CASE STUDIES IN APPLIED BEHAVIOR

ANALYSIS FOR STUDENTS

AND ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES
CASE STUDIES IN APPLIED
BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS
FOR STUDENTS AND ADULTS
WITH DISABILITIES
By
KEITH STOREY, Ph.D., BCBA-D
Ed Support Services, Oakland, California

and

LINDA HAYMES, Ph.D., BCBA-D

Touro University
 Published and Distributed Throughout the World by

CHARLES C THOMAS • PUBLISHER, LTD.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Storey, Keith, 1956- author. | Haymes, Linda, author.

Title: Case studies in applied behavior analysis for students and adults
with disabilities / by Keith Storey, PH.D, BCBA-D, Touro University and
Linda Haymes, PH.D., BCBA-D, Touro University.
Description: Springfield, Illinois : Charles C Thomas, Publisher, Ltd.,
[2017] | Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2016033450| ISBN 9780398091316 (pbk.) |
ISBN 9780398091323 (e-book)
Subjects: LCSH: Students with disabilities--United States--Case studies. |
People with disabilities--United States--Case studies. | Behavioral
assessment--United States--Case studies.
Classification: LCC LC4031 .S845 2016 | DDC 371.9--dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016033450
For Curt Hendricks. As great of a friend as a person can
hope to have. It’s a mighty long way from Walker Hall and
we’ve both been around and seen some ups and seen some
downs but through it all we’ve remained friends. Thanks,
man!
K.S.

For Mia and Noe Elliott. You two have been my motivation
and inspiration. And to my late husband Jim Elliott who
always asked, “Did you write today?”
L.H.
PREFACE

his book is intended to give support providers the knowledge and

T skills for providing Applied Behavior Analysis services in schools,
employment, community, and residential settings thereby improving
the quality of life for the individuals they support. The rubber meets
the road, not only in how to support an individual with a disability, but
also in how to implement services and systems change so that positive
quality of life outcomes occur.
This book responds to a critical need for highly qualified personnel
who will become exemplary professionals because of their advanced
knowledge, skills, and experiences in working with children, students,
and adults with varying disabilities, including Autism Spectrum Disor-
ders (ASD). Since board certification for behavior analysts was intro-
duced a little over a decade ago, there has been an expansion of
training programs in behavior analysis to meet the demands from con-
sumers (e.g., school districts, health insurers and families). The
Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) is a private nonprofit
organization without governmental powers to regulate behavior ana-
lytic practice. However, it does wield the power to suspend or revoke
certification from those certified if they violate the strict ethical guide-
lines of practice. While the BACB certification means that candidates
have satisfied entry-level requirements in behavior analytic training, it
does not necessarily mean they have the applied skills to develop and
implement interventions, which are often very complex, and must in-
volve a variety of funders and providers and be able to analyze the
situation broadly (quality of life, person-centered planning, or systems
change, for example). Most health insurance companies also recognize
the BCBA credential as one conferring the capability and the right to
practice independently in many states. The demand for expertise in
Applied Behavior Analysis continues to grow and this demand has
been spurred on by: (1) increased recognition of board certification
and even licensure in some states; (2) recognition by health insurers

vii
viii | Case Studies in Applied Behavior Analysis for Students and Adults with Disabilities

and state legislation; (3) the need for behavior specialists in home and
school settings; and (4) the increase in individuals with ASD who need
ABA services. The BACB is endorsed by the Association of Profes-
sional Behavior Analysts, the Association for Behavior Analysis Inter-
national, Division 25 (Behavior Analysis) of the American Psychological
Association, and the European Association for Behavior Analysis. The
Behavior Analyst Certification Board has a Behavior Analyst Task List
Fourth Edition, which outlines the 15 content areas across three major
sections that are required for competency as a behavior analyst.
An advantage of this book is that universities, agencies, and organi-
zations preparing support providers can easily use it in courses or train-
ings that address Applied Behavior Analysis as it covers methodology
that is seldom covered in detail in most texts. Those who are already
support providers will find the information to be practical and easily
implemented in applied settings. We see four main groups who would
primarily be interested in this book:

