the Inside JABA Series, Dr. Iser DeLeon, along with Inside JABA regulars Drs. Tiger and St. Peter we do a deep-dive into the topic of accumulated versus distributed reinforcement arrangements to see if this adage is true in the context of skill acquisition and problem behavior. I'm excited to have Dr. DeLeon, better knowns as Willie to friends and colleagues, on the show. Willie's contributions to the field are too lengthy to list here but to summarize, he is a Professor of Psychology at The University of Florida, and he has done great work in the area of translating concepts derived from the Experimental Analysis of Behavior for use in the applied realm. I'll read you a bit from his bio: "[Willie's] work is notable for its use of concepts derived from behavioral economics, behavioral momentum, and other conceptual models as they apply to behavior analytic interventions. In addition to his impressive research and scholarly contributions, Dr. DeLeon has served on the editorial boards of a number of behavior analysis journals, including as associate editor of the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis and editor of translational research for the Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior." So as you can see, Willie, along with my other Inside JABA co-hosts, are eminently qualified to talk about this subject. In this episode we reference three different papers on distributed versus accumulated reinforcement. For the purposes of short-hand, I referred to them in the conversation as "Willie's paper," "Claire's paper," and so on. Allow me a minute to give full and proper recognition to all of the authors. The papers we discussed include the following: DeLeon, Chase, Frank-Crawford, Carreau-Webster, Triggs, Bullock, and Jennett (2014). Distributed and accumulated reinforcement arrangements: evaluations of efficacy and preference. Fulton, Tiger, Meitzen, and Effertz (2019). A comparison of accumulated and distributed reinforcement periods with children exhibiting escape-maintained problem behavior. Robinson and St-Peter (2019). Accumulated reinforcers increase academic responding and suppress problem behavior for students with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. During our chat, a number of other papers came up, and my colleagues on the podcast were nice enough to go back and track down those references as well. Hackenberg and Pietras (2000). Video access as a reinforcer in a self-control paradigm: A method and some data. Fienup, Ahlers, and Pace (2011). Preference for fluent versus disfluent work schedules. Frank-Crawford, Borrero, Newcomb, Chen, Schmidt (2018). Preference for and Efficacy of Accumulated and Distributed Response–Reinforcer Arrangements During Skill Acquisition. We also promised to excerpt Figure 1 from DeLeon, et al., (2014): As with previous Inside JABA Series podcasts, there are no ads during these shows, but the content is eligible for continuing education credit. Half of the proceeds from these sales go towards supporting the Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior. So to support what we're doing here, please go to behavioralobservations.com/get-ceus. Once there, you'll also be able to see other podcasts that are eligible for continuing ed, and discounts are available for bulk purchases. If you're interested in getting CEU's for this event and want to learn more, here is the abstract, followed by the specific learning objectives: The delivery of reinforcement in intervention programs is often delivered in small increments (e.g., 30 s) on a dense schedule (e.g., FR 1). An alternative to this distributed delivery of reinforcement is to arrange conditions in which reinforcement can accumulate following multiple target responses before then being consumed. This episode’s discussion highlights three studies that compared task engagement among individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (DeLeon et al., 2014) including those identified with escape-maintained problem behavior (Fulton et al.,  2020) and adolescents with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (Robinson & St. Peter, 2019) under accumulating and distributed reinforcement arrangements. Across each study, engagement was increased and problem behavior reduced during accumulated reinforcement conditions. Further, these studies each included preference assessments in which participants were provided with the opportunity to choose between accumulated and distributed reinforcement arrangements. There was some variability across participants, but many individuals preferred to engage in extended work periods for the opportunity to accumulate reinforcement prior to consumption. Learning Objectives: Describe the difference between distributed and accumulated reinforcement arrangements. Describe why reinforcement efficacy may be increased through accumulation of reinforcers? Describe why a preference for accumulated reinforcement may be counterintuitive. OK, if that doesn't get you excited to learn, I'm not sure what will, so go head, and click here to pick up that CE!

In these unprecedented times of social isolation, public education has made a rapid shift towards a distance learning model. It's probably not a surprise that outcomes will vary for students based on myriad factors. If you'd like to become more involved in your child's educational progress to ensure your child's success, then this is the podcast for you! Amy Evans, who is an expert in Instructional Design and Precision Teaching, joins me in Session 114 to discuss how setting up brief practice sessions with your learner can really enhance not only skill acquisition, but retention too (which is, in my experience, an often overlooked outcome measure). Long story short, the goal of this conversation is to provide parents practical tips based on what we know about learning, using readily available materials (ie, stuff that’s downloadable). We did our best to keep the jargon to a minimum, as I am hoping that this podcast will reach an audience beyond my usual listeners. Amy tutors children individually, and is offering these services at a 50% discount during the COVID-19 pandemic. She has also recently launched a business that will train Behavior Analysts to bring Precision Teaching and Fluency-Based instruction to their practices, so to learn more, click here to get on her email list to learn more. To that end, your help will be greatly appreciated. If you find this information helpful, please feel free to share it with friends and colleagues! If your acquaintances are not podcast listeners, I'd like to use this as an opportunity to let folks know that every podcast I've published gets posted to YouTube in case that's a more convenient medium. The best part about this topic is that there are so many freely available or inexpensive materials out there for parents to use. Here are links to materials we discussed (and some we didn't; and a huge thanks to Amy for finding all of these resources!): A general web page with links to free resources that are available during school closures: Amazing Educational Resources. University of Oregon sites (per Amy: good place to go if you need to know where to start with your child’s skills: easyCBM. Resources (Big Ideas in Beginning Reading). The Maloney Method (Free Assessment + first 10 lessons). https://www.learninga-z.com/. One Minute Reader Fluency App and Audio-Supported Books Math Worksheets | Free and Printable (good downloadable materials with lots of practice opportunities). The Math Worksheet Site.com (great for timings - easy to configure, and tons of response opportunities). Khan Academy | Free Online Courses, Lessons & Practice DeltaMath EdReady™ Application Home If you want to take a deeper dive into Precision Teaching, or if you're looking for other CE topics, Central Reach has opened up their online library to all BCBA's at no charge through April 30th. As with Amy's services noted above, this is not a sponsored plug; both CR and Amy are offering free or highly discounted services to support the field, and I'm happy to share these resources. For more info, go to centralreach.com/business-continuity. In case you were worried, we still do have sponsors for this episode though. Session 114 is brought to you by the following: The ABA Marketing Minute with Rich Brooks. Digital marketing guru and two-time guest Rich Brooks and I have teamed up to provide listeners with 60-second micro-lessons in digital marketing. You'll hear the first installment later in this broadcast, so I won't spoil it here, but let's just say the message should parallel a lot of what we should strive for in our clinical practice. The Virtual Verbal Behavior Conference. Yes, when the going gets tough, the tough go online. Instead of cancelling this year's VBC, Session 112 guest Kelle Rich putting the entire program online. The Virtual VBC is scheduled for April 2nd and 3rd, but will likely be available afterwards in recorded form. Also, I just learned that Dr. Vince Carbone has been added to the speakers' list! For some reason I can't quite put my finger on, his time was suddenly freed up. I hope you're able to check it out. Last but certainly not least, I've been getting tons of great feedback on Steve Ward's appearance on the show. If you like his style, The Applied Behavior Analysis Center is hosting a webinar with Steve on June 16th, 2020. ABAC is offering a 20% discount on this event as well as other offerings to podcast listeners. If you're interested in checking this out, go to abacnj.com and use the code ABACBO20 at check out.

Dr. Derek Reed joins me today to discuss the behavioral economic principles that underpin so much of what we're seeing today as the world attempts to cope with the Coronavirus pandemic. From buying all the toilet paper in sight, to heeding (or more to the point, not heeding) government guidelines for social distancing, Derek relates these behavioral patterns to some very basic operant principles. We start the show with a quick overview of three key behavioral economic terms: Delay Discounting, Probability Discounting, and Behavioral Economic Demand. We then talk about how these processes can be used to interpret some of the fascinating societal behavior that we're seeing all around us, including, of course, the panic-buying of toilet paper. Derek then goes on to describe some of the research that he has done in this area, and suggests some lines of future research. We also discuss some the shortcomings of traditional ABA research designs in studying these phenomena, along with what we can do to overcome these barriers. Derek brought up several references. Here are the links: Derek's first appearance on the BOP in Session 17. The "pop" behavioral economic concept of the Zero Risk Bias. Baer, Wolf, and Risley (1968). Baer, Wolf, and Risley (1987). Critchfield and Reed (2017). Reed, et al. (2013). Behavioral Economics: A Tutorial for Behavior Analysts in Practice. The Max/Mel Brooks PSA on Social Distancing (YouTube vid). Today's episode is sponsored by: Behavior University. Their mission is to provide university quality professional development for the busy Behavior Analyst. Learn about their CEU offerings and podcast-specific discounts over at behavioruniversity.com/observations. The Verbal Behavior Conference will be going down in Austin Texas. This event will feature speakers such as David Palmer, Barbara Esch, Pat McGreevy, Mark Sundberg, and more! They’ve even asked me to moderate a panel at the end of the first day, so if this sounds like fun to you, go to ctac1.com/podcast, where you can register at a discounted rate.

A few weeks ago, I sat down with Kelle Rich, founder of the Central Texas Autism Center, to discuss a handful of topics, one if which being the upcoming Verbal Behavior Conference. If you've tuned into the last few episodes, you've likely heard me talk about this event. At the time of our conversation, the Coronavirus was just coming onto the nation's radar screen, but the "plan" was to go ahead with the event, which was scheduled to take place in Austin, Texas, unless conditions changed. Well, as you can guess, the conditions have changed since we recorded this interview. The bad news is that the spread of Covid-19 has continued, and Kelle made the difficult, yet prudent decision to cancel the on-site event. The good news however, is that Kelle decided not to take this lying down, as it were, and she's now hosting this event in a webinar format. As such, tickets remain on sale, so if this is something you're interested in, head to ctac1.com/podcast to grab one for yourself. Aside from the availability of the breakfast tacos, the program will remain the same. It includes talks by Drs. Mark Sundberg, Barbara Esch, Pat Mcgreevy, and more. Kelle was also kind enough to ask me to moderate a panel at the end of day 1. If you're not interested in the conference, I still urge you to check this show out, as we actually spend the majority of the time discussing the development of Applied Behavior Analysis in Texas, why Kelle started the Central Texas Autism Center, how she recruits, trains, and maintains high quality staff members, and more. Long story short, there are plenty of lessons no matter where your interests lie. This episode is brought to you with the generous support of the following: FTF Behavioral Consulting. Dr. Greg Hanley and the rest of the FTF team are holding a two-day workshop covering all aspects of the Practical Functional Assessment and Skills-Based Treatment processes (formerly known as the IISCA). It will be held at the DCU center on April 16th and 17th in Worcester, Massachusetts. For more information, go to ftfbc.com and click the events tab. Like everyone else, they're taking the Covid-19 pandemic seriously, and so they will likely change the details of this event as a result. If that happens, not to worry! They have a lot of online learning options available, so check out ftfbc.com/services/courses. GoLotus. GoLotus is an easy to use, intuitive practice management platform. From scheduling, to notes, to data collection and more, they do it all. And with no contracts or obligations. Find out more about what they have to offer at golotus.com/register. And If you do sign up, the coupon code Matt2019 and you will get 25% off for the first 3 months. The ABA Marketing Minute. Former two-time guest, Rich Brooks, has teamed up with me to provide a series of 60-second micro lessons on marketing your services. You'll hear the first installment in this episode, but Rich has also set up a web page with more resources on this topic, including a free 30-minute webinar called, How to Build an Effective Website for Your Small Business. You can check it out at takeflyte.com/abaminute. Lastly, you probably hear me reference the show notes to this podcast quite frequently. You can always find them at behavioralobservations.com, however, if you want to save a step and have the shownotes directly emailed to  you, go to behavioralobservations.com, look for the red button on the right hand side, and click to sign up for the newsletter. I don't share your email address, and I only send a few emails a month. OK, that's it for opening announcements, so without any further delay, please enjoy this conversation with Kelle Rich!

Almost from the outset of the podcast, people have been asking me to get Steve Ward on the show. If you're not familiar with Steve, he is the co-founder of Whole Child Consulting, and co-author of The Inventory of Good Learner Repertoires (amongst many other books). In this episode, Steve and I talk about his paper that discusses the role of humor in behavioral interventions. We also talk about his concept of "task as reinforcer," and then digress into helping kids who present with oppositional repertoires. We discussed a ton of resources, and I have done my best to capture them below. If you like the kind of approach that Steve offers, he is conducting a webinar that's hosted by The Applied Behavior Analysis Center on June 16th, 2020. ABAC is offering a 20% discount on this event as well as others to podcast listeners. If you're interested in checking this out, go to abacnj.com and use the code ABACBO20 at check out. With a few exceptions, this discount is available for most of the ABAC webinars, so hit the show notes for more details. Steve's ABAC webinar. The Inventory of Good Learner Repertoires. Teaching Good Learner Repertoires. Teaching Advanced Learner Repertoires. What You Need to Know About Motivation and Teaching Games: An In-Depth Analysis. Another 21 Games: This Time, It's Personal. Task-as-reinforcer BAP paper. Using Humor paper. An Operant Analysis of Joint Attention (Holth, 2005). Today's show is brought to you with the generous support of: HRIC Recruiting. Barb Voss has been placing BCBAs in permanent positions throughout the US for just about a decade, and has been in the business more generally for 30 years. Like Batman, she works alone, which means that when you work with HRIC, you work directly with Barb and get highly personalized service. So if you're about to graduate, you're looking for a change of pace, or you just want to know if the grass really is greener on the other side, head over to HRIColorado.com to schedule a confidential chat right away. The Behavior Analysis Student Association from Florida Tech. In somewhat of a role-reversal, Behavioral Observations is sponsoring their annual student conference, which is taking place on April 17th, in sunny Melbourne, FL. This event will feature presentations from people such as Drs. Sarah Bloom and Tim Vollmer. It's good for 5 CEU's and both on and off site registration options are available. This is a student fundraiser, so no promo codes but don't worry, the early-bird registration price is absurdly cheap! For more information, go to FIT.edu/continuing-education. On April 20th, Hillcrest Educational Centers is hosting Dr. Greg Hanley for a full day workshop in Pittsfield, MA. The event is titled, "How to provide happy, relaxed and engaged treatment." Attendees will earn 7 CE's. Save on your registration by using the promo code YEARN. 

Rebecca Womack, who is the Director of Clinical Compliance at BlueSprig Autism joins me in Session 101 to provide an overview of the importance of pinpointing and analyzing Key Performance Indicators, or, KPI's for short. At first glance, this may seem like a topic that is about as exciting as doing your taxes. However, when we dove into this subject, my inner nerd was engaged, and I started thinking about how I could use this concept in all aspects of what I do. I guarantee that even if you do not work in an insurance funded setting, or if you are not in operations management - you'll still many takeaways from this conversation. Rebecca effectively makes the case for using a KPI lens in your work. After we concluded our interview, I learned that she was not only battling pneumonia, but her husband was texting her with updates from their barn, as one of their goats was giving birth! So I appreciated Rebecca's ability to put aside these things to patiently educate me on this topic. We mentioned a handful of resources in the episode: Article on Values-Based Care. Council of Autism Service Providers (CASP). Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, 3rd Edition. Panel on KPS's at the 2020 Association for Professional Behavior Analysts convention (details TBA). Session 110 is brought to you with support from the following: My friends at FTF Behavioral Consulting are holding a two-day workshop covering all aspects of the Practical Functional Assessment and Skills-Based Treatment processes (formerly known as the IISCA). It will be held at the DCU center on April 16th and 17th in Worcester, Massachusetts. For more information, go to ftfbc.com and click the events tab. Let's say you're not in Massachusetts on April 17th, but some place warmer, like Melbourne, Florida, consider attending the FIT Behavior Analysis Student's Association conference! This event is also available online, so to learn more, check out fit.edu/continuing-education! Behavior University. Their mission is to provide university quality professional development for the busy Behavior Analyst. Learn about their CEU offerings and podcast-specific discounts over at behavioruniversity.com/observations. Last but certainly not least, on April 2nd and 3rd, the Verbal Behavior Conference will be going down in Austin Texas. This event will feature speakers such as David Palmer, Barbara Esch, Pat McGreevy, Mark Sundberg, and more! They’ve even asked me to moderate a panel at the end of the first day, so if this sounds like fun to you, go to ctac1.com/podcast, where you can register at a discounted rate.

Hey Everyone, welcome to session 109 of The Behavioral Observations Podcast! I’m joined by multiple-time guest, Dr. Pat McGreevy. We talk about what he’s been up to lately, how to support learners who have barriers in communication, implementing Essential for Living in public school settings, why he prefers working with non-behavior analysts…  and we end with a fun and poignant story about Pat’s mentor, Ogden Lindsley.  We also spend some time discussing the upcoming Verbal Behavior Conference. It’s taking place on April 2nd and 3rd in Austin, Texas. In the spirit of transparency, I’m helping the Central Texas Autism Center promote the event, so keep that in mind for what it’s worth.  In addition to promoting the event, I’m also excited to be a part of the program this year. At the end of the first day, I get to moderate a panel with all of the conference speakers! If this all sounds fun to you, head to ctac1.com/podcast and take advantage of the discount that was arranged for Behavioral Observations listeners. Also, if you’re traveling to Austin, the special event rates for the conference hotel, the Hilton Austin, will expire on March 2nd, so if this is something you're considering, I would advise you to make your plans soon! If you can’t make it to the event, but want to learn more about Pat, and/or The Essential for Living Assessment and Curriculum, check out their website. And check out their options for online training at eflapp.com/training. This podcast is sponsored by an event that’s coming up in a different part of the country. It’s called the Insider's Guide to Legal Tactics Used Against Schools: How Behavior Analysis Can Help! This event is brought to you by Brett DiNovi and Associates, and it takes place on February 28, 2020 from 9:30am-2:00pm at the DoubleTree by Hilton at SeaWorld in Orlando, FL. Attend either in-person or via webinar. Student discounts are available, and all proceeds go towards the BF Skinner Foundation!

Dr. Kendra Newsome joins me in Session 108. Our original plan was to discuss how FitLearning is incorporating ACT and other mindfulness based activities with their learners. And talk about that we did. However, we went down quite a few interesting and unexpected rabbit holes along the way. The sidebar that was of most interest to me was our discussion on how they run staff meetings. I'm sure you're thinking to yourself, "how can staff meetings be interesting?" Well, it sounds like the FitLearning crew found an answer to that question. As such, you'll have to let me know what you think about their, "Get weird," approach to staff meetings. Kendra also dispenses some really unique advice for newly-minted BCBA's. And in case you're wondering, the advice is applicable to BCBA's of all experience levels as well, so you'll want to listen to this episode all the way through to hear what she has to say on this topic. We discussed a few books, podcasts, and articles in our chat, and I have done my best to capture all of them here: Kim Berens' first appearance on the show (which contains an excellent history of FitLearning for those who are interested). Nick Berens' interview, discussing, among other things, Relational Frame Theory. Kim's return to the podcast (recorded live at the Tate Behavioral Conference in October, 2019). Donny Newsome's interview on Why We Do What We Do, discussing the importance of fluency (highly recommend checking out if you're not familiar with this stuff). Tools of Titans, by Tim Ferriss. Tribal Leadership, by Dave Logan. Peak, Secrets From the New Science of Expertise, by Ericsson and Pool. Talking to Strangers, by Malcolm Gladwell. This podcast is brought to you by the following: The ACT BootCamp for Behavior Analysts that's taking place from March 19th-22nd in Reno, Nevada. Attendees will earn a total of 32 BACB Continuing Education units, including 4 ethics and 3 supervision CEU’s. If this sounds like something you’re interested, check out https://praxiscet.com/bopod (or hit the show notes to this episode), and use the code BO50 to save on your registration! HRIC Recruiting. If you're looking for your dream job, work directly with agency owner Barb Voss, and let her put her 30+ years of recruiting experience to work for you. Whether you're re-locating or just wondering what else is available, go to HRIColorado.com and schedule a confidential chat right away. An Insider's Guide to Legal Tactics Used Against Schools: How Behavior Analysis Can Help! This event is brought to you by Brett DiNovi and Associates, and it takes place onFebruary 28, 2020 from 9:30am-2:00pm at the Double Tree by Hilton Hotel Orlando at SeaWorld. Attend either in-person or via webinar. Student discounts are available, and all proceeds go towards the BF Skinner Foundation! Lastly, I am honored to be part of this year's Verbal Behavior Conference that's being held on April 2nd and 3rd in Austin Texas. Come learn from VB experts such as Mark Sundberg, Anna Petursdottir, Ciao Miguel, Barbara Esch, and more! Click here for special registration prices for podcast listeners!

Dr. Emily Sandoz joins me in Session 107 to talk about her work in ACT and Clinical Behavior Analysis. I found this conversation really fascinating as she shares how she helps people in talk-therapy contexts - a setting that most listeners do not practice in. Going into this interview, I assumed we'd get deep into the ACT Hexaflex Processes, but we ended up dispensing with a lot of the common, "mid-level terms," of ACT, and instead focused on the functional analysis of verbal behavior in the context of a therapy session. I think you'll find Emily's approach to ACT refreshingly direct and simple. And, even if you don't have an interest in the talk-therapy world, there are tons of connections that you're likely to make, especially in the area of supervision. How, you might ask? I can't spoil it here, so be sure to listen to the conversation in its entirety. In broadcasting terms, we had a "hard-out" in terms of time. Otherwise this interview could have continued for much longer. So if this type of content interests you, go to the shownotes of this episode at behavioralobservations.com and let me know, as I'd love to have Emily back to chat some more. We talked about a few books and other resources during the conversation, and I've linked them below: Wilson and DuFrene (2009). Mindfulness for Two. Wilson and DuFrene (2010). Things Might Go Terribly, Horribly Wrong: A Guide to Life Liberated from Anxiety. (not mentioned during the interview, but I had to add it to the links based on the title alone!). BACB Fact Sheet on Clinical Behavior Analysis. Clinical Behavior Analysis, edited by Dougher (2000). Kanter and Woods (2009). Introduction to the Special Issue on Clinical Behavior Analysis of The Behavior Analyst. Today's podcast is sponsored by The ACT BootCamp for Behavior Analysts that's taking place from March 19th-22nd in Reno, Nevada. This workshop is taught by a who’s who in the ACT and ABA world, including Drs. Evelyn Gould, Steve Hayes, Kendra Newsome, Mark Dixon to name just a few. Attendees will earn a total of 32 BACB Continuing Education units, including 4 ethics and 3 supervision CEU’s. If this sounds like something you’re interested, check out https://praxiscet.com/bopod (or hit the show notes to this episode), and use the code BO50 to save on your registration! HRIC Recruiting. If you're looking for your dream job, work directly with agency owner Barb Voss, and let her put her 30+ years of recruiting experience to work for you. Whether you're re-locating or just wondering what else is available, go to HRIColorado.com and schedule a confidential chat right away. Lastly, I am honored to be part of this year's Verbal Behavior Conference that's being held on April 2nd and 3rd in Austin Texas. Come learn from VB experts such as Mark Sundberg, Anna Petursdottir, Ciao Miguel, Barbara Esch, and more! Click here for special registration prices for podcast listeners!

If you missed the first installment of the Inside JABA Series, let me explain what’s going on here: Once a quarter, I’ll be joined by Drs. Linda Leblanc, Clair St. Peter, and Jeff Tiger to discuss the latest issue of The Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis.  The goal is to highlight a paper or theme from the issue, and give you a behind-the-scenes look at what went into that piece of research, how it may or may not have changed during the review process, and what the practical implications that work has for the everyday practitioner.  What's the big idea? If you’re a craft beer nerd like me, think of this kind of like when a brewery does a tap-takeover at your favorite pub.  In today’s episode, we discuss the Winter 2020 issue of JABA. We start with Linda LeBlanc describing her call for “big idea” papers to be written and submitted to JABA. What is a big idea paper? You’re going to have to listen to find out. In this episode, we are also joined by Dr. Danielle LaFrance, who, along with Jonathan Tarbox, just so happened to publish one of these big idea papers in the Winter issue.  We discuss this paper, which is titled, The importance of multiple exemplar instruction in the establishment of novel verbal behavior. And in addition to this, we each share an influential “big idea” that shaped us as Behavior Analysts.  As with the previous Inside JABA podcast, there are no commercials in this show. However, the content of this episode does meet the standards for continuing education, and half of the proceeds of the Inside JABA Series shows goes directly to the Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior. So if you’d like to get come continuing education for listening to this podcast, check out behavioral observations.com/get-ceus. And if you wanted to check out the Big Idea papers we discussed, they are linked right here (hat tip to Emily Gillich for curating these references... the APA mistakes and failures to format in WordPress are my own): Allen, K. D., & Warzak, W. J. (2000). The problem of parental nonadherence in clinical behavior analysis: effective treatment is not enough. Journal of applied behavior analysis, 33(3), 373–391. doi:10.1901/jaba.2000.33-373. Baer, D. M., Wolf, M. M., & Risley, T. R. (1968). Some current dimensions of applied behavior analysis. Journal of applied behavior analysis, 1(1), 91–97. doi:10.1901/jaba.1968.1-91. Balsam, P. D., & Bondy, A. S. (1983). The negative side effects of reward. Journal of applied behavior analysis, 16(3), 283–296. doi:10.1901/jaba.1983.16-283. Fisher W.W, Ninness H.A.C, Piazza C.C, Owen-DeSchryver, J.S. (1996). On the reinforcing effects of the content of verbal attention. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 29, 235–238. Peterson, L., Homer, A. L., & Wonderlich, S. A. (1982). The integrity of independent variables in behavior analysis. Journal of applied behavior analysis, 15(4), 477–492. doi:10.1901/jaba.1982.15-477. Other Articles Discussed: LaFrance, D. L., & Tarbox, J. (2019). The importance of multiple exemplar instruction in the establishment of novel verbal behavior. Journal of applied behavior analysis. Stokes, T. F., & Baer, D. M. (1977). An implicit technology of generalization. Journal of applied behavior analysis, 10(2), 349–367. doi:10.1901/jaba.1977.10-349. St. Peter Pipkin, C., Vollmer, T. R., & Sloman, K. N. (2010). Effects of treatment integrity failures during differential reinforcement of alternative behavior: a translational model. Journal of applied behavior analysis, 43(1), 47–70. doi:10.1901/jaba.2010.43-47. Vollmer, T. R., Iwata, B. A., Zarcone, J. R., Smith, R. G., & Mazaleski, J. L. (1993). The role of attention in the treatment of attention-maintained self-injurious behavior: noncontingent reinforcement and differential reinforcement of other behavior. Journal of applied behavior analysis, 26(1), 9–21. doi:10.1901/jaba.1993.26-9. Wolf M. M. (1978). Social validity: the case for subjective measurement or how applied behavior analysis is finding its heart. Journal of applied behavior analysis, 11(2), 203–214. doi:10.1901/jaba.1978.11-203.

