Hello!

We are back into the full swing of things with our spring semester here at BCU. We have lots going on with practicum this semester, including the implementation of my pitching mechanics project. Writing and conducting my own behavioral change project under close, guided supervision has given me invaluable hands-on experience. I feel like I have learned more about the behavior change process on a more meaningful level than I ever could have in just a classroom or by completing random (though still valuable) projects to fulfill my practicum experience hours.

One of the most important characteristics of behavior change treatments we are covering in classes this semester is social validity. Social validity includes implementing behavioral change procedures that address participant goals, implementing procedures that are acceptable to all persons involved (e.g. you would not add a punishment component using hands downs methods if parents did not want to use that method with their child), and implementing procedures that are effective.

After conducting 2 sessions of the mechanics project during pitching practice, the participants, and coaches, agreed that the procedures as they were were not acceptable. In order to adjust this, we moved sessions to outside of regular practice times. This simple (though more time consuming) change made the procedures socially acceptable for the participants and the coaches. Nothing like a real-world example to share in class and bring context to the classroom material!