Scholarly publications
Includes peer reviewed journals within and adjacent to behavior analysis
(Starred journals available to BCBAs through the BACB portal)
Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis *
8/26 Toegel, C., Toegel, F., & Silverman, K. (2025). Patterns of HIV viral suppression in a clinical trial evaluating a contingency management intervention. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaba.70030
HIV patients got antiretroviral treatment-as-usual, or combined with an incentive system. The incentive system was correlated with better treatment outcomes including lower viral loads, shorter durations to suppression, and longer durations of suppression
8/29 Peck, S., O'Brien, C., Bourret, J., & Agostinelli, D. (2025). ChatGPT versus clinician responses to questions in ABA: Preference, identification, and level of agreement. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaba.70029
ABA-specific questions were posed to ChatGPT-4 and human experts. In a blind assessment, 51 behavior analysts preferred the ChatGPT answers, and almost 16% of behavior analysts admit to using AI in their work. Why did people prefer the ChatGPT responses? Not sure!
Behavior Analysis in Practice
8/25 Randall, K.R., Kranak, M.P. A Clinical Tutorial on Using a Concurrent Operant Analysis in the Assessment and Treatment of Problem Behavior. Behav Analysis Practice (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-025-01088-3
A concurrent-operant analysis is an alternative to an EFA, and could be helpful when it is difficult or impossible to conduct an EFA. The learner chooses between two conditions, and wherever they allocate their time is preferred
Behavioral Interventions *
8/26 Edelstein, Matthew L., Amanda M. Taboas, Megan L. Krantz, and Joshua A. Mellott. 2025. “Treatment of Challenging Behavior Maintained by Caregiver Accommodation Using Cumulative Schedules of Reinforcement.” Behavioral Interventions: e70024. https://doi.org/10.1002/bin.70024.
"Compliance with mands" may maintain some challenging behavior. In 14 such cases, parents were given either a 2 or 5 week training of 20 hours of online modules. In both cases parents achieved approximately a 94% reduction in problem behavior. The "cumulative schedule" means that the child had to engage in target behavior for a set amount of time, even if they stopped and started multiple times
8/27 Newcomb, Eli T., Rachel Ernest, Kristen Meeker, et al. 2025. “An Empirical Comparison of Common Problem Behavior Among Preschoolers With and Without Neurodevelopmental Disorders.” Behavioral Interventions: e70037. https://doi.org/10.1002/bin.70037.
What kind of goals should be set for kids with problem behavior? For example, conventionally developing 4 year-olds might have 2 tantrums per day
Perspectives on Behavior Science
8/27 Hackenberg, T.D., Richman, D.M. Challenges to Applied Behavior Analysis: Introduction to the Special Issue. Perspect Behav Sci (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40614-025-00474-0
(Open access) A summary of the articles in the special issue
Fahmie, T.A., Sullivan, E.K. Shapers at Odds: Isolation, Synthesis, and Resulting Division in the Assessment and Treatment of Problem Behavior. Perspect Behav Sci (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40614-025-00471-3
Isolated versus synthesized reinforcement is a debate, though we might guess where the authors are going on this one
Behavior and Social Issues
8/29 Geller, E. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI): Behavioral Science Interpretations for Optimal Outcomes. Behav. Soc. Iss. (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42822-025-00217-5
The authors argue for a scientific definition of DEI, concluding that all businesses could benefit from these principles
Behavior Modification *
8/28 Anderson, A. N., Sheridan, D. J., Edgemon, A. K., & Rapp, J. T. (2025). Increasing Praise by Staff Members in Juvenile Facility: A Group Contingency Approach. Behavior Modification, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/01454455251369507
A group contingency increased written praise from staff, which decreased juvenile problem behavior. This did not generalize to spoken or gestural forms of praise
Journal of Behavioral Education
8/25 Barcelos Nomicos, L., Alarifi, H.S., Alzamil, M. et al. Virtual reality intervention for pedestrian safety in autistic children. J Behav Educ (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10864-025-09594-8
2 participants completed virtual reality training, and when tested in the real world, they completed "more steps" of a task analysis. It doesn't seem that virtual reality training in ABA has been entirely successful so far, though something like flight simulators imply that it's possible
Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science
8/25 Validity and Reliability of the Generalized Pliance and Tracking 2-way Scale: GPT-2s
(In press) (Open access) The authors developed a 16 item questionnaire to measure pliance (rule-following to obtain approval) and tracking (rule-following that aligns with environmental contingencies). An "unhealthy" group showed more generalized pliance, with a "healthy" group showing more tracking
8/29 The Core Extrusion Schema, Psychological Inflexibility and Social Anxiety Symptoms in Adolescents: A Network Analysis
(In press) The authors use a network analysis to examine the relationships between anxiety and the core extrusion schema and god seriously just forget it
Book publications
Textbooks, handbooks, manuals, or mass-market
Upcoming:
AIM Navigators, Dixon (Pre-order)
A.I.M. Explorers Curriculum Book Volume 2 Mountain Climb, Dixon (Pre-order)
Handbook of Operant Behavioral Economics, Reed, Kaplan & Gilroy (Eds.)
