Applied Behavior Analysis Commons^™

Preferences For And Effectiveness Of Role-Play On The Acquisition Of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Skills, Logan D. Zupko

All NMU Master's Theses

Effective training of clinicians is crucial for ensuring high-quality clinical practices. This study evaluated the effectiveness of and preference for two teaching strategies within a behavior skills training (BST) framework for training novice adults in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) components. College students participated in multiple laboratory sessions across three study phases: Introduction, Choice, and Training. During the Introduction Phase, participants learned CBT Component 1 with either feedback only or feedback combined with brief role-play for incorrect skills. These two teaching strategies alternated across trials to ensure the participant was exposed to each equally. The Choice Phase allowed participants to select …

Competitive Stress And Life History Mismatch, Norman P. Li, Amy J. Y. Lim

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Simulations, correlational studies, and laboratory experiments have recently shown that cues to high-resource competition may be steering individuals toward increasingly less favorable attitudes toward reproduction and slower life-history strategies. This work suggests that, alongside extrinsic mortality, it may be fruitful to examine the role of competitive stress cues in shaping life-history strategies.

Exploratory Analysis Of Prerequisites To Teaching Early Perspective Taking In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Zoe Painter

Honors College Theses

The purpose of the current study was to determine the effectiveness of a behavioral intervention package for improving perspective-taking skills in children with ASD and specifically extend previous research focused on teaching the ability to identify what others are experiencing through their senses. Less complex verbal behaviors hypothesized to be prerequisites to this skill were first assessed systematically in three male children with ASD receiving ABA services in a community-based clinic, and then participants were taught to predict behavior according to the sensory experiences of others (e.g. after observing that a man sees a fly in his drink, responding the …

Exploring Mental Health Stigma Among Law Enforcement Officers, Nicholas D. Chestnut

FDLA Journal

This applied dissertation investigates the prevalence and impact of mental health stigma among law enforcement officers (LEOs) in the United States. Despite growing awareness of the importance of mental health in the law enforcement community, stigma surrounding mental illness remains a significant barrier to help-seeking behaviors among officers. The study employed a research design that examined attitudes, perceptions, and experiences related to mental health stigma among LEOs.

Through online self-assessment surveys administered via a secure portal, participants provided insights into their attitudes toward mental illness, perceptions of stigma, and willingness to seek help for mental health concerns.

Data analysis revealed …

Treatments Of Ordinal Scales In Latent Profile Analyses: A Comparison With Monte Carlo Simulations, Chongming Yang, Joseph Olsen, Caleb Carlyle

Chinese/English Journal of Educational Measurement and Evaluation | 教育测量与评估双语期刊

Person-centered approaches to analysis/modeling provide certain advantages and methodological possibilities. Ordinal psychological scales have been used differently in latent profile analysis (LPA), including sums, means, standardized scores, and factor/latent scores, meanwhile it was uncertain to what extent these treatments would yield equivalent class proportions and univariate differences. This study simulated LPA of different treatments of ordinal scales (unweighted and weighted means, sums, standardized sums, and latent factor scores) with different response options (2, 3, 5, and 7) at different sample sizes (N = 240/300 or 600) under maximum likelihood (ML) and Bayesian estimations. Compared to other treatments of ordinal …

Methylation Of The Dat1 Dopamine Transporter Gene In Combat Sport Athletes: Associations With Impulsivity And Reward Sensitivity, Milena Lachowicz, Remigiusz Recław, Aleksandra Suchanecka, Krzysztof Chmielowiec, Elżbieta Grzywacz, Jolanta Chmielowiec, Kinga Łosińska, Anna Grzywacz

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Epigenetic mechanisms, such as DNA methylation, modulate behavioral traits, including impulsivity and reward sensitivity. The dopamine transporter gene (DAT1) plays a key role in dopaminergic function and is associated with self-regulation, attention, and the trait of addiction. This study summarized the DAT1 methylation status in patients practicing combat sports and its association with impulsivity, ADHD symptoms, and consequence sensitivity. One hundred control subjects were recruited using the Barratt Impulsivity Scale (BIS), the ADHD scale, and the Opportunity Response Scale. DAT1 methylation was measured using the bisulfite ionization method. A correlation analysis was performed with the comparison group. Athletes …

