The concept of assent has emerged as one of the most important ethical and clinical considerations in contemporary behavior analysis. While consent has long been a cornerstone of ethical practice across healthcare disciplines, assent addresses a distinct and equally important dimension of client autonomy: the ongoing, observable indicators that a client is willing to participate in the therapeutic process.
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Join Free →The recent updates to the Behavior Analysis Certification Board Ethics Code and the calls for compassionate care have underscored the importance of re-evaluating behavior research and clinical practices. Specifically, the need for a clear and functional definition of assent, as well as training practitioners to recognize and implement assent-based practices, has become evident. This symposium aims to deepen the understanding and application of assent within the behavior analytic community through a series of comprehensive discussions and analyses, addressing both theoretical foundations and practical applications.
| Certification Body | Credits | Type |
|---|---|---|
| BACB® | 1.5 | Ethics |
Anna M. Linnehan is an Assistant Professor of Behavioral Science for the Institute for Applied Behavior Analysis and a professor at Endicott College. Dr. Linnehan earned her masters and doctoral degrees in Applied Behavior Analysis from Endicott College, Beverly, MA. She began her career as a professional chemist and has a passion for improving the lives of others through science. Her research utilizes the Goldiamond-Layng Theory, a behavioral contingency analytic account of emotions, paired with instructional design to teach emotional concepts to develop programs to help individuals identify and problem solve their own emotions and emotional behavior. Additionally, she is passionate in the dissemination of nonlinear contingency analysis and programming based on Israel Goldiamond’s constructional approach toward the application of assent based procedures.. Dr. Linnehan is also interested in the application of signal detection theory to analyze decisions and decision-making behavior. She recently co-authored a book, Decisions and Judgments in Ambiguous Situations: A Conceptual Introduction to Signal Detection Theory, with Dr. T. V. Joe Layng. She was also an editor as well as contributing author on the book Perspectives on Neurodiveristy and Belonging: Reflections for Behavior Analysts. She has also served as a member of review boards for a variety of behavioral journals and serves as an Advisor of the Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies. As a professor, Anna enjoys teaching behavioral science at the undergraduate, masters and doctoral levels.
Dig into the research behind this topic — plain-English summaries written for BCBAs.
280 research articles with practitioner takeaways
279 research articles with practitioner takeaways
258 research articles with practitioner takeaways
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All behavior-analytic intervention is individualized. The information on this page is for educational purposes and does not constitute clinical advice. Treatment decisions should be informed by the best available published research, individualized assessment, and obtained with the informed consent of the client or their legal guardian. Behavior analysts are responsible for practicing within the boundaries of their competence and adhering to the BACB Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts.