Challenging Behavior SIG – 2025 Annual Report

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, and family-centered behavioral approaches to assessing and treating each individual and their unique needs;
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 and in 2024-2025, we held elections for our open board positions. We are proud to introduce the 2024-2025 Challenging Behavior SIG board:

President – Amanda Zangrillo

Vice President – Joanna Lomas Mevers

Secretary – Nicole Kanaman

Treasurer – Sarah Slocum

Technology Chair – Tracy Kettering

Membership Chair – Nicole DeRosa

Representative at Large – Nadi Nuhu

Representative at Large – Alec Bernstein

Student Representative – Sophia Sodano

Advocacy Representative – Emily Sullivan

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. The CB-SIG continued focused listening and discussion sessions in 2024-2025. The CB-SIG hosted a panel discussion and CE event in December 2024 related to transition planning presented by Drs. Tanya Mouzakes-Viveiros and Christopher Perrin. The CB-SIG held a second listening session in January and February 2025, and the next thematic discussions 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. Lastly, 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 or join membership with the following link: Challenging Behavior SIG Membership