REFRAME: Introducing a Person-affirming framework (Responsive Engaging Flexible Radical Assent-Based Education)
Co-hosted by the AzABA EDI Committee and Compassionate Care in ABA SIG

2 Supervision CEUs will be available for attendance

Location: 
Zoom (Login will be emailed prior to the presentation)

Presenters: Dr. Mari Cerda, PhD, BCBA, LBA, Jennifer Farris, MA, LABA, LBA, BCBA, IBA; Margaret Thomas Solomon, MS Ed, BCBA, LBA, IBA

Summary:

In recent years, studies have been conducted that call on behavior analysts to provide a more compassionate and trauma-informed approach to interventions guided by Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) (Rajaraman et al., 2021; Ayre & Krishnamoorthy, 2021; Hanley, 2021). However, amongst the research, there is little support or instruction as to how to implement this type of care on a systemic and individual level as indicated by the BACB’s code of ethics (BACB - Behavior Analyst Certification Board, 2021).

Throughout our professional practice history, emerging interventions such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy or Training (ACT) (Hoffmann et al., 2016; Tarbox et al., 2020), Child-Led or Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions (NDBI) (Cuevas-Parra & Tisdall, 2019; Schuck et al., 2021), as well as the Compassionate Care Checklist (Rodriguez et al., 2023), have made promising advances in the direction of therapies guided by ABA.

The aim of this curriculum is to provide step-by-step guidance to not only assess and address skill development needs with learners and stakeholders but also to provide additional tools for practitioner self-reflection and self-awareness that can assist in identifying personal biases and barriers to successfully providing care. The proposed curriculum provides an evidence-based and therapeutic approach to meaningful behavior change that determines learner needs based on a full assessment and analysis of their skills, environment, learning history, Adverse Childhood Events (ACEs) (Wycoff & Franzese, 2019), caregiver and stakeholder needs, current levels of care, and strengths of the individual, while establishing a therapeutic relationship that is rooted in the values of the learner.

A task analysis for establishing the therapeutic relationship is provided to ensure fidelity across implementers as well as to provide guidance for how to create boundaries that promote health and safety within the environment. Program development tools are provided so that programming is created in collaboration with stakeholders and learners, with social validity at the forefront of the proposed assessments and interventions, measurement and data collection, and modifications.

Based on outcomes and data collected in our own agencies, there is growing evidence to support that our implementation of these practices, utilizing the aforementioned research, demonstrates high rates of skill acquisition while reducing challenging behaviors across meaningful settings and improving quality of life overall.

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify and describe how trauma impacts the environment.

2. Assess personal learning histories and analyze how to change the current environment to better support the persons at the center of behavior change programming.

3. Create and develop a personalized behavior intervention plan to assist with learning during environmental stressors.

4. Develop tools for training supervisees to implement environmental changes that are trauma-informed in nature

Registration: 

Free for members and non-members!