The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt Cicoria

Episode Overview In this episode, sleep expert Emily Varon returns to the Behavioral Observations Podcast to share her deep expertise in sleep improvement—especially within the autism community. Drawing from 15 years of experience, Emily emphasizes personalized approaches, the role of wearable technology, and the importance of sensitivity when discussing sleep challenges with families. She also discusses new research on screen time and its true impact on sleep latency, offering insights that can reshape how behavior analysts approach sleep-related interventions. Key Topics Covered Personalized Sleep Strategies Why one-size-fits-all sleep advice doesn’t work. How Emily uses wearables like the Oura Ring to identify sleep patterns and triggers. Note: check this out if you want to see if the Whoop Strap is a wearable technology is for you. The role of self-reflection and data tracking in improving sleep. Sleep Hygiene in the Autism Community Sleep as a primary reinforcer and the role of environmental variables. Key elements of good sleep hygiene: consistent schedules, avoiding late-night exercise, and structured bedtime routines. How these strategies apply equally to neurotypical and autistic individuals, with additional sensitivity for pre-existing diagnoses. Screens, Blue Light, and Sleep Latency The evolution of research on blue light and melatonin suppression. Insights from Michael Gradizar’s 2024 study showing only a minor, non-significant delay in sleep onset from screens. Why user behavior matters more than blue light itself—and how behavior analysts can address it. Sleep Research Gaps in Autism The distinction between medical and non-medical sleep researchers. Why more targeted studies in autism are needed, despite data collection challenges. Behavioral tendencies—rather than autism itself—as key factors in sleep disruption. Screen Time, Social Media, and Self-Regulation How apps are designed to maximize engagement and reinforce continued use. The impact of device removal on children’s emotions and behavior. Differences in personality and susceptibility to “dopamine hits” from scrolling. Children’s Sleep and Screen Time Variability Why short shows like Bluey may help some kids wind down, while disrupting others. Understanding sleep architecture and how disruptions affect mood and regulation. Real-world examples of activities (like bedtime reading) that can unintentionally delay sleep. Approaching Sleep Conversations with Families The importance of avoiding yes/no questions about sleep problems. Asking open-ended questions about sleep satisfaction. Building trust with families so they feel comfortable prioritizing sleep interventions. Next Steps for Listeners Special Offer: Use coupon code BXOB10 for 10% off The Sleep Collective course at readysetsleep.com. For BCBAs: Replace checkbox-style questions with open-ended ones about sleep satisfaction. Approach all autism-related cases assuming there may be underlying sleep challenges. For Families: Evaluate how screen time may be affecting your child’s sleep quality and onset. Assess whether your current bedtime routines are truly effective. Links & Resources The Sleep Collective Course – Save 10% with code BXOB10 Emily's first appearance on the BOP in Session 247 Michael Gradisar’s 2024 study on screen time and sleep latency Learn more about Emily Varon’s work at readysetsleep.com Why We Sleep, by Matthew Walker   Huge thanks to the following sponsors who keep the lights on! Frontera. Consider taking a demo of Frontera's Assessment Builder and see how the ethical application of AI technologies can help you serve clients and save you time! Your first assessment report is free. And if you use code BOP25 you’ll get an additional five assessments for just $100. So head to fronterahealth.com to check it out! CEUs from Behavioral Observations. Learn from your favorite podcast guests while you're commuting, walking the dog, or whatever else you do while listening to podcasts. New events are being added all the time, so check them out here.  The Behavioral Toolbox. Check out our courses for school-based and other behavioral professionals, including our newest one, Motivational Interviewing: Getting Educator Buy-In. Behavior University. Their mission is to provide university quality professional development for the busy Behavior Analyst. Learn about their CEU offerings, including their 8-hour Supervision Course, as well as their RBT offerings over at behavioruniversity.com/observations. Don't forget to use the coupon code, PODCAST to save at checkout!

