PhD in ABA

Shreeya Deshmukh, M.S.

Research Interests:

• ABA and sports
• Behavioral coaching procedures
• ABA therapy in a dance context

Current Research Projects:

• A comparison of the effectiveness of verbal feedback and video feedback to improve dance skills
• An analysis of the accuracy and completeness of verbal and video feedback during dance training

Classes taught or currently teaching:

• Research Methods and Ethical Issues in Behavior Analysis (Doctoral Teaching Assistant)
• ABA Basic Principles (Doctoral Teaching Assistant)

Asha Fuller, M.S.

Research Interests:

• ABA in child welfare
• BST and staff training
• Teaching safety and self-advocacy skills
• Law enforcement and correctional officer trainings

Current Research Projects:

• Using BST to teach mandatory reporters the steps to reporting sexual assault and misconduct
• Using BST to teach college students bystander intervention and sexual assault reporting skills
• Evaluating training methods for law enforcement on interacting with individuals diagnosed with ASD and developmental disabilities

Classes taught or currently teaching:

• Behavioral Assessment and Intervention Planning in Applied Behavior Analysis (Doctoral Teaching Assistant)
• Single Case Experimental Design (Doctoral Teaching Assistant)

Justin B Han, M.S., BCBA

Research Interests: 

• Functional Analysis Methodology and Training
• Assessment and Treatment of Problem Behaviors
• Cultural Adaptation of Behavior Technology
• Translational Research

Research Projects Underway: 

• Visual-Inspection Fidelity of Functional Analysis 
• Implementation and Efficacy of
• Indirect and Descriptive Assessment  

Classes Taught or Currently Teaching: 

• Fundamentals of Applied Behavior Analysis (Doctoral Teaching Assistant)
• Visual-Analysis of Functional Analysis Data (Graduate Level) 

Alyssa Rojas, M.S., RBT

Research Interests:

• Establishing protective factors for problem behavior
• Prevention of stereotypic behavior
• Assessment and treatment of severe problem behavior
• Early intervention
• Interdisciplinary school-based intervention
• Teacher training

Current Research Projects:

• Descriptive study on appropriate behaviors of typically developing preschoolers
• Function analysis of topographies of problem behavior
• Review paper on addressing stereotypy as a risk factor for developing self injurious behavior

Classes taught or currently teaching:

• Applied Behavior Analysis in Autism and Developmental Disabilities (Doctoral Teaching Assistant)
• Practicum Seminar (Doctoral Teaching Assistant)

More Coming!

Rasha Baruni, M.S., BCBA

Research Interests:

• BST and safety skills
• Increasing behavior variability for children with ASD using lag schedules of reinforcement
• Assessment and treatment of problem behavior

Current Research Projects:

• Emerging issues in the research on safety skills training
• An evaluation of video self-modeling to teach firearm safety skills
• An evaluation of parent implemented web-based behavior skills training for firearm safety skills
• Using behavioral skills training to increase fidelity of staff room searches at a juvenile residential facility
• Passive cooperation: A review of procedures to teach tolerance of unavoidable aversive events in daily life for individuals with autism or related disabilities.

Classes taught or currently teaching:

• Fundamentals of ABA (Co-instructor)

• ABA Basic Principles (Teaching Assistant)

• Fundamentals of ABA (Instructor)

Link to CV

Amalix Flores, M.S., BCBA

Research Interests:

• Translational Research
• Adventitious reinforcement and its impact on maintenance of problem behavior/errors emitted in the context of skill acquisition programs
• Investigating the stimulus function of various behavioral procedures such as the High-P sequences
• Investigating whether the temporal locus of certain clinical procedures correlates with its efficacy and/or differential effect

Research Projects Underway:

• Assessing the effects of music on vocal stereotypy and skill acquisition

Classes taught or currently teaching:

• Single-case Experimental Design
• Child Clinical Psychology- Behavior Therapy
• Basic statistics
• Psychology: Basic Process
• Behavior Modification
• Research Methods
• Health Socio-anthropology
• Practicum Seminar
• Practicum
  
