Introduction
In this month’s Headlines, we sit down with three distinguished doctoral level Behavior Analysts, each bringing unique perspectives shaped by their diverse experiences and backgrounds: Nicole Neil, Adrienne Perry, and Kendra Thomson. Each has been involved in the College’s work leading up to proclamation of the Psychology and Applied Behaviour Analysis Act, 2021, on July 1, 2024. All three have been on the ABA Working Group which, together with College staff and a public member, has guided the development of policies and processes for Behaviour Analyst registrants. In addition, Kendra Thomson has been a non-voting member of the College Council and the Registration Committee for the past two years, and Adrienne Perry worked on the Jurisprudence Working Group.
The College is grateful for all their efforts and we would like to share a little more about these three professionals. Together, their insights paint a picture of the ABA field’s history, its current landscape and its promising future as a regulated profession in this College alongside the profession of psychology.
Sincerely,
Tony
NICOLE NEIL, Ph.D., BCBA-D, RBA (Ont.)
How did you get into the field of Behaviour Analysis?
During my undergraduate studies in psychology at McMaster, I completed a practicum at the Behaviour Institute (now Behaviour Innovations). I provided intensive behaviour intervention services in a centre and in homes to young children with autism. I was mentored by some of the first Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBA) in Ontario. The combination of scientific rigour along with witnessing tangible positive outcomes for families assured me that this was the pathway I wanted to continue on. I later worked for the Autism Program at Hamilton Health Sciences, along with pursuing my graduate education at Brock University and the Graduate Centre, City University of New York in Applied Behaviour Analysis. In 2016, I was hired by Western University to lead the newly established Master’s in Professional Education (MPEd) in Applied Behaviour Analysis. The program is the only fully online program in Applied Behaviour Analysis in Canada.
What populations have you worked with? As many behaviour analysts did, I began my work in the field of autism services. During my PhD, I primarily did in the research and practice on behaviour analytic intervention applications to young children with Down syndrome. Among behaviour analysts, it was obvious that our science could be used to design interventions for diagnoses other than autism, but our work summarizing and establishing the effect among children with Down syndrome supported families seeking treatment services. One of our participants used graphs from our study to advocate for funding and to show that ABA was indeed effective for their child.
What excites you about the regulation of Behaviour Analysis?
Number one will always be the protection of the public and maintaining standards of practice. I think there are other possible cascading effects of regulation; behaviour analysts are likely to receive greater recognition for their work. This could lead to greater opportunities for leadership, funding, collaboration and support for behaviour analytic services.
How will regulation affect the training of new Behaviour Analysts?
Behaviour Analysis training has a well-established system for ensuring high-quality education, including a course verification and accreditation system, with the Association for Behavior Analysis International accrediting its first program in 1993 and Brock University offering the first verified sequence in Ontario in 2007. I foresee an increased emphasis on collaboration between psychology and other health disciplines. Western Education currently offers graduate programming in school and applied child psychology, counselling psychology and Applied Behaviour Analysis. Regulation has pushed us to think about how we can support trainees entering three different regulated health professions to collaborate and learn from one another. Training programs will also need to respond to the need for behaviour analysts in integrated health settings, including working with and leading multi-disciplinary teams and understanding the broader health care system. Western has recently established a fully online EdD in the field of Applied Behaviour Analysis with a focus on preparing leaders to address complex issues in organizations and systems foreseeing this need. Its first cohort begins this fall, and during the program students complete a Dissertation in Practice where they use evidence to explore a real-world problem of practice from their professional life.
ADRIENNE PERRY, Ph.D., C. Psych., BCBA-D, RBA (Ont.)
How did you get into the field of Behaviour Analysis?
I worked at TRE-ADD (Treatment, Research, and Education for Autism and Developmental Disorders) at Thistletown Regional Centre for many years in several different capacities. Starting as a grad student in 1984, we used ABA methods extensively in special classrooms in community schools, on-site group homes, respite care program, and community consultation. This is where I did my internship. Then I served as Psychologist and Coordinator of Research from 1991-2002. I initiated and directed a kindergarten program at TRE-ADD based on Intensive Behavioural Intervention (IBI). In the late 1990s I was part of advocacy efforts by parents and professionals for publicly-funded services for young children with autism. I was seconded by the Ministry to work on the clinical aspects of the IBI program that was launched in 2000. In 2002, I was hired by York University Psychology Department, where I taught Behaviour Modification and supervised clinical graduate students. I continued to serve as a Consulting Psychologist at TRE-ADD until the Centre was closed by the government in 2014.