In this episode of the Behavioral Observations Podcast, I had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Brady Phelps, about a topic that has perplexed, and perhaps captivated both mainstream Psychology as well as pop culture: Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID). Our wide-ranging conversation explored the intersection of behavior analysis, mental health, and trauma, with a special focus on how we can understand DID through a scientific, behavioral lens. Brady’s Career Journey Brady shared how he discovered behavior analysis almost by accident as an undergrad at Utah State University, under the mentorship of Carl Cheney. After a long academic career, Brady retired in 2021 but remains actively involved in the field. He’s currently developing an Experimental Analysis of Behavior (EAB) toolkit with Dr. Steve Eversole at Behavior Development Solutions, and he's also writing a textbook on learning and behavior designed to be accessible to 20-year-olds. Understanding Dissociative Identity Disorder Behaviorally We dove deep into Brady's research on DID, originally published in 2000. His goal was to approach DID from a behavior-analytic perspective, not through traditional psychoanalytic theory. As we discussed, DID has evolved from being characterized by dramatic behavioral shifts to more subtle, self-reported identity disruptions. Brady argued that the identities themselves are better understood as reified constructs—products of distorted tacting that contacts reinforcement—rather than discrete psychological entities. Trauma, Dissociation, and Behavioral Function Brady emphasized the importance of not dismissing trauma reports, while also cautioning against assuming trauma automatically leads to DID. We talked about avoidance behaviors, escape contingencies, and how dissociation might function as a response to overwhelming experiences. He brought up examples like Cotard’s Syndrome to show how distorted tacting can manifest in extreme ways. Rethinking Diagnostic Criteria for DID We discussed research into amnesiac barriers, such as the Concealed Information Test, which shows people might learn something even if they claim not to remember it. These findings, Brady suggested, should prompt a re-evaluation of how DID is diagnosed, particularly the differences between the Post-Trauma Model and the Social-Cognitive Model—the latter of which emphasizes social reinforcement and therapist influence in shaping alternate identities. Therapy Techniques and Reinforcement Contingencies Brady detailed how some therapists use techniques like “roll calls” or even suggesting names to clients in session. While these methods may sound extreme, they reflect how therapist behavior can inadvertently reinforce identity fragmentation. We also discussed Robert Kohlenberg’s 1973 study on behavioral repertoires, which demonstrated how social reinforcement shaped client behavior across different identity presentations. The Sybil Case and Media Influence We revisited the infamous Sybil case, which helped popularize DID in the 20th century. Despite being exposed as fraudulent, Sybil’s story continues to shape public and clinical views of the disorder. We also talked about more recent media portrayals—from TikTok to a 2023 Scientific American article—and how social media can reinforce the performance of alternate identities, especially among vulnerable populations. Behavior Analysis in Mental Health Brady and I wrapped up with a discussion on how behavior analysts can contribute to mental health conversations. He encouraged new BCBAs to collaborate with non-behavioral colleagues while staying rooted in behavioral principles. Above all, he emphasized balancing empathy with scientific rigor—understanding people without falling into speculative mentalism. Show Notes and Resources Brady (2025). Dissociative Identity Disorder: An Analysis of the Behaviors and Contingencies Brady (2000). Dissociative Identity Disorder: The Relevance of Behavior Analysis Kohlenberg (1973). Behavioristic approach to multiple personality: A case study Wakatama (2024). Court allows witness with dissociative identity disorder to give evidence in multiple personalities Explore the EAB Toolkit at Behavior Development Solutions Lester (2023). A New Therapy for Multiple Personality Disorder Helps a Woman with 12 Selves Who was Sybil? The true story behind her multiple personalities   📢 Sponsor shoutouts: Frontera. Consider taking a demo of Frontera's Assessment Builder and see how the ethical application of AI technologies can help you serve clients and save you time! Your first assessment report is free. And if you use code BOP25 you’ll get an additional five assessments for just $100. So head to fronterahealth.com to check it out! CEUs from Behavioral Observations. Learn from your favorite podcast guests while you're commuting, walking the dog, or whatever else you do while listening to podcasts. New events are being added all the time, so check them out here.  The Behavioral Toolbox. Check out our courses for school-based and other behavioral professionals, including our newest one, Motivational Interviewing: Getting Educator Buy-In. The inaugural ABA CON CEU cruise, which launches on Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas from February 16–20, 2026. Learn more about this cruise here  

