Abstract: Research has indicated that better outcomes are obtained when treatment is informed by a functional assessment process that includes a functional analysis. It is important to recognize, however, that even clear functional analysis outcomes require interpretation of the controlling variables within the analysis and inference as to whether those variables are controlling problem behavior in the various conditions in which problem behavior has been reported to occur. It is also important to recognize that there are always aspects of controlling contingencies that remain unknown even when functional analysis results are clear. The important question for the behavior analytic practitioner is: What are you willing to not know prior to treating problem behavior? In this presentation, I will describe all that which I am willing to not know and that which is essential for me to know prior to treating problem behavior.

Objective:
The attendee will be able to distinguish essential understandings from that which may be left unknown when conducting the functional analysis part of the behavioral assessment process.

This presentation will discuss the author’s recent research evaluating ABA procedures to promote physical activity with children and adults and with adults with intellectual disabilities. The presentation will discuss the importance of physical activity and issues in accurate assessment of physical activity. The presentation will then discuss research on behavioral interventions including self-monitoring, goal setting, feedback and rewards. The presentation will conclude with discussion of accessibility and implementation fidelity.

Objectives:
Describe approaches to the assessment of physical activity.
Describe interventions to increase physical activity in children.
Describe interventions to increase physical activity in adults.

Performance management involves the application of behavioral principles to manage the performance of staff. Despite serving as effective change agents for clients, behavior analysts often struggle with motivating and supporting the staff they supervise. This presentation will propose a three-term model for targeting staff behavior, describe evidence-based performance management procedures, and share experimental data and case studies supporting the effectiveness of a behavior analytic approach to staff training and professional development.

Learning Objectives:
1. The participant will be able to describe why targeting staff performance is important.
2. The participant will be able to identify and describe the components of behavioral skills training and an evidence-based approach to performance management of staff.
3. The participant will be able to discuss results of studies evaluating the components of behavioral skills training.

Voting on new officers and bylaws.

Operant behavioral economics seeks to understand ways the four-term contingency is sensitive to microeconomic principles. Central to this notion is that reinforcer constraint operates on a supply-side manipulation of an organism’s “economy” of consumption. These supply-side influences are generally categorized into behavioral economic demand (i.e., persistent responding to defend baseline consumption amidst increasing costs) and discounting (diminished valuation as a function of delay or probability of receiving a reinforcer). These behavioral economic contributions to behavior analysis have yielded much success in conceptualizing drug abuse liability, resulting in advances such as contingency management and behavioral theories of addiction. Despite these successes, the application of behavioral economics to everyday human behavior – let alone ways in which such principles can be translated to vulnerable populations – remains nearly non-existent. This presentation showcases recent work from the KU Applied Behavioral Economics Laboratory, which applies behavioral economic science to issues of everyday societal concern such as sustainability, risky health decisions (e.g., unprotected sex, drug use, cancer risk behavior), distracted/impaired driving, and decision making in crisis situations such as natural disasters and severe weather. In each case, data will be provided to demonstrate ways behavioral economic approaches address behavioral issues of the average American – those under the dome of the bell curve distribution of ability.

It has long been hypothesized that the early cooing and babbling of infants are shaped into native-language speech sounds via auditory feedback from their own voices. In behavioral terms, vocal response products that resemble speech sounds in the infant’s environment function as reinforcers for vocalizing. Clinicians and researchers have translated this hypothesis into stimulus-stimulus pairing interventions intended to increase novel vocalizations of nonverbal children with autism and other developmental disabilities. These interventions aim to increase the reinforcing value of previously non-reinforcing speech sounds by pairing them with primary or other established reinforcers. Although the idea is conceptually sound, the literature to date has produced mixed results. In this presentation, I will discuss possible reasons for the inconsistent effects reported in the literature and provide tentative recommendations for clinicians, based on the existing literature and experience from my lab.

Abstract: A number of myths regarding the functional assessment process, which appear to be pervasive within different research and practice communities, will be reviewed in the context of an efficient functional assessment process. Frequently described obstacles to implementing a critical aspect of the functional assessment process, the functional analysis, will be reviewed in the context of solutions for overcoming them. An effective, comprehensive, skill-based, and parent-validated treatment process for the problem behaviors associated with autism, which is derived from the practical functional assessment process, will then be described. This seminar will primarily be delivered via interactive lecture, but opportunities for implementation practice and discussion will also be arranged.