Understanding The State Of Neuroinclusive Teaching, Jovita Maria Joseph

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

We build on prior work by others and by the PI investigating the needs and the state of support for neurodiverse students in STEM at the college level—beginning with the state of support at Cal Poly. Key questions we explore include institutional and peer support and belonging; neuroinclusive course design and the efficacy of syllabi; and the impact of low- versus high-stakes assessments on neurodiverse students. The project consists of three pillars: (1) theory—situating our research with respect to prior work; (2) empirical analysis—learning from the previous survey refining our research questions, and designing further experiments; and (3) institutional research—gathering …

Self-Management And Support Needs Of Patients Experiencing Persistent Symptoms Consistent With Hypothyroidism: A Qualitative Study, Marike De Reuver-Schuurman, Esther C. Bakker, Lilian Lechner, Liset Van Dijk

Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews

Purpose: To gain insight into the self-management and support needs of patients experiencing persistent symptoms consistent with hypothyroidism, despite thyroid laboratory values within the normal range.

Methods: A qualitative study using the phenomenological approach was conducted. Semi-structured interviews including 19 patients diagnosed with persistent symptoms consistent with hypothyroidism, despite receiving adequate replacement therapy, were performed. Respondents were recruited using purposive sampling via Schildklier Organisatie Nederland (Dutch Thyroid Organization) (www.schildklier.nl). After transcription and coding, a thematic analysis was performed.

Results: All respondents reported that the persistent symptoms reduced their quality of life. The patients’ main focus was on finding the cause …

Behavioral Assessment Software: Enhancing Polygraph And Investigative Interviewing, Alan Saquella

Publications

In the rapidly evolving world of security, law enforcement, and investigative sciences, professionals are increasingly turning to advanced technologies to supplement tried-and-true methodologies. One emerging innovation is behavioral assessment software, designed to enhance both pre-employment screening and investigative interviewing. Acting as a form of modern human intelligence collection, these tools enable examiners and investigators to gather deeper insights directly from candidates and subjects, revealing behavioral cues and risk indicators that might otherwise remain hidden (Vrij, 2008).

Importantly, behavioral assessment software is not intended to replace polygraph or other traditional investigative methods. Instead, it functions as a complementary resource—one that provides …

The Moderating Role Of Trait Online Disinhibition In Exacerbating The Online Victim-Bully Cycle, Sandeeshwara K Tennakoon Appuhamillage Kasturiratna, Andree Hartanto

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

The growth of the internet and social media as a communication platform has increased the incidence of cyberbullying victimisation. While there has been increasing research interest on the antecedents of cyberbullying perpetration, little is known on why some individuals who themself experience cyber victimisation are more likely to become cyberbullying perpetrators. Considering the large number of individuals who experience cyberbullying victimisation in the current, highly digitalised world, this trend of victims turning into bullies poses a worrisome possibility and deserves research attention. One promising individual difference that could potentially moderate the relationship between cyberbullying victimisation can lead to cyberbullying perpetration …

Preventing Workplace Violence: A Strategic Imperative For Today’S Organizations, Alan Saquella

Publications

Workplace violence is a critical and growing concern for organizations across all industries. It encompasses a wide spectrum from bullying and verbal threats to physical assaults and, in the most tragic cases, homicide. While acts of extreme violence often dominate news headlines, they are typically preceded by missed warning signs and failed interventions.

Behavioral Assessment Ai Software: Enhancing Polygraph And Investigative Interviewing, Alan Saquella

Publications

In the rapidly evolving world of security, law enforcement, and investigative sciences, professionals are increasingly turning to advanced technologies to supplement tried-and-true methodologies. One emerging innovation is behavioral assessment software, designed to enhance both preemployment screening and investigative interviewing. Acting as a form of modern human intelligence collection, these tools enable examiners and investigators to gather deeper insights directly from candidates and subjects, revealing behavioral cues and risk indicators that might otherwise remain hidden (Vrij, 2008).