1. College instructors teaching courses in Applied Behavior

Analysis, School Psychology, Special Education, or related
areas. College instructors are likely to choose our book based
upon:
a. The consistent format throughout the book.
b. The “practicality” and “readability” of the book for
students in college.
c. The comprehensive analysis and coverage of
developing supports for individuals with disabilities.
d. The direct applicability to applied settings.
e. The ability to use the case studies as assignments
and/or exams.
2. Individuals taking courses or studying for their BCBA exam.
3. Individuals working in the disability field.
4. Individuals studying to work in the disability field.
CONTENTS
Page
Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii
Overview of Applied Behavior Analysis for Students and Adults with
Disabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Components of Applied Behavior Analysis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Five Basic Principles of Applied Behavior Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Applied Behavior Analysis and People with Disabilities. . . . . . . . . 9
Self-Determination, Self-Advocacy, and Person-Centered
Planning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Quality of Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Executive Function Skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Consultation Skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Overview of Case Studies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Overview of Content Areas for Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Matrix of Case Studies by Age and Disability Provided
in the Book. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Terminology in Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

SECTION ONE — CASE STUDIES WITH COMPLETE ANALYSIS

Case Study One: Lucille . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Case Study Two: Merve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Case Study Three: Lajos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Case Study Four: Horatio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Case Study Five: Audrey. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Case Study Six: Levin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Case Study Seven: Doug . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223

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x | Case Studies in Applied Behavior Analysis for Students and Adults with Disabilities

SECTION TWO – CASE STUDIES WITH PARTIAL ANALYSIS

Case Study Eight: Dez. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Case Study Nine: Billy Joe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Case Study Ten: Yeng-Yeng. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Case Study Eleven: Magnus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Case Study Twelve: Rolph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Case Study Thirteen: Hanno . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Case Study Fourteen: Cameron . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291

SECTION THREE – CASE STUDIES WITHOUT ANALYSIS

Case Study Fifteen: Exene . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .301
Case Study Sixteen: Kathleen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .303
Case Study Seventeen: Batu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .305
Case Study Eighteen: Leron . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .307
Case Study Nineteen: Angeline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .309
Case Study Twenty: Ian. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311
Case Study Twenty-one: Jelme . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313

Appendix: Resources Regarding Applied Behavior Analysis and People with

Disabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315
Name Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321
Subject Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331
About the Authors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 333
CASE STUDIES IN APPLIED BEHAVIOR
ANALYSIS FOR STUDENTS
AND ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES
OVERVIEW OF APPLIED BEHAVIOR
ANALYSIS FOR STUDENTS AND ADULTS
WITH DISABILITIES

he foundation of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is based upon

T the work of B. F. Skinner (1953, 1971). Skinner was a psychologist
who advocated that the focus of education and interventions should
be on the behavior of individuals rather than on internal states
(O’Donohue & Ferguson, 2001). Behavior may be defined as observ-
able actions that a person does. Sitting in a seat, completing a math
problem correctly, raising one’s hand to answer a question, cursing,
and running out of the room are all observable behaviors (verbal be-
haviors are classified as behaviors as well). These are all behaviors that
can be changed (for better or worse). Being motivated, trying hard,
and being unruly are not observable behaviors, and thus cannot be
directly changed.
John Watson (1913) is often credited as being the first behavioral
psychologist. In his 1913 manifesto he wrote that, “Psychology as the
behaviorist views it is a purely objective experimental branch of natu-
ral science. Its theoretical goal is the prediction and control of behav-
ior.” For Applied Behavior Analysis the key words are “prediction”
and “control.” Good support providers1 are effective at predicting
what will work in their intervention situation (such as in a classroom
using active responding strategies, reinforcing classroom rules, and
using cooperative learning strategies), and then controlling the envi-
ronment around that individual so these behaviors occur. Sometimes
support providers have concerns with the concept of control and view
control as being a bad thing. However, not positively controlling the
support situation only leads to anarchy and poor outcomes. For
1. By support providers we mean to include parents, teachers, behavior specialists, school
psychologists, job coaches, supported living staff and others who are providing services
to individuals with disabilities.
3
4 | Case Studies in Applied Behavior Analysis for Students and Adults with Disabilities

