Browse and get access to our library of past webinars below! From caregiver training to IEPs to toilet training and self care, our webinars cover a variety of topics aimed at making you the best ABA professional you can be! Please note that CEU certificates are only awarded for synchronous (live) attendance at this time, but please watch, engage, and learn all you like below! Want to get our VBU updates straight to your inbox? Join our mailing list here!
Skinner’s analysis of verbal behavior has paved the way for an effective and efficient function-based approach to teaching language to children with developmental disabilities. This talk will describe recent advances in verbal behavior research. Central themes will consist of optimal procedures to teach tacts and intraverbals, as well as optimal procedures to support the development of emergent responding across verbal operants. We will also discuss procedures to teach two languages to children from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds. We expect that the audience will learn how to select, develop, and implement empirically-based procedures to teach verbal behavior to their clients.
The discussion of Trauma- Informed Care (TIC) is becoming more prevalent within the field of Applied Behavior Analysis. Historically, behavior analysis has heavily relied on punishment and extinction based procedures. As our ethics continue to guide us away from said strategies, we are left with the debate between effectiveness versus TIC. Our longstanding effective interventions are being called into question by individuals of the neurodiversity population, some of which are previous consumers of ABA therapy. Fox and Azrin, Iwata, and Lovaas have been long-standing leaders in the field for effective treatment; however, full physical prompts, DTT, and punishment are being scrutinized by today’s pioneers of trauma-informed care. Furthermore, Hanley and others have demonstrated that evoking dangerous problem behavior for the sake of analysis may not be clinically necessary. As the debate continues, ABA clinicians are left with the risk-benefit analysis of procedures developed for effectiveness and others brought about by today’s leaders in TIC. Social significance has always been a core value in the field of ABA, therefore, we would like to open the discussion of behavior analytic practices through a trauma informed lens.
Seeking and obtaining assent from clients and research participants is an important component of behavior analytic practice and research. However, typical assent procedures primarily rely on spoken and written communication that may not be feasible for individuals with significant communication difficulties. Thus, practitioners serving individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and related developmental disabilities (DD) who have limited communication abilities may need to utilize alternative methods for seeking assent. The purpose of this presentation is to introduce assent and related concepts, discuss the importance of assent, and propose practical strategies for obtaining assent with clients who cannot assent through traditional means.
Supervision is a necessary and constantly ongoing component of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and our professions as BCBAs. Effective supervision is a practice that includes not only the components as outlined in the BACB Professional and Ethical Compliance Code for Behavior Analysts but applying these principles to strategies and practices that positively impact supervisees and consumers. This presentation will review five core principles of supervision as Behavior Analysts and discuss competency-based, ethical, and socially valid approaches to improving supervision. Through goal setting, checklists and self-evaluation; and supervision standards, a BCBA can improve their overall abilities as a supervisor.
In this presentation, we will review the rationale behind the importance of teaching sexual education topics to individuals with disabilities. We will utilize the most current research, as well as draw from current experts in the field to include reviewing AASECT guidelines. We will also explore the ethical considerations as well as the lack of resources for this extremely important topic. Additionally, safety concerns/potential triggering statistics will be discussed. An appropriate warning will be given to participants.
Whether you are a clinician, supervisor, director, or executive, your business as a BCBA is two-fold: do good for the client and do good for the business. That second area is where business acumen comes in. Having an understanding of how to understand, approach and manage business situations to lead to good outcomes is what business acumen is all about. Companies across the globe dedicate professional development opportunities for staff to learn about means to improve performance for the company such as executive level thinking, financial literacy, operations, and leadership skills. This course intends to provide participants with a starting point for developing and improving business acumen. Everyone contributes to the bottom line in many ways, therefore, each has an ability to improve it and for the BCBA business acumen will provide a wealth of knowledge and know-how for their career for years to come.
This training will provide a review of best practices for supervision according to recent research as well as a review of updates to the Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts (2022) and BCBA Task List (5th Ed.) with regards to supervision. Behavior skills training and performance monitoring and feedback will be covered. Practical tools for initial training and ongoing supervision of RBTs will be discussed.