Dr. John Guercio returns to the Behavioral Observations Podcast for his third appearance, bringing his extensive experience and fresh insights into the world of adult services in behavior analysis. In this episode, John and Matt discuss the vital, yet often overlooked, field of supporting adults with autism and other developmental disabilities—particularly those with severe behavioral challenges. They explore: John’s new leadership role at The Arc of the Ozarks The Applied Behavior Analysis Center The development of a new adult-specific RBT training program His latest book on staff training in adult service settings Key findings from his recent research on enhancing data collection in residential facilities The systemic and practical challenges of working in group homes and ISLs Throughout the conversation, Dr. Guercio emphasizes the importance of dignity, choice, and inclusion, and provides practical strategies for training and retaining staff who work in high-demand settings. 🧠 About the Guest: Dr. John Guercio is the Vice President of Crisis Services and ABA Services at The Arc of the Ozarks. He has over three decades of experience in adult services and is a published researcher, trainer, and advocate for ethical and effective behavioral interventions for adults. Dr. Guercio is also the author of the Staff Training Manual: Staff Training Strategies for Adult Service Settings, and co-creator of a new 40-hour RBT training program specific to adult services. 📚 Resources & Links: John's Behavioral Relaxation Training episode (CEU available!) The paper we discussed: Guercio, et al. (2025): Blending Staff Preference Assessments and Contingent Reinforcement to Enhance Data Collection in a Residential Facility for Adults with Severe Aggressive Behavior Reid and Parsons (2006): Motivating Human Service Staff Open Future Learning Facebook page The Performance Diagnostic Checklist Daniels and Bailey (2016). Performance Management 17 Therapeutic Communication Skills Dr. Karyn Harvey, Trauma-Informed Supports for People with IDD Dr. Paulie Gavoni: Positional Authority Ain't Leadership Dr. John Austin on Results (Supervision CEU available) Dr. Amy Edmonson: The Fearless Organization Reid (1992). The need to train more behavior analysts to be better applied researchers 📢 Sponsor shoutouts: Frontera. Consider taking a demo of Frontera's Assessment Builder and see how the ethical application of AI technologies can help you serve clients and save you time! Your first assessment report is free. And if you use code BOP25 you’ll get an additional five assessments for just $100. So head to fronterahealth.com to check it out! CEUs from Behavioral Observations. Learn from your favorite podcast guests while you're commuting, walking the dog, or whatever else you do while listening to podcasts. New events are being added all the time, so check them out here.  HRIC Recruting. Cut out the middleman and speak directly with Barbara Voss, who's been placing BCBAs in great jobs all across the US for 15 years. Behavior University. Their mission is to provide university quality professional development for the busy Behavior Analyst. Learn about their CEU offerings, including their 8-hour Supervision Course, as well as their RBT offerings over at behavioruniversity.com/observations. Don't forget to use the coupon code, PODCAST to save at checkout! The inaugural ABA CON CEU cruise, which launches on Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas from February 16–20, 2026. Learn more about this cruise here  

