Association for Behavior Analysis International

Applied Behavior Analysis International
FormerlyThe Association of Behavior Analysis
Company typeNonprofit, 501(c)(6)
FoundedKalamazoo, Michigan, U.S.
(1974 (1974))
Headquarters
Portage, Michigan
,
U.S.
Websitewww.abainternational.org

The Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting behavior analysis. The organization has over 9,000 members. The group organizes conferences and publishes journals on the topic of applied behavior analysis (ABA). ABAI has issued detailed, specific position papers intended to guide practitioners of ABA. The ABAI publishes six scholarly journals including The Psychological Record and their primary organ, Perspectives on Behavior Science, formerly The Behavior Analyst.[1] They also publish an informational journal, Education and Treatment of Children, describing practical treatment of children with behavioral problems.[2]

ABAI has been criticized for its connections to the Judge Rotenberg Center (JRC), a school that has been condemned by the United Nations for torture. According to the Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN), ABAI has endorsed the methods of the JRC, including its use of the Graduated Electronic Decelerator, a device that delivers painful electric skin shocks, by allowing them to present at ABAI's annual conferences.[3][4][non-primary source needed] ABAI has honored Robert A. Sherman for his legal defense of the JRC's use of aversive punishments on its students.[5][better source needed][6] In 2022, ABAI's membership voted to support a position that strongly opposed contingent electric skin shock.[7]

  1. ^ "Publications – Association for Behavior Analysis International".
  2. ^ "Journals – Association for Behavior Analysis International".
  3. ^ Network, Autistic Self Advocacy (2015-05-22). "ASAN Statement On JRC At Association for Behavior Analysis International Conference". Autistic Self Advocacy Network. Retrieved 2020-08-11.
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  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference :2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference :4 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Association for Behavior Analysis, International. "Position Statement on the Use of CESS". Retrieved November 17, 2022.