How will regulation influence care provided to vulnerable populations in Ontario?
Behaviour analysts work with some of the most vulnerable client groups in the province, including children with autism, adults with developmental disabilities in group homes, people with brain injuries or dementia, people with severe self-injurious behaviour, and so on. Behaviour Analysts’ work often results in amazing gains in important life skills, social skills, communication skills, academic skills, as well as improved behaviour and quality of life. Behaviour Analysts use powerful techniques that are well established based on strong research evidence. There can also be some risk if such techniques are used inappropriately or inexpertly, which is why Behaviour Analysts should be regulated. Regulation provides some assurance that practitioners are properly qualified, have continuing education expectations, and are accountable to the College. The mechanism for clients to make a complaint about a registrant is a crucial aspect of regulation that provides public protection. Voluntary certification, although it has been very valuable in raising the level of ABA knowledge, has no authority or responsibility for public protection in Ontario. The College of Psychologists and Behaviour Analysts does. It will serve the College’s mandate of public protection to regulate ABA, provide a complaint procedure, and prevent unregistered individuals from claiming to be behaviour analysts.
What are you excited about for trainees? I train PhD students in Clinical-Developmental Psychology but some of them have a previous Master’s in an ABA-related field. I believe that the fusion of the specific behavioural expertise and the broader clinical psychology training is a powerful combination. I am excited for these students who will now be able to be dually registered and offer their specialized services to clients who need them. I am excited that ABA as a health profession is getting the recognition it deserves. I am excited that the Ontario public will be able to benefit from this newly regulated profession.
KENDRA THOMSON, Ph.D., BCBA-D, RBA (Ont.)
How did you get into the field of Behaviour Analysis?
I was introduced to behaviour analysis as a young competitive figure skater in Manitoba. As a member of the Manitoba Figure Skating Team, I was supported by Dr. Garry Martin, a sport psychologist and behaviour analyst. Dr. Martin and his colleague, Dr. Joseph Pear started the first program in behaviour analysis in Canada within the Psychology Department at the University of Manitoba in the 1960s and wrote one of the leading textbooks in ABA. Until recently this was the only PhD level training in ABA available in the country. I completed an Honour’s thesis in Psychology under Dr. Martin’s supervision and took many behavioural courses. Through volunteering on various research projects, I gained a breadth of experience in applying behavioural principles to support people with various neurodevelopmental disabilities/differences and their care providers. In 2011, I completed a PhD in Psychology with a specialization in applied behaviour analysis (ABA) at the University of Manitoba. Coming full circle, Dr. Martin trusted me in his role supporting figure skaters. I enjoyed supporting athletes for several years while also working clinically at St.Amant, a large not-for-profit organization that supports over 5000 people in Manitoba with developmental disabilities and acquired brain injury. In 2013, I completed a post-doctoral fellowship in the Developmental Disabilities and Mental Health Lab at York University before being hired in the Department of Applied Disability Studies at Brock University in 2014. Over the last decade, I have supervised and taught graduate students in the ABA specialization of our program. I also hold a part-time Scientist position in the Azrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.
What populations have you worked with?
Given the comprehensive nature of ABA and its broad applications, I have had the privilege of supporting various populations across the lifespan. I started in the field by supporting adults with various labels of neurodevelopmental disabilities/differences (NDDs) and their care providers at St.Amant. I also had the unique opportunity to apply behavioural principles to support competitive athletes as mentioned. I have supported people with and without NDDs and cooccurring mental health needs including Residential School Survivors and staff in the developmental disabilities sector.
What are you excited about for trainees?
I am excited that the discipline is being standardized for future trainees for many reasons. Standardization through professional regulation protects the citizens of Ontario who choose to access behaviour analytic services. Entering the realm of regulated health professions in Ontario is a coming of age for behaviour analysis as a relatively new discipline that will enable the field to grow safely while continuing to serve the public. The professionalization of the discipline may empower Behaviour Analysts to make meaningful contributions to interdisciplinary teams across diverse settings. I am also excited by new opportunities for trainees with doctoral level training programs emerging in Ontario. In addition to the program offered at Western University, Brock University is offering a PhD program in Applied Behaviour Analysis starting Fall 2024. This is another sign of the demand for services and growth of the profession in this province.