The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt Cicoria

I am really excited to present this follow up conversation with one of our most popular guests, Dr. Pat McGreevy. In this episode, we start out by talking about teaching more than one student at a time, and then we move on to some of his tips and tricks for teaching waiting skills, how to avoid ratio strain, how to fade prompts, the benefits of cold probes, and more. We close the episode by taking a wide range of listener questions (e.g., "who are some unsung heroes in our field?"), and you definitely do not want to miss those. Pat has been in this business for a long time, and the wisdom he shares in this episode is priceless for sure! Session 81 of this podcast was brought to you by the following: The Essential for Living assessment and curriculum. Get free shipping on all purchases until June 1st by using the discount code EFLBOP0501 The Central Reach, Charting a New Course workshop, that's taking place on April 18th and 19th, in Needham, MA. If you're interested in saving 10% off your registration, use the promo code: PODCAST. Behavior University. BU's mission is to provide university-quality continuing education to Behavior Analysis practitioners in a convenient and affordable format. Save 10% on all Continuing Education and training products with the code PODCAST. Click here for more details. Lastly, Remote Fieldwork Supervision for BCBA Trainees, the book I co-wrote with Dr. Lisa Britton, who is an expert in providing high quality distance based supervision, is now out.

David Palmer, a veteran behavior analyst and scholar known for his work on verbal behavior, teams up with Josh Pritchard, an expert in ABA service scaling. They discuss the distinctions between Skinner's approach and Relational Frame Theory (RFT). Palmer critiques RFT while championing problem-solving as a means to analyze relational responding. Pritchard highlights RFT's utility in interpreting language nuances. The conversation shifts to practical applications for clinicians, emphasizing the importance of data-based decisions and flexible training methods.

In Session 79, I speak with Dr. Merrill Winston about the topic of mass shootings. During our chat, Merrill mentioned that mass shooting events will continue to happen. Sadly, his words were prescient, because a few days after we recorded our conversation, the horrific events in New Zealand took place. I suppose the tenor of the discussion would've been more somber if the timing was reversed, and speaking for myself, I apologize if the conversation comes off as tone deaf or unserious. Nevertheless, I have reached out to other behavior analysts who have looked at this topic, and if this is something you'd like to hear more about, please let me know and I'll schedule some additional interviews. In any case, despite the sad nature of the subject matter, I hope you find Merrill's analysis of these events as interesting and thought provoking as I did. Here are some links that we either discussed and/or may be of interest: Merrill's slide show on mass shootings The book, What Terrorists Want: Understanding the Enemy, Containing the Threat, by Louise Richardson The Professional Crisis Management Association website The PCMA YouTube channel, where Merrill has posted videos on several different topics of interest A video teaser for Merrill's upcoming appearance on The Controversial Exchange podcast This podcast is supported by: Essential for Living: A Communication, Behavior, and Life Skills Curriculum, Assessment, and Practitioner's Handbook. From now through 6/1/2019, get free shipping on all purchases using offer code EFLBOP0501 HRIC... Your new career path starts here. Let Barb Voss find you your dream job, or, if you're an agency, let her find you your dream candidate! Let her 30 years of recruiting experience work for you. If you're interested in learning more, email her for a confidential chat

Dr. Barry McCurdy is the Director of the Devereux's Center for Effective Schools. In this episode, we talk about his work in supporting students with significant behavioral challenges in urban public school settings. Barry's primary research interest in the treatment of disruptive behavior disorders has led to several prevention/early intervention initiatives in urban schools including the development of models for school-wide positive behavior support, school-based parent training, and classroom-based behavior management. During this interview, we referred to a variety of people, resources, studies, and so on. I have attempted to capture links to all of them here: The Center for Effective Schools site The Center for Management of ADHD Project Follow Through report from the Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies The Student Risk Screening Scale (SRSS) Deliberate Coaching (Gavoni & Weatherby, 2019) Edna Foa's Amazon author's page (many PTSD resources!) Judith Cohen's Amazon author's page (many Trauma Focused CBT resources) An overview of Team Initiated Problem Solving (TIPS) This session of The Behavioral Observations Podcast was supported by Behavior University. If you're looking for some great online continuing ed, BU has some great deals right now: In the spirit of March Madness, they are offering a discount on all seats for live webinars sold in March. Only $20 will get you up close and personal with leaders in the field like Matt Brodhead, Jonathan Tarbox, Joe Lucyshyn and others. The sale ends March 31, 2019 so grab those seats before they're gone. For more information, go to behavioruniversity.com/observations! Also, if you're interested in providing remote supervision, or supervision in general, check out the forthcoming book that Dr. Lisa Britton and I wrote. It's call Remote Fieldwork Supervision for BCBA Trainees, and you can find more information about it by clicking here.

