What is "Translation" in ABA and Why Should You Join the 2025 APBA & IBR Translate This! Conference
What is "Translation" in ABA and Why Should You Join the 2025 APBA & IBR Translate This! Conference?
Derek Reed, PhD, BCBA-D
Director of Applied Behavioral Sciences
Institutes for Behavior Resources, Inc.
E-mail: dreed@ibrinc.org
In behavior analysis, "translation" means bridging the gap between basic research and real-world applications, making our science immediately useful and relevant (Lerman, 2003; Mace & Critchfield, 2010). Put simply, it's about taking innovative behavioral insights and turning them into actionable solutions—exactly what you'll experience at Translate This! (offered via BehaviorLive on September 26, 2025), our second annual conference focused on novel areas of ABA, hosted by APBA in partnership with Institutes for Behavior Resources, Inc. (IBR).
Importantly, translation isn't a single, straightforward process—it's a multidimensional endeavor. Basic-to-applied translation involves taking theoretical principles developed through experimental analysis and testing their effectiveness in practical contexts (see Kyonka & Subramaniam, 2018). Conversely, applied-to-basic translation occurs when real-world challenges inspire new research questions that return to the laboratory for investigation. Both processes are vital for ensuring ABA remains responsive to societal needs and scientifically rigorous.
Additionally, interdisciplinary translation involves integrating ABA methods with tools and techniques from other fields, such as organizational management, behavioral economics, or healthcare. Collaborating in this way opens up new possibilities for behavior analysts, allowing them to tackle complex issues from multiple angles.
Finally, policy translation addresses the critical task of converting behavior analytic findings into evidence-based guidelines and public policy (Fawcett et al., 1988). As behavior analysts have recently noted, this is an incredibly important venture for the sustainability of the field (de la Cruz & Bourland, 2025; Napolitano et al., 2025). Broadly speaking, this approach can amplify the impact of ABA, influencing societal change on a wider scale—exactly what Translate This! aims to showcase.
This year’s event highlights some of the most exciting emerging applications of ABA, featuring dynamic presenters who are transforming how practitioners can impact everyday life.
Drs. Andy Craig and Sean Smith will be discussing synthesized alternative reinforcement and resurgence through reverse translation (e.g., Smith et al., 2024). They plan to explore how using combined reinforcers instead of isolated ones might affect treatment outcomes for challenging behavior, providing practitioners with insights on maintaining long-term behavioral changes.
Dr. Brett Gelino will demonstrate the application of behavioral economics to assess barriers to natural hazard preparedness—things like preparing for severe weather events, warning signals for weather emergencies, etc. (e.g., Gelino & Reed, 2020). Through a series of rigorous interdisciplinary studies, he will highlight innovative ways to identify behavioral obstacles and improve emergency preparedness and public policy.
Dr. Meredith Berry will present groundbreaking research on the therapeutic potential of nature exposure and psychedelics, as well as prescribed ketamine therapy. Her studies reveal how visual exposure to natural environments and controlled psychedelic use can reduce impulsivity, improve mental health, and decrease substance use, offering exciting implications for treatment innovation and environmental conservation (e.g., Berry et al., 2021).
The conference will conclude with an engaging panel discussion featuring all the speakers. This session promises to integrate perspectives and insights from the day, highlighting the practical implications and future directions for translating behavior analysis research into effective interventions.
Translate This! isn’t just another CEU event … it’s your opportunity to see the cutting-edge possibilities of ABA in action, presented by highly engaging speakers who are on the cutting edge of our science. Please join us to explore how the science of behavior analysis continues to expand into innovative and socially important domains. Whether you’re new to ABA or an experienced practitioner, you'll walk away with fresh ideas, practical tools, and inspiration.
Don’t miss out on this celebration of behavioral science translation! We’ll see you on September 26.
For more information on the conference, visit:
For more information on IBR (Institutes for Behavior Resources, Inc.)—the partnering organization hosting this event—see:
References
Berry, M. S., Rung, J. M., Crawford, M. C., Yurasek, A. M., Ferreiro, A. V., & Almog, S. (2021). Using greenspace and nature exposure as an adjunctive treatment for opioid and substance use disorders: Preliminary evidence and potential mechanisms. Behavioural Processes, 186, 104344. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beproc.2021.104344
de la Cruz, B., & Bourland, G. (2025). Introduction to the Special Issue on Public Policy Advocacy in Behavior Analysis: Chronicles from behavior analysts to guide future public policy advocacy action. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 18(2), 319–326. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-025-01049-w
Fawcett, S. B., Bernstein, G. S., Czyzewski, M. J., Greene, B. F., Hannah, G. T., Iwata, B. A., Jason, L. A., Mathews, R. M., Morris, E. K., Otis-Wilborn, A., Seekins, T., & Winett, R. A. (1988). Behavior analysis and public policy. The Behavior Analyst, 11(1), 11–25. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03392450
Gelino, B. W., & Reed, D. D. (2020). Temporal discounting of tornado shelter-seeking intentions amidst standard and impact-based weather alerts: A crowdsourced experiment. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied, 26(1), 16–25. https://doi.org/10.1037/xap0000246
Kyonka, E. G. E., & Subramaniam, S. (2018). Translating behavior analysis: A spectrum rather than a road map. Perspectives on Behavior Science, 41(2), 591–613. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40614-018-0145-x
Lerman, D. C. (2003). From the laboratory to community application: Translational research in behavior analysis. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 36(4), 415. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.2003.36-415
Mace, F. C., & Critchfield, T. S. (2010). Translational research in behavior analysis: Historical traditions and imperative for the future. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 93(3), 293–312. https://doi.org/10.1901/JEAB.2010.93-293
Napolitano, D. A., Cohen, L. A., & Cihon, T. M. (2025). Behavior analysis at a macro level: The case for behavior analysts in public policy work. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 18(2), 543–557. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-024-00928-y
Smith, S. W., Arroyo Antúnez, B. E., DeBartelo, J., Sullivan, W. E., Roane, H. S., & Craig, A. R. (2024). Synthesized alternative reinforcement and resurgence. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 122(2), 195–206. https://doi.org/10.1002/jeab.4202