Dr. Nick Green from BehaviorFit joins me in Session 105 to discuss my plans to shed a few pounds in 2020. If you’re like me, you may have put on a little weight over the holidays. In my case, I had a once in a lifetime opportunity to take my family to France to stay with my oldest friend (an ex-pat who has been living there for the past 20 years or so). As such, the normal workout routine fell by the wayside, while at the same time, cheese and bread were consumed in great quantities! This was on the menu all too often! So it is timely that Dr. Nick Green from BehaviorFit returns to the podcast! In this episode, Nick and I talk about some strategies I can use for getting back into reasonable shape. Specifically, we discuss measurement, nutrition, strength training, and more! While on the surface, this show may seem like it’s all about me, Nick does a real nice job discussing concepts and principles in a way that is relatable to just about anyone. If you missed Nick’s first appearance on the podcast, I recommend going back and checking that one out. Better yet, go to his awesome blog, BehaviorFIt.com, follow him on Instagram @behaviorfit, or listen to his podcast, BehaviorFit Radio. Here are the specific links: BehaviorFit | Health, Fitness, & Applied Behavior Analysis (blog). BehaviorFit - Home (Facebook). BehaviorFit (@behaviorfit) (Instagram). BehaviorFit (YouTube). Nicholas Green PhD, Behavioral Scientist - ABA Clinical Program Director - Hopebridge (LinkeIn Profile). BehaviorFit Radio (Nick's podcast). We mentioned a few other blogs, podcasts, and resources. Here they are: Jim Moore's appearance on this show. Moore & Quintero (2019) study on teaching Olympic lifting techniques. The Peter Attia Drive Podcast (my favorite podcast!). The Centenarian Olympics (what I mistakenly referred to as the Octogenarian Olympics during the show; scroll down to where it says, "Aim to be a kick-ass 100 year old). Aesthetic Physiques Coaching (Dave Bonollo's IG Page). Dave's 30 Days of Drinking Challenge. More on this here. Pavel Tsatsouline's Wikipedia page. Pavel on the Joe Rogan Experience. Today’s episode is sponsored by the following: Behavior University. Their mission is to provide university quality professional development for the busy Behavior Analyst. Learn about their CEU offerings and podcast-specific discounts over at behavioruniversity.com/observations. GoLotus. GoLotus is an easy to use, intuitive practice management platform. From scheduling, to notes, to data collection and more, they do it all. And with no contracts or obligations. Find out more about what they have to offer at golotus.com/register. And If you do sign up, tell them use the coupon code Matt2019 and you will get 25% off for the first 3 months. The ACT4HFA workshop is being held in Santa Ana, CA on February 7-9th in Santa Ana, CA. Check out connections-behavior.com/events/act4hfa for more info, and if it’s something you want to attend, use the promo code podcast 25! OK, one last thing: On April 2nd and 3rd, the Verbal Behavior Conference will be going down in Austin Texas. This event will feature speakers such as David Palmer, Barbara Esch, Pat McGreevy, Mark Sundberg, and more! They’ve even asked me to moderate a panel at the end of the first day, so if this sounds like fun to you, go to ctac1.com/podcast, where you can register at a discounted rate.

My friends at ABA Inside Track - Rob, Diana, and Jackie - invited me back for another Year-in-Review episode. I've enjoyed getting to know these guys over the last few years, and doing an episode like this seems like it's a fun tradition-in-the-making. So what did we talk about? Well, it seems like 2019 was the year of the ABA podcast. So many shows were launched that it's hard to keep track of. In addition to Behavioral Observations, I've listed all the currently published ABA shows below, and I'll apologize in advance to my podcasting brethren if I've missed any: ABA Inside Track. Why We Do What We Do. The Controversial Exchange. Behavior Bitches. Behaviorbabe. Beautiful Humans Changecast. Functional Relations. ABA on Call. #doBetter Pod. The Business of Behavior Podcast. Turn Autism Around. ABA Ultimate Showdown. The Behavior Chef. Inside the BACB. The Autism Helper. We also discussed some milestones that both of our shows hit in 2019, specifically, crossing the 100 episode mark, and having over 1,000,000 downloads. It's positively humbling that so many people have taken interest in what we've been doing. Rob, Jackie, Diana, and I also discussed the passing of prominent leaders in our field, including Drs. Barbara Etzel, Janet Ellis, and Murray Sidman. (note: we did not discuss the passing of Chuck Merbitz, but you can hear about his work and legacy in the memorial episode that was published earlier this year). We then rounded out the show by covering some of the trends in ABA practice that we observed in 2019, and gave a preview of what's coming up for both shows in 2020! And on this note, I want to extend a personal thanks to all of you who tuned in to the podcast in 2019. I wish you a safe and happy holiday, and I look forward to providing informative Behavior-Analytic content for you in 2020 and beyond! This podcast is sponsored by the following: HRIC Recruiting. If you're looking for your dream job, work directly with agency owner Barb Voss, and let her put her 30+ years of recruiting experience to work for you. Whether you're re-locating or just wondering what else is available, go to HRIColorado.com and schedule a confidential chat right away. The ACT for HFA workshop that’s being held in Santa Ana, CA on February 7-9th in Santa Ana, CA. Check out connections-behavior.com/events/act4hfa for more info, and if it’s something you want to attend, use the promo code podcast 25! GoLotus. GoLotus is an easy to use, intuitive practice management platform. From scheduling, to notes, to data collection and more, they do it all. And with no contracts or obligations. Find out more about what they have to offer at golotus.com/register. And If you do sign up, tell them use the coupon code Matt2019 and you will get 25% off for the first 3 months.

Welcome to Session 103 of The Behavioral Observations Podcast! What you’re about to hear is my follow up interview with Dr. Kim Berens from Fit Learning. I spoke with her way back in Session 44, which went out in January of 2018. This interview was conducted at the First Annual Tate Behavioral Conference, which was held in Springfield, Massachusetts, back in October of 2019. As an aside, during the interview itself, I reference our location as Springfield, New Hampshire… which was probably stuck in my mind because it’s two towns over from where I live. So to be clear, this did take place in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Kim and I covered a ton of ground in this podcast, and, as you’ll see, she doesn’t hold back from sharing her opinions. In particular, we talk about her views on Board Certification of Behavior Analysts, and why she let hers lapse, how Fit Learning is using mindfulness activities to improve learning in their students, as well as her take on the American educational system. With regard to the latter, she references a book she has written on the subject. At the time of the conference, she was not able to share the title, but now I’m able to announce that the book will be called, Blind Spots: What you don’t know you don’t know about American Education. I don’t have a specific release date yet, but I think she’s shooting for the book to be available sometime in the fall of 2020. Finally, I would be remiss if I didn’t take a moment to thank the folks who made this all happen, and that’s Christina Tatreau, Kelley St. Clair, and the rest of the awesome people at Tate Behavioral. They were awesome hosts, and they put on an amazing and informative event. When I was down in Springfield, I had a chance to meet many of their employees, and it seems like they’ve really developed a positive culture. To learn more about them, check out tatebehavioral.com. Today’s episode is sponsored by the following: The University of Cincinnati Online. The UC Online program can be a rewarding way to advance in your career. Gain the cutting-edge knowledge and skills so you can help others while increasing your career options and earning potential. For more information, please visit behavioranalysisuc.online for more information. Behavior University. Their mission is to provide university quality professional development for the busy Behavior Analyst. Learn about their CEU offerings and podcast-specific discounts over at behavioruniversity.com/observations. GoLotus. GoLotus is an easy to use, intuitive practice management platform. From scheduling, to notes, to data collection and more, they do it all. And with no contracts or obligations. Find out more about what they have to offer at golotus.com/register. And If you do sign up, tell them use the coupon code Matt2019 and you will get 25% off for the first 3 months. Last but not least, Session 103 is brought to you by the ACT for HFA workshop that’s being held in Santa Ana, CA on February 7-9th in Santa Ana, CA. Check out connections-behavior.com/events/act4hfa for more info, and if it’s something you want to attend, use the promo code podcast 25!

Several weeks ago, Greg Hanley reached out to me and asked if he could help do something to commemorate the 100th episode of the show. Specifically, he invited me down to the offices of FTF Behavioral Consulting in Worcester, Mass to hang out with all the amazing behavior analysts he works with for the afternoon.  During the visit, Greg turned the tables on me and put me in the interview hot seat. He asked me some really good questions about the podcast, and what I’ve learned from doing it over the last 4 years or so. I’ve been interviewed before, both on this podcast as well as a few others, but I think Greg managed to eke out a few stories from me that I haven’t told before, and more generally, asked some really great questions. By the end of this show, you might be asking yourself why he doesn’t have a podcast himself?  My original plan going into this was to try to deflect every question and turn the conversation back to the cool stuff that he’s doing with FTF, what’s new with practical functional assessment, and so forth. Sadly, before we started recording, he strictly forbade me from doing so. As such, I’ll just have to have him on again in the future, or do another private Q & A with Greg with the Behavioral Observations Podcast Membership Group.  Before I mention this episode’s sponsors, I’d like to take a minute to thank you, the listener, for helping me get to Session 100. I really feel that this show is an interactive endeavor, as I have met so many people in my travels and corresponded with BCBA’s from around the world. We talk about this for a little bit in this episode, but I want to mention it again and just let you know how much I appreciate everyone who has taken the time to download and listen to the podcast. The responses in the never-ending task analysis that is podcasting would’ve extinguished long ago if it wasn’t for all the encouragement and feedback I’ve received. At the risk of sounding overly sappy, this podcast has changed me as a person and a professional, so let me just conclude this session with a heartfelt thank you.  This episode is brought to you by: Behavior University. Behavior University provides university-quality continuing education for everyday practitioners. To learn more about their CE offerings, discounts for podcast listeners, etc... please visit behavioruniversity.com/observations.  Go Lotus is an intuitive, easy to use, and dare I say beautiful system. It handles every aspect of practice management from data tracking and automatic SOAP notes, to scheduling and billing. They even offer a white-glove in-house billing service if you want billing fully managed outside your clinic.  It is so simple your entire team can be up and running in less than an hour.  For more information, go to golotus.com/register for a free demo.   If you do sign up, tell them I sent you or use the coupon code Matt2019 and you will get 25% off for the first 3 months.  They are so confident that you will love the system they allow you to cancel at any time.  There is no risk and no commitment required.  If you want more info, head over to golotus.com/register.  The OBM 2.0 Pro-Social Teaming Model workshop, which will be taught by Drs. Darnell Lattal and Thomas Szabo. Here are the details: It’s being held at Green River Community College, Auburn, Washington on January 18th and 19th. Attendees will learn the ProSocial model: evidence-based practices to promote employee engagement, cooperation, high-level performance, and complex organizational problem-solving. The workshop provides 16 CEU’s, and there’s a remote follow-up option that can extend this to 22 CEU’s. Space is limited for this event, and the prices go up as we get closer to the dates. The event organizers, Connections Behavior Planning and Intervention, have offered listeners a discount. So for more information, click here, and be sure to use the code podcast25.

Welcome to the first installment of The Inside JABA Series. A few months ago, Drs. Linda LeBlanc and Dorothea Lerman approached me about creating an ongoing podcast series that highlights and disseminates the work of The Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis. The goal of this series is to give listeners a better idea as to what goes into the studies that end up being published in JABA, and to provide a behind-the-scenes look at how a research study goes from inspiration, to execution, to submission, revision, and eventually publication. So about once a quarter you can expect to see an Inside JABA Series edition of the podcast pop up in your feed. For this inaugural episode, we decided to do a deep-dive into the publishing process itself, which as a non-researcher, I personally found fascinating. You’ve probably already noticed that I’m using the plural pronoun “we” quite a bit here, and it is for a good reason. In this episode, I am joined by Drs. Claire St. Peter, Jeff Tiger, and the aforementioned Linda LeBlanc. In future Inside JABA episodes, I’ll be joined by some combination of these scientists, along with other researchers who have successfully published in JABA. I would also like to note that because of the valuable content that will be shared in this series, these Inside JABA episodes will be available for purchase as Type 2 Continuing Education Units. Better still, 50% of the sales of these CE’s will be donated to the Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior. For more information on this, check out behavioralobservations.com/get-ce’s. Here's the abstract to the CE Event associated with this episode, which provides 1.5 CE's: The field of behavior analysis places significant importance on the scientific underpinnings of our practice. This means that every certified practitioner is taught and tested on the basics of measurement and scientific method. The purpose of this presentation is to introduce a podcast series that focuses on the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, the peer-review process as a means of scientific quality control, and the steps in the publication process. The Editor and Associate Editors of JABA describe the rationale for peer review as well as the process of peer review. Topics such as positive publication bias, the criteria for scientific merit for a paper, and the bi-directional nature of the research to practice gap and bridge are discussed. This is a really fun project, and I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention what an honor it is to be partnering up with our flagship journal. So without any further adieu, please enjoy this fun and informative conversation with Drs. St. Peter, LeBlanc, and Tiger. Lastly, we encourage you to keep up to date with the happenings at JABA by following SEAB on Twitter (@SEABScience), and JABA on Facebook.

In Session 101, Dr. Missy Olive and I talk about a topic that's near and dear to my heart: consulting in public school settings. Long-time listeners will recall that I did an episode on this topic in January of 2019. Since then, I've received numerous listener requests to return to this important issue. My colleague Jen Farris saw Missy speak at a conference a few months ago, and insisted that I reach out to her to get her on the show, and I'm grateful for the recommendation, as this episode is chock full of great information for those of us who practice in this area. Missy is the Executive Director of Applied Behavioral Strategies, an organization who's mission is to assist individuals to achieve their potential to live independently and with dignity. We spend the first part of the podcast talking about Missy's background, and the unique way she found herself in our field, so I will not repeat it here. However, let's just say that Missy is clearly an "early adopter," of ABA. Whether you work in schools or not, I think you're really going to like this episode, as there are lessons for practitioners that are, in my opinion, broadly applicable. If you'd like to learn more about Special Education Law and/or conducting Functional Behavioral Assessments in school settings, she has a few webinars coming up: Special Education Law and Ethics for BCBA's on 12/5/19. Ethical Issues Related to Developing Behavioral Intervention Plans on 12/12/19. Missy has graciously offered a huge discount for podcast listeners. These are normally $80, but if you mention the podcast when you sign up, you can attend these events for $25! During the interview, we mentioned tons of other resources. I was furiously scribbling notes the whole time, and I have as many links as I could find. Here they are: Considerations of Baseline Classroom Conditions in Conducting Functional Behavioral Assessments in School Settings (Kestner, et al., 2019). Simon Sinek on Millennials in the workplace. Michael Giangreco (author and cartoonist). Avoiding Substantive Errors in IEP Development (Yell, et al., 2016). State Special Education Laws for FBAs and BIPs (Zirkel, 2011). ABS's free journal club. Practical Ethics for the Effective Treatment of ASD. Council on Exceptional Children Journals. Beyond Behavior. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities. Behavioral Disorders. Alberto and Troutman. Applied Behavior Analysis for Teachers. This podcast is brought to you with support from the following: The University of Cincinnati Online. The UC Online program can be a rewarding way to advance in your career. Gain the cutting-edge knowledge and skills so you can help others while increasing your career options and earning potential. For more information, please visit behavioranalysisuc.online for more information. HRI Colorado.com, and whether you live in Colorado or Connecticut, or anywhere else in between, their mission is to find you your dream job. So for a confidential chat about opportunities in your neck of the woods, go to HRIColorado.com. The OBM 2.0 Pro-Social Teaming Model workshop, which will be taught by Drs. Darnell Lattal and Thomas Szabo. Here are the details: It’s being held at Green River Community College, Auburn, Washington on January 18th and 19th. Attendees will learn the ProSocial model: evidence-based practices to promote employee engagement, cooperation, high-level performance, and complex organizational problem-solving. The workshop provides 16 CEU’s, and there’s a remote follow-up option that can extend this to 22 CEU’s. Space is limited for this event, and the prices go up as we get closer to the dates. The event organizers, Connections Behavior Planning and Intervention, have offered listeners a discount. So for more information, click here, and be sure to use the code podcast25. The Innovation in Education: BCBA Consultation in Schools Annual Webinar. This year’s event features podcast favorites Drs. Linda Leblanc and Merrill Winston. Merrill will start the day off by talking about the ethical considerations of restraint usage in public school settings, and Linda will focus on mentoring and other supervision and management practices. Earn your Ethics and Supervision CE’s from two people who are at the top of their game their areas of expertise! For more information, go to www.SWWC.org/workshops. Don't forget to save 10% on your registration by using the promo code PODCAST.

Dr. David Cox joins me in Session 99 to discuss the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, Behavioral Pharmacology, the use of Psilocybin Mushrooms for the treatment of various behavioral health challenges, and much, much more! David does a fine job describing his backstory, but if you're impatient like me, here is his bio from Research Gate: David has been working clinically in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) since 2006. He has worked with children, adolescents, and adults with diagnoses ranging from autism spectrum disorders and developmental disabilities​​ to substance use disorders and obesity. David is currently a research fellow in the Behavioral Pharmacology Research Unit in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. His current areas of focus are choice behavior, preference, behavioral economics, and the application of these areas to clinical intervention, clinical decision making, and ethical behavior. We cover a wide range of topics, and David cites a ton of research and resources, so I'm going to get right to the links: Say hello to David on Twitter. He's the co-author of this nifty book. The University of Florida's Behavioral Health and Technology Research Clinic. Previous podcasts on Behavioral Economics/Stuff from my friends: Session 11, Erin Rasmussen. Session 17: Derek Reed. Session 2: Steve Lawyer. Dews, 1955 (note, the figure below is the one David describes during the show). FIGURE 4 (DEWS, 1955) Baum, 1974. Nevin, Mandell, and Atak, 1983. McDowell 2005. Rasmussen and Newland 2009 (the Anti-Punishment effect). Odum 2011 (I'm a k, you're a k). Branch 2006, (How Research in Behavioral Pharmacology Informs Behavioral Science). Heyman 2013 (Addiction and Choice, Theory and New Data). Critchfield 2011 (Translational Contributions of EAB). NPR story on Dr. Matthew Johnson's psilocybin research. Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research. Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies. Tim Ferriss podcast episode (panel with researchers at Johns Hopkins). This podcast is brought to you with support from the following: The University of Cincinnati Online. The UC Online program can be a rewarding way to advance in your career. Gain the cutting-edge knowledge and skills so you can help others while increasing your career options and earning potential. For more information, please visit behavioranalysisuc.online for more information. Go Lotus is an intuitive, easy to use, and dare I say beautiful system. It handles every aspect of practice management from data tracking and automatic SOAP notes, to scheduling and billing. They even offer a white-glove in-house billing service if you want billing fully managed outside your clinic. It is so simple your entire team can be up and running in less than an hour. For more information, go to golotus.com/register for a free demo. If you do sign up, tell them I sent you or use the coupon code Matt2019 and you will get 25% off for the first 3 months. They are so confident that you will love the system they allow you to cancel at any time. There is no risk and no commitment required. If you want more info, head over to golotus.com/register. I'm also excited to promote this upcoming workshop: Have you ever been part of a team composed of capable, accomplished members that underachieved or failed to launch an initiative successfully? Do you work with teams where members burn out, conflict, misbehave, or act in ways that contradict the purpose of the group? Are you currently working with other people toward a common goal and aiming to ensure that every member is empowered for maximum contribution and long-term sustainable engagement? Then consider attending the OBM 2.0 – The PROSOCIAL Teaming Model which will be taught by Drs. Darnell Lattal and Thomas Szabo. This workshop is being put on by my friends at Connections Behavior Planning and Intervention. It’s being held at Green River Community College, Auburn, Washington on January 18th and 19th. Attendees will learn the ProSocial model: evidence-based practices to promote employee engagement, cooperation, high-level performance, and complex organizational problem-solving. The ProSocial approach incorporates findings from Nobel Prize winning research conducted by Elinor Ostrom, with corresponding findings from research in evolutionary science, behavior analysis, ACT, and Organizational Behavior Management. Participants will practice core skills and then implement them in a series of challenging role-plays that simulate real-life organizational behavior crises. This workshop will walk attendees through the entire process of creating sustainable team-based outcomes through expert instruction and experiential learning. The workshop itself will provide 16 CEU’s, and there’s a remote follow-up option that can extend this to 22 CEU’s. Space is limited for this event, and the prices go up as we get closer to the dates, so you’re going to want to register for OBM 2.0 straight away. And to help defray costs, the folks at Connections have offered listeners a discount. So for more information, click here, and be sure to use the code podcast25! Lastly, I’d like to mention something I don’t bring up all that frequently. I have a membership program for the podcast; think of it as a DIY Patreon… It’s been running for a few years now, and it costs the princely sum of $9/month. Members get access to a private FB group in which they are able to get nearly instantaneous access to the videos of these podcast interviews. This interview, for instance, has been available since October 22nd. The best part is that members get the raw feed. That means no ads, and none of the introductory comments. You just get right to the interview. Another cool thing we do is hold Zoom Hangouts with former guests. We do this about 6 times a year, and it works like this: we schedule a Zoom call, a former guest comes on and joins us, and the members have the opportunity to ask them questions directly. The last episode with Pat Friman is a good example of this. And coming up on November 13th, I’ll be hosting Dr. Luis Morales Knight, who joined us a few months ago to talk about parenting, working with adolescents in a mental health setting, and so forth. I hope you’re able to join us!

What does Private Equity investment, diversity in Applied Behavior Analysis, and Behavior Analysis as applied to sports all have in common? It just so happens that these are the topics I chatted about with Beverly and Kirk Kirby of Team ABA! At last year's ABAI, Rick Kubina introduced me to this dynamic duo, and boy do they have a great story to tell, and I'm frankly quite grateful that they're doing so on The Behavioral Observations Podcast. Along with Rick and Mark Dixon, Beverly was on a panel that I chaired that discussed the role of big money in ABA. Mark discussed the business side of PEAK and Rick talked about the founding and subsequent purchase of Chartlytics by Central Reach. And then Beverly shared the story of how the Kirby's started the Sparks Group, a company that was dedicated to serving the underserved in the DC Metro area. Sparks went on to be acquired by a private equity investor, and Beverly shared the lengthy and challenging process of selecting an investor that would continue to provide high quality ABA services in an ethical manner. Whether you're a business owner or not, this is a great story on its own! The Kirby's went on to found the aforementioned Team ABA (and as an aside, check out and follow their Facebook page here as they post lots of cool stuff!). The services Team ABA provides are quite varied, but a lot of their focus is on using ABA for improving sports performance, addressing wellness, and helping organizations run more effectively. And if you caught the last episode with Rick, he mentioned some of the cool stuff that they're doing in the realm of sports performance. We of course dig into this in more detail in this episode. The Kirby's are also passionate about improving the diversity in our field. They've done quite a bit of outreach to Historically Black Colleges to provide internships and other opportunities for students of color. This is an issue that does not get talked about a lot in our field, and to be candid, this is a long-overdue discussion on this podcast. I’m grateful they were able to share this with me, and by extension, the broader audience of Behavioral Observations. This episode is brought to you by: Behavior University. Behavior University provides university-quality continuing education for everyday practitioners. To learn more about their CE offerings, discounts for podcast listeners, etc... please visit behavioruniversity.com/observations. The University of Cincinnati Online. The UC Online program can be a rewarding way to advance in your career. Gain the cutting-edge knowledge and skills so you can help others while increasing your career options and earning potential. For more information, please visit behavioranalysisuc.online for more information.   I'm also excited to promote this upcoming workshop: Have you ever been part of a team composed of capable, accomplished members that underachieved or failed to launch an initiative successfully? Do you work with teams where members burn out, conflict, misbehave, or act in ways that contradict the purpose of the group? Are you currently working with other people toward a common goal and aiming to ensure that every member is empowered for maximum contribution and long-term sustainable engagement? Then consider attending the OBM 2.0 – The PROSOCIAL Teaming Model which will be taught by Drs. Darnell Lattal and Thomas Szabo. This workshop is being put on by my friends at Connections Behavior Planning and Intervention. It’s being held at Green River Community College, Auburn, Washington on January 18th and 19th. Attendees will learn the ProSocial model: evidence-based practices to promote employee engagement, cooperation, high-level performance, and complex organizational problem-solving. The ProSocial approach incorporates findings from Nobel Prize winning research conducted by Elinor Ostrom, with corresponding findings from research in evolutionary science, behavior analysis, ACT, and Organizational Behavior Management. Participants will practice core skills and then implement them in a series of challenging role-plays that simulate real-life organizational behavior crises. This workshop will walk attendees through the entire process of creating sustainable team-based outcomes through expert instruction and experiential learning. The workshop itself will provide 16 CEU’s, and there’s a remote follow-up option that can extend this to 22 CEU’s. Space is limited for this event, and the prices go up as we get closer to the dates, so you’re going to want to register for OBM 2.0 straight away. And to help defray costs, the folks at Connections have offered listeners a discount. So for more information, click here, and be sure to use the code podcast25! And this one too... The 5th Annual ABA Leadership Summit is taking place on November 8th, 2019 at the Hilton Orange County in Costa Mesa California. It will also be streamed online, so you can learn on your couch... in sweatpants. This event will provide 6 Supervision Type 2 CE’s, and will feature speakers such as Sarah Trautman, Paul Gavoni, Nic Weatherly, Brett DiNovi, and Issac Bermudez. It's right around the corner so you'll want to register right away if this is something you're interested in. Click here for more information! Lastly, I am deeply grateful for the folks at Tate Behavioral for inviting me, Megan Miller, Ryan O’Donnell, and Kim Berens to be a part of the first annual Tate Behavioral Conference last week in Springfield MA. They were amazing hosts, and it was an honor to be a part of their inaugural event.

Dr. Becca Tagg, PsyD, MSCP, NCSP, BCBA-D, joins me in Session 97 to discuss the pros and cons to starting your own ABA practice. Becca owns and operates The Del Mar Center for Behavioral Health in Jacksonville, North Carolina, and produces and hosts The Business of Behavior Podcast. Becca also founded The ABA Business Builders Facebook Group, which, as of this writing, has almost 8,800 members. So it is with her vast experience in mind that I wanted to have her on the show to talk about her experiences, trials, and tribulations with regard to running a successful ABA practice. This conversation was inspired by a post in the ABA Business Builders group a few months ago that asked the following question: "If you knew in advance the challenges of owning and operating an ABA practice, would you do it again?" As we discussed in this episode, the answers were mostly, "no." I wasn't really sure what I should have expected, but I was kind of surprised at how so many business owners would take a pass if they had to do it all over again. So Becca and I spend quite a bit of time discussing some common challenges to running ABA business, and she shares how she addresses them in her own work. Along the way, we field a handful of listener questions, mainly from BCBA's who are contemplating making the leap towards self-employment. Becca, as always, provided many thoughtful answers, and in our conversation, we referenced the following resources: The E-Myth Revisited. The (New) One Minute Manager. The Mindful and Effective Employee. The Aubrey Daniels Amazon Author Page. ADP (payroll, HR stuff, etc...). The Business of Behavior Store (a treasure trove of forms, policies, etc...). BoB Podcast episode, "Balance is Bull$hit." BoB Podcast episode, "Outsourcing." BoB Podcast episode, "Virtual Assistants." BoB Podcast episode, interview with random person. Constellations Behavioral Services. This episode of The Behavioral Observations Podcast is sponsored by the following: The University of Cincinnati Online. The UC Online program can be a rewarding way to advance in your career. Gain the cutting-edge knowledge and skills so you can help others while increasing your career options and earning potential. For more information, please visit behavioranalysisuc.online for more information. HRI Colorado.com, and whether you live in Colorado or Connecticut, or anywhere else in between, their mission is to find you your dream job. So for a confidential chat about opportunities in your neck of the woods, go to HRIColorado.com. The upcoming 4-day ACT BootCamp® for Behavior Analysts workshop that’s going down on November 7-10th in sunny Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. It will feature ACT experts like Steven C. Hayes, Ruth Anne Rehfeldt, Tom Szabo, Jonathan Tarbox and more. This workshop will cover: Parent training Staff management and development Organizational work Work with developmentally delayed populations and the chronically mentally ill Educational settings with special needs students This workshop is intensive. Over the course of 4 days, you’ll earn 32 Type 2 CE’s, including 4 hours of ethics, and 3 hours of supervision CE’s. So if you’re ready to take the next step, head over to praxiscet.com/bopodcast, and use the code BOP50 to save at check out as well! Go Lotus is an intuitive, easy to use, and dare I say beautiful system. It handles every aspect of practice management from data tracking and automatic SOAP notes, to scheduling and billing. They even offer a white-glove in-house billing service if you want billing fully managed outside your clinic. It is so simple your entire team can be up and running in less than an hour. For more information, go to golotus.com/register for a free demo. If you do sign up, tell them I sent you or use the coupon code Matt2019 and you will get 25% off for the first 3 months. They are so confident that you will love the system they allow you to cancel at any time. There is no risk and no commitment required. If you want more info, head over to golotus.com/register.

