Inside Behavior Analysis
Volume 2 | 2010 | Number 1 | On-line ISSN: 2151-4704
ABAI Support for Educational Initiatives in the Middle East
By Erick Dubuque and Linda J. Parrott Hayes
In October of 2005, a delegation from the Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI) visited the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan with the purpose of promoting the development of behavior analysis in the region. The visiting delegates included Wayne Fisher, Linda Hayes, Alexandra Logue, Maria Malott, and Jack Marr. During their visit, the delegation met with prominent figures in Jordan’s government and military services, leaders in higher education, and included a visit with Her Royal Highness, Princess Muna Al Hussein, the mother of Jordan’s King, His Majesty King Abdullah II bin Al Hussein (Association for Behavior Analysis Newsletter, 2005, Vol. 28, No. 3).
During these meetings, the possibility of establishing a graduate program in applied behavior analysis to train scientist practitioners in the region was discussed. In response to these conversations, Wajih Owais, President of the Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST), in conjunction with the ABAI delegation, unveiled a plan to establish the region’s first Master’s program in applied behavior health analysis (ABHA) in the School of Nursing at JUST. The plan called for significant external support for instruction until such time as a local faculty for the program could be developed. To accomplish the latter, Dr. Owais pledged to provide financial aid from JUST to suport the training of select Jordanian students in ABAI accredited doctoral programs. Currently, three students are enrolled in doctoral training programs at the University of Nevada, Reno and West Virginia University. These students have contracted to serve as instructors for the JUST ABHA Master’s Program upon completion of their degrees.
To address more immediate needs, the program was to be staffed by external experts in behavior analysis. Linda Hayes was appointed Academic Coordinator for the ABHA program and, together with Maria Malott, developed the curriculum and recruited a slate of outstanding instructors to permit the program to be initiated in the summer of 2007. Shortly thereafter, Erick Dubuque joined Linda as Co-Coordinator for the academic program, assisting with the recruitment of instructors, managing communications, developing resources for students and faculty, and overseeing the scheduling of course delivery. Much of the success of the program may be attributed to the diligence and flexibility of Dr. Owais and his team of past and present administrators at JUST, including Musa Al-Hassan, Muntaha Ghoureba, Laila Akhuzaheya, Arwa Oweis, and Nahla Malkawi.
From left to right: Mohammad Dhiabat, Mahmoud Sheyab, Eesra Tawalbeh, Aroob Tawalbeh, Wafa Al-Waked, Fakrieh Nmrawi, Ana’m Saleh, Amal Ali Al-Jede, Reema Shunnaq, Ammani Al-Momani, and Ala’a Yousef Awad.
The Master’s Program in Applied Behavior Health Analysis at JUST
As of fall 2009, the program has served over 30 students across three cohorts. Courses in the Program are delivered in English using a combination of online and face-to-face instruction. The program of study consists of 35 credits in behavior analysis across the a range of subject areas:
- Principles of Behavior
- Ethical Guidelines for Behavior Analysis
- Applied Research Methods
- Behavior Assessment
- Practicum I: Observation and Assessment
- Behavioral Interventions
- Analysis of Complex Human Behavior
- Practicum II: Behavioral Interventions
- Applied Behavior Analysis Survey
- Practicum III: Behavior Development
- Professional Development Seminar
- Behavior Systems Analysis
- Behavior Therapy
- Graduate Research
Didactic instruction in the Program is delivered by doctoral level behavior analysts. Instruction is delivered over intense periods on site (three weeks) or by a combination of on-site and on-line modes. Practical training is supervised by pairs of post-Master’s students over a six-week period on site.
A number of prominent behavior analysts have made invaluable contributions to the ABHA program as instructors and practical training supervisors. Serving in these roles to date include Linda Hayes, Jack Marr, Larry Williams, Andy Lattal, Mike Dorsey, Dick Malott, Martha Hubner, Mitch Fryling, Marianne Jackson, Molly Day, Erick Dubuque, Sigurdur Sigurdsson, Josh Pritchard, Genevieve DeBernardis, Barbara Kohlenberg, Kendra Rickard, Donny Newsome, Mike Dougher, Joe Rodrigues, Kate Kellum, Michele Bishop, Kimberly Zonneveld, Maria Muñoz, and Dan Hursh.
The ABHA program has also benefitted greatly from collaboration with Jamal and Mohammad Dalhoum of The Autism Academy of Jordan, where the students have received their practical training.
Congratulations to the First Graduates
During the fall of 2009, the JUST ABHA Master’s Program held a graduation ceremony for the first group of students to successfully complete the program. These pioneers included Aroob Tawalbeh, Mahmoud, Sheyab, Ala’a Awad, Ammani Al-Momani, Wafa Alwaked, Amal Aljede, Ana’m Saleh, Fakhrieh Abdullah, and Maram Serhan. These nine graduates represent the future of behavior analysis in the Middle East.
The Jordanian Association for Behavior Analysis
One of the first initiatives involving the recent graduates of the ABHA program was the reestablishment of the Jordanian Association for Behavior Analysis (JABA). In October, 2009, JABA held its first mini-conference, consisting of presentations by the graduates on their research projects with discussions by Linda Hayes, Barbara Kohlenberg and Erick Dubuque. In January 2010, JABA members elected a slate of officers to pursue the Association’s mission of promoting intellectual exchange and professional development in the field of behavior analysis. JABA will achieve this mission by disseminating behavior analysis to health-related and other professionals, providing a forum for behavior analysts to share information and resources, supporting behavior analytic educational initiatives in the region, highlighting the need for and utility of behavior analytic services.
One way in which JABA has begun to serve the needs of behavior analysts in the region is by hosting the JUST ABHA program materials on their new website. The website, developed by Erick Dubuque, provides educational resources for instructors, as well as information about JABA’s plans and activities. Please visit the JABA website at http://jordanaba.org to learn more about JABA and the JUST ABHA Master’s Program.
How to Get Involved
The JUST ABHA program is in perpetual need of qualified instructors and practical training supervisors. All receive a stipend, air fare, housing, meals, and transportation during their stay in Jordan. If you are interested in this experience and would like to teach a course in the program or provide supervision of practical training, please visit the JABA website at http://jordanaba.org/just_application. On the site you will find more information about the ABHA program at JUST as well as on-line application materials.
In addition to instructors, the program is also always looking for relevant employment or internship opportunities for their graduates. If you are aware of opportunities for Arabic-speaking behavior analysts in the Middle East, please e-mail the details to Erick Dubuque at erickdubuque@yahoo.com.
References
Fisher, W., Hayes, L. J., Logue, A., Malott, M. E., & Marr, M. J. (2005, Fall). ABA delegation goes to Jordan. The ABA Newsletter, Vol. 28 No. 3,