Professionals around the world have dedicated their practice to making a positive difference in the workplace using a science-based approach unlike any other— organizational behavior management (OBM). With deep roots in industrial engineering and behaviorism, OBM tackles business-world challenges with precision and focus to help organizations achieve superior performance. This webinar will teach some core concepts, principles, and methodologies from the science of OBM. Additionally, the instructor will provide case examples, tips and traps to avoid, and a new take on structuring an OBM project for your future OBM endeavors.
Approximately 70% of individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder will experience difficulties related to falling or staying asleep at some time in their lives. Difficulties with sleep-related behavior can add additional stress to parents who may not know how to address these behaviors and may already be struggling with daytime problem behaviors. Additionally, deficits in sleep-related behavior also make it more difficult for individuals to attend to tasks, affects the rate of skill acquisition, and may increase the likelihood of maladaptive behaviors occurring. Research has indicated that interventions based on the principles of behavior are an effective strategy to decrease sleep-related problem behavior and increase deficit behaviors such as falling asleep quickly and staying asleep through the night. However, many behavior analysts do not have training or experience related to sleep behaviors. With training, behavior analysts can identify and implement interventions pertaining to sleep-related behavior and help caregivers establish healthy sleep behaviors and patterns. This presentation will discuss how behavioral principles can be applied to sleep-related behaviors such as co-sleeping, following bedtime routines, going to sleep, and nightly awakenings. Additionally, the presenters will discuss how to identify behavioral interventions related to different sleep-related behaviors.
Proper diet and nutrition is important for all children as they grow. However, this is especially true for children with autism considering that many of these children display some form of food selectivity, which often impacts health, development, and behavior. Navigating the number of diets and options for enhancing nutrition can be confusing for the behavior analyst. However, it is critical that providers be aware of the nutritional interventions and how these may impact the child with autism.
As a manager or supervisor, you’ve undoubtedly tried various methods to train your staff. Did you know that you can apply principles of behavior analysis to teach job skills, and that those methods produce results superior to traditional, lecture-based training? B.F. Skinner was an instructional design pioneer who, in the 1950s, recognized poorly designed materials used in education at all levels, along with a need to remedy the situation. This program starts with these historical roots and provides practical advice for identifying instructional needs for your staff, and then designing, developing, and implementing instruction to meet those needs.
This webinar will help orient you to the new ethics code, increase your comfort level with the new standards, changes to current standards and apply the Code to common case scenarios. An overview of the Code’s scope, four core principles of the Code’s foundation along with how to use the Code, taking into account ethical decision making and enforcement procedures will be reviewed.
Behavior-analytic procedures (e.g., differential reinforcement of alternative behavior, discrete trial instruction, behavioral skills training) are extremely effective when implemented as designed (i.e., with high procedural fidelity). However, procedural fidelity errors are common across many settings. Thus, carefully measuring procedural fidelity is of the utmost importance. This webinar will describe why measuring procedural fidelity is important in the context of research and practice, recent research on impacts of fidelity errors during behavior-analytic procedures, and methods to enhance the effectiveness of procedural fidelity data collection, analysis, and subsequent feedback delivery.
This webinar will provide an overview of trauma and trauma-informed care as it relates to Applied Behavior Analysis. Contrary to popular belief, trauma-informed care and best practice within ABA can work together in a treatment package. Attendees will be able to define trauma and trauma-informed care as it applies it to the populations with whom they work. An overview of contra-indicated ABA protocols and practices will be reviewed so that the attendee can review the trauma history of an individual and assess whether or not certain practices are appropriate. An overview of ABA practices that are aligned with a trauma-informed framework will be reviewed and tied to behavioral functions.
This training will provide an overview of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems and related behavior analytic research. A basic introduction to no-, low-, and high-tech systems will be provided. Rationale for when, why, and which AAC systems should be considered for a learner will be discussed. A case study will be presented to review behavior analytic training methods for teaching providers, clients, and caregivers to use an AAC system. Participants will leave with an understanding of how to collaborate with other providers to implement research based and data driven communication instruction using an AAC system.
Every Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) organization wants to provide care that is of excellent quality. Typically, quality assurance is a critical component of oversight in many human care services. ABA is a growing profession in which few models have been developed that outline best practices for standard development and quality assurance. In this presentation, we will discuss the fundamentals of quality control and improvement by sharing the best practice recommendations in standard development and objective program evaluation. Finally, we will discuss the need for behavior analysts to unite and recognize the urgent need for the adoption of established quality control systems, developed by behavior analysts, before stakeholders, such as insurance providers, begin to institute systems to gain quality control.
