The Behaviorist Bookclub

In this episode of the Behaviorist Book Club, Matt Harrington breaks down Morris et al.’s (2023) case study on multiply isolated functions of problem behavior. You’ll learn how to distinguish multiply controlled from synthesized reinforcement, see a real-world FA and dual FCT interventions with a 15-year-old learner, and explore the clinical implications for choosing the right assessment and treat...

In this episode of the Behaviorist Book Club, Matt Harrington unpacks Helvey et al.’s 2023 study on pairing functional and non-functional reinforcers in FCT for aggression and self-injury. You’ll learn how isolated vs. combined reinforcement arrangements were evaluated, why most clients preferred escape + tangibles over escape alone, and what this means for centering client voices and boosting lon...

In this episode, Matt reviews Rohrer et al.’s 2023 study on teaching compassion skills to behavior-analysis master’s students—outlining 11 observable caregiver-interviewing behaviors, a simple didactic-plus-practice training model, and its impact on skill mastery and empathy scores. He reflects on compassion’s roots in social validity and the Ethics Code, challenges us to infuse client and caregiv...

In this episode Matt Harrington breaks down procedural integrity—what it really means, why errors of omission and commission derail our interventions, the top barriers busy practitioners face when tracking fidelity, and five practical strategies to keep your treatments on track. Want the article links and all the supporting resources? Check out the show notes at www.behavioristbookclub.com/blog .

In this episode of the Behaviorist Book Club, Matt Harrington unpacks key insights from Fraidlin et al.’s 2023 article “Designing a Successful Supervision Journey,” guiding new BCBAs through goal setting, self-assessment, skill building, ethical decision-making, and ongoing professional development. Whether you’re a first-year BCBA seeking structured support or an experienced supervisor refining y...

In this episode of the Behaviorist Book Club, Matt Harrington dives into Crystal Slanzi and Tyra Sellers’ article on the financial, logistical, and ethical hurdles of paying for BCBA supervision—and offers practical solutions like clear contracting, competency-based goals, and diversifying your supervision settings. Tune in for strategies to maximize your learning, minimize conflicts of interest,...

In this episode of the Behaviorist Book Club, Matt Harrington walks us through LeBlanc et al.’s 2018 component analysis of Behavioral Skills Training (BST) for caregiver instruction delivery. Discover how instruction, modeling, rehearsal, and feedback each contribute to skill acquisition—and why, in the moment, descriptive feedback emerges as the single most powerful driver of behavior change. Plu...

In this episode of the Behaviorist Book Club, Matt dives into Frampton et al. (2016) and the power of matrix training to promote generative language with children on the autism spectrum. You’ll learn how carefully selected diagonal targets can unlock rapid recombination of words—teaching three phrases to generate nine or more—and discover practical tips for scaling these methods across verbs, noun...

In this episode, Matt breaks down Hagopian et al.’s Augmented Competing Stimulus Assessment (A-CSA), showing how its four-phase approach—free access, prompted engagement, response blocking/redirection, then repeated free access—can identify and teach effective competing stimuli for treatment-resistant, automatically maintained behaviors. He highlights why every assessment you use should directly i...

In this episode of the Behaviorist Book Club, Matt Harrington shifts gears from problem behavior to skill acquisition, breaking down Valentino et al.’s 2018 study on using a quick prerequisite skills assessment to pinpoint the most effective mand training modality for each learner. Discover how assessing foundational skills like motor and vocal imitation can prevent wasted time, reduce frustration...

In this episode, Matt unpacks Jacoby & Smith’s seminal 2012 study on identifying and functionally analyzing precursors to severe self-injury. You’ll learn how spotlighting and reinforcing milder, earlier behaviors can prevent dangerous escalations and why precursor assessments are the future of safe, effective functional analyses. Check out the show notes for article links and supporting infor...

In this episode of the Behaviorist Book Club, Matt breaks down Fisher, Iwata, and colleagues’ comprehensive review of how to modify functional analyses to account for idiosyncratic variables. You’ll discover practical strategies for tweaking antecedents and consequences, using deep caregiver interviews, and individualizing your FA conditions so that unclear data can turn into clean, actionable fun...

