Precision Over Prejudice: Elevating ABA through Informed Advocacy

By Paul “Paulie” Gavoni and Steve Ward

The Tale of Two Behavior Analysts

Emily, a certified behavior analyst, was enthusiastic and determined to support children with autism. When she started working with Zoe, a young girl with autism, her goal was to make a significant impact. Emily attempted to use positive reinforcement. She interviewed the parents about Zoe's interests, discovering that Zoe likes the movie "Frozen" and stickers. So Emily bought a Frozen sticker book and arranged a simple point system whereby Zoe would receive 1 sticker for every 15 minutes of appropriate behavior...i.e., following parent directions and refraining from hitting her little brother. However, despite Emily's sincere efforts, Zoe's progress was minimal. In fact, some of Zoe’s behavioral challenges began to increase, leaving her family feeling even more distressed. The family, once hopeful, started to experience disillusionment. Their concerns deepened as they encountered negative perceptions of behavior analysis online. Despite her dedication, Emily struggled to adapt her approach effectively to Zoe’s evolving needs, often feeling overwhelmed and uncertain about how to proceed.

Then came Julia, another behavior analyst who began working with Zoe as her family was considering alternative approaches. From the start, there was something noticeably different in Julia’s methods. She seemed to have a wider range of strategies at her disposal, and her interactions with Zoe appeared more fluid and responsive. She also used a Frozen sticker book, but rather than arranging an interval-based reinforcement system, she engaged Zoe with the book and established rapport. The synchronous experiences they shared improved Zoe's appreciation of her attention and improved her participation in household expectations. They even got her little brother involved in the play! Under Julia’s guidance, Zoe began to show positive changes — her engagement increased, and some of the challenging behaviors that had been escalating began to diminish. Zoe loved it when Julia came to visit and would often ask her parents when she would be coming back. Observing these improvements, Zoe’s family felt a renewed hope.

Across the globe, there are countless success stories like Julia's, where behavior analysis has effectively transformed lives, and these narratives highlight the profound impact of well-applied behavioral principles. Using my toolbox built on Organizational Behavior Management, I've personally been a part of school and organizational turnaround efforts that led demoralized and low-performing learners and professionals to become happy, engaged, and successful. I've even helped numerous fighters reduce injury and win titles that have been life-changing for them and their families through ABA. But often, these triumphs are overshadowed by instances of poor application of the science and generalized critiques that don’t reflect the entire scope of the discipline. It’s essential to recognize that while improvement is always needed, hundreds of thousands of successful scenarios attest to the efficacy and value of behavior analysis.

The Science of Helping

Globally, there have been a multitude of cases like Julia's, each illustrating the transformative power of behavior analysis when it's done right. These stories shine a light on the real impact that sound behavioral principles can have. In my own experience, especially leveraging my Organizational Behavior Management toolbox, I've played a direct role in applying ABA to revitalize schools and organizations. I've witnessed how disheartened learners and professionals, once struggling and disengaged, can become thriving, motivated, and successful individuals. In schools in particular, I'll never forget the children who'd sometimes ask me for a hug in the hallways as they went to class. Just months before many were engaging in high-magnitude disruption and even getting into fights where I had to intervene and safely immobilize some of them using Professional Crisis Management, which is also built on ABA. Similarly, the adults (including parents), many of whom were initially skeptical, would periodically swing by my office to say thank you. I always reminded them that it wasn't me but rather the team of amazing folks I was surrounded with who were regularly applying behavior analytic strategies that made the difference. Based on a volume of these experiences, I've always looked at ABA as the science of helping.

Unfortunately, these successes often get overshadowed by examples where behavior analysis hasn't been applied effectively, and by sweeping criticisms that don't capture the full breadth and potential of the field. It's crucial to remember that, despite the need for ongoing improvement, the vast number of positive outcomes speaks volumes about the effectiveness and value of behavior analysis for helping people achieve meaningful outcomes for themselves and others.

