Abstract
Diverging paths of applied behavior analysis and behavioral services for the developmentally disabled (DD) clients are examined empirically. While 75% of research articles on DD in the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis (1968–1993, Summer issue) focus on behavior acquisition, professionals designated as “behavior specialists” report focusing primarily on deceleration objectives. Institutional administrators consider behavior analysts to be relevant to meeting both acquisition and deceleration objectives, although more relevant to deceleration objectives. Reasons for the focus of behavioral specialists on deceleration objectives lie in three areas: contingencies establishing educational priorities in academic training programs which have resulted in a scarcity of trained behavior analysts to design and implement habilitative programs; institutional contingencies generating the separation of deceleration technology from habilitative activities; and counter-habilitative contingencies established by guidelines and regulations under which institutions operate.
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An earlier version of this paper was presented at the 16th Annual Convention of the Association for Behavior Analysis International in Nashville, TN 1990.
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Glenn, S.S., Ellis, J. & Hutchison, E. Applied Behavior Analysis and Behavioral Services in Institutions for Mentally Retarded Persons: Diverging Paths?. Behav. Soc. Iss. 3, 1–16 (1993). https://doi.org/10.5210/bsi.v3i1.196
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.5210/bsi.v3i1.196