Accordance And Conflict Between Religious And Scientific Precautions Against Covid-19 In 27 Societies, T. Samore, D.M.T. Fessler, A.M. Sparks, C. Holbrook, L. Aarøe, C.G. Baeza, M.T. Barbato, P. Barclay, R. Berniūnas, J. Contreras-Garduño, B. Costa-Neves, M.P. Grazioso, P. Elmas, P. Fedor, Li, Norman P., R. Fernández-Morales, L. Garcia-Marques, P. Giraldo-Perez, P. Gul, F. Habacht

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Meaning-making systems underlie perceptions of the efficacy of threat-mitigating behaviors. Religion and science both offer threat mitigation, yet these meaning-making systems are often considered incompatible. Do such epistemological conflicts swamp the desire to employ diverse precautions against threats? Or do individuals—particularly individuals who are highly reactive to threats—hedge their bets by using multiple threat-mitigating practices despite their potential epistemological incompatibility? Complicating this question, perceptions of conflict between religion and science likely vary across cultures; likewise, pragmatic features of precautions prescribed by some religions make them incompatible with some scientifically-based precautions. The COVID-19 pandemic elicited diverse precautions thus providing an opportunity …

Wavelength And Luminance Interaction On Spatio-Temporal Contrast Sensitivity Function, Taylan S. Ergun

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Contrast sensitivity (CS) measures the ability to discriminate objects from their backgrounds under varying conditions(Campbell & Robson, 1968). Contrast sensitivity is important for navigating the real world and operating under different light conditions. The contrast sensitivity function (CSF) reflects how the visual system performs under different conditions. This measure is crucial in assessing the health of the visual system (Chen & Gardner, 2021). CSF contributes to a deeper understanding of how the visual system processes and integrates properties of light to create visual sensation and perception. Human contrast sensitivity depends on the viewing conditions such as field size, luminance, color, …

The Relationship Between Self-Talk And Self Esteem Amongst University Students, Weam Batarfi, Saddiga Al-Ghalib

Effat Undergraduate Research Journal

The theory of self-talk is important to human nature and has the capacity to enhance person's life. In addition, self-esteem plays a major role in mankind life, either in a positive or a negative way. This work was done to analyze the relationship between self-talk and self-esteem among university students. This work was carried out based on quantitative method. For this work, the sample population was university students and the sample size used was 100 students. Data collection was done using survey method. Furthermore, the scales that were used are the Self-Talk Scale development, Factor Analysis, and Validation and self-esteem …

Applying Contextual Behavioral Science To Address Addictions In Monsters, Chase Hollander

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

The dominant essentialist paradigm in addiction treatment often conceptualizes addiction as a curse or plague which seizes the individual afflicted by it. Such views are reinforced by neurobiological interventions like Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT). While MAT can reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms, its long-term efficacy is mixed, and its emphasis on abstinence as a primary outcome limits its scope. Addiction is a multifaceted phenomenon shaped by physiological, psychological, social, and systemic factors—including stigma, moral judgment, and structural oppression. Essentialist approaches frequently pathologize individuals and obscure these broader influences. In contrast, contextual behavioral sciences and therapies aligned with functional contextualism such as …

Parent/Stakeholder, Practitioner, And Teacher Perception Of Applied Behavior Analysis As Influenced By Social Media, Brittany Hahn

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The current study was conducted to investigate individuals’ perceptions of ABA as influenced by social media. A survey that included videos selected from TikTok, a social media platform, was provided to parents/stakeholders of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), practitioners/employees of ABA (BCBAs, RBTs, etc.), and teachers. Participants were acquired using recruitment posts on TikTok and Facebook, through email, and by word-of-mouth/referral. 58 participants in total fully completed the survey. The survey was conducted using Qualtrics and included 32 questions and eight TikTok videos. The results showed that parents/stakeholders’, practitioners’, and teachers’ opinions of ABA were not influenced by the …

The Benefits Of Establishing Attending Behavior Prior To The Discriminative Stimulus During Discrete-Trial Instruction: A Systematic Review, Ruben S. Pereira

