Brief experimental analysis (BEA) has shown to be an effective method of rapidly testing the relative effects of two or more interventions in order to determine interventions that best supports a student’s learning. Little research has been found in regards to the consistency of methods across studies. A meta-analysis in 2008 by Burns and Wagner looked at BEAs that assessed oral reading fluency and provided recommendations for future practice. This study investigates the methods, procedures, and outcomes in BEA studies from 1994 to 2016. The findings of this study are compared to Burns and Wagner’s (2008) recommendations from their meta-analysis, as well as used to discuss the shifts and consistencies found in BEA methodology over the past 23 years. There is not sufficient evidence that Burns and Wagner’s (2008) recommendations have greatly impacted the process of BEA, but there have been changes in predominant methodological components of BEA such as the explicit use of conceptual models, methods of assessing interventions, and the emergence of a problem solving model to inform intervention selection. A general increase in the publication rate and a shift to publication in school psychology journals over behavioral journals was also noted. BEA outcomes continue to support its utility for informing instruction.

The current study employed a Monte Carlo design to examine whether samplebased and formula-based estimates of cross-validated R2 differ in accuracy when predictor selection is and is not performed. Analyses were conducted on three datasets with 5, 10, or 15 predictors and different predictor-criterion relationships. Results demonstrated that, in most cases, a formula-based estimate of the cross-validated R2 was as accurate as a sample-based estimate. The one exception was the five predictor case wherein the formula-based estimate exhibited substantially greater bias than the estimate from a sample-based cross validation study. Thus, formula-based estimates, which have an enormous practical advantage over a two sample cross validation study, can be used in most cases without fear of greater error.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a pervasive developmental disorder (PDD) with no cure (Hall, 2011). A variety of treatments exist to help with symptoms and one therapy is applied behavior analysis (ABA) (Virues-Ortega, 2010). ABA works by providing rewarding stimuli, specifically verbal praise, to encourage positive behavior. Most of the current research related to autism and ABA has been done in the US or other western countries (Hall, 2011), but studies show that verbal praise motivates people differently in different cultures (Henderlong & Lepper, 2002). One of these differences occurs between individualist and collectivist cultures. The current study will manipulate verbal praise administered in ABA therapy in two different countries, the United States, an individualist culture, and South Korea, a collectivist culture. There will be two types of ABA interventions: type A, with individualist-focused verbal praise and type B, with collectivist-focused verbal praise. Thirty children from each country will receive type A and 40 from each country will receive type B. The results would likely confirm the hypotheses which are: 1) that children with an individualist upbringing will have a greater improvement in symptoms with intervention type A than children with a collectivist upbringing, and 2) that children with a collectivist upbringing will have greater symptom improvement with intervention type B than children with an individualist upbringing. Further directions regarding the development of treatments for children with autism are discussed. This research will help to provide insight into the importance of considering culture when treating children with autism.

Three groups of participants were exposed to different unit price sequences. Unit prices for all groups ranged from unit price 1 to 21. Analyses of demand curves, response rates, session duration, and elasticity coefficients suggest that the sequence of exposure to unit prices can affect the elasticity of demand. In addition, the size of unit price contrast, direction of unit price change, and proximity to experimental milestones also may affect the consumption of monetary reinforcers.

Psychologists have examined the effects of numerous variables on classroom performance, but little research exists to demonstrate how specific teaching techniques, specifically the provision of printed presentation notes (such as presentation slides), affects student perception of responsibility. This study sought to discover the impact that providing presentation slides for use during lecture would have on students’ performance, as well as their perceptions of personal responsibility. In order to determine the effects of provided presentation notes on performance and perceived responsibility, this study examined the self-efficacy and locus of control of students assigned to either take their own notes or to use provided presentation materials in addition to their own notes, should they choose to take notes of their own. It was expected that the participants in the notesprovided condition would score better on the exam, and feel more responsible for their learning and performance, than those in the no-notes-provided condition. Additionally, the provision of notes was expected to have a greater positive effect on performance in those students with an external locus of control and/or low academic self-efficacy. It was also expected that students provided with printed notes would take better notes than those who were not provided with the printed notes. The results showed that neither performance nor responsibility were affected by condition. However, higher academic self-efficacy had a positive impact on exam score. Additionally, higher academic self-efficacy and a more internal locus of control were positively correlated with personal responsibility for learning and performance. The provision of printed presentation material did not have a direct effect on note quality, but did correlate negatively with the number of questions left blank on the exam. In addition, the number of questions left blank on the exam was negatively correlated with exam score. These results suggest that providing students with printed presentation materials may lead to fewer skipped exam questions and, potentially, better academic performance.

