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AbstractThe Brief Experimental Analysis (BEA) is an effective method for identifying interventions to improve academic skills but rarely been applied to individuals with writing deficits and individuals with intellectual disabilities. This study extends the BEA literature by identifying effective writing interventions to increase writing speed for a 16‐year‐old female with an intellectual disability. A BEA was used to evaluate four interventions (i.e., tracing, oral instruction, fixed ratio reinforcement, and response dependent reinforcer magnitude) for writing speed. Results identified fixed ratio reinforcement and response dependent reinforcer magnitude as most effective in increasing writing speed; results maintained over an extended treatment evaluation.

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AbstractGoal setting is a component of many behavior‐change interventions, with the Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time‐Bound (SMART) goal‐setting method being a commonly used strategy. The current study used a multiple‐baseline across participants design to evaluate the efficacy of behavioral skills training (BST) to teach individuals to set health‐related SMART goals in response to multiple hypothetical health scenarios. Participant attempts at goal setting were scored according to a task analysis encompassing each major element of SMART goals. Goal‐setting performance noticeably improved following an average of 1.25 h of BST, and participants rated the intervention and outcomes favorably.

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AbstractRecently, there has been a call for the application of behavior analytic technology to more diverse domains. Although general‐case procedures are most often applied in autism service delivery, they can be applied to more diverse domains ranging from organizational behavior management to public health initiatives. This literature review, therefore, provides an overview of technological descriptions of general‐case procedures and their applications in areas other than autism intervention. Evaluated variables include the population, independent and dependent variables, generalization measures, and social validity assessments. The results suggest that most researchers are not using a technological description of general‐case procedures nor are they assessing for generalization. Recommendations for future researchers and clinicians include better descriptions of general‐case procedures, evaluation with different populations, assessment of acceptability and more comprehensive evaluations of generalization.

AbstractHygiene is an important area related to personal health and socialization. Regular toothbrushing can prevent painful procedures related to tooth decay and gum disease and reduce bad breath and plaque that may interfere with social and professional acceptance. Unfortunately, many individuals with disabilities do not engage in regular and thorough preventative dental hygiene, placing them at risk for oral disease. Using a multiple baseline design, three participants who independently brushed their teeth but did not brush frequently or thoroughly were taught to self‐evaluate and record using a self‐management (SM) checklist. The findings of this study suggest that SM may be a helpful method for improving the frequency and quality of toothbrushing. Outcomes regarding supporting individuals to achieve maximal independence in these essential life skills are discussed.

AbstractImpulsive choice describes a preference for a smaller‐sooner reward (SSR) over a larger‐later reward (LLR). A large body of research has examined different procedures for decreasing impulsive choice in nonhuman subjects. One limitation of these procedures is the extensive training duration required to achieve the desired results. To address this limitation, the current experiment examined the effects of a brief course of Pavlovian training, designed to establish a conditioned stimulus (CS) that could be strategically used to encourage LLR choices. Forty male Long‐Evans rats were randomly assigned to appetitive Pavlovian or unpaired training. A lever insertion signaled an upcoming unconditioned stimulus (i.e., food presentation) for Pavlovian rats and it acquired CS properties. The lever was uncorrelated with the US in the unpaired group, and it did not acquire CS properties. In the subsequent impulsive‐choice assessment, the lever from the training phase served as the lever rats pressed to choose the LLR. After an LLR choice, the lever remained in the chamber during the delay to the LLR, just as the SSR lever remained in the chamber until that reward was delivered. Pavlovian‐trained rats sign tracked toward the lever CS and made significantly fewer impulsive choices than did rats in the unpaired group.

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AbstractStaff implementation fidelity of behavioral interventions is an ongoing challenge in many educational settings. The Performance Diagnostic Checklist‐Human Services (PDC‐HS) is one tool that may be effective in identifying effective solutions to identified staff performance issues. This study examined the use of the PDC‐HS to assess and identify interventions for increasing staff delivery of token reinforcers within a Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) school‐wide system. Participants included five classroom teachers, ranging from 2 to 22 years of teaching experience. A concurrent multiple baseline design across participants was used including a baseline condition, implementation of a non‐indicated intervention based on the PDC‐HS, and implementation of a PDC‐HS indicated intervention. The number of teacher‐delivered tokens per school day was measured across the study. Results indicated participants' daily number of delivered tokens increased following implementation of the PDC‐HS indicated intervention.

AbstractThe disequilibrium theory suggests restricting a behavior below baseline levels will induce response deficit and make that behavior a more impactful reinforcer. This reinforcement principle was incorporated into a behavior change project for eight students, where the instrumental behavior was homework, and the contingent behavior was social media (SM) access. Students self‐selected their level of SM access deficit and completed both a baseline and treatment phase during the first 8 weeks of an undergraduate learning and behavior course. Most students increased daily homework rates during treatment relative to baseline, although the average increase was not statistically significant. Daily SM rates were significantly decreased during treatment relative to baseline, which was evidence of response deficit. Students rated the behavior change project high on most social validity measures. These results indicate that behavior change projects based on the disequilibrium theory are a viable way to induce changes in socially significant behaviors.