Episode

26

Assessing Social Validity in Functional Analysis

Guest:

Michael Kranak, Isaac Melanson

Published:

May 7, 2026

Duration:

50 min

CEU eligible:

1.0

CEU type:

Learning
social validity, functional analysis, functional assessment

Episode

26

Assessing Social Validity in Functional Analysis

Guest:

Michael Kranak, Isaac Melanson

Published:

May 7, 2026

Duration:

50 min

CEU eligible:

1.0

CEU type:

Learning
social validity, functional analysis, functional assessment

Cooperant Learning Podcast | Assessing Social Validity in Functional Analysis | Michael Kranak & Isaac Melanson

CEUs: Sparks Behavioral Services, LLC (ACE #OP-21-0004) is an ACE-approved provider of continuing education units for behavior analysts. You can earn continuing education units (CEUs) for listening to this episode by visiting cooperantlearning.com!

Summary
In this episode our guests navigate the research on social validity and functional analysis in behavior analytic research while discussing their paper “A concise review of social validity assessments during functional analyses of challenging behavior.”

Research:
Stephens MJ, Wessel MA, Melanson IJ, Kranak MP. A concise review of social validity assessments during functional analyses of challenging behavior. J Appl Behav Anal. 2025 Oct Autumn (Fall);58(4):896-905. doi: 10.1002/jaba.70031. Epub 2025 Oct 1. PMID: 41032242; PMCID: PMC12654957.

Guests
Michael Kranak, PhD, BCBA-D is an Associate Professor and the Director of Research for the Center for Autism at Oakland University. His research interests primarily include relapse of problem behavior, supervision best practices, and protection of the profession of behavior analysis. Dr. Kranak has accrued nearly $2 million in extramural funding to support his research and clinical endeavors, including from the NIH. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his wife and son, working out, cooking, golfing; and is an avid Pittsburgh sports fan.

Dr. Isaac Melanson is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Applied Behavioral Science at the University of Kansas and a Board Certified Behavior Analyst at the doctoral level (BCBA-D). His research and clinical work focus on the assessment, treatment, and prevention of challenging behavior, the evaluation of safe and valid functional assessment methods, and the study of preference and choice patterns among individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Listen now:
🎧 Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/7jEtOKZ…
🍎 Apple Podcasts → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast…
▶️ YouTube → / @cooperantlearning
🌐 Website → https://www.cooperantlearning.com

A concise review of social validity assessments during functional analyses of challenging behavior
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12654957/
Social validity: the case for subjective measurement or how applied behavior analysis is finding its heart
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1311293/
KAT Lab
https://www.oakland.edu/hdcs/kat-lab/
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Price :

$9

Earn Your CEU

View certificates in Dashboard after completion.

Take the Quiz

Go to the episode connected course – Buy – Take the quiz

or

Add to cart

Add to cart – Buy later – With one or more items

Add CEU to the cart – Pay – Take the quiz – Get certificate

Cooperant Learning Podcast | Assessing Social Validity in Functional Analysis | Michael Kranak & Isaac Melanson

CEUs: Sparks Behavioral Services, LLC (ACE #OP-21-0004) is an ACE-approved provider of continuing education units for behavior analysts. You can earn continuing education units (CEUs) for listening to this episode by visiting cooperantlearning.com!

Summary
In this episode our guests navigate the research on social validity and functional analysis in behavior analytic research while discussing their paper “A concise review of social validity assessments during functional analyses of challenging behavior.”

Research:
Stephens MJ, Wessel MA, Melanson IJ, Kranak MP. A concise review of social validity assessments during functional analyses of challenging behavior. J Appl Behav Anal. 2025 Oct Autumn (Fall);58(4):896-905. doi: 10.1002/jaba.70031. Epub 2025 Oct 1. PMID: 41032242; PMCID: PMC12654957.

Guests
Michael Kranak, PhD, BCBA-D is an Associate Professor and the Director of Research for the Center for Autism at Oakland University. His research interests primarily include relapse of problem behavior, supervision best practices, and protection of the profession of behavior analysis. Dr. Kranak has accrued nearly $2 million in extramural funding to support his research and clinical endeavors, including from the NIH. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his wife and son, working out, cooking, golfing; and is an avid Pittsburgh sports fan.

Dr. Isaac Melanson is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Applied Behavioral Science at the University of Kansas and a Board Certified Behavior Analyst at the doctoral level (BCBA-D). His research and clinical work focus on the assessment, treatment, and prevention of challenging behavior, the evaluation of safe and valid functional assessment methods, and the study of preference and choice patterns among individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Listen now:
🎧 Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/7jEtOKZ…
🍎 Apple Podcasts → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast…
▶️ YouTube → / @cooperantlearning
🌐 Website → https://www.cooperantlearning.com

A concise review of social validity assessments during functional analyses of challenging behavior
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12654957/
Social validity: the case for subjective measurement or how applied behavior analysis is finding its heart
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1311293/
KAT Lab
https://www.oakland.edu/hdcs/kat-lab/

Learning Objectives

  • Participants will identify and describe the three core components of social validity (goals, procedures, and outcomes) and their relevance to functional analyses.
  • Participants will evaluate current limitations in the assessment and reporting of social validity within functional analysis research and clinical practice.
  • Participants will learn to apply at least two strategies for incorporating social validity assessment practices into functional analysis procedures in applied settings.
Categories:
Assessment & FBA

Learning Objectives

  • Participants will identify and describe the three core components of social validity (goals, procedures, and outcomes) and their relevance to functional analyses.
  • Participants will evaluate current limitations in the assessment and reporting of social validity within functional analysis research and clinical practice.
  • Participants will learn to apply at least two strategies for incorporating social validity assessment practices into functional analysis procedures in applied settings.
Categories:
Assessment & FBA

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