Reflecting on these two scenarios, we’re prompted to ask: What made the difference between Emily's and Julia’s approaches? Both were well-intentioned and dedicated to their work, yet their impacts were markedly different. What could be the underlying factor that set them apart in their ability to address and adapt to the complexities of Zoe’s case? Was it a difference in the breadth and depth of their training and experience in behavior analysis? Those who only observe Emily’s situation and similar ones might point the finger at the science of ABA. But if we lift up the hood and get to the root cause, we can see that the issue is not the science; it’s the preparation of the scientists.

A Call to Action

With years of experience in the gym, both as a fighter and as a coach, I've come to understand the undeniable value of preparation. It's that crucial moment where preparation meets execution, a lesson that's as true in the ring as it is in the field of behavior analysis. Having felt the sweat and thrill of a real fight, I know it's not just about stepping up to battle; it's about understanding the cause you're fighting for and making sure every move counts.

That's why I've teamed up with Steve Ward, a good friend and a standout in the field of behavior analysis. Steve's not just skilled; he's got a heart that drives his work, and he’s demonstrated time and again how a positive approach can lead to real success, especially for learners grappling with disabilities. His books are a testament to his commitment to positive engagement and effective strategies. He doesn't just talk the talk; he walks the walk. Together, we're putting out this call to action, aimed at both supporters and skeptics of ABA. It's time to channel our shared commitment to making a difference, focusing our energy where it truly matters. Let’s join forces, using our collective strengths to create positive, lasting change in the world of behavior analysis and beyond.

In the field of behavior analysis, there have been critics who bring legitimate concerns to the forefront. These encounters are important to acknowledge. But let's straighten out one thing: it's not the science of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) that's at fault; it’s how it’s sometimes applied that's the issue. ABA has been a lifeline for countless individuals, offering them a toolkit for change that's nothing short of transformative. Despite this, ABA often gets a bad rap, not because it doesn't work, but because we in the field haven't always been the best at showing the world what we do and how well it can work. We've dropped the ball on dissemination, leaving too many with a skewed picture of what ABA is all about.

Just as in behavior analysis, in any professional field, proficiency varies, and human error exists. When a surgeon commits malpractice, we don't rally to abolish surgery or the medical field; we examine what went wrong, often tightening protocols or enhancing surgical education. If a car model turns out to be defective, we don't shut down the automotive industry; instead, we issue recalls and improve safety standards. When a therapist fails to help a client, we don't discard the entire mental health profession; we strive to improve therapeutic methods and oversight.

The point is clear: individual failures do not condemn an entire discipline. Instead, they highlight areas for growth and development within that field. It's a call to action for training programs to up their ante, for continuing education to sharpen its focus, and for professional standards to rise to the challenge. Eradicating a discipline for its missteps would stall progress and innovation, neglecting its obvious benefits when practiced with expertise and care.

Advocacy that Addresses the Real Issue

To those who are calling out ABA as a whole, let's steer that energy in a different direction. You're in this because you want to see change, to stand up for those in need, but the target here should be the variability in ABA practitioners' skills, not the discipline itself. Don’t position yourself as the opposition but rather as coaches urging us to raise our game.

If you paint the entire field with the same broad strokes based on these criticisms, you might inadvertently hurt those who will actually benefit from what ABA has to offer - which is many! So, to all the advocates out there, your drive is undeniable. But we wonder what might happen if you funnel that passion into what a major root cause of the issue is: prepping behavior analysts better, arming them with top-notch skills before they step into the complex world they’re training to serve.

Now, there are likely many things that might need to happen to improve this, such as supervised practica and continuing education, which can vary across many parameters, such as frequency of practice, generalization opportunities, and the extent to which there is interaction with learners. ?But there are some issues with a number of our current approaches. Supervised experience generally features interactions with learners, but unless working with or for one’s supervisor, supervision is relatively infrequent.? Continuing education opportunities can be accessed frequently, especially if online, but feature no interaction with learners, instead relying, at best, on brief role plays with other aspiring behavior analysts.? Comprehension questions required to earn some continuing education credits exercise different learning channels than those used in the classroom or clinic environments (e.g., read/type in lieu of hear/do).

