ABA: Social Validity

ABA: Social Validity

1. Origin

   • "What is the purpose of JABA?"
     • "It is for publication of applications of analysis of bx problems of social importance." -Don Baer
       • Social Imporance
         • Having value to society
         • Evaluated: judged by society; possibly by subjective measure
           • Subjective Measurement
             • ABA: subjective measurement not well regarded
             • BF Skinner- rejected subjective measures of private events
               • valued objective measurement
               • "objection to inner states is not that they don't exist, but that they're not relevant in a functional anaylsis
   • Willner et al. (1977) : Boys Town
     • residential program for boys with history of juvenile offenses
     • live with teaching parents
     • token economy with response cost
     • located in Omaha

2. Dimensions of Social Validity

   • 1. Goals (social significance)
     • Are the specific bx goals really what society wants?
       • Example: teaching-parent interactions
         • polled boys prior to intervention: What interactions do you like?
   • 2. Procedures: Do the ends justify the means?
     • Ethical? Cost? Practicality?
     • Acceptibility of direct consumers might be related to effectiveness
       • Wolf: boys who had rated acceptability of parenting style had fewer interactions in the program
   • 3. Effects (social importance)
     • Are the consumers satisfied with the intended results?
       • Are the consumers satisfied with the unplanned outcomes?
     • Assessed at the conclusion of the intervention
     • Can assess program effectiveness
       • Evaluation of a program by employees