On this episode of the Behaviorist Book Club, Matt Harrington breaks down Cicero’s 2021 article on ethical practice in ABA, showing why ethics are never just black-and-white, how environmental contingencies reveal intent, and which biases—self-serving reinforcement, incrementalism, framing, conformity, and overconfidence—most often lead practitioners astray. Discover practical strategies for asses...

In this episode, Matt breaks down Morris et al.’s (2021) landmark article on trauma-informed care in applied behavior analysis. You’ll discover the four core commitments—acknowledging trauma, ensuring safety and trust, promoting choice and shared governance, and emphasizing skill building—and hear real-world examples of how this framework transformed clinical practice. Check out the show notes for...

In this episode of the Behaviorist Book Club, Matt Harrington kicks off the Essential Readings for Behavior Analysts series by unpacking Moore et al.’s (2024) JABA article on assent. Discover why centering learner choice is crucial for better outcomes, what true assent-based care really looks like, and the six key considerations—feasibility, skill assessment, procedure design, fair choices, timing...

In this episode, Matt wraps up our supervision series by unpacking Brown et al. (2023)’s survey of early‐career BCBAs—who’s getting oversight, how much they receive, what support they crave, and the strong link between supervision and reduced burnout. Discover why 98% of new BCBAs want more guidance, why many back a one‐year post‐certification supervision mandate, and practical tips for balancing...

In this episode of the Behaviors Book Club, Matt Harrington delves into a Behavior Analysis in Practice article on the day-to-day supervision habits of Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) working with trainees. You’ll hear which supervisory behaviors—like setting clear expectations and giving in-the-moment feedback—are most common, which practices tend to fall by the wayside (think formal sc...

In this episode of the Behaviors Book Club, Matt Harrington breaks down D’NRI et al. (2023) “A Multi-Level Framework for Compassionate Care in ABA,” exploring how organizations, supervisors, and direct therapists can embed kindness and psychological flexibility into every layer of service delivery. Discover why shifting from buzzword “compassionate care” to actionable policies and supervision stra...

In this episode of the Behaviors Book Club, Matt Harrington unpacks Carol et al.’s 2022 JABA study on using video modeling with voiceover to train supervisors in delivering performance feedback. Learn how this scalable, efficient approach boosts procedural fidelity, cuts down on in-person training time, and sets the stage for broader applications—from caregiver coaching to AI‐enhanced task analyse...

In this “spicy” episode, Matt Harrington unpacks Colon et al.’s (2024) survey on procedural integrity in applied settings—revealing how most BCBAs know fidelity matters but few track or use the data, the gaps in training, and the everyday barriers (time, competing priorities, lack of systems). Matt shares simple, real-world tips for starting small—so you can boost intervention success immediately....

In this episode of the Behaviorist Book Club, Matt Harrington breaks down Theobodu et al.’s 2025 JABA study on feedback frequency preference. Discover why novices crave constant feedback, why mastery leads to fewer requests, and how to adapt your supervision—using dynamic feedback schedules, layered Behavioral Skills Training, and “big-why” conversations—to keep learners motivated and progressing....

In this episode, Matt Harrington dives into Austin & Fisk’s 2023 study on how compassion and perceived supervisor support shape burnout among BCBAs and direct‐care staff. Discover why strong supervisor backing, targeted training, and organizational resources are the linchpins to reducing turnover and fostering long-term, compassionate practice. Check out the show notes for article links and su...

In this episode of the Behaviorist Book Club, host Matt Harrington unpacks a 2024 study from Behavior Analysis in Practice on BCBA turnover—exploring why nearly half of behavior analysts change jobs so quickly. He breaks down the top drivers (burnout, poor leadership, uncompetitive pay, ethical violations like fraudulent billing, and gaps in training), shares real-world examples from small practic...

In this episode, Matt unpacks Law et al.’s (2024) study on peer-led behavioral skills training over Zoom to teach active and empathetic listening. You’ll discover how to break empathy down into observable skills, use video modeling, role-play, and feedback in virtual settings, and scale your training with minimal expert oversight. Tune in for practical tips on designing replicable programs that bo...

Matt reflects on logging over 3,500 hours of supervision and reviews Atkinson et al.’s study on using asynchronous video lessons, mock scenarios, and optional Zoom coaching to train grad students in field-work documentation. Discover how video modeling, color-coded guides, and targeted feedback can help learners reach mastery, reduce stress, and streamline hour-tracking for scalable supervision pr...