ABA Strategies for Safer Playground Behavior: Inside JABA 23
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt Cicoria
Release Date: 07/01/2025
Improving Health Routines for Adults with Disabilities Using Synchronous Reinforcement Strategies: Inside JABA 24
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt Cicoria
In this episode of the Inside JABA Series podcast, we dive into a fascinating discussion on health-related routines for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Dr. Katie McHugh, Dr. Claudia Dozier, and Editor-in-Chief Dr. John Borrero share insights from their recent study, Synchronous Reinforcement Schedules Promote Tolerance of Health-Related Routines for Adults with Disabilities. The conversation explores how synchronous reinforcement schedules—where reinforcement occurs in real time alongside behavior—can improve tolerance for essential routines like...
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The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt Cicoria
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The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt Cicoria
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The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt Cicoria
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The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt Cicoria
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ABA Strategies for Safer Playground Behavior: Inside JABA 23
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt Cicoria
Welcome back to the Inside JABA series—this is Episode 23, and it's a must-listen for anyone interested in using Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) to improve safety in school settings. In this episode, Dr. Jeannie Donaldson and Gabriela Gomes join Dr. John Borrero and me to discuss the paper, "" (note: first author, Elizabeth Linton unfortunately was not able to join us). 🎯 What You’ll Learn in This Episode: Playground Safety Statistics: The surprisingly high rates of injury during recess and why this matters. Behavior-Analytic Interventions: A review of previous ABA...
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Using ABA to Build Better Health and Fitness Habits: Session 303 with Michal Pollack
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt Cicoria
joined me to discuss how she uses her training in Behavior Analysis to help her with her personal health and fitness goals. Michal is a Clinical Director at . In this episode, we talk about: How she got her start in Applied Behavior Analysis. How she found her way to Apollo, and what she enjoys about working there. How she realized that getting fit doesn't require playing team sports, or being an athlete more generally. How spending time abroad during a gap year motivated her to adopt a healthier lifestyle. How going to the gym regularly helped her improve her emotional wellbeing....
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The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt Cicoria
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Supporting Parents in ABA Services with Valencia Harper from Apollo Behavior: Session 301
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt Cicoria
When it comes to Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), much of the focus is often placed on data collection, program goals, and measurable outcomes for the child. But what about the parents? Supporting caregivers is a critical, and sometimes overlooked, component of effective ABA services. In a recent podcast episode, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Valencia Harper, a seasoned clinician from Apollo Behavior, to talk about her thoughtful approach to working with families. Long-time listeners may remember Valencia from our Apollo Case Study Series, where she and her colleagues...
info_outlineWelcome back to the Inside JABA series—this is Episode 23, and it's a must-listen for anyone interested in using Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) to improve safety in school settings.
In this episode, Dr. Jeannie Donaldson and Gabriela Gomes join Dr. John Borrero and me to discuss the paper, "Effects of differential reinforcement and time-out on the unsafe
playground behavior of young children" (note: first author, Elizabeth Linton unfortunately was not able to join us).
🎯 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
- Playground Safety Statistics: The surprisingly high rates of injury during recess and why this matters.
- Behavior-Analytic Interventions: A review of previous ABA research focused on playground safety and injury prevention.
- Reinforcement vs. Time-Out: Pros, cons, and ethical considerations when using these strategies in natural environments.
- Study Design and Results: How the researchers implemented the intervention, what the data showed, and how students responded—both behaviorally and emotionally.
- Participant Choice & Social Validity: Insights into student preferences and recess enjoyment.
- Implications for Schools: How schools and practitioners can implement similar interventions and where the research should go next.
As you can see below, the intervention package was quite effective:
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đź“š Resources & Research Mentioned:
- Linton, Gomes, and Donaldson (2025). Effects of differential reinforcement and time-out on the unsafe playground behavior of young children.
- Donaldson, et al. (2013). Effects of a reduced time-out interval on compliance with the time-out instruction.
- Chotto, Linton, and Donaldson (2024). Direct and indirect effects of and preferences for feedback during the Good Behavior Game in elementary classes.
- Heck, et al. (2001). Decreasing children's risk taking on the playground.
- Schwebel, et al. (2006). The Stamp-in-Safety Program: A Behavioral Intervention to Reduce Behaviors that Can Lead to Unintentional Playground Injury in a Preschool Setting.
- Peltier, et al. (2023). Effects of and preference for student- and teacher-implemented good behavior game in early elementary classes.
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