Given some of these issues, what can be done? In our opinion, simulations have the potential to fill a number. These are the sparring sessions of ABA training. Just like boxers don't step into the ring without rounds of practice fights, behavior analysts should be getting their gloves on in simulated settings—learning to bob and weave through challenges in a controlled environment. This is where they can take hits, learn from them, and adapt their strategy without any real risk to those they’ll serve. ?You wouldn’t train a fighter via multiple choice questions online and, if you did, his career would be short and undistinguished.

Simulations in training serve as practical scenarios where emerging behavior analysts can apply their skills in diverse, controlled environments, effectively bridging the gap between theory and real-world application. These simulations come in various forms, from hands-on role-playing exercises to intricate virtual reality experiences, each designed to safely test and refine a practitioner's ability to generalize skills across different settings. Among these, online simulations stand out for their scalability, offering accessible, wide-reaching platforms for immersive, interactive learning experiences that can be tailored to a broad audience. We believe this is where the largest positive impact can happen for building performance and generalization of skills in our field.

These types of simulations embedded into ABA coursework have the potential to seriously up the game for budding behavior analysts. The idea is to use online scenarios and even gamified experiences to let trainees apply ABA principles in various contexts. Application, by definition, occurs across relevant learning channels and makes speed of teacher response relevant.? This kind of training could give them the chops to handle anything from working one-on-one with a learner to coaching, from corporate team-building to animal training. And so much more! The constant across all these simulations? The solid ABA principles they're applying.

Simulations in Action

Can you imagine a student who steps into an online simulation designed to hone their skills in applying positive reinforcement across diverse contexts, all while mastering the art of precise measurement? Picture this: the student’s first task is in a virtual animal behavior lab, where they apply positive reinforcement techniques to shape an animal's behavior. They meticulously record the effects of their reinforcement strategies, observing the changes in behavior frequency and intensity.

Moving on, the student finds themselves coaching a virtual sports team. Here, the focus is on utilizing positive reinforcement to enhance individual and team performance. The student observes the impact of their reinforcement strategies on the athletes' behaviors, carefully measuring and adjusting their approach based on the data collected.

The simulation then shifts to a business environment. The student is tasked with improving employee productivity using positive reinforcement. They implement targeted reinforcement strategies and rigorously measure employee responses, fine-tuning their approach to maximize effectiveness.

Finally, the student enters a simulated classroom setting. Their challenge is to manage the classroom using positive reinforcement, systematically applying and measuring its impact on student behavior and engagement.

In each of these simulations, the constant thread is the strategic application of positive reinforcement and the critical role of measurement in evaluating its effectiveness. This online simulation experience provides the student with practical, real-world scenarios, preparing them to adeptly apply and measure the impact of positive reinforcement in any professional setting they encounter.

We must all remember that this shouldn't be just about learning by rote knowledge to pass a certification exam. It’s about achieving fluency—this is about transferring theory into practice. And we can't forget about the soft skills. Simulations could be a prime way to give trainees the chance to work on empathy, communication, and the other interpersonal stuff that doesn't always get the spotlight in traditional training but is just as critical in the field. In short, with a solid design, these simulations could train behavior analysts to be as adaptable as they are knowledgeable, ready to transfer what they've learned across any situation they might face.

Strength in Unity

To the critics ready to throw in the towel on ABA: Hold up. The intention to defend is honorable, but if you’re not careful, you might end up hurting the very people you intended to protect. This is a call to redirect your fighting spirit. Push for a revolution in how we train behavior analysts. Demand that training includes rigorous, down-and-dirty simulations that build fluency. While they won't solve all of the issues, they have the potential to bridge a number of performance gaps. By doing this, you’re not stepping out of the ring—you’re uniting with us to step up our ability to help. You’re not denouncing a science that has done a lot of good for people; you're helping to refine it for even more compassionate and competent practice. Let's lace up, step into the ring, and fight the good fight for ABA together. There is strength in unity.

To my colleagues in behavior analysis: it's time to take a clear-eyed look at where we excel and where we need to improve. We're working with one of the most powerful tools available for enacting positive change – a science dedicated to helping and improving lives. The foundation of our science is solid, but we need to ensure that the people who wield this tool – our practitioners – are fully equipped for the task at hand. Too often, they are learning through trial and error on the job at the expense of those they are supporting and their own mental (behavioral) health!

