PSYC 7710 Week 7 Assignment Digital Toolkit: Cultural Humility & Ethics in ABA

PSYC 7710 Week 7 Assignment Digital Toolkit: Cultural Humility & Ethics in ABA Student Name Capella University PSYC7710 Professor Name Submission Date Digital Toolkit This presentation describes a digital resource toolkit designed to help behavioral analysts situate culture and cultural humility within context when thinking about culturally responsive and ethically grounded applied behavioral analysis (ABA) practices. When behavioral analysts think beyond their own cultural lens within a context, they are more able to create respectful and responsive services. Behavioral analysts think and act beyond their cultural lens through the use of culturally responsive practices and form respectful professional relationships, enhance social validity and relevancy, and provide responsive services to the myriad of individuals and families they serve. This digital toolkit is intended to help behavioral analysts think and act beyond their own cultural lens when thinking about the ethical implications. The type of resources contained within the kit is meant to help behavioral analysts think more reflexively and culturally about the behavioral services they provide and help practitioners better understand the range and diversity of beliefs and values and to develop strategies for collaborative practice (Fong et al. Al, 2016). This resource can come in the form of articles, videos, podcasts, and self-directed tools that help behavioral practitioners address the cultural needs of clients, especially practitioners serving clients in diverse, marginalized, inequitable resource-challenged systems and communities, along with a historically present deficit of trust in service delivery. The toolkit fosters culturally responsive practice to enhance ABA ethical practice through improved relationships, communication, and outcomes. Culture from a Behavioral Perspective In the context of behavior analysis, culture refers to the behavioral and social practices that are learned and shared as a result of the particular environments to which people are exposed. When certain groups of people undergo the same patterns of social and behavioral reinforcement, they tend to form distinct social and behavioral customs and norms. According to Fong et al. (2016), cultural behaviors are customs and manners of social interaction, while the behaviors of individuals belonging to a particular culture are the result of learned behaviors and the consequences that reinforce or punish those behaviors. Araiba (2020) describes learned responses as shaping individuals’ behaviors, whether they are responding verbally or silently. This implies that there are various behavioral norms and customs for communication within various cultural groups. For example, one group may create a communication model that is more interactive and thus more likely to reinforce an active communicative response. In behavior analysis, the customs that are formed as a result of a cultural practice are sustained in a social context by the social reinforcing outcomes of the behaviors. Examples Using the ADDRESSING Model The ADDRESSING Model incorporates diversity pertaining to religion, ethnicity, and race, along with disability, gender, and sexual identity. Conners & Capell (2021) noted an example regarding a behavior analyst who provided services to a client from the Deaf Community. The behavior analyst may regard visual modes of communication and may choose learning interventions with a cooperative learning structure. They would be likely to use collaborative learning techniques. Behavior analysts are also advised to employ their clients’ pronouns and use affirmation and supportive language to develop and enhance their trust and working relationship. The cited examples of culture in behavior illustrate the need for behavior analysts to consider cultural factors in their service delivery. The ethical conduct of the behavior analyst requires the identification of the culturally defining behavior of the client and their community as well as the adjustment of the behavior consequences and/or the antecedents in a culturally respectful manner. Additional Behavior-Analytic Resource An example of a behavior-analytic resource outside of the traditional literature discusses culture as a historically established behavior of a custom style of communication and social behavior inclusive of rituals and belief systems (Beaulieu et al., 2019). This resource speaks to the necessity of behavior analysis as culturally implicated and the myriad of teaching and learning experiences that leave their mark on everyday behavior. This resource helps behavior analysts by applying examples and building behavior analytic practices that are culturally and socially aware. Importance of Incorporating Culture To provide successful ABA services, analysts must be responsive to cultural differences. Cultures differ in their understanding of goals, and therefore, understanding a family’s culture will help the service provider develop goals that are in line with the family’s aspirations. Without a cultural understanding, the provider is likely to develop a plan that is contrary to the recipient and the family’s priorities. Fong et al. (2016) mention that to practice cultural responsiveness, the effect of social and environmental context on the recipient’s behavior must be understood and addressed. Families will most likely accept and engage with an intervention that is in line with the family’s expectations regarding social inclusion and social responsibility (Neill et al., 2023). A behavior analyst will treat the family with equity and dignity and increase the cultural relevance of the intervention. Examples of Incorporating Culture in Practice Behavior analysts can incorporate cultural elements at several stages when providing a service. Analysts can obtain data regarding the family’s preferred language, customs, and traditions, as well as the family’s views and expectations, through the use of culturally appropriate interviews or questionnaires during the intake process (Beaulieu et al., 2019). An analyst can adapt an assessment to include the client’s preferred culturally relevant activities, daily practices, and routines. When developing an intervention, analysts can design a reinforcement system that places greater value on culturally relevant reinforcement (e.g., being recognized by the family and community and having an active role in the community) as compared to the more traditional (e.g., tangible) forms of reinforcement. Lee et al. (2024) found that culturally responsive training of caregivers and other professionals increased the implementation of the interventions and facilitated the extension of teaching to various settings. Gomez and Beaulieu (2022) discussed a pragmatic resource that guides the contextual application of ABA to practice in culturally diverse contexts. The resource, along with other available literature on training, provides