Dr. Becca Tagg, PsyD, MSCP, NCSP, BCBA-D, joins me in Session 97 to discuss the pros and cons to starting your own ABA practice. Becca owns and operates The Del Mar Center for Behavioral Health in Jacksonville, North Carolina, and produces and hosts The Business of Behavior Podcast. Becca also founded The ABA Business Builders Facebook Group, which, as of this writing, has almost 8,800 members. So it is with her vast experience in mind that I wanted to have her on the show to talk about her experiences, trials, and tribulations with regard to running a successful ABA practice. This conversation was inspired by a post in the ABA Business Builders group a few months ago that asked the following question: "If you knew in advance the challenges of owning and operating an ABA practice, would you do it again?" As we discussed in this episode, the answers were mostly, "no." I wasn't really sure what I should have expected, but I was kind of surprised at how so many business owners would take a pass if they had to do it all over again. So Becca and I spend quite a bit of time discussing some common challenges to running ABA business, and she shares how she addresses them in her own work. Along the way, we field a handful of listener questions, mainly from BCBA's who are contemplating making the leap towards self-employment. Becca, as always, provided many thoughtful answers, and in our conversation, we referenced the following resources: The E-Myth Revisited. The (New) One Minute Manager. The Mindful and Effective Employee. The Aubrey Daniels Amazon Author Page. ADP (payroll, HR stuff, etc...). The Business of Behavior Store (a treasure trove of forms, policies, etc...). BoB Podcast episode, "Balance is Bull$hit." BoB Podcast episode, "Outsourcing." BoB Podcast episode, "Virtual Assistants." BoB Podcast episode, interview with random person. Constellations Behavioral Services. This episode of The Behavioral Observations Podcast is sponsored by the following: The University of Cincinnati Online. The UC Online program can be a rewarding way to advance in your career. Gain the cutting-edge knowledge and skills so you can help others while increasing your career options and earning potential. For more information, please visit behavioranalysisuc.online for more information. HRI Colorado.com, and whether you live in Colorado or Connecticut, or anywhere else in between, their mission is to find you your dream job. So for a confidential chat about opportunities in your neck of the woods, go to HRIColorado.com. The upcoming 4-day ACT BootCamp® for Behavior Analysts workshop that’s going down on November 7-10th in sunny Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. It will feature ACT experts like Steven C. Hayes, Ruth Anne Rehfeldt, Tom Szabo, Jonathan Tarbox and more. This workshop will cover: Parent training Staff management and development Organizational work Work with developmentally delayed populations and the chronically mentally ill Educational settings with special needs students This workshop is intensive. Over the course of 4 days, you’ll earn 32 Type 2 CE’s, including 4 hours of ethics, and 3 hours of supervision CE’s. So if you’re ready to take the next step, head over to praxiscet.com/bopodcast, and use the code BOP50 to save at check out as well! Go Lotus is an intuitive, easy to use, and dare I say beautiful system. It handles every aspect of practice management from data tracking and automatic SOAP notes, to scheduling and billing. They even offer a white-glove in-house billing service if you want billing fully managed outside your clinic. It is so simple your entire team can be up and running in less than an hour. For more information, go to golotus.com/register for a free demo. If you do sign up, tell them I sent you or use the coupon code Matt2019 and you will get 25% off for the first 3 months. They are so confident that you will love the system they allow you to cancel at any time. There is no risk and no commitment required. If you want more info, head over to golotus.com/register.

Dr. Joe Parks, the Medical Director of the National Council for Behavioral Health, joins me in Session 96 to discuss mass shootings - a topic that was first talked about on this podcast back in Session 79, with Dr. Merrill Winston. It turns out that the National Council's Medical Directors Institute was wrapping up a lengthy report, titled Mass Violence in America, around the same time that Merrill's episode aired. As such, the council graciously offered to have Dr. Parks joins me to discuss the report's findings.First, here's a little background on Dr. Parks: In addition to serving as the Medical Director of the National Council, Dr. Parks is a Distinguished Research Professor of Science at the University of Missouri-St.Louis, as well as a Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Missouri-Colombia. He also practices outpatient psychiatry at the Family Health Center, a federally funded community mental health center established to expand services to uninsured, and under-insured populations. In this episode, Dr. Parks and I discuss the following: How he first became involved in this research project. How the MDI researchers defined mass violence for the purposes of their report. What motivates mass shooters. Prevention strategies that are and aren't helpful. The role of "threat assessment." The role of "problem solving," courts. And most importantly, what individuals can do if they suspect someone is behaving in a manner consistent with mass shooter profiles. If you're interested in reading the MDI report, click here to access it. And for more information about the National Council for Behavioral Health, click here. This podcast was supported by the Mental Health Risk Retention Group and Negley Associates. For 30 years, the Mental Health Risk Retention Group and Negley Associates have proudly served the unique insurance needs of mental health centers, community mental health facilities, shelters, halfway houses, counseling centers, and substance abuse and addiction treatment centers, to name just a few. They specialize in meeting the needs of behavioral health care organizations to ensure they get the comprehensive liability insurance programs they need. The Mental Health Risk Retention Group & Negley Associates bring together “best in class” insurance experts to provide a broad array of customized coverages. Their team of distinguished attorneys and actuaries, reinsurance companies, and underwriting and claim managers have decades of insurance experience in the behavioral health care industry. With Mental Health Risk Retention Group & Negley behind you, you have the peace-of-mind to focus on running your organization and serving your client, knowing that they have you protected. For more information, check out mhrrg.com. Or better yet, call them today at 862-286-3517 to schedule a meeting and find out how they can work with you to create a specialized package that meets your organizational needs.

Dr. Lauren Kryzak and Celia Heyman are on the podcast to discuss the ever-important topic of Supervision! Last spring, this dynamic duo presented a fantastic workshop on supervision at the New Jersey ABA conference, and they are here today to share some of the highlights of their approach to mentoring would-be BCBA’s.If this sounds like something you want to learn more about, they’ll be reprising this workshop at the upcoming Autism NJ conference, which is taking place on October 17th and 18th. I’ll have details for this event in today’s show notes, along with the other references and resources we discussed. During the show, we mentioned a variety of resources, and I've attempted to list links to all of them below: The details for their upcoming Autism NJ event (see p. 29). The 2016 Behavior Analysis and Practice Supervision Issue. Leaf et al. (2016). ABA is a Science, and Therefore, Progressive. The ABA Study Group. And hey, while we're on the topic of supervision... This episode was brought to you with support from the following: The University of Cincinnati Online. The UC Online program can be a rewarding way to advance in your career. Gain the cutting-edge knowledge and skills so you can help others while increasing your career options and earning potential. For more information, please visit behavioranalysisuc.online for more information. HRI Colorado.com, and whether you live in Colorado or Connecticut, or anywhere else in between, their mission is to find you your dream job. So for a confidential chat about opportunities in your neck of the woods, go to HRIColorado.com. The upcoming 4-day ACT BootCamp® for Behavior Analysts workshop that’s going down on November 7-10th in sunny Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. It will feature ACT experts like Steven C. Hayes, Ruth Anne Rehfeldt, Tom Szabo, Jonathan Tarbox and more. This workshop is designed to provide behavior analysts a foundational understanding of ACT, and it will cover: Parent training Staff management and development Organizational work Work with developmentally delayed populations and the chronically mentally ill Educational settings with special needs students This workshop is intensive. Over the course of 4 days, you’ll earn 32 Type 2 CE’s, including 4 hours of ethics, and 3 hours of supervision CE’s. So if you’re ready to take the next step, head over to praxiscet.com/bopodcast, and use the code BOP50 to save at check out as well! Lastly, did you know that Springfield, Massachusetts is just a hop, skip, and a jump from just about anywhere in the Northeast (look it up, it's true!). So find out how close it is to you, so you can be ready to attend the first annual Tate Behavioral Conference! Come hear from podcast favorites like Megan Miller, Kim Berens, and Ryan O'Donnell. I will also be doing a talk on the lessons I've learned from almost four years of podcasting, and we'll close the event with a live taping of a BOP interview, where I'll pick Dr. Kim's brain on all things Precision Teaching, fluency, measurement, and so on.

Greg Hanley - the most popular Behavioral Observations guest by quite a bit - returns to the show for a fourth time, and this may be my favorite conversation with him yet! In this episode, we talk about the following: Why he started his new consultancy, FTF Behavioral Consulting, How he arrived at the decision to leave his academic post at Western New England University, Why he chose to "re-brand" the IISCA approach - which he now refers to as Practical Functional Assessment, How the PFA model has evolved over time, What should students and practitioners make regarding the divergent views between the Standard Functional Analysis and the Practical Functional Assessment models, How the PFA model can be construed as Trauma-Informed treatment, The BALANCE parent training protocol, What it's like to have PFA referenced in the 3rd edition of Cooper, Heron, and Heward, How Greg prepares for a conference presentation (in which we reference Pat Friman's contributions), What it's like to be an "ABA Rock Star," Lastly, we take several questions from The Behavioral Observations Membership Group. In answering these questions, Greg provides valuable insight into the nuances of this assessment and treatment approach for problem behavior. Greg cites a number of studies, and instead of listing them out here, I'd rather direct you to the website he's built to disseminate this work. There, you'll find a list of publications on this topic. Here's a list of a few other resources and trainings: The Facebook group for BCBAs Using the IISCA, The training event he and his colleagues are hosting on October 5th, in Worcester, MA, A two-part workshop on the BALANCE protocol at this year's NJ Autism Society's annual conference (see events B22 and B33), OK, I couldn't help myself, here is a paper that Greg mentioned not found on his site: Van Haaren (2015). Session 93 is brought to you by: Behavior University. Behavior University provides university-quality continuing education for everyday practitioners. To learn more about their CE offerings, discounts for podcast listeners, etc... please visit behavioruniversity.com/observations. The First Annual Tate Behavioral Conference taking place on October 25th in Springfield, Massachusetts, featuring presentations by Megan Miller, Ryan O'Donnell, Yours Truly, and Kim Berens. It will also include a live recording of the Behavioral Observations Podcast with my interview with Kim Berens. Here are a few other important details: 6 BACB CE credits (including 1.5 Ethics CEs) Oh, and save 15% off of your registration by using the promo code, "Matt" Did I mention that there's a free lunch? GoLotus. Go Lotus is an intuitive and easy to use, practice management system. It handles every aspect of practice management from data collection, to scheduling and billing, and more. It is so simple your entire team can be up and running in less than an hour. Listeners who use the promo code MATT, the first 100 people will receive 90 days of our data trackers completely free. And by signing up, you’ll then receive an additional discount of 25% off the first 12 months. For more info, head over to golotus.com/register.

I’m thrilled to bring back Dr. Rick Kubina of Central Reach and the University of Pennsylvania. It’s been quite a while since he was first on the podcast, so we spend the initial segment of the program catching up on some exciting things that he’s been involved with. Specifically, we discuss his triumphant return to podcasting with his brand new show, ABA on Call, and we also discuss the acquisition of Chartlytics, the company he co-founded with Dave Stevens, by Central Reach. Rick and I spend the most amount of time, however, discussing some really cool research projects that he's been involved with using Precision Teaching and Measurement in very non-traditional settings. What types of settings do you ask? Well, you’ll have to tune in and find out. But long story short, it’s some really cool stuff. We also talk about CR Unite, which is a Central Reach Users Conference, that’s coming up in October. If you’re a CR user, you may want to consider checking this event out so you can get the most out of this platform. If you listen to this episode and are wondering how to learn more about Precision Teaching, well you’re in luck, because Rick and I round out the podcast by discussing how to learn more about PT. Here are links to the resources we mentioned: CR Unite, the Central Reach Users' Conference. Rick's new book, The Precision Teaching Implementation Manual. Heward (1978). Operant Conditioning of a .300 Hitter? Links to Martin Levy's work on teaching surgical residents using clicker training: NPR Article. Hidden Brain Article. Scientific American Article. The Central Reach Institute. The Standard Celeration Society. The SCS Facebook Group. This episode is brought to you by HowToABA.com. HowToABA.com is your go-to source an online ABA community. Members get access to ABA resources and materials, monthly CEU events, and an online forum where they can collaborate with like-minded practitioners from around the world. For more information, and to access over 40 free data sheets, visual supports, program descriptions, and more, go to HowtoABA.com, and click the “free ABA materials and resources” tab. Lastly, did you know that Springfield, Massachusetts is just a hop, skip, and a jump from just about anywhere in the Northeast (look it up, it's true!). So find out how close it is to you, so you can be ready to attend the first annual Tate Behavioral Conference! Come hear from podcast favorites like Megan Miller, Kim Berens, and Ryan O'Donnell. I will also be doing a talk on the lessons I've learned from almost four years of podcasting, and we'll close the event with a live taping of a BOP interview, where I'll pick Dr. Kim's brain on all things Precision Teaching, fluency, measurement, and so on.

Steve Hayes returns to discuss all things ACT, RFT, and his new book, A Liberated Mind: How to Pivot to What Really Matters. We begin the show with a quick tutorial of sorts on Relational Frame Theory, as well as it’s relationship with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. We then spend quite a bit of time discussing the use of ACT in the context of preventing and responding to staff burnout. We also discuss managing “difficult people,” optimizing staff performance, and other aspects of management and supervision. Along the way, we frequently reference A Liberated Mind. To be candid, to say that this book is a big deal is a bit of an understatement. As Steve explains, A Liberated Mind is being published by one of the largest publishing houses in the world, which means that our science will have an opportunity to be disseminated in a way that we haven’t seen before. In addition to the book, we discussed a few other resources, including: The Prosocial.world website. The Maslach Burnout Inventory. Bond & Bunce (2000). Bond & Hayes (2002). Steve's website, where you can get his free ACT Mini-Course. Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life. This episode is brought to you by the following: Behavior University. Behavior University provides university-quality continuing education for everyday practitioners. To learn more about their CE offerings, please visit behavioruniversity.com/observations. The First Annual Tate Behavioral Conference taking place on October 25th in Springfield, Massachusetts, featuring presentations by Megan Miller, Ryan O'Donnell, Yours Truly, and Kim Berens. It will also include a live recording of the Behavioral Observations Podcast with my interview with Kim Berens. Here are a few other important details: 6 BACB CE credits (including 1.5 Ethics CEs) Doors open for registration and coffee at 8:00 am Speakers begin at 9 am and end at 5 pm Lunch included Oh, and save 15% off of your registration by using the promo code, "Matt" GoLotus. Go Lotus is an intuitive and easy to use, practice management system. It handles every aspect of practice management from data collection, to scheduling and billing, and more. It is so simple your entire team can be up and running in less than an hour. Listeners who use the promo code MATT, the first 100 people will receive 90 days of our data trackers completely free. And by signing up, you’ll then receive an additional discount of 25% off the first 12 months. For more info, head over to golotus.com/register.

When I first interviewed Chuck Merbitz, he informed me that he had cancer, and that his case was terminal. You wouldn’t know that by listing to the conversation though. One of the things that struck me about that episode was just how positive Chuck was. The day after he passed away, I re-listened to the interview, and found so many nuggets of wise advice that had forgotten about. I suppose the main takeaway to this episode was the importance of working well with people outside of our field. So with that in mind, I urge you to give this episode another listen. Even if you’re not interested in precision teaching or starting a behavior analysis program at a university, there are lessons a-plenty to be found, particularly towards the end of the conversation. At some point, we may do an episode discussing his contributions to the field, but for now, let’s take a moment to hear his story again. Lastly, I have been in contact with his family, and they have provided me a list of causes that were important to Chuck. These include: Union of Concerned Scientists (very active on climate change) American Civil Liberties Union (fighting for human rights in the courts) Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services (RAICES) Move to Amend (to end corruption and secrecy in campaign financing) If you’d like to make a contribution in his honor, I have links to these organizations in this episode’s show notes. So without any further delay, please enjoy this conversation with Chuck Merbitz, and keep his loved ones in your thoughts. He will be missed indeed.

If you're looking to improve your supervision practices, this is the podcast for you! In Session 90, I'm joined by Dr. Zahra Hajiaghamohseni, who recently wrapped up her dissertation on this topic. Here's a short excerpt from her dissertation's abstract: The purpose of my study was to examine the supervision practices of BCBA/BCBA-D who supervise precertification candidates and to determine if there were any statistically significant differences between supervisor demographics and supervision practices. An additional correlation test ... was conducted to evaluate for any associations between self-reported frequency of supervisor behaviors and precertification candidates BACB exam pass rate. (Hajiaghamohseni, 2019) I will not spoil the podcast by sharing the results here, but Zahra has generously provided access to her dissertation in the list of links below: Supervision Behaviors of Board Certified Behavior Analysts with Precertification Candidates (Zahra's dissertation... Hajiaghamohseni, 2019). The Behavior Analysis in Practice Special Edition on Supervision. Reed, et al. 2016, Toward quantifying the abuse liability of ultraviolet tanning: A behavioral economic approach to tanning addiction. BACB Resources, such as, The Professional Ethical Compliance Code. The white paper on ethics violations and code enforcement. ASD Practice Guidelines. 2018 BACB Annual Data Report. BACB Certificant Data through July 2019. BACB Supervisor Training Curriculum Outline. And if you're still looking for more supervision resources, check out these resources: Fieldwork Supervision for Behavior Analysts: A Handbook (Kazemi, et al., 2019). Remote Fieldwork Supervision for BCBA Trainees (Britton and Some Other Person, 2019). This episode is sponsored by: The First Annual Tate Behavioral Conference taking place on October 25th in Springfield, Massachusetts, featuring presentations by Megan Miller, Ryan O'Donnell, Yours Truly, and Kim Berens. It will also include a live recording of the Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt Cicoria, interviewing Kim Berens. Here are a few other important details: 6 BACB CE credits (including 1.5 Ethics CEs) Doors open for registration and coffee at 8:00 am Speakers begin at 9 am and end at 5 pm Lunch included Oh, and save 15% off of your registration by using the promo code, "Matt" Behavior University. Behavior University's goal is to provide university-quality instruction for practitioners seeking continuing education! They've put together a special deal for BOP listeners, so head over to behavioruniversity.com/observations, where you’ll save 10% on all courses and webinars. HRIC Recruiting. Let Barb Voss’ 30 years of experience help you find your dream job, or if you’re an agency, your dream candidate. For a confidential conversation about your career, reach out to Barb at https://www.hricolorado.com/contact.

My guest for Session 89 was actually the first non-behavior analyst on the Behavioral Observations Podcast. It's true! Way back in Session 15, Rich Brooks joined me to provide what was essentially a Digital Marketing 101 class. He’s back today – over 2 years later, to give us an update on digital marketing trends for 2019. In this episode we cover: Why you should pay attention to Google Analytics (and perhaps begin looking at Google Data Studio) Considerations for advertising on Google and Facebook How to blog more effectively (and why that helps attract people to your services) The basics of getting started with email marketing Even if you’re not an agency owner, there’s lots of great information in this show. I urge you to listen through to the end, because we close the show with a discussion of mastermind groups. This is not something I hear a lot about in our line of work, and I think mastermind groups have implications beyond marketing. Meaning, I think this is a practice that we, as clinicians, can replicate to better serve our clients. In case you missed Rich’s first appearance on the show, he is President of Flyte New Media, and hosts The Agents of Change Podcast. Rich is also the founder of the similarly-titled Agents of Change Digital Marketing Conference, which is held each September in Portland, Maine (one of my favorite cities, and home to some of the best restaurants and breweries in the world!). RICH WARMING UP THE CROWD AT THE LAST AGENTS OF CHANGE If you're interested in this event but can’t make it to Portland, don't worry; a virtual pass is available, so you can watch the proceedings from the comfort of your own home. Rich has generously provided a coupon code for podcast listeners, so if you buy a ticket to the event, enter “matt” at checkout, and save $25. If you want to tap into Rich's vast marketing experience at a lower barrier of entry, check out his book, The Lead Machine: The Small Business Guide to Digital Marketing. Alternatively, hit him up on social media (he is @therichbrooks on all social media platforms). Lastly, this episode of The Behavioral Observations Podcast is brought to you by GoLotus. Go Lotus’ mission is to break down the barriers of how we gather, process, and share information for clients. From practice management to data collection, they do it all. It is so simple your entire team can be up and running in less than an hour. If you want to get their data tracking system free for 90 days, go to golotus.com/register. And use the promo code MATT. There are some other discounts available too, so again, head over to golotus.com/register for more info.

What does Supervision, Fire Safety, and Robots have to do with one another? And what does "Skinner as the Bad Boy," mean? Well, fortunately, Dr. Ellie Kazemi, Professor of Psychology at Cal State Northridge, joins me in Session 88 to sort this all out. I met Ellie at the 2018 Hoosier ABA conference, where she instantly became one of my favorite people in the field. In Session 88, Ellie describes how she happened upon Behavior Analysis well after pursuing Psychology as a chosen field, how she's found several novel applications of our science, and how she's developed relationships with scientists and practitioners in other fields (like the folks at NASA!). We take a few listener questions along the way, but one of my favorite parts of this interview is Ellie's unique advice for newly-minted BCBA's. And, to add my own two cents, her advice is applicable to practitioners at all levels of experience! We also spend a little time talking about the book that she wrote along with along with Brian Rice and Peter Adzhyan. It's called Fieldwork and Supervision for Behavior Analysts: A Handbook. If you're looking for more information about Ellie and her research, check out her lab's web page, which also has links to her CV, as well as the articles that she has published. Session 88 is brought to you by: Go Lotus’ mission is to break down the barriers of how we gather, process, and share information for clients. From practice management to data collection, they do it all. It is so simple your entire team can be up and running in less than an hour. If you want to get their data tracking system free for 90 days, go to golotus.com/register. And use the promo code MATT. There are some other discounts available too, so again, head over to golotus.com/register for more info. HRI Colorado. Even though they have the word Colorado in their name, HRI will find you your dream job just about anywhere. And if you’re an agency, they’ll help you find your dream candidate. For more information, go to HRIColorado.com/contact and let their 30 years of recruiting experience work for you.

In Session 87 Dr. Merrill Winston joins me to talk about the use of restraints and seclusion in the context of supporting individuals who exhibit unsafe behaviors. Merrill is the Vice President and Director of Program Development of the Professional Crisis Management Association. If you're not familiar with him, I've included his bio right here: In addition to being a PCMA trainer, Merrill specializes in the analysis and treatment of severe behavior disorders with special populations. His range of treatment experience includes feeding disorders, self-injury, severe aggression, language acquisition, and skill acquisition problems. Merrill is a popular speaker at conferences and conducts presentations on a wide variety of topics in behavior analysis including psychotropic medication usage, mental illness, autism, exceptional student education, assessment and treatment of behavior problems, IEP goal selection and measurement, and a variety of conceptual issues as they relate to conducting behavior analysis in applied settings. Merrill has worked in a variety of settings including private homes, group homes, large institutions, secured facilities, schools and day-treatment programs. He is an experienced expert witness and frequently consults with attorneys, parents and advocates of persons with disabilities. He currently spends at least one day a week as the Behavior Analysis Consultant for Palm Beach County Schools. One thing I’d like to point out is that both Merrill and I have many years’ experience working with individuals with significant and sometimes dangerous behavioral challenges. As such, it is possible that to some listeners, we might come off as overly clinical, or even glib in our discussion of restraint and seclusion practices. If that’s the case with you, I’d like to take a moment to assure you that we take these issues very seriously, and we hope that our discussion provides a level of nuance, and possibly sophistication, that is oftentimes missing when people discuss the physical management of unsafe behavior. Session 87 is brought to you by: ABAdesk. ABAdesk is a BCBA-made data collection system that supports Frequency, Duration, Interval Recording, Task Analysis, & Trials programs. Visit www.abadesk.com and use the promo code MCPODCAST to get ½ off your first 3 months of data collection and graphing services. Behavior University. Behavior University's goal is to provide university-quality instruction for practitioners seeking continuing education! If you’re like me and re-certify at the end of June, and you still have a few CE’s to knock out, head over to behavioruniversity.com/observations, where you’ll save 10% on all courses and webinars. Lastly, Remote Fieldwork Supervision for BCBA Trainees, the book I co-wrote with Dr. Lisa Britton, who is an expert in providing high quality distance based supervision, is now out... it makes a great gift for family and friends alike!

The demands of being a Behavior Analyst can seem never-ending. Throw in parenting, relationships, finances, personal health/wellness, etc..., and things get overwhelming in a real hurry. Hashing it out at the ABAI bar In Session 86, I chat with Kristen Lancaster and Jonathan Tarbox about this whole work/life balance thing. They share some personal stories about how they've managed to not only survive, but thrive in the face of the challenges of the modern world. This conversation was recorded in-person at the 2019 Association for Behavior Analysis International conference that was held in Chicago. And despite being in such a heady academic environment, we didn't go heavy on the literature. As such, there are only a few links. As always, let me know if you hear something in the interview that I missed. The parable of the fisherman Confessions of a Behavior Analyst FB Group ACT at Work, Bond & Hayes (2002) The impact of acceptance and commitment training and multicultural training on the stigmatizing attitudes and professional burnout of substance abuse counselors, Hayes, et al. (2004) Session 50, Jonathan's first appearance on Behavioral Observations Session 16, Pat Friman's second appearance on Behavioral Observations Today’s episode is brought to you by: Go Lotus. Go Lotus’ mission is to break down the barriers of how we gather, process, and share information for children with Autism and related needs. From practice management to data collection, they do it all. It is so simple your entire team can be up and running in less than an hour. For more information, go to golotus.com/register. And by using the promo code MATT, the first 100 people will receive 90 days of our data trackers completely free. And by signing up, you’ll then receive an additional discount of 25% off the first 12 months. So again, for more info, head over to golotus.com/register. Your's Truly... right now, I have a great deal on bulk CE purchases. Get 12 Type 2 CE's for less than $100! Great for those who have procrastinated and need to re-certify by June 30th!

