University of Nevada, Reno Behavior Analysis Program - Laboratories

Our group is interested in research in the general field of developmental disabilities. We have conducted studies involving behavior analytic approaches to clinical assessment and intervention for behavioral issues, teaching & training, organizational level assessment and intervention, staff training and basic behavioral processes such as basic discrimination processes and equivalence / RFT. Although we operate from the PATH program, we also conduct activities in the broad community and within the service delivery system.



Jeremy Biesbrouck		Sharlet Butterfield
	Scholarly Interests Equivalence relations Basic-operant research Rule governed behavior Adjunctive behavior		Scholarly Interests Behavior-based safety (BBS) Systems Analysis Organizational behavior management (OBM) in direct care facilities Relational Frame Theory (RFT) & its relation to OBM Pay for performance & other compensation systems
Jackie Cleveland		Marianne Jackson
	Scholarly Interests Children with autism Adults with developmental disabilities Children with behavioral problems		Scholarly Interests Stimulus equivalence Conditional discriminations Reduction of severe problem behaviors Relational Frame Theory (RFT) Developmental disabilities
Don Karr		Jeremy Rafacz
	Scholarly Interests Increasing knowledge & acceptance of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) among the general population Applications of behavior analysis across all domains Quantitative analysis of behavior Teaching behavior analysis		Scholarly Interests Acquired brain injury Developmental disabilities Verbal behavior Rehabilitation and independent living Neurophysiology
Tom Szabo
	Scholarly Interests Early Identification of Autism Complex Human Behavior Thinking Understanding Meaning Rule Governance Pavlovian conditioning Cultural Analysis

Motivational and evocative establishing operation effects on preference assessments in persons with dementia and persons with developmental Disabilities. James Porter - Dissertation defended

A Component Analysis of Total Communication. Eric Burkholder - Dissertation defended

Generalization of the Deck: A comparison of generalization strategies using a social skills game. Kim Romick- Thesis defended

Effects of rule formation on contrast. Don Karr-Thesis defended

An Examination into the Relationship Between Visual Identity Matching and Vocal Imitation in Students with Autism-Jody Silva- Thesis defended

The Effects of Video Feedback of Staff’s Own vs. Others’ Performance on Discrete-Trail Training Skills in a Human Service Setting. Julianne Gallinat- Thesis defended

An Examination of the Relations between ABLA Performance, Language Ability, and Within Modal Stimulus Equivalence. Marianne Jackson- Thesis. Defended

Evaluation of a levels system to replace a token economy in a forensic psychiatric unit- Jake Singer- Thesis proposal

Accuracy of descriptive analyses of behavior using conditional probabilities based on events that change following behavior. Jeremy Rafacz – Thesis proposal

Tactile equivalence: Relative control of components of compound stimuli. Jeremy Biesbrouck- Thesis proposal

Beyond ABLA level six: Describing intellectual disabilities using auditory-auditory and visual equivalence.abilities. Don Karr- Dissertation proposal.

Measuring the efficacy of a rapid prompting method for discrete trial training of children diagnosed with autism. Jackie Cleveland -Thesis proposal

Tarbox, R., Wallace, M. D., & Williams, W. L.(2003) Applying Functional Analysis Technology to the treatment of Elopement. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 36, 2, 239- 244.

Williams, W. L. & Burkholder, E. (2003). Behavioral Chaining. In W. O’donohue, J. Fisher & S. Hayes (Eds.) Empirically Supported Techniques of Cognitive Behavior Therapy: A Step-by-Step Guide for Clinicians. New York:, NY: John Wiley & Sons. P.33-39.

Williams, W. L. & Williams K. (2003). Ethical Issues for Psychologists Working With Persons With Developmental Disabilities. In O’Donohue & Ferguson, (Eds.) Handbook of Professional Ethics for Psychologists. New York, NY: Sage. Pp.343-358.

Williams, W. L. (2004). Developmental Disabilities : Etiology, Assessment, Intervention and Integration, Reno NV: Context Press 363 pages.

Williams, W. L., Ghezzi, P., & Burkholder, E.(2004) Developmental Disabilities and Mental Retardation. In W. O’Donahue and M. Levinsky (Eds.) Handbook of Forensic Psychology, New York, NY: Elsivier Science/ Academic Press.P.489-509.

Ferguson, K., and Williams W.L.(2004). Facial Emotional Recognition and Mental Retardation. In W. L. Williams (Ed.) Developmental Disabilities : Etiology, Assessment, Intervention and Integration, Reno NV: Context Press.Pg. 221-242.

Ferguson, K., Guercio, J.M., Masuda, A., & Williams, W. L. (2004). Depression in persons with developmental disabilities. In W. L. Williams ( Ed.) Developmental Disabilities : Etiology, Assessment, Intervention and Integration, Reno NV: Context Press. P. 259-282.

Tarbox, R.,Williams, W.L., & Friman, P. (2004). Extended diaper wearing: Effects on continence in and out of the diaper. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis. 37, 1, Pp. 97-100

Tarbox, J., Wallace, M. D., Tarbox, R. S. F., Landaburu, H. J., & Williams, W. L. (2004). Functional analysis and treatment of low-rate problem behavior in individuals with developmental disabilities. Behavioral Interventions, 19, 1-18.

Williams, W. L. & Wallace, M. (In Press). Self Injurious Behavior. In J. Fisher & W. O’Donohue (Eds.) A Practitioner’s Guide to Evidence Based Psychotherapy, Kluwer Academic Publications.

Jackson, M., Williams, W.L., & Biesbrouck (2006) Equivalence Relations, The Assessment of Basic Learning Abilities and Language: A Synthesis of Behavioral Research and its Implications for Children With Autism. Journal of Speech Pathology Applied Behavior Analysis, 1, 1,

Williams, W.L., Jackson, M., & Friman, P. (2006). Enuresis & Encopresis. In P. Sturmey (Ed.) Handbook of Clinical Psychology and Functional Analysis, New York: Elseveir

Williams, W.L., Weil, T., & Porter, J. (under revision) The Relative Effects of Traditional Lectures and Guided Notes Lectures on University Student Test Scores.

Karr, D. & Williams, W.L. (under revision) Epsilon: A statistic to address accuracy in calculations of Inter-observer agreement.

For further information please contact us at:

W. Larry Williams
Department of Psychology / 296
University of Nevada, Reno
Reno, NV 89557
USA

Phone #: (775) 682-8689
Fax #: (775) 784-1126
Email: larryw@unr.nevada.edu

The University of Nevada, Reno

Last Modified: Friday, July 27, 2007
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