Discussion Topic

Unit 9 provides you the opportunity to consider how you will program your behavior intervention plans (BIPs) for generalization and maintenance. In addition, you will discuss how you would handle a specific ethical dilemma.

Please respond to the following:

• Based on information presented in the second edition of Applied Behavior Analysis, Chapter 28, discuss the strategies/tactics that can be programmed into behavior intervention plans (BIPs) to promote generalization and maintenance of treatment effects (Cooper, Heron, & Heward, 2007).
• Following the steps for programming generalization (below), select a target behavior from the list below and create a behavior plan to train the behavior and program it for generalization. Programming for Generalization
  • Select target behaviors that will come in contact with naturally occurring contingencies of reinforcement.
  • Identify all of the possible variations of the target behavior and all the environments in which the target behavior should occur after training has ended. (For this discussion, identify several variations (rather than “all”) of the target behavior and the possible environments in which the target behavior should occur.)
  • Employ one or more strategies/tactics that can be used to promote the generalization of the target behavior across novel (untrained) people, situations, and environments.
    • Requesting a toy using “please” and “thank you”
    • Greeting the therapist
    • Eye contact when name is called
    • Responding to questions from therapist
    • Attending to task for 3-minutes
    • Putting toys in toy box
    • Pulling in and backing out of the driveway
    • Assisting adult when loading the washing machine
• Guidelines for gaining informed consent prior to assessment and treatment spans all fields of psychology. Behavior analysis is no exception. Our ethical guidelines require that we explain the process of assessment and treatment in language the client can understand. We must also detail the limitations to confidentiality and discuss the payment for services. There are situations in which the client is incapable of providing informed consent due to deficits in cognitive abilities and/or an inability to make choices or understand the consequences of his/her decisions. Given the fact that the potential client has severe behaviors that are in need of intervention, discuss steps you could take to provide treatment.

Reading and Resources

Insuring that behavior change generalizes to novel people, situations, and environments does not happen without specific planning. It is important that the skills we teach and the behaviors we reduce impact other skills and behaviors in the desired manner. Designing our behavior intervention plans to program for generalization and maintenance is vital. In addition to maximizing the desired effects of our intervention programs, we must always adhere to the Behavior Analyst Certification Board’s (BACB’s) “Professional and Ethical Compliance Code for Behavior Analysts.” We have reviewed many of these guidelines over the course of this term. Unit 9 will review the ethical guidelines that are relevant to decisions surrounding client services.

You may also find it helpful to review the textbooks and supplemental readings/materials from PS385: Targeted Topics in Applied Behavior Analysis

In addition to the sources listed above, textbooks and supplemental readings/materials from the following courses that may be helpful include the following:

• PS340: Exceptional Needs Children
• PS360: Applied Behavior Analysis I
• PS365: Applied Behavior Analysis II
• PS410: Screening and Assessment
• PS430: Program Design and Evaluation