instance, by doing things such as having set routines, classroom rules,

and praising students for completing assignments, the teacher is “con-
trolling” student behavior. Having a teacher controlling a classroom
environment in this way is good teaching and is not deceitful or wrong.
In other words, the focus is on the cause and effect relationship be-
tween the environment and the behavior of the student (Nye, 1992).
This cause and effect is not a one-way process as there is the issue of
counter control where the behavior of the student also influences the
environment (e.g., the behavior of the teacher).
As they read this, many support providers may be thinking, “I do
this every day.” Good support providers use these types of strategies all
the time. In this text, we are presenting a coherent and systematic ap-
proach to understanding the purpose of Applied Behavior Analysis
and how support providers can implement these strategies to arrive at
the desirable results for carefully targeting the behaviors that need
changing, as opposed to a “hit and miss” strategy that many support
providers use. In behavior analysis, it is assumed that the behavior of
an individual is lawful. This means that an individual does things for a
reason such as being previously reinforced for a behavior (such as put-
ting dishes in the dishwasher) or being punished for a behavior (such as
making a socially inappropriate remark to a peer). In other words, each
individual has a history of being reinforced or punished for certain be-
haviors and this history influences their current behavior (Morgan,
2010). For example, if a student consistently receives reinforcement for
turning in homework (praise from teachers, positive feedback on the
homework, good grades, and/or positive notes home to parents) then
the student is likely to continue to turn in homework consistently. A
student who does not receive this reinforcement for turning in home-
work is less likely to turn in homework assignments consistently.
The three basic assumptions of Applied Behavior Analysis are:

1. Most behavior is learned.

2. Behavior can be changed by altering antecedents and/or
consequences.
3. Factors in the environment (the home, classroom, or school,
etc.) can be changed to increase and maintain specific
behaviors or to decrease specific behaviors.

Behavior analysts agree that people feel and think, but they do not
consider these events (feeling and thinking) as causes of behavior. It is
the observable behaviors of the individual that are relevant for analysis
 Overview of Applied Behavior Analysis for Students and Adults with Disabilities | 5

and an intervention to change those behaviors. For instance, a child

with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) may engage in certain “unde-
sirable” behaviors (such as screaming, throwing kitchen utensils, hitting
siblings, or refusing to brush their teeth). To analyze these behaviors as
“feelings” of the child is not helpful as it is an inference as to the causes
and the support provider cannot directly change the feelings of a child.
Applied Behavior Analysis focuses on the behavior of people. Be-
havior is not considered to be an expression of inner causes like per-
sonality, cognition, and attitude. Poor performance on coursework, not
attending school, engaging in self-stimulatory behavior, or not keeping
a job are analyzed as problems of behavior rather than examples of a
person having a “poor attitude,” being “unreasonable” or having a
“disability label” such as Down Syndrome. Interventions for these and
other undesirable behaviors are directed at changing environmental
events (teacher behaviors, parent behaviors, a job coach teaching spe-
cific work tasks) to improve behavior (e.g., to increase desirable behav-
ior). For example, engaging in peer tutoring for coursework and using
a self-management strategy to increase a specific job performance skill
such as task completion could change the person’s undesirable behav-
iors for the better and by doing so could change the “poor attitude” or
“unemployability” of the person. However, this is accomplished only
by changing specific behaviors of the person.
So the focus is not only on the behaviors of an individual, but also
on understanding why that individual engages in certain behaviors
(e.g., the function of the behavior).
Kazdin (2008) succinctly summarizes this issue:

Even today, even at our most scientifically precise, we can’t

always or even often locate the exact source of a behavior prob-
lem. . . We know how to change behavior for the better, regard-
less of its exact cause, and our best bet is to just go ahead and
change it. Instead of treating the child as if there’s something
wrong inside her that needs to be fixed, let’s treat the behavior as
the something wrong, and address it directly. In practice, that
means locating the problem in the relationship between the
child and the situation around him, in how he interacts with
other people and things (which might well include flaws in the
therapy or how it’s delivered). (p. 169)