Fortunately, there are exemplary programs out there like Comprehensive Application of Behavior Analysis to Schooling, setting a high standard for how to prepare behavior analysts for real-world challenges. Let's put these programs under the spotlight, learn from their successes, and champion the integration of their strategies across more training programs. Moreover, pushing for more research into simulations as a training tool is crucial. We know there are more issues out there that weren't tackled in this article. But by refining and incorporating effective simulations into our training, we can at least bring the necessary depth and applicability to our practice, increasing the likelihood that more behavior analysts are primed for success on a broad scale.

About the Authors

Paul "Paulie" Gavoni

Specializing in human performance, coaching, and organizational leadership, Dr. Paul "Paulie" Gavoni is a behavior scientist and educator who has worked across education and human services for almost three decades. In this capacity, he has served the needs of children and adults through various positions, including COO, Vice President, Director of School Improvement, Leadership Director, Professor, Assistant Principal, School Turnaround Manager, Clinical Coordinator, Therapist, District Behavior Analyst, and Director of Progam Development and Public Relations at?PCMA. Dr. Gavoni is passionate about applying Organizational Behavior Management (OBM), or the science of human behavior, to make a positive difference in establishing safe, productive, and engaging environments that bring out the best in faculty and staff so they can bring out the best in the learners they serve. He is an active board member of the?Opioid Awareness Foundation?and?World Behavior Analysis Day Alliance.

Known for his authenticity and practical approaches, Dr. Gavoni is the host of the Top 1.5% globally ranked?Crisis in Education Podcast?and a sought-out speaker at various Educational and Behavior Analytic Conferences Internationally. He a the Wall Street Journal and USA Today best-selling co-author of The Scientific Laws of Life & Leadership: Behavioral Karma; Quick Wins! Accelerating School Transformation through Science, Engagement, and Leadership; Deliberate Coaching: A Toolbox for Accelerating Teacher Performance; and MMA Science: A Training, Coaching, and Belt Ranking Guide. Dr. Gavoni is proud to introduce OBM and Applied Behavior Analysis to worldwide audiences through his numerous publications and his work with PCMA to create productive, safe, and positive cultures.

Beyond his work in education and human services, Dr. Gavoni is also a former Golden Gloves Heavyweight Champion and a highly respected striking coach in combat sports. Coach “Paulie Gloves,” as he is known in the Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) community, has trained world champions and UFC vets using technologies rooted in the behavioral sciences. Coach Paulie has been featured in the books?Beast: Blood, Struggle, and Dreams a the Heart of Mixed Martial Arts, A Fighter’s Way, and the featured article Ring to Cage:?How four former boxers help mold MMA’s finest. He is also an author who has written extensively for various online magazines such as Scifighting, Last Word on Sports, and Bloody Elbow, where his?Fight Science series?continues to bring behavioral science to MMA. Finally, Paulie was also a featured fighter in FX’s highest-rated show at the time, The Toughman, and as an MMA coach in the Lifetime reality series?Leave it to Geege.

Steve Ward

Steve Ward, MA, BCBA has been working in the field of Behavior Analysis since 1995, and is currently co-owner of Whole Child Consulting, LLC. ?Steve has been consulting to teams around the world, addressing everything from early communication and physical aggression to vocational opportunities and inclusion in college courses.

Steve authored What You Need to Know about Motivation and Teaching Games: An In-depth Analysis, The Inventory of Good Learner Repertoires, and Teaching Good Learner Repertoires and co-authored Teaching Advanced Learner Repertoires, and Another 21 Games: This time, it’s personal….?These publications reflect Steve’s passion not only for what students learn, but also for the manner in which they learn it.?Steve specializes in teaching learner repertoires, including social repertoires, incorporating knowledge from a variety of perspectives and remaining at all times behavioral in his own perspective.

Book Steve Authored

Teaching Good Learner Repertoires

Teaching Advanced Learner Repertoires

The Inventory of Good Learner Repertoires

What You Need to Know about Motivation and Teaching Games: An in-depth analysis

Another 21 Games: This time, it’s personal…

Steve's Facebook Page

Good Learner Repertoire Facebook Page