Newsletter
Volume 31 | 2008 | Number 2
Affiliated Chapters Board Report
Dr. R. Douglas Greer
There are 60 affiliated chapters worldwide. As we become more global, making a distinction between non-USA and USA chapters seems no longer relevant. There are over 12,900 members in the chapters and membership has been growing at a rate of 6.5% annually over the past ten years according to information on the ABAI chapters’ Web site.
Some of the chapters serve as exemplary models. I recently attended the Norwegian ABA conference and there were over 850 attendees. Behavior analysts are probably the majority there where they serve families, individuals with developmental disabilities, and provide educational centers for people with special needs. This astounding accomplishment should inspire all of us to attend the conference in Oslo next year: we could all learn something from them. The same might be said for Brazil, where Fred Keller was the father of behavior analysis. Both of these chapters and countries have provided significant contributions to the basic science as well as the applied science. In both of these countries behavior analysts are well situated in standard professions. Korea is also an interesting example of the growth of behavior analysis within a particular existing profession: in their case special education is the core profession. These shining examples of how we can fuse behavior analysis into society provide important models for all of the chapters. Clearly, the tools that our science provides are needed in existing professions. Our discipline provides the tools, and getting those tools to those who are already positioned to serve should be a major effort of our organization. In the cases I cited above this has happened.
In last year’s presidential address, Janet Twyman pointed out the importance of diversification. Behavior analysis is not just for autism spectrum disorders, and it is not a supplemental service such as speech or physical therapy. Our principles and tactics are critically needed in education and in applied psychological services. In the USA, behavior analytic practices are simply a major part of special education. On a regular basis the Council for Special Education in the USA disseminates evidence-based practices to its members. The majority of these are tactics from applied behavior analysis. Clearly behavior analysts who are special educators have had an influential impact on a very large number of professionals in that field. The growing influence of Acceptance Commitment Therapy in clinical psychology is a recent example of how new procedures from behavior analysis are on the way to become standard clinical psychological practice. The impact of Headsprout® on reading instruction is still another example of spreading the practice. Efforts like these are new sources for growth.
Many chapters have benefited from the demand for serving individuals on the autism spectrum, and the importance of BCBA certification as a vehicle for spreading behavior analysis cannot be underestimated. This movement has, for example, been beneficial to the countries in Europe. The demand for services appears to have led to support for basic science psychology programs where the demand for applied services has provided support for the continuation of their very fine basic programs. Hopefully, this will lead to the diffusion of the science within well-established existing professions. Our international presence is growing, and we need to find ways to support that growth as well as to find ways of helping all chapters with the means to spread the science in diverse existing professions.
This is my last report as chair of the affiliated chapters. It has been an educational and humbling experience to become more acquainted with the very talented and capable members of our chapters. I leave you in the very capable hands of Pamela Osnes, who has served ABAI so well in many other capacities.