Social Validity in ABA Treatment

In order to maximize our intervention success when working with an individual beginning behavioral services, we must first determine if the goals selected are socially valid, meaning that the target behavior has a significant importance to person and society. Social validity is a subjective measure, but an important one. It is useful in determining if changes that we produce in behavior are acceptable and efficient for the person and those that interact with the person. Below you will find the 3 main components that should be considered prior to beginning treatment. 

  1. Significance of goals  

  2. Social appropriateness of procedures  

  3. Social importance of the effects of the changes produced  

When we are looking at these 3 components, there are all very similar in terms of what the outcomes are but to break it down, you can ask these 3 questions: 1) “is what we are doing what society wants?” 2) “is the procedure we are developing something that everyone considers acceptable?” and 3) “is everyone happy with the results?”  

To further expand, you will see social significance in the goals that are chosen if they align with the needs of the individual. Therefore, for something to be determined socially significant, the people who are being affected by the treatment and the behavior itself must determine that the problem is socially important. For an example, imaginative play skills may be socially significant for a 3-year old but would not necessarily be socially significant for a 17-year old.    

When determining if the procedures are appropriate and socially appropriate, we need to evaluate how we go about making change in the targeted behavior.  In other words, it needs to be agreed upon that the people involved in that individual’s treatment are willing to implement the procedures.  

Lastly, it is important to ensure that the effects that we get at the end of the treatment are also valid and important by making the quality of life better for the individual. Using the example above, you would be able to see that teaching a 17-year old imaginative play skills would not ideally make that individual’s quality of life better, but rather working on more adaptive living skills to help them apply for the job that they need may be more socially significant.  

Annie Prchal  
M.S., BCBA , Minneapolis, Minnesota
October 13, 2020

 

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