New this quarter:
Ethical Decision Making in Applied Behavior Analysis, Schwartz & Kelly
Leadership and Management Practices in Human Services Organizations, Gardner et al.
Principles of Applied Behavior Analysis for Behavior Technicians and Other Practitioners, 4/E, Wallace & Mayer
Behavior Analysis for Lasting Change, 6/E, Mayer, Wallace, & Sulzer-Azaroff
Using Functional Analysis in Psychotherapy, Niklas Törneke
Handbook for Behavioral Skills Training, Edition 1, Sturmey & Maffei-Almodovar
Research Methods in Applied Behavior Analysis (3rd Edition), Bailey & Burch
Multiculturalism and Diversity in Applied Behavior Analysis: Bridging Theory and Application (2nd Edition), Conners & Capell (Eds.)
Talk Behavior to Me: The Routledge Dictionary of the Top 150 Behavior Analytic Terms and Translations, Samuel
The Behavior of Social Justice, Parks et al.
A Practical Guide to Functional Assessment and Treatment for Severe Problem Behavior, Jessel & Sturmey (Eds.)
Handbook of Organizational Performance, Volume II, D. Johnson & C. Johnson (Eds.)
Recent:
Podcasts
All Things Behavior
ABAI Journal Discussion Part 1 with Tim Hackenberg, Yors Garcia, and Stephanie Peterson
ABA Inside Track
Episode 320 - Why Jackie Hates DRO
Behavioral Observations
Improving Health Routines for Adults with Disabilities Using Synchronous Reinforcement Strategies: Inside JABA 24
Blogs
Generally these are produced by professionals
ABAI
Merging Perspectives for a Stronger Science
The personal story of a person who trained in clinical psychology while pursuing work on RFT
Cultivating Teacher-Scholars: ABAI 2025 SoTL Panel Revisited
"Scholarship of teaching and learning" is a concept that is something like continuous improvement
Licensing & professional organizations
BACB
Updates to RBT and ACE Provider Requirements
ASAN
ASAN Condemns Federal Takeover of DC Policing
Wait until autistic people find out what this administration is doing to trains
Business world
Autism services, behavioral health, etc.
ABA Centers of America Sues Publix
Why is suspiciously-generic-named ABA company suing a supermarket chain? Technically it's just because Publix employee benefits somehow didn't pay for ABA services for 10 or so of their beneficiaries. Publix claims that, due to ABA Center In My Area relying on single-case agreements, they were obscenely overcharged and upcoded. This is the second such lawsuit by American Centers of ABA (of America), again leading to the question: is there a current or impending funding backlash? Should we care?
Accidentally behavior analysis
A mainstream news article that relates to behavior analysis
The Practice Problem, Education Next
Skinner’s teaching machines may as well be as ubiquitous as he hoped: internet platforms like iXL, DreamBox, and Khan Academy are available to millions of American students. Yet:
If digital platforms make it easier and more efficient for students to practice, if more practice is a sure path to higher achievement, and if most districts have made the platforms available to students, then why aren’t more students using them?
“Broccoli is healthy, and it is served in the cafeteria, so why aren’t more students eating it?” Many of these companies try to strike a balance between “gamification” and impactful practice. And then they have to compete with actual games. And games today are a lot like gambling.
Continuing education
UPCOMING:
BehaviorLive is back to posting free events: 9/2 (ETH), 9/4, 9/10, 9/12 (ETH), 9/15 (ETH), 9/17 (SUP), 9/18, 9/24,
