Affectively-Align & Culturally Aware ABA Notebook

(FBA course final class discussion topic! “Social Validity”. I must say that attending ABAI Lisbon 2025 was a deep learning experience as an MS ABA student—it truly multiplied my knowledge—all about ABA)

The models presented by TRIAD and Carter and Wheeler (2019) reframe social validity from a simple post-intervention check to a guiding ethic for ethical practice. They emphasize a continuous evaluation of whether our goals, procedures, and outcomes are acceptable, relevant, and useful to the individual and their stakeholders. 

To embed this process into applied practice, I would implement social validity assessments at all three stages. First, during the goal-setting phase, I would use collaborative and motivational interviews to ensure treatment objectives align with what the client and family find most meaningful for their quality of life. (Carter & Wheeler, 2019). Second, for procedural validity, I would treat a client’s assent— their ongoing willingness to participate as a real-time measure of acceptability, adjusting my methods in response to their behavior (Master ABA, 2024). Finally, to assess outcomes, I would move past data points to measure success by the generalization of skills into natural environments and direct feedback from stakeholders on the intervention’s social impact. This multi-stage approach ensures that our science remains not only effective but also humane and client centered. 

As a final takeaway, I want to share the most crucial yet simple question we can ask to embed social validity into every session: “Whose behavior needs to change here?” 

This question, inspired by the work of Dr. Hanley on functional communication, forces us to pause and reflect. If a client is consistently refusing a well-intentioned procedure, the socially valid response isn’t simply increasing prompting or consequence. It is to ask if the procedure itself is valid. The refusal is data. True collaboration means being willing to change our own behavior as practitioners—our protocols, our demands, our pace—based on the client’s feedback. This shifts social validity from a periodic assessment to a dynamic, session-by-session ethic that truly centers the client’s voice and dignity. 

References: 

Carter, S.L., & Wheeler, J.J. (2019). The social validity manual: Subjective evaluation of interventions (2nd ed.). Elsevier Science & Technology. 

Master ABA. (2024). Rethinking social validity in ABA: Who decides what matters in ABA? Retrieved from https://masteraba.academy/post/rethinking-social-validity-in-aba 

Vanderbilt Kennedy Center Treatment and Research. (2022). TRIAD’s guide for embedding social validity into practice. Vanderbilt University Medical Center.