Objectives:
1. Given the results of an open-ended interview, the attendee should be able to design an efficient, individualized (non-standardized) and synthesized functional analysis.
2. An attendee will be able to describe several strategies for teaching individuals with severe problem behavior to tolerate both delays to and denials of reinforcers previously maintaining their problem behavior.
3. An attendee should be able to describe how compliance and leisure skills may be shaped during delays to the reinforcers that historically maintained problem behavior.

Relevant Readings:
Ghaemmaghami, M., Hanley, G. P., Jin, S., and Vanselow, N. R. (2015) Affirming control by multiple reinforcers via progressive treatment analysis. Behavioral Interventions. 31, 70-86.
Ghaemmaghami, M., Hanley, G. P., & Jessel, J. (2016). Contingencies promote delay tolerance. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1002/jaba.333
Hanley, G. P. (2012). Functional assessment of problem behavior: Dispelling myths, overcoming implementation obstacles, and developing new lore. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 5, 54-72.
Hanley, G. P., Jin, C. S., Vanselow, N. R., & Hanratty, L. A. (2014). Producing meaningful improvements in problem behavior of children with autism via synthesized analyses and treatments. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 47, 16-36.
Jessel, J., Hanley, G. P., & Ghaemmaghami, M. (2016). Interview-informed synthesized contingency analyses: Thirty replications and reanalysis. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1002/jaba.316
Santiago, J. L., Hanley, G. P., Moore, K., & Jin, C. S. (2016). The generality of interview-informed functional analyses: Systematic replications in school and home. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 46, 797-811.
Slaton, J. D., Hanley, G. P. and Raftery, K. J. (2017). Interview-informed functional analyses: A comparison of synthesized and isolated components. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 50, 252–277.

The purpose of this workshop is to describe a behavioral science framework and consultation model for introducing organizational change at a behavioral healthcare organization. The presenter will share real-world examples of organizational change initiatives involving a collaboration between consultants, human resources, community living staff, senior leadership, and a staff training department. To date, efforts have addressed quality assurance, staff turnover, hiring timelines, and staff training among others. The workshop will emphasize the development of staff and agency performance metrics to promote quality assurance, performance diagnostics, and change initiatives. Through hands-on and small-group activities, attendees will develop metrics and scorecards for use in their own employment settings. Moreover, attendees will receive printed materials of consultation products (e.g., quality assurance scorecards, staff training materials).

Learning Objectives:
1. The participant will be able to describe the importance of using behavioral science for organizational change and staff support.
2. The participant will be able to identify and describe a performance scorecard and performance diagnostics in a human service setting.
3. The participant will be able to develop strategies to use in their own employment settings.

The success of our work as behavior analysts lies on our ability to deliver sound treatment while working within the parameters of our work environment. Each work environment offers unique clinical, managerial, and ethical challenges and many of these challenges can make or break the efficacy of your services. As a practitioner, you might need others to collect data, implement your treatment plan, or help you deliver services. For the practitioner recently promoted to a role as supervisor or manager, your scope of practice has now shifted from clinical services to managing employee performance. The purpose of this workshop is to provide new and experienced managers and practitioners helpful tips that can help enhance their application of behavior analysis to areas of performance management.

Objectives:
1. The participant will be able to identify performance-management opportunities in their workplace.
2. The participant will be able to explain ways to assess organizational performance problems.
3. The participant will be able to describe techniques to coach colleagues, parents, direct reports, and supervisors.
4. The participant will be able to provide ways that the BACB Ethics Code relates to OBM.

This workshop will cover sections from the BACB Professional and Ethical Compliance Code for Behavior Analysts that went into effect January 1, 2016 and was updated July 6, 2017. Specific topics covered will include effective supervision techniques, reliance on scientific knowledge, and boundaries of competence. There will be discussion of common ethically challenging scenarios and problem solving strategies. Attendees will leave with a strengthened repertoire of ethical behavior and knowledge of standards and requirements of their field.