Association for Behavior Analysis International

Effective presenting is an important skill for graduate students do develop in the context of their training. However, effective dissemination is often neglected in training programs which is problematic in regard to professional advancement and overall dissemination to the field. This question-and-answer-style Professional Development Series panel will offer an opportunity for students to ask questions regarding oral presentations. The panelists will discuss all components to presenting, from creation of slides and effective story-telling to delivery based on audience type. Panelists will focus on three main components to presentations: organization and structure, slides, and delivery. Presenters will offer advice on how to give effective and engaging presentations while giving enough time for ample questions from the audience. The goal of this panel is to offer insight and advice to students on how to become a more effective and engaging presenter through the expertise of the invited panelists

Graduate students, certified behavior analysts

Behavior Analysis is a scientific approach that emphasizes environmental contingencies to solve a large array of problems. The field has continuously produced literature on evaluations and treatments that cover a multitude of issues. Although our field has support in many areas of practice, a considerable percentage of our applied applications focus on autism and developmental disability treatment. With an ever-growing field, the interest of those involved in behavior analysis is also seeing a large increase in variability. This panel aims at highlighting some of the novel applications of behavior analysis in diverse areas. The panelists will discuss some of their own experiences implementing behavior analysis in these areas and will provide time to answer questions from the audience. If you have interest in applying behavior analysis into novel areas, this panel aims to help provide insight into this process.

Communicating in a way that allows one to share their perspective while fostering mutual respect with coworkers is key part of being an assertive professional. These skills are critical across settings because they lead to more effective collaboration and therefore promote growth for all involved. Many times, graduate students are not in a position to practice or learn assertiveness skills due to the power dynamics found in the university setting. Minorities and women often face additional societal barriers in professional settings (Cortina et. al., 2001) that exasperate these issues. Research has demonstrated that diversity increases the creativity and productivity in professional spaces (Leung et. al. 2008). Cultivating a more assertive communicative repertoire in professionals would allow for better integration of different perspectives; ultimately benefitting both the individual and those they work for. The panelists will share what they have learned on issues concerning assertive communication and developing a working style that allows for both mutual respect and consideration. Each panelist has held multiple prominent leadership positions and have had many successful collaborative relationships throughout their careers.

Collaborating with professionals in other disciplines is vital to the success of those we serve but is also one of the most difficult parts of the job. Teachers, speech pathologists, occupational therapists, pediatricians, social workers, and psychiatrists bring unique areas of expertise, and collaboration means finding common ground. Successful collaboration may also require some persuasion and translating behavior analytic terms into their language to teach others what our science has to offer. This panel includes experienced behavior analysts from school, hospital, and mental health settings who have experience collaborating with diverse professionals from other disciplines. They will provide their perspectives on the benefits of working with others and provide strategies for how to navigate potential challenges. They will give insight into navigating ethical issues that may arise when working with multidisciplinary teams. They will offer recommendations on how to make friends and influence people to provide the best services possible for those we serve.

The target audience in practicing behavior analysts who work in setting that require collaboration with professionals from other disciplines.

Strong writing skills are essential for many different careers within the field of behavior analysis. For example, practitioners must write effectively to communicate treatment plans to staff and caregivers, academics must write successfully to teach others about behavior analysis, and researchers must write well to disseminate their findings to others. However, it can be difficult for young professionals to manage their time effectively to be productive and to keep up with the current formatting and style requirements when new publication guidelines are released. During this professional development series event, panelists will discuss strategies for time-management and for avoiding common pitfalls that researchers make during the manuscript-submission process. Last, researchers and writers in the field of applied behavior analysis will discuss changes in the American Psychological Association (APA) publication guidelines with the release of the 7th edition manual.