Types of articles accepted

Behavior analysis deals with relations between environmental inputs and behavioral outputs using a behavior analytic conceptual framework. Research articles present original empirical findings depicting these relations.

Such articles must provide a compelling rationale for the experimental question, employ methods that are appropriate for answering that question, include sufficient detail about those methods to allow for replication, present meaningful data, analyze those data appropriately, and interpret them meaningfully.

Manuscripts describing the use of traditional group research or single-subject research methods and focusing on behavioral assessment and behavioral intervention relevant to behavior analysis (e.g., behavior therapy, clinical behavior analysis, school psychology, and behavioral medicine) are acceptable.

Qualitative research methods, when well conceived and directly related to conceptual issues in behavioral assessment and behavior analysis, are welcome.

Articles describing basic, applied, and translational research are appropriate for the journal, but regardless of the kind of research involved, the authors must make clear the importance of their findings.

Manuscripts reporting both novel investigations and attempts at direct or systematic replications of earlier work, whether successful or not, are appropriate and welcomed.

There is no maximum length for research articles, although conciseness is a virtue and clear writing a necessity.

Special sections or special issues provide the opportunity to publish several related articles together, with expert commentary if appropriate, and suggestions for special sections or issues are invited.

Research reports are similar to research articles, but no more than 2,500 words in length, with no more than two tables or figures.

Research reports are a convenient venue for reporting findings that are suggestive but not compelling, technological devices or applications, follow-up data not adequate to support a research article, or any study that can be accurately described in few words.

Articles in this category summarize previously published research or address theoretical or conceptual issues of interest to behavior analysts. Such articles support conclusions of potential theoretical, clinical, or practical importance to behavior analysts and are written in a clear and comprehensible style.

There is no maximum length for review and conceptual articles.

Letters, which comprise no more than 850 words, provide a means for behavior analysts to share potentially important information that would not be appropriate for publication in another format. Examples include commentaries on books or articles, descriptions of interesting research findings or other observations that merit further investigation, and reports of political or legal events likely to affect the field.

Like all submissions, letters will be reviewed, but suggested edits to accepted letters will be minor.

Please limit the abstract to no more than three sentences and the number of keywords to three.

Descriptive and experimental work related to the use of technology in behavior analysis research and practice (e.g., behavior therapy, applied behavior analysis, clinical behavior analysis, and behavioral medicine). Data supporting the use of technology are desired, though not required.

Submission of manuscripts describing the use of biofeedback technology is not appropriate.

Description and critical evaluation or reporting of experimental findings of the use of technology in behavior analysis research and practice are appropriate for the journal. Appropriate manuscripts include a critical review of the literature regarding existing products and technology.

For experimental or applied manuscripts describing the use of technology, authors are expected to provide suitable data or documentation supporting the utility of the technology.

Authors of manuscripts describing the use of technology must address the following:

• the general importance and relevance of the topic to behavior analysis research and practice;
• objective, unambiguous conclusions based on thorough analysis of existing information;
• the information necessary for adoption of the technology is contained in the article or is readily available from the author or other sources; and
• publication of the manuscript is likely to produce significant interest in the use of technology in behavior analysis research and practice.

This journal welcomes submissions that describe and study the intersection of human behavior, culture, and the evaluation of behavioral assessment and interventions in such contexts. Within this framework, culturally diverse refers to different ethnic, religious, geographic, and socioeconomic groups.

The purpose of this type of submission is to provide a focal point for applied and clinical research related to behavioral assessment and intervention in diverse settings and populations.

We are interested in studies describing implicit to explicit bias related to diversity and how such bias affects professional conduct and patient care.

Research focusing on when and how to modify assessment and interventions to fit the needs of diverse clients is also critically important. Each of these issues can be addressed through the types of manuscripts accepted by Behavior Analysis: Research and Practice.

The goal of this type of submission is to provide professionals and students with an opportunity to acquire skills in behavioral case conceptualization, behavioral assessment methods, and intervention in the context of service delivery (e.g., Behavior Therapy, Clinical Behavior Analysis, and Behavioral Medicine, Applied Behavior Analysis).

A secondary goal is the dissemination of behavior analytic assessment and intervention methods to the broader community of readers. To achieve these goals, manuscripts describing use of a controlled case study (A-B design) or single-subject research design allowing demonstration of functional relationships are appropriate.

While desirable, interobserver agreement is not a requirement for submission of manuscripts to the Case Conference section.

Case conference manuscript format

• Introduction
• Patient background

• Age, sex, race/ethnicity, medical or psychiatric diagnosis, if relevant
• History of complaint/problem behavior
• History of treatment(s) and success, if any

• Presenting problem
• Behavioral assessment

• Direct assessment
• Indirect assessment

• Behavioral case formulation
• Evaluation of behavior change
• Procedure

• Baseline assessment
• Intervention

• Challenges to implementation
• Results
• Follow-up assessment
• Conclusions and recommendations