Clinical

By Emily Thomas Johnson

Clinical Behavior Analysis (CBA) involves the application of behavior analytic principles to the full range of human problems, many of which have traditionally been considered “mental health” issues. CBA clinicians work with the relationship between thoughts, feelings, and other behavior to help people move beyond their problems and toward living more fulfilling lives.

The Clinical Special Interest Group of ABAI is for those who have an interest in clinical applications of behavior analysis. Clinical behavior analysts work in both research and applied settings. We wish to serve as a vessel to connect training programs, basic research labs, and clinical service providers.

The Clinical SIG is dedicated to facilitating collaboration between researchers and clinicians to further the field’s ability to apply clinical populations. This group seeks to promote Clinical Behavior Analysis (CBA) at ABAI and is interested in maintaining the longstanding relationship between basic research and clinical application.

At the 2021 convention, the Clinical SIG met to continue work on several ongoing projects and to promote continued connections. Our Clinical SIG newsletter has an annual edition that focuses on highlighting ABAI conference events of interest for Clinical SIG members. Additionally, the Clinical SIG is working to develop opportunities to recognize and support students doing research in this area. We continue to be interested in receiving updates from the various graduate programs and faculty that provide training in Clinical Behavior Analysis (CBA). These programs and labs within them are invited to provide brief summaries of the types of research that are currently underway. These summaries will help other students better identify graduate programs of potential interest and will help people with shared interests connect for organizing symposia and paper sessions for conferences. We also love highlighting behavioral health clinics (university or hospital based and private) that are providing Behavior Analytic clinical services. By being able to disseminate these practices, we can work to connect others looking to join such practices as well as students looking for practicum experiences with your clinic. In doing so, we can assist others in building their referral databases and knowledge of the availability of services. Finally, we are interested in disseminating any CBA relevant news: workshops, colloquia, regional conferences, or other special events (e.g., new books, announcing articles “in press”), but need your help. Your sharing of these accomplishments allows us to quickly build on the work of others and to assist in connecting those that can serve in collaboration projects. Please send us summaries of your recent research, scientific summaries, and publications in this area to disseminate to others in our membership.

To be kept up to date on Clinical SIG activities and to access copies of the newsletter please check our listserv at https://groups.io/g/ClinicalSIG. The SIG also has a Facebook presence at www.facebook.com/groups/abaiclinicalsig