Every Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) organization wants to provide care that is of excellent quality. Typically, quality assurance is a critical component of oversight in many human care services. ABA is a growing profession in which few models have been developed that outline best practices for standard development and quality assurance. In this presentation, the fundamentals of quality control and improvement by sharing the best practice recommendations in standard development and objective program evaluation will be discussed. Finally, the need for behavior analysts to unite and recognize the urgent need for adoption of established quality control systems, developed by behavior analysts, before stakeholders, such as insurance providers, begin to institute systems to gain quality control will also be discussed.
This Advanced-level presentation will review literature related to verbal behavior with a focus on joint control, verbal conditional discrimination, recombinative generalization, mands for information and faulty stimulus control. A review of literature related to each of these topics will be presented. Attendees will learn to apply the literature through discussion on prerequisite skills, identification of skills and importance of each of these areas of verbal behavior.
An exploration of empirically-based interventions for reducing vocal stereotypy in individuals with autism. Vocal stereotypy is prevalent in many individuals with autism spectrum disorder and can negatively impact skill acquisition and social interactions. This presentation will outline the process of developing a comprehensive plan for reducing the occurrence of vocal stereotypy. Applied research on a variety of antecedent and response interventions will be reviewed and discussed, including recent research on Response Interruption and Redirection (RIRD).
When it comes to ethics and unethical behavior, there is much written about for people to consume. Philosophy and theory, concepts and principles, qualitative research, and of course professional codes of conduct to name a few. However, little is written about ethics from the perspective of individuals who have been alleged as unethical, those who admitted to unethical behavior, and those who implement and work within policies, procedures and practices related to ethics. This presentation provides a unique perspective into ethical practices within ABA companies and unethical behavior from a practitioners perspective. The presentation will focus on experiences from the presenter’s own experience, experiences from executives, BCBAs and RBTs of organizations the presenter interviewed, and related literature on ethics in the workplace. The goal is to stimulate thinking around how to further prevent and avoid unethical behavior, how to encourage ethical behavior, and offer some perspective to enable ABA companies to strive for an ethical workplace culture.
This webinar will highlight how to assess, teach, generalize and evaluate individualized social skills. We will explore ways to discretely teach social skills to individuals in their home or community settings, without group instruction, so they may be able to transition to group learning settings in the future. Although many individuals could benefit from group instruction, they many not yet have the prerequisite skills to be successful in group learning environments.
Functional assessments are an essential component of treating maladaptive behaviors (e.g., self-injury, aggression, and property destruction) in individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). However, a comprehensive review of the behavior analytic literature indicates that practitioners often do not conduct formal functional assessments because there are a number of barriers to implementation (e.g., labor intensive, require extensive training, and additional safety precautions due to reinforcement of maladaptive behaviors). Although many studies have been conducted on the standard functional analysis, results are mixed in terms of social validity and effectiveness (Hanley, 2012). Research conducted by Hanley (2012) resulted in the development of an alternative functional assessment process that has shown to be more efficient, safer, and easier to conduct in comparison to standard functional analysis procedures. An overview of the literature regarding traditional functional assessment processes in behavior analysis will serve as a foundational framework for introduction to the Interview-Informed Synthesized Contingency Analysis (IISCA) and subsequent Practical Functional Assessment (PFA) and Skills-based Treatment (SBT).
Traditional escape extinction procedures (i.e., not allowing escape from the teaching environment or demand) often evoke negative side effects (e.g., increased target behavior, property destruction, aggression, tantrum behaviors, and novel maladaptive behaviors) and may impede the development of the learner-clinician relationship (Schramm & Miller, 2014). This procedure is not universally effective and may be socially unacceptable to caregivers, teachers, and other providers. The Seven Steps to Earning Instructional Control offers clinicians an alternative treatment route to obtaining compliance instead of physically blocking or guiding a learner to engage in a task or remain in the teaching environment (Schramm & Miller, 2014). The Seven Steps to Instructional Control involves maintaining control over the learner’s reinforcers, obtaining compliance and building rapport, “saying what you mean, meaning what you say,” systematically increasing the variable ratio of reinforcement, providing reinforcement for following simple directions, identifying the learner’s priorities, and showing the learner that maladaptive behaviors do not yield any access to reinforcers. An overview of the behavior-analytic research on escape extinction procedures will serve as a foundational framework for implementation of the Seven Steps to Earning Instructional Control.
