While completing a functional behavior assessment is an ethical requirement before engaging in behavior change programming, only a minority of BCBAs consistently do this. And since many of the barriers to completing FAs revolve around seemingly insurmountable (and ethical concern of) risks to clicents, wouldn't having a more structured way to assess the risk of an FA and more quickly review mitigating factors provide a potential solution to these problems? Well, that's exactly what Dr. Stephanie Peterson and her former students Dr. Rebecca Eldridge and Dr. Neil Deochand thought when they developed their Functional Analysis Risk Assessment Decision Tool. This week, as voted on by our Patrons, how to complete a risk assessment before starting your functional analysis from the people at the forefront of this research.

This episode is available for 1.0 ETHICS CEU.

Patrons at the $5 and up levels can get that CEU for FREE! Just head on over to our Patreon Page.

Articles discussed this episode:

Wiskirchen, R.R., Deochand, N., & Peterson, S.M. (2017). Functional analysis: A need for clinical decision support tools to weight risks and benefits. Behavior Analysis: Research and Practice, 17, 325-333. doi: 10.1037/bar0000088

Deochand, N., Eldridge, R.R., & Peterson, S.M. (2020). Toward the development of a functional analysis risk assessment decision tool. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 13, 978-990. doi: 10.1007/s40617-020-00433-y

Schroeder, A.C., Peterson, S.M., Mahabub, M.B., & Dresch, M.K. (2025). A pilot evaluation of expert and novice use of the functional analysis risk assessment decision tool. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 18, 811-825. doi: 10.1007/s40617-020-00433-y

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 #, and the two episode secret code words to complete the purchase. Email us at abainsidetrack@gmail.com for further assistance.

Hey, everbody.

Due to a last minute technology crisis, we've needed to push up the launch of our new website...to right now!

Please listen to this short drop to hear about some of the differences you might see.

Some of the functionality will be rolling out through today and tomorrow so you may end up at our old site as we update links and fix bugs.

To go directly to the new site, visit abainsidetrack.thinkific.com. Our regular website URL will be pointing there in the next few days too.

Any problems? Please let us know as soon as you can at abainsidetrack@gmail.com

When working with clients to support their behavior change goals, does it ever feel like you're the one doing all the convincing that the change is worth the effort? Rather than spending your energy cajoling clients that your plan is "right", wouldn't it be better to support their own belief in engaging in behavior change? Well, that's just what motivational interviewing techniques can do. And since this well-studied process is only just getting interest in behavior analysis, we're joined this week by Dr. Monica Gilbert, clinical psychologist, mental health counselor, AND BCBA, to get a crash course of the basics of how motivational interviewing can improve communication between clinicians and clients to boost your therapeutic alliance building skills into overdrive.

This episode is available for 1.0 LEARNING CEU.

Articles discussed this episode:

Gilbert, M. (2025). How to stop talking and start communicating with motivational interviewing: Building effective partnerships with caregivers: A practical guide for behavior therapists. Crystal Minds Psychological Services.

Plattner, C. & Anderson, C. (2024). Creating a therapeutic alliance with caregivers: An introduction to motivational interviewing. Behavior Analysis in Practice. doi: 10.1007/s40617-024-00948-8

Christopher, P.J. & Dougher, M.J. (2009). A behavior-analytic account of motivational interviewing. The Behavior Analyst, 32, 149-161. doi: 10.1007/BF03392180

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 #, and the two episode secret code words to complete the purchase. Email us at abainsidetrack@gmail.com for further assistance.