LSABA Annual Summer Workshop

A Spectrum of Clinical and Practical Applications Derived from Behavior Analysis

Patrick C. Friman Boys Town

The core idea of behavior analysis is revolutionary in that attributes the source or cause of behavior not to the behaving person him or herself but to what has happened to that person up to the exhibition of the behavior.  This is one of the most powerful idea ever invented by mankind for understanding, knowing, and dealing with human behavior, especially when it is a problem (because it seeks not to fix the blame but rather seeks to fix the problem instead).  And virtually everything this idea touches improves. It has revolutionized approaches to habit disorders, incontinence, addictions, delinquency, and numerous other major concerns of our time.  Still, the idea has only begun to be harnessed.  Not only can it be used to improve the lives of clients in need, but it can also be used to improve the lives of their providers, and indeed the lives of all people.  This talk will describe several options derived from behavior analysis the application of which could exert a powerful beneficial influence on everyday life. Examples to be discussed include anxiety, sleep, incontinence, habit disorders and dealing with difficult people.

Schedule Day 1 - June 26th 2025

Objectives

1. Attendees will be able to describe the core idea of behavior analysis.

2. Attendees will be able to provide a simple and parsimonious definition of anxiety.

3. Attendees will be able to identify the core element in behavior analytic treatment of anxiety.

4. Attendees will be able to define functional encopresis.

5. Attendees will be able to describe the critical first step in the management of encopresis

6. Attendees will be able to define functional enuresis.

7. Attendees will be able to describe the critical first step in the management of enuresis.

8. Attendees will be able to describe the most effective treatment for enuresis.

9. Attendees will be able to describe at least three methods for managing sleep problems.

10. Attendees will be able to describe REM behavior disorder.

11. Attendees will be able to define Tourette's syndrome.

12. Attendees will be able to distinguish between Tourette's syndrome and simple tic disorders.

13. Attendees will be able to list at least three social reinforcers the delivery of which can improve relationships with people who are being difficult.

14. Attendees will be able to describe at least two additional methods for dealing with difficult people effectively.

Acceptance and Commitment Training Inside ABA: Applications Across Clients, Parent Support, and Staff Management

SPEAKER

Dr. Jonathan Tarbox is the Co-Founder and Program Director of the Master of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis program at the University of Southern California, as well as Director of Research at FirstSteps for Kids. Dr. Tarbox is the past Editor-in-Chief of the journal Behavior Analysis in Practice, a Board Member of the ABA Task Force to Eradicate Social Injustice, and was a founding member of the Advisory Board of the Women in Behavior Analysis (WIBA) conference. He has published five books on applied behavior analysis and autism treatment, is the Series Editor of the Elsevier book series Critical Specialties in Treating Autism and Other Behavioral Challenges, and an author of over 90 peer-reviewed journal articles and chapters in scientific texts.  His research focuses on behavioral interventions for teaching complex skills, Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT), and applications of applied behavior analysis to issues of diversity and social justice. Dr. Tarbox is proud to have multiple neurodivergent family members and is working hard to become a more effective ally to the Autistic community.

WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION & SCHEDULE

Substantial research supports traditional approaches within Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) to support developmentally disabled clients. However, more contemporary approaches within ABA have developed, allowing our field to address the complex verbal behavior and private events of clients who struggle during ABA therapy. Substantial research supports ABA approaches to training and supporting parents but traditional approaches rarely address the distress that parents experience. Likewise, extensive research supports the effectiveness of ABA approaches for managing staff; however, staff still report high levels of distress and burnout. Put simply, traditional ABA procedures are effective but they sometimes fail to address human beings as whole people, who possess important private events beyond overt target behaviors. Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT) is a contemporary behavior analytic strategy for developing skills that help people respond more flexibly to their own suffering by focusing greater attention and energy on behaviors that move them toward what matters most to them. Although ACT inside ABA is relatively new, research exists that shows that ACT can be an effective way to enhance ABA supports for developmentally disabled clients, their parents/caregivers, and the staff who support them. This one-day workshop will train practitioners in the fundamentals of ACT, including the topics of experiential avoidance, acceptance, defusion, present moment, self-as-context, values, and committed action. Most importantly, participants will learn a set of practical procedures for implementing ACT in the context of supporting clients, family members, and staff.

Learning objectives:

·      Describe experiential avoidance as a behavioral repertoire 

·      Describe acceptance as a behavioral repertoire 

·      Describe defusion as a behavioral repertoire

·      Describe present moment attention as a behavioral repertoire 

·      Describe committed action as a behavioral repertoire

·      Describe self-as-context as a behavioral repertoire

·      Describe how to implement at least one simple procedure that trains skills in the area of acceptance for clients, caregivers and staff

·      Describe how to implement at least one simple procedure that trains skills in the area of defusion for clients, caregivers and staff

·      Describe how to implement at least one simple procedure that trains skills in the area of acceptance for clients, caregivers and staff

·      Describe how to implement at least one simple procedure that trains skills in the area of values for clients, caregivers and staff

·      Describe how to implement at least one simple procedure that trains skills in the area of committed action for clients, caregivers and staff

·      Describe how to implement the ACT Matrix with a client, caregivers, and staff

Schedule

Day 1 - June 17th 2024

·      Setting the stage: Starting from a foundation of compassion, neurodiversity, and cultural humility

·      Brief introduction to radical behaviorism, functional contextualism, private events 

·      Overview of the purpose of ACT and scope of practice for BCBAs doing ACT

·      Overview of ACT skills 

·      Introduction to the ACT matrix

·      Present moment across clients, family members, and staff

·      Values and committed action across clients, family members, and staff

Day 2 - June 18th 2024

·      Acceptance and committed action across clients, family members, and staff 

·      Defusion and committed action across clients, family members, and staff 

·      Self-as-context and committed action across clients, family members, and staff 

·      Putting it all together: Creating comprehensive support plans including ACT

·      Committed action plans and farewells

Location: 2330 Graeber Rd, Rosenberg TX 77471

Time: 8:30a-4:30p / Doors Open @ 8a

Cost & REGISTRATION
-includes lunch/snacks/refreshments

-Non-member: $299

-Member: $199

-Student: $119

16 CE Package / Includes 3 supervision & 2 ethics

-additional $69

LSABA membership dues

-$30

Click here to register

We're beyond excited to introduce our very first sponsor TYAP-TexasYoung Autism Project! Want to know more about this amazing partner? Click here .