Compassionate ABA in Practice: What We Know and How We Can Do Better

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) affects about 1 in 31 children and often results in social, communication, and independence challenges (CDC, 2025). Since the 1930s, Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) has been used to support individuals with ASD (Skinner, 1938) with early applications reflecting the broader norms and ethical standards of their time. While some practices used in earlier decades would be considered inappropriate or unethical by today’s standards, the field of ABA has evolved toward approaches that emphasize positive behavior support, social validity, and respect for individual dignity (Boutot & Hume, 2012). Despite this evolution, many Registered Behavior Technicians® (RBTs®), Behavior Technicians (BTs), special education teachers, and paraprofessionals may lack awareness or training in these modern practices. This study examined the knowledge, training, use, and perception of compassionate care approaches among these professionals. Participants (N = 130) completed a 31-question online survey, including perception-based and vignette questions. Results revealed that while many professionals value ethical ABA practices and show interest in applying updated strategies, their confidence remains low due to inconsistent and limited training. Training and supervision in compassionate care were often insufficient, suggesting that deeper, value-driven training is needed to shift perceptions. Although the importance of compassionate care is widely recognized, full integration into practice remains gradual. These findings highlight the urgent need for comprehensive, ethically grounded professional development to better equip educators and therapists in delivering effective, compassionate ABA therapy.

At the end of this presentation, attendees will be able to:

1. Describe key components of compassionate care within contemporary ABA practice.
2. Summarize findings from a survey of ABA professionals regarding knowledge, perceptions, and application of compassionate practices.
3. Identify at least two strategies for integrating compassionate approaches into their daily clinical work as RBTs.

From teaching elementary verbal operants to generative learning - How RBTs can use tools already in their repertoire to teach more complex verbal behavior

This two hour hands-on workshop introduces Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs) to the principles and practical procedures for promoting generative verbal behavior with learners. By highlighting teaching techniques that RBTs already use to teach verbal behavior regularly, such as shaping, fading, and differential reinforcement, participants will gain a foundation for understanding and applying generative language approaches. A review of generative learning concepts and strategies, which include bidirectional naming (Horne & Lowe, 1996; Jennings & Miguel, 2016), instructional feedback (Frampton & Shillingsburg, 2020; Gavidia et al., 2022), and autoclitic frame training (Espinosa, 2021; Espinosa et al., 2021), will be accompanied by hands-on practice.

At the end of this presentation, attendees will be able to:

1. Provide examples of how stimulus control is transferred across verbal operants
2. Demonstrating how to implement 3 procedures that promote generative verbal behavior, such as autoclitic frame training, lag schedules of reinforcement, instructional feedback, and joint control strategies (materials and practice opportunities will be provided within the workshop)
3. Provide examples of how generative learning procedures lead to socially valid gains for individuals

The Tricare Trials: Employee Behavior, Money, and Motivation

Applied behavior analysis has long relied on reinforcement to shape client behavior, yet far less attention has been given to how reinforcement systems influence clinician performance and organizational outcomes. This project evaluates the impact of financial incentive design on BCBA and BCaBA behavior within Tricare-funded service delivery. Using a 12-week quality improvement framework, variable ratiovariable amount incentive schedules were compared to traditional fixed models to assess effects on billable hours, documentation timeliness, and overall revenue generation.

Participants were required to meet clearly defined performance targets, including maintaining a minimum of 20 billable hours per week, completing non-billable supervision, and submitting session documentation within 24 hours. Outcomes were measured using revenue transaction reports, productivity metrics, and timestamped documentation data.

Findings suggest that variable reinforcement schedules produced meaningful increases in clinician productivity and revenue, while also highlighting important considerations related to feasibility, perceived fairness, and leadership implementation burden. This project reframes incentive design as a clinical and operational intervention, demonstrating how behavior analytic principles can be applied at the systems level to drive sustainable organizational performance. Implications for payer strategy, workforce retention, and large-scale implementation will be discussed.

