ABA this week
08/02/26-08/08/26
Scholarly publications
Includes peer reviewed journals within and adjacent to behavior analysis
(Starred journals available to BCBAs through the BACB portal)
Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis *
8/5 Redner, R., Seward, R., & Emmert, B. (2026). Examining the effect of session duration on step count in the Step it UP! Game. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 59(4), e70076. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaba.70076
A modification of the Good Behavior Game intended to increase step count, Step it UP! was used with 15 young adults with ID, and it increased step counts relative to baseline
Behavior Analysis in Practice
8/4 Gasiewski, K., Weiss, M.J. & Mastrogiacomo, L. Interprofessional Collaboration Between Occupational Therapy and Applied Behavior Analysis Professionals: An Examination of Perceptions, Challenges, and Opportunities. Behav Analysis Practice (2026). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-026-01219-4
120 OTs and 77 BCBAs filled out a survey, which revealed: BCBAs are more optimistic about collaboration; and there are perceived barriers in communication, ethics, and scope of practice
Behavioral Interventions *
8/6 Demir, Murat, Recep Polat, Orhan Aydin, and Adem Kenan. 2026. “ Effectiveness of Small-Group Direct Instruction on Science Learning for Students With Mild Intellectual Disability,” Behavioral Interventions: e70133. https://doi.org/10.1002/bin.70133
Direct Instruction in science, delivered to students with mild ID: it works
Cicalese, Lindsey, Katherine A. Cucinotta, Daniel R. Mitteer, and Robert H. LaRue. 2026. “ Increasing Task Completion in Autistic Adults While Concurrently Reinforcing Functional Communication and Challenging Behavior,” Behavioral Interventions: e70132. https://doi.org/10.1002/bin.70132
FCT and differential reinforcement typically includes some form of extinction, which may not be possible with some subjects (e.g., adults with severe challenging behaviors). The authors instead manipulated parameters of reinforcement, which was effective even when fading reinforcement
Perspectives on Behavior Science
8/3 Tucker, J.A., Vuchinich, R.E. Contextualizing Drinking Behavior Change in Natural Environments: Behavioral Economic Approaches and Beyond. Perspect Behav Sci (2026). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40614-026-00508-1
Treating problem drinking includes measuring drinking and non-drinking behavior and resource allocation. Successful treatment tends to see allocation towards non-drinking activities
Macías, A., De Houwer, J. A Functional-Pragmatic Approach to the Analysis of Group Behavior. Perspect Behav Sci (2026). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40614-026-00509-0
The authors extend operant analysis to group behavior
Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior *
8/4 Grondin, S. (2026). Knowing Peter Killeen. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 126(2), e70136. https://doi.org/10.1002/jeab.70136
(Open access)
8/5 Romanowich, P., Wilson, N. A., Wentz, A. M., Espinoza Paz, G., & Sallee, I. (2026). A behavioral measure for spite. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 126(2), e70131. https://doi.org/10.1002/jeab.70131
Using a social discounting task, the authors tested whether subjects would hurt themselves in order to hurt someone else (spite). The authors found that spite increased with dislike and social distance and vice versa, indicating that spite may be lawful
8/6 Blakemore, E. T., & Morris, S. L. (2026). Evaluating the influence of C/t on sensitivity to relative S+ production rate. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 126(2), e70135. https://doi.org/10.1002/jeab.70135
In a translational study, participants were sensitive to stimuli associated with reinforcement
Crone-Todd, D. E. (2026). Personal Reflection and Tribute to Peter Killeen. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 126(2), e70137. https://doi.org/10.1002/jeab.70137
Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions *
8/3 Estrapala, S., Liu, C.-A., Boddie, D., Locke, S., & Peters, A. N. (2026). A Pilot Test of GoalSetGo: A Self-Directed Behavioral Self-Regulation Intervention for High School Students. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/10983007261453056
(Open access) 3 students engaged in a self-management intervention, with 2/3 having immediate but short-term gains in on-task behavior
Education and Treatment of Children
8/7 Coulter, C.L., Ampuero, M.E. Circle Around and Meet at the Top: Teaching Children Number Writing Using a Modeling and Vocal Rehearsal Strategy. Educ. Treat. Child. (2026). https://doi.org/10.1007/s43494-026-00191-6
