Improving Health Routines for Adults with Disabilities Using Synchronous Reinforcement Strategies: Inside JABA 24
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt Cicoria
Release Date: 08/28/2025
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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Improving Autism and Law Enforcement Interactions through ABA: Session 309 with Lyndsy Coffield
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt Cicoria
In Session 309, I welcome Dr. Lyndsy Coffield, Director of Client Success at , to share her unique journey in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and her groundbreaking work training law enforcement officers on autism awareness. Dr. Coffield’s path into ABA began with an undergraduate degree in speech pathology, later becoming an RBT and eventually a BCBA. Today, she oversees intake and marketing at a growing clinic network in Georgia while also dedicating her research to improving police interactions with individuals on the autism spectrum. This episode explores the...
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Sleep, Autism, and Screen Time: Session 308 with Emily Varon
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt Cicoria
Episode Overview In this episode, sleep expert Emily Varon returns to the Behavioral Observations Podcast to share her deep expertise in sleep improvement—especially within the autism community. Drawing from 15 years of experience, Emily emphasizes personalized approaches, the role of wearable technology, and the importance of sensitivity when discussing sleep challenges with families. She also discusses new research on screen time and its true impact on sleep latency, offering insights that can reshape how behavior analysts approach sleep-related interventions. Key Topics Covered...
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Dissociative Identity Disorder through a Behavior Analytic Lens: Session 307 with Brady Phelps
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt Cicoria
In this episode of the Behavioral Observations Podcast, I had the pleasure of speaking with , about a topic that has perplexed, and perhaps captivated both mainstream Psychology as well as pop culture: Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID). Our wide-ranging conversation explored the intersection of behavior analysis, mental health, and trauma, with a special focus on how we can understand DID through a scientific, behavioral lens. Brady’s Career Journey Brady shared how he discovered behavior analysis almost by accident as an undergrad at Utah State University,...
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How to Train Staff and Improve Outcomes in Adult Autism Services: Session 306 with Dr. John Guercio
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt Cicoria
returns to the Behavioral Observations Podcast for his third appearance, bringing his extensive experience and fresh insights into the world of adult services in behavior analysis. In this episode, John and Matt discuss the vital, yet often overlooked, field of supporting adults with autism and other developmental disabilities—particularly those with severe behavioral challenges. They explore: John’s new leadership role at The The The development of a new adult-specific His on staff training in adult service settings Key findings from his on...
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Naming Bidireccional: BOP en Español 15 con el Dr. José Alberto Monseco Gómez
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt Cicoria
En este episodio, conversamos con el Dr. José Alberto Monseco Gómez —analista de conducta, BCBA® e IBA®— sobre un proceso fascinante, aunque poco comprendido aún por muchos analistas de conducta, en la adquisición del lenguaje: el naming bidireccional. A través de una charla accesible y llena de ejemplos, exploramos qué es el naming, cómo se relaciona con conceptos fundamentales del análisis de conducta, y por qué su presencia (o ausencia) puede marcar una diferencia sustancial en el desarrollo de lenguaje complejo. Hablamos de su relevancia tanto en contextos naturales...
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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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AI, Applied Behavior Analysis, and the Future of Clinical Tools: Frontera Series on AI with Sydney Holmes
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt Cicoria
Behavior Analysis Meets Artificial Intelligence , I had the pleasure of speaking with , a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and master’s level psychologist. Sydney is also the Clinical Product Lead at , where she’s helping bridge the gap between behavior analysis and artificial intelligence in some really exciting ways. Did you miss the first Frontera Series interview with CEO and Founder, Amol Deshpande? Check it out ! We covered everything from using AI tools for clinical work and content creation, to how machine learning is reshaping supervision, diagnostics, and parent...
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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_outlineIn 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 toothbrushing, bathing, wearing medical devices, and more. The research team highlights case studies, methodological considerations, and the broader implications for clinical practice.
Key Topics Covered
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✅ Synchronous reinforcement schedules and why they may be more effective (and preferred) than delayed reinforcement.
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✅ Applications for health routines such as toothbrushing, bathing, mask-wearing, GPS bracelets, helmets, and pulse oximeters.
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✅ Collaborative service delivery with nursing and medical professionals.
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✅ Challenges in participant consent and maintaining experimental control.
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✅ Importance of measuring both behavioral outcomes and affective states.
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✅ Future research directions, including reinforcer assessments, continuous vs. discontinuous schedules, and maintaining treatment effects.
Next Steps and Future Directions
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Editorial updates for broader keyword usage to increase accessibility outside of behavior analysis.
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Comparing graduated exposure with contingent vs. synchronous reinforcement interventions.
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Implementing more systematic preference and reinforcer assessments in future studies.
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Exploring hybrid approaches (e.g., combining graduated exposure with synchronous reinforcement).
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Collecting more comprehensive data on participant affect and treatment integrity.
Resources & References
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Dr. Dozier's lab website.
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Dr. Dozier's KU faculty page.
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DeLeon, I. G., Hagopian, L. P., Rodriguez-Catter, V., Bowman, L. G., Long, E. S., & Boelter, E. W. (2008). Increasing wearing of prescription glasses in individuals with mental retardation. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 41(1), 137–142.
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Diaz de Villegas, S. C., Dozier, C. L., Jess, R. L., & Foley, E. A. (2020). An evaluation of synchronous reinforcement for increasing on-task behavior in preschool children. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 53(3), 1660–1673.
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Hardesty, E. M., Lerman, D. C., & Hardee, J. L. (2023). A comparison of synchronous and noncontingent stimulus delivery on task engagement. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 56(3), 664–673.
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Leslie, S. C., Dozier, C. L., Kamlowsky, M. E., McHugh, C. L., Diaz de Villegas, S. C., & Kanaman, K. C. (2024). Using synchronous reinforcement to increase mask wearing in young children. Behavioral Interventions, 39(1), 1–29.
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McHugh, C. L., Dozier, C. L., Diaz de Villegas, S. C., & Kanaman, N. A. (2022). Using synchronous reinforcement to increase mask wearing in adults with developmental disabilities. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 55(4), 1157–1171.
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Williams, D. C., & Johnston, J. M. (1992). Continuous versus discrete dimensions of reinforcement schedules: An integrative analysis. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 58(1), 205–228.
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Ellis, E. M., Ala’i-Rosales, S. S., Glenn, S. S., Rosales-Ruiz, J., & Greenspoon, J. (2006). The effects of graduated exposure, modeling, and contingent social attention on tolerance to skin care products with two children with autism. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 27(6), 585–598.
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Halbur, M., Kodak, T., McKee, M., Carroll, R., Preas, E., Reidy, J., & Cordeiro, M. C. (2021). Tolerance of face coverings for children with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 54(2), 600-617.
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Richling, S. M., Rapp, J. T., Carroll, R. A., Smith, J. N., Nystedt, A., & Siewert, B. (2011). Using noncontingent reinforcement to increase compliance with wearing prescription prostheses. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 44(2), 375-379.
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Stark, L. J., Allen, K. D., Hurst, M., Nash, D. A., Rigney, B., & Stokes, T. F. (1989). Distraction: Its utilization and efficacy with children undergoing dental treatment. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 22(3), 297-307.
About the Guests
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Dr. Catherine (Katie) McHugh – Researcher focused on health-related routines and intervention strategies for adults with disabilities.
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Dr. Claudia Dozier – Expert in reinforcement schedules and their applications across populations.
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Dr. John Barrero – Current JABA Editor-in-Chief and behavior analyst contributing to dissemination and accessibility of applied research.