Teaching Graduate Students to Translate Non-behavioral Treatment into Behavioral Principles

In this recorded Journal Club, Kristin Bowman examines how ABA graduate students were taught to translate nonbehavioral treatment recommendations into behavioral principles. She explains a structured worksheet, modeling, rehearsal and feedback, and the study's limits in interpreting treatment decisions.

Presenter credits: Dr Kristin Bowman.

At the conclusion of the presentation, participants will be able to:
(1) Describe variables influencing treatment selection and use.
(2) Identify models for evaluating treatment recommendations in interprofessional contexts.
(3) Describe methods for identifying conceptual systems within nonbehavioral treatments.
(4) Identify the importance of teaching complex clinical decision-making skills to pre-service clinicians. 

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Bowman explores treatment selection in interprofessional teams, including how colleagues' recommendations can influence decisions. Her walkthrough of a decision-making framework considers client safety, familiarity with the proposed treatment, behavioral translation and compatibility with existing goals.

The study involved eight graduate students, with four in the training group and four in a control group. Bowman describes a worksheet with 40 questions across seven blocks and shows why a translation must connect the specific treatment action with its behavioral principle.

Bowman reports improved translation scores, but post-training performance fell below the study's 80% criterion, and the extent of the effect on treatment decisions remained unknown. She also identifies training gaps in analyzing private events and antecedent changes, while noting that difficult conversations with colleagues were not tested.

What does this recording cover?

• Evidence-based practice and colleagues' influence on treatment selection
• The recorded decision framework for evaluating nonbehavioral recommendations
• Connecting treatment actions with behavioral principles: occupational-therapy and food-fading examples
• The block worksheet and behavioral skills training through modeling, rehearsal and feedback
• Translation scoring, study limitations and interpersonal skills beyond the study

Recording context: At recording time, Bowman described the worksheet as not yet available and a supervision course as work in progress.

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