My guest today is Dr. Kerri Milyko, who is the owner of The Precision Teaching Learning Center in Tampa, FL as well as The Learning Consultants in Reno, Nevada. As you'll figure out right away, Kerri is Capital-P passionate about all things Precision Teaching. In this episode, she shares how she first got "the bug" at the University of Florida, and then continues on about how she's using PT today to help children with learning and behavioral challenges. In to providing services to children, Kerri also provides business to business consultation on system-wide assessment and implementation to transform agencies who want to adopt precision teaching. To further this mission, she and her colleagues have created an online self-paced curriculum on Precision Teaching. If this is something you’re interested in learning more about, click here for the various professional development offerings that are available. Even better, Kerri has provided Behavioral Observations Podcast listeners a 25% discount on course purchases (disclosure: I generate no affiliate revenue on these course purchases). During this two-hour plus interview, Kerri mentions many resources, and I've attempted to capture them here: Keller (1968). Goodbye Teacher Twyman et al (2004). A Non-Linear Approach to Curriculum Design Milyko et al (2012). An Investigation of Rapid Automatic Naming as a Generalized Operant Binder (1996). Behavioral Fluency: An Evolution of a New Paradigm Fabrizio and Moors (2003). Evaluating Mastery: Measuring Instructional Outcomes for Children with Autism Spillman & Milyko (2015). I can do this math, yo! This will most likely be my last show before heading off to ABAI. I have a few events scheduled, and if you’re interested in checking them out, click here. Either way, I love meeting listeners in person, so if you’re going to Chicago, please say hello. Today’s episode is brought to you by Go Lotus. Go Lotus’ mission is to break down the barriers of how we gather, process, and share information for children with Autism and related needs. From practice management to data collection, they do it all. It is so simple your entire team can be up and running in less than an hour. For more information, go to golotus.com/register. And by using the promo code MATT, the first 100 people will receive 90 days of our data trackers completely free. And by signing up, you’ll then receive an additional discount of 25% off the first 12 months. So again, for more info, head over to golotus.com/register. We are also brought to you by HRIC Recruiting. Let Barb Voss’ 30 years of experience help you find your dream job, or if you’re an agency, your dream candidate. For a confidential conversation about your career, reach out to Barb at https://www.hricolorado.com/contact. Lastly, you can still get free shipping for all your Essential for Living purchases through June 1st. At checkout, use code EFLBOP0501.

In session 84, Dr. Luis Morales Knight joins me to talk about his work as a Clinical Psychologist, which, as you may have guessed from the title of this episode, involves a lot of parent training and coaching. Although Luis jokes that he's not a "real Behavior Analyst," trust me, he's one of us. He is the co-founder of the Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health Center in Ocean County, California. In addition to completing a clinical psych graduate program at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, he also trained with podcast favorite, Pat Friman, at Boys Town. We didn't even scratch the surface of all the topics we wanted to cover, so I'm already thinking about a follow up interview. But first, I need to re-listen to this one and apply some of the things Luis discussed to my own parenting. Here are the links to the resources we mentioned: Pat Friman in Session 10 of this podcast Quasi obscure 80's show, Quantum Leap Parent-Child Interaction Therapy PRIDE Skills Act, don't Yak Job Card Grounding Sleeping Through the Night The Thriving Adolescent Stuff that Sucks The Self-Driven Child McGinnis Behavioral Session 84 is brought to you by: Behavior University. BU's mission is to provide university-quality continuing education to Behavior Analysis practitioners in a convenient and affordable format. Save 10% on all Continuing Education and training products with the code PODCAST. Click here for more details. The Essential for Living assessment and curriculum. Get free shipping on all purchases until June 1st by using the discount code EFLBOP0501 Lastly, Remote Fieldwork Supervision for BCBA Trainees, the book I co-wrote with Dr. Lisa Britton, who is an expert in providing high quality distance based supervision, is now out. Lastly, are you going to ABAI? I have a few events, and I'd love to see you there.

Session 83 is a roundtable discussion with Andy Chavez from BehaviorMe, Jane Logvinova from ABA Desk, and Adam Dreyfus from AnswersNow. We dive into emerging trends in the application of technology in the practice of Applied Behavior Analysis, particularly in the areas of staff training, data collection, and parental support. Specifically, we discuss the market signals that led these entrepreneurs to create their products, how their ideas have been shaped over time, how they have (or haven't) secured external funding, and how they are marketing their offerings. Throughout our discussion, my guests mentioned several resources and websites, and I have done my best to capture them here: Lighthouse Labs Techstars Headsprout Joe Layng's Machine Learning Blog post To schedule a demo, or if you just want to learn more about these amazing businesses, check out the following: BehaviorMe click here to schedule a demo Instagram ABA Desk Learn more Schedule demo Instagram Facebook (and to get 50% off your first 3 months, use promo code MCPODCAST) AnswersNow To learn more Facebook Instagram And now, for some shameless self-promotion: I am running a wicked awesome deal on Type 2 CEU's Dr. Evelyn Gould will join The Behavioral Observations Membership group for an "Ask Me Anything" (within reason), on May 1st, 2019, at 8 PM EST ABAI 2019 events that I'm participating in: Science, Communication, and Behavior Analysis: Correcting Missed Opportunities. An invited panel with Ryan O'Donnell and Dr. Matt Normand, chaired by Dr. Jonathan Pinkston Should We Be Selling Out and Commercializing Our Science?: The Stories of PECs, PEAK, and Chartlytics. I will chair this panel that will feature Drs. Andy Bondy, Mark Dixon, and Rick Kubina If you haven't done so already, check out the book that Dr. Lisa Britton and I just published, Remote Fieldwork Supervision for BCBA Trainees

In Session 82, I chat with Beth McKee, wearer of innumerable hats! According to her LinkedIn profile, she holds the following positions:Director of Rehabilitation Services at Guangxiu International Children's CenterCEO of ABA Consulting InternationalBrand Ambassador for BehaviorMeIn this episode, we discuss how Beth got her start in ABA, how she began working in China, and how she is currently scaling services in the Hunan Province region in a sustainable and ethical manner.As we discussed in the show, there are not a lot of BCBA's in China. If you don't believe me, check out this map Beth put together:We also discuss what she does when she's not practicing in China, highlighting in particular, her work with BehaviorMe. Beth often posts lots of pictures of her ABA adventures, so if you'd like to follow along, check out her Instagram (@bethmmckee).This podcast is supported by: HRIC... Your new career path starts here. Let Barb Voss find you your dream job, or, if you're an agency, let her find you your dream candidate! Let her 30 years of recruiting experience work for you. If you're interested in learning more, email her for a confidential chat.Essential for Living: A Communication, Behavior, and Life Skills Curriculum, Assessment, and Practitioner's Handbook. From now through 6/1/2019, get free shipping on all purchases using offer code EFLBOP0501.Lastly, Remote Fieldwork Supervision for BCBA Trainees, the book I co-wrote with Dr. Lisa Britton, who is an expert in providing high quality distance based supervision, is now out.

I am really excited to present this follow up conversation with one of our most popular guests, Dr. Pat McGreevy. In this episode, we start out by talking about teaching more than one student at a time, and then we move on to some of his tips and tricks for teaching waiting skills, how to avoid ratio strain, how to fade prompts, the benefits of cold probes, and more. We close the episode by taking a wide range of listener questions (e.g., "who are some unsung heroes in our field?"), and you definitely do not want to miss those. Pat has been in this business for a long time, and the wisdom he shares in this episode is priceless for sure! Session 81 of this podcast was brought to you by the following: The Essential for Living assessment and curriculum. Get free shipping on all purchases until June 1st by using the discount code EFLBOP0501 The Central Reach, Charting a New Course workshop, that's taking place on April 18th and 19th, in Needham, MA. If you're interested in saving 10% off your registration, use the promo code: PODCAST. Behavior University. BU's mission is to provide university-quality continuing education to Behavior Analysis practitioners in a convenient and affordable format. Save 10% on all Continuing Education and training products with the code PODCAST. Click here for more details. Lastly, Remote Fieldwork Supervision for BCBA Trainees, the book I co-wrote with Dr. Lisa Britton, who is an expert in providing high quality distance based supervision, is now out.

My original plan was to chat with Drs. David Palmer and Josh Pritchard about the distinctions between the Verbal Behavior, or traditional Skinnerian approach to language and cognition, and Relational Frame Theory. Well, what happened was we had a technical glitch that prevented Josh from joining Dave and me, so for the first 15-20 minutes, it’s just the two of us… Fortunately, we figured out the problem, and then Josh was able to join the conversation. So think of this podcast as being presented in two acts. What was great about this conversation was how amiably my guests were able to talk about these differing points of view. What was disappointing about this conversation… was how amiably my guests were able to talk about these differing points of view. I’m kidding of course. And this is a topic I would like to return to from time to time. I would love to hear what you think about it, so please go to the show notes for this episode, or comment on your social media channel of choice. We mentioned a handful of articles, and I’ve tried my best to provide links below. I may have missed one here and there, so let me know if you catch a reference that didn’t make it into the session notes. And while you’re at behavioralobservations.com, sign up for the newsletter, and you’ll get the show notes for subsequent episodes delivered directly to your email inbox. Data in Search of a Principle (Palmer, 2004) A Behavioral Interpretation of Memory (Palmer, 1991) Stimulus Equivalence and Arbitrary Applicable Relational Responding (Steele and Hayes, 1991) Relational Frame Theory: An Overview of the Controversy (Gross and Fox, 2009) Caio Miguel's Google Scholar page Some Logical Functions of Joint Control (Lowenkron, 1998) Some Thoughts on the Relation Between Derived Relation Responding and Verbal Behavior (Moore, 2015) Session 80 of this podcast was brought to you by the following: The Essential for Living assessment and curriculum. Get free shipping on all purchases until June 1st by using the discount code EFLBOP0501 NH ABA is hosting Dr. Solandy Forte on April 19th from 9-12 in Bedford NH for a CEU event. The title of the event is Navigating through Cultural Barriers in Applied Behavior Analysis, and is good for 3 Ethics CE’s. Again, for links to this event, simply go to the show notes for this episode, or visit NHABA.net Lastly, Remote Fieldwork Supervision for BCBA Trainees, the book I co-wrote with Dr. Lisa Britton, who is an expert in providing high quality distance based supervision, is now out.

In Session 79, I speak with Dr. Merrill Winston about the topic of mass shootings. During our chat, Merrill mentioned that mass shooting events will continue to happen. Sadly, his words were prescient, because a few days after we recorded our conversation, the horrific events in New Zealand took place. I suppose the tenor of the discussion would’ve been more somber if the timing was reversed, and speaking for myself, I apologize if the conversation comes off as tone deaf or unserious. Nevertheless, I have reached out to other behavior analysts who have looked at this topic, and if this is something you’d like to hear more about, please let me know and I’ll schedule some additional interviews. In any case, despite the sad nature of the subject matter, I hope you find Merrill’s analysis of these events as interesting and thought provoking as I did. Here are some links that we either discussed and/or may be of interest: Merrill's slide show on mass shootings The book, What Terrorists Want: Understanding the Enemy, Containing the Threat, by Louise Richardson The Professional Crisis Management Association website The PCMA YouTube channel, where Merrill has posted videos on several different topics of interest A video teaser for Merrill's upcoming appearance on The Controversial Exchange podcast This podcast is supported by: Essential for Living: A Communication, Behavior, and Life Skills Curriculum, Assessment, and Practitioner's Handbook. From now through 6/1/2019, get free shipping on all purchases using offer code EFLBOP0501 HRIC... Your new career path starts here. Let Barb Voss find you your dream job, or, if you're an agency, let her find you your dream candidate! Let her 30 years of recruiting experience work for you. If you're interested in learning more, email her for a confidential chat

Dr. Barry McCurdy is the Director of the Devereux's Center for Effective Schools. In this episode, we talk about his work in supporting students with significant behavioral challenges in urban public school settings. Barry's primary research interest in the treatment of disruptive behavior disorders has led to several prevention/early intervention initiatives in urban schools including the development of models for school-wide positive behavior support, school-based parent training, and classroom-based behavior management. During this interview, we referred to a variety of people, resources, studies, and so on. I have attempted to capture links to all of them here: The Center for Effective Schools site The Center for Management of ADHD Project Follow Through report from the Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies The Student Risk Screening Scale (SRSS) Deliberate Coaching (Gavoni & Weatherby, 2019) Edna Foa's Amazon author's page (many PTSD resources!) Judith Cohen's Amazon author's page (many Trauma Focused CBT resources) An overview of Team Initiated Problem Solving (TIPS) This session of The Behavioral Observations Podcast was supported by Behavior University. If you’re looking for some great online continuing ed, BU has some great deals right now: In the spirit of March Madness, they are offering a discount on all seats for live webinars sold in March. Only $20 will get you up close and personal with leaders in the field like Matt Brodhead, Jonathan Tarbox, Joe Lucyshyn and others. The sale ends March 31, 2019 so grab those seats before they’re gone. For more information, go to behavioruniversity.com/observations! Also, if you're interested in providing remote supervision, or supervision in general, check out the forthcoming book that Dr. Lisa Britton and I wrote. It's call Remote Fieldwork Supervision for BCBA Trainees, and you can find more information about it by clicking here.

Pat Friman was gracious enough to spend a large chunk of a Saturday chatting with The Behavioral Observations Membership Group.If you're not familiar with the group, it is a membership program (think a DIY Patreon) in which about every two months, I bring a former podcast guest on to a Zoom call, and the members get ask their questions directly. We've been doing it for about two years or so and it's a lot of fun.So on this call, we got to ask Pat all sorts of questions, like why he gets up at three am, how to deal with bedtime behavior problems, dealing with ABA "haters," the now infamous "Pink sweater lady," and more.If you're not familiar with the Pink Lady story, check it out here on The Daily BA YouTube channel:This podcast was supported by the 4-day ACT BootCamp for Behavior Analysts workshop in Reno, Nevada, with Steven C. Hayes, Evelyn Gould, Mark Dixon, and David Sloan Wilson.This will take place March 7-10, 2019, and will provide 32 Type 2 CE's! This BootCamp is designed to provide behavior analysts a foundational understanding of acceptance and commitment training (ACT).ACT’s conceptual and empirical basis has strengthened considerably over the last three decades, and it is now fully entering into the armamentarium of BCBAs in areas like parent training, staff management & development, organizational work, work with developmentally delayed populations or the chronically mentally ill, educational settings with special needs students, and beyond.For more details, click here, and if you do decide to go, use code BEHAVEOBS19 at checkout to save $50!

Dr. Evelyn Gould joins me in Session 76 to chat about a variety of things, including her work in parent training and supporting adolescents with mental health challenges as a Clinical Behavior Analyst. We also talk about her early training in Behavior Analysis, both here in the United States, as well as in Northern Ireland. I think you'll enjoy hearing how these early experiences shaped her as a clinician, as well as learn a thing or two about how to (appropriately/legally) stalk people you look up to! I had such a good time chatting with Evelyn that we didn't even get to the listener submitted questions (sorry!!!). So naturally, we'll have to have her back for a round two on the podcast. We didn't talk about a ton of resources, but here are the ones that I do recall: The paper on parent training (Gould, Tarbox, and Coyne, 2018). The DNA-v curriculum Evelyn uses. The ACT Bootcamp for Behavior Analysts, March 7-10, 2019 (if you decide to go, save $50 off of registration by using promo code BEHAVEOBS19). This podcast is also brought to you by HRIC, providing personalized job search and placement services. Let Barb Voss help you find your dream job, or your dream candidate! Click here to schedule a confidential appointment!

The last time we checked in with Dr. Matt Brodhead, he was putting the final touches on his book, Practical Ethics for Effective Treatment for Autism Spectrum Disorder. Well, he's been out on the speaking circuit now that the book has been out for some time, so I thought it would be a good idea for him to return to the show and discuss what he's hearing out in the field as he makes his way from conference to conference. And since Matt has been on the show, The Behavioral Observations Podcast has become one of his mother's favorite things to listen to. Don't believe me? Check this out: In this episode we also tackle quite a few listener questions as well, most of which had to do with how to define or obtain competence in a given area of Behavior Analysis. Along the way, we discussed the following articles: A Call for Discussion About Scope of Competence in Behavior Analysis (Brodhead, Quigley, & Wilczynski, 2018). A survey of functional behavior assessment methods used by behavior analysts in practice (Oliver, Pratt, & Normand, 2015). A statewide survey assessing practitioners' use and perceived utility of functional assessment (Roscoe et. al., 2015). And by the way, follow Matt on Twitter (@mattbrodhead)! This session of The Behavioral Observations Podcast is sponsored by Praxis Continuing Education & Training: The 4-day ACT BootCamp for Behavior Analysts workshop in Reno, Nevada, with Steven C. Hayes, Evelyn Gould, Mark Dixon, and David Sloan Wilson. This will take place March 7-10, 2019, and will provide 32 Type 2 CE's! This BootCamp is designed to provide behavior analysts a foundational understanding of acceptance and commitment training (ACT). ACT’s conceptual and empirical basis has strengthened considerably over the last three decades, and it is now fully entering into the armamentarium of BCBAs in areas like parent training, staff management & development, organizational work, work with developmentally delayed populations or the chronically mentally ill, educational settings with special needs students, and beyond. For more details, click here, and if you do decide to go, use code BEHAVEOBS19 at checkout to save $50! Behavior University. BU's mission is to provide university-quality continuing education to Behavior Analysis practitioners in a convenient and affordable format. Save 10% on all Continuing Education and training products with the code PODCAST. Click here for more details. The Himalaya Podcast app. Are you frustrated with the native Apple Podcast app, which seems to get worse and worse with each "update"? Are you an Android user who is looking for a better podcast experience? Then download Himalaya to your device and decide whether this is a better alternative. Oh, and be sure to follow The Behavioral Observations Podcast when you do!

When things are going as they should, I usually have two to four interviews recorded and ready to go at any given time. However, for several reasons I got behind the 8-ball as the saying goes. And when a recent interview was cancelled I was left without a third show for January. So rather than go without, I thought I'd put out a solo episode, and share some general thoughts I have regarding consulting in public school settings. The timing of this was oddly fortuitous, mainly because I've been thinking a lot about the "soft skills," in the practice of Behavior Analysis. As a result, I sat down at my computer and made a bullet list of what 11 tips or suggestions for effective consultation. As I mention in the beginning of the episode, I do not present these from up upon a soapbox. I learned many of these lessons the hard way. Another thing I'd like to mention is that many of these tips sound really obvious, and can be thought of as belonging in the realm of common sense. But I ask you to trust me, because common sense doesn't always prevail. Here are the two articles I mentioned: Compassionate Care in Behavior Analytic Treatment (Taylor, LeBlanc, & Nosik, 2018). Maintaining Professional Relationships in an Interdisciplinary Setting (Brodhead, 2015). Lastly, given that this is my first solo episode, feel free to send me some feedback. I plan on sticking with the interview format, but I'd love to know how a show like this is received in case this situation comes up again. This session of The Behavioral Observations Podcast is sponsored by Praxis Continuing Education & Training: Join Praxis Continuing Education & Training for the 4-day ACT BootCamp for Behavior Analysts workshop in Reno, Nevada, with Steven C. Hayes, Evelyn Gould, Mark Dixon, and David Sloan Wilson. This will take place March 7-10, 2019, and will provide 32 Type 2 CE's! This BootCamp is designed to provide behavior analysts a foundational understanding of acceptance and commitment training (ACT). ACT’s conceptual and empirical basis has strengthened considerably over the last three decades, and it is now fully entering into the armamentarium of BCBAs in areas like parent training, staff management & development, organizational work, work with developmentally delayed populations or the chronically mentally ill, educational settings with special needs students, and beyond. What’s new at this BootCamp? Prosocial methods for groups! All successful behavior analysis programs have to deal with groups, whether it be with schools, agencies, businesses, or their own staff. This year, we will emphasize how ACT and RFT can empower organizational and team effectiveness. Renowned evolutionary scientist David Sloan Wilson, PhD, will train you on how to implement Prosocial, a new method for helping groups work better together. For more details, click here, and if you do decide to go, use code BEHAVEOBS19 at checkout to save $50!

Dr. Amy Smith Wiech joins me in Session 73 to talk about the implementation of Geller's Actively Caring for People (AC4P) movement in Law Enforcement settings. At its core, ABA is about solving socially relevant problems, and the issue of police shootings, and in a broader sense, police-community relations, couldn't be more relevant these days. If you're not familiar with AC4P, don't worry... Amy breaks it down for us, and if you're still looking for more information, she provided me this treasure-trove of links to additional resources. This session of The Behavioral Observations Podcast is brought to with the support of the following: The Himalaya Podcast app. Are you frustrated with the native Apple Podcast app, which seems to get worse and worse with each "update"? Are you an Android user who is looking for a better podcast experience? Then download Himalaya to your device and decide whether this is a better alternative. Oh, and be sure to follow The Behavioral Observations Podcast when you do! HRIC, which brings 30 years of recruiting experience to help BCBA's find their dream jobs. Find out about available positions in your area, what type of salaries you should expect, and more! Click here to schedule your confidential inquiry.

In Session 72, I chat with Dr. Bridget Taylor (of Alpine Learning Group and Let me Hear Your Voice fame) and Devon Sundberg (of The Behavior Analysis Center for Autism and founder of the Women in Behavior Analysis Conference). In this episode, we discuss: Bridget's work in highlighting the need for BCBA's to be more compassionate in their service delivery. Bridget's role in Catherine Maurice's seminal book. Why Devon started WIBA. What to expect from this year's event. Advice for newly-minted BCBA's. Along the way, we referenced the following resources: Compassionate Care in Behavior Analytic Treatment (Taylor, LeBlanc, and Nosik (2018). The WIBA registration page (and the event is currently sold out, but if you're interested in attending, keep checking here as tickets may become available if there are cancellations). Devon's ABA Inside Track interview. Gould, Tarbox, and Coyne's 2018 paper. Karen Armstrong's Amazon author's page. "Let me Hear Your Voice," by Catherine Maurice. And for extra credit, check out: Participation of Women in Behavior Analysis Research, by Li, Curiel, Pritchard, and Poling (2018). This session of The Behavioral Observations Podcast is sponsored by: Behavior University. BU's mission is to provide university-quality continuing education to Behavior Analysis practitioners in a convenient and affordable format. Save 10% on all Continuing Education and training products with the code PODCAST. Click here for more details. The Himalaya Podcast app. Are you frustrated with the native Apple Podcast app, which seems to get worse and worse with each "update"? Are you an Android user who is looking for a better podcast experience? Then download Himalaya to your device and decide whether this is a better alternative. Oh, and be sure to follow The Behavioral Observations Podcast when you do!

In Session 71, I join the folks at ABA Inside Track for a 2018 Year in Review. In this episode, we discuss: The passing of influential Behavior Analysts in 2018. Important events in the field, such as the #timesupABA and #dobetter movements. The good and bad associated with the continued growth of our field. Things we're looking forward to in 2019. As a bonus (or punishment) we even sing a few lines from Auld Lang Syne. I apologize in advance... Please do not let this influence any potential iTunes reviews for either of our podcasts! Our sponsors for this episode include: The Himalaya Podcast app. Are you frustrated with the native Apple Podcast app, which seems to get worse and worse with each "update"? Are you an Android user who is looking for a better podcast experience? Then download Himalaya to your device and decide whether this is a better alternative. Oh, and be sure to follow The Behavioral Observations Podcast when you do! My own wicked-awesome discount on 12 Type 2 CE's. Use the offer code, "bundle" and save over 50% on your continuing education needs. Keep up to date with the happenings in the field while you drive, walk the dog, etc...

Neil Deochand is an Assistant Professor-Educator in the Behavior Analysis Distance Learning Program at the University of Cincinnati. Since 2011 he has worked as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst in both center based, and out-patient settings. His research interests span a wide variety of topics including quality assurance of behavioral graphing practices, behavioral medicine, and he is interested in disseminating decision-making tools to support the professional practice of applied behavior analysis. In this episode, we talk about these areas, but also focused on Neil’s work in consumer product development. This should be of significant interest to those of us who want to see our science applied more broadly. We also talk about Neil’s interest in basic research using planaria, which, I am embarrassed to admit, I had to Google to figure out what planaria actually are. Somehow, Neil ties these varied topics all together, and mentions several resources and articles on the way. If you want to track any of them down, head over to https://behavioralobservations.com for the show notes.

In Session 69 of The Behavioral Observations Podcast, we are treated to a TAGteach primer from Martha Gabler. In this episode, Martha shares how she discovered TAGteach when she was searching for intervention strategies to help her son with Autism. Martha also describes how she used this teaching strategy to reduce tantrums, bolting, and problematic sleep routines. In doing so, she provides us with a nice overview of the basics of TAGteach. If this is something you are interested in learning more about, we have links a-plenty below. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did!

In this episode, I have the pleasure of talking with Hannah Branigan of Wonder Pups Training and the Drinking from the Toilet Podcast. We chat about how she decided to pursue dog (and human) training as a career and what it's like to teach people to train dogs. We then spend a considerable amount of time discussing how to conceptualize and address common behavior problems in dogs. As I note in the show, this is an area that I could stand to learn a lot more about. And if I'm being really honest, I don't spend much time at all teaching my dog the important skills that are discussed in this episode. As such, chatting with Hannah has been a good source of motivation to remediate this. I hope that if you're in the same boat as I am, that this show has the same effect. During our conversation Hannah mentioned many resources. I have attempted to list them all below, but as always, please let me know if there's anything I missed. Lastly, I urge you to check out her podcast (see link above), and if you like it, to leave a rating and review in iTunes (doing so really helps out us podcasters!). Here are those links: Hannah's social media channels: Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube Excel-erated Learning by Pam Reid The Dog Training by Kikopup YouTube channel A Deaf Dog Joins the Family, by Terrie Hayward PetTutor Smart Training Feeder (a discount code for this product is mentioned in episode 74 of Hannah's podcast) This podcast episode is supported by the following: The "Growing up with Skinner" event, which is hosted by Brett DiNovi and Associates (BDA). This is a one-day event that is taking place on November 30th in Mt. Laurel, NJ at the Weston Hotel and Conference Center. If you're not in New Jersey, don't worry, as it is available for live-streaming (both during and well after the event). This event will feature a keynote by Dr. Julie Vargas, who will be talking about her experiences with growing up with B.F. Skinner as a Dad (how cool!). It will be followed by talks from Brett DiNovi and Matt Linder from BDA, and Dr. Don Hantula will provide the closing address. All told, 5.5 supervision CE's are available, and best of all, the proceeds of this event will benefit the B.F. Skinner Foundation. Interested? Click here to learn more. Behavior University: BU's live webinars generally have a limited number of attendees, so that the learning experience is interactive, with plenty of opportunities for engaging with the presenters. If you can’t make the live events, these webinars are recorded and available in Behavior University’s CEU Library for later viewing. So if you would like to learn more, head over to Behavioruniversity.com/observations, where you’ll find a 10% discount code for podcast listeners. Thanks for checking them out!

Ok I get it. You're probably tired of me talking about the 2018 Hoosier ABA conference, but this is the last Indy-related show... at least until next year. My guest today, Dr. Paul Gavoni, a.k.a. "Paulie Gloves," has each one of his feet firmly planted in two worlds: Coaching elite boxers and MMA fighters, and consulting in public school settings as the Director of School Improvement for PBS Corp. From his website, QuickWinsPro.com, he is described as follows: An expert in human performance and organizational leadership, Dr. Paul Gavoni has over 20 years supporting education and human services. Specializing in improving climate and cultures to move stalled improvement efforts, Dr. Gavoni supports organizational, district, school, and classroom leaders with embedding processes and procedures that rapidly impact key performance indicators. Dr. Gloves possesses a Doctorate of Education, a Specialist of Educational Leadership, and a Masters and Bachelors of Social Work. Pauli is also the co-author of Quick Wins, which he co-wrote with former guest Manny Rodriguez. He is also the co-author of the upcoming book, Deliberate Coaching, which he co-authored with yet another former podcast guest, Nic Weatherly. We cover quite a range of topics in this episode, specifically how Paulie got into Behavior Analysis, best practices for coaching school personnel, and how he applies the science of behavior towards working with combat sports athletes. Here are some of the links we discussed: Manny Rodriguez's earlier podcast appearance (way back in Session 9!) Nic Weatherly's earlier podcast appearance The Big 5 of classroom management Blood, Sweat, and Science... one of Pauli's many bSci21.org articles Pauli's LinkeIn page (which links to many of his articles) This podcast episode is supported by the following: The "Growing up with Skinner" event, which is hosted by Brett DiNovi and Associates (BDA). This is a one-day event that is taking place on November 30th in Mt. Laurel, NJ at the Weston Hotel and Conference Center. If you're not in New Jersey, don't worry, as it is available for live-streaming. This event will feature a keynote by Dr. Julie Vargas, who will be talking about her experiences with growing up with B.F. Skinner as a Dad (how cool!). It will be followed by talks from Brett DiNovi and Matt Linder from BDA, and Dr. Don Hantula will provide the closing address. All told, 5.5 supervision CE's are available, and best of all, the proceeds of this event will benefit the B.F. Skinner Foundation. Interested? Click here to learn more. HRIC, which brings 30 years of recruiting experience to help BCBA's find their dream jobs. Find out about available positions in your area, what type of salaries you should expect, and more! Click here to schedule your confidential inquiry. Behavior University: BU's live webinars generally have a limited number of attendees, so that the learning experience is interactive, with plenty of opportunities for engaging with the presenters. If you can’t make the live events, these webinars are recorded and available in Behavior University’s CEU Library for later viewing. So if you would like to learn more, head over to Behavioruniversity.com/observations, where you’ll find a 10% discount code for podcast listeners. Thanks for checking them out!

