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AbstractThis article is a transcription of Murray Sidman's presentation at the annual meeting of the Society for the Quantitative Analysis of Behavior in May 1998. It describes the development (from 1965 to 1975) of behavior‐change programs implemented outside the animal laboratory to benefit humans before such application was established formally as an entity derived from the experimental analysis of behavior. The presentation illustrates the use of an inductive method in practice, where working with a fluid behavior stream entails making intervention decisions on the spot. Examples include fading and backward‐chaining procedures in the establishment and stimulus control of novel actions. Sidman also discusses the certification of practitioners and the interaction between client and therapist and between basic and applied endeavors. The latter define what is contemporaneously described as translational intervention. It is noteworthy that Sidman's presentation was at a meeting attended by both practitioners and scientists.

AbstractIdentifying reinforcers is crucial for many evidence‐based behavior change programs. Videos may be a type of reinforcer worth considering given the accessibility of small electronic devices and the rates at which children watch and enjoy screen time. We used the Multiple‐Stimulus‐Without‐Replacement Preference Assessment Tool (MSWO PAT) to identify high‐ and low‐preferred videos for three children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We then evaluated the predictive validity of the MSWO PAT by arranging a concurrent‐operants reinforcer assessment for puzzle and sorting tasks. The results show that the high‐preferred video maintained higher levels of responding for puzzle and sorting tasks for two of the three children. Implications for using videos as reinforcers for children with ASD, limitations, and areas for future research are also discussed.

AbstractStandard nonlinear regression is commonly used when modeling indifference points due to its ability to closely follow observed data, resulting in a good model fit. However, standard nonlinear regression currently lacks a reasonable distribution-based framework for indifference points, which limits its ability to adequately describe the inherent variability in the data. Software commonly assumes data follow a normal distribution with constant variance. However, typical indifference points do not follow a normal distribution or exhibit constant variance. To address these limitations, this paper introduces a class of nonlinear beta regression models that offers excellent fit to discounting data and enhances simulation-based approaches. This beta regression model can accommodate popular discounting functions. This work proposes three specific advances. First, our model automatically captures non-constant variance as a function of delay. Second, our model improves simulation-based approaches since it obeys the natural boundaries of observable data, unlike the ordinary assumption of normal residuals and constant variance. Finally, we introduce a scale-location-truncation trick that allows beta regression to accommodate observed values of 0 and 1. A comparison between beta regression and standard nonlinear regression reveals close agreement in the estimated discounting rate k obtained from both methods.

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Abstract There is substantial evidence for timing (time perception) abnormalities related to developmental disabilities, particularly autism spectrum disorder. These findings have been reported in humans and nonhuman preclinical models. Our research objective was to extend that work to a genetic knockout (KO) model of fragile X/developmental disability, the FMR1 KO rat. We also sought to test delay discounting in the model and assess potential relations between timing and choice behavior. Consistent with previous human and nonhuman work, we found reduced timing precision in the FMR1 KO rats. We also discovered significantly increased smaller, sooner reward choice in the FMR1 KO rats. Performance on the timing task appeared to be unrelated to performance on the choice task for both model and control rats. These results add to what has become increasingly clear: timing is disrupted in humans diagnosed with developmental disabilities and in nonhuman models designed to model developmental disabilities. Our findings are consistent with those of previous work and the first to our knowledge to show such effects in the FMR1 KO rat. We discuss the potential clinical implications and future directions surrounding potential “timing interventions” for individuals diagnosed with developmental disabilities.

AbstractResearchers who use undergraduate participants may be concerned about variation in data quality at different times of the semester. For instance, students who are more self-controlled may get their course credit earlier in the semester whereas those who procrastinate may wait until the end. Therefore, a potential time-of-semester effect may influence research data. This study sought to examine the relation between time of semester and delay discounting (DD)—a process that refers to an individual’s sensitivity to delayed rewards. DD may also directly relate to the decision to participate in research. Undergraduate participants completed money (n = 149) and food (n = 150) DD measures. Patterns in DD were examined across the semester. The number of systematic responders (i.e., those that follow a hyperbolic discounting curve) was also examined to determine the extent to which inattentive or random responding might be related to time of semester. Regression analyses revealed that money DD was consistent and stable across the semester. Food DD, controlling for subjective hunger as a co-variate increased slightly, though significantly, at the end of the semester. The percentage of participants with systematic discounting remained high throughout the semester for money and food DD, however, food DD had more variability, particularly towards the middle of the semester. Therefore, for college students, monetary DD is consistent across time of semester, but food DD slightly increases as the semester ends.

AbstractToken economies are among the oldest and most successful teaching programs in applied behavior analysis. Despite a rich history of basic and applied research on token systems, there remains a research‐to‐practice gap. Our aim in this paper is to bridge this gap between research and application, by providing evidence‐based recommendations and practical guidelines for application of token reinforcement methods. The recommendations in Part 1 are for building a token economy from the ground up, in learners without a history of token reinforcement, whereas those in Part 2 are concerned with existing token economies without regard to how they were established. Although token economies have proven generally effective across a range of settings and populations, they could be even more effective when based on the latest research and theory. Thus, apart from specific recommendations, we hope to show the benefits of an integrated evidence‐based approach to the application of token reinforcement principles in educational and clinical settings.

Foram feitas descrições introdutórias de elementos conceituais importantes para terapeutas comportamentais contextuais. O objetivo é facilitar a aprendizagem desses elementos fundamentais, a partir de descrições simples em linguagem acessível. Foram tratadas oito habilidades consideradas importantes de serem desenvolvidas por terapeutas comportamentais contextuais iniciantes: 1) Ler o ambiente de terapia, o cliente e a si mesmo, a partir de uma visão funcional que inclui o comportamento verbal; 2) Verificar o ambiente, conhecer o mundo do cliente; 3) Construir e manter uma relação terapêutica proveitosa: primeiro ouvir e acolher com empatia, mas, logo, agir; 4) Estabelecer objetivos terapêuticos a partir de análises funcionais amplas ou molares, e não a partir de “comportamentos-problema”; 5) Avaliar concretização de objetivos terapêuticos: cliente muda o seu mundo, e parte desse mundo é você; 6) Conduzir as sessões privilegiando o caráter experiencial (Perguntar menos “porquês” e mais “comos”); 7) Tornar-se obsoleto; 8) Desenvolver outras habilidades constantemente por meio dos estudos e da “experiência de vida”. A ideia é que essas habilidades são subjacentes ao desenvolvimento de competências técnicas relevantes a quaisquer abordagens psicoterápicas comportamentais contextuais. A organização do trabalho foi pensada de modo que tais habilidades estivessem descritas como ações, permitindo que o contato com as sugestões aqui presentes também fosse em alguma medida experiencial. Este texto é um “pretexto” e se pretende base para desenvolver outras habilidades específicas de cada abordagem. Palavras-chave: psicoterapia comportamental contextual; análise comportamental clínica; treinamento de terapeutas; relação terapêutica; processos em psicoterapia.