ABA Inside Track

"Giving up smoking is the easiest thing in the world. I know because I've done it thousands of times". - Mark Twain
While not an episode about nicotene withdrawal, this week we're talking all about research describing the phenomenon of relapse. Or is it renewal? Resurgence? All of the above? Basically any situation in which behavior, once thought removed from a repertoire, comes screaming back into reality. Regardless, teaching skills without planning for generalization to different contexts or being unsure when extinction will come into play is a recipe for disaster. Fortunately, some great researchers have been in the behvaior analysis kitchen trying to cook up the perfect meal of learning.
This episode is available for 1.0 LEARNING CEU.
Articles discussed this episode:
Shahan, T.A. (2020). Relapse: An introduction. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 113, 8-14. doi: 10.1002/jeab.578
Mitteer, D.R., Greer, B.D., Fisher, W.W., Briggs, A.D., & Wacker, D.P. (2018). A laboratory model for evaluating relapse of undesirable caregiver behavior. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 110, 252-266. doi: 10.1002/jeab.462
Podlesnik, C.A., Ritchey, C.M., Muething, C., & Falligant, J.M. (2025). Different criteria affect prevalence of relapse of behavior targeted for treatment. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 58, 225-231. doi: 10.1002/jaba.2927
Muething, C., Call, N., Ritchey, C.M., Pavlov, A., Bernstein, A.M., & Podlesnik, C.A. (2022). Prevalence of relapse of automatically maintained behavior resulting from context changes. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 55, 138-153. doi: 10.1002/jaba.887
If you're interested in ordering CEs for listening to this episode, click here to go to the store page. You'll need to enter your name, BCBA #, the two episode secret code words, and answers to the knowledge check questions to complete the purchase. Email us at [email protected] for further assistance.

Thank you for being a behavior analyst.
Travel to your clients house and back again.
Your functional contextualism is true. You're a scientist who builds rapport.
And if you ran discrete trials, invited everyone you knew
You would see the greatest responding would be from me
And the consequence would be my saying
Thank you for being a behavior analyst.
This episode is available for 1.0 LEARNING CEU.
Articles discussed this episode:
Loomis, K. Morales, L., Yeo, Y., & Fienup, D.M. (2026). Turning the page: Increasing young children's preference for looking at and engaging with books. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 59. doi: 10.1002/jaba.70051
Bigwood, L., Staples, E., & Sharp, R. (2026). Making preference assessments more acceptable and effective for people with dementia. Behavior Analysis in Practice. doi: 10.1007/s40617-025-01145-x
Kaplan, B. A., Gelino, B. W., & Reed, D. D. (2018). A behavioral economic approach to green consumerism: Demand for reusable shopping bags. Behavior and Social Issues, 27, 20-30. doi: 10.5210/bsi.v.27i0.8003
If you're interested in ordering CEs for listening to this episode, click here to go to the store page. You'll need to enter your name, BCBA #, the two episode secret code words, and answers to the knowledge check questions to complete the purchase. Email us at [email protected] for further assistance.

April showers are fun, especially after winter snowstorms. Fortunately, we've thawed out a whole mess of episodes for you to enjoy this month including our latest grab bag. But what about the themed episodes? Glad you asked! First, we'll be talking all about relapse which includes discussions of resurgence and renewal (see, aren't you glad you're learning about this?). Then we're joined by Armando Bernal to discuss how PECS could be a key component of building up our support of assent practices. Finally we get real and talk about peer mediation. The kind where children support skill acquisition of their with cues and praise. Not the other one. That'll get its own episode someday. All that and a new LISTENER POLL!
Articles for April 2026
Golden Grab Bag (Spring Grab Bag 2026)
Loomis, K. Morales, L., Yeo, Y., & Fienup, D.M. (2026). Turning the page: Increasing young children's preference for looking at and engaging with books. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 59. doi: 10.1002/jaba.70051
Bigwood, L., Staples, E., & Sharp, R. (2026). Making preference assessments more acceptable and effective for people with dementia. Behavior Analysis in Practice. doi: 10.1007/s40617-025-01145-x
Kaplan, B. A., Gelino, B. W., & Reed, D. D. (2018). A behavioral economic approach to green consumerism: Demand for reusable shopping bags. Behavior and Social Issues, 27, 20-30. doi: 10.5210/bsi.v.27i0.8003
 
Relapse
Shahan, T.A. (2020). Relapse: An introduction. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 113, 8-14. doi: 10.1002/jeab.578
Mitteer, D.R., Greer, B.D., Fisher, W.W., Briggs, A.D., & Wacker, D.P. (2018). A laboratory model for evaluating relapse of undesirable caregiver behavior. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 110, 252-266. doi: 10.1002/jeab.462
Podlesnik, C.A., Ritchey, C.M., Muething, C., & Falligant, J.M. (2025). Different criteria affect prevalence of relapse of behavior targeted for treatment. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 58, 225-231. doi: 10.1002/jaba.2927
Muething, C., Call, N., Ritchey, C.M., Pavlov, A., Bernstein, A.M., & Podlesnik, C.A. (2022). Prevalence of relapse of automatically maintained behavior resulting from context changes. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 55, 138-153. doi: 10.1002/jaba.887
 
Assent and PECS w/ Armando Bernal
Allen, L.L., Mellons, L.S., Syed, N., Johnson, J.F., & Bernal, A.J. (2024). Neurodiversity-affirming applied behavior analysis. Behavior Analysis in Practice. doi: 10.1007/s40617-024-00918-0
Doherty, A., Bracken, M., & Gormley, L. (2018). Teaching children with autism to initiate and respond to peer mands using picture exchange communication system (PECS). Behavior Analysis in Practice, 11, 279-288. doi: 10.1007/s40617-018-00311-8
 
Peer Mediation
Morrison, L., Kamps, D., Garcia, J., & Parker, D. (2001). Peer mediation and monitoring strategies to improve initiations and social skills for students with autism. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 3, 237-250. doi: 10.1177/10983007010030040
Beaulieu, L., Hanley, J.P., & Roberson, A.A. (2013). Effects of peer mediation on preschoolers' compliance and compliance precursors. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 46, 555-567. doi: 10.1002/jaba.66
Grauvogel-MacAleese, A.N. & Wallace, M.D. (2010). Use of peer-mediated intervention in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 43, 547-551. doi: 10.1901/jaba.2010.43-547

To celebrate our 10-year podcast anniversary, we take a look back to the days before Rob, Diana, and Jackie talked about ABA over the airwaves and just talked about songs with Rob's first ever podcast "They're Playing Our Song". Each Friday we'll be highlighting the trio's first ever podcasts recorded. Look how far they've come!
Originally Posted: 9/14/2015
This week, it's Jackie's first podcast ever where she talks with Rob about her favorite song, "Your Ex-Lover Is Dead" by Stars.
FUN FACT: Listen in at around the 20 minute mark to hear the first public mention of the three of us planning to make a podcast about ABA. I can't remember if we'd actually PLANNED anything yet or if Jackie was just willing the show into existence. In any case six months later, ABA Inside Track premiered.

This week we're going back to the widget factory with a discussion of OBM research related to public posting. But don't worry: You can use this feedback technique anywhere and everywhere! From the classroom to the auto plant to the bicycle track, we review the research to see if this visual feedback technique is worth the tape needed to hang the data on the wall. And, even more important, if the folks whose behavior you're hoping to change are ok with having their performance out where everyone else can see it!
This episode is available for 1.0 LEARNING CEU.
Articles discussed this episode:
Nordstrom, R., Lorenzi, P., & Hall, R.V. (1991). A review of public posting of performance feedback in work settings. Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, 11, 101-124. doi: 10.1300/J075v11n02_07
Miller, B.G., Livingston, C.P., Zerger, H.M., Valbuena, D.A., & Miltenberger, R.G. (2023). Evaluating public posting, goal setting, and rewards to increase physical activity in children. Behavioral Interventions, 38, 105-117. doi: 10.1002/bin.1902
Ayvazo, S. & Naveh, M.E. (2024). Self-monitoring and public posting improve competitive youth cyclists' training performance. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 57, 394-407. doi: 10.1002/jaba.1058
Perrin, C.J., Frederick, A., & Klick, S. (2016). Effects of public posting and goal setting on team performance in a residential setting. Behavioral Interventions, 31, 300-308. doi: 10.1002/bin.1451
If you're interested in ordering CEs for listening to this episode, click here to go to the store page. You'll need to enter your name, BCBA #, the two episode secret code words, and answers to the knowledge check questions to complete the purchase. Email us at [email protected] for further assistance.