Conducting Research as a Behavior Analyst Practitioner

This book describes how interested practitioners can successfully engage in behavior analytic research during their ongoing work, whether functioning as a clinician, supervisor, consultant, or staff trainer. Strategies are described in practical terms for selecting topics amenable for research in typical human service agencies, planning and implementing applied research procedures, and writing papers about research for publication and presentation purposes. Common obstacles practitioners often face in incorporating research within their service delivery are also presented along with specific means of overcoming them. Such means include, for example, collaborative processes to ensure sufficient personnel resources to assist with research activities, promoting agency support for applied research, using existing behavior analytic skills that are relevant for conducting research, refining practitioner skills when necessary for research purposes, and selecting research methodologies that are most readily applicable within ongoing service delivery. Additionally, attention is directed to how practitioners can comply with important ethical requirements associated with research involving agency clients and staff. An underlying intent is to help interested practitioners initiate, complete, and publish research that results in significant professional and personal benefits and, in turn, enhanced quality of work life.