A Call for Discussion About Scope of Competence in Behavior Analysis.

The field of behavior analysis has defined its scope of practice through credentialing and licensure efforts. However, scope of competence in behavior analysis has received little discussion. Scope of competence refers to activities that the individual practitioner can perform at a certain criterion level (e.g., the functional analysis is conducted accurately and safely, a skill acquisition program includes critical program components and establishes accurate stimulus control). Given the successful efforts of behavior analysts in growth and recognition of the field, it is time for a robust conversation about scope of competence for the field of behavior analysis. This discussion can clarify how behavior analysts self-evaluate their own scope of competence and how they might expand their scope of competence if the needs of consumers require practitioners to expand into new areas.

Advances in School-Based Interventions for Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder: Introduction to the Special Issue.

As the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder has increased, so too has research on interventions to address core and associated features of autism. Although many methodologically rigorous studies on interventions have been reported, their relevance to educators is somewaht unclear. For example, only about 32% of evidence-based strategies identifed in these reviews were conducted in k-12 settings. Current literature also is limited in that, although many studies show that interventions can improve the communication and social interaction skills of individuals with autism, most of this work has been conducted with pre-school children; questions remain about the generality of these findings to school-aged children. Further, there are relatively few studies demonstrating effective interventions for restricted and repetitive behavior and much of this work was conducted in clinical settings. There is a need for studies documenting effective interventions that are feasible in school settings. The purpose of this special issue is two-fold. First, to highlight the need for school-based research with students with autism and second to highlight recent work delineating intervention strategies found to be effective in school settings.

The Emperor Just Might Be Wearing Pants.

This is a commentary in response to Dixon et al.'s (Behavior Analysis and Practice, 8(1), 7-15, 2015) article entitled, "Research rankings of behavior analytic graduate training programs and their faculty" in Behavior Analysis in Practice. The severe restriction of range for the metric used to identify faculty productivity and knowledge of research calls the implications drawn from the data into question. Suggestions on how to broaden the metric are made along with implications for doing so. This is an important topic, and many people will need to contribute to a robust conversation about our graduate training programs given the exponential growth we have faced in recent decades.

The Evidence-Based Practice of Applied Behavior Analysis.

Evidence-based practice (EBP) is a model of professional decision-making in which practitioners integrate the best available evidence with client values/context and clinical expertise in order to provide services for their clients. This framework provides behavior analysts with a structure for pervasive use of the best available evidence in the complex settings in which they work. This structure recognizes the need for clear and explicit understanding of the strength of evidence supporting intervention options, the important contextual factors including client values that contribute to decision making, and the key role of clinical expertise in the conceptualization, intervention, and evaluation of cases. Opening the discussion of EBP in this journal, Smith (The Behavior Analyst, 36, 7-33, 2013) raised several key issues related to EBP and applied behavior analysis (ABA). The purpose of this paper is to respond to Smith's arguments and extend the discussion of the relevant issues. Although we support many of Smith's (The Behavior Analyst, 36, 7-33, 2013) points, we contend that Smith's definition of EBP is significantly narrower than definitions that are used in professions with long histories of EBP and that this narrowness conflicts with the principles that drive applied behavior analytic practice. We offer a definition and framework for EBP that aligns with the foundations of ABA and is consistent with well-established definitions of EBP in medicine, psychology, and other professions. In addition to supporting the systematic use of research evidence in behavior analytic decision making, this definition can promote clear communication about treatment decisions across disciplines and with important outside institutions such as insurance companies and granting agencies.

The good behavior game: 1969-2002.

The Good Behavior Game (GBG), a type of interdependent group-oriented contingency management procedure, was first introduced in 1969 and has been used with overwhelming success in classrooms and other settings. Since its inception, the "game" has utilized team competition and peer influence combined with reinforcement procedures. It has been found to be popular, easy-to-use, time-efficient, and widely applicable and versatile. This review describes the game and its numerous variations and adaptations, as well as empirical findings specific to the variety of target behaviors and participants to which it has been applied. In addition, different types of reinforcers used, information on consumer acceptance, and issues related to implementation are considered.

Decreasing disruptive behaviors of children with autism using social stories.

Few studies have been conducted in the area of social stories, and the limitations of these studies (i.e., improper story construction and methodological confounds) raise questions about effectiveness of social story interventions. This study examined the effectiveness of properly constructed social stories that have been introduced into the natural environment to target the disruptive behavior of three children with autism. A multiple baseline design across participants was employed, and a decrease in disruptive behavior was evidenced when the intervention was implemented for all participants. Based on the results of the present research, future areas of investigation outlining the limitations and potential benefits of social stories were discussed.