Self-regulation (SR) and executive functioning (EF) are important factors for successful student outcomes. Research suggests that executive skills facilitate the process of behavioral self-regulation. Well-developed SR and EF skills make learning more likely. Proper SR has the ability to improve attention levels and EF includes the use of working memory, both of which are essential components of the information processing system that students use continuously. One type of SR, referred to as self-management, involves a cycle of observing and recording one’s own behavior, then evaluating one’s self-assessments against those of an external observer. Self-management interventions have previously been found to reduce students’ inappropriate and off-task behaviors as well as increase classroom preparedness, on-task behavior, and academic performance. This study investigated the impact of a self-management intervention on a middle school student’s classroom preparation behaviors and his EF skills. Results suggest the participant’s overall classroom preparation behaviors were enhanced through his participation in the intervention. A few significant changes were also found in the participant’s pre- and post-intervention EF scores.

This study employed a multiple probe across settings design to evaluate the effectiveness of Power Cards, as they were originally designed by Gagnon (2001), on the conversational behaviors for two high school students diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Data were collected on the percentage of conversational behaviors engaged in per session, as well as the number of times the participants accessed their Power Card during conversations, and the frequency of additional questions or comments made by the participants. Results of this study indicated that Power Cards improved conversational behaviors for both participants in their first setting. While covariation occurred across untrained settings for both participants, therefore weakening the experimental control of this study, promising results were produced for Sunday practitioners and teachers.

An employment process suprasystem contains human resource-related systems such as training, recruitment, performance appraisal, and personnel selection. Similarly, a personnel selection system consists of interdependent subsystems that work together to manifest its properties (e.g., the acquisition of qualified and high-potential individuals). Finally, each of these complex subsystems (e.g., applicant reactions to selection methods) have interdependent elements (e.g., procedural and distributive justice) that work together to manifest the properties of the subsystem (e.g., applicant fairness perceptions). This dissertation takes such a systems approach to understanding the complexities of a personnel selection system to explore the interactions among three of its subsystems: (1) job performance predictors, (2) multidimensional job performance, and (3) applicant reactions to selection methods. Participants were 214 entry-level managers at a major U.S. airline. First, I examined the notion that job performance is multidimensional, consisting of at least two distinct elements (task and contextual performance). Next, using a concurrent validation design, I explored the relationship that cognitive ability and personality have with task and contextual performance. I also studied whether framing a personality inventory in the context of work yields higher validities and led to more positive fairness perceptions. Finally, I explored whether fairness perceptions moderate test validity. The current study contributes to the selection research in several ways. First, the dissertation used field data to confirm the notion that overall job performance is multidimensional, a function of both task performance and contextual performance. Moreover, results suggested that personality is a better predictor of contextual job performance and that cognitive ability is a better predictor of task performance. Frame-of-reference of a personality test appeared to affect both its validity and applicants' fairness perceptions. Results also suggested that the perceived fairness of a personality test may affect its validity. Therefore, this dissertation demonstrates that taking a systems perspective of personnel selection integrates different branches of selection research and thus begins to identify the interactions and complexities of a selection system.

The number of children who display characteristics of autism in the United States has been on the rise. Not only do children diagnosed with autism experience difficulties related to the defining characteristics of autism, but parents of children diagnosed with autism commonly experience negative consequences as well. Parents of a child diagnosed with autism more often report symptoms of depression, stress, and reduced quality of life than their do counterparts with neuro-typical children. These traits have the potential to negatively impact the parents' capacity to assist their child in receiving needed treatment and can limit the ability of the parents to learn and utilize effective strategies to assist their child in their future development. Guided by the relational frame theory, this study investigated the effects that acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) might have on parents who have a child diagnosed with autism within California. The dependent variables were stress, depression, and quality of life. The independent variable was treatment, with 3 intervention levels: ACT, behavior analytic training, and a no treatment control group. A quasi-experimental, non-equivalent, pretest-posttest design was used to examine the variables among a sample of 57 parents of children diagnosed with autism. Given concerns meeting assumptions of normality, Kruskal-Wallis was the statistical procedure used. The overall/change score for Quality of Life was significant at the .01 level across treatment levels. The findings of this study could serve to allow the parents of a child diagnosed with autism to interact more fully and meaningfully with their child and to provide the parents with a venue for which to address challenges they may be experiencing related to their child's disability.

