Applied behavior analysis has built its reputation on rigorous demonstrations of experimental control. The field's hallmark contribution to the behavioral sciences is the single-case experimental design, which allows practitioners and researchers to demonstrate functional relationships between interventions and behavioral outcomes with a high degree of internal validity.
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Join Free →Applied behavior analytic researchers have contributed substantially to knowledge regarding the treatment of behavior that interferes with learning and engagement. The field has historically prioritized internally valid demonstrations of effect, despite calls to consider other indicators of impact (Lambert et al., 2022; Wolf et al., 1978). The measurement of impact is complicated by terminology differences in the field. For example, in some cases, "maintenance" conditions include some or all of the intervention procedures intended to promote maintenance, while others represent intervention removal, intended to measure maintenance (Lambert et al., 2024, Ledford et al., 2023). Similarly, in some cases, "generalization" conditions represent tests in new contexts or with new people, while in other cases, these conditions represent treatment extensions in new contexts (Lambert et al., 2024). Thus, the extent to which interventions for interfering behaviors have broad positive impact is unclear. In this presentation, we will present the results of a systematic review of applied single case studies designed to reduce interfering behaviors in four behavior analytic journals, with a focus on the extent to which the studies included measures of impact. Unlike previous reviews, we coded intervention mechanisms and conditions independently of author use of terms like "generalization" and "maintenance" and found wide variation in maintenance, generalization, and social validity procedures and variable measurement of impact across journals. We will discuss the implications of these findings and their relevance to clinical practice.
| Certification Body | Credits | Type |
|---|---|---|
| BACB® | 1 | Ethics |
Dr. Lambert is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Special Education at Vanderbilt University. He earned his Ph.D. in Disability Disciplines from Utah State University, with an emphasis in Applied Behavior Analysis, and is a Doctoral-level Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA-D). His areas of expertise include functional analysis methodology, function-based interventions, and environmental factors that influence the maintenance of these interventions. He also studies practitioner training. Dr. Lambert has years of experience designing and evaluating function-based interventions for the challenging behavior of individuals with severe disabilities and supervises the applied field experiences of masters- and doctoral-level professionals training to become BCBAs. Lambert has worked in public and private schools and has trained staff in both settings, as well as in group homes and day centers for adults diagnosed with developmental disabilities. Currently, Dr. Lambert serves as co-investigator for a number of federally funded projects and teaches courses in behavior management, methods of instruction, and ethics. He also sits on the editorial board of Behavior Analysis: Research and Practice and is a past board member of Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis.
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279 research articles with practitioner takeaways
252 research articles with practitioner takeaways
224 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.