Comment on "Adoption of innovations from applied behavioral research: ;Does anybody care?'"

A peek into the room where it happens: Quantifying ABA's influence on public policy discussions

To maximize its influence, applied behavior analysis must both create solutions and shape public policy to implement those solutions at scale. From the perspective of data-driven decision making, it is illogical to talk about seeking public policy influence without consulting evidence showing when influence has been achieved. One relevant form of evidence is the attention that behavioral solutions receive in published discussions about policy issues, and here I show how much of this attention has been earned by articles published in Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis. I also propose using the same kind of data to support finer grained analyses focusing on specific behavior problems, specific types of interventions, and the research programs of individual investigators. Although this is far from a complete account of the influence of applied behavior analysis on policy, it is better to have data than none if the goal is to transform the quest for influence on policy from a matter of speculation and casual discussion into an evidence-based practice.

Increasing habilitative services for persons with profound handicaps: an application of structural analysis to staff management

We evaluated a structural analysis methodology for enhancing the utility of a staff management program. In Experiment 1, a structural analysis of direct-care staff behavior in a mental retardation facility revealed differences in work patterns over time. Specific times were identified when few basic care duties were necessary and staff engaged in nonwork activity. In Experiment 2, a management program was implemented to increase staff members' training activities during periods identified through the structural analysis. The program was accompanied by increases in training activities and decreases in nonwork behavior. The improvements were maintained during a 43-week period while the most labor-intensive component of the program was withdrawn. Staff acceptability measures indicated a positive response to the management intervention, although responses varied across components within the multifaceted program. The increased training was accompanied by beneficial changes among clients with profound handicaps. Results are discussed regarding practical considerations for improving staff performance and for adopting innovations resulting from applied research.

Placebo-like effects of education about behavior therapy

To learn about behavior therapy, undergraduate students in abnormal psychology treated self-selected personal problems, with the aid of course lectures, homework, and texts. Target behavioral problems were usually alleviated, but success did not depend on whether recommended treatment methods were used. Self-ratings of project success were related to objective measures of improvement; but they were also related to factors associated with positive expectations and to social, instructional, and help-seeking variables. Our pedagogical procedures produced placebo-like effects similar to those seen in therapeutic settings.