Well the gift that was the Hoosier Association for Behavior Analysis conference keeps on giving. What do I mean by this? Well, just before he left Indianapolis, I was able to snag Brett DiNovi for a little while and recorded this conversation in the lobby of the Sheraton City Center. If you are on any of the ABA social media channels, you've undoubtedly seen Brett's YouTube channel. However, for those who don't know him, Brett is the Founder and CEO of Brett DiNovi and Associates, which is the largest ABA provider on the East Coast of the United states. In this episode, we discuss how we briefly met more almost 15 years ago and how he got started in ABA. We also talk a lot about the ups and downs of running a successful ABA agency, and how BDA is not only expanding into new marketplaces, but how it is supporting other independent ABA providers. Compared to Brett's short and sweet YouTube videos, this is a long-form conversation, and I'm betting you'll learn a lot more about who he is, how he sees the field, and how he has managed to create a winning company culture. I mentioned his main YouTube channel already, and in this conversation, Brett lets us know about another channel that his company has launched, called "Hacking Clinical Behavior." If you have a chance, go check them out, and give them a thumbs up and share with friends if you like them. This episode is sponsored by Behavior University. Behavior University is a BACB Approved Continuing Education Provider, and their mission is to provide university-quality courses in applied behavior analysis for new and experienced professionals alike. Their live webinars generally have a limited number of attendees, so that the learning experience is interactive, with plenty of opportunities for engaging with the presenters. If you can’t make the live events, these webinars are recorded and available in Behavior University’s CEU Library for later viewing. Behavior University also has a 40 hour RBT training. This self-paced course uses a combination of visual presentation, audio lectures, and live video models to teach all areas of the RBT Task List. The course is accessible any time and from anywhere.  So if you would like to learn more, head over to Behavioruniversity.com/observations, where you’ll find a 10% discount code for podcast listeners. Thanks for checking them out!

Dr. Matt Normand graciously accepted my offer to be a test subject for the first live-audience taping of The Behavioral Observations Podcast. In this episode we discussed his entry into the field of Behavior Analysis, his line of research in helping children in schools engage in vigorous physical activity, and his thoughts on the development of our profession.  Matt referenced a number of his studies and rather than duplicate them here, you can visit his website, where he has links to many of his publications. I also recommend following him on Twitter. We taped this interview at the 10th Annual Hoosier Association for Behavior Analysis conference. This was a fantastic conference, and I am very grateful to HABA board members, Danyl Epperheimer and Kyle Steury, for inviting me to participate in this event. It was my first time visiting Indianapolis, and I really loved the city. If you're in the general area next year, I would strongly consider attending for sure! Back to this episode... the conference committee set us up at the Skyline Club, which is on the 36th floor of a building that overlooks the city. The interview took place during the evening social, and to add to the overall mirth of the occasion, Stephen Foreman from Clinical Behavior Analysis brought a very special bottle of Kentucky Bourbon to share with us as well as the audience. Long story short, when compared to doing interviews from my basement, this was definitely a special event.  I also had the chance to talk with numerous listeners as well as former podcast guests, and to list them all would be to risk forgetting someone, so instead, I will say that it was really quite a treat to connect with everyone at the conference.  Here are some pictures of the taping of the podcast, and I may have some more on my Instagram account: This episode is sponsored by the following: The Precision ABA Workshop, by Dr. Rick Kubina of Chartlytics. This will be held on November 15th and 16th in Indianapolis, Indiana. This 2-day workshop will guide you through the steps of precision measurement and help you obtain superior ABA outcomes. You will learn evidence-based science and practical techniques that you can implement in your own ABA service delivery. If you're going to attend and want to save 10% on registration, use the coupon code Matt. The Next Gen Revolution Summit, taking place on November 10th & 11th in Las Vegas. Attend in person, or live-stream so you can watch it in your Jammies. If you're interested in seeing talks from instructional luminaries like Janet Tyman and T.V. Joe Layng, hearing what podcast guests Megan Miller and Sara Gershfeld Litvak have to say, or learning about the latest in technological innovations in our field, this is the event for you. If you do decide to attend, use offer code Matt to save 10%.

OK, so to be honest, I'm writing these show notes while on the road after an amazing Hoosier ABA conference (more on that in a subsequent episode or two ;-).  As such, I'll be uncharacteristically brief. To risk hyperbole, I think that just about anyone can benefit from listening to this episode. My guest, Dr. Jim Moore, talks about his ups and downs (followed by more ups and downs... and ups) with weight loss. What I like about Jim is that he shares these deeply personal struggles in order to, in my estimation, help others who have similar problems. Jim has gone from being overweight, to super fit, to morbidly obese... to now, where he is on a trend of fairly sustainable success.  He acknowledge he still has room to improve, but check these pictures out, and you'll get an idea of how much progress he's gained: And because I'm on the road, I unfortunately do not have my notes from our interview. That said, I do recall discussing an article titled, The Shame of American Education, by B.F. Skinner himself. If there are other references I missed, visit the Contact page and let me know what it was, and I'll update these show notes. This episode is sponsored by the following: The Precision ABA Workshop, by Dr. Rick Kubina of Chartlytics. This will be held on November 15th and 16th in Indianapolis, Indiana. This 2-day workshop will guide you through the steps of precision measurement and help you obtain superior ABA outcomes. You will learn evidence-based science and practical techniques that you can implement in your own ABA service delivery. If you're going to attend and want to save 10% on registration, use the coupon code Matt. The Next Gen Revolution Summit, taking place on November 10th & 11th in Las Vegas. Attend in person, or live-stream so you can watch it in your Jammies. If you're interested in seeing talks from instructional luminaries like Janet Tyman and T.V. Joe Layng, hearing what podcast guests Megan Miller and Sara Gershfeld Litvak have to say, or learning about the latest in technological innovations in our field, this is the event for you. If you do decide to attend, use offer code Matt to save 10%. HRIC, which brings 30 years of recruiting experience to help BCBA's find their dream jobs. Click here to schedule your confidential inquiry.

To say that I enjoyed my conversation with Chuck Merbitz is a colossal understatement. As you will see when you listen to this one, Chuck has a rare combination of humility and wisdom, and he generously shares many lessons learned in his over four decade career in Behavior Analysis.  This is one of our longer episodes, and I promise you it's worth listening to in its entirety! In Session 63, we discuss a wide range of topics that include the following: How to teach recovering alcoholic WWII veterans to get dates and find jobs (but not necessarily in that order!). What the Behavior Analysis scene was like in the early 70s when he began his graduate training. How to be a practitioner who is both pragmatic and compassionate (as well as how to avoid being the "ugly behaviorist!"). How and why he started the ABA program at the Chicago School of Professional Psychology. How collecting precise data on both communicative responses AND therapist prompts helped him identify barriers to a learner's progress. And of course, some discussion on the terms frequency and rate in our profession (see link to the Merbitz, Merbitz, & Pennypacker paper below). If you're not familiar with Chuck, you can check out his LinkedIn profile to get a sense of where he's coming from. In brief though, Chuck has had a long and storied career in our field, holding faculty appointments not only at CSPP, but also at the Illinois Institute of Technology, the Northwestern University Medical School, and Jacksonville State University. Chuck is also a pioneer in the development of digital tools for Behavior Analysts. Time did not permit us getting too deep into this part of his career, but I think it will make for a nice follow up interview. We touched on a few papers, and I've done my best to run them down here. Please let me know if there are any that I missed: Johnston & Pennypacker (1971). A behavioral approach to college teaching. Merbitz, Merbitz, & Pennypacker (2016). On terms: Frequency and rate in Applied Behavior Analysis. Merbitz, Miller, & Hansen (2000). Cueing and Logical Problem Solving In Brain Trauma Rehabilitation: Frequency Patterns In Clinician And Patient Behaviors. This episode is sponsored by the following: The Precision ABA Workshop, by Dr. Rick Kubina of Chartlytics. This will be held on November 15th and 16th in Indianapolis, Indiana. This 2-day workshop will guide you through the steps of precision measurement and help you obtain superior ABA outcomes. You will learn evidence-based science and practical techniques that you can implement in your own ABA service delivery. If you're going to attend and want to save 10% on registration, use the coupon code Matt. The Next Gen Revolution Summit, taking place on November 10th & 11th in Las Vegas. Attend in person, or live-stream so you can watch it in your Jammies. If you're interested in seeing talks from instructional luminaries like Janet Tyman and T.V. Joe Layng, hearing what podcast guests Megan Miller and Sara Gershfeld Litvak have to say, or learning about the latest in technological innovations in our field, this is the event for you. If you do decide to attend, use offer code Matt to save 10%. And while not technically a sponsor, if you're in the midwest and want to check out a cool event, consider attending the Hoosier Association for Behavior Analysis' 10th anniversary conference. I've interviewed almost everyone on the speakers' roster, so I know attendees are bound to hear some good stuff. I'll also be doing my first live, in-person podcast with HABA's keynote speaker, Dr. Matthew Normand. It should be a good time had by all, and I hope to see you there!

To paraphrase Jerry Seinfeld, "What's the deal with accreditation?!?!" In Session 62, Sara Gershfeld Litvak joins me to talk about what accreditation is, what the process is like, why it's important for the field of Applied Behavior Analysis to have its own accrediting body, and most importantly, why you should care.  Sara is the Chief Executive Officer of the Behavioral Health Center of Excellence. If you're not familiar with the BHCOE, it is... ...an international accrediting body created to meet accreditation needs specific to the delivery of behavior analysis. The BHCOE’s accreditation requirements undergo regular review according to international standards for organizations that grant accreditation. All BHCOE requirements and survey content are reviewed annually by content experts. BHCOE Accreditation ® is a certification given to an applied behavior analysis provider once it has demonstrated it has met and continues to meet an assortment of clinical and administrative standards as determined by an independent third-party evaluator. Sara describes her background in the episode itself, but here's a little bit from her bio: Sara Gershfeld Litvak completed her graduate degree from Claremont Graduate University. Sara is an Adjunct Professor for the Applied Behavior Analysis program at Pepperdine University and serves as a systems consultant for the California Regional Center system designing Quality Assurance processes to ensure that ABA service providers provide clinically sound services. In addition, Sara is also the co-founder of the Behavioral Health Center of Excellence (BHCOE) the only ABA-specific accrediting body. She is an education blogger for the Huffington Post, has served as past Co-Chair of the Autism Special Interest Group at ABAI, on the Board of Directors for the Association for Science in Autism Treatment, and as a Subject Matter Expert for the Behavior Analysis Certification Board (BACB). For more information on accreditation, feel free to contact Sara through the BHCOE contact page. And if you're interested in doing a self-study of your agency, you can find their self-evaluation checklist here.  This session of The Behavioral Observations Podcast is sponsored by: Constellations Behavioral Services. CBS believes that everyone can learn, everyone can participate, and everyone can communicate. They provide outstanding ABA services in both New Hampshire and Massachusetts, and to learn more about career opportunities at CBS, click here. The Precision ABA Workshop, by Dr. Rick Kubina of Chartlytics. This will be held on November 15th and 16th in Indianapolis, Indiana. This 2-day workshop will guide you through the steps of precision measurement and help you obtain superior ABA outcomes. You will learn evidence-based science and practical techniques that you can implement in your own ABA service delivery. If you're going to attend and want to save 10% on registration, use the coupon code Matt.  And while not technically a sponsor, if you're in the midwest and want to check out a cool event, consider attending the Hoosier Association for Behavior Analysis' 10th anniversary conference. I've interviewed almost everyone on the speakers' roster, so I know attendees are bound to hear some good stuff. I'll also be doing my first live, in-person podcast with HABA's keynote speaker, Dr. Matthew Normand. It should be a good time had by all, and I hope to see you there!

Dr. Nic Weatherly of the Florida Institute of Technology joins me in Session 61 to explore a few areas of Organizational Behavior Management, namely coaching staff members in public school settings, whether Board Certification is necessary for OBM practitioners, as well as the ethical considerations of OBM practices. In our conversation, Nic fielded numerous excellent listener questions having to do with topics such as pay-for-performance, how to get good training and supervision in OBM, and book recommendations for BCBA's who are looking to learn more in this area. Nic is the author of the forthcoming book, Deliberate Coaching, which he co-wrote with Dr. Paul Gavoni (and you can learn more about Paulie here or here). Nic talked about the book a little bit, but was gracious in naming a variety of other books and articles in the OBM space that he likes as well. I have attempted to list them all here: We talked about Aubrey Daniels' books quite a bit, so for the sake of expedience, click here to check out Aubrey's author page at Amazon. Long time listeners will also recall that Aubrey appeared way back in Session 30 of the podcast. Paradox of Organizational Change, by ABAI's own, Dr. Maria Malott. Rapid Change: Immediate Action for the Impatient Leader, by Joe Laipple. Coaching for Performance, by John Whitmore. Expanding the Customer Base for Behavior-Analytic Services, by LeBlanc, Heinicke, & Baker (2012). I'll keep you posted as to when Nic's book becomes available! This podcast episode is sponsored by the following: Constellations Behavioral Services. CBS believes that everyone can learn, everyone can participate, and everyone can communicate. They provide outstanding ABA services in both New Hampshire and Massachusetts, and to learn more about career opportunities at CBS, click here. Clinical Behavior Analysis, Kentucky’s leading provider of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), counseling and direct support services to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, acquired brain injury and autism. They are about to open The Center for Behavior Analysis, a 13,000 square foot, state of art facility in Louisville, KY, and they’re looking for a clinical director to lead a highly motivated team of clinicians and technicians. So to learn more, go to cbacares.com/careers and set up your confidential interview today! HRIC, which brings 30 years of recruiting experience to help BCBA's find their dream jobs. Click here to schedule your confidential inquiry. And while not technically a sponsor, if you're in the midwest and want to check out a cool event, consider attending the Hoosier Association for Behavior Analysis' 10th anniversary conference. I've interviewed almost everyone on the speakers' roster, so I know attendees are bound to hear some good stuff. I'll also be doing my first live, in-person podcast with HABA's keynote speaker, Dr. Matthew Normand. It should be a good time had by all, and I hope to see you there!

As promised, Sorah Stein joins me is Session 60 for a much-anticipated discussion of sex and sex education for individuals with developmental disabilities. In this conversation, we discuss the following: The difference between Stranger Danger and Strange Behavior Basic privacy concepts to teach learners Who can determine a learner's capacity for consent The essential components of sexual consent Distinguishing sexual topography from sexual pleasure We also fielded many listener questions, and managed to touch on a topic that should be familiar to long-time listeners (mainly Precision Teaching, the Standard Celeration Chart, and our friends at Chartlytics). Sorah mentioned numerous articles and resources. I have attempted to list them all here, but please let me know if there are any that I overlooked: Sorah mentioned Dave Hingsburger's materials a few times. He's written quite a lot on this subject, so I've linked his Amazon author's page  The American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists' home page Teaching Children with Downs Syndrome About Their Bodies, Boundaries, and Sexuality, The Boys Guide to Growing Up, The Girls Guide to Growing Up, all by Terri Couwenhoven Sexuality Education, by Jason Travers The Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States This is a topic we could return to time and time again, so if you want to hear more about this, just let me know! Oh, and I almost forgot the obligatory Salt N' Pepa reference:   This podcast episode is sponsored by the following: Constellations Behavioral Services. CBS believes that everyone can learn, everyone can participate, and everyone can communicate. They provide outstanding ABA services in both New Hampshire and Massachusetts, and to learn more about career opportunities at CBS, click here. Clinical Behavior Analysis, Kentucky’s leading provider of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), counseling and direct support services to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, acquired brain injury and autism. They are about to open The Center for Behavior Analysis, a 13,000 square foot, state of art facility in Louisville, KY, and they’re looking for a clinical director to lead a highly motivated team of clinicians and technicians. So to learn more, go to cbacares.com/careers and set up your confidential interview today! And while not technically a sponsor, if you're in the midwest and want to check out a cool event, consider attending the Hoosier Association for Behavior Analysis' 10th anniversary conference. I've interviewed almost everyone on the speakers' roster, so I know attendees are bound to hear some good stuff. I'll also be doing my first live, in-person podcast with HABA's keynote speaker, Dr. Matthew Normand. It should be a good time had by all, and I hope to see you there!

Well I meant to have this episode out before my interview with Steve Hayes, but the timing was such that it made more sense to have Steve's episode published ASAP in case people were interested in participating in the ACT Bootcamp for Behavior Analysts (and if you do decide to go, use the promo code BOP to save $50 on registration). As such, there may be some references in my chat with Dr. Nick Berens about my interview-to-be with Steve. So I apologize for any confusing anachronisms. That said, I don't think the poor timing on my part detracts from the content that Nick brought to this conversation. If you're not familiar with Nick, here is his bio: Dr. Berens received his Ph.D. in behavior analysis from the University of Nevada under the supervision of Dr. Steven Hayes. He has served on several professional boards including the Standard Celeration Society, Nevada Association for Behavior Analysis, and the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science’s education special interest group.  Berens is an experienced applied researcher and has published and presented in the areas of core behavioral process related to language and development, the merits of the scientist practitioner model, Relational Frame Theory, Precision Teaching, and program evaluation. He has spent the last 10 years researching and developing the Fit Learning system of instruction.  This system targets areas such as basic classroom readiness, core processing speed, phonemic awareness, reading fluency, reading comprehension, language-based comprehension, basic and advanced mathematics, grammar, expressive writing, logic, problem solving, and Executive Functioning.  He and the Fit Learning team have implemented the system with over 1,000 children ages 3-18 years old.  These children have presented with a variety of skill levels and diagnoses including children diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome, learning disabilities including AD/HD, Dyslexia, Dygraphia, Dyscalcula, Auditory Processing Disorder, Non-Verbal Learning Disorder, and struggling learners, as well as, gifted students.  The Fit Learning system has consistently been shown to produce one year’s growth in 8-weeks. Nick in deep thought... ... and if the name Berens sounds familiar, in Session 44, I spoke with his better half as it were, Dr. Kim Berens, who described how Fit Learning was founded and what it's evolved into today. In this episode, Nick discussed the role of Relational Frame Theory as it relates to the work that they do at Fit Learning. As Steve did, Nick makes the case that derived relational responses are operants that are critical to language development. Likewise, we take a minute to discuss objections to RFT, and what he thinks about those who remain skeptical of this approach to understanding language development (and for those who are a little tired of all this ACT/RFT stuff, we'll have some other topics featured over the next few episodes). We didn't get too heavy into references, but Nick did suggest a few resources for folks to look into if they want to learn more: Dr. Eric Fox's online RFT tutorial. Learning RFT: An introduction to Relational Frame Theory and its Clinical Application, by Niklas Torneke, MD. And here are some of the publications by the Fit team Nick mentioned: School, Meds, and Moms- Using the Standard Celeration Chart for a Contextual Analysis of Behavior Putting the Precision in Precision Teaching- Using the Standard Celeration Chart for Ongoing Assessment Discovery Through the Lens of the Standard Celeraton Chart- Informing and Facilitating Inductive Intervention Strategies Assessing Functional Relations- The Utility of the Standard Celeration Chart I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did! This podcast episode is sponsored by the following: Constellations Behavioral Services. CBS believes that everyone can learn, everyone can participate, and everyone can communicate. They provide outstanding ABA services in both New Hampshire and Massachusetts, and to learn more about career opportunities at CBS, click here. Clinical Behavior Analysis, Kentucky’s leading provider of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), counseling and direct support services to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, acquired brain injury and autism. They are about to open The Center for Behavior Analysis, a 13,000 square foot, state of art facility in Louisville, KY, and they’re looking for a clinical director to lead a highly motivated team of clinicians and technicians. So to learn more, go to cbacares.com/careers and set up your confidential interview today! And while not technically a sponsor, if you're in the midwest and want to check out a cool event, consider attending the Hoosier Association for Behavior Analysis' 10th anniversary conference. I've interviewed almost everyone on the speakers' roster, so I know attendees are bound to hear some good stuff. I'll also be doing my first live, in-person podcast with HABA's keynote speaker, Dr. Matthew Normand. It should be a good time had by all, and I hope to see you there!

I had an amazing opportunity to chat with Dr. Steve Hayes, the Nevada Foundation Professor in the Behavior Analysis program at the Department of Psychology at the University of Nevada, as well as ACT and RFT pioneer. He's also written more peer-reviewed articles than I've probably read in my lifetime. In this episode, Steve and I discuss his forthcoming book on Evolution and Contextual Science, ACT training for Behavior Analysis practitioners (including the upcoming Boot Camp that's taking place soon), and the preparation of today's BCBAs. Steve mentioned several books and papers in our conversation, and I've tried to capture them all here: Evolution and Contextual Behavioral Science: An Integrated Framework for Understanding, Predicting, and Influencing Human Behavior.  The ACT Bootcamp from September 27-30 in Baltimore, MD. (enrollees can save $50 at checkout with offer code BOP). Jablonka & Lamb, Evolution in Four Dimensions. Hayes & Brownstein (1986). Mentalism, Behavior-Behavior Relations, and a Behavior-Analytic View of the Purposes of Science. The Association for Contextual Behavioral Science website. I hope you enjoyed this conversation as much as I did. I'm sure this episode will generate a lot of feedback, and Steve is game for coming back for a Q & A episode. You can follow Steve on Twitter here. In addition to Praxis and the ACT Bootcamp, this podcast episode is sponsored by the following: Constellations Behavioral Services. CBS believes that everyone can learn, everyone can participate, and everyone can communicate. They provide outstanding ABA services in both New Hampshire and Massachusetts, and to learn more about career opportunities at CBS, click here. Clinical Behavior Analysis, Kentucky’s leading provider of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), counseling and direct support services to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, acquired brain injury and autism. They are about to open The Center for Behavior Analysis, a 13,000 square foot, state of art facility in Louisville, KY, and they’re looking for a clinical director to lead a highly motivated team of clinicians and technicians. So to learn more, go to cbacares.com/careers and set up your confidential interview today! HRIC, which brings 30 years of recruiting experience to help BCBA's find their dream jobs. Click here to schedule your confidential inquiry.

Longish-time listeners will recall that we spent some time talking about Clinical Behavior Analysis' approach to embedding parent training in their ABA services. In Session 36, we spent some time with Brandon Franklin discussing CBA's RAPID Skills Training (RST) protocol in great detail. So in Sesison 57, we return to our friends at CBA to do a deeper dive into RST. Jason Simmons, the President and Executive Director of CBA, joins me to talk about how RST was initially developed, and how their organization has used it across a wide variety of applications (and you can find more background information on RST here). We also spend some time discussing the history of CBA, as well as the semi-recent history of ABA services in Kentucky. Along the way, Jason shares how he fell in love with the Louisville, Kentucky (and disabuses some potential stereotypes to boot!). As I have noted in previous episodes, CBA is opening a 13,000 square foot facility, and they are looking for a clinical director that shares their vision of providing quality services. For more information, check out their careers page here.  In addition to CBA, this podcast is brought to you by: Constellations Behavioral Services. CBS believes that everyone can learn, everyone can participate, and everyone can communicate. They provide outstanding ABA services in both New Hampshire and Massachusetts, and to learn more about career opportunities at CBS, click here. The ACT Bootcamp for Behavior Analysts workshop that's taking place in Baltimore, MD from September 27-30. Come learn from leaders in ACT field including Steve Hayes, Jonathan Tarbox, Evelyn Gould, and Thomas Szabo. And, if you use the promo code "BOP" at checkout, you'll save $50!

I'm going to cut to the chase: Dr. Andy Bondy and I had such a fun conversation about all things PECS, SGD's, Cues vs. Prompts, and so forth, that I can't wait to hear your feedback on it. Additionally, he was very gracious with his time (fitting me in between babysitting his grandchildren no less!), and so informative on a wide variety of issues we face as practitioners. I would also be remiss if I didn't give a shout out to Andy's daughter (who also happens to be a newly minted BCBA) Lexi for connecting the two of us. Lexi, thanks for sharing the podcast with your Dad!!! If you want to learn more about PECS, you can check out their website here. In the meantime, Andy was kind enough to share a treasure trove of resources that he mentioned in our interview. So in no particular order, here you go: “Considering the overall quality of the available research we would suggest that there are insufficient data to advocate for the use of sign language either alone or in combination with oral language as a method for substantially improving communication in children with autism. “SCHWARTZ, J., & NYE, C. (2006). Improving communication for children with autism: Does sign language work? Evidence-Based Practice Briefs, 1, 1–17. Summarizing 25 years of research on teaching sign-language to those with ASD, Layton and Watson (1995) conclude that “even after intensive training with signs, a significant number of nonverbal children continue to be mute and acquire only a few useful signs” (p. 81).    LAYTON, T., & WATSON, L. (1995). Enhancing communication in non-verbal children with autism. In K. A. Quill (Ed.), Teaching children with autism: Strategies to enhance communication and socialization (pp. 73–101). New York, NY: Delmar Publishers. Bonvillian, J. D., & Blackbum. D. W (1991). Manual communication and factors relating to sign language acquisition. In P Siple & S. Fischer (Eds.). Theoretical issues in sign language research: Vol. 2, Psychology (pp. 255-277). Chicago: The University of Chicago Press. Lori Frost's two published guidelines on transitioning from PECS to SGDs: Frost, L., & McGowan, J. (2011). Strategies for Transitioning From PECS to SGD. Part I: Overview and Device Selection. Perspectives on Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 20, 114-120. Frost, L., & McGowan, J. (2012). Strategies for Transitioning From PECS to SGD. Part 2: Maintaining Communication Competency. Perspectives on Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 21, 3-10. Recent SGD review: Gilroy, S., McCleery, J. & Leader, G. (2017). Systematic Review of Methods for Teaching Social and Communicative Behavior with High-Tech Augmentative and Alternative Communication Modalities, Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 4, 307-320. Looked at transitioning from PECS to SGD Hill, D. & Flores, M. (2014). Comparing the Picture Exchange Communication System and the iPad™ for communication of students with autism spectrum disorder and developmental delay, TechTrends, 58, 45-53. Concluded: “The authors recommend that PECS™ phases I-III be mastered before the iPad™ is introduced, to ensure the students master these prerequisite skills since they are more difficult to scaffold (break into smaller units for teaching and then build additional skills) using the iPad™. This session of The Behavioral Observations Podcast is supported by the following: Clinical Behavior Analysis, Kentucky’s leading provider of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), counseling and direct support services to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, acquired brain injury and autism.They are about to open The Center for Behavior Analysis, a 13,000 square foot, state of art facility in Louisville, KY, and they’re looking for a clinical director to lead a highly motivated team of clinicians and technicians.If you’re not familiar with Louisville, it’s been rated by US News & World Report as one of the nation’s best places to live. With a low cost of living, your industry-leading salary and signing bonus will go a lot farther. And with an abundance of cultural and recreational activities, you will not lack for fun things to do.So to learn more, go to cbacares.com/careers and set up your confidential interview today! HRIC, which brings 30 years of recruiting experience to help BCBA's find their dream jobs. Click here to schedule your confidential inquiry. The Behavioral Observations Podcast merchandise store. Need a gift for that behavior-nerd friend of yours? I have you covered. From T-shirts, to coffee mugs, from totes to even onesies, we have something for everyone. A great discount on BOP CE's for Newly Minted BCBA's can be found here. For the rest of us, check these out. If you're in the New England area this fall (and it's a great place to visit, just saying...) come check out the NH ABA conference in downtown Manchester, NH. Details are here. If you want to see a short interview I did with conference organizer and mentor extraordinaire, Dr. Le'Ann Milinder, in which we talk all things NH ABA 2018, you can check that out here.

