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Episode 14
Supporting Early Development Through Play and Naturalistic Intervention
About This Episode
In this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Tracy Raulston, Assistant Professor in the Applied Behavior Analysis program at Texas State University. She shares her journey from classroom teaching to doctoral research, and how her passion for developmental science, early intervention, and child-led learning shaped her commitment to Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions (NDBIs). With over 20 years of experience in autism support and early childhood special education, Tracy brings a unique blend of clinical practice and research insight to the conversation.
Supporting Early Development Through Play and Naturalistic Intervention
Dr. Tracy Raulston
About Our Guest Speaker
Dr. Tracy Raulston
Dr. Tracy Raulston, PhD, BCBA-D, is an assistant professor at Texas State University with over 15 years of experience in teaching, clinical practice, and applied research. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M University, her master’s in Applied Behavior Analysis from Texas State, and her doctorate in Special Education from the University of Oregon. Dr. Raulston’s research focuses on early interventions that support the social-emotional development of autistic children and those with related developmental differences. Her work explores early social skills, family well-being, and the prevention of behavior challenges.
Show Notes
In this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Tracy Raulston, Assistant Professor in the Applied Behavior Analysis program at Texas State University. She shares her journey from classroom teaching to doctoral research, and how her passion for developmental science, early intervention, and child-led learning shaped her commitment to Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions (NDBIs). With over 20 years of experience in autism support and early childhood special education, Tracy brings a unique blend of clinical practice and research insight to the conversation.
Episode Highlights:
From Teacher to Behavior Analyst – How a student teaching placement in an autism unit ignited her passion for working with autistic children, and how mentorship and consultation helped her discover the broader world of ABA.
Bridging ABA and Developmental Science – Her graduate training at the University of Oregon deepened her understanding of child development, family systems, and holistic support — shaping her commitment to naturalistic, relationship-based intervention.
Understanding Play in the Early Years – Why behavior analysts working with children birth to five need a firm grasp of developmental play stages and the limitations of some common assessment tools (e.g., VB-MAPP) when supporting social engagement and symbolic play.
The Power of Playdates – She shares her research on peer playdates and the benefits they offer for social skill development, parent connection, and natural learning opportunities. She explains how teachers can help families structure simple, engaging playdates with accessible turn-taking games and how to monitor joint engagement and social reciprocity in meaningful ways.
Measuring Play Behavior – Practical tips for using flexible, real-time measures of play and engagement (e.g., duration or rating scales) over rigid event recording, especially when assessing free-operant behaviors like joint attention or symbolic play.
Developmentally Grounded Intervention Planning – Why programming should be individualized and aligned with a child’s proximal zone of development, with a focus on building play schemas and advancing object play through exploratory, functional, and symbolic stages.
In-the-Moment Targeting – She emphasizes the importance of following the child’s lead and avoiding overly rigid goals or expectations that can limit spontaneity, especially for children with inflexible learning styles.
Episode Resources
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