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Discrete trial instruction (DTI) is one of the most effective and commonly used instructional strategies for teaching individuals with autism. Researchers and professionals have informally promoted the importance of establishing attending behavior prior to initiating discrete trials. However, some researchers have reported a lack of literature analyzing the effects of establishing attending behavior, prior to instruction, on skill acquisition. Therefore, the benefits of establishing attending as part of DTI remain unknown. The goal of the current thesis was to conduct a systematic review using PRISMA guidelines to search for published studies where attending behavior was a primary independent variable within …

Effects Of Treatment Integrity Level And Error Type On Dro Efficacy: A Parametric And Comparative Analysis, Paige O'Neill

Theses & Dissertations

Differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO) is a strategy commonly used in applied contexts to address challenging behavior but can be difficult to implement with high treatment integrity. Previous research has shown that DRO may be robust despite marginal errors of commission, but the impact of differing degrees of errors and different error types during DRO is still unclear. The purpose of the current study was to conduct a parametric evaluation of treatment integrity level (100%, 80%, 60%, 40%, 20%) in DRO when implemented with combined errors (Experiment 1) and to directly compare error types (commission errors, omission errors, combined …

A Multi-Measurement Study Of The Relation Between Deliberation And Volition, Guillaume P. Pech, Emilie A. Caspar, Elisabeth Pacherie, Axel Cleeremans, Uri Maoz

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Historically, voluntary action and volition more generally have been investigated through the lens of meaningless decisions. Importantly, these findings have been used in the debate about key notions like free will and moral responsibility. However, more recent claims have challenged the possibility of generalizing findings from a meaningless context to a more meaningful one. The current study investigates the markers of volition, specifically comparing meaningful and meaningless decisions. In an effort to maximize their monetary gain, 50 participants repeatedly deliberated between two options, making either rewarded choices—hard-deliberation decisions (where the options differed along two dimensions) or easy-deliberation decisions (where the …

Proceedings Of The 19th Facet Theory Conference, Samuel Shye

International Facet Theory Conference

No abstract provided.

Measuring The Accuracy Of Hierarchal Linear Models And Visual Analysis For Evaluating Single-Case Designs, Justin Myers

Dissertations

Behavior analysts often use single-case experimental designs to evaluate behavioral interventions. Data are typically analyzed through the visual analysis of graphs. Visual analysis has several limitations, however. Visual analysis has only moderate inter-rater reliability and small effects can be difficult to detect, especially if data are variable. Hierarchal Linear Models (HLMs) have been proposed as method for quantifying results of single-case designs. HLMs are a type of statistical model that can evaluate the effectiveness of treatment with nested data, whereby sessions are nested within treatment conditions. An advantage of HLMs over other statistical tests is that they do not require …

Social Sprouts: A Play-Based Packaged Intervention - Improving Peer Interactions In Early Childhood Classrooms With A Novel Group Contingency, Brittany D. Garza

Master's Theses

Teaching prosocial skills such as positive peer interactions in early childhood settings not only promotes behavioral health but reliably predicts future learning outcomes. The literature suggests that decreasing levels of challenging behavior may improve peer interactions, and a feasible class-wide strategy that can address this combination of needs effectively is a group contingency. The current study investigated the effect of a novel group contingency, Social Sprouts, on both positive peer interactions and disruptive behavior. This study utilized a nonconcurrent multiple baseline design in three Head Start classrooms to evaluate the effect of this packaged intervention delivered just before and during …

Socioeconomic Status Shapes Dyadic Interactions: Examining Behavioral And Physiologic Responses, Jacinth J. X. Tan, Tessa V. West, Wendy B. Mendes

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

With more opportunities for diverse interactions, little is known about how social interactions involving people of different socioeconomic status (SES) may unfold. We investigated social attunement patterns in dyadic interactions involving SES. Unacquainted individuals recruited from the community interacted with similar-or-different-SES partners in the lab (Ndyads = 130). Attunement was assessed throughout the interaction by examining physiological linkage—how much a person’s physiological change is predicted by another’s physiological change, over time. Overall, low-SES participants showed stronger physiological linkage—indicating greater attunement—to partners across SES. Participants also appeared more comfortable when interacting with low-SES partners. There were no SES differences in dominance …