(Open access) 4 children who had challenges writing numbers were taught using a combined modeling and vocal strategy. The kids all learned some of the numbers
Journal of Behavioral Education
8/3 Lambert, J., Fettig, A. & Ledford, J. Toward a Technology of Formative Triangulation: A Mixed Methods Case Study of Socially Valid Intervention Programming. J Behav Educ (2026). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10864-026-09651-w
(Open access) The authors present a case study wherein they used qualitative (e.g., parent report) and quantitative data to establish and update goals
Aydin, O. Revisiting Tarlow’s Tau: Methodological Issues and Proposed Refinements. J Behav Educ (2026). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10864-026-09650-x
If you’ve heard of Tarlow’s Tau, maybe this would interest you
8/8 de Carvalho Gomes, M.L., Domeniconi, C., Benitez, P. et al. From Functional Analysis of Disruptive Behaviors to Functional Communication Training with Brazilian Children with Autism. J Behav Educ (2026). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10864-026-09647-6
(Open access) In Brazil, three autistic kids between 3-6 engaged in challenging behaviors around tangibles. After an EFA, the kids were taught replacement mands, and the challenging behaviors decreased
Book publications
Textbooks, handbooks, manuals, or mass-market
Upcoming:
Nonlinear Contingency Analysis: Going Beyond Cognition and Behavior in Clinical Practice, Layng, Andronis, Codd, Abdel-Jalil (Eds.) (Nov 2026)
Case Studies and Applications in Nonlinear Contingency Analysis, Abdel-Jalil & Linnehan (Eds.) (Oct 2026)
WAVE Prosocial Assessment and Curriculum, Rehfeldt & Dixon (Pre-order)
AIM Navigators, Dixon (Pre-order)
Personal Narratives on the Behavior Analysis of Human Language and Cognition: Stories from Around the World, Harte et al. (Eds.)
Digital Technologies in Behavior Science: Theoretical and Practical Applications, Crone-Todd, Hantula, Layng (Eds.)
Promoting Language for Learners with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Verbal Behavior Guide for Practitioners, Vladescu & Kissamore (Eds.)
Navigating Ethics in Behavior Analysis: Dealing with Gray Areas, Carr
Podcasts
ABA Inside Track
August 2026 Preview
Episodes will include:
(UNLOCKED) The Body Keeps the Score Book Club
Legislative Policy in Behavior Analysis w/ Dr. Bill Ahearn
Blogs
Generally these are produced by professionals
ABAI
Why Wait? Using Developmental Psychology to Inform Verbal Behavior Intervention
In a guest post, a good discussion about developmental stages -- and about why they don’t “just happen”
Hall of Really Good People in Behavior Analysis: Mike Perone
OAR
Educator Resources to Support Autistic Students
Includes a safety guide
More Autistic Students on Campus Than Colleges Realize
“Between 135,400 and 286,254 autistic students are enrolled as undergraduates [...]”
Licensing & professional organizations
CASP
Autism Care Providers Respond to CMS Guidance
ASAT
Leucovorin: Is There Science Behind That?
no
What Distinguishes a High-Quality ABA Organization?
The authors make a (mostly) reasonable case for 8 quality metrics
ASAN
Take IACCtion: Comment on the IACC Strategic Plan!
OBM Network
Their ancient website now says it is being updated
Business world
Autism services, behavioral health, etc.
CMS unveils autism care toolkit after 421% spending increase
The investigation also found some clinics prescribe 25 or even 40 hours of therapy each week for young children.
Wow, if only there were evidence for that!
Anyway, we won’t need to worry about it soon because Trump administration considers order on autism and vaccines, source says (and yes, this is a new story)
Accidentally behavior analysis
A mainstream news article that relates to behavior analysis
The major changes Head Start faces under Trump proposal, PBS
In a banner week for the current administration, we have attempts to cut funding for ABA and Head Start. From the poetically-named Johnathan Butcher:
The program has failed to meet achievement expectations. It has failed to prepare students in terms of behavior to enter elementary school.
It’s as if he didn’t read our article on Head Start (federal funding Head Start, for example, costs less than the budget of the “Railroad Retirement Board” and results in long-term gains in several domains)
Continuing education
UPCOMING:
BehaviorLive has free events: 8/12, 8/26 (ETH), 8/27 (SUP)
Flashback
A behavioral interpretation of Freud
In the inaugural issue of the journal Behaviorists for Social Action, William Kolbe of UNR speculates about how Freud got his results:
It was nice to read the Killeen articles. One has open access. No I don't think he passed away.
Thanks for this. oh, no! did Peter Killeen pass away?