Researchers in behavioral sciences are often interested in longitudinal behavior change outcomes and the mechanisms that influence changes in these outcomes over time. The statistical models that are typically implemented to address these research questions do not allow for investigation of mechanisms of dynamic change over time. However, latent…

Functional analytic psychotherapy (FAP) provides a behavioral analysis of the psychotherapy relationship that directly applies basic research findings to outpatient psychotherapy settings. Specifically, FAP suggests that a therapist's in vivo (i.e., in-session) contingent responding to targeted client behaviors, particularly positive reinforcement…

Positive behavior support (PBS) is an empirically driven approach to improve quality of life influenced by the science of behavior analysis. Recent discussions have evolved around PBS, behavior analysis, and their relationship within education and human services fields. To date, few data have been offered to guide behaviorally oriented…

An international movement has focused on identifying evidence-based interventions that were developed to change psychological constructs and that are supported by controlled studies. However, inconsistent findings within individual intervention studies and among multiple studies raise critical problems in interpreting the evidence, and deciding…

Research supported in part by the National Institute of Mental Health. Reprints from Kenneth Heller, Dept. of Psychology, Indiana University, Bloomington, Ind.

This paper considers five empirical and theoretical issues which have arisen from a comparison of behavioral analyses in controlled laboratory settings and similar analyses in naturalistic human environments. (Editor)

Analog baselines are an experimental methodology for identifying the functions of maladaptive behavior of individuals with developmental disabilities in naturally occurring environments. This article identifies potential limitations of this methodology, including: fidelity of baseline design conditions, a narrow analysis of behavior, and limited…

This paper deals with two problems confronting the applied researcher using a behavior analysis approach. The first is concerned with the need for independence of behaviors, subjects and settings. The effectiveness with which the researcher can solve this type of problem depends on the researcher's emphasis on the examination of procedures, and…

Combining psycholinguistic technologies and systems analysis created advances in motivational profiling and numerous new behavioral engineering applications. These advances leapfrog many mainstream statistical research methods, producing superior research results via cause-effect language mechanisms. Entire industries explore motives ranging from…

Selecting a statistical framework for a behavioral study has profoundly different results than does a linguistically framed research strategy. The linguistic strategy overcomes many limitations inherent in statistical strategies and offers more meaningful results. Inferential statistical studies often discuss how the findings "explain" the results…

Presents a speculative model for predicting differential rates of therapeutic change. From a review of 52 comparative psychotherapy studies, certain hypothesized relationships between the characteristics constituting the model and a variety of psychological treatment procedures were assessed. Use of the model for generating and guiding research is…

Motivational interviewing (MI) is a brief intervention that has been shown to reduce heavy drinking among college students. Because all college studies of MI to date have included a personalized feedback report, it remains unclear which of the components is necessary to produce behavior change. This study evaluated the separate and collective…

Written and spoken language contains inherent mechanisms driving motivation. Accessing and modifying psycholinguistic mechanisms, links language frames to changes in behavior within the context of motivational profiling. For example, holding an object like an imported apple feels safe until one is informed it was grown in a toxic waste dump.…

Measurement issues relating to behavior modeling research are discussed. Researchers have successfully demonstrated the ability of behavior modeling to produce significant behavioral change in the training milieu, but have been less successful in showing the transfer of such change to everyday situations, a problem partially caused by measurement…

This paper describes the results of a study to: (1) design and evaluate three clinically practicable (e.g., non-analogue) regimens which emphasize treatment components of either behavioral rehearsal and feedback, anxiety management, or a combination of anxiety management and behavior reversal/feedback, and (2) examine the relative effectiveness of…