A Lifespan Perspective On Positive Affect Fluctuations On Purpose In Life: Findings From A 9-Year Longitudinal Study, Jonathan L. Chia, Verity Y. Q. Lua, Andree Hartanto

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Existing research has examined how static or average levels of positive affect (PA) influence purpose in life (PIL), but theoretical work suggests PA fluctuations may also play a role, potentially undermining PIL, especially in older adulthood. To this end, the present study examined the longitudinal association of PA fluctuations on PIL and the moderating role of age among 1,294 midlife and older adults in the United States, over a 9-year period (between 2004 and 2014). Results revealed a conditional effect of PA fluctuations on PIL – particularly among older individuals, and greater PA fluctuations were associated with a poorer sense …

Subjective Socioeconomic Status Moderates Self-Esteem Reactivity To Daily Stressor Exposure: Evidence From A Daily Diary Approach, Yi Jing Chua, Nadyanna M. Majeed, Verity Yu Qing Lua, Chi-Ying Cheng, Andree Hartanto

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Research on self-esteem reactivity has demonstrated that self-esteem fluctuates in response to daily stressor exposure, and the strength of this relationship varies between individuals. Drawing upon the positive link between objective socioeconomic status (SES) and self-esteem, how subjective SES influences self-esteem reactivity to daily stressor exposure was explored. Using a 7-day daily diary study, the current study (N-participants = 243, N-days = 1651) adopted a multilevel analysis to demonstrate that subjective SES attenuated the within-person association between daily stressor exposure and daily self-esteem, even after controlling for demographics and objective indicators of SES. The interactions were also consistent across social …

Synthesizing Co-Reading Behaviors: Insights From Graduate Students’ Experience And A Rapid Scoping Review, Watcharasak Sudla, Wannee Kaemkate

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives: Collaborative reading of research articles is essential for graduate students to develop academic reading skills through peer engagement in knowledge sharing, reflection, and feedback. However, limited information exists about the behaviors indicative of co-reading practices. This study aims to identify behavioral indicators and social participation in students’ co-reading of research articles.

Methods: In this study, we integrated key behavioral indicators of co-reading based on data from interviews with 23 graduate students and a rapid scoping review. The collected data were then subjected to content analysis and data visualization.

Results: The findings categorize individuals involved in co-reading into six groups: …

Spotting And Preventing Air Rage: Proactive Strategies For Pilots & Flight Attendants For Handling Unruly Passenger Behavior, Alan Saquella, Joe Frary

Publications

Unruly passenger behavior has become an increasingly common challenge for airline crews. According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), more than 53,500 disruptive passenger incidents were reported globally in 2024, averaging one incident every 395 flights. In the U.S., the FAA recorded over 900 cases by mid-year, with more than 100 directly tied to intoxication. While the majority of flights operate without issue, the rise in verbal abuse, intimidation, and physical altercations is impacting both safety and morale in the skies.

