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Research Topics in ABA for Practitioners with Dr. Amber Valentino

Free Workshop

Increase Talking &
Decrease Tantrums

in Young Children with

Autism &/or Speech Delays

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As professionals, practitioners, clinicians, and even parents we share a common goal of wanting to make the world a better place for our children, a big way to do this is through research. Dr. Amber Valentino, author of Applied Behavior Analysis Research Made Easy, is on the podcast to discuss the importance as well as logistics of research in the field.

ABA Research Design

Many peer reviewed, published journal requirements involve really drilling down to specific topics and definitive objects of change. This can be an obstacle in the ABA field for practitioners. But this isn’t the end of the line for research. In its truest form, Applied Behavior Analysis research is messy, it’s a combination of big ideas and discussion. Knowledge is one of the biggest barriers in the profession of ABA, more research and more access to research is the solution.

Transfer Trial ABA

I’ve been able to work on several studies and trials with my mentor, Dr. Rick Kubina, that I talk about in this episode. In 2005, I coauthored a peer reviewed journal article, Using Transfer Procedures to Teach Tacts to a Child with Autism. This study was born out of work done with my son Lucas to correct a tact error with greetings. I never published this study because of the mixed procedures but I did present, and all 4 of the subjects learned equally as well with this method and Lucas only learned this way. Just a few years later, I was able to meet a Doctor who did his dissertation on transfer procedures and actually quoted my work on that study. The need for studies and for information is there.

Dr. Valentino is the Chief Clinical Officer for Trumpet Behavioral Health, she is very passionate about advocating for research with practitioners. Her book Applied Behavior Analysis Research Made Easy: A Handbook for Practitioners Conducting Research Post-Certification, is a great read for professionals who want to contribute research to the field, break barriers, and get started. You can find out more about her on the TBH website as well as her personal blog, Behavior-Mom.

research topics in ABA

Dr. Amber Valentino On The Turn Autism Around Podcast

Dr. Valentino currently serves as the Chief Clinical Officer for Trumpet Behavior Health where she develops workplace culture initiatives, supports clinical services, leads all research and training activities, and builds clinical standards. Her primary clinical and research interests span a variety of topics including verbal behavior, ways to connect the research to practice gap, professional ethics, and effective supervision. Dr. Valentino serves as an Associate Editor for Behavior Analysis in Practice and previously served as an Associate Editor for The Analysis of Verbal Behavior. She is on the editorial board for the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis (JABA) and serves as a frequent reviewer for several behavior analytic journals. She is the author of the book: Applied Behavior Analysis Research Made Easy: A Handbook for Practitioners Conducting Research Post-Certification. She works to support dissemination of behavior analysis to the general parent population through her personal website, behavior-mom.com.

You’ll Learn

  • Why is it important for practitioners to conduct research?
  • How can applied research help the field of ABA and autism?
  • What are obstacles for practitioners to complete or publish research?
  • How to navigate solutions when your study isn’t approved for publishing?
  • What are the many ways practitioners can initiate studies and research?
  • Do you have to identify a mechanism of change in a study?
  • How to access knowledge to conduct research?

Resources

Free Workshop

Increase Talking &
Decrease Tantrums

in Young Children with

Autism &/or Speech Delays

Register for Free Training