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Recent behavior analytic research has demonstrated that the provision of applied behavior analytic services via direct telehealth can be an effective teaching modality for some learners with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Historically, teaching procedures based on applied behavior analysis (ABA), including discrete trial teaching (DTT), have been provided and evaluated via in-person delivery. This study sought to compare the implementation of DTT via direct telehealth to DTT implemented in-person within and across participants. Specifically, this study evaluated the two delivery modalities in terms of skill acquisition, maintenance, efficiency, and learner responding during teaching sessions. Results of an adapted alternating treatments design nested into a multiple baseline design demonstrated that all three participants diagnosed with ASD met the mastery criteria for the expressive labels taught. Areas of future research, participant prerequisite skills, and clinical implications will be discussed in the context of these results.

There are three branches of science of behavior analysis [i.e., experimental analysis of behavior, behavior analysis, and applied behavior analysis (ABA)]. ABA can be defined as a systematic approach to understanding behavior of social interest. For the past 40 plus years, researchers have evaluated ABA and ABA based procedures (e.g., behavioral intervention) as they relate to individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and have implemented behavioral intervention in clinical settings for individuals diagnosed with ASD. In this paper, we discuss some of the pivotal contributions in the field of ABA in research and clinical practice. Additionally, we provide recommendations for the science and clinical practice of behavioral intervention in the next 40 years., (© 2020. Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Telehealth research in the field of applied behavior analysis (ABA) has focused on the training and supervision of others to implement various behavior analytic procedures. Current guidelines for practicing telehealth suggest that direct telehealth services may be appropriate for some individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, but more research is needed. This study evaluated the effects of discrete trial teaching with instructive feedback in a dyad arrangement delivered directly via telehealth to teach tact relations to 6 children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. All participants and the experimenter were located in different physical locations. All participants learned their primary and secondary targets, and 5 of the participants acquired the observational primary and secondary targets without direct teaching. Areas of future research and clinical implications are discussed in the context of telehealth service delivery., (© 2020 Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior (SEAB).)

Leaf and colleagues (2016) provided a definition and description of progressive applied behavior analysis (ABA) in the context of autism treatment in which a behavior analyst takes a structured, yet flexible, approach to treatment that is responsive to the learner and includes on-going, in-the-moment analysis of teaching. Since Leaf and colleagues' publication, there have been many research and dissemination advancements across the domains outlined in the original paper. This includes advancements in the types of progressive procedures implemented, instructional arrangements, progressive reinforcement strategies, preventive functional analysis, progressive discrete trial teaching, data collection, progressive curriculum development, and staff training. The purpose of this paper is to highlight these advances citing peer-reviewed research where possible. Although many advancements have occurred, there is still a great need in the field of ABA for more clinicians and researchers to evaluate and implement procedures associated with the progressive approach to ABA. The paper will conclude with a call to action for behavior analysts to move away from rigid, protocolized, and conventional ABA practices and move towards implementing progressive ABA.

To ensure the quality of training, skills developed and maintained, and expected standards for behavior analysts, several systems have been put into place across the years. Of these systems, perhaps the most widespread was the development of the Behavior Analyst Certification Board in 1998. Once all requirements are met, the final determinative step in obtaining certification is a multiple-choice examination. The use of a multiple-choice examination as the final determinative step in obtaining behavior analytic certification may create some concerns for behavior analysts. Identification of a positive correlation between the multiple-choice examination and performance may help ameliorate these concerns. The purpose of this study was to evaluate any potential correlations between scores on a popular commercially available prep examination and basic applied behavior analysis (ABA)--based autism intervention procedures with 25 professionals. Overall, the results indicated that multiple-choice examination scores were not significantly correlated with any assessments of performance.

There are three branches of science of behavior analysis [i.e., experimental analysis of behavior, behavior analysis, and applied behavior analysis (ABA)]. ABA can be defined as a systematic approach to understanding behavior of social interest. For the past 40 plus years, researchers have evaluated ABA and ABA based procedures (e.g., behavioral intervention) as they relate to individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and have implemented behavioral intervention in clinical settings for individuals diagnosed with ASD. In this paper, we discuss some of the pivotal contributions in the field of ABA in research and clinical practice. Additionally, we provide recommendations for the science and clinical practice of behavioral intervention in the next 40 years.

The Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB®) created a third level of certification, the Registered Behavior Technician™ (RBT®) in 2014. The RBT® was created based upon the requests of stakeholders who wanted to credential those individuals who make direct contact with clients under the supervision of a Board Certified Behavior Analyst®. There has been tremendous growth in the number of RBTs® with over 60,000 individuals certified to date. The BACB® recently sent out a newsletter outlining changes to the RBT® certification, including the processes of training, supervising, and becoming an RBT®. These changes represent a number of potential concerns. The purpose of this paper is to highlight these concerns and to propose solutions to improve the RBT® certification.

Montrose Wolf provided a definition and outline of the importance of the assessment of social validity as it applies to the field of applied behavior analysis. Since Wolf's seminal paper, researchers have conducted analyses of the social validity trends of the first 31 years (1968-1998) of the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis (JABA). The purpose of the current review is to extend the findings those analyses by assessing the trends of the assessment of social validity in JABA from 1999-2016. Overall, the results of the present review indicated that social validity measures were reported in an average of 12% of articles published within JABA that met the inclusion criteria. The results are discussed within the context of the potential implications for the field of applied behavior analysis as well as areas of future research to improve the reporting of the assessment of social validity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]