Du Undergraduate Showcase Abstracts: Research, Scholarship, And Creative Works, Kabe Aberle, Nadia Kako, Kateri Mcrae, Brooke Agulnek, Sky Palmon, Yasmine Ramirez, Francisca Aguirre Beltran, Ashley Juarez, Bridget Kim, Tessa Appel, Sterling Kerr, Spencer Ingley, Gabe Meyer, Robin Tinghitella, Dale Broder, Lily Baeza, Chloe Beers, Julia Coakley, Whitney Kelsey, Sydney Gainforth, Gabi Wing, Audrey Martin, Aaliyah Amore Berry, Brooke Watley, Kiruthika Venkatesan, Rachel Bienstock, Annabella Brotherston, Madison Bryant, Mia Burgener, Emma P. Lieb, Rachel A. Johnson, Jennifer L. Hoffman, Kania Campbell, Kiena Campbell, Courtney Cassidy, Sage Krzyzkowski, Maddox Jones, Skylar Abookire, Luke Hawkins, Sunnah Yoon, Andrea Chu, Yan Qin, Nyah Cubbison, Brian Gearity, Daniel Mcintosh, Mariely Cruz, Edward Garrido, Grady Dionne, Nicole Doris, Lyndsie Salvagio, Ann-Charlotte Granholm-Bentley, Anna Dymov, Hannah Eckert, Gabrielle Welsh, Erica Larson, Charlie Ernst, Anna Zhou, Sarah Watamura, Larissa Fedorovich-Klein, Georgie Fields, Kimberly A. Guevara, Aven Mccall, Ben Peltier, Feruz Yahia, Patrick Flores, Jadyn Floyd, Sophia Forcier, J. Von R. Monteza, Peter Sokol-Hessner, Gwendolyn Geiger, Scott Nichols, Camryn Gunter, Kendal Hengst, Charlie Bednarz, Issy Garside, Addison Baker, Rachel Mina, Brooke Hermanson, Amanda Klingler, William Highfill, Sydney Jaques, Kerstin Lewey, Allison Grossery, Daniel Linseman, Ethan Lim, Jagger Livengood, Owen Mantelli, Gabby Pappas, Abby Mcdonald, Madeleine Dierking, Eve Miller, Emma Loeber, Anna Marlow, Michael Kerwin, Ella Mathews, Hillary Hamann, Khadija Mohamed, Vivian Nguyen, Gabri Notov, Ifunayachi Ogbonna-Ukuku, Sunil Kumar, Charles Baysah, Sarah Olson, Don Sullivan, Anna Paradiso, Jay Parrish, Mira Pronobis, Alisha Pravasi, Kerstin Haring, Diego Ramirez, Christopher Reardon, Juliana Ramirez, Casey Doherty, Ella Kestner, Teagan Weindel, Cate Billings, Pablo Torre-Walter, Lucy Rand, Samantha Reynolds, Mark Siemens, Khadeeja Rashid, Laine Satterlee, Piper Heilbronner, Lily Pound, Ben Whitehurst, Anna Respet, Lizzie Lesoing, Sydney Hertel, Aya Saad-Masri, Brooke Ballenger, Max Proske, Hannah Rosenberg, Ellia Nakahara, Sophia Espinoza, Ivan Woolhouse, Simon Ruland, Gorkem Er, Timothy Sweeny, Melaku Saketa, Michela Schenk, Maren Lynch, Madi Hamm, Grace Schroeder, Michelle Rozenman, Rana Seif, Jackson Hall, Marisela Simental, Daniel Paredes, Aaron Mena, Preston Spaan, Evelyn Stovin, David Andrew Swartz, Anh Tran, Daniel Pittman, Luke Farchione, Emily Boyer, Ukari Verner, Lacey Conrad, Jonathan Velotta, James Weiner, Jagger Gossett, Noah Sherry, Sam Proud, Ben Block, Avi Narayana, Zoey Weiss, Alyssa Wilson, Gabrielle Walsh, David Zonana, Keely Wright, Kena Riveria, Lillybelle Deer, Jena Doom, Elysia Davis, Isabelle Yaremenko, Caitlyn Young

DU Undergraduate Research Journal Archive

Abstracts from the DU Undergraduate Research Showcase.

Effects Of Self-Monitoring On Teachers’ Behavior-Specific Praise And Students’ Behavior In A Center-Based Classroom, Samantha Walsh

Theses

The current study explores the effects of self-monitoring on teachers' use of behavior-specific praise (BSP) and its impact on student behavior in a center-based classroom. Self-monitoring, a cost-effective and time-efficient intervention, has been proven effective in previous research for enhancing educator performance. However, previous studies have often combined self-monitoring with other interventions, leaving a gap in understanding its effects in isolation. This study aims to replicate the work of Justus et al. (2023) by examining the impact of self-monitoring on paraprofessionals in a center-based classroom with students aged 6-10. Using a multiple baseline design across participants, three paraprofessionals were trained …