June 4, 2024

Over Memorial Day weekend, nearly 40 staff from The New England Center for Children (NECC) attended the 50th annual Association for Applied Behavior Analysis International (ABAI) Conference in Philadelphia, PA. During the three-day convention, 17 staff members from NECC, including members from The Mohammed bin Rashid Center for Special Education operated by NECC (MRC-NECC), presented their research, sharing knowledge with the hundreds of attendees at this prestigious national conference.

In addition to showcasing NECC’s current research, the annual ABAI Conference allows opportunities for professional development, networking, and demonstration of the ACE® ABA Software System to current and potential clients. The ACE provides behavior analysts, teachers, and direct-care staff across the globe crucial, evidence-based technology and a data-driven curriculum that maximizes student progress.

The weekend was also an occasion for NECC to reconnect with staff alumni, some of whom were present to share research that was done during their time at NECC. Per tradition, NECC hosted a social gathering where more than 80 current NECC staff, NECC staff alumni, and ACE® clients were able to mingle and either catch up or get to know one another.

Below is a list of NECC staff who presented at workshops, participated in symposia, and shared papers during the ABAI conference:

Further Examination of the Role of Response-Independent Schedules and Punishment
William H. Ahearn, Ph.D., BCBA-D, LABA (symposium discussant)

Examination of Procedural Variations for Presenting Competing Stimuli in the Treatment of Automatically Maintained Behavior
William H. Ahearn, Ph.D., BCBA-D, LABA; with Kimberly Amber Morrison (Behavioral Interventions)

Adventures in Assessing Restricted and Repetitive Behavior
Riley Fergus, MS, BCBA, LABA

Evaluation of a Skills-Based Treatment, With Supported Application, to Reduce Problem
Belen Inaraja Lopez, BCBA (MRC-NECC); Shannon Ward, PhD, BCBA-D (MRC-NECC)

Clinical Applications of Behavior Skills Training Across a Variety of Contexts
Kiah Lyons (symposium chair)

A Component Analysis of the Effects of Behavioral Skills Training on Car Seat Installation
Belen Inaraja Lopez (MRC-NECC); Michelle Chioccola, MSEd (MRC-NECC); Shannon Ward; with Sarah C. Mead Jasperse (Emirates College for Advanced Education)

Practical Approaches for Improving Health and Wellness in Individuals with Autism
Eileen M. Roscoe, PhD, BCBA-D, LABA (symposium chair)

A Practical Treatment for Improving Sleep-Conducive Behavior in a Residential Care Setting
Eileen M. Roscoe; Shannon Campbell; with Zoe A.D. Newman (former staff), and Emily Stevens (former staff)

An Evaluation of Self-Monitoring for Increasing Physical Activity
Holly Wiggins, MS, BCBA, LABA; Eileen M. Roscoe

Staff Behavior Related to Quality-of-Life Indices for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities
Cammarie Johnson, PhD, BCBA-D, LABA (symposium chair)

Evaluating the Performance Diagnostic Checklist – Human Services to Improve Support Teacher Behavior in Specialized Classes
Johanna Hardy, MA, MS, BCBA, LABA; Cammarie Johnson

Evaluating the Performance Diagnostic Checklist – Human Services to Increase Staff Adherence to Residential Student Privacy Guidelines
Cammarie Johnson with Mallory Pracella (Open Sky Community Services)

An Evaluation of Successive Matching to Sample in Emergent Stimulus Relations
Diego Coyle Diez, MS, BCBA, LABA; Chata A. Dickson, PhD, BCBA-D, LABA; with Karina Zhelezoglo (Endicott College) and Caio F. Miguel (former staff).

Treatment for Improving Sleep-Conducive Behavior: A Component Analysis
Shannon Campbell, Eileen Roscoe, with Zoe A. D. Newman (former staff) and Emily Stevens (former staff)

Be the Change You Want to See: Implementing Practical Applications of Sustainability in Service Settings
Kelly L. McConnell, PhD, BCBA-D, LABA; Julienne Fairchild LeBlanc, MS, BCBA, LABA; with Meghan Elizabeth Martineau (Boston Behavior Learning Centers) and Susan M. Schneider (Western Michigan University)

Tacting Interesting Stimuli and Private Events: Analyses and Procedures
Jason C. Bourret, MS, BCBA, LABA (symposium discussant)

Ethical Considerations Across Fields, Roles, and Organizations
Nadine Lorna Hempkin, MS, BCBA (MRC-NECC, symposia chair)

A Review and Comparison of Assent Methodology in Early Childhood Research
Shannon Ward, with Sarah C. Mead Jasperse (Emirates College for Advanced Education), Michelle P. Kelly (Emirates College for Advanced Education), Javier Virues Ortega (The University of Auckland; Emirates College for Advanced Education), Shaza Mohamed Attia (Emirates College for Advanced Education; Sanad Village), Victoria Nguyen (Emirates College for Advanced Education)

Three Contextual Cues and Their Impact on Naming in Children
Nadine Lorna Hempkin (MRC-NECC), with Dermot Barnes-Holmes (Ulster University), and Maithri Sivaraman (Teachers College of Columbia University)

Enhancing Academic Performance in Tertiary Education Through Social Media: A Multi-Arm Randomized Control Trials
Aida Tarifa Rodriguez, PhD, BCBA (MRC-NECC), with Javier Virues Ortega (The University of Auckland), and Ana Calero-Elvira (Universidad Autónoma de Madrid)

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