Pat Friman was gracious enough to spend a large chunk of a Saturday chatting with The Behavioral Observations Membership Group.If you're not familiar with the group, it is a membership program (think a DIY Patreon) in which about every two months, I bring a former podcast guest on to a Zoom call, and the members get ask their questions directly. We've been doing it for about two years or so and it's a lot of fun.So on this call, we got to ask Pat all sorts of questions, like why he gets up at three am, how to deal with bedtime behavior problems, dealing with ABA "haters," the now infamous "Pink sweater lady," and more.If you're not familiar with the Pink Lady story, check it out here on The Daily BA YouTube channel:This podcast was supported by the 4-day ACT BootCamp for Behavior Analysts workshop in Reno, Nevada, with Steven C. Hayes, Evelyn Gould, Mark Dixon, and David Sloan Wilson.This will take place March 7-10, 2019, and will provide 32 Type 2 CE's! This BootCamp is designed to provide behavior analysts a foundational understanding of acceptance and commitment training (ACT).ACT's conceptual and empirical basis has strengthened considerably over the last three decades, and it is now fully entering into the armamentarium of BCBAs in areas like parent training, staff management & development, organizational work, work with developmentally delayed populations or the chronically mentally ill, educational settings with special needs students, and beyond.For more details, click here, and if you do decide to go, use code BEHAVEOBS19 at checkout to save $50!

Dr. Evelyn Gould joins me in Session 76 to chat about a variety of things, including her work in parent training and supporting adolescents with mental health challenges as a Clinical Behavior Analyst. We also talk about her early training in Behavior Analysis, both here in the United States, as well as in Northern Ireland. I think you'll enjoy hearing how these early experiences shaped her as a clinician, as well as learn a thing or two about how to (appropriately/legally) stalk people you look up to! I had such a good time chatting with Evelyn that we didn't even get to the listener submitted questions (sorry!!!). So naturally, we'll have to have her back for a round two on the podcast. We didn't talk about a ton of resources, but here are the ones that I do recall: The paper on parent training (Gould, Tarbox, and Coyne, 2018). The DNA-v curriculum Evelyn uses. The ACT Bootcamp for Behavior Analysts, March 7-10, 2019 (if you decide to go, save $50 off of registration by using promo code BEHAVEOBS19). This podcast is also brought to you by HRIC, providing personalized job search and placement services. Let Barb Voss help you find your dream job, or your dream candidate! Click here to schedule a confidential appointment!

The last time we checked in with Dr. Matt Brodhead, he was putting the final touches on his book, Practical Ethics for Effective Treatment for Autism Spectrum Disorder. Well, he's been out on the speaking circuit now that the book has been out for some time, so I thought it would be a good idea for him to return to the show and discuss what he's hearing out in the field as he makes his way from conference to conference. And since Matt has been on the show, The Behavioral Observations Podcast has become one of his mother's favorite things to listen to. Don't believe me? Check this out: In this episode we also tackle quite a few listener questions as well, most of which had to do with how to define or obtain competence in a given area of Behavior Analysis. Along the way, we discussed the following articles: A Call for Discussion About Scope of Competence in Behavior Analysis (Brodhead, Quigley, & Wilczynski, 2018). A survey of functional behavior assessment methods used by behavior analysts in practice (Oliver, Pratt, & Normand, 2015). A statewide survey assessing practitioners' use and perceived utility of functional assessment (Roscoe et. al., 2015). And by the way, follow Matt on Twitter (@mattbrodhead)! This session of The Behavioral Observations Podcast is sponsored by Praxis Continuing Education & Training: The 4-day ACT BootCamp for Behavior Analysts workshop in Reno, Nevada, with Steven C. Hayes, Evelyn Gould, Mark Dixon, and David Sloan Wilson. This will take place March 7-10, 2019, and will provide 32 Type 2 CE's! This BootCamp is designed to provide behavior analysts a foundational understanding of acceptance and commitment training (ACT). ACT's conceptual and empirical basis has strengthened considerably over the last three decades, and it is now fully entering into the armamentarium of BCBAs in areas like parent training, staff management & development, organizational work, work with developmentally delayed populations or the chronically mentally ill, educational settings with special needs students, and beyond. For more details, click here, and if you do decide to go, use code BEHAVEOBS19 at checkout to save $50! Behavior University. BU's mission is to provide university-quality continuing education to Behavior Analysis practitioners in a convenient and affordable format. Save 10% on all Continuing Education and training products with the code PODCAST. Click here for more details. The Himalaya Podcast app. Are you frustrated with the native Apple Podcast app, which seems to get worse and worse with each "update"? Are you an Android user who is looking for a better podcast experience? Then download Himalaya to your device and decide whether this is a better alternative. Oh, and be sure to follow The Behavioral Observations Podcast when you do!

