#135: The Importance of Assent - A Conversation with Dr. Cody Morris

My guest today Dr. Cody Morris is an asset to the field, his goals include improving the practice of BCBAs, by Improving assessment and treatment methodologies regarding problem behavior and addressing organization challenges in delivering services.

Today we discuss Assent, its importance, and how to gain Assent even when a client is not yet speaking.  Dr. Morris makes a very important comparison in definitions between Consent and Assent.

Consent: the affirmation that an individual who is legally authorized gives permission for themselves or another person to participate.
Assent: the affirmation that an individual who is not legally authorized to provide their own consent, affirms their willingness to participate.

Both of these are incredibly important, Consent has many legalities that affirm participation. Assent on the other hand, can be difficult to confirm when a child has limited or no communication skills. There are multiple ways to gain assent. 1, through Verbal statements or 2, through Behavior Allocation.

Assent can be obtained when a student's behavior allocated the confirmation to engage through choice. Choice does not mean the student decides all goals and treatment, but as Dr. Morris and I discuss small choices that affirm engagement and build to grander decision making skills.

In our conversation today, Dr. Cody Morris and I discuss some important fundamentals of behavior analysis that heavily involve Assent as a best practice. You can find out more about Dr. Morris’s work and research in the provided links.

#autism #speectherapy

What’s Inside:

• Consent versus Assent in affirming participation.
• How to gain assent with children who are not yet speaking?
• Tools and tips for gaining assent.
• Assent through choice in treatment.
• Assent through behavior allocation.
• How to provide gradual choice despite communication skills.

Mentioned In This Episode:
Dr. Cody Morris on LinkedIn
Cody MORRIS | Assistant Professor | Ph.D. | Salve Regina University, Rhode Island | Department of Psychology | Research profile