The progressive ABA approach described in this course, presented by Justin Leaf and colleagues from Queen's University Belfast, challenges ABA practitioners to examine a genuine risk in clinical practice: the drift toward reductionist, protocol-driven intervention that prioritizes procedural consistency over individualized, responsive clinical reasoning. This is not a critique of ABA as a science but a call to maintain the spirit of scientific inquiry that distinguishes genuine applied behavior analysis from rote program implementation.
Provider: BehaviorLive — via Queens University Belfast
Take This Course →Including ethics, supervision, and topics like this one. New live CEU every Wednesday.
Join Free →Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is a science and, therefore, involves progressive approaches and outcomes. In this presentation we will argue that the spirit and the method of science should be maintained in order to avoid reductionist procedures, stifled innovation, and rote, unresponsive protocols that become increasingly removed from meaningful progress for individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We describe this approach as progressive. In a progressive ABA approach, the therapist employs a structured yet flexible process, which is contingent upon and responsive to child progress. We will describe progressive ABA and provide rationales for both the substance and intent of ABA as a progressive scientific method for improving conditions of social relevance for individuals with ASD. We will provide the audience with data from recent studies on how Progressive ABA can be implemented to individuals diagnosed with ASD; as well as our findings in clinical practice. LEARNING OBJECTIVES At the conclusion of the presentation, the participants will be able to: 1. identify and describe at least five factors that go into clinical judgment. 2. identify and describe at least two findings from the research on the effects of Progressive ABA as it relates to individuals diagnosed with ASD. 3. compare and contrast Progressive ABA to conventional ABA across at least three dimensions.
| Certification Body | Credits | Type |
|---|---|---|
| BACB® | 1 | General |
Justin Leaf, Ph.D., is the Chief Clinical Officer for Autism Partnership Foundation, the Executive Director for the Progressive Behavior Analyst Autism Council, the Associate Director for ABA Doctoral Studies at Endicott College, and the Executive Director for Contemporary Behavior Consultants. Justin received his doctorate degree in Behavioral Psychology from the Department of Applied Behavioral Science at the University of Kansas. His research interests include Progressive ABA, improving behavioral intervention, social behavior, and methodologies to improve the lives of autistic/individuals diagnosed with ASD. Justin has over 100 publications in either peer reviewed journals, books, or book chapters and has presented at both national and international professional conferences and invited events. Justin has served on numerous editorial boards for behavior analytic and autism journals
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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.