Measuring caregiver and student detection of treatment effects: Sensitivity to changes in frequency

For a behavior-change goal to be both useful and socially valid, relevant stakeholders must detect the level change specified by the goal. To evaluate behavior change that is detectable by consumers, we examined the minimum reduction in aggression at which undergraduate students and caregivers identified a treatment effect. Participants viewed scripted video recordings depicting varying levels of aggression and recorded whether each video was taken from before or during treatment. Across groups, most participants selected a video as a treatment session if it showed a 70% or greater reduction in aggression. Prior experience with behavioral services did not significantly affect selection. We discuss the translational utility of this method for identifying what consumers of behavior-analytic services report as socially valid behavior change.