Presented by Dr. A. Charles Catania, this presentation covers selection of behavior by its consequences; contingencies of reinforcement and aversive control; stimulus control and attention; and sources of novel behavior. We’ll examine the rationales behind important behavioral language practices, such as (i) specifying what’s reinforced by what in arranging and/or interpreting reinforcement contingencies, (ii) describing behavior in the context of three-term or higher-order contingencies, (iii) distinguishing between positive and negative reinforcement, (iv) emphasizing the behavior of attending in the analysis of stimulus control, and (v) treating complex behavior in terms of multiple causation. We’ll identify and address misrepresentations of behavior analytic concepts and practices, the benefits and pitfalls of translations between technical and colloquial vocabularies, practices that tempt us to attribute behavior to weakly defined entities such as personality types, and how these basic concepts and their terminology can be used to improve our applications of behavior analysis.
BCBA’s strive to make meaningful progress by creating and implementing skill acquisition and behavior reduction programs when working with children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. In order for these interventions to be truly successful and socially significant, they must be able to be effectively maintained and generalized outside of ABA sessions to the clients daily life with caregivers. However, BCBA’s often report difficulties with caregiver adherence to interventions. We will break down some potential barriers to caregiver adherence to implementing effective interventions, as well as ways to set up these trainings for success. We will discuss the importance for BCBA’s to incorporate and move towards a compassionate care approach in their caregiver training.
As supervisors, we often see burnout in various forms. We know it happens. Do we know what it looks like and how to mediate it and its effects? This presentation will review burnout from the perspective of all work burnout and ABA-specific burnout, which occurs at a high rate, according to research. You’ll learn how to break down the behavioral processes leading to workplace stress and explore the ways in which OBM can help prevent and/or lessen the impact of burnout.
This training will review the history and the current behavior analytic research on toilet training within the context of practical application to teaching this skill. Toilet training is an important safety skill and independent toileting allows for increased dignity as well as increased opportunities for accessing social and educational environments. This training will discuss readiness skills for toileting, least-to-most intrusive teaching methods for toileting training, and troubleshooting for common toilet training problems. Participants will leave with an understanding of how to approach toilet training with the individuals with which they work and why this skill is of utmost importance.
This training will discuss the ethical dilemmas that professionals may encounter when dealing with technology. The use of multiple forms of social media, texting, Facetime, and telehealth in professional practice has been increasingly emphasized in the recent weeks. Participants will discuss what ethical codes, according to the BACB, could be at risk when using technology in your personal and professional life. This training will take actual examples of ethical dilemmas using various forms of technologies and allow the participants to use the decision hierarchy to figure out what steps need to be taken.
This presentation will explore how behavioral analysts can collaborate with other scientists and researchers to help communities successfully implement behavior changes when fighting epidemics. We will discuss the need for community behavior change from things like increased vaccination rates to increased compliance to quarantine measures. Participants will engage in interactive group responses and discussions about ways they can collaborate and contribute in the current fight against COVID-19.
When given a choice, most people would prefer to have rewards sooner rather than later, and more rather than less. Delay discounting occurs when the perceived value of a reward decreases as the time to its receipt increases. In general, people tend to make less than optimal choices when rewards are associated with delayed reinforcement. Higher rates of delay discounting have been associated with a variety of choices that are less than optimal, such as smoking, unhealthy eating habits, drug use, and gambling. This presentation will provide an overview of the literature, implications for treatment, and strategies to overcoming issues associated with delay discounting.
Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) show marked deficits in developing, maintaining, and understanding relationships. This leads to difficulties with developing pretend play skills. This puts children with ASD at a disadvantage, considering that pretend play serves an important role in childhood development. Pretend play skills help teach children to problem solve, to understand emotions, how to interact with peers, as well as how to understand a variety of life events. This presentation will provide an overview of assessment tools that can be utilized to assess play skills. Furthermore, effective research-based interventions will be reviewed for teaching play skills the ABA way!