En este episodio, conversamos con el Dr. José Alberto Monseco Gómez —analista de conducta, BCBA® e IBA®— sobre un proceso fascinante, aunque poco comprendido aún por muchos analistas de conducta, en la adquisición del lenguaje: el naming bidireccional. A través de una charla accesible y llena de ejemplos, exploramos qué es el naming, cómo se relaciona con conceptos fundamentales del análisis de conducta, y por qué su presencia (o ausencia) puede marcar una diferencia sustancial en el desarrollo de lenguaje complejo. Hablamos de su relevancia tanto en contextos naturales como escolares, su papel como cúspide conductual, y los procedimientos que han demostrado inducir esta habilidad cuando no está presente. José también comparte hallazgos de su propia investigación y experiencia, reflexiones personales como padre y profesional, y consejos valiosos para analistas de conducta que trabajan con población con dificultades en el desarrollo del lenguaje. Bidirectional Naming with Dr. José Alberto Monseco Gómez In this episode, we talk with Dr. José Alberto Monseco Gómez —Behavior Analyst, BCBA®, and IBA®— about a fascinating yet still under-appreciated process in language acquisition among many behavior analysts: bidirectional naming. Through an accessible and example-rich conversation, we explore what naming is, how it connects to foundational concepts in behavior analysis, and why its presence (or absence) can make a significant difference in the development of complex language. We discuss its relevance in both natural and educational settings, its role as a behavioral cusp, and the procedures shown to induce this skill when it is missing.José also shares insights from his own research and clinical experience, personal reflections as a parent and professional, and valuable advice for behavior analysts working with individuals facing challenges in language development.

Welcome back to the Inside JABA series—this is Episode 23, and it's a must-listen for anyone interested in using Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) to improve safety in school settings. In this episode, Dr. Jeannie Donaldson and Gabriela Gomes join Dr. John Borrero and me to discuss the paper, "Effects of differential reinforcement and time-out on the unsafe playground behavior of young children" (note: first author, Elizabeth Linton unfortunately was not able to join us). 🎯 What You’ll Learn in This Episode: Playground Safety Statistics: The surprisingly high rates of injury during recess and why this matters. Behavior-Analytic Interventions: A review of previous ABA research focused on playground safety and injury prevention. Reinforcement vs. Time-Out: Pros, cons, and ethical considerations when using these strategies in natural environments. Study Design and Results: How the researchers implemented the intervention, what the data showed, and how students responded—both behaviorally and emotionally. Participant Choice & Social Validity: Insights into student preferences and recess enjoyment. Implications for Schools: How schools and practitioners can implement similar interventions and where the research should go next. As you can see below, the intervention package was quite effective: 📜 Subscribe to JABA Want access to cutting-edge research like this? Subscribe to The Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis and stay informed on the latest evidence-based practices. 📚 Resources & Research Mentioned: Linton, Gomes, and Donaldson (2025). Effects of differential reinforcement and time-out on the unsafe playground behavior of young children. Donaldson, et al. (2013). Effects of a reduced time-out interval on compliance with the time-out instruction. Chotto, Linton, and Donaldson (2024). Direct and indirect effects of and preferences for feedback during the Good Behavior Game in elementary classes. Heck, et al. (2001). Decreasing children's risk taking on the playground. Schwebel, et al. (2006). The Stamp-in-Safety Program: A Behavioral Intervention to Reduce Behaviors that Can Lead to Unintentional Playground Injury in a Preschool Setting. Peltier, et al. (2023). Effects of and preference for student- and teacher-implemented good behavior game in early elementary classes. 🎓 Earn CEUs for Listening All Inside JABA episodes are available for CEU credit! Click here to purchase and earn your CEUs.

