The Role of Kindness in Applied Behavior Analysis
Behavioral principles of learning and motivation are powerful concepts that have produced powerful technologies for behavior change. However, the tremendous effectiveness of ABA principles does not necessarily guarantee that they will be implemented in a caring manner. Many other helping professions emphasize the role of empathy and compassion in treatment delivery but they are rarely emphasized in behavior analytic training. Skinner viewed the purpose of the science of behavior to influence society to be based more on positive reinforcement and less on aversive control, leading to a more peaceful and caring world. This presentation will tie together contributions from Skinner’s work, the BACB ethical guidelines, and behavior analytic research on increasing happiness in individuals with developmental disabilities, with the goal of discussing potential future directions for research and practice in ABA that aims to increase kindness and compassion throughout the ABA assessment, treatment, parent training, and staff management process.
Learning objectives:
- Attendees will be able to identify three common practices in applied behavior analysis that may sometimes be viewed as cold or uncaring by the community
- Attendees will be able to identify the ABA treatment process can be delivered with greater kindness, without sacrificing scientific rigor
- Attendees will be able to identify two directions for potential research or practice that involve modifications to common procedures, in order to make those procedures more kind
About the Presenter
The topic of this webinar was nice to hear. It renewed my interest in ABA and reminded me of the importance of validating someone when they are in a highly emotional state.
This is EXACTLY the training that EVERYONE in ABA needs right now. It's not difficult to be kinder, but still be effective.
The role of kindness has been significantly undervalued in the field of ABA. This course encourages all of us to reflect on our own behavior and why it's critical to incorporate more kindness into our own practice. I would highly recommend this course.
This course was personally meaningful. It's the best information I've had recently in my career. I believe I have been operating as a kind BA and been ashamed of it. :D This course was extremely validating to me.
One of my favorite trainings EVER! This info seems like common sense to me and I have been practicing almost exactly what was discussed in the presentation for years. It is so wonderful to hear training and a call for research in the area of kindness. I hope someday soon kindness training will be included in all BCBA programs and considered a CORE VALUE of what we do. THANK YOU!
This is one of the most inspiring, and affirming, trainings I have taken in many years. I plan to share it with a number of other colleagues both those who are BCBAs or RBTs but also non-ABA professionals within my public school setting because the underlying point extends beyond formal ABA. Thank you so much!
This is a long overdue and significant discussion of the relationship/interaction between behavior therapists and their clients. Being kind is not to be equated with weakness as Dr. Tarbox pointed out. Being kind is displaying thoughtfulness, consideration, tolerance, flexibility, and empathy for the clients' and their parents/caretakers' perspectives. During my long career, it has been my observation that kindness can go a long way toward relationship-building and achieving goals. Added bonus - therapists are happier and can genuinely enjoy their important work which is admittedly challenging at times. Thank you!
Refreshing training that finally connects our humanistic desire to be kind with our desire to change behavior. Dr. Tarbox does a great job of bringing into focus how to be kind during ABA treatment. Those lines have been blurry but with attention to kindness we will learn how to change our own behaviors.
This was the most refreshing discourse on humanity I have experienced 10 years into this field. Thank you so much for your bold and sanity restoring position!
This is another training that helped me be more confident as a BCBA. I just realized I've encountered BCBA-police and I see how punishing this is to collaboration and discussion. It's like, I don't want to say this wrong but I know my message is important; I just don't say it to THAT person because of their response to previous statements and I see it hindering my growth. I've had a kid who I thought, "I know this is not in the literature, but I think I'm going to do "tickle therapy" with this kid. I need them to be re-conditioned in response to seeing the therapy room because once we returned to low-to-no demands after SIB re-appeared, and tried fading in a SINGLE mastered demand, the kid was regressing with toleration.
Course information
- Title: Kindness in ABA
- Presenter: Jonathan Tarbox Ph.D., BCBA-D
- CEUs: 2 Learning
- Duration: 1 hour and 40 minutes
- Customer Rating: (1092)