Are you a behavior analyst interested in working with adult consumers who exhibit severe aberrant behavior? This training is an introduction to the behavior analysis in adult services world.
In this training, we explore ethical, legal, and practical complexities of treating severe aberrant behavior within adult service systems, person-centered planning and behavior analytic practice. Drawing from extensive field experience across settings such as group homes, hospitals, correctional systems, and community-based services, Dr. Steve Sparks and Kyle Steury explore how behavior analysts can navigate competing demands from stakeholders, regulatory systems, and recipient rights frameworks.
Participants will learn how restrictive and intrusive interventions are defined and regulated across both legal systems (e.g., state and Medicaid guidelines) and behavior analytic literature. The course highlights how even commonly accepted behavioral strategies (e.g., reinforcement-based procedures like FCT) may be considered restrictive in adult systems, requiring additional oversight, consent, and documentation.
A central focus of the training is the tension between ethical obligations to provide effective, function-based treatment and person-centered values, including autonomy, assent, and social validity. Through real-world case examples, participants will analyze situations involving guardianship, interdisciplinary teams, legal mandates, and risk management, where determining the “right” course of action is often ambiguous.
Dr. Sparks and Kyle Steury also address the realities of working with high-risk and vulnerable populations, including individuals with severe aggression, self-injury, psychiatric conditions, and legal involvement. The course emphasizes the importance of clinical competence, ethical decision-making, advocacy, and maintaining professional boundaries while navigating emotionally complex and high-stakes environments.