Michal Pollack joined me to discuss how she uses her training in Behavior Analysis to help her with her personal health and fitness goals. Michal is a Clinical Director at Apollo Behavior. In this episode, we talk about: How she got her start in Applied Behavior Analysis. How she found her way to Apollo, and what she enjoys about working there. How she realized that getting fit doesn't require playing team sports, or being an athlete more generally. How spending time abroad during a gap year motivated her to adopt a healthier lifestyle. How going to the gym regularly helped her improve her emotional wellbeing. How she developed grocery shopping habits that helped her eat healthier meals. How she doesn't weigh herself frequently, and the rationale for this practice. We both talk about the pros and cons of wearable devices, and how I use The Whoop Strap (note, this is an affiliate). I want to make clear that during this podcast, it's important to note that neither of us are health or fitness professionals. We're not attempting to provide specific advice for listeners that's outside of our scopes of expertise. Instead, a better framing of this episode is to consider this a conversation between two BCBAs talking about how they apply behavior-analytic principles in their own lives. As such, if you're looking to make changes to your fitness, please consider working with a credentialed professional, with the input of your primary care provider. You can follow Michal on TikTok or LinkedIn here and here. If you'd like to learn more about working at Apollo, you can read about them here. Articles and resources mentioned: Camp and Hayes (2012). Assessing and Increasing Physical Activity. Donaldson and Normand (2009). Using goal setting, self-monitoring, and feedback to increase calorie expenditure in obese adults. Hustyi, Normand, and Larson (2013). Behavioral assessment of physical activity in obese preschool children. The aforementioned Whoop Strap. This podcast is brought to you by: Frontera. Consider taking a demo of Frontera's Assessment Builder and see how the ethical application of AI technologies can help you serve clients and save you time! Your first assessment report is free. And if you use code BOP25 you’ll get an additional five assessments for just $100. So head to fronterahealth.com to check it out! CEUs from Behavioral Observations. Learn from your favorite podcast guests while you're commuting, walking the dog, or whatever else you do while listening to podcasts. New events are being added all the time, so check them out here.  HRIC Recruting. Cut out the middleman and speak directly with Barbara Voss, who's been placing BCBAs in great jobs all across the US for 15 years. Behavior University. Their mission is to provide university quality professional development for the busy Behavior Analyst. Learn about their CEU offerings, including their 8-hour Supervision Course, as well as their RBT offerings over at behavioruniversity.com/observations. Don't forget to use the coupon code, PODCAST to save at checkout! Apollo Behavior. If these Apollo Series podcasts have you wondering about what it's like to work there, check out their current job openings in the greater Atlanta area and beyond!

Sydney Holmes, a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and Clinical Product Lead at Frontera, discusses the exciting intersection of AI and behavior analysis. She shares insights on digital phenotyping, revealing how AI analyzes video data to enhance client care. Sydney recounts her unique journey from marine biology to psychology, emphasizing the crucial collaboration needed between BCBAs and engineers. The conversation explores the innovative tools being developed, aiming to revolutionize autism diagnosis and facilitate real-time communication between therapists and caregivers.

In this insightful conversation, Valencia Harper, a seasoned clinician from Apollo Behavior, shares her experiences and tips for effectively supporting parents in ABA services. She emphasizes the importance of listening to build rapport and understanding the unique challenges families face. Valencia discusses how emotional intelligence and clear communication can help parents manage their children's behavioral issues. With practical strategies for setting boundaries and empowering parents, her expertise shines a light on the often-overlooked aspects of caregiver collaboration in ABA.

Kristen McNeely, a BCBA and Licensed Marital and Family Therapist from California, shares her expertise on the rising issues of school refusal and chronic absenteeism. She distinguishes between these terms, emphasizing the role of anxiety in children's attendance patterns. McNeely discusses effective strategies for parents to intervene, the importance of wraparound support, and the psychological impacts on families post-COVID. She also offers personal insights and resources to help navigate these challenging situations, making it a must-listen for concerned parents.

In this engaging discussion, Dr. Bill Ahearn, the Director of Research at The New England Center for Children, shares his insights on the complexities of repetitive behavior and anxiety in individuals with autism. He highlights the importance of tailored interventions like Response Interruption and Redirection while navigating stereotypic and self-injurious behavior. Bill also emphasizes the need for interdisciplinary collaboration in behavioral therapy and reflects on his pride in being a behavior analyst. His experiences provide a unique lens into effective strategies and understanding emotional complexities in treatment.