At the end of this presentation, attendees will be able to:

1. Analyze how variable ratio–variable amount reinforcement schedules influence BCBA and BCaBA productivity, documentation timeliness, and organizational revenue within Tricare-funded ABA services.
2. Differentiate between fixed and variable financial incentive models, including their impact on clinician behavior, perceived fairness, and feasibility for implementation across regional leadership teams.
3. Apply behavior analytic principles to design performance-based incentive systems that improve clinical and operational outcomes while maintaining ethical integrity and workforce sustainability.

Evaluating the Role of Matrix Training in Advancing Intraverbal Responding Among Children with ASD

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) often exhibit persistent deficits in social communication and interaction, along with restrictive and repetitive patterns of behavior. These characteristics can significantly hinder their ability to navigate social interactions and succeed in academic settings. This study explored the need for interventions that support flexible language and generalization by applying matrix training with a Lag schedule of reinforcement to teach varied intraverbal responses to children with ASD. The research examined whether matrix training facilitates generalization across untrained targets and spontaneous varied responses during peer conversations. A single-subject concurrent multiple probe design was used with three children with ASD, aged 9 to 10 years, selected based on communication deficits. Data collection included baseline assessments, training sessions, generativity probes, generalization, and pre- and postintervention naturalistic language observations. The findings displayed significant progress in varied intraverbal responses, which transferred to untrained targets. Participants also displayed increased social communication skills, such as asking questions and sharing relevant information, along with reductions in restricted speech and disruptive behaviors. Results suggest that matrix training is a valuable approach for improving communication skills in children with ASD, with important implications for refining evidencebased educational and therapeutic practices to support meaningful language development and social participation.

At the end of this presentation, attendees will be able to:

1. Describe the theoretical foundations of matrix training paired with a Lag schedule of reinforcement, including how Relational Frame Theory and derived relational responding inform the use of this procedure to develop flexible verbal repertoires and support problem solving in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
2. Identify how this combined procedure promotes generativity across untrained targets, supports generalization of varied intraverbal responding into naturalistic peer conversations, and occasions problem solving behavior by reinforcing operant variability rather than rote response patterns.
3. Apply matrix training procedures within their own clinical practice across both in person and telehealth service delivery models, recognizing the procedure as a scalable and accessible option for diverse clinical settings, including families who may not otherwise be able to access services within their local area.

Designing Focused Intervention Programs for Children Exhibiting Challenging Behavior: Lessons from Caregiver-Directed and Intensive Outpatient Programs

Children with autism spectrum disorder and other neurodevelopmental disorders who engage in challenging (or interfering) behavior often require intensive, function-based intervention. Traditional service delivery models, however, may be limited by barriers related to access, feasibility, caregiver burden, and safety. In response to these challenges, service models emphasizing intensive outpatient care and parent-directed treatment have emerged as promising approaches for increasing access to evidence-based behavior analytic services while maintaining treatment integrity and clinical effectiveness. This presentation will focus on lessons learned from the development, evaluation, and implementation of outpatient service delivery models that emphasize caregiver-directed, function-based intervention for children who exhibit challenging behavior.

Drawing from clinical outcome data, program evaluation efforts, and applied research conducted within outpatient clinical programs, the presentation will examine how functional analysis and function-based treatment can be implemented ethically while addressing common challenges. Specific emphasis will be placed on strategies for involving caregivers throughout the clinical process to maximize treatment gains most efficiently, as well as balancing intervention intensity with family capacity. Practical considerations related to multidisciplinary collaboration, staff supervision, and system-level constraints will be discussed, with the goal of providing actionable guidance for clinicians, supervisors, and program administrators who wish to build a focused intervention program that meets the needs of the community.

At the end of this presentation, attendees will be able to:

1. Identify appropriate, individualized approaches to behavioral assessment for challenging behavior in outpatient settings.
2. Identify appropriate, individualized approaches to function-based treatment in the context of caregiver training and implementation.
3. Identify systems and policies that promote safe clinical environments for clients, caregivers, and staff.