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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 129.7.95.237 (talk) at 23:14, 6 October 2022 (I removed the statements that ABAI is closely associated with JRC and has endorsed contingent shock. These are false claims. JRC has presented at ABAI conferences, but anyone can present (I presented as a student). ABAI does not currently have a position about contingent shock and has created a task force to look into its use before developing and publishing a position statement. The sources provided are from a self-advocacy network, rather than a direct source.). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Applied Behavior Analysis International
FormerlyThe Association of Behavior Analysis
Company typeNonprofit, 501(c)(6)
FoundedKalamazoo, Michigan, U.S.
(1974 (1974))
Headquarters
Portage, Michigan
,
U.S.
Websitewww.abainternational.org

The Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting behavior analysis. The organization has over 9,000 members. The group organizes conferences and publishes journals on the topic of applied behavior analysis (ABA). ABAI has issued detailed, specific position papers intended to guide practitioners of ABA. The ABAI publishes six scholarly journals including The Psychological Record and their primary organ, Perspectives on Behavior Science, formerly The Behavior Analyst.[1] They also publish an informational journal, Education and Treatment of Children, describing practical treatment of children with behavioral problems.[2]


History

The Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI) was founded in 1974 as the MidWestern Association for Behavior Analysis (MABA) to serve as an interdisciplinary group of professionals, paraprofessionals, and students.[3] The first annual conference was a response by a group of behavior analysts who were having problems presenting their work at psychology conferences and other related events.[4] Some of the members included Sidney Bijou, James Dinsmoor, Bill Hopkins, and Roger Ulrich. The first headquarters were located on the campus of Western Michigan University (WMU) in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The association changed its name to the Association for Behavior Analysis in 1979.[5] In 2002, the headquarters were moved off WMU's campus. In 2008, the association relocated to nearby Portage, Michigan (where it is today), and added "International" to its name.[6] ABAI has more than 9,000 members and 28,000 affiliate members .[7]

Activities and positions

Conferences

ABAI organizes various conferences related to the practice and promotion of behavior analysis. Every two years, ABAI hosts an international conference.[8] The association also holds an annual autism conference, and an annual conference dedicated to the advancements of behavior analysis.[9][10] Additionally, ABAI has hosted many single-track conferences on topics of special interest to behavior analysts, such as theory and philosophy, climate change, behavioral economics, and education.[11] Several times, the ABAI has invited the Judge Rotenberg Center to speak at their conferences to promote the Graduated Electronic Decelerator, a device that has been condemned by the United Nations as torture.[12][13]

Journals

See also: Applied behavior analysis § Major journals

The Association of Applied Behavior Analysis International publishes four journals about behavior analysis various subjects of behavior analysis:

  • The Analysis of Verbal Behavior is a collection of experiments and theoretical papers regarding verbal behavior and applied behavior analysis.[14]
  • Behavior Analysis in Practice is a peer-reviewed journal that includes articles on how to efficiently practice applied behavior analysis.[14]
  • Perspectives on Behavior Science (previously The Behavior Analyst) is a journal that includes literary reviews, reinterpretations of published data, theoretical and experimental articles, and articles that discuss behaviorism as a philosophy.[14]
  • The Psychological Record includes articles concerning behavioral analysis, behavioral science, and behavior theory. It was founded in 1937 by Jacob Robert Kantor.[15]
  • Behavior and Social Issues
  • Education and Treatment of Children

Position Statements

ABAI has published seven position statements which are nominated and voted on by membership. These include:

  • Statement on Conversion Therapy and Practices, 2022[16]
  • Expression of Support for the Asian-American Pacific Islander Community, 2021[17]
  • Commitment of Equity, 2020 [18]
  • Restraint and Seclusion, 2010[19]
  • Facilitated Communication, 1995 [20]
  • Students' Rights to Effective Education, 1990 [21]
  • Right to Effective Behavioral Treatment, 1989 [22]

Peter Sturmey suggests in his chapter on Ethics that practitioners use these statements to guide their practice.[23]

The Society for the Advancement of Behavior Analysis (SABA) provides financial support for ABAI activities and serve as a clearinghouse for outside funding of ABAI activities..[24]

Awards

Through the sister organization of SABA, several categories of awards are given to individuals, organizations, and ABA research during the ABAI annual convention.

As of 2022, they offer 5 awards:

  • The Distinguished Service to Behavior Analysis [25]
  • The Scientific Translation [26]
  • The International Dissemination of Behavior Analysis
  • The Effective Presentation of Behavior Analysis in the Mass Media[27]
  • The Enduring Programmatic Contributions in Behavior Analysis [28]

Controversy

See also: Aversives

One activist group, Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN), has published critical blog posts about The Association for Behavior Analysis International, suggesting that it provides a platform for the Judge Rotenberg Center (JRC), a controversial school which uses aversives.[29][13] Specifically, the ASAN president Ari Ne'eman reviewed two books for Vox in which he criticized both the Autism Society of America and ABAI for not prohibiting the employees of JRC to submit presentations while it was concurrently under investigation from the Food and Drug Administration, the United States Department of Justice, and the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture.[30]

In 1987, it gave the lawyer, Robert Sherman, the Humanitarian Award for the Right to Effective Treatment for winning a case that guaranteed the Judge Rotenberg Center the right to continue using aversives on its students.[31][32] ABAI has repeatedly endorsed the Judge Rotenberg Center's use of the Graduated Electronic Decelerator, an aversive device that administers painful electric shocks and has been condemned by the United Nations as torture.[29][13]

