Abstract
Dixon and colleagues (Behavior Analysis in Practice 8(1):7-15, 2015) used publication rates of faculty in programs with Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) approved course sequences as a proxy measure for the quality of the program. The paper is important because it begins a conversation about what the characteristics of a quality program should be. Low publication rates for most of these programs and their faculties were a source of concern for Dixon, et al., but from the perspective of measurement validity, this finding is not necessarily bad news. Program quality is a multi-dimensional construct, and for some dimensions, publication rates are likely to be irrelevant.
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Ronnie Detrich is a Senior Fellow at the Wing Institute in Oakland, CA. For almost 40 years, he has been an applied behavior analyst in a variety of settings. During that time, he has been involved in the hiring, training, and supervision of behavior analyst practitioners.
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Detrich, R. Are We Looking for Love in All the Wrong Places? Comment on Dixon et al.. Behav Analysis Practice 8, 144–146 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-015-0069-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-015-0069-9