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A Descriptive Assessment of Social Validity Source, Timing, and Direct Consumer Inclusion in Behavior Analytic Research

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Abstract

Applied behavior analysis (ABA) is the application of behavioral principles to affect socially important behavior change with social importance, or social validity, being defined by the consumers of the intervention. (Schwartz & Baer, Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis 24, 189–204, 1991) provided several suggestions to improve the implementation of the social validity assessment including engaging in ongoing assessment, increasing the type and psychometric rigor of social validity measures, and extending participation in the social validity assessment to include direct and indirect consumers. The purpose of this article is to explore the current implementation of social validity assessments used in behavioral research. This article also explores key demographics among consumers with disabilities and/or mental health disorders who are included and excluded from social validity assessments. The most common social validity assessment source was author-created and implemented at a single time point. In addition, consumers with disabilities were often excluded from the social validity assessments. The implications of the social validity assessment implementation and consumer exclusion are discussed.

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Acknowledgements

Special thanks to Leicee Teighlyr Guiou for the development of the paper.

Funding

Authors note

This project was led by Rachelle Huntington; the article was co-authored by Rachelle Huntington and Natalie Badgett with writing support from authors 3–8. Natalie completed the majority of this work at the University of North Florida but has since moved to the University of Utah. Jakob completed the majority of this work at the University of North Florida but has since moved to Ruby Beach Behavioral Pediatrics. Alice completed the majority of this work at Seattle Pacific University but has since moved to the University of Washington. Madelynn completed the majority of this work at the University of Virginia but has since moved to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Education, Northern Arizona University, Eastburn Education 207c, 639 Riordan Ranch Street, Flagstaff, AZ, 86001, USA

    Rachelle N. Huntington

  2. College of Education and Human Services, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL, USA

    Natalie M. Badgett & Jakob McIntosh

  3. College of Education, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA

    Natalie M. Badgett

  4. College of Education, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI, USA

    Roxanne M. Bristol

  5. Ruby Beach Behavioral Pediatrics, Jacksonville, FL, USA

    Jakob McIntosh

  6. College of Education, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA

    Elizabeth M. Kelly, Alice Bravo & Kaitlin Greeny

  7. School of Education, Seattle Pacific University, Seattle, WA, USA

    Alice Bravo

  8. School of Education and Human Development, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA

    Young Hee Byun

  9. College of Education and Human Services, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA

    Madelynn S. Park

  10. McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA

    Madelynn S. Park

Authors
  1. Rachelle N. Huntington
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  2. Natalie M. Badgett
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  3. Roxanne M. Bristol
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  4. Jakob McIntosh
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  5. Elizabeth M. Kelly
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  6. Alice Bravo
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  7. Young Hee Byun
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  8. Madelynn S. Park
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  9. Kaitlin Greeny
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Correspondence to Rachelle N. Huntington.

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Huntington, R.N., Badgett, N.M., Bristol, R.M. et al. A Descriptive Assessment of Social Validity Source, Timing, and Direct Consumer Inclusion in Behavior Analytic Research. Perspect Behav Sci (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40614-024-00401-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40614-024-00401-9

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