ABA’s Seven Dimensions

ABA’s Seven Dimensions

The field of applied behavioral science has unquestionably grown in recent years and is playing a fundamental role in helping people understand the reasons why certain groups of people behave in a particular manner, sometimes contrary to what society expects. According to Dr. Trevor Joseph, an associate dean in the Health Department at UAGC College, applied behavioral science refers to “the application of multidisciplinary behavioral research and knowledge to solve real-world problems” (The University of Arizona Global Campus, 2017). By interdisciplinary, Trevor specifically implies that applied behavioral science is a wide field that involves several subjects, such as law, ethics, psychology, logic, sociology, and many others. As the subject of Applied Behavioral Science has grown, so have theories and concepts that emerged to try to explain certain life, behaviors, experiences, and observations. Most of these theories and models play a fundamental role in psychotherapy today. For example, Baer, Wolf, & Risley proposed the “seven dimensions of Applied Behavior Analysis” in 1968 – an approach that all healthcare providers must follow when treating patients with behavioral illnesses and their families. The definitive target of a behavior analyst is to trigger a meaningful change in the patients (especially children) and families they are attending to, ensuring that they cope well with their external environments (whether in the family, school, or community). Although Baer, Wolf, & Risley (1968) proposed seven dimensions or criteria that must be used,  I feel a few make a lot of sense while others are more challenging to understand.

To begin with, I think the two dimensions that are clear to me are behavioral and effective. I understand “behavioral” because any behavior that a practitioner seeks to change, address, or treat, for instance, in a child, must be measurable and observable (Capell, De Barrio, & Mababu, 2014). This is a prerequisite because there is no way a concealed and undetectable behavior can be changed or altered. If we can visualize and observe a specific behavior, then we can quantify it using data and, subsequently, alter it. For example, a patient with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) must demonstrate withdrawal behavior or symptoms. This is what should be observed and measured. The second dimension, effective, is the simplest of all, as it simply refers to whether or not the intervention or technique being implemented is working (Baer, Wolf, & Risley, 1968). For example, suppose a therapist chooses to use cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) to treat drug addiction. In that case, the tool is only considered effective if it produces the desired results – in this case, be able to lead to cessation. Such questions and concerns can be addressed by closely and progressively monitoring the intervention as it is being implemented.

However, I feel that the technological dimension is slightly unclear. I have a little trouble distinguishing it from generality since both talk about ‘ensuring the intervention developed and applied replicable. From my understanding, I think technological means that any treatment model or intervention – particularly the steps, reagents, and equipment – should be clearly described and detailed enough for other experts to replicate. This is very important because it guarantees that all practitioners using the technique use it correctly and follow a specific standard protocol or procedure. This reduces the chances of experiencing outcome disparities. For instance, by using the example above, this statement means that CBT must be able to produce similar cessation outcomes if the tool is applied to the same population and environment in a different setting.

References

Baer, D. M., Wolf, M. M., & Risley, T. R. (1968). Some current dimensions of applied behavior analysis. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 1(1), 91–97.

Capell, H. C., De Barrio, V., & Mababu, R. (2014). Applied psychology: The case of the Baer, Wolf, and Risley prescriptions for applied behavior analysis. Universitas Psychologica, 13(5), 1721-1728.

The University of Arizona Global Campus. (2017). What is applied behavioral science? Retrieved from https://www.uagc.edu/blog/what-is-applied-behavioral-science

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ABA’s Seven Dimensions

This assignment will be submitted through Safe Assign for review prior to submission for grade.

What is ABA?
The seven dimensions of ABA identified in your text and the Baer, Wolf, and Risley article, are the guiding principles for the field of Applied Behavior Analysis. As a developing professional, it is important to understand the dimensions because each one is relevant to the work of a behavior analyst.

*For this assignment, refer to the following articles assigned in the study for this unit:

• Krentz, Miltenberger, and Valbuena’s “Using Token Reinforcement to Increase Walking for Adults With Intellectual Disabilities.”
  

  ABA’s Seven Dimensions

• Marsic, Berman, Barry, and McCloskey’s “The Relationship Between Intentional Self-Injurious Behavior and the Loudness Dependence of Auditory Evoked Potential in Research Volunteers.”

Then complete the following:

• Identify which of the articles is behavior analytic and which is not, and provide an explanation for your choice.
  • Be sure to identify which of the seven dimensions of ABA are present in the behavior analytic article.
  • Analyze why the other article is not behavior-analytic. How do you know the seven dimensions are not present?

*Assignment Requirements