Behavior Frontiers - ABA Summit
Assent in applied behavior analysis is not a one-time event or a simple verbal agreement. It is an ongoing, observable assessment of a client’s willingness to participate in teaching. This training explores how to define and monitor assent in applied, behavioral terms while balancing respect for client voice with our ethical obligation to teach socially significant skills. Participants will examine indicators of withdrawal, analyze common instructional variables that contribute to disengagement, and review ethical responses grounded in the BACB Ethics Code (2020; eff. 2022). Through case examples and practical decision-making frameworks, attendees will learn how to adjust instruction responsibly, document clinical reasoning clearly, and distinguish between temporary stress during skill acquisition and long-term harm caused by failing to teach essential life skills. The goal is not permissive practice or coercive practice, but ethical, effective treatment that protects client dignity while preparing clients for meaningful participation in the real world.
Learning Escape Cruise: S.A.F.E.-T. Skills for All
S.A.F.E.-T. Skills for All: In this ethics presentation, participants will learn how to assess, define, and teach essential safety skills for individuals with autism and developmental disabilities, grounded in the ethical responsibility to protect health, safety, and dignity. A semi-structured safety assessment will be introduced to identify strengths, risks, and priority learning areas across domains such as fire safety, water safety, wandering prevention, and in-school safety. Attendees will practice translating assessment results into individualized, observable, and measurable goals, and will apply Behavioral Skills Training (instruction, modeling, rehearsal, feedback) to promote acquisition and generalization of critical safety skills. By the conclusion, participants will be able to identify at least three priority safety skills, select aligned goals from a safety goal bank, and design a BST plan to support mastery and maintenance across home, school, and community settings.
In-person
1.5 Ethics CEUs
ATX ABA: Scope and Expansion of ABA Services
Behavior analysis is a science with applications that reach far beyond autism and intellectual and developmental disabilities. Yet many behavior analysts still ask the same questions. How do we branch out?