Association for Behavior Analysis International

Whereas behavior analysts take due pride in the unique characteristics that distinguish us from mainstream psychology, those characteristics also distance us from psychology, cheating us of attention, recognition, support, and employment opportunities. Is it possible to remain true to our behavioral tenets, while improving our communication and presence in the larger intellectual community? If so, how do we go about it? We are fortunate to have Dr. Alan E. Kazdin, an early pioneer of behavior modification and expert in single case (N of 1) research designs in clinical and applied settings. He has succeeded in what we aspire to do--formulating and validating empirically grounded behavioral interventions, in particular for children and teenagers. He has been embraced by psychologists in general, having served as the president of APA and winning the APA gold medal for lifetime achievement. He also has a significant public audience (e.g. https://slate.com/author/alan-kazdin; https://time.com/author/alan-kazdin/ and https://amzn.to/2NiAp4c ). In this panel he will discuss with leaders in our field his thoughts about ways in which we can advance our agenda, and regain a seat at the table of empirically-based behavioral psychology writ large.

Board certified behavior analysts; licensed psychologists; graduate students.

In the 18 months since the 2019 CPT I billing codes for adaptive behavior took effect, members of the ABA Billing Codes Commission have worked to disseminate information, resolve problems, address concerns, and identify next steps. This presentation builds on the information presented in the workshop ABA Billing Codes Commission Presents: Is That Billable? Understanding How to Bill Ethically and Effectively. This presentation will provide an update on the work of the ABA Billing Codes Commission and will address recurrent questions, including the effort to increase uniformity in how the codes are interpreted; the proper use of Medically Unlikely Edits; the process to value codes; and the next steps in the Commission’s effort to bridge the gap between billable services and ABA that reflects best practices.

Behavior analysts

The ABAI Task Force on International Education has been working since January to create a model to improve educational opportunities and develop formal recognition of behavior analysts that could be adapted for individual countries. Constituents from Brazil, Italy, Mexico, South Africa, and Spain will provide an update on the task force’s progress.We welcome the attendance of all those interested in this effort.

Francesca degli Espinosa has worked with children with autism for more than 20 years. Her longstanding clinical and research interests are in advanced applications of contemporary analyses of verbal behavior (Horne & Lowe, 1996; Lowenkron, 1998, 2008; Michael, Palmer, & Sundberg, 2011) as a basis for teaching generalized verbal repertoires and, thereby, as a means of minimizing the need to teach specific individual verbal responses. She was the lead clinician for the Southampton Childhood Autism Program at the University of Southampton, the first UK-based EIBI outcome study (Remington et al., 2007), results of which formed the basis of her Ph.D. She currently runs a small diagnostic, behavioral, and skills assessment clinic in Southampton and teaches applied behavior analysis in the graduate program at the University of Salerno, Italy, her home country, where she also continues to mentor Italian BCBAs.

Ilana Gerschlowitz lives in Johannesburg, South Africa, and is the mother of three boys. She completed her B.Com (LLB) (commerce and law degree) in 1998 at the University of the Witwatersrand and was subsequently admitted and practiced as an attorney. In 2004 when her oldest son, David, was diagnosed with autism at the age of 20 months, she immersed herself in research to find solutions.

In 2009 she hosted the landmark Challenging Children Conference, which successfully provided a platform for the introduction of ABA to South African parents and professionals.

Ms. Gerschlowitz is the founding director of the Star Academy (Star), an affiliate of the US-based Center for Autism and Related Disorders. Now 10 years old, Star has provided access to ABA programs to more than 230 children around the country with autism or related disorders, as well as to children in Ghana, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Mauritius, and Zambia. Other Star projects include providing ABA instruction to underprivileged children in Johannesburg and a program called Catch Up Kids, which helps children overcome learning challenges, including those with ADHD.

In 2015 Ms. Gerschlowitz was recognized for her work in education with the CEO Global Award for Africa’s Most Influential Woman in Business and Government in the Education and Private Sector for Region, Country, and Continent. In 2018 she was a finalist for the Europcar Jewish Women in Leadership Award. She is the author of Saving My Sons: A Journey With Autism, published in 2019 and which helps light the way for many parents coping with autism or learning difficulties in Africa.

