Association for Behavior Analysis International

The sweeping societal changes needed to combat and mitigate cultural practices that contribute to climate disasters and emerging socio-cultural upheavals must focus on more than one individual behavior. The challenge is to organize massive numbers of people to behave in ways that are conducive to survival and success of cultural groups. The panelists will provide a brief history of Culturo-Behavior Science (CBS), a recently developed area of specialization in behavior analysis, and discuss its potential impact for the advancement of our field in the abovementioned domains. CBS provides the scientific concepts and units of analysis that guide the systematic identification of cultural practices that influence cultural change, and promote the development of potential solutions. The panelists will share their perspectives regarding the future of CBS, and discuss ways community of behavior analysts including those who are pursuing undergraduate and graduate training can contribute to this area of scientific development in behavior analysis.

Effective treatment in the fields of applied behavior analysis and speech-language pathology requires collaboration within a multidisciplinary team. Each discipline has a capacity for unique expertise and training, which can enrich treatment for shared clients. Collaboration can take the form of one-on-one interaction or an interdisciplinary team consisting of the client, their family, and professionals from other disciplines. Although the importance of interprofessional collaboration is undisputed, there is a growing need to educate different disciplines about the significance of professional collaboration, especially when the ideologies of the disciplines do not align. This panel will consist of a dually certified board-certified behavior analyst/speech-language pathologist and two board-certified behavior analysts. The panel will address language development, and verbal behavior, as well as discuss the behavioral treatments specifically designed for the pediatric feeding population. The aim of this panel is to provide a global perspective on the importance of interprofessional collaboration from different backgrounds, including applied behavior analysis, speech-language pathology, and pediatric feeding.

Doctoral students and those pursuing postgraduate degrees face many challenges. These challenges include identifying an advisor, selecting research topics, and determining a career choice. A potential challenge not typically discussed in broader professional groups is the pursuit of pre-doctoral internships and post-doctoral fellowships. Neither term provides much information about what they entail and how they may support your career. Students in doctoral programs may work alongside colleagues with these titles and need additional or clarifying information about these roles. This uncertainty can leave students wondering whether pursuing an internship or fellowship is worthwhile. Identifying the next steps following a doctoral program is no easy task. Many of these decisions are impacted by the career prospects the student is working towards and which settings they would like to work in. Our panel, consisting of Toni Rose Agana, a pre-doctoral intern, Dr. Maya Fallon, a domestic post-doctoral fellow, and Dr. Juliana Oliveira, an international post-doctoral fellow, will discuss what pre-doctoral internships and post-doctoral fellowships are and how students might go about seeking and applying to such experiences.

B.F. Skinner (1953) discussed that the importance of a thoroughgoing explanation of behavior requires a comprehensive ability to describe, predict, and control behavior across species. According to the Behavior Analyst Certification Board, 71.91% of Board Certified Behavior Analysts currently work with individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (BACB, 2023). These figures indicate that the majority of master’s level students enter the field with the intent of working with autistic children and their families; the majority of programs provide ample opportunities to discuss the application of the science in this way. However, research suggests that programs that include additional training on the Experimental Analysis of Behavior increases the likelihood that students will develop more creative repertoires, a better connection with our scientific roots, and have higher pass rates (Dixon et al.; 2015; Kamezi et al., 2019). A way to accomplish this may include the participation in basic research labs or projects that require studying the behavior of nonhuman participants. Based on insight from individuals who work in academic and professional settings with nonhumans, this panel will discuss and advocate for the inclusion of more projects with nonhuman participants as well as provide a student’s perspective on the value of such research and lab experience.