12/06/2023
For those interested in reading more about the constructional approach, a new paper is in press, soon to be published. For the present time, access to the article is available for free by clicking the link noted in this shared post.
We have another “Congrats!” to share.
A big congratulations to Cameron Scallan and Jesús Rosales-Ruiz for their recently published article, “The Constructional Approach: A Compassionate Approach to Behavior Change.”
The article was published recently in the journal Behavior Analysis in Practice. It is part of a special issue that focuses on the topic of Compassion in Applied Behavior Analysis.
In the article, the authors identify three critical features of compassion. Then, they discuss Dr. Israel Goldiamond’s constructional approach and explain how the constructional approach provides a framework that behavior analysts can use to provide compassionate behavior analytic services.
You can read the article for free using this link:
https://rdcu.be/dcVOT
Here is the abstract for the article:
Recent criticisms have led some behavior analytic researchers and practitioners to look to other fields, including health care and human service professions, for new ideas on how to increase compassion and empathy in their practices (Rohrer & Weiss, 2022; Taylor et al., 2019). The application of these ideas had led to improved therapeutic relationships between board certified behavior analysts (BCBAs) and caregivers of children with autism. At this time, more work is needed to extend a behavior analytic understanding of compassion to the development and implementation of behavior change procedures. In this article, we identify three critical features of compassion: (1) identifying suffering; (2) demonstrating empathy; and (3) acting to alleviate and prevent suffering. These critical features are then discussed in the context of two behavior change strategies that Israel Goldiamond (1974/2002) formalized, the constructional and pathological approaches. The pathological approach gives priority to the elimination of costly or distressing behavior. The constructional approach gives priority to the establishment, transfer, and reinstatement of repertoires. This article illustrates how the four questions of the constructional approach provide a framework that behavior analysts can use for developing and providing compassionate behavior analytic services.
