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ABA with Learners of Varying Abilities
Our research in the area of behavioral interventions for individuals with autism spectrum disorder and developmental disabilities focuses on (1) skill acquisition, such as evaluating generative instruction to promote behavioral variability, acquisition and transfer of verbal operants, and the use of technology such as wearable devices to support behavior across environments, and (2) strategies for addressing and mitigating challenging behaviors in natural environments. This work is conducted in clinical and community settings.
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Staff and Caregiver Coaching
We are interested in evaluating methods of improving staff and caregiver implementation of behavioral interventions across settings, including home and school. Some of the methods evaluated include telehealth/remote delivery of instruction and the use of technological supports for behavior change agents. When working with caregivers, our research team works in partnership with community partners and other stakeholders to develop interventions that will meet the needs of the community. In collaboration with colleagues at several institutions, we are currently conducting NIH-funded research evaluating technological tools to support the implementation of behavioral interventions.
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Cultural Responsiveness in Behavioral Science
This area of inquiry seeks to expand the knowledge base of cultural responsiveness within behavior analysis in the areas of service delivery, training of students, mentorship, and supervision. This work is conducted in part through a collaboration with Dr. Lauren Beaulieu, with whom Dr. Corina Jimenez-Gomez developed the Cultural Competence for Behavior Analysts course. We also collaborate with other scholars in behavior analysis invested in this work.
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Translational Research on Reinforcement and Decision Making
We are particularly interested in (1) examining the discriminative and strengthening properties of stimuli, both in laboratory settings and with clinically-relevant participants and (2) using choice tasks to evaluate decision making related to ethics and inequities, and the impact of cultural variables. We also collaborate with Dr. Chris Podlesnik on research evaluating relapse of challenging behavior, reinforcement processes, and sensitivity to social consequences in preclinical and clinical studies.