Dr. Agustín Daniel Gómez Fuentes has a degree in psychology from Universidad Veracruzana, a master’s in psychology (behavior analysis) from Western Michigan University, and a doctorate in behavioral science from the University of Guadalajara. Dr. Gómez Fuentes has been recognized as a National Level I Investigator by the Mexican National System of Investigators of the National Council of Science and Technology. In addition, he has a PROMEP profile and has been director of more than 80 theses on psychology and education, as well as published more than 16 articles in specialized scientific journals on those same topics. Additionally, he has published 10 book chapters and 3 specialized books on behavioral science and education. His research interests are mainly focused on linguistic modes and their relationships, as well as historical and philosophical analysis of psychological concepts.

Dr. Gómez Fuentes was a member of the program committee for the 2013 ABAI International Conference in Mérida, Mexico, and truly instrumental to its success and subsequent positive effects encouraging the growth of behavior analysis in Mexico. He promoted the conference and its call for papers among his colleagues at Universidad Veracruzana, gave a talk as part of a symposium, and chaired two other sessions.

Gladys Williams leads the program on autism and verbal behavior at David Gregory School in New Jersey. She is the founder and director of Centro CIEL in Barcelona and Oviedo, Spain, and of LearnMore, Inc., an institution that promotes effective teaching strategies. She earned her doctoral degree in special education and behavior analysis from Teachers College, Columbia University, where she was a recipient of the Fred S. Keller Research Grant to study language development and autism. She has won several awards for her contributions to the field of applied behavior analysis. Dr. Williams has published 18 articles in peer-reviewed journals such as the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, the American Journal on Mental Retardation, Teaching Exceptional Children, and others. She has been a guest reviewer for the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, Behavior and Social Issues, and The Behavior Analyst. She is a frequent guest speaker in Europe and South America. Dr. Williams’s main objective is to implement effective strategies to teach functional verbal language to nonverbal children and to investigate strategies and techniques to facilitate social skills and functional language acquisition. Her quest is to use behavioral technology to benefit children around the world.

A meeting of board members to discuss the annual convention program.

The ABAI Licensing Committee was established in the last 3 years to serve as a resource for behavior analysis organizations interested in licensure of behavior analysts. The Committee is a component of the Affiliate Chapters Board. The members are highly experienced behavior analysts who have experience in effectively addressing public policy issues in state government,especially pertaining to behavior analyst licensure. The reasons for the establishment of the committee, its history, operation, previous, current and anticipated activities, and the resources that it offers behavior analytic organizations will be described. The presentation will address, also, the fit of Committee activities with a behavior analytic perspective on social institutions (e.g., how its activities are relevant to metacontingencies effecting social institutions, exemplify Skinner's perspective regarding behaviorists engaging with issues relevant to a culture, incorporation of behavior analytic principles in addressing public policy issues, and promote ethical behavior in the culture). Audience participation will be encouraged

LBAs, BCBAs/BCBA-Ds, leaders of state behavior analysis organizations, persons interested in public policy issues including behavior analyst licensure

ABAI members who donated to the Society for the Advancement of Behavior Analysis (SABA) in 2019 and 2020 are invited to a reception in honor of their contributions and commitment to the field. We are grateful for the generosity of those who support the activities of ABAI and SABA.

Murray Sidman lived a long life in which he gave so much to the field of behavior analysis, influenced so many students, and mentored so many behavior analysts around the world. Dr. Sidman had vital roles in the founding of JEAB and in planting the seeds of what have become incredible behavior analysis programs across the globe. A shining example of the result of his international efforts is the strong behavior analysis programs now in many Brazilian universities, where researchers keep vigorous lines of research initiated by him alive to this day. Dr. Sidman has influenced so many of us, personally, academically and professionally. This panel will highlight some of his many major contributions to the science of behavior analysis including single-subject methodology and experimental designs, coercion and its effects, avoidance behavior, stimulus control, errorless learning, programmed learning, and stimulus equivalence. In this memorial panel, we will also share some personal stories of how Dr. Sidman (or Murray to many of us) continued to teach us until his very last days. Murray was a kind and loving person, and he will be sorely missed. His lessons will continue to guide us in advancing behavior analysis and in creating a less coercive world.