Verbal Behavior Special Interest Group – 2025 SIG Update

By Andresa De Souza

The Verbal Behavior Special Interest Group (VB SIG) had another outstanding year. We continued to fulfill our mission of advancing the theory, research, and practice of Skinner’s (1957) analysis of verbal behavior by presenting awards to recognize exemplary work by students and professionals, supporting the efforts of our student group, publishing two newsletters, disseminating information online, and more.

We applaud the students who received plaques and cash awards at our business meeting during the 2024 ABAI Annual Convention. There were four winners of the 2024 VB SIG Student Grant Competition: First Place – Karina Zhelezoglo (Endicott College); Second Place (tie) – Armando Angulo (California State University, Sacramento) and Grace Lafo (Southern Illinois University, Carbondale); and Third Place – Michelle Castillo (University of North Texas). We extend our gratitude to the reviewers of this competition: Drs. J. Stephanie Gonzalez, Megan Harper, Nicole Pantano, and doctoral student Vanessa Lee. Additionally, three winners were recognized in the 2024 VB SIG Student Research Competition: First Place – Dr. Elizabeth Sansing (Marcus Autism Center); Second Place (tie) – John R. Wooderson (University of Technology Sydney, Australia) and Dr. Rachel R. Thomas (Caldwell University); and Third Place – Becky Furry (Lindenwood University). We sincerely thank the judges: Drs. Anna Linnehan, Tracy Lepper, Charlotte Carp, and doctoral student Sara Sato.

In 2024, the VB SIG presented two professional awards. The Clinical Supervisor in Verbal Behavior Award was awarded to Dr. Sarah Connolly (Munroe-Meyer Institute). We extend our gratitude to the judges: Dr. Francesca degli Espinosa, Dr. Alice Shillingsburg, Manish Goyal, and Karina Zhelezoglo. The Excellence in Teaching Verbal Behavior Award was awarded to Dr. David Palmