Behavioral Principles in Communicative Disorders: Applications to Assessment and Treatment - Softcover

Christine A. Maul; Brooke R. Findley; Amanda Nicolson Adams

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1597567884 ISBN 13: 9781597567886

Publisher: Plural Publishing, Inc., 2015

Synopsis

Behavioral Principles in Communicative Disorders: Applications to Assessment and Treatment examines the basic principles of the science of behaviorism and applies those principles to the assessment and treatment of communicative disorders. It begins with the history and basic principles of behaviorism, as well as a chapter examining Skinner's (1957) concept of verbal behavior and functional units of verbal behavior. The text then discusses functional behavior assessment, the formulation of operationally defined target behaviors, discrete trial treatment procedures, and various techniques for increasing desirable behaviors and decreasing undesirable behaviors. The concluding chapters describe single-case research designs that support the efficacy of behavioral principles and address ethical questions and historic controversies surrounding the application of those principles.

Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) seek to change communicative behaviors in the clients they serve; the principles of behavioral science have many applications to the assessment and treatment of communicative disorders. There is a vast body of evidence indicating the efficacy of behavioral approaches in behavior modification, and SLPs have been tasked by their professional associations to employ evidence-based practices. Also, there is an appreciation for the usefulness of behavioral principles in treating clients with very severe communicative disorders, such as autism, apraxia, and dysfluency. This is evidenced by the development of the field of applied behavior analysis and the growing numbers of board certified behavior analysts (BCBA), with whom SLPs may be called upon to collaborate.

Behavioral Principles in Communicative Disorders is primarily designed for practicing speech-language pathologists looking for detailed descriptions of evidence-based treatment procedures, as well as professors and students in university programs in communicative disorders. However, professionals in other fields, such as applied behavior analysis and special education, will also find this to be a highly useful text.

About this title

About the Author

Christine A. Maul is an assistant professor at California State University, Fresno in the Department of Communicative Disorders and Deaf Studies. Her areas of interest include child language disorders, autism, literacy, augmentative and alternative communication, and multicultural issues. Prior to joining the faculty at Fresno State, she works as a school speech-language pathologist, serving mostly children and young adults with severe developmental disabilities.
Brooke R. Findley completed her Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Communicative Disorders: Speech-Language Pathology from California State University, Fresno (CSUF). She is currently pursing a doctoral degree in Educational Leadership at CSUF. Her professional certifications include a California Speech-Language Pathology Services Credential, a California License in Speech-Language Pathology, a Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), and recognition as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst from the Behavior Analyst Certification Board. She is also a member of the ASHA Special Interest Group (SIG) 14: Cultural and Linguistic Diversity.
Amanda Nicolson Adams has lived all over the place. She got her bachelor’s degree at Oklahoma City University, her M.A. in Psychology from the University of Nevada, Reno, her Ph.D. from Florida State University. She became a Board Certified Behavior Analyst in 2000. Prior to moving to Fresno, she worked in a number of autism agencies and was the Behavior Analyst for Washoe County School District in Reno, NV. A faculty position at Fresno State brought her to the central valley. Dr. Nicolson Adams was an associate professor in the Psychology department at CSU, Fresno and served as the program coordinator for the ABA Master’s program for 6 years there. She also founded the Autism Center at Fresno State. She has served on the Board of Directors for the California Association for Behavior Analysis and was on the Cambridge Center for Behavior Studies Board of Advisors.

Review

"...Very well organized, clear focus, and an easy read. The material is well integrated with a nice mix of scenarios, assessment forms, questions and chapter summaries that helped reinforce the ideas, theories, and methods the authors were introducing. The common theme of ABCs and behavioral approaches was apparent and clearly interwoven throughout the text. I particularly liked the addition of the chapter on research, ethics, scope of practice, etc. as a final chapter to the text. It was an excellent ending for the book and in line with current ASHA requirements for the use of evidence based practice and understanding the basics of research." --Jacqueline Guendouzi, PhD, Southeastern Louisiana University

"The book does a good job of breaking the concepts behind the ABA approach down and explaining them in ways that someone with a background in speech-language pathology or communication science but no background in ABA could understand them." --Laura Dilley, PhD, Michigan State University

"The authors of Behavioral Principles in Communicative Disorders intended to create an accessible text that would bridge the fields of ABA and speech language pathology. In writing a comprehensive, accessible, and relevant guide to ABA geared toward SLPs in training, Maul et al. have more than satisfactorily accomplished their goal. Because ABA practitioners and SLPs frequently collaborate in interdisciplinary teams in support of individuals with communicative disorders, we believe that this text makes a unique and valuable contribution to both fields. We sincerely hope that the book will serve as a catalyst for future collaborations between ABA and speech language pathology, as it broadens a mutual understanding of speech language pathology and ABA." --Matt Tincani and Amanda Guld Fisher, in Perspectives on Behavioral Science (March 2018)

Edition details

• Publisher: Plural Publishing, Inc.
• Publication date: 2015
• ISBN 10: 1597567884
• ISBN 13: 9781597567886
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 304