The Therapist Neurodiversity Collective made a statement about ABAI's connection to the JRC: "We are appalled and horrified that the Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI) chooses to condone painful electric shock aversion therapy at the Judge Rotenberg Center, which the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture has condemned. We are horrified that the JRC will continue the fight to be allowed to continue torturing human beings."[33]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Publications - Association for Behavior Analysis International".
  2. ^ "Journals - Association for Behavior Analysis International".
  3. ^ (1978) The Behavior Analyst, 1(1)
  4. ^ (1979) The Behavior Analyst, 2(2)
  5. ^ Craighead, W.E. & Nemeroff, C.B. (2004). Association for Behavior Analysis. In The Concise Corsini Encyclopedia of Psychology and Behavioral Science. (3rd ed., pp. 87-88) Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons
  6. ^ "Membership - Association for Behavior Analysis International" (PDF). Abainternational.org. Retrieved 1 June 2019.
  7. ^ "Conference Home - Association for Behavior Analysis International". Abainternational.org. Retrieved 1 June 2019.
  8. ^ "Convention Home - Association for Behavior Analysis International". Abainternational.org. Retrieved 1 June 2019.
  9. ^ "Conference Home - Association for Behavior Analysis International". Abainternational.org. Retrieved 1 June 2019.
  10. ^ "Archives - Association for Behavior Analysis International". Abainternational.org. Retrieved 1 June 2019.
  11. ^ Cite error: The named reference :3 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  12. ^ a b c Network, Autistic Self Advocacy (2019-05-23). "Association for Behavior Analysis International Endorses Torture". Autistic Self Advocacy Network. Retrieved 2020-08-11.
  13. ^ a b c "Welcome - Association for Behavior Analysis International". Abainternational.org. Retrieved 1 June 2019.
  14. ^ "The Psychological Record". Association for Behavior Analysis International. Retrieved 2018-09-14.
  15. ^ "Policy Statement on Conversion Therapy and Practices, 2021 - Association for Behavior Analysis International". www.abainternational.org. Retrieved 2022-08-11.
  16. ^ "Expression of Support for the Asian-American Pacific Islander Community, 2021 - Association for Behavior Analysis International". www.abainternational.org. Retrieved 2022-08-11.
  17. ^ "Commitment to Equity, 2020 - Association for Behavior Analysis International". www.abainternational.org. Retrieved 2022-08-11.
  18. ^ "Restraint and Seclusion, 2010 - Association for Behavior Analysis International". www.abainternational.org. Retrieved 2022-08-11.
  19. ^ "Facilitated Communication, 1995 - Association for Behavior Analysis International". www.abainternational.org. Retrieved 2022-08-11.
  20. ^ "Students' Rights to Effective Education, 1990 - Association for Behavior Analysis International". www.abainternational.org. Retrieved 2022-08-11.
  21. ^ "Right to Effective Behavioral Treatment, 1989 - Association for Behavior Analysis International". www.abainternational.org. Retrieved 2022-08-11.
  22. ^ Sturmey, Peter (2015). "Ethics, Controversial Treatments, and Applied Behavior Analysis". In Richard M. Foxx; James A. Mulick (eds.). Controversial Therapies for Autism and Intellectual Disabilities: Fad, Fashion, and Science in Professional Practice. Routledge. p. 438. ISBN 9781317623823.
  23. ^ "Strategic Plan". saba.abainternational.org. Retrieved 2022-09-13.
  24. ^ "Distinguished Service to Behavior Analysis Award". Society for the Advancement of Behavior Analysis.
  25. ^ "Award for Scientific Translation". Society for the Advancement of Behavior Analysis. Archived from the original on 2016-04-04. Retrieved 2016-09-09.
  26. ^ "Effective Presentation of Behavior Analysis in the Mass Media Award". Society for the Advancement of Behavior Analysis. Archived from the original on 2016-04-04. Retrieved 2016-09-09.
  27. ^ "Enduring Programmatic Contributions in Behavior Analysis Award". Society for the Advancement of Behavior Analysis. Archived from the original on 2016-04-04. Retrieved 2016-09-09.
  28. ^ a b Network, Autistic Self Advocacy (2015-05-22). "ASAN Statement On JRC At Association for Behavior Analysis International Conference". Autistic Self Advocacy Network. Retrieved 2020-08-11.
  29. ^ Ne'eman, Ari (January 21, 2006). "The errors—and revelations—in two major new books about autism". Vox. Retrieved August 19, 2020.
  30. ^ "Appointments and Resignations - Ambassador to Portugal: Who Is Robert Sherman? - AllGov - News". web.archive.org. 2018-07-01. Archived from [www.allgov.com/news?news=851264 the original] on 2018-07-01. Retrieved 2020-08-18. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
  31. ^ Etzel, Barbara C.; Hineline, Philip N.; Iwata, Brian A.; Johnston, James M.; Lindsley, Ogden R.; McGrale, Jill E.; Morris, Edward K.; Pennypacker, H. S. (1987). "The ABA humanitarian awards for outstanding achievement in pursuit of the right to effective treatment". The Behavior Analyst. 10 (2): 235–237. doi:10.1007/BF03392432. ISSN 0738-6729. PMC 2742247. PMID 22477980.
  32. ^ "Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)". Therapist Neurodiversity Collective. Retrieved August 19, 2020.
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