Contextual Fit in ABA Practice: Utilizing a Contextual Fit Tool to Achieve Social Validity

Abstract

The field of ABA has grappled with assessing and measuring social validity since the 1970s. Conjunctively, contextual fit has been utilized in home and school settings to make interventions viable and sustainable for those implementing them within diverse settings. A sizable portion of ABA practice typically involves providing services within home settings and supporting caregivers with child challenging behavior is a common practice. However, whether these supports and interventions are social valid is often not measured or assessed. Moreover, the process by which behavior analysts can achieve social valid goals, interventions and outcomes remains murky. Recent research has pointed towards collaboration tools being an effective mechanism to produce socially valid interventions, but has not explored the utility of contextual fit to achieve similar ends. This study examined that utility of contextual fit and aimed to determine if the use of a contextual fit tool would achieve socially valid goals, interventions and outcomes compared to a prescriptive intervention for caregivers implementing interventions for challenging behaviors in their home routines. Results demonstrate that caregivers implemented strategies more frequently and with a greater percentage in the contextualized phase, and that the mean challenging behavior decreased between baseline and intervention conditions. These results are analyzed and the future practical use of the contextual fit tool is explored.