This session of The Behavioral Observations Podcast features the audio from a Facebook Live conversation I had with Dave Stevens, Co-founder and Director of Chartlytics. I didn't set out to have this be a podcast episode per se, but I decided to publish it as one because this conversation had so many good stories in it, I couldn't help but to share it to a wider audience. You see, Dave comes at Behavior Analysis as an "outsider," yet he was instantly able to appreciate our science, and see applications of it beyond where it's currently used. In other words, regardless of whether you care about Precision Teaching or the Standard Celeration Chart, this episode is worth listening to because the origin of Chartlytics is ultimately a story of dissemination. Throughout this conversation, we touched on a number of resources, and I have done my best to capture them here: Simon Sinek's "Start with Why" Simon Sinek's Ted Talk, "How Great Leaders Inspire Action" Chartlytics freebies for podcast listeners Martin Levy's interview on "When Everything Clicks," (Hidden Brain Podcast) The video of this conversation FitLearning One of the many Lincoln/Matthew McConaughey commercials Finally, please send me some feedback on this episode. This is the first Facebook Live conversation that I've shared as a podcast, and I'd love to know what you think. This session of The Behavioral Observations Podcast is supported by the following: Clinical Behavior Analysis, Kentucky’s leading provider of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), counseling and direct support services to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, acquired brain injury and autism.They are about to open The Center for Behavior Analysis, a 13,000 square foot, state of art facility in Louisville, KY, and they’re looking for a clinical director to lead a highly motivated team of clinicians and technicians.If you’re not familiar with Louisville, it’s been rated by US News & World Report as one of the nation’s best places to live. With a low cost of living, your industry-leading salary and signing bonus will go a lot farther. And with an abundance of cultural and recreational activities, you will not lack for fun things to do.So to learn more, go to cbacares.com/careers and set up your confidential interview today! HRIC, which brings 30 years of recruiting experience to help BCBA's find their dream jobs. Click here to schedule your confidential inquiry. Type 2 CEU's from The Behavioral Observations Podcast. Check out the discounted offerings for recently certified BCBA's (those certified in 2017 or 2018). The Behavioral Observations Podcast merchandise store. Need a gift for that behavior-nerd friend of yours? I have you covered. From T-shirts, to coffee mugs, from totes to even onesies, we have something for everyone.

Dr. Megan Miller returns for an unprecedented fourth appearnace on The Behavioral Observations Podcast! In todays episode, we cover the following: We get an update on the Do Better movement that we learned about in Session 43. We hear the latest on the training activities of PEAK ABA Solutions. Megan discusses some research to practice challenges we face as a field, especially coming off the heels of the recent ABAI conference. We close the show by discussing a handful of listener questions. And if you're a working parent, you don't want to miss the very last question, where Megan describes juggling the responsibilities of running a business, raising a family, traveling frequently for work, staying in shape, and so forth.  Megan's son Taylor wants to make ABA great again As always, Megan references quite a few resources. I've attempted to list them all here, but let me know if I've missed any: Prerequisite Skills That Support Learning through Video Modeling (MacDonald et al., 2015) Video Self-Modeling in Children with Autism: A Pilot Study Validating Prerequisite Skills and Extending the Utilization of VSM across Skill Sets (Williamson et al, 2013) Progress in Video-Based Interventions for Individuals with Autism (Rayner et al., 2014) Non-academic resources recommended by Megan: https://www.youtube.com/user/playworksorg/videos https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos?default=1 https://behaviorbandaid.com/ http://www.interventioncentral.org/ http://theautismhelper.com/ This session of The Behavioral Observations Podcast is supported by the following: Clinical Behavior Analysis, Kentucky’s leading provider of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), counseling and direct support services to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, acquired brain injury and autism.They are about to open The Center for Behavior Analysis, a 13,000 square foot, state of art facility in Louisville, KY, and they’re looking for a clinical director to lead a highly motivated team of clinicians and technicians.If you’re not familiar with Louisville, it’s been rated by US News & World Report as one of the nation’s best places to live. With a low cost of living, your industry-leading salary and signing bonus will go a lot farther. And with an abundance of cultural and recreational activities, you will not lack for fun things to do. So to learn more, go to cbacares.com/careers and set up your confidential interview today! HRIC, which brings 30 years of recruiting experience to help BCBA's find their dream jobs. Click here to schedule your confidential inquiry. The Behavioral Observations Podcast merchandise store. Need a gift for that behavior-nerd friend of yours? I have you covered. From T-shirts, to coffee mugs, from totes to even onesies, we have something for everyone.

It seems as if you can't escape the term "mindfulness" these days... and if you're like me, you hear people using that term interchangeably with meditation. Well in Session 53 of The Behavioral Observations Podcast, I chat with Gia Biscontini from W3RKWELL, and she enlightens me about not only the proper use of these terms, but also the benefits one can expect by adopting a consistent meditation practice. I certainly learned a lot in this episode, and Gia may have even convinced me to give meditation a try... Here are the links to some of the resources Gia mentioned: Gia's mini white paper on a behavior analytic view of meditation The book Altered Traits (Goleman & Davidson, 2017) The Center for Healthy Minds Gia's meditation and stress management course, Behavioral Xanax 2.0 (if you're interested in it and want to save 30%, use the promo code Operant). If you enjoyed this episode as much as I did, please take a minute to check out our sponsors for this episode: Chartlytics, realizing human potential through individual behavior change analytics. Click here for a free, newly revised & expanded eBook, a free Type 2 CE, and discount coupons to upcoming training events. Our very own Type 2 Continuing Education offerings. Learn on the go with podcast favorites, Greg Hanley, Mark Dixon, Pat Friman, and more!

In Session 52, Dr. Matt Brodhead joins me to discuss ethics in behavior analysis. Matt is uniquely suited for this conversation because he, along with co-authors David Cox and Shawn Quigley, is the author of the upcoming book, Practical Ethics for Effective Treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder. In this episode we cover a variety of important ethics topics including: Differentiating between a BCBA's Scope of Practice and Scope of Competence How to work effectively on disciplinary teams Understanding behavior analysis as a cultural system And we even dust off the old chestnut of whether you should accept a glass of water or cup of tea In addition to these topics, Matt fields several ethics-related listener questions, and even talks about how to stay productive as a writer! We also discussed some articles in the literature. Here are some links to them: Kelly, A., & Tincani, M. (2013). Collaborative training and practice among applied analysts who support individuals with autism spectrum disorder. Education and Training in Autism and Developmental Disabilities, 48, 120 – 131. Brodhead, M. T. (2015). Maintaining Professional Relationships in an Interdisciplinary Setting: Strategies for Navigating Nonbehavioral Treatment Recommendations for Individuals with Autism. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 8, 70-78. Li, A. & Poling, A. (2018). Board Certified Behavior Analysts and Psychotropic Medications: Slipshod Training, Inconsistent Involvement, and Reason for Hope. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 11, 1-8. Brodhead, M. T. (2018). How to Identify Ethical Practices in Organizations Prior to Employment. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 11, 165-173.  Glenn, S. S. (1988). Contingencies and Metacontingencies: Toward a Synthesis of Behavior Analysis and Cultural Materialism. The Behavior Analyst, 11, 161-179. Bonus link: Matt's Ted-style talk on Science or Snakeoil. If you enjoyed this episode as much as I did, please take a minute to check out our sponsors for this episode: HRIC, which brings 30 years of recruiting experience to help BCBA's find their dream jobs. Click here to schedule your confidential inquiry. Chartlytics, realizing human potential through individual behavior change analytics. Click here for a free, newly revised & expanded eBook, a free Type 2 CE, and discount coupons to upcoming training events. Behavior Development Solutions. Although they're best known for their CBA Learning Module Series, they also have a fantastic online bookstore. Whether you're looking for assessments like the AFLS, EFS, PEAK, and the VB-MAPP, or just need a copy of good 'ol Cooper, they've got you covered. Learn more here.

One of the best things about having a podcast like this is to learn from people who know a lot about things that I don't. Today's episode is no exception. Ashley Rose joins me today to discuss best practices for teaching social skills. Here is a snippet from her bio: Ashley is owner/director of Mission Cognition, Social Skills Development Center. Mission Cognition is a behavior analytic social skills program serving individuals ages 3 and up, with and without a diagnosis who are in need of systematic and explicit play and social skills instruction. Ashley has worked in the field of ABA and special education for 15 years with the last 5 years almost exclusively devoted to social skills instruction. In her free time she admins the ABA Skill Share facebook group. In this interview, we covered a wide variety of topics and mentioned lots of resources. Here are the links: Mission Cognition (consumer site) Mission Cognition (practitioner store; 15% off coupon code behobs2018, good until 6/30/18 ) ABA Skill Share Facebook Group (almost 19K members!!!) PEERS Curriculum Crafting Connections The Verbal Behavior Approach Language for Learning This could be a record for show notes links! In any case, I hope you enjoy this interview as much as I did!   If you enjoy this episode, please consider sharing it with your colleagues and friends! Finally, this episode is brought to you by the following sponsors: Chartlytics, realizing human potential through individual behavior change analytics. Click here for a free, newly revised & expanded eBook, a free Type 2 CE, and discount coupons to upcoming training events. Behavior Development Solutions, check out their supervisory training course with Drs. Jon Baily & Mary Burch! The BARE Essentials of Digital Marketing webinar, on May  16th, 2018. Join me, Adrienne Fitzer of ABAC, and Session 15 guest and President of Flyte New Media, Rich Brooks, to discuss the ethical marketing of ABA practices (2 Ethics CE's available). Oh, and if you're on the go, but need CE's across a wide range of topics, check this out.

When I first had Mark Dixon on the podcast, way back in Session 14, we poked some fun at the notion that principles of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, on the surface, didn't meet many of the 7 dimensions of Applied Behavior Analysis. Well, in Session 50, I'm joined by Dr. Jonathan Tarbox, and he goes through all the ACT processes, and provides everyday examples of how they are consistent with our science. Specifically, he breaks down each ACT process into a simple to understand Problem Behavior / Replacement Behavior paradigm. So if you've been struggling to pick up the ACT lingo, this is the episode for you! Jonathan provides tangible scenarios of how to conceptualize the ACT "hexaflex," and how BCBA's can incorporate these concepts into their practice, especially in the context of interacting with parents. In short, he makes a compelling case for BCBA's to learn more about this area of our field. We talked about a ton of resources in this episode. Here are the associated links (and let me know if I forgot any!): Jonathan's appearance on the WWDWWD podcast. The ACT in Context Podcast. Functionally Speaking Podcast. Get Out of Your Mind and in to Your Life, by Steve Hayes. The Happiness Trap, by Russ Harris. The ACBS website (please consider joining). Evaluating the Effects of ACT on the Overt Behavior of Parents of Children with Autism (Gould, Tarbox, & Coyne, 2017). Guitierrez, Luciano, Rodriguez, & Fink (2004). An ACT study on pain tolerance. The ACT for ABA Practitioners Facebook group. Check out the pinned post by Dr. Evelyn Gould, which gives instruction on where to get some of the parent training materials that Jonathan discussed. If you enjoy this episode, please consider sharing it with your colleagues and friends! Finally, this episode is brought to you by the following sponsors: Chartlytics, realizing human potential through individual behavior change analytics. Click here for a free, newly revised & expanded eBook, a free Type 2 CE, and discount coupons to upcoming training events. Behavior Development Solutions, check out their supervisory training course with Drs. Jon Baily & Mary Burch! The BARE Essentials of Digital Marketing webinar, on May  16th, 2018. Join me, Adrienne Fitzer of ABAC, and Session 15 guest and President of Flyte New Media, Rich Brooks, to discuss the ethical marketing of ABA practices (2 Ethics CE's available). Oh, and if you're on the go, but need CE's across a wide range of topics, check this out. 

In Session 25, Dr. Jim Carr, CEO of The Behavior Analysis Certification Board, came on the podcast and gave us an overview of what could be considered "the state of the practice." That was roughly one year ago, and Jim was gracious enough to return, and in this episode, he provides us an update on recent happenings and initiatives at the BACB. Here are some things we got into: The recent changes with regard to ownership of the Verified Course Sequence process. The top three most frequently reported ethics violations. How task list items are identified and updated. Jim's issue with rebranding Behavior Analysis as "Behavioral Science." What growth problems still lie ahead for our practice. The BACB's "Diversity of Practice" initiative. Even though this episode was extremely long, we managed to squeeze in a listener question or two as well. Also, because I know many of you will ask, here is the Brodhead, Quigley, and Cox (2018) article on Identifying Ethical Practices in Organizations prior to employment that Jim mentioned. Finally, this episode is brought to you by the following sponsors: HRIC, which brings 30 years of recruiting experience to help BCBA's find their dream jobs. Click here to schedule your confidential inquiry. Chartlytics, realizing human potential through individual behavior change analytics. Click here for a free, newly revised & expanded eBook, a free Type 2 CE, and discount coupons to upcoming training events. Behavior Development Solutions, whose CBA Learning Module Series is the premier exam prep and curriculum supplement for BCBA and BCaBA candidates. Whether you are preparing for the RBT, BCaBA, or BCBA exam, check out BDS's free test prep guides! Thanks for checking this out!

Dan Law of the Liberty Company Insurance Brokers stops by the podcast today to discuss all things risk management. To be completely honest, I didn't anticipate that this would be an interesting topic to talk about. However, as we dug into the complexities of what goes into preventing claims, mitigating risks, and the four types of policies every practice should have, I became increasingly fascinated. Even if you have nothing to do with your company's liability policies, you may want to give this episode a listen. Dan also shares some stories about unusual insurance claims that some of his clients have faced. These stories sound like they came straight out of one of those State Farm TV commercials! If you're interested in learning more about the types of coverage the Liberty Company offers, they've set up a special page for BOP listeners. This podcast is supported by a joint-initiative between myself and the Applied Behavior Analysis Center. I'm excited to announce that on May 16th, 2018, I will be joined by Session 15 guest, Rich Brooks, and Adrienne Fitzer, owner of ABAC, to talk about ethical strategies to market your agency or organization. For more information, including an abstract for the event, visit the ABAC website. We are also proud to be sponsored by Chartlytics. Chartlytics is a single, comprehensive system for behavior reduction and academic improvement using the principles of Precision Teaching. Chartlytics has modernized the practices of PT by simplifying the data collection, visual analysis, and reporting processes that have historically formed barriers for implementation. If you are interested in learning more about PT or Chartlytics, they have set up a special page on their site for listeners to this podcast, which offers the following: A free webinar that provides a 1-Credit Type 2 Continuing Education Unit A free eBook on Precision Teaching and Standard Celeration Charting A 10% discount on upcoming Chartlytics workshops To learn more about these discounts and freebies, go to Chartlytics.com/matt.

We met Nick Green back in Session 38, and he was gracious enough to join me for a full length interview in Session 47. In this episode, we go a little deeper into his back story, talk about the cool work that his company, BehaviorFit, is doing, and take questions from listeners about all things health and fitness. For those who didn't catch Session 38, here is a little bit about Nick: Nick Green, is a board certified behavior analyst (BCBA) and focuses on improving the health of others through practice and research. His formal education includes: * B.A. Psychology (Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 2006) * Minor: Philosophy * M.S. Organizational Behavior Management (Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, FL, 2015). * Currently a Ph.D. student at the University of Florida. * Department of Psychology – Concentration: Behavior Analysis Nick’s previous experiences include 5 years of clinical work with individuals diagnosed with developmental disabilities, working within organizations to evaluate and improve processes, managing and overseeing the training of small teams. For more detail on his experience, education, and professional involvement: His experience and education bring a unique perspective when designing pro-health solutions.Nick’s main focus and research interest in reducing sedentary behavior (too much sitting) in the workplace. His passion is: “Improving human performance and health with behavior analysis.” When Nick is not in a book or writing, he enjoys training his dog Pete, improving productivity, photography, Olympic weightlifting, and CrossFit. Here are some links to things we discussed in this episode: Nick's recent blogpost on the sensational nature of health-related headlines on the internet. A sample of workshops that BehaviorFit offers. Nick's recent appearance on ABA Inside Track. Nick's JABA study on decreasing bouts of prolonged sitting. The BehaviorFit Instagram and Facebook feeds. I had a great time chatting with him, and if you enjoyed this episode as much as I did, I encourage you to reach out to Nick on social media, or say hi if you see a tall, fit, bearded guy at a conference! This podcast is supported by a joint-initiative between myself and the Applied Behavior Analysis Center. I'm excited to announce that on May 16th, 2018, I will be joined by Session 15 guest, Rich Brooks, and Adrienne Fitzer, owner of ABAC, to talk about ethical strategies to market your agency or organization. For more information, including an abstract for the event, visit the ABAC website. We are also proud to be sponsored by Chartlytics. Chartlytics is a single, comprehensive system for behavior reduction and academic improvement using the principles of Precision Teaching. Chartlytics has modernized the practices of PT by simplifying the data collection, visual analysis, and reporting processes that have historically formed barriers for implementation. If you are interested in learning more about PT or Chartlytics, they have set up a special page on their site for listeners to this podcast, which offers the following: A free webinar that provides a 1-Credit Type 2 Continuing Education Unit A free eBook on Precision Teaching and Standard Celeration Charting A 10% discount on upcoming Chartlytics workshops To learn more about these discounts and freebies, go to Chartlytics.com/matt.

Topics Covered: OBM... check; Supervision...check; Medical necessity... check; Mens' fashion... What?!?! OK, let me explain. Tim Courtney of Little Star ABA joins me to cover what can only be considered a wide range of topics in Session 46 of The Behavioral Observations Podcast. Tim talks about how he learned about ABA by going to the gym, how he got started in ABA with the help of some key mentors, how he joined up with Little Star and became their Chief Operating Officer, and how they are implementing high quality ABA programs across a large number of clinicians and learners. Tim is a nationally recognized expert in the area of medical necessity, and regularly gives workshops on this topic across the United States. In this episode, he shares some tips on this in our discussion as well as answers questions from listeners. Little Star has also pioneered what they call an apprentice model of supervision, which from my point of view, seems like a win-win opportunity for both the aspiring behavior analyst and the organization. It has been so effective that Little Star does not actively recruit for BCBA's. As such, I couldn't resist asking some questions about this process, which was also written about in a recent issue of Behavior Analysis in Practice. Here are some links to tools and articles that Tim shared with us: BAP article Treatment Intensity Exercise PMA Experience Checklist The Mental Health Parity Act I hope you enjoyed this conversation as much as I did. There's definitely a round 2 in the works, so please feel free to let me know if you have additional questions for Tim! Session 46 of The Behavioral Observations Podcast is sponsored by Chartlytics.com and Operantcoffee.com.  Chartlytics has set up a special page on their site for listeners to this podcast. Specifically, they are offering the following: A free webinar that provides a 1-Credit Type 2 Continuing Education Unit A free eBook on Precision Teaching and Standard Celeration Charting A 10% discount on upcoming Chartlytics workshops To learn more about these discounts and freebies, go to Chartlytics.com/matt. If you want some awesome coffee that is sustainably produced that happens to be 10% off, go to operantcoffee.com/shop and use the discount code BEHAVIORCOFFEE.

Dr. Wayne Fisher has spent decades researching the assessment and treatment of severe behavior problems. In Session 45 of The Behavioral Observations Podcast, he joins me to discuss current Functional Analysis and Function-Based Treatment strategies, his concerns for the field as it experiences rapid expansion, and advice for new practitioners. Here is his bio-sketch from the Munroe-Meyer Institute's website: Wayne Fisher is the H.B. Munroe professor of behavioral research in the Munroe-Meyer Institute and the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. He is also the director of the Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders at the Munroe-Meyer Institute, a board certified behavior analyst at the doctoral level (BCBA-D), and a licensed psychologist. He was previously a professor of psychiatry at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and served as executive director of the Neurobehavioral Programs at the Kennedy Krieger Institute and the Marcus Behavior Center at the Marcus Institute, where he built clinical-research programs in autism and developmental disabilities with national reputations for excellence. Fisher’s methodologically sophisticated research has focused on several intersecting lines, including preference, choice, and the assessment and treatment of autism and severe behavior disorders, that have been notable for the creative use of concurrent schedules of reinforcement, which have become more commonplace in clinical research primarily as a result of his influence. He has published over 175 peer-reviewed research studies in over 30 different behavioral and/or medical journals, including: the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis; Psychological Reports; American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities; Journal of Pediatrics; the Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics; Pediatrics; and The Lancet. Fisher is a past editor of the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, a past president of the Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, a fellow in the Association for Behavior Analysis, and recipient of the Bush Leadership Award, the APA (Division 25) Award for Outstanding Contributions to Applied Behavioral Research, the UNMC Distinguished Scientist Award, and the University of Nebraska system-wide Award for Outstanding Research and Creativity Activity. Session 45 of The Behavioral Observations Podcast is sponsored by Chartlytics.com and Operantcoffee.com.  Chartlytics has set up a special page on their site for listeners to this podcast. Specifically, they are offering the following: A free webinar that provides a 1-Credit Type 2 Continuing Education Unit A free eBook on Precision Teaching and Standard Celeration Charting A 10% discount on upcoming Chartlytics workshops To learn more about these discounts and freebies, go to Chartlytics.com/matt. If you want some awesome coffee that is sustainably produced that happens to be 10% off, go to operantcoffee.com/shop and use the discount code BEHAVIORCOFFEE.

Kim Berens joins me in Session 44 of The Behavioral Observations Podcast in what I originally thought was going to be a discussion about the company she co-founded, Fit Learning. While we spoke about Fit Learning a-plenty, Kim also provided tons of historical anecdotes on the development of our field, the development of Precision Teaching (where she recounted many  personal conversations with Ogden Lindsley), and her take on where our field's challenges lie. If you haven't heard about Fit Learning, you'll want to check out their website. Their unique instructional model typically results in 1 year of academic growth for every 40 hours of instruction. If you're like me, you had to read that sentence two or three times to let it sink truly sink in. Kim shares the story of how Fit Learning was developed from its humble beginnings at the University of Nevada, Reno to licensing Fit Learning affiliates all around the globe. Here is a portion of her bio-sketch: Kimberly Nix Berens, Ph.D., BCBA-D, LBA is a Founding Director of Fit Learning, a Board Certified Behavior Analyst at the doctoral level, and a Licensed Behavior Analyst in the state of New York.  Her work centers on using behavior analysis to transform the learning abilities of a wide-range of children, including those who are struggling, average, gifted, learning disabled, or on the autism spectrum. She received her doctoral degree in psychology with a specialization in behavior analysis at the University of Nevada – Reno (UNR) in 2005 under the supervision of Dr. Ogden Lindsley, Dr. Patrick Ghezzi and Dr. Thomas Boyce.  Along with the other co-founders, Dr. Berens assisted in the creation of Fit Learning (originally Center for Advanced Learning) as a graduate student at UNR and, since that time, she has overseen the expansion of the organization to include locations in Reno, Nevada; Medford, Oregon; Locust Valley, New York; Manhattan; Phoenix, Arizona; and Perth, Australia.  She relocated to the New York area in 2010 to focus on opening learning laboratories throughout the east coast. Through these learning labs, Dr. Berens and her team have developed a powerful system of instruction that combines precision teaching, direct instruction, curriculum-based measurement, and relational frame theory.  This system consistently produces over one year’s growth in 40 hours of instruction. Following an appointment by Governor Jim Gibbons, she served on the State of Nevada Board of Psychological Examiners from 2009 – 2010 where she assisted in the development of state licensing regulations for behavior analysts.  Dr. Berens was the first behavior analyst in the country to hold such a post.   She has provided clinical and research supervision to undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral students and she continues to serve as an affiliate faculty member in the Behavior Analysis Program at the University of Nevada – Reno. This podcast is sponsored by Chartlytics.com, Operantcoffee.com, and The Georgia Autism Providers Conference. To get a Precision Teaching starter package (i.e., some really cool free stuff), go to Chartlytics.com/matt. If you want some awesome coffee that is sustainably produced that happens to be 10% off, go to operantcoffee.com/shop and use the discount code BEHAVIORCOFFEE. If you want to attend the Georgia Autism Providers Conference, register before January 31st so you can take advantage of their early-bird discount. Amongst other offerings, this conference will feature the PEAK Level 1 certification workshop. Attendees who sign up for the PEAK workshop before January 31st will enrolled in a drawing for all four PEAK Modules, as well as the PEAK Comprehensive Record books (a $390 value).

Happy New Year!!! I couldn't imagine a better way to kick off 2018. Megan Miller returns to The Behavioral Observations Podcast to inform us of a movement-of-sorts that she is kicking off in this new year. Specifically, Megan is rolling out a multi-media campaign of professional development for 12 consecutive months. She is calling this the "Do Better Movement." And before you get the wrong idea, it's not intended to be preachy or judgmental per se. Instead, it is meant to be a call for practitioners at all stages to strive for continues improvement. This is an idea I can surely get behind. In this episode, Megan discusses the specific topics for each month of 2018, as well as the content that she will release to support these practice areas. Each month will include a webinar, YouTube video, blog post, and more for each focus topic. If you want to get involved, here are some links that you'll want to know about: The Navigation Behavioral Consulting Facebook Page (you'll want to like and follow it) The Navigation Behavioral Consulting Instagram Page The "Do-Better" Slack Group Special thanks to Chartlytics.com, Operantcoffee.com, and The Georgia Autism Providers Conference for sponsoring today's show. To get a Precision Teaching starter package (i.e., some really cool free stuff), go to Chartlytics.com/matt. If you want some awesome coffee that is sustainably produced that happens to be 10% off, go to operantcoffee.com/shop and use the discount code BEHAVIORCOFFEE. If you want to attend the Georgia Autism Providers Conference, register before January 31st so you can take advantage of their early-bird discount. Amongst other offerings, this conference will feature the PEAK Level 1 certification workshop. Attendees who sign up for the PEAK workshop before January 31st will enrolled in a drawing for all four PEAK Modules, as well as the PEAK Comprehensive Record books (a $390 value).

Given both the guest and the topic, I don't know if I can add much to the title of this podcast episode. Pat Friman is arguable the best speaker in our field. I have seen him present at least a 1/2 dozen times throughout my career, and it is remarkable how consistent the quality of his talks are. So in this episode, you'll learn that this is no accident. Pat works hard at his craft, and shares methods that you can start working on right away to improve your public speaking skills. Much of what we talk about comes from an article he published in The Behavior Analyst a few years ago. You can find that here. Throughout this interview, Pat also responds to several listener-submitted questions.  In short, there are numerous lessons in this podcast episode, and I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did.  Special thanks to Chartlytics.com and Operantcoffee.com for sponsoring today's show. To get a Precision Teaching starter package (i.e., some really cool free stuff), go to Chartlytics.com/matt. If you want some awesome coffee that is sustainably produced that happens to be 10% off, go to operantcoffee.com/shop and use the discount code BEHAVIORCOFFEE.

