Christine D. Evanko, Tricia Moss-Lourenco, Rachel Kramer, Deborah A. Napolitano
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Many behavior analysts, like professionals in other health-related fields, are not trained to promote themselves, affect public policy, or disseminate information to individuals outside of their field, including to lawmakers. One of the reasons professionals can be experts in their own professions is because they devote their time to advancing their knowledge in their field; thus, they have limited time to spend becoming proficient in public relations, advocacy, and public policy. However, it is precisely these skills that behavior analysts need to hone and utilize effectively if the profession is to be sustainable. This article gives a brief history of the professionalization of behavior analysis, discusses the pitfalls of sometimes only being recognized as a single-disability industry (i.e. autism), explores the behavior of other professions that serve as models for advocacy, and provides recommendations for advocacy at different levels. The intent is to guide the profession and professionals of applied behavior analysis to a sustainable future based on the experiences of leaders of three U.S. state organizations.
期刊介绍:
Behavior Analysis in Practice, an official journal of the Association for Behavior Analysis International, is a peer-reviewed translational publication designed to provide science-based, best-practice information relevant to service delivery in behavior analysis. The target audience includes front-line service workers and their supervisors, scientist-practitioners, and school personnel. The mission of Behavior Analysis in Practice is to promote empirically validated best practices in an accessible format that describes not only what works, but also the challenges of implementation in practical settings. Types of articles and topics published include empirical reports describing the application and evaluation of behavior-analytic procedures and programs; discussion papers on professional and practice issues; technical articles on methods, data analysis, or instrumentation in the practice of behavior analysis; tutorials on terms, procedures, and theories relevant to best practices in behavior analysis; and critical reviews of books and products that are aimed at practitioners or consumers of behavior analysis.