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Abstract In 2020, the U.S. government, like other countries, instated a nationwide quarantine to reduce the spread of COVID-19, which had reached pandemic status. Though challenging on a number of levels, the quarantine also provided a unique opportunity to examine the effects of a cultural phenomenon that reduced access to many sources of reinforcement and the potential impact on behavior and health. From a behavioral economic standpoint, the quarantine likely resulted in greater consumption of reinforcers that were highly available in the home, such as social media, sleep, substances, and food, while lowering consumption of reinforcers that were restricted by quarantine policies. These two trends likely combined into a net reduction in the diversity of reinforcers that were available to individuals during the quarantine. For some individuals, these shifts in consumption also predicted changes in health and mental health status, especially those involving consumption of social media, sleep, substances, and food. We discuss the implications for health and mental health associated with these trends and end by offering suggestions on how a more careful programming of available reinforcers during times of low reinforcer diversity may prevent excessive consumption of reinforcers that may affect health or mental health risks.

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Abstract An analysis of the current scientific scene shows that behavior-analytic approaches to social relations have multiplied in the recent decades, producing diverse and sometimes competing frameworks for analyzing how individuals, groups, and societies function. This commentary examines Bernard Guerin’s analysis of groups as a macro analysis that integrates behavior-analytic principles with insights from the social sciences. By classifying social forces at the interpersonal, group, and societal levels, and by treating language as a strategic dimension of these forces, Guerin offers a distinct framework for both analysis and intervention. The review concludes by situating Guerin’s model in dialogue with the others, identifying shared concerns and conceptual gaps, and suggesting that future progress may depend less on unification than on mutual critique and systematization.

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ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to compare simultaneous prompting (SP) to flexible prompt fading (FPF) for teaching three autistic children to label various stimuli. Utilizing a parallel treatments design, three participants were taught to label stimuli (i.e., superheroes, pop stars) selected by their case supervisors. A total of 12 stimuli were taught to participants; six stimuli were assigned to be taught using SP and six stimuli were assigned to be taught using FPF. Effectiveness, efficiency, and maintenance were assessed across both prompting methods. The results indicated that FPF was more effective in terms of total sets mastered across participants. SP was more efficient regarding the total number of sessions and trials to mastery, although results were mixed regarding instructional time per session and total instructional time across stimulus sets. The average maintenance scores for FPF were greater than SP, although results were also found to be idiosyncratic across participants.

ABSTRACT Practitioners use stimulus preference assessments to identify stimuli that may subsequently function as reinforcers. However, there may be challenges to implementing preference assessments if the removal of preferred items evokes challenging behavior. Nevertheless, previous research has demonstrated that different preference assessment formats produce varying levels of challenging behavior. In this study, we compared challenging behavior, preference hierarchies, and duration of assessment across a response‐restriction (RR) free operant preference assessment and paired‐stimulus preference assessment (PSPA) for 6 participants referred to an outpatient severe behavior clinic. Results indicated both assessment formats produced similar preference hierarchies while the RR preference assessment resulted in lower rates of challenging behavior for 4 of the 6 participants. Furthermore, the PSPA required less time to complete compared to the RR preference assessment. These results suggest that while both assessments effectively generate preference hierarchies, the RR assessment may be more suitable for individuals prone to challenging behavior, despite its longer duration required to complete.

ABSTRACT Behavior Skills Training (BST) is a well‐researched training method for training adults in diverse settings, and is comprised of four components: didactic instruction, modeling, rehearsal, and feedback. Although BST is widely supported in the literature as effective, its efficiency and the necessity of each individual component remain under investigation. We used an adapted alternating treatments design to compare individual BST components in teaching four data collection skills to four preservice professionals to determine which components were individually effective and, perhaps, superior within the BST model. We used counterbalancing to assign individual BST components to target skills across participants. Results indicated that modeling was the most effective component across participants, with some participants reaching mastery criteria in as few as two training sessions. Didactic instruction and feedback also improved performance, though less consistently. Social validity data also supported participant preference for modeling and feedback. These findings suggest that training packages incorporating individual or select combinations of BST components may be sufficient for teaching specific skills, allowing more resource‐efficient and scalable adult training procedures. Future investigations should aim to define BST variations with greater precision and explore tiered or individualized training approaches based on skill complexity and trainee preferences.

Abstract Children diagnosed with intellectual and developmental disability (IDD), including autism spectrum disorder (ASD), often present to pediatric acute care hospitals for behavioral crises or medical care. Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) and Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs) have important skill sets and can partner with multidisciplinary teams to advance the care of hospitalized patients with ASD or IDD. We describe the care model used by our Behavior Analysis and ASD/IDD Team (BAAT) in an inpatient medical setting. Components of the BAAT approach include: (1) consultation triage, (2) direct behavior analytic services (including assessment, intervention, and caregiver training), (3) staff training, (4) crisis response, (5) behavioral data collection, and (6) multidisciplinary collaboration. We include representative data from 2 years of the BAAT service to demonstrate the individualized and innovative application of our approach, as well as preliminary outcome data to show the potential impact of the program. This study highlights the key role of BCBAs and RBTs in acute inpatient medical settings, particularly in optimizing the care of children with ASD or IDD and behavioral health needs, while disseminating behavior analytic practice.