Association for Behavior Analysis International

Over the past 10 years, as the prevalence rate of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) increased, applied behavior analysis (ABA) has become the topic of interest in Saudi Arabia. It has drawn the attention of medical professionals, teachers, clinicians, stakeholders, and legislators alike. ABA is increasingly being recognized as the leading evidence-based intervention for individuals with ASD, and with this rising recognition, there is a growing demand for accountability and provision of state-of-the-art services. To respond to this demand, we have established the first verified course sequences in the Middle East on both undergraduate and graduate levels, as well as provided collaborations with schools and clinics. In this presentation, I describe the dissemination efforts made through training behavior analysts, implementation of positive behavior support in schools, and advocating for services and the establishment of a local legislative body. Furthermore, the significant growth in the number of certificants, clinics using ABA, ABA training programs, as well as the current challenges and the future of ABA in Saudi Arabia are discussed.

Dr. Baowaidan is the department chair of the Master of Science Program in Applied Behavior Analysis and assistant professor of special education at Dar Al-Hekma University, Saudi Arabia. She launched the first graduate program in ABA in the Middle East.  In 2016, she became the first Saudi to hold a Ph.D. in Applied Behavior Analysis and a Board Certified Behavior Analyst with doctoral designation (BCBA-Dâ). She earned her MA and Ph.D. in Applied Behavior Analysis from Columbia University under the direction of professor R. Douglas Greer. She has extensive teaching experience with children with and without special needs under the CABAS® model of schooling at the Fred S Keller School, where she also acted as a program supervisor and served as a clinical professor to many graduate students.