So one of my podcasting dreams has now come true! I finally got the chance to interview Russ Harris! If you're not familiar with Russ, he is the best-selling author of The Happiness Trap, and has provided ACT training to over 25,000 health professionals across the globe. In today's episode we discuss the basics of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Russ' son's Autism diagnosis and treatment, how to manage stress and burnout, and of course, listener questions. Unfortunately we didn't have time to get to all listener questions, so Russ has agreed to come back for a Round 2. So feel free to leave questions in the comments section below. During the interview, we mentioned several websites, so here are the links: thehappinesstrap.com Imlearningact.com actmindfully.com.au contextualscience.org mataraservices.com  The last site there is Simcha Charna's website. He was kind enough to orchestrate an introduction, to which I am grateful. Lastly, here is a link for a PDF of the Choice Point diagram Russ talked about at the beginning of the interview:  Russ Harris' Choice Point Special thanks to Chartlytics.com and Operantcoffee.com for sponsoring today's show. To get a Precision Teaching starter package (i.e., some really cool free stuff), go to Chartlytics.com/matt. If you want some awesome coffee that is sustainably produced that happens to be 10% off, go to operantcoffee.com/shop and use the discount code BEHAVIORCOFFEE.

Mark Dixon and Dana Paliliunas join me for Session 40 to discuss the new curriculum they just published, which is called Accept, Identify, and Move. In short, it's a curriculum guide to help kiddos by combining Mindfulness, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Applied Behavior Analysis.  In this episode, we touch on a wide range of topics, including classroom interventions, school wide supports, the role of Mark's previous works (e.g., PEAK and ACT for Children with Autism and Emotional Challenges), and even disseminating and teaching complex topics to school personnel. So even if you don't work in school settings, or if you are an ACT-skeptic, I think there are plenty of lessons that are contained in this episode. I've had a chance to review excerpts of the book and in short, it looks fantastic. Personally, I can see many applications of this work in my practice as a school-based consultant. It's available right now at the Shawnee Scientific Press website.  We also get into tons of listener questions on Mark's PEAK curriculum. In fact, we could probably do an entire Q & A show on PEAK given its popularity. In that segment of the show, we discuss the PEAK ABA YouTube channel and the PEAK ABA Solutions training arm. You can find links to these resources here and here.  This episode is supported by Chartlytics. Chartlytics is a single, comprehensive system for behavior reduction and academic improvement through Precision Teaching. It is based on 50+ years of peer-reviewed research and experience in applied academic and behavioral settings. Chartlytics has modernized the science of Precision Teaching by simplifying the data collection, visual analysis and reporting processes. It is fully automated and easy to use. It produces dramatic, rapid and reliable results, with elegant and simple visual displays. Chartlytics offers an intensive 2-day workshop on Precision Teaching and the Standard Celeration Chart at locations throughout the United States. Participants learn how to supercharge their ABA programs using this powerful technology, which can often produce 10 times the change in targeted pinpoint behaviors - academic, skill, or behavior reduction.  For more information, please visit Chartlytics.com/events. Finally visit chartlytics.com/matt for an exclusive offer that provides the following: A brief video showing the effects of using Precision Teaching along with the Chartlytics platform in a clinic that serves children with Autism. A free 1-credit Type 2 BACB Continuing Education webinar, which features Drs. Rick Kubina and Amanda Kelly. A free eBook on precision teaching.  Thanks for checking out this show! If you get value from the podcast, please consider visiting iTunes to provide a rating and review. Also, if you have a chance to share this podcast (in person, or online) with like minded behavioral folks, that would be awesome too!

Precision Teaching (PT), and the Standard Celeration Charting that goes along with it, is an area of Behavior Analysis that I've never really understood. In fairness, I never really took the time to learn it either. That said, since the inception of this podcast, I have had numerous emails from listeners asking me to interview Rick Kubina on this very topic. For various reasons that I describe in our interview, I was scared reluctant to do so, but I'm so glad that Rick and I finally carved out time to record this show. Rick, with Captain James Tiberius Kirk In this episode, Rick covers the basics of PT, why the Standard Celeration Chart is a superior measurement tool, and answers numerous listener questions. Throughout our conversation, we mentioned a few articles and other resources, which can be found here: Rick's YouTube channel, which has some nice primers on the SCC The Chartlytics website and YouTube channel The Precision Teaching Book, by Kubina & Yurich (2012) The Standard Celeration Society's website and Facebook page A cool study (Datchuk & Kubina, 2017) on using these strategies for improving sentence writing Kubina et al. (2015). A Critical Review of Line Graphs in Behavior Analytic Journals So when you listen to this episode, you'll hear me profess my ignorance on all things PT. However, I will be taking action to remediate this by attending Rick's 2-day PT workshop that's coming up in Las Vegas. Rick, and the company he co-founded, Chartlytics, also have workshops that are coming up in Miami and Pittsburg, with more to be scheduled. If you are interested in diving into PT like I am, but can't get away to attend one of Rick's workshops, the folks at Chartlytics have put together a comprehensive online learning package that includes 30 hours of instruction, the Kubina & Yurich textbook, and a very special bonus that you'll have to see to appreciate. To sweeten the deal, they are offering a huge discount for listeners of The Behavioral Observations Podcast. You can check out the deal by clicking the here.

Hi Folks, I am on day 2 of not having any power (huge windstorm hit New Hampshire on Sunday night/Monday morning), so please excuse the lack of show notes for this episode. I'll update as soon as I can. So here's the Twitter version: I speak with five out of the seven or eight speakers at the 2017 NextGen Revolution Summit Conference, which is being held in Miami, FL on 11/11/17. It is also available to live stream on the interwebs! If you're interested in checking it out, and you want to save a few bucks, use the promo code MATT at checkout. It's well worth checking out, so if you want more details, head over to https://nextgenrevolutionsummit.com/ for more info!

Do you want to hear a cool story about using Behavior Analysis to improve the environment? Glad you asked! Dr. Amanda Kelly returns to the podcast to discuss her #nostrawforme campaign. What started out as essentially a self-management intervention is evolving into movement to reduce the usage of disposable or single-use items. Personally, I rarely use straws, but this conversation prompted me to think about other ways in which I consume single-use items, such as paper towels, aluminum cans, and so forth. I hope you find this conversation just as thought provoking. And feel free to share these thoughts in the comments! Here are some links to things Amanda talked about: The Lonely Whale Foundation ABAI's Behavior Analysis for Sustainable Societies SIG A paper from Dr. Scott Geller's early seat belt work The Behavior Analyst's special edition on sustainability Research Gate If you enjoy this episode, please take a minute to head over to iTunes and leave a rating and review. In-person referrals to like minded behavior-folks are always appreciated as well! This podcast is sponsored by Britton Behavioral Consulting. Dr. Lisa Britton, BCBA-D specializes in providing independent fieldwork supervision in a remote context. If you listen to Session 29, you'll learn that she has a wealth of experience in both the practice of Behavior Analysis, as well some great processes in place for mentoring soon-to-be BCBA's. I have corresponded with previous mentees of hers, and to a person, they sang her praises as a supervisor. Also, if you need BACB Type 2 continuing education, why not earn them while you're on the go? How does this work? Again, glad you asked. Click here to find out more.

How do you get parents to become effective agents of change as it relates to their children's problem behavior? If you're like me, you've struggled to explain the complexities of the functional nature of problem behavior to lay people. Clearly, avoiding our technical language helps with this, but working with parents in particular, it can be difficult to teach how to reinforce desired responses, what behaviors to attend to, what disruptive events to ignore, and so on. As Pat Friman and I discussed in Session 10, sometimes we as Behavior Analysts have trouble applying our training to our own parenting as well. Thankfully, Brandon Franklin stops by the podcast to talk about the parent training program he and his colleagues at Clinical Behavior Analysis are using. They've developed a program called RAPID training (not to be confused with Rapid Prompting ;-) ) that they've found great success with (click here for their handout on this program). This program was adapted from a book by Drs. Rex Forehand and Nicholas Long called Parenting the Strong-Willed Child: The clinically proven five week program for parents of two to six year olds. I had the chance to read much of it before the interview, and I think it's a great book that most parents will get a lot out of. In the interview, we even joked about handing the book out to random people in the street, in grocery stores, certain friends who struggle with parenting, and so forth. Not to turn this post into a review per se, but the book is well worth checking out. In this episode, you will learn the specific steps to the RAPID program, specifically the components of Rewarding, Attending, Providing Breaks, Ignoring, and Direction Giving. You will also learn about the various populations and settings in which the folks at CBA have used this intervention. Because parent training is such a hot topic in our field right now, I received tons of listener questions, so Brandon and I spend some time going through those as well. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. Brandon and his colleagues at CBA are doing some really great things in our field. They're expanding quite a bit right now, so if you're wondering what it would be like to work CBA, you can reach out to them here (for transparency sake, there is no sponsorship arrangement here). Speaking of sponsors though, this podcast is sponsored by Britton Behavioral Consulting. Dr. Lisa Britton, BCBA-D specializes in providing independent fieldwork supervision in a remote context. If you listen to Session 29, you'll learn that she has a wealth of experience in both the practice of Behavior Analysis, as well some great processes in place for mentoring soon-to-be BCBA's. I have corresponded with previous mentees of hers, and to a person, they sang her praises as a supervisor. Also, if you need BACB Type 2 continuing education, why not earn them while you're on the go? How does this work? Glad you asked. Click here to find out more.

In session 35, I get a chance to chat with some fellow residents of the Granite State, the husband and wife duo Kim and Tim Heald. In this episode, we discuss the nitty gritty associated with starting an ABA Clinic. Having a clinic is an alluring idea. The obvious benefits include the promise of increased efficiency and quality control. That said, through this discussion, you'll learn there's a lot more to operating a clinic than finding the ideal location. The Healds open up about the challenges of running a clinic, such as putting together an effective team, establishing a common organizational culture, coaching staff performance, and even working together as a married couple. During this interview, Tim and Kim mentioned a few resources, and as promised, here are the links to them: The Lean Startup by Eric Reis William Abernathy's Pay for Performance compensation systems Click here to learn more about Constellations Behavioral Services. In other podcast-related news, on September 27th, at 8 PM Eastern Daylight Time, Megan will be joining me and the members of The Behavioral Observations Membership group for a Zoom meeting. In this meeting, members will have the opportunity to ask Megan about instructional control, alternatives to escape, the PEAK ABA curriculum, and anything else (ABA related, of course!). We will also have none other than Greg Hanley joining us sometime in November (date TBA). If you're interested in learning more, then click here. This podcast is sponsored by Britton Behavioral Consulting. Dr. Lisa Britton, BCBA-D specializes in providing independent fieldwork supervision in a remote context. If you listen to Session 29, you'll learn that she has a wealth of experience in both the practice of Behavior Analysis, as well some great processes in place for mentoring soon-to-be BCBA's. I have corresponded with previous mentees of hers, and to a person, they sang her praises as a supervisor.

OK folks, it's back to school time in New Hampshire and elsewhere, so I thought it would be timely to bring Dr. Megan Miller of Navigation Behavioral Consulting back on the show to talk about effective strategies for obtaining instructional control, as well as dealing with disruptive behavior without using extinction. These are topics that Megan presents on frequently, and many of these themes can be found in the book that she co-wrote with Robert Schramm, The Seven Steps to Earning Instructional Control. Megan also has a more specific training on this (CE's available!) for on her agency's website for those looking for additional information on this topic. Finally, on September 27th, at 8 PM Eastern Daylight Time, Megan will be joining me and the members of The Behavioral Observations Membership group for a Zoom meeting. In this meeting, members will have the opportunity to ask Megan about instructional control, alternatives to escape, the PEAK ABA curriculum, and anything else (ABA related, of course!). We will also have none other than Greg Hanley joining us sometime in November (date TBA). If you're interested in learning more, then click here. Megan mentioned a few studies and other resources in our conversation, so here are the links: Differential Reinforcement of Alternative Behavior and Demand Fading in the Treatment of Escape-Maintained Destructive Behavior (Piazza, Moes, & Fisher, 1996). Assessment of the Relative Effects of Attention and Escape on Noncompliance (Rodriguez, Thompson, & Bayhnam, 2010). The Use of Positive and Negative Reinforcement in the Treatment of Escape-Maintained Destructive Behavior (Piazza et al, 1997). Robert Schramm's YouTube channel. This podcast is sponsored by Britton Behavioral Consulting. Dr. Lisa Britton, BCBA-D specializes in providing independent fieldwork supervision in a remote context. If you listen to Session 29, you'll learn that she has a wealth of experience in both the practice of Behavior Analysis, as well some great processes in place for mentoring soon-to-be BCBA's. I have corresponded with previous mentees of hers, and to a person, they sang her praises as a supervisor.

The ABA Study Group is a Facebook group that is dedicated to helping people learn about behavior analysis, prepare for the BACB exam, and for those already certified, to maintain fluency with the terminology of our field. As of this writing, they have over 15,000 members so they certainly have found an audience for their work. One of the cool things that the ABA Study Group does is host frequent Zoom meetings. For those who don't know, Zoom is an online video meeting platform which allows members of the group to meet face-to-face, and the group hosts these meetings to cover specific topics for those who are learning about Behavior Analysis. Getting back to this episode, about a month ago, Roger Matar and Celia Heyman reached out to me and invited me to speak with the group on one of their Zoom calls. Specifically, they turned the tables on me, so to speak, and interviewed me for a change. What I learned from this is that I have a even deeper respect for what my guests go through! In other words, asking the questions is WAY easier than answering them!!! In all honesty, there were a few answers that I provided that I would have liked a second try on. I guess if there is a lesson in this for others, it would be to practice interviewing with peers if you're in a stage of your career in which you're applying for jobs, internships, and so on. Self deprecation aside, I had a great time, and I truly appreciated everyone who attended the Zoom call. Again, I can't overstate the good work that the study group is doing, so if you're not familiar with them, I highly suggest checking them out. Finally, after re-listening to the interview, I realized that I neglected to credit my good friend, John Corley, who is a constant source of technical assistance. When I first thought about starting a podcast, John was one of my biggest cheerleaders, and he provided (and continues to provide) tons of assistance. Despite his help, it is important to note that all technical errors are mine. John and me, August 2017 This podcast is sponsored by Britton Behavioral Consulting. Dr. Lisa Britton, BCBA-D specializes in providing independent fieldwork supervision in a remote context. If you listen to Session 29, you'll learn that she has a wealth of experience in both the practice of Behavior Analysis, as well some great processes in place for mentoring soon-to-be BCBA's. I have corresponded with previous mentees of hers, and to a person, they sang her praises as a supervisor.

Today's show is a little different than they typical episode. On September 30th, 2017, the New Hampshire Association for Behavior Analysis will be hosting its 3rd annual conference (tickets are available here). In order to promote this event, and more generally, highlight the great work that NH ABA does, I put together a sequence of five mini-interviews with all of the conference speakers. This year's line-up is great. We will feature a Keynote address from Dr. Greg Hanley, and a closing Distinguished Speaker presentation from Dr. Mark Sundberg. Between these talks, we'll hear from Dr. Derek Reed, Caitlin Kirkwood, and Michael Miklos. In this episode, you'll hear about what they will talk about, but you can also click here to access the conference brochure. The conference is a fantastic value. The early-bird price of $99 gets you 6.5 CEU's, a buffet lunch (yes, there is a free lunch), and opportunities to meet and network with fellow behavior analysts. The early bird price is available through August 31st, but if I had to guess, the event is going to sell out prior to that. As such, if you're considering attending, I recommend picking up your tickets right away. Click here to access the online portal to make that happen. In this episode, I've asked each speaker to recommend readings, websites, and other resources to check out. Here are those references in the approximate order in which they are mentioned in the episode. From Greg's interview: www.practicalfunctionalassessment.com Slayton, Hanley, & Raftery 2017 From Derek's: Some random podcast episode Derek's tutorial video on the SQAB YouTube channel The Behavior Analysis in Practice tutorial article From Mike's: www.pattan.net From Caitlin's: Addison, et al., 2012 Peterson, et al., 2016 The SOS approach to feeding From Mark's: The Verbal Behavior Approach, by Session 12 guest, Dr. Mary Lynch Barbera Jumpstarting Communication Skills in Children with Autism, by Dr. Mary Jane Weiss The Analysis of Verbal Behavior Special Issue on the Intraverbal Thirty Points About Motivation from Skinner's Book Verbal Behavior

Session 31 features a guest who has been requested by listeners numerous times since the start of this podcast, and that is none other than Dr. Pat McGreevy. As I explain in the episode, Pat and I have been talking on and off about doing a show for over a year now, and I'm really glad we finally had an opportunity to record this discussion. What exactly did we talk about? Well, Pat describes how he got into the field, and more interestingly, what the field was like in the early 1970's. He discusses his graduate training with Dr. Ogden Lindsley, the use of the Standard Celeration Chart, and when to shift gears from teaching verbal operants to functional skills. Pat also shares his views methodological and practice-level issues in our field. Finally, a conversation with Pat would be incomplete without discussing the curriculum he developed, Essential for Living. He discusses why he wrote the curriculum in the first place, and helped me understand how to get started with it. Here is his bio from the website: Dr. McGreevy received B.S. and M.A. degrees in Psychology and Special Education, respectively, from the University of Iowa. He was a special education teacher for eight years, working with children and young adults with moderate-to-severe developmental disabilities. He received the Ph.D. degree in Education from Kansas University under the guidance of Ogden R. Lindsley. Dr. McGreevy served on the Special Education faculties of the University of Missouri Kansas City, and Louisiana State University. He also served on the faculty of the Behavior Analysis Program at the Florida Institute of Technology. He is the author of Teaching and Learning in Plain English, an introduction to Precision Teaching, and the founder of the Journal of Precision Teaching and Standard Celeration Charting. He is also the author of ten journal articles and a book chapter on teaching verbal behavior. He is the first author of Essential for Living, a new functional skills curriculum, assessment, and professional practitioner’s handbook for children and adults with moderate-to-severe disabilities. For the past 30 years, Dr. McGreevy has provided consultations for children and adults with developmental disabilities in school districts, residential programs, and hospitals, specializing in the treatment of aggressive and self-injurious behavior in individuals with limited communication or language skills. Under the guidance of Dr. Jack Michael, Dr. McGreevy has also conducted workshops on teaching communication skills and language in the context of severe problem behavior, which are based on B. F. Skinner’s analysis of verbal behavior. This podcast is sponsored by Britton Behavioral Consulting. Dr. Lisa Britton provides affordable, high quality, independent fieldwork supervision for aspiring BCBA’s. Group and independent supervision sessions are available. For more information, click here to reach out to Lisa.

It’s not everyday that one gets a chance to chat with someone with decades of experience in Behavior Analysis. It is equally rare to do so with someone who helped pioneer the field of Organizational Behavior Management. That’s why I’m so excited to share this conversation with none other than Dr. Aubrey Daniels. Before I started this podcast, I drew up a list of potential guests. Aubrey was one of those people at the top of the list, though I doubted that he would have time for such a fledgling outlet like The Behavioral Observations Podcast. However my aspirations recently turned into reality a few weeks ago when Aubrey and I sat down to record this conversation. In this interview we cover the following: How Aubrey first got into the field, and what the Behavior Analysis scene was like at that time. How he pivoted from a career in the mental health setting to working with organizations. How to sell behavioral solutions to potential customers. The application of behavioral principles in regular education settings. Advice for practitioners who want to get into the OBM field. General advice for newly minted BCBA’s. We also spend quite a bit of time discussing listener-submitted questions. For more information about Aubrey, check out the homepage of Aubrey Daniels International here. If you’re not familiar with Aubrey, here is a short bio: Aubrey Daniels, a thought leader and internationally recognized expert on management, leadership, safety and workplace issues, is considered an authority on human behavior in the workplace. As founder and chairman of the board of directors of his consulting firm, Aubrey Daniels International, he and his staff help organizations employ the timeless principles of behavioral science to re-energize the workplace, optimize performance and achieve lasting results. Aubrey actively blogs about performance systems, workplace safety and management issues and is frequently interviewed for major media outlets. In addition to being a highly sought after keynote speaker at major association, conference and educational events, Aubrey is the author of six best-selling books widely recognized as international management classics: Bringing out the Best in People: How to Apply the Astonishing Power of Positive Reinforcement; Performance Management: Changing Behavior That Drives Organizational Effectiveness, Other People’s Habits, Measure of a Leader, Oops! 13 Management Practices that Waste Time and Money (and what to do instead), and Safe by Accident?His books have been translated into Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Spanish and French and have been licensed in China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Romania and Saudi Arabia. This podcast is sponsored by Britton Behavioral Consulting. Dr. Lisa Britton provides affordable, high quality, independent fieldwork supervision for aspiring BCBA’s. Group and independent supervision sessions are available. For more information, click here to reach out to Lisa.

If you caught the last few episodes of the podcast, you’ve heard me talk about our new sponsor, Britton Behavioral Consulting. This is where Dr. Lisa Britton, BCBA-D provides high quality Independent Fieldwork Supervision for individuals seeking board certification. Lisa has been a Behavior Analyst for almost two decades, and given the important role that supervision has in our field, I thought it would be a good idea to have her on to discuss best practices in this area. In this episode, we talk about the following: How Lisa got into the field of ABA What questions you need to ask yourself if you’re considering offering supervision as a service What a supervisee should look for in a supervisor How to embed Behavior Skills Training into the supervision process Specific tools she uses to conduct remote supervision sessions If you are looking for supervision, or if you simply have questions about the process, head over to www.brittonbehavioralconsulting.com and reach out to Lisa. During our conversation, we talked a lot about pieces of software, specific trainings, and other nitty-gritty details. I have attempted to provide links to most of the topics we covered below. Links to remote supervision software: https://www.gotomeeting.com/ https://www.gotomeeting.com/training The bSci21.org training that Lisa mentioned (about having difficult conversations) http://www.bsci21.org/courses/conversations-that-drive-performance-empowering-employees-with-behavior-science-1-bacb-ceu/ Intro to special edition of Behavior Analysis in Practice on supervision https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5118263/ Overview of Behavioral Skills Training, again, in Behavior Analysis in Practice https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3592486/

In Session 28 of The Behavioral Observations Podcast, Molly Ola Pinney joins me to talk about The Global Autism Project, an organization she started in 2003. In brief, The Global Autism Project trains teachers to work with children with Autism globally. The organization began this initiative in Africa, but has now branched out to helping people in this way to Central America, India, and beyond. In this episode, we talk about how the organization was founded, what it’s like to support teams remotely, and how exactly they carry out this mission today. Molly closes the interview by encouraging practitioners (or basically anyone listening to the show) to consider saying, “yes,” to new opportunities, even when they may be a little apprehensive about doing so. This episode is sponsored by Britton Behavioral Consulting. Dr. Lisa Britton, BCBA-D specializes in providing high quality independent fieldwork supervision to aspiring BCBA’s. For more information on her services, please check out her website here. Finally, if you are looking for BACB Type 2 Continuing Education, look no further (well, there are only 5.5 units available, so technically, you will have to look further, but you get the ideal…). Click here to find out about how you can earn CE’s for listening to selected podcast episodes.

In Session 27 of The Behavioral Observations Podcast, I chat with Dr. Adel Najdowski, BCBA-D about teaching Executive Functioning skills to individuals with Autism and Attention difficulties. Adel is the author of a new book on this subject, Flexible and Focused, and we discuss the idea of Behavior Analysts delving into the realm of more mainstream psychological and educational constructs, and more pragmatically, how to conceptualize things like EF into more manageable and teachable responses. The book is available on Amazon, and it will also be at the ABAI 2017 Bookstore, which is where I’ll probably pick my copy up. This episode is sponsored by Britton Behavioral Consulting. Dr. Lisa Britton specializes in providing high quality independent fieldwork supervision to aspiring BCBA’s. For more information on her services, please check out her website here.

I sometimes joke around with folks that we Behavior Analysts are perhaps the only people who think nothing of driving one hour to do two hours of work. While that’s a little bit of an exaggeration, I find that it’s not entirely off the mark either. Obviously there are only so many hours in the day, and from both a clinical and financial perspective, these practices lead to a lot of waste. What if there was a way to leverage existing technologies to reduce travel-related barriers to providing clinical services? Well, it turns out that the answer to this question already exists, and other helping professions have been using technology to both expand services and operate more efficiently. In episode 26 of The Behavioral Observations Podcast, I chat with Dr. Wendy Machalicek, BCBA-D, who is an Associate Professor of Special Education at The University of Oregon, about using technology to provide behavior analytic services to families in rural areas. This practice goes by a few different names, but is often referred to as Telemedicine or Telehealth. Wendy discusses some of her research in this area as well as walks us through how to conceptualize the use of technology in our own work. So does that mean you can fire up Skype and start consulting with clients? Not so fast… as I learned from this conversation there are tons of technical and ethical details that have the potential to be inadvertently overlooked, including things like encryption of data, consent/assent in terms of working with adults, privacy/confidentiality of anyone who can view/hear the client-analyst exchanges, etc... Wendy also the behavior-analytic, “scene,” in Oregon and provided some helpful advice for newbies to the field (though I found her thoughts helpful for older practitioners like myself too!). We covered a lot in this episode, so here are some links of the things that were mentioned: • VSee HIPAA compliant video conferencing software • Bluetooth headsets • External web cameras • Swivl remote camera gear • The American Telemedicine Association • The APA Guidelines for practice re: Telehealth Speaking of making life more convenient, if you’re on the road a lot but need Continuing Education, check out the CE page. That’s right, you can now earn BACB Type 2 CE’s by listening to selected podcasts, and answering a few questions. Right now CE credits are available for topics such as Functional Assessment and Function-Based Interventions, The Ethics of Self-Care, and Behavioral Economics. Again, visit the CE page for more details.

I’m going to be honest with you here. This interview could have gone on for over two hours. To summarize, Jim Carr and I had a super fun conversation about the current state of the behavior analysis profession, what it was like when generation X-ers like us came into the field, what worries him about how the field is developing, and conversely, what areas of development is he most excited about. If you’re interested in a past, present, and future perspective on the practice of Applied Behavior Analysis, this is the show for you. We also unexpectedly touch on some other topics such as the behavioral treatment of tic disorders and the “green book” from back-in-the-day that listed the then-severely limited graduate programs in behavior analysis (and if anyone has this book, please, at the very least, email me a picture of it!). Jim also goes over his professional journey in some detail, but here is the official bio that I’ve taken directly from the BACB website: Dr. Jim Carr is the Chief Executive Officer of the Behavior Analyst Certification Board. His professional interests include behavior analyst credentialing, behavioral assessment and treatment of developmental disabilities, verbal behavior, and practitioner training. Dr. Carr has published over 150 journal articles and book chapters on these and other topics. Dr. Carr is a Fellow of the Association for Behavior Analysis International. He is the editor-in-chief of the journal The Analysis of Verbal Behavior and has served on the editorial boards of 10 other behavior analysis journals, including 4 appointments as associate editor. Dr. Carr is the president of the Colorado Association for Behavior Analysis and past president of the Mid-American and Alabama Associations for Behavior Analysis. He received his doctorate in 1996 from Florida State University under the mentorship of Dr. Jon Bailey and previously served on the behavior analysis faculties at University of Nevada-Reno (1996-1999), Western Michigan University (1999-2008), and Auburn University (2008-2011). On a housekeeping note, the podcast is now available on Google Play, so if you are an Android user and don’t want to download 3rd party apps like Stitcher Radio, click here, and you’ll be good to go.