  Link to CV

Karie John, M.S., BCABA

Research Interests:

• Preference and the assessment and treatment of severe problem behavior

Research Projects Underway:

• Some Effects of Functional Analysis Outside of Session

Classes taught or currently teaching:

• Behavior Assessment and Intervention Planning and Single Case Research Design (Teaching Assistant)

Link to CV

Daniel Kwak, M.A., M.S., BCBA

Research Interests:

• Evaluating methods of assessing social validity and implementation of socially valid treatments
• Considerations of culture in assessment, intervention, and training in behavior-analytic research and service provision
• Considerations of resource allocation, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness in assessments and implementation of treatments
• Improving assessment and intervention practices within tiered levels of supports

Research Projects Underway:

• Evaluating methods of assessing social validity: A comparison study
• Using data-based multicomponent class-wide intervention to increase handwashing in schools
• A meta-analysis of high-quality studies on training school personnel to implement behavioral interventions
• Cultural adaptations of assessment, intervention, and training in behavior analysis and related fields: A systematic review
• Implementing the Class Pass Intervention within schoolwide positive behavioral interventions and supports
• Using percentile schedules to increase on-task behavior

Classes taught or currently teaching:

• Research Methods and Ethical Issues in Behavior Analysis
• Applied Behavior Analysis in Autism and Developmental Disabilities
• Functional Assessment
• Psychological Methods: Research Procedures
• Gaps in Educational Opportunity and Achievement

Link to CV

Jesse Depaolo, M.S., BCBA

Research Interests:

• The use of ABA in sports/athletics
• Organizational Behavior Management

Research Projects Underway:

• Negative reinforcement contingency to increase out of practice workouts for collegiate athletes
• The use of sports based PDC on collegiate athletes

Classes taught or currently teaching:

• Behavior Assessments and Intervention Planning (undergraduate level)
• Fundamentals of Applied Behavior Analysis (undergraduate level)

Link to CV

Natalie Mandel, M.S., M.Ed., BCBA

Research Interests:

• Efficiency of skill acquisition
• Verbal behavior

Research Projects Underway:

• An Examination of Skill Acquisition and Generalization of Tacts of Actions

• Acquisition of Non-Target Stimuli Through Discrete Trial Instruction

• A Comparison of Behavior-Specific and General Praise on Skill Acquisition

• Evaluating the Effects of Matched Stimulation on Vocal Stereotypy and Skill Acquisition
• Assessing Reinforcers and Preferences of Individuals: A Survey

Classes taught or currently teaching:

• ABA in Autism and Developmental Disabilities
• Fundamentals of Behavior Analysis

Trevor Maxfield, M.A., BCBA

Research Interests:

• Safety Skills

• Incorporation of technology into treatment

Research Projects Underway:

• An Investigation into the Effectiveness of Bullying Interventions: A Meta-Analysis
• Video Self-modeling to Teach Firearm Safety Skills
• Evaluation of Parent Implemented Web-Based Behavior Skills Training for Firearm Safety Skills Group Study

Classes taught or currently teaching:

• Practicum in Applied Behavior Analysis

• Research Methods and Ethical Issues in Applied Behavior Analysis

Jennifer Cook, M.S., BCBA

Research Interests:

• Improving sports, health and fitness behaviors
• Passive cooperation
• The assessment and treatment of stereotypy
• Developing evidence-based practitioner models

Current Research Projects:

• Passive cooperation: A review of procedures to teach tolerance of unavoidable aversive events in daily life for individuals with autism or related disabilities.
• The behaviors and motivational variables of experienced runners: A survey.
• An evaluation of the effects of music on running using a three-component multiple schedule.
• A case study of tolerating aversive but necessary events for an individual with autism: Wearing a bike helmet.

Classes taught or currently teaching:

• Fundamentals of ABA
• Behavior Theory
• Behavior Principles
• Behavior Assessment and Intervention Planning
• Ethics in ABA (Upcoming Spring 2020)

Link to CV