Function-based experimental evaluation in the development of interventions and treatment plans continue to be under-utilized within the school setting (Hanley, Iwata, & McCord, 2003) despite federal mandates to use functional behavioral assessments and positive behavioral interventions with students with disabilities (IDEIA, 2004). Gann, Ferro, Umbreit, & Liaupsin, (2014) found that teachers prefer function-based interventions based in Applied Behavior Analytic principles when implemented effectively and with fidelity, over traditional classroom practices. As such, data collection and data analysis is critical to promote valid, reliable, and socially acceptable behavior change. Some researchers have advocated for the use of advanced technological or computerized tools to streamline and systematize data collection for wider-spread use (Vollmer, Sloman & Pipken, 2008; Kahng & Iwata, 1998), but there is little in the literature to suggest what might be the most beneficial data collection modalities and methods for school professionals who work with students who exhibit challenging behaviors. A few studies have shown positive effects of using electronic technology to collect behavioral data by researchers collecting direct observation data (Graylee et al, 2006), and measures of social skills development (Sarkar et.al, 2006) as well as teachers implementing discrete trial training (Tarbox et al, 2010). Hunter (2003) found that teachers were more likely to use interventions that they liked and that were subjectively time-efficient; often, convenience and experience factors played a role in resistance to implementing evidence-based interventions (Hunter, 2003). The purpose of Study One was to better understand the current data collection practices and needs of school professionals who frequently treat students with challenging behaviors in the classroom. The purpose of Study Two was to compare the efficiency of graphing using an iPad application, Catalyst®, to paper and pencil data collection with behavioral specialists (school professionals and behavioral clinicians), and to see what preferences were generated based upon practice with both tools. Study One’s results suggested that there was interest in data collection tools that are time-efficient and which provide automatized graphical or summarized data. Study Two findings suggested that there was minimal difference between latencies to graphing data session-by-session, but that school professionals exhibited a preference for the iPad application modality. Acceptability self-report ratings for either modality by school professionals also showed initial corroboration with self-report ratings of work load associated with technology skills. Implications for data collection modality preference and use in school settings as well as future directions for research are further discussed.

At least three general subgroups of students display problems with their overall academic achievement: students with motivational deficits, students with academic performance deficits, and students with a combination of both types of deficits. The prevalence of students with both behavioral and learning problems has been reported to be between 10% and 25% and as high as 50%. The current study evaluated the effects of positive reinforcement and instructional strategies on the co-occurrence of motivational and academic deficits within three experiments. Experiments 1 and 2 were conducted with four school-aged children in a behavioral outpatient clinic. Experiment 3 was conducted with three school-aged children during extended behavioral evaluations. Experiment 1 evaluated the effects of positive reinforcement and an instructional strategy on the children's preference for academic work tasks and their academic performance. Experiment 2 evaluated the effects of instructional strategies on the children's problem behavior and academic performance. Experiment 3 evaluated the effects of positive reinforcement and instructional strategies on the children's preference for academic work tasks, academic performance, and problem behavior. The results of this study showed that (a) preference for an academic task changed with the addition of positive reinforcement (Experiment 3) or an instructional strategy (Experiment 1), (b) problem behavior decreased with the addition of an instructional strategy (Experiments 2 and 3), and (c) academic performance increased with the addition of an instructional strategy (all experiments). These results suggested that positive reinforcers and/or instructional strategies function as motivating operations by abolishing the value of negative reinforcement, thereby resulting in improved academic performance and decreased occurrences of problem behavior.

This study used video feedback to compare the effectiveness of antecedent and consequent feedback. Video feedback was used to increase the performance of dance skills of young dancers. A multiple baseline across subjects with an embedded multi-element comparison was used for three female dancers between the ages of 10 and 11 years old. Antecedent video feedback was given immediately before the performance of a target behavior, and consequent video feedback was given immediately after a performance of a different dance skill. The results show that video feedback increased all targeted skills for subjects, however, there were no differentiated results when comparing antecedent and consequent feedback.

Gamification, the use of game elements in non-game contexts, is an increasingly popular way to incentivize self-management procedures. Despite the growing popularity of such programs, little objective research has been done in the area. This study evaluated the use of a web-based gamification program called HabitRPG through a multiple-baseline across participants design. HabitRPG is designed to increase the productivity of its users. Baseline procedures included parental scoring of task completion. Intervention consisted of training on using HabitRPG. Target behaviors were scored with data sheets provided to parents of the participants. The intervention increased the percentage of compliance for all participants.

Precision teaching (PT) is a measurement system used in multiple settings for all types of behavior, from driving to mathematics. The ultimate goal of PT is to develop fluent, free operant behaviors through analyzing response frequencies on a standard celeration chart. Research has found PT to be effective at improving both the speed and accuracy of academic skills. There is little research, however, in the effects of learning channels, a component of PT, as they relate to the acquisition of academic skills. The present study examined the relationship between single and multiple learning channels on the acquisition of mathematics skills by five 1st graders in a public school setting. Implications related to universal designs for learning (UDL) utilized in educational environments are also discussed.

Relational Frame Theory provides an analysis of verbal behavior involving a focus on the development of relational operants which are seen as a basis for language. From this basis, a framework is provided for establishing relational networks in individuals who lack derived relational ability. Establishment of relational frames may increase the probability of responding relationally to novel instances and use of the specific relational frames during social interactions; therefore, training verbal relations in accordance with an RFT approach may enhance intraverbal responding and facilitate the emergence of untrained responses. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the emergence of specific relationships in the context of intraverbal responding as a collateral effect of training on relational networks in four children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Two participants demonstrated mastery of derived relational responding (DRR) without training, one participant demonstrated mastery of DRR following training, and a fourth participant demonstrated mutual entailment and some combinatorial entailment. Increases in vocal verbal behavior during generalization probes were observed, although increased use of all target relations was not observed in all participants. Further research is needed to evaluate specific deficits in derived relational responding among individuals with ASD, as well as the correlation between DRR and language ability.