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 *
2/3 Bamise, M. E., Lerman, D. C., & Tsami, L. (2026). Computer-based instruction to teach professionals in Nigeria to conduct pairwise functional analyses. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 59(2), e70054. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaba.70054
6 professionals used a self-paced computer-based system with unique cultural components. They were tested on role-play and in situ EFAs, and all demonstrated high procedural fidelity. The supplemental information includes brief instructions for an EFA
2/6 Leif, E., Roscoe, E., Rae, L., & Sheets, S. (2026). Component analysis of a self-monitoring intervention for increasing task engagement for individuals with developmental disabilities. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 59(2), e70053. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaba.70053
(Open access) Several interventions were compared, including self-monitoring alone, self-monitoring with differential reinforcement for accurate monitoring, self-monitoring with differential reinforcement for task engagement, and differential reinforcement for task engagement alone. Self-monitoring alone was ineffective, but was more effective with DR. DR alone increased task engagement
Behavior Analysis in Practice
2/2 Basile, C.D., Kodak, T., Effertz, H.M. et al. Conditioned Motivating Operations: Examples and Practical Considerations. Behav Analysis Practice (2026). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-025-01151-z
CMOs alter the value of a stimulus; SDs signal availability (this is a simplification)
2/3 Bigwood, L., Staples, E. & Sharp, R.A. Making Preference Assessments More Acceptable and Effective for People with Dementia. Behav Analysis Practice (2026). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-025-01145-x
(Open access) The authors adapted a stimulus preference assessment to better fit 4 adults with dementia; however, they found the results to be similar whether they used a standard or adapted assessment. Still, the adults and their staff preferred the adaptations. When exposing the adults to their preferences, the authors measured more indices of happiness
2/4 Martin Loya, M.R., Price, R.A., Alqunaysi, R. et al. Characteristics of Qualitative Research in Behavior-Analytic Journals: A Scoping Literature Review. Behav Analysis Practice (2026). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-025-01144-y
(Open access) In a scoping review, the authors looked at 8 behavior analytic journals and found 38 articles that used qualitative methodology. Most were interviews with caregivers
Lorio-Barsten, D.K., Layden, S.J. Ensuring Rich Rigor of Qualitative Methodologies in Behavior Analytic Research. Behav Analysis Practice (2026). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-025-01150-0
(Open access) Recommendations on maintaining high quality in qualitative research
Behavioral Interventions *
2/5 Lachance, Taylor A., Diana E. Parry-Cruwys, Melissa K. Small, Allen Karsina, and Jacquelyn M. MacDonald. 2026. “ Predicting Novel Leisure Reinforcers Based on Preference Category,” Behavioral Interventions: e70075. https://doi.org/10.1002/bin.70075
The authors attempted to find new reinforcers based on the category of known reinforcers. When tested with a task, the known reinforcers were effective, and the hypothesized reinforcers were also effective, as measured by engagement with the reinforcers
2/6 Herbek, McKenna E., Jordan E. DeBrine, Amaya Rocheleau, Rebecca J. Barall, Colleen McGrory, and Cynthia P. Livingston. 2026. “ A Comparison of the Response-Restriction Free Operant and Paired-Stimulus Preference Assessments for Children Who Exhibit Challenging Behavior,” Behavioral Interventions: e70081. https://doi.org/10.1002/bin.70081
The authors compared response restriction (where free access is allowed and then gradually restricted) to a paired-choice stimulus preference assessment for 6 kids referred to an outpatient clinic for severe behavior. For 4/6 participance, the RR procedure resulted in less challenging behavior (though it took longer)
Shpall, Cayenne, and Michelle Kuhn. 2026. “ Evaluation of Assent Withdrawal Training for Board Certified Behavior Analysts: Impact on Competency and Clinical Practices,” Behavioral Interventions: e70080. https://doi.org/10.1002/bin.70080
The authors assessed BCBAs for their understanding and implementation of assent procedures, then trained them using BST. The BCBAs acquired skills to embed assent checks and decision-making flowcharts
Ortega, Elizabeth, Raymond Miltenberger, and Madelyn Mercado. 2026. “ The Effects of a Task Analysis and Self-Evaluation on the Acquisition of Yoga Poses,” Behavioral Interventions: e70078. https://doi.org/10.1002/bin.70078
A task analysis and self-evaluation increased accuracy of yoga poses
Katechis, Eleni, Salvador Ruiz, Lauren Schnell-Peskin, and Andrew Livanis. 2026. “ The Effects of Fluency Training on the Identification of Procedural Fidelity Errors,” Behavioral Interventions: e70072. https://doi.org/10.1002/bin.70072
RBTs were trained to recognize accurate DTT as well as fidelity errors; with fluency training, they acquired the skill
Behavior and Social Issues
2/6 Van, J., Kubina, R.M. Measuring Change in Private Events: A Review of Precision Teaching Interventions for Inner Behavior. Behav. Soc. Iss. (2026). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42822-025-00241-5
(Open access) 10 studies were identified that used the standard celeration chart and fluency measures to intervene on private behavior (e.g., thoughts or feelings). All studies provided evidence that these private behaviors can be changed, though there are challenges with reporting, etc.
