Development and Preliminary Validation of the Patient Outcome Planning Calculator (POP-C): A Tool for Determining Treatment Dosage in Applied Behavior Analysis

Board certified behavior analysts (BCBA) are responsible for determining the medically necessary treatment dosage for patients (i.e., the number of hours of therapy a patient should receive per week to optimize progress) during applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy. However, because there is curre...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Behavior analysis in practice 2024-06, Vol.17 (2), p.601-614
Main Authors: Toby, Lauryn M., Hustyi, Kristin M., Hartley, Breanne K., Dubuque, Molly L., Outlaw, Erica E., Logue, Jesse J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Applied behavior analysis
Autism
Behavior disorders
Behavioral Science and Psychology
Cognition & reasoning
Communication
Decision making
Insurance coverage
Patients
Psychology
Research Article
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Summary:Board certified behavior analysts (BCBA) are responsible for determining the medically necessary treatment dosage for patients (i.e., the number of hours of therapy a patient should receive per week to optimize progress) during applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy. However, because there is currently no standard method for making these determinations, BCBAs must rely on their own clinical judgment. Given that clinical judgment may be underdeveloped in some BCBAs, particularly those who are newly certified, more formal strategies are needed to guide decision making as it relates to medical necessity and treatment dosage. In this article we describe the development of the Patient Outcome Planning Calculator (POP-C), a standardized decision-making tool designed to assist novice practitioners in determining the medically necessary ABA treatment intensity and appropriate treatment setting for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We present preliminary reliability data as well as construct validity data indicating statistically significant correlations between the POP-C and several norm-referenced and criterion-referenced assessments commonly used to estimate skill level and the corresponding degree of support needed within the ASD population to inform the ABA treatment model and goals.
ISSN:1998-1929
2196-8934
DOI:10.1007/s40617-023-00861-6