COMPASS Presents At The 44th Annual Applied Behavior Analysis International Conference
COMPASS School’s BCBA (Board Certified Behavior Analyst), Kate Merrill, presented at the 44th Annual Applied Behavior Analysis International conference in San Diego over Memorial Day weekend. Audience members and attendees of the event included other behavior analysts, graduate students, and licensed psychologists.
Kate’s presentation was about effectively using the Good Behavior Game, an evidence-based classroom management system, in the Lower Elementary classroom. This included background research and months of data collected by COMPASS caseworkers showing a decrease in time out of class across students. She was also able to include some data from the Upper Elementary classroom from this year, where group contingencies have also helped students improve their social skills.
Kate’s co-presenter was Shannon Shea McDonald, a PhD student in behavior analysis at Endicott College, whose primary research interest is to expand behavior analytic services into the field of mental health. Dr. Mike Weinberg, a professor, BCBA, psychologist, and co-founder of multiple academic journals, served as the discussant, and underscored how effective behavior analysis can be in working with youth who present with emotional and behavioral disorders.