In Session 24, Ryan O'Donnell joins me for a wide ranging discussion. We talk about everything from taking data on your own behaviors, things to consider before setting goals, to operant conditioning of fish! We also talk about some upcoming projects of his, including The Next Gen Revolution Summit, and his forthcoming podcast, "Why we do what we do," (coming in May 2017). During our chat, he mentioned a few apps to help with productivity. Here are links to a few of them: Base Camp Wunderlist Wrike We also talked about these books: I'll Stop Procrastinating When I Get Around to It, by Dick Malott Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life, by Steve Hayes I am trying this app out to track and manage my time on the iPhone: Moment Ryan is @ryanodonnell23 on Twitter & Instagram, so feel free to give him an virtual high-five! Oh, and there's that fish lab that we talked about....

In Session 23 of The Behavioral Observations Podcast, Mark Dixon visits with us again to discuss the PEAK assessment and curriculum. Specifically, he tells us about how he first got into working with individuals with Autism, what he saw that was lacking in the assessment and curricular tools at that point in time, and the related circumstances that inspired the creation of PEAK. Also, because our first conversation on ACT was so wildly popular, we spend a little time talking about the latest research and best practices for intervention using the ACT for Children with Autism and Emotional Challenges curriculum. For more information on PEAK, check out Mark’s PEAK Facebook page, or go directly to www.peakaba.com.

Dr. Linda LeBlanc joins me today to provide a primer of sorts on behavioral approaches to supporting the elderly, using solid behavioral principles to run organizations, and embedding ethics into everyday clinical decision making. She ends the show by sharing some great advice for BCBAs who are new to the field. Linda is the president of LeBlanc Behavioral Consulting, as well as the Executive Advisor for Trumpet Behavioral Health. Prior to these positions, she held faculty appointments at Western Michigan University as well as my alma mater, Auburn University (War Eagle!!!).

I am honored to be joined by Dr. Gina Green in Session 21 of The Behavioral Observations Podcast. In this show we talk about some current events in the practice of ABA, including the role of professional organizations, and the lessons that have been learned as states contend with the licensure of our practice. Gina's CV is uniquely impressive. Just her bio-sketch alone is longer than most resumes, so in the interest of space, I have included it in the show notes for those who would like to read more about her impressive career. In addition to discussing licensure, we talk a lot about the upcoming APBA conference in March of 2017, as well as that organization in general. For more information on the APBA and the conference, please check out www.apbahome.net.

In Session 20, Greg Hanley returns to The Behavioral Observations Podcast for an unprecedented third time! The first two podcast episodes with Greg (Session 1 and Session 7) were so popular that they have, as of this writing, been downloaded almost 18,000 times! Given the intense interest in this topic, a few months ago, I asked Greg if he'd like to come back on the show to answer questions from the audience. He graciously agreed to do so, and shortly thereafter, I sent out emails and FaceBook posts asking for listener questions. And boy, did you guys respond! As you'll see, we received a ton of great questions. In fact, we received so many questions that this episode is almost twice as long as other sessions of the podcast! Podcasts can be one-sided at times, so this episode is very special to me because of the tangible interaction between the audience and guest. Going forward, let me know if there are other guests you'd like a Q & A show with. I will try to incorporate listener submitted questions into my regular interviews as well. Details will be disseminated via the mailing list. Getting back to Session 20, Greg mentions a few articles and presentations that I'd like to provide links to: Click here for Greg's narrated Power Point that describes the rationale for the IISCA approach Derby, K. M., Fisher, W. W., Piazza, C. C., Wilke, A. E., & Johnson, W. (1998). The effects of noncontingent and contingent attention for self-injury, manding, and collateral responses. Behavior Modification, 22(4), 474-484. Ghaemmaghami, M., Hanley, G. P., & Jessel, J. (2016). Contingencies promote delay tolerance. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis. Jessel, J., Hanley, G. P., & Ghaemmaghami, M. (2016). Interview-informed synthesized contingency analyses: Thirty replications and reanalysis. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis. Thanks for checking out Session 20! If you enjoy the show and have a few minutes, please consider heading over to iTunes to leave a rating and review.

Several weeks ago Dr. Gina Green posted an impassioned request to support the Association for Professional Behavior Analysts on Facebook, noting, among other things, that the organization is uniquely suited to advocate for the needs of both practitioners and clients in this unpredictable world of ours. One of the ways that she suggested supporting APBA was to attend the annual conference. Well, her plea worked on me, and I am in the process of making travel plans to New Orleans, where this year's conference is being held. After that, I started thinking about things I could do to encourage my fellow Behavior Analysts to attend as well. As such, I hope to have a future episode or two that highlights the content of the conference itself. Having said that, attending a conference is not only about sitting in a meeting room, dutifully taking notes and obtaining CE units. Let's be honest, it's also an opportunity to travel and see places that one would not ordinary visit on their own. Because this year's event is in the city of New Orleans, I thought that it would be fun to do an episode that highlights some non-clinical or practice-related reasons to attend APBA. In order to accomplish this, I reached out to my new friend and fellow podcaster, Mark Bologna of the Beyond Bourbon Street Podcast, a show that celebrates all that New Orleans has to offer. In this episode, the New Orleans native gives us perhaps the most concise visitor's guide to the city. We talk about everything from how to get to the conference hotel from the airport to local figures of speech. More importantly we spend a lot of time talking about cool places to eat, sightsee, and just hang out. Mark shares places to go not only for new visitors to the city, but he also mentions some very cool restaurants that only the locals know about. All in all, there's something for everyone in this episode (and if you're like me, you'll start to get hungry as Mark describes the local cuisine!). From a resources standpoint, this is perhaps the most content-rich episode I've done to date. There are almost 40 links to resources in these show notes. I listed them in the order in which they appear in the podcast. I have them in a downloadable PDF as well, so please feel free to share this with friends and co-workers who are considering a trip to New Orleans (whether for the conference or not). Here's the PDF (no email address required, actual links below): Session 19 Resource List In closing, I hope I've provided some additional incentive to attend the APBA conference! Session 19 Resources. The links from this podcast, in order of appearance. All typos, mistakes, etc.. are mine, and not Mark Bolongna’s. For more information, check out Mark’s website and podcast at http://beyondbourbonst.com/. He also has an awesome Instagram page, with lots of great pictures of various sights in the New Orleans area (see https://www.instagram.com/beyondbourbonst/). http://www.norta.com/Getting-Around/GoMobile-App RTA (Public Transportation) mobile app http://www.thecolumns.com/ The Columns Hotel http://beyondbourbonst.com/ Homepage for Mark Bologna’s awesome podcast http://flymsy.com/PageDisplay.asp?p1=6016 MSY airport ground transport, Mark suggests Uber too http://www.tennesseewilliams.net/ Tennessee Williams Literary Festival http://sasfest.org/ Saints and Sinners festival http://www.saengernola.com/shows/chris-rock-total-blackout-tour-2017 Chris Rock show http://www.nola.gov/parks-and-parkways/parks-squares/lafayette-square/ Lafayette Square Park http://nola.eater.com/2016/11/18/13654334/top-taco-festival-new-orleans-debuts-march-2017 NOLA Taco Festival http://www.cafedumonde.com/ Cafe Du Monde http://neworleanscitypark.com/in-the-park/morning-call Morning Call (CDM alternative) http://www.gumboshop.com/ the Gumbo Shop http://www.mrbsbistro.com/ Mr. B’s. Bistro http://www.commanderspalace.com/ Commander’s Palace (2-4 week reservations in advance recommended) http://www.antoines.com/ Antoine’s Restaurant (ask for a tour; 2-4 week reservations in advance recommended) http://jacques-imos.com/ Jacques-Imo’s; great local casual food https://www.brigtsens.com/ Brightsen’s Restaurant (known for seafood and duck) http://www.clancysneworleans.com/ Clancy’s restaurant (uptown New Orleans) http://www.katiesinmidcity.com/ Katie’s Restaurant & Bar http://beyondbourbonst.com/new-orleans-language-guide/ The Language of New Orleans - Podcast episode http://www.qandc.com/ Q & C hotel http://www.catahoulahotel.com/ Catahoula Hotel http://bienvillehouse.com Bienville House Hotel http://www.therooseveltneworleans.com/ Roosevelt Hotel http://www.marriott.com/hotels/hotel-photos/msydt-renaissance-new-orleans-arts-warehouse-district-hotel/ Renaissance Hotel http://www.westinneworleanscanalplace.com/ Westin Hotel http://louisianastatemuseum.org/museums/the-cabildo/ Cabildo Museaum http://louisianastatemuseum.org/museums/the-presbytere/ Presbytere Museam http://www.twochickswalkingtours.com/index.html 2 chicks walking tours http://www.bigboytravel.com/louisiana/neworleans/gardendistrictwalkingtour/ garden district walking tour http://louisianastatemuseum.org/museums/the-old-us-mint/ The Old US Mint - History of Jazz museum, free! https://www.preservationhall.com/ Preservation Hall jazz venue http://701bourbon.com/ Cat’s Meow, French Quarter nightclub http://www.patobriens.com/patobriens/default.asp Pat O’Briens, French Quarter Bar/Club http://www.bestofneworleans.com/ The Gambit (free local paper) https://www.facebook.com/kermitruffinsnola/ Kermit Ruffins, local jazz legend http://www.bigsamsfunkynation.com/ Big Sam’s Funky Nation (another local music legend) http://www.houseofblues.com/neworleans New Orleans House of Blues

In Session 18, Manny Rodriguez, Shannon Biagi, and Dan Sundberg join me to discuss their OBM Applied! book series. In this episode we cover the following topics: Why they wrote OBM Applied! Who the intended reader is What sort of outcome a reader can expect The Florida Institute of Technology OBM Certificate program In addition to these, we talk quite a bit about the process of writing itself, which can be applicable to not only writing books, but I would imagine finishing theses and dissertations as well. Shannon, Manny, and Dan were also generous enough to provide a cheat sheet on staying on-task and productive during the writing process. Show notes and the cheat sheet are at www.behavioralobservations.com/Session-18

What does risky sex, drug use, and even indoor tanning have in common? Fortunately Dr. Derek Reed, BCBA-D, joins me in Session 17 to provide a tutorial of sorts on behavioral economics, which helps to explain what these (and many other) "problems of consumption," are influenced by behavior-environment relationships. Derek runs the Applied Behavioral Economics Laboratory at the University of Kansas, and has extensive experience across a wide range of behavior analytic niches. For example, during the interview, he tells the story of how within the first semester of studying Behavior Analysis, he was doing everything from providing services to children in applied settings while also working in an animal laboratory. He also describes some of his research on how people choose to partake in indoor tanning, and explains some of the behavioral economic principles that influence such decisions. Although we get, "into the weeds," as it relates to discussing concepts from the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, Derek expertly translates many of these ideas into language that is, in the end, quite accessible. Even if you have no interest in EAB, I believe that there are take-home messages for Behavior Analysts in all settings. To that end, I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.

Pat Friman returns to The Behavioral Observations Podcast in Session 16. In this episode, we talk about things that we as Behavior Analysts typically avoid, namely things like depression, anxiety, and stress. Specifically, he provides an overview of these concepts using, of course, a behavior-analytic lens. At the same time, Pat also notes that our particular professional jargon can be quite off-putting to some, and goes on to provide great advice for communicating effectively with lay-people. I could go on, but I'll simply say that I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I do. This session of the podcast is sponsored by bSci21.org's ABA Outside the Box CE series. Check it out at bSci21.org/ceus!

Rich Brooks has the distinctive honor of being the first non-Behavior Analyst to come on the show. Don't let that temper your enthusiasm for this episode though. In Session 15, Rich and I talk about the importance of marketing ABA services, mainly from the digital perspective. Specifically, we talk about the following: Options for setting up your own website Optimizing your site so people can find you more easily Considerations for social media use How to work with a website developer effectively Rich is in a good place to provide this advice. He is founder and president of flyte new media (http://www.takeflyte.com), a web design and marketing firm in Portland, Maine. He is a nationally recognized speaker on entrepreneurship, digital marketing and social media. He is a founder of The Agents of Change (http://www.agentsofchangecon.com/), an annual conference and weekly podcast that focuses on search, social & mobile marketing. He is also a regular contributor at SocialMediaExaminer.com, the world’s most popular social media marketing blog. He is the “tech guru” on WCSH Channel 6’s evening news show, 207, and teaches web marketing and social media courses for entrepreneurs at the University of Southern Maine's Center for Continuing Education.  Finally, special thanks to bSci21.org's ABA Outside the Box continuing education series for sponsoring this show (go to bSci21.org/ceus to learn more) as well as Dr.s Becca Tagg and Megan Miller for their invaluable assistance in preparing for this interview (www.delmarbehavioralhealth.com & www.navigationbehavioralconsulting.com, respectively).

Dr. Mark Dixon joins me in Session 14 of The Behavioral Observations Podcast. Mark is a prolific researcher who has published over 150 peer-reviewed studies. He has published articles on a wide array of topics, including gambling, relational frame theory, and educational interventions for children with Autism. In this episode, we talk about his book, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Children with Autism and Emotional Challenges. This book presents the reader with curriculum of 180 lessons to teach students the various ACT processes in order to foster psychological flexibility. We also talk about how he got into Behavior Analysis, he extends our primer on ACT that began in Session 6 with D.J. Moran’s interview, and then discuses how to use the curriculum in his book. He closes the conversation with some sage advice for students and practitioners. If you want to get the book, Amazon is frequently out of stock. However, Behavior Development Solutions generally has them in stock. Mark also mentions the journal, The Psychological Record, which you can check out here. I should also note that this session of the podcast is sponsored by the ABA Outside the Box CE series, so if you are in need of continuing education, check out bSci21.org/ceus. Finally, if you get value out of this show, please consider taking a few minutes to go on over to iTunes to leave a rating and review.

Session 13's guest on The Behavioral Observations Podcast is Dr. Megan Miller from Navigation Behavioral Consulting. In this episode we talk about a range of issues that are relevant to many practicing behavior analysts, such as providing services over long distances, determining what makes a practice "evidence based," and the practitioner's need for life-long-learning. All in all, it's a fun conversation that I hope you enjoy. I should also add that Megan is active on the various behavior-analytic Facebook groups, so feel free to give her a virtual high-five. I also want to thank all of you who attended the New Hampshire ABA conference on October 1st. I had the opportunity to participate in a panel discussion on practitioner self-care, and gave a brief introduction to one of my favorite topics, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. It was a humbling experience presenting in front of many prestigious names in our field, and it was gratifying to meet many listeners who made the trek to Manchester, NH to attend the conference. If you are in the New England area, keep your eyes peeled for the next NHABA conference. You will not be disappointed! This episode is sponsored by bSci21.org's ABA Outside the Box continuing education trainings. I recently participated in "Conversations That Drive Performance," which was excellent. Check it out at bSci21.org/ceus! Lastly, if you have a minute, I would be very grateful if you went to iTunes and provided a rating and review of the show. As of this writing, The Behavioral Observations Podcast has been downloaded almost 50K times. That said, there are currently 33 ratings in the United States' iTunes store. There are no direct tangible reinforcers for having lots of iTunes reviews, but it does help the show get more recognition/visibility, and by extension disseminating free behavior analytic content. If you're not sure how to leave a rating and review, YouTube has you covered. Just click here for a quick tutorial. Thanks for listening! PS: here are links to other resources we mentioned The funny ABA blog Megan mentioned Steve Ward's website Dr. Mary Sawyer's dissertation

Session 12 of The Behavioral Observations Podcast features an in-depth conversation with Mary Lynch Barbera, BCBA-D. In this episode, we talk about a wide range of topics including, but not limited to,   Her pre-ABA career as a nurse (which actually involved quite a bit of OBM work!). How she learned about behavior analysis, and how her advocacy for her son led her to becoming a BCBA. The motivation behind writing her best-selling book, The Verbal Behavior Approach, and creating her e-course, Autism ABA Help: Online Training for Professionals and Gung-Ho Parents. What her writing practices are, and how best to avoid, “the curse of knowledge,” when communicating behavioral principles with lay people. Her thoughts on some recent workshops from the recent National Autism Conference at Penn State University.   Mary shares tons of resources in this episode, so please check out www.behavioralobservations.com for the Session 12 show notes. She also has generously provided listeners with a $50 coupon for her course. Enter BEHAVIORPOD at checkout to redeem it. To learn more about Mary, be sure to visit her website at http://www.marybarbera.com.   This podcast is sponsored by bSci21.org. bSci21.org is your go-to ABA news site. The companion article for this episode is called, “I” is just a bit of Verbal Behavior, by Dr. Scott Herbst.

In Session 11 of The Behavioral Observations Podcast, I chat with a my good friend Dr. Erin Rasmussen from Idaho State University about her upcoming grant funded study on food insecurity and obesity. In our discussion we talk about animal models of obesity, behavioral economics and delay discounting, mindful eating, common sense practices for weight loss, and more! There are so many links that go along with this episode that I have decided to put them in a bullet list (apologies to the various teachers who have attempted to teach me how to write).   Erin’s Health Decision-Making Laboratory website, which discusses her research program The movie Harry that Erin referenced The iPromptU app The Morrison et al. (2014) study on ACT and delay discounting The bSci21.org article on Delay Discounting The evening news clip that discusses Erin’s project (Yay dissemination!)   This is not only a fascinating program of study, it's a great lesson in dissemination, where animal models of behavior lead to potential treatment applications. I can’t wait for this study’s results!

In Session 10 of The Behavioral Observations Podcast, I speak with none other than Dr. Pat Friman. Pat is the Vice President of Behavioral Health Services at Boys Town as well as a Clinical Professor of Medicine in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Nebraska School of Medicine.  In today's show, Pat tells the story of how he literally wandered into a career in Behavior Analysis as well as the remarkable story of how Boys Town was started and how it serves children and families today. We then talk about his point of view on functional assessment practices, how he interviews parents, his take on what we refer to as, "kids these days," and Behavior Analysts as parents. With regard to the latter, I accidentally broach some of my own parenting struggles, so you might have some fun at my expense (your welcome).  This session of the podcast is sponsored by bSci21.org. If you're interested in a good article about parenting, check out Zainab Fazal's piece called, "My Kids Won't Stop Fighting! How ABA Can Reduce Sibling Rivalry." If you enjoyed the show, please take a minute to leave a rating and review in iTunes. It makes the podcast more visible, which helps spread the word of Behavior Analysis.  

In this session of The Behavioral Observations Podcast, Manny Rodriguez joins us to give an insider's view into the field of Organizational Behavior Management. Manny is Vice President of ABA Technologies, responsible for Continuing Education, Consulting, and Product Development, with over a decade of experience both in OBM and ABA clinical practice. In our chat, we talk about how he first got into OBM, what a typical day-in-the-life is like for an OBM practitioner, the similarities and differences between clinical and OBM practice, and what the future of OBM holds. Towards the end of the episode, I encourage him to plug his forthcoming book that he has written with co-authors Dan Sundberg and Shannon Biagi, called OBM Applied!  To read an excerpt from OBM Applied!, head on over to our sponsor, bSci21.org, and read Manny's article, Engaging the Doers: A Menu for Employee Engagement.  If you enjoyed this episode, feel free to leave a rating and review on iTunes. Also, stay connected with the podcast by visiting the Facebook page (facebook.com/behavioralobservations), or by following me on Twitter (@behaviorpodcast). 

In this session of The Behavioral Observations Podcast, Dr. Jim Johnston, BCBA-D, joins me for a conversation about the history of contemporary Behavior Analysis. Jim is uniquely equipped to provide this perspective, having held presidential positions in all of our flagship professional organizations (e.g., the Association for Behavior Analysis International, the Association for Professional Behavior Analysts, the Behavior Analysis Certification Board, etc...). As a young graduate student at Auburn University, I had the opportunity to work in Jim's laboratory at the Institute for Biological Detection Systems, where we conducted federally contracted research on the olfactory capability of explosive and drug detecting dogs (perhaps a story for another podcast). I was also fortunate to have Jim supervise my Master's Thesis, so it is a treat to have him on the podcast for a long overdue chat. Jim's academic and other professional accomplishments are too great to list here, but Jim's website, www.talkingaboutbehavior.com, offers this summary: Dr. Johnston received his doctorate from the University of Florida in 1970 and held faculty positions at Georgia State University, the University of Florida, and Auburn University. He has published both laboratory and field research with both human and non-human species on a variety of topics. He has longstanding interests in the area of developmental disabilities and founded the Master’s Program in Applied Behavior Analysis in Developmental Disabilities at Auburn University. He has served as editor of The Behavior Analyst and on the editorial boards of the Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior and the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, among others. In addition to discussing the development of our field, we talk about the challenges associated with the rapid growth of practitioners and how the 4th edition of Strategies and Tactics for Behavioral Research is coming along. Jim concludes with some sage advice for new practitioners. This podcast is sponsored by bSci21.org, which is an ABA news site that connects our science to everyday applications. If you get a chance, go check out some of the thought provoking stories that are available over there. Finally, if you enjoy the show, please head over to iTunes and leave a rating and review. Ratings and reviews really help the show to stand out from all the other podcasts out there. 

Dr. Greg Hanley returns to the Behavioral Observations Podcast, and in this episode we talk about best practices for functional analyses and function-based treatment.  For additional resources on these topics, check out Greg's website, www.practicalfunctionalassessment.com. Greg also has an online CE training on these topics, and to learn more about this, check out this post at www.behavioralobservations.com.  Greg has generously offered to return to the podcast to do some Q & A, so if you have questions about these topics, go to the contact page and let me know what's on your mind.  Finally, this podcast is sponsored by bSci21.org, which is an ABA news site that connects our science to everyday applications. If you get a chance, go check out some of the thought provoking stories that are available over there.   

In Session 6 of The Behavioral Observations Podcast, Dr. D.J. Moran, BCBA-D joins me to provide an overview of one of my favorite topics in Behavior Analysis: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). D.J. has been a practitioner of ACT for over 20 years; applying these concepts across a range of applications that include supporting children and parents with Autism, providing therapy in mental health settings, and more recently, using the ACT model to help corporations improve their safety and leadership initiatives. He’s also a fellow podcaster to boot!   In this podcast, D.J. tells us how he first encountered ACT, describes the core features and concepts of the ACT model, and discusses how ACT can help support caregivers of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders.   While D.J. is the author of many peer reviewed articles and chapters, listeners to the podcast would do well to check out his book, Building Safety Commitment, which provides one of the most accessible blueprints of the ACT model I have seen. Even though the book is about behavioral safety, one can easily transfer the ACT concepts to school, clinic, and home settings.   As D.J. notes in the podcast, listeners who want to learn more about ACT should head over to contextualscience.org, the internet home of the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science. Joining the ACBS provides access to a wealth of resources for all things ACT.   If you enjoy this show, please leave a rating and review in iTunes. It only takes a minute and it ensures that the message of Behavior Analysis stands out amongst all the other podcasts that are out there.   Finally, The Behavioral Observations Podcast is sponsored by bSci21.org. I encourage listeners to check out bSci21.org as Todd Ward (another ACT expert) and his contributing writers continue to publish great articles that discuss Behavior Analytic principles and applications in a fun and accessible format.

Session 5 of the Behavioral Observations Podcast features an in-depth conversation with Dr. Todd Ward, BCBA-D. Todd is the President of bSci21.org Media, which encompasses the Behavior Analysis news site, bSci21.org, as well as the online magazine, BAQuarterly.com.  In this interview, Todd tells us the story behind the creation of bSci21.org and what it's like to run a news website, manage the work of contributing writers, etc... in the niche world of Behavior Analysis. He  tells a few fascinating stories along the way, and concludes with some sage advice for practitioners at all experience levels.  This session of the Behavioral Observations Podcast is indeed sponsored by bSci21.org, so please take a moment to go check out all the great articles that Todd and his merry band of contributing writers publish over there.  If you enjoy this episode, please head on over to iTunes and leave a review and rating. Doing so really helps this podcast stand out amongst all the others that are out there. Also, if you have suggestions for future guests or topics, please go to the contact page of behavioralobservations.com and drop me a line. Finally, if you're interested in receiving an occasional newsletter, click on the large red button on the homepage to sign up for that. 

In Session 4 of The Behavioral Observations Podcast I sit down with Dr. Amanda Kelly, BCBA-D, a.k.a., the Behaviorbabe. In this episode, I learn how to properly greet a local in Hawaii, how the licensure laws are playing out across the 8 islands of that state, what it’s like to practice in the midst of volcanos and intermittent water availability, how she developed her online persona, and what not-to-do on social media as a behavior analyst. I also lose count of how many jobs Amanda currently has. If you want to learn more about Amanda, I recommend following her on Twitter (@behaviorbabe), liking her Facebook page (www.facebook.com/behaviorbabe), and checking out her website (www.behaviorbabe.com). For aspiring BCBA’s who are looking for exam prep assistance from Amanda, check out www.globalautismproject.com. This podcast is sponsored by bSci21.org. bSci21.org is an ABA news site that discusses Behavior Analytic concepts in a fun, non-academic format. If you have a chance, head on over to this site to check it out. You will not be disappointed! If there are topics or guests that you want to hear on the show, please go to www.behavioralobservations.com and click the Contact tab at the top of the page. If you have a minute, please leave a rating and review in iTunes as it really helps to disseminate this show amongst the thousands of podcasts that are out there.   Thanks for listening! Matt

I am thrilled to share this conversation that I had with Dr. Jon Bailey in the fall of 2015. Dr. Bailey's contributions to the field of Behavior Analysis are many, but he is perhaps best known as the preeminent authority on ethics in clinical practice. In this session of the Behavioral Observations Podcast, we discuss how he became a Behavior Analyst, how his interest in Ethical practice was shaped, and the general state of the field of ABA.  We also talk about one of his more popular books, Ethics for Behavior Analysts, 2nd Edition, as well as some of the revisions that he has in store for the 3rd edition.  Dr. Bailey invites behavior analysts to contact him if they have ethical questions. His website is http://www.baileyburch.com/, so if you need to reach out to him, you can go there and click the, "contact," button. This session of the Behavioral Observations Podcast is sponsored by bSci21.org. BSci21.org is an ABA news site with hundreds of articles connecting behavior analysis to our world in a non-academic format.  Check them out at bSci21.org. Finally, if you like the show and have a minute to spare, please click here to leave a rating and review in iTunes.  Thanks for listening and enjoy the show!

Hi Folks, in today's episode I have a conversation with my good friend, Steve Lawyer. Steve and I met as first year graduate students at Auburn University way back in the day. Nowadays, he is the Director of Clinical Training at Idaho State University. In today's episode we have a fun conversation about Science and Pseudoscience, and the implications for ABA practice.  This podcast is sponsored by Behavioral Science in the 21st Century, an ABA news site with hundreds of articles connecting behavior analysis to our world in a non-academic format.  Check them out at bSci21.org For more information about this podcast, please check out www.behavioralobservations.com  

In the first episode of the Behavioral Observations Podcast, we chat with Greg Hanley from Western New England University. We find out about how being a terrible painter and having poor grades set Greg off on a path to being a prolific contributor to our field. In all seriousness, Greg talks about the development of the Interview Informed Synthesized Contingency Analysis (IISCA) procedure, and patiently walks me through how to set up and conduct this type of assessment.  If you are interested in more information on this, please check out Greg's website, www.practicalfunctionalassessment.com, where you will find lots of resources on this subject. This podcast is sponsored by Behavioral Science in the 21st Century, an ABA news site with hundreds of articles connecting behavior analysis to our world in a non-academic format.  Check them out at bSci21.org. For more information about the Behavioral Observations Podcast, please visit www.behavioralobservations.com. Connect with us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/behavioralobservations or on Twitter @behaviorpodcast.