Behavior Modification * Volume 50 Issue 1 (3 articles, 2 open access)
Most intriguing: Increasing Praise by Staff Members in Juvenile Facility: A Group Contingency Approach
Staff written praise was increased, but this did not generalize to vocal or gestural praise
Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior *
2/1 Rodrigues, R. S., Kirkman, C., Garcia-Mijares, M., & Blaisdell, A. P. (2026). Pigeons, portals, and Pacman: Insightful problem solving and navigation using a touchscreen video game. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 125(2), e70083. https://doi.org/10.1002/jeab.70083
(Open access) Pigeons pecked a touchscreen to move a character in a Pacman-type game. First they were trained to navigate around barriers to a banana, which delivered food; then they were trained to use portals to move through the game to a green dot. When the game elements were combined, some pigeons were able to complete the levels without explicit training. Side note, there is a brief history of reports of animals engaging in problem-solving, and specific references to "insight," that recall Pavlov's chimp
Modenesi, R. D., & Debert, P. (2026). Derived asymmetric and transitive relations using the go/no-go procedure with compound stimuli. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 125(2), e70088. https://doi.org/10.1002/jeab.70088
(Open access) In experiment 1, red and blue backgrounds were the cue for responding, and when arbitrary stimuli were superimposed, the backgrounds controlled relational responding, and derived relations were formed in 4 university students. In experiment 2, the same process was used but without training relations, and similar results were found in 3 students
Podlesnik, C. A., Martinez-Perez, C. N., Montague, K. L., Ritchey, C. M., Lamperski, M. S., & Kuroda, T. (2026). Multiple-context training mitigates renewal during differential reinforcement. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 125(2), e70086. https://doi.org/10.1002/jeab.70086
In a translational study, participants pressed a button to earn points within different contexts. When contexts were changed after extinction, there was less target responding in the participants who were trained in multiple contexts, suggesting that this kind of training can mitigate renewal of problem behavior. However, there was a slower decrease in responding under extinction in this group, which suggests tradeoffs for this kind of training
The Psychological Record
2/4 Calvillo, A., Reyes-Huerta, H.E., dos Santos, C. et al. Comparing Two Response Types during a Real Physical Effort Task: A Preliminary Study. Psychol Rec (2026). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40732-025-00672-x
"Effort discounting" refers to the change in value of a reward dependent on the physical effort necessary to achieve it. In this study, 73 participants could earn a hypothetical reward for squeezing a handgrip device either a certain amount of times or a certain duration. Discounting was mostly as expected (e.g., steeper discounting with more effort), but with more discounting in the continuous condition
Alonso-Vega, J., Harte, C., Masserud, S. et al. Relational Coherence, Rule-Following and Speaker Preference: Punishment and Extinction as Operations Are Similar, but Not for Everyone. Psychol Rec (2026). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40732-025-00668-7
Participants were exposed to speakers with different levels of "coherence" (e.g., whether their speech matched actual contingencies). People prefer complete coherence, but also favor complete incoherence over mixed coherence. With mixed coherence, extinction yielded greater variability in behavior than punishment
Journal of Behavioral Education
2/5 Garza, B., LaBrot, Z., Rodriguez, L. et al. Let’s Play: Evaluation of KerPlunk as a Novel Game-Based Interdependent Group Contingency. J Behav Educ (2026). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10864-026-09620-3
