Amanda Kelly – Stop Sucking and Start Saving the World with Behavior Analysis: The Ethics of Sustainable Behavior Change

1.0 Type II CE/1.0 Ethics CE

This presentation was part of the 13th Annual Hawaii Association for Behavior Analysis Conference in September of 2017.

About the presentation:

As behavior analysts, we are charged with helping others achieve behavior change. We are often called in when stakes are high and situations are escalated. As with any behavior change program, it is important to ensure strong treatment fidelity, meaning we need others to follow the plans we create. There are plenty of times when families, teachers, or other implementers feel frustrated, overwhelmed and unequipped to face certain challenges. As consultants, it can be equally as frustrating when we believe we have buy-in, but later learn that we do not.

This past fall, I developed a behavior change program for myself. I was confident I had the tools needed to achieve change. I decided to eliminate consumption of single-use plastic straws. Though motivated and equipped with the science of ABA, I found my behavior change program challenging. Despite being a behavior analyst myself, the degree of my behavior change fluctuated and did not always go in the desired direction. Needless to say, I learned (and I am still learning) a lot about behavior change, by attempting to change my own. In this presentation, I will share these valuable lessons with you.

Upon completion of this presentation, participants will be able to:

• Describe a barrier to obtaining baseline during a self-management program
• Describe how the PIC/NIC analysis relate to sustainable behavior change
• Describe ethical considerations discussed in the presentation