Teaching Graduate Students to Translate Nonbehavioral Treatments Into Behavioral Principles
A quick BST lesson turns jargon-filled treatment plans into clear behavior-speak that teams can actually use.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Bowman and colleagues trained graduate students to turn non-ABA ideas into plain behavior language.
They used a short BST package: instructions, model, practice, and feedback.
The class met in a university clinic; no kids were present.
What they found
After the BST package, students wrote fuller behavioral translations.
Their answers included clear operant terms and skipped the fluff.
How this fits with other research
Harper et al. (2023) ran almost the same BST package with nurses and clinicians. Both studies saw big gains in one month, so the effect replicates across jobs.
Kirkpatrick et al. (2021) also used BST in a university class, but taught token-economy setup instead of translation. Same method, new skill—showing BST works for many college lessons.
Schreck et al. (2025) extended the model by adding gamified quizzes to teach ethics. Students became even more independent, hinting that you can level-up Bowman’s package with game elements.
Why it matters
You can copy this four-step BST in your next staff meeting or grad class. Pick any non-behavioral plan—sensory diet, social story, floor time—and walk learners through translate-and-practice rounds. Ten extra minutes up front can save hours of later confusion with speech, OT, or teachers who speak a different language.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Behavior analytic translations of nonbehavioral treatments were recommended by Brodhead in Behavior Analysis in Practice, 8(1), 70–78 (2015) as part of a decision-making framework for practitioners working on interprofessional treatment teams. Professionals from different disciplines often have overlapping scopes of practice and competence, yet each recommends interventions according to their discipline-specific worldview and training. Nonbehavioral treatment recommendations may be especially challenging for behavior analytic practitioners who are committed to the science of human behavior and who are also ethically obligated to work cooperatively and in the best interest of the client. Learning to translate nonbehavioral treatments into behavior analytic principles and procedures may function as a valuable means of improving professional judgment, thereby promoting evidence-based practice and effective collaboration. Behavioral translations may expose procedures that are, in fact, conceptually systematic, creating more opportunities for behavior analysts to partner in interprofessional care. Using a behavioral skills training package, graduate students of applied behavior analysis were taught to translate nonbehavioral treatments into behavior analytic principles and procedures. All students produced more comprehensive translations following training.
Behavior Analysis in Practice, 2023 · doi:10.1007/s40617-022-00736-2