KerPlunk is a game where you remove sticks and marbles fall, indicating a loss. This was used as a "marble jar" group contingency, and teachers removed sticks, with the marbles falling indicating reward delivery
Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science
2/2 Rule-based insensitivity to contingencies according to self-reported generalized pliance/tracking and the instruction functions
(In press) Instructions led to less flexibility in a group setting,
2/5 Same or Different: Teaching Nonarbitrary Relational Responding to Preschoolers with Disabilities
(In press) The authors taught children with disabilities same/different with multiple exemplars; 2 participants generalized to novel examples
Corrigendum to <’ The compassion connection: Experience sampling insights into romantic attraction’> < Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science (2024) Volume 32>
The authors swapped men and women, reversing one minor finding of their study
Book publications
Textbooks, handbooks, manuals, or mass-market
Upcoming:
Personal Narratives on the Behavior Analysis of Human Language and Cognition: Stories from Around the World, Harte et al. (Eds.) (Jul 2026)
WAVE Prosocial Assessment and Curriculum, Rehfeldt & Dixon (Pre-order)
Digital Technologies in Behavior Science: Theoretical and Practical Applications, Crone-Todd, Hantula, Layng (Eds.) (Pre-order Feb 2026)
AIM Navigators, Dixon (Pre-order)
Promoting Language for Learners with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Verbal Behavior Guide for Practitioners, Vladescu & Kissamore (Eds.)
Navigating Ethics in Behavior Analysis: Dealing with Gray Areas, Carr
Podcasts
ABA Inside Track
(REBROADCAST) Coercion and Its Fallout Book Club
Functional Relations
#39 - The Science of Positive Culture Building w/ Dr. Bruce Tinor
All Things Behavior
Parent-Implemented Multiple Schedules to Decrease Challenging Behavior: An Extension with Lexie Indelicato and Lesley Shawler
Blogs
Generally these are produced by professionals
OAR
Hire Autism: The Go-To for Employment Advice
A long list of helpful articles
Licensing & professional organizations
BACB
Feb 2026 newsletter
Includes the following:
Some online "grad programs" confer a degree in 1 semester or less (!), so the BACB will not accept degrees earned in less than 1 calendar year, starting in 2027
A brief explanation of subject matter experts
"Task lists" took on oversized importance, so have been discontinued
A brief explanation of voluntary inactive status
529 accounts now cover BACB certification expenses
The BACB portal (which is kinda old and busted) is being revamped
Crosswalk of upcoming changes to certification
ASAN
ASAN Alarmed By New Anti-Vaccine IACC Roster
ASAN Joins Allies In Urging Congress to Protect the Department of Education
Business world
Autism services, behavioral health, etc.
Marcus Foundation gives $21.9 million to largest-ever study on profound autism
The team will study profound autism at multiple levels, including behavior, brain networks and basic biology. Using that information, Dr. Klin said the center aims to create new drugs and therapies, support learning, lessen severe symptoms and promote a better quality of life.
Meanwhile, the federal government recommended leucovorin (a form of folate), but the largest study on its effects was retracted.
Accidentally behavior analysis
A mainstream news article that relates to behavior analysis
His neighbor was too noisy, so he used an RF remote to train him like a circus animal, BoingBoing
This story might be true. A man realizes his remote can also control his upstairs neighbor’s TV, so he turns it off whenever the volume gets too high. Eventually the man learns to keep the volume low. The author refers to this as “Pavlovian conditioning,” which it is not; this is operant conditioning.
Continuing education
UPCOMING:
BehaviorLive has free events: 2/11, 2/20, 2/24, 2/25, 2/26, 2/28
