Join us for AMeBA's second annual Fall Virtual Workshop
Join us on Friday, December 5th from 10:00am to 2:30pm (EST). This half day workshop will be hosted through Zoom, and will include interactive portions. Get 4 CEUs for only $95, or attend without CEUs for $50!
Expanding Your Comfort Zone: Teaching the Behavior Cusp Skills of Toleration and Flexibility with Emily Kearney
Abstract
In this workshop, Emily will target the teaching of toleration and flexibility to increase learners’ reinforcement contexts and improve health outcomes.
People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) are at risk for a high rate of medical problems and regular trauma from daily care to prevent and treat health and safety issues. Those who need the highest level of care often have the least access to it and face challenges with communication with medical providers and toleration of preventative and reactive care. Additionally, they face social isolation and the loss of additional skills with a narrow range of reinforcing activities, which often grows narrower the older they get if these tolerating skills are not addressed proactively.
Behavior Analysts know that cusp skills include those such as pointing, walking, and reading, but we often neglect to consider what cusp skills come after early childhood. Bosch and Fuqua propose that cusp skills should provide access to “new reinforcers, contingencies, and environments, and have social validity, generativeness” (2001). We have an ethical responsibility to program toward the most socially significant skills and contexts a learner will encounter. Therefore, cusp skills could include any skill that would be reinforced by a learner’s expanded network. Tolerating stadium lights and crowds becomes a cusp skill for some; sitting at restaurants for extended periods for most; and tolerating health routines and appointments is a cusp for all. The task of assessing and selecting targets with the goal of increasing the learner’s quality of life through increased exercise, sleep, and nutrition, access to community and social activities, and access to meaningful leisure activities requires careful thought and planning, and attention to the BACB’s Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts.
After a discussion of the ethics involved, I will present a practical, evidence-based ethical decision-making process for selecting and designing curriculum for desensitization targets depending on the type of social significance for the learner. These skills include those necessary for current and future health and safety as well as skills necessary to expand leisure activities and increase community access and involvement.
Learning Objectives:
- Attendees will identify ethical issues regarding selection and process for teaching these skills.
- Attendees will assess what skills constitute behavior cusps for a specific learner based on their health needs, family or school culture, and individual strengths and preferences.
- Attendees will learn how to assess what targets will lead to the most generative learning.
- Attendees will identify skills that will lead to both health improvements and expanded reinforcer.
- Attendees will identify methods to determine the most effective and ethical treatment procedure for teaching health and safety routines.
- Attendees will become familiar with current forms of procedural technology and guidance on how to combine those within a toleration program program.
- Attendees will plan for care coordination with caregivers and providers.
* Please come to the workshop with 1-2 specific learners in mind that you can consider as examples as we go through the workshop.
Cancellation Policy
Cancellations received in writing (treasurer@mainebehavioranalysis.org) by November 28, 2025, will receive a full refund, minus a $10 cancellation fee. No refunds will be provided for cancellation requests received after November 28.