Alive and well: the state of behavioral gerontology in 2011

The Potential of a Relational Training Intervention to Improve Older Adults' Cognition

Behavioral gerontology rarely focuses on improving older adults' cognitive function. This gap in the literature should be addressed, as our aging population means that greater numbers of older adults are experiencing cognitive decline and reduced functional independence. If cognitive training interventions are to be socially significant, they should target improvements in core executive functions (EFs) that are critical for everyday cognition and functioning independence. Evidence from the cognitive sciences suggests that a cognitive training intervention targeting "relational knowledge" and "cognitive flexibility," which are core EFs, could translate to improvements in cognition and functioning for older adults. Behavioral researchers, interested in the effects of relational training on cognition, have shown a relationship between complex and flexible arbitrarily applicable relational responding (AARRing) and improved performance on measures of intelligence in children and young adults. However, data examining the impact of AARRing on the cognition of older adults are lacking. This article suggests that complex and flexible AARRing may be synonymous with the aforementioned EFs of relational knowledge and cognitive flexibility, and that a behaviorally oriented relational training intervention might improve cognition and functioning for healthy older adults or those experiencing cognitive decline. The article initially presents a brief overview of research in behavioral gerontology and older adult cognition, followed by a detailed explanation of how training complexity and flexibility in AARRing could result in improvements in core EFs. Specific suggestions for designing a relational training intervention and assessing relevant outcomes are provided.

Tactics to Evaluate the Evidence Base of a Nonbehavioral Intervention in an Expanded Consumer Area

The purpose of this article is to provide tactics for the behavior analyst to effectively evaluate the evidence base for an unfamiliar nonbehavioral intervention when expanding services. Just as behavior analysts must be aware of fad treatments in autism likely to be encountered, so, too, should practitioners become familiar with potential fad treatments in any expanded area of practice. The present article extends previous work by considering challenges surrounding contact with nonbehavioral literature in the context of an expanded consumer base. The article also considers ethical interactions with nonbehavioral professionals following appraisal of the intervention, and how adopting the strategies listed here can aid in establishing oneself as a resource. Associated barriers and solutions are presented around four tactics: (a) searching the literature, (b) recognizing and evaluating the common properties of fad treatments, (c) distinguishing quality of evidence, and (d) ascertaining behavioral mechanisms of action. Examples from gerontology will be provided to illustrate the use of the proposed tactics.

Behavior-Analytic Approaches to Working with People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities who Develop Dementia: a Review of the Literature

Behavior analysis has made contributions in the development of evidence-based interventions for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), and there is a growing evidence base for behavior-analytic interventions for older adults with dementia. As there is an increased number of adults with IDD living to old age, and an increased prevalence of comorbid dementia in people with IDD, a review of the behavior-analytic contributions with this population is warranted. We searched Web of Science and PsycInfo and manually reviewed the last 20 years of five behavioral journals. Six behavior-analytic studies with people with IDD and dementia were identified, and all but one were published outside of core behavior-analytic journals. These articles were analyzed in terms of Baer, Wolf, and Risley's (Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 1, 91-97, 1968) seven dimensions of applied behavior analysis (ABA). The possible explanations and implications of these findings are discussed with consideration of the unique features of a comorbid diagnosis of IDD and dementia that may make it appropriate for increased focus in behavior-analytic research and practice.