Behavior Assessment and Intervention

Catalog description

Behavior happens in a variety of contexts such as classrooms, clinics, homes, workplaces, and communities. This course provides a rigorous, applied introduction to the foundational skills of behavioral assessment and intervention for students entering a wide range of helping professions. Drawing on the science of applied behavior analysis (ABA), students learn to identify and evaluate relevant sources of information, define and measure behavior with precision, assess skill strengths and areas of need, identify preferences and potential reinforcers, conduct descriptive assessments, and translate assessment findings into evidence-based, client-informed intervention plans with compassion, centering the client's individualized needs and lived experiences. The course is designed for an interdisciplinary graduate audience including future BCBAs, teachers, speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, and school psychologists, and is built around the integration of client-specific cultural, contextual, and personal variables throughout every phase of assessment and intervention.