Challenging Behavior SIG

By Amanda Zangrillo

Challenging behaviors exist along a continuum and may be conceptualized as externalizing behaviors producing significant impact on the individual, others, or the environment that can impact participation in home, school, and/or community activities. The Challenging Behavior Special Interest Group (CB-SIG), developed in 2023, is the first of its kind housed within ABAI. The mission of the CB-SIG is to support the advancement of clinical, research, training, and advocacy endeavors pertaining to the assessment and treatment of challenging behavior across the lifespan. In our inaugural year our strategic aims included building a board and membership with shared goals to:

Support and encourage research efforts to improve our understanding of assessment and treatment of challenging behavior, as well as the needs of professionals engaged in provision of these services.
Develop best practice supports for clinicians and educators across areas of assessment, treatment, documentation, reimbursement, outcome measures, and advocacy

Support undergraduate and graduate training as it pertains to the specialized assessment and treatment of challenging behavior
Develop relationships and communicate with other organizations treating challenging behavior both within and outside of the discipline of applied behavior analysis

Disseminate information and resources regarding best-practice, culturally-informed, and family-centered behavioral approaches to assessing and treating challenging behavior

Engage in community outreach and advocacy work to facilitate meaningful advancement for individuals with challenging behavior (e.g., access to funding, adults w/IDD, parent advocacy)

In 2023–2024, our first goal was to conduct our inaugural business meeting at ABAI and form an inaugural board and membership. We are proud to introduce the 2023–2024 CB-SIG board:

President Amanda Zangrillo
Vice President Joanna Lomas Mevers
Secretary Nicole Kanaman
Treasurer Sarah Slocum
Technology Chair Tracy Kettering
Membership Nicole DeRosa
Membership at large Nadi Nuhu

In May 2023, the CB-SIG held its first business meeting at the 49th ABAI Annual Convention. We developed technology enhanced application and membership recruitment materials, garnering the interest of 100 new SIG members at that Convention. In May 2024 the CB-SIG held its second business meeting at the 50th ABAI Annual Convention, voting in members for Representative at large, Student membership Chair, and Advocacy Chair board positions.

Our second goal was to develop and disseminate a survey for membership, practitioners, and stakeholders in care serving individuals with challenging behaviors to better understand assessment, treatment, implementation trends/preferences and needs for addressing gaps in care. At the 2023 ABAI Business Meeting the board conducted an open discussion gathering thematic priorities from the membership. The CB-SIG held a listening session in November 2023 for the membership. From this discussion, the membership identified insurance reimbursement priorities as a key focus area for the membership. The CB-SIG hosted a CE event in January 2024 titled “Dealing with Insurance: Your worst nightmare” presented by Christy Williams at the Munroe-Meyer Institute. The CB-SIG held a second listening session in March 2024 and the next thematic discussion will be announced soon!

Over the next year, the CB-SIG will continue to focus on increasing membership numbers. In addition, the Board is working with Member Relations at the Association for Behavior Analysis International to develop a website. Last, the CB-SIG aims to develop a funding mechanism and structure to facilitate an annual student research scholarship/award.

Our CB-SIG is a unique opportunity for researchers, practitioners, parents, academicians, students, and others with a vested interest in the assessment and treatment of challenging behavior to support the advancement of clinical, research, training, and advocacy endeavors. Come join the discussion! If interested please contact the CB-SIG at challengingbehaviorsig@gmail.com.