When things are going as they should, I usually have two to four interviews recorded and ready to go at any given time. However, for several reasons I got behind the 8-ball as the saying goes. And when a recent interview was cancelled I was left without a third show for January. So rather than go without, I thought I'd put out a solo episode, and share some general thoughts I have regarding consulting in public school settings. The timing of this was oddly fortuitous, mainly because I've been thinking a lot about the "soft skills," in the practice of Behavior Analysis. As a result, I sat down at my computer and made a bullet list of what 11 tips or suggestions for effective consultation. As I mention in the beginning of the episode, I do not present these from up upon a soapbox. I learned many of these lessons the hard way. Another thing I'd like to mention is that many of these tips sound really obvious, and can be thought of as belonging in the realm of common sense. But I ask you to trust me, because common sense doesn't always prevail. Here are the two articles I mentioned: Compassionate Care in Behavior Analytic Treatment (Taylor, LeBlanc, & Nosik, 2018). Maintaining Professional Relationships in an Interdisciplinary Setting (Brodhead, 2015). Lastly, given that this is my first solo episode, feel free to send me some feedback. I plan on sticking with the interview format, but I'd love to know how a show like this is received in case this situation comes up again. This session of The Behavioral Observations Podcast is sponsored by Praxis Continuing Education & Training: Join Praxis Continuing Education & Training for the 4-day ACT BootCamp for Behavior Analysts workshop in Reno, Nevada, with Steven C. Hayes, Evelyn Gould, Mark Dixon, and David Sloan Wilson. This will take place March 7-10, 2019, and will provide 32 Type 2 CE's! This BootCamp is designed to provide behavior analysts a foundational understanding of acceptance and commitment training (ACT). ACT's conceptual and empirical basis has strengthened considerably over the last three decades, and it is now fully entering into the armamentarium of BCBAs in areas like parent training, staff management & development, organizational work, work with developmentally delayed populations or the chronically mentally ill, educational settings with special needs students, and beyond. What's new at this BootCamp? Prosocial methods for groups! All successful behavior analysis programs have to deal with groups, whether it be with schools, agencies, businesses, or their own staff. This year, we will emphasize how ACT and RFT can empower organizational and team effectiveness. Renowned evolutionary scientist David Sloan Wilson, PhD, will train you on how to implement Prosocial, a new method for helping groups work better together. For more details, click here, and if you do decide to go, use code BEHAVEOBS19 at checkout to save $50!

Dr. Amy Smith Wiech joins me in Session 73 to talk about the implementation of Geller's Actively Caring for People (AC4P) movement in Law Enforcement settings. At its core, ABA is about solving socially relevant problems, and the issue of police shootings, and in a broader sense, police-community relations, couldn't be more relevant these days. If you're not familiar with AC4P, don't worry... Amy breaks it down for us, and if you're still looking for more information, she provided me this treasure-trove of links to additional resources. This session of The Behavioral Observations Podcast is brought to with the support of the following: The Himalaya Podcast app. Are you frustrated with the native Apple Podcast app, which seems to get worse and worse with each "update"? Are you an Android user who is looking for a better podcast experience? Then download Himalaya to your device and decide whether this is a better alternative. Oh, and be sure to follow The Behavioral Observations Podcast when you do! HRIC, which brings 30 years of recruiting experience to help BCBA's find their dream jobs. Find out about available positions in your area, what type of salaries you should expect, and more! Click here to schedule your confidential inquiry.

In Session 72, I chat with Dr. Bridget Taylor (of Alpine Learning Group and Let me Hear Your Voice fame) and Devon Sundberg (of The Behavior Analysis Center for Autism and founder of the Women in Behavior Analysis Conference). In this episode, we discuss: Bridget's work in highlighting the need for BCBA's to be more compassionate in their service delivery. Bridget's role in Catherine Maurice's seminal book. Why Devon started WIBA. What to expect from this year's event. Advice for newly-minted BCBA's. Along the way, we referenced the following resources: Compassionate Care in Behavior Analytic Treatment (Taylor, LeBlanc, and Nosik (2018). The WIBA registration page (and the event is currently sold out, but if you're interested in attending, keep checking here as tickets may become available if there are cancellations). Devon's ABA Inside Track interview. Gould, Tarbox, and Coyne's 2018 paper. Karen Armstrong's Amazon author's page. "Let me Hear Your Voice," by Catherine Maurice. And for extra credit, check out: Participation of Women in Behavior Analysis Research, by Li, Curiel, Pritchard, and Poling (2018). This session of The Behavioral Observations Podcast is sponsored by: Behavior University. BU's mission is to provide university-quality continuing education to Behavior Analysis practitioners in a convenient and affordable format. Save 10% on all Continuing Education and training products with the code PODCAST. Click here for more details. The Himalaya Podcast app. Are you frustrated with the native Apple Podcast app, which seems to get worse and worse with each "update"? Are you an Android user who is looking for a better podcast experience? Then download Himalaya to your device and decide whether this is a better alternative. Oh, and be sure to follow The Behavioral Observations Podcast when you do!