There is ample evidence to suggest that upright positions and mobility during labor improve birth outcome including shorter duration of childbirth and reduced risk of cesarean section (Lawrence, et al., 2013). The World Health Organization (2015) specifically recommends the use of non-pharmacological interventions for pain management during childbirth; however, the current methodologies for training coping strategies for labor have not shown to be effective on birth outcome (Bilgin et al., 2020). The purpose of this research presentation is to understand the outcomes of an application of a behavior analytic technology to the current childbirth practices to prompt empirically demonstrated labor coping strategies. Results of this study conclude that the introduction of a software using in-vivo prompting and video modeling increases the frequency and variability of labor behaviors during unmedicated labor for birthing persons and their partners.

Learning Objectives

Participants will: 

1. learn about behavioral contingencies that influence decision making and behavior during childbirth
2. understand the importance of frequency and variability in movement as a variable in positive birth outcomes
3. observe how immediate prompting and modeling influence use of coping skills during early and active labor

About the Presenter

Ashley Greenwald

Ashley Greenwald is the Project Administrator for the Positive Behavior Support-Nevada project and the School Climate Transformation Project. The Positive Behavior Support-Nevada project provides training and technical assistance to families and community providers of individuals with disabilities and challenging behavior. The School Climate Transformation Project assists school districts across Nevada in implementing evidence based multi-tiered behavior frameworks. Ms. Greenwald oversees all clinical and administrative activities of these two projects and coordinates grants and other resources on the state and federal levels. Ms. Greenwald has a Bachelors Degree from the University of Florida and a Masters Degree in Psychology/Behavior Analysis from the University of Nevada, Reno, where she also recently received her Ph.D. in Psychology/Behavior Analysis. Ms. Greenwald is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) with over 10 years of experience working in schools and with individuals with disabilities and challenging behavior. Ms. Greenwald presents her work at numerous national conventions each year, has published a variety of articles in peer-reviewed journals, and has written numerous funded grants.