Preventing and Reducing Challenging Behavior in Home
Settings
David P. Wacker, Ph.D., University of Iowa
In this presentation, Dr. Wacker will describe the results of
NIH-funded projects involving functional analyses and functional
communication training in the home settings of young children (6
years and younger) who had diagnosed disabilities and who displayed
severe problem behavior (e.g., self-injury and aggression). Parents
conducted all assessment and treatment sessions with coaching from
trained applied behavior analysts. The procedures used in this
project will be described, along with outcomes achieved over a
12-year period. Individual case studies of children with autism
will be presented.
Dr. David P. Wacker, is Professor of Pediatric Psychology and
Special Education at The University of Iowa. In the Department of
Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Iowa, Dr. Wacker directs
psychology services for children with severe behavior disorders. He
is the principal investigator of a series of NIH-funded projects
that have evaluated the use of functional analysis and functional
communication training with young children who have developmental
disabilities and who display problem behavior in their homes. Dr.
Wacker is the previous Editor of the Journal of Applied
Behavior Analysis and past President and Chair of the Board of
Directors of the Society for the Experimental Analysis of
Behavior.