There are a number of evidenced-based practices which aim to improve the social skills of children with high functioning autism (HFA). An emerging field of study is to develop social skills interventions that incorporate restricted and repetitive interests to increase social skills. Their results are promising and suggest improved social skills in students with HFA. The current study has aimed to incorporate a common interest among elementary age children with HFA in social skill instruction within a structured setting. A multiple baseline across behaviors single subject design was used to collect data on the accuracy with which two young males applied social skills within the structured “club” setting. Data were collected by determining whether the students had an opportunity to use the social skill, and whether they used the skill correctly. While the results do not suggest a functional relationships between the participants’ social skill accuracy and the intervention, the data show a positive trend which indicates an overall increase in their social skill accuracy.

A pilot study of noncontingent reinforcement (NCR) was conducted using NCR statements to (a) decrease target behaviors, (b) increase unprompted praise statements from the teacher and decrease reprimands, and (c) increase proximity to the participants by the teacher implementing NCR. Data were collected using a single-subject research design on two participants and one teacher. The target behaviors were physical and verbal aggression and inappropriate gestures. Teacher behaviors targeted with this study were praise statements, reprimands, and proximity to students. The participants included were one 16-year-old student with an emotional behavior disability, one 18-year-old student identified with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and an undergraduate student who was the teacher in this setting. The results were inconclusive regarding the students’ behavior due to confounding variables. However, regarding teacher behavior, the results demonstrated an increase in proximity and praise statements and a decrease in reprimands. This single-subject study provided empirical support that the NCR intervention positively altered teacher behavior.

Ett ökande antal barn diagnostiseras med autismspektrumtillstånd, (AST). Allt fler av dessa elever inkluderas i den ordinarie skolan istället för att undervisas i särskilda undervisningsgrupper eller lärcentra. Ångest, mobbing och psykisk ohälsa drabbar många elever med AST framför allt under övergångar, exempelvis mellan stadier i skolan. En interventionsmetod  för personer med AST som är väl utforskad under de senaste fyra decenierna är Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). I denna uppsats undersöker jag hur ett ”Learning Center” (en specialskola för barn och ungdomar med autismspektrumtillstånd) i Mellanöstern, via ABA som en huvudsaklig interventionsmetod,  arbetar för att via ett övergångs-  och inkluderingsprogram, överföra elever från en särskiljande skolform till ordinarie undervisning i vanlig skola. Jag har intervjuat tre personer av personalen och studerat dokumentation från centret för tre elever för att undersöka hinder och framgångsfaktorer med deras program. Resultatet av denna studie visar på att framgångsrik inkludering till stor del är beroende av samverkan och samarbete mellan den mottagande skolan och specialskolan, hög specialistkompetens på specialskolan, samt att inkluderingsprocessen ofta hindras av regler och lagar kring skoltillhörighet, betyg och bedömning.

The purpose of this experiment was to determine whether rats’ preference to freeload (eat food pellets from a food cup) or to work for food (obtain food pellets by bar pressing) could be influenced by observing either a working or freeloading model in an adjacent operant chamber. Following equal amounts of bar press and freeloading training, 18 male Sprague-Dawley rats approximately 100 days cold were divided into three experimental groups. The first group was permitted to view a working model while being presented a choice between bar pressing and free-loading. A second experimental group was exposed to a freeloading model while also being presented a choice between bar pressing and freeloading. A control group was permitted to make a choice between working and freeloading with no model present. Two measures of the dependent variable were taken: the ratio of the amount of food earned by bar pressing to the total amount of food consumed and the number of food pellets obtained by bar pressing. The results of the study indicated that across testing days, there was a trend for the three groups to perform as expected. The group expose to the freeloading models earned only about one-third of its total food consumption while preferring to freeload the remainder. The group exposed to the working models preferred to earn more than half of its total food consumption via bar pressing. The total amount of food earned by the control group, predictably, fell between the amounts earned by the other two groups. The results are interpreted in terms of social facilitation.

This study examines the impact features of nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) have on predicting a suicide attempt in a sample of young adult self-injurers. Participants completed the Inventory of Statements About Self-Injury, the Self-Harm Behavior Questionnaire and demographics questionnaires to assess lifetime self-injury frequency, number of different methods used, severity of methods, the desire to stop self-harming, functions, the experience of pain, and response latency. Results indicated that NSSI frequency, high severity methods, and endorsing more intrapersonal functions predicted the presence of a suicide attempt. Additionally, those who experienced pain while selfinjuring were found to be significantly more likely to report a history of suicide attempt compared to those who did not feel pain. Given extant literature, these findings suggest that in general the relationship between NSSI and suicidality is more complex than suggested and differs depending on which feature of suicidality is being measured (e.g. ideation, threats, gestures, plans, or attempts). Aside from other important implications discussed, researchers should individually evaluate facets of suicide when establishing risk.