Discussion and Conceptual Analysis of Four Group Contingencies for Behavioral Process Improvement in an ABA Service Delivery Quality Framework.

Applied behavior analysis (ABA) organizations that provide services to children with autism can apply contingencies to improve employee performance or behavioral processes. Such contingencies may be especially important for maximizing ABA service delivery quality (ASDQ). For some behavioral processes, group contingencies applied to the behavior of individuals within the process may be more appropriate than individualized contingencies.

Correction to: Exploring Quality in the Applied Behavior Analysis Service Delivery Industry.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1007/s40617-021-00627-y.].

Exploring Quality in the Applied Behavior Analysis Service Delivery Industry.

As the applied behavior analysis (ABA) service industry ("the industry") continues to rapidly expand, it faces three major problems. First, ABA service delivery quality (ASDQ) is undefined in ABA research and the industry. Second, we cannot rely exclusively on professional organizations that oversee licensure and certification to control ABA service delivery quality because they do not have control over the relevant contingencies.

Some Dimensions of Mand Variability and Implications for Research and Practice.

Since Skinner's conceptualization of the mand, applied behavior analysis researchers have used the concept to develop stimulus control transfer procedures effective for addressing manding deficits. More recently, researchers have explored the clinical utility of reinforcing mand variability during mand training and functional communication training. However, limitations in the conceptual analysis of mand variability may have limited the kinds of questions addressed in this research and our understanding of the findings.

Brief Experimental Evaluation of Nonremoval of the Cup to Increase Water Consumption.

We describe a novel, brief evaluation of the effects of nonremoval of the cup on the consumption of water in a boy with autism and liquid refusal associated with a feeding disorder. The evaluation demonstrated that nonremoval of the cup, added to noncontingent reinforcement, increased water consumption compared to noncontingent reinforcement alone. This finding replicates prior research and provides practitioners with a brief experimental method for quickly determining a client's responsiveness to nonremoval of the cup.

Replication and Extension of the Effects of Lag Schedules on Mand Variability and Challenging Behavior During Functional Communication Training.

More is known about how to reduce challenging behavior with functional communication training (FCT) than how to mitigate its resurgence during or following a course of treatment. Research suggests reinforcing mand variability during FCT may mitigate the resurgence of challenging behavior, but validated procedures for reinforcing mand variability are limited and poorly understood. Lag schedules can reinforce variability in verbal behavior such as manding in individuals with autism, but studies have been largely limited to nonvocal mand modalities.

Effects of the High-Probability Instructional Sequence in Children With Feeding Disorders: A Synthesis.

The high-probability (high-p) instructional sequence is an intervention commonly used to increase compliance in a variety of skill domains, including compliance with low-probability (low-p) mealtime demands in children with pediatric feeding disorders. However, the effects of the high-p sequence on feeding have varied across studies, a systematic synthesis of the literature to guide practice and further research is lacking, and whether the high-p sequence, as an intervention for feeding problems, meets current evidence-based practice standards in special education is unknown. First, we conducted a systematic multistep search, identified seven studies that met inclusion criteria, and synthesized participant and study characteristics.

Effects of a Lag Schedule with Progressive Time Delay on Sign Mand Variability in a Boy with Autism.

For some children with autism, mand training can produce highly repetitive manding unless the environment is arranged in a manner that promotes mand variability. Prior research demonstrated that mand training using a lag schedule and progressive time delay increased variability in vocal manding in children with autism. Whether lag schedules have similar effects on sign mand topographies is unknown.

Failure to Replicate the Effects of the High-Probability Instructional Sequence on Feeding in Children With Autism and Food Selectivity.

Behavioral intervention has positive effects on feeding problems of children with autism and food selectivity (FS), and researchers have evaluated a variety of specific behavioral interventions. Confidence in the effects of some specific interventions on feeding such as the high-probability instructional sequence (HPS) is limited by a lack of replication. Therefore, we assessed the generality of the HPS by replicating the intervention in children with autism and FS.

Lag Schedules and Functional Communication Training: Persistence of Mands and Relapse of Problem Behavior.

We evaluated the effects of lag schedules of reinforcement and functional communication training (FCT) on mand variability and problem behavior in two children with autism spectrum disorder. Specifically, we implemented FCT with increasing lag schedules and compared its effects on problem behavior with baseline conditions. The results showed that both participants exhibited low rates of problem behavior during treatment relative to baseline during and following schedule thinning (up to a Lag 5 schedule arrangement).

Effects of a lag schedule of reinforcement with progressive time delay on topographical mand variability in children with autism.

Objective: Evaluate the effects of a Lag 1 schedule of reinforcement and progressive time delay (TD) on topographical mand variability in children with autism.

Methods: Using single-subject design methodology, a multiple baseline across behaviors with embedded reversal design was employed. During Lag 0, reinforcement was delivered contingent on any independent instances of manding.

Synthesis of Applied Behavior Analytic Interventions for Packing in Pediatric Feeding Disorders.

Packing, which consists of holding food in the mouth for an extended time during meals, is a form of disordered feeding associated with pediatric feeding disorders. The behavior can disrupt the pace and completion of a meal and lead to increased risk of choking, inadequate food and liquid intake, and elevated caregiver stress associated with mealtimes. Applied behavior analysis research has developed and evaluated behavioral interventions to improve feeding by reducing packing.

Translational evaluation of a lag schedule and variability in food consumed by a boy with autism and food selectivity.

Purpose: To evaluate the effects of a lag schedule of positive reinforcement on variability in food consumed by a boy with autism and food selectivity.

Methods: Using single-subject experimental design methodology, an ABAB design was employed. During lag 0 (condition A), high-preferred toys were delivered contingent on consumption of any food.

Chemosensory responsiveness to ethanol and its individual sensory components in alcohol-preferring, alcohol-nonpreferring and genetically heterogeneous rats.

Alcohol activates orosensory circuits that project to motivationally relevant limbic forebrain areas that control appetite, feeding and drinking. To date, limited data exists regarding the contribution of chemosensory-derived ethanol reinforcement to ethanol preference and consumption. Measures of taste reactivity to intra-orally infused ethanol have not found differences in initial orofacial responses to alcohol between alcohol-preferring (P) and alcohol-non-preferring (NP) genetically selected rat lines.

Reduced oral ethanol avoidance in mice lacking transient receptor potential channel vanilloid receptor 1.

Ethanol is a known oral trigeminal stimulant and recent data indicate that these effects are mediated in part by transient receptor potential channel vanilloid receptor 1 (TRPV1). The importance of this receptor in orally mediated ethanol avoidance is presently unknown. Here, we compared orosensory responding to ethanol in TRPV1-deficient and wild type mice in a brief-access paradigm that assesses orosensory influences by measuring immediate licking responses to small stimulus volumes.

Age-related changes in conditioned flavor preference in rats.

Age-related changes have been documented in regions of the brain shown to process reward information. However, few studies have examined the effects of aging on associative memory for reward. The present study tested 7- and 24-month-old rats on a conditioned flavor preference task.