The Social Validity of “Acceptability of Behavioral Interventions Used in Classrooms”: Inferences From Longitudinal Evidence

In this retrospective commentary on “Acceptability of Behavioral Interventions Used in Classrooms: The Influence of Amount of Teacher Time, Severity of Behavior Problem, and Type of Intervention,” I first examine the concept of social validity and related measurement challenges per Wolf’s concerns about consumers’ subjective reactions to behavior intervention procedures. I claim the genesis of the treatment acceptability research that others and I have completed was primarily motivated to advance the measurement of a subjective and fundamental construct in the process of selecting and implementing interventions in classrooms with teachers and children. With this background, I briefly describe the featured school-focused treatment acceptability study, followed by inferences about its (a) impact on subsequent intervention research and (b) relationship with common behavioral consultation and health care practices. I conclude with some speculations about future acceptability research and the importance of psychologists and educators caring about the social validity of their services.