It is estimated that the prevalence of problematic mealtime behavior among individuals with a diagnosis of ASD is as high as 80%. Treatment utilizing ABA is well supported, however many behavior analysts are unaware that such treatments exist and what behaviors indicate a problem that necessitate intervention by a specialist. This presentation will provide an overview of challenging mealtime behaviors, implications for treatment, and some basic strategies that can be applied by the behavior analyst that has not received extensive training in the treatment of feeding disorders.
Statistically, caregivers of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder have been documented to struggle with many issues, often including higher rates of mental health disorders, lower quality of life, and lower rates of family integration as compared to the general population. How can we as Behavior Analysts become more familiar with these facts in order to develop sensitivity and resources to support the families that we work with? And how does caregiver adherence to our programs affect the child’s outcomes? We’ll also review the most effective methods of caregiver training in the field of Behavior Analysis and discover some books and resources to help support families.
Effective staff training and feedback is essential for ensuring treatment fidelity in ABA procedures toward improving client progress. Too often, lack of planning within training leaves the direct therapist without all of the tools and knowledge to provide the best and most effective intervention. Providing thorough and effective training for therapists is beneficial not only to the therapist, but also to clients and the ABA-therapy team as a whole. The presentation will provide a deeper look into Behavioral Skills Training (BST), its effectiveness, and how to apply BST to ABA training. In addition to a better understanding of BST, implementation of effective feedback will be discussed to ensure the most critical methods to change behavior are implemented.
When working with individuals diagnosed with ASD, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM–5) may be viewed as an additional guide toward establishing appropriate Objectives, Goals, and dosage within the individualized ABA-based treatment plan. Throughout this CEU event, the presenters will discuss the relationship between a diagnosis of ASD, as outlined by criteria established within the DSM-5, and the BCBA’s ethical obligation to clients. Topics of discussion will include defining the hierarchy of individuals defined as clients, consultation with other professionals, and establishing effective and relevant treatment objectives, goals, and dosage.
Far too often, children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are left to flounder in a challenging and chaotic world of social nuances and expectations, without explicit and consistent rules or supports to guide them. Assisting children with ASD on how to navigate these challenging waters can also seem a daunting task amongst practitioners. This CEU will discuss recent research regarding procedures and interventions that have been used to increase social engagement amongst children with autism, as well as attempt to develop your own social skills program for an individual client. Discussions will include recommendations from Behavior Analytic literature as well as additional resources to aid practitioners in guiding children with social skills deficits to independent success.
Effective coordination amongst service providers allows for generalization of skills, and results in improved outcomes for shared learners. Attendees will learn to use principles of ABA to effectively arrange and execute coordination with school-based professionals. Input from a panel of special educators will be incorporated regarding their experiences coordinating with outside professionals.
This presentation will provide attendees with an overview of the special education and IEP processes, to include the most recent legal considerations in regard to special education law, and how to best incorporate ABA practices and terms in the IEP document. Discussion will also include working as a collaborative team member during the IEP process, IEP goals and objectives that align with the VB-MAPP, and resources to share with parents. Resources will be provided to allow participants to find specific special education resources and laws in your client’s area.
This workshop will define avoidance and anxiety related to self-care in behavior analytic terms. Participants will consult the Professional and Ethical Compliance Code for behavior analysts and determine how self-care relates to ethics. Meditation will be behaviorally explained and applied; and meditation and breathing techniques will be explored as tools to promote self-care. The potential role of acceptance and commitment therapy and relational frame theory in self-care will also be discussed.
Difficulty with tolerating aversive yet necessary stimuli, routines, and tasks – such as self-care routines and medical procedures – is common among individuals with Autism or Intellectual Disabilities. Mitigating these challenges across environments (home, school, and other professional services) is essential to promoting health and development. This CEU will discuss the recent research regarding procedures and interventions that have been used to decrease maladaptive behaviors, while simultaneously increasing skill acquisition and the completion of necessary, though potentially aversive, routines.
This presentation will focus on multicultural awareness and sensitivity, and the implications for behavior analytic practice. Multicultural sensitivity as it relates to the general field of psychology will be discussed, as well as the more specific relationship between multicultural sensitivity and social validity in ABA. Current literature on multicultural sensitivity and social validity will be reviewed. Multicultural considerations will then be linked to specific strategies for intake assessments, client programming, and family training.
Please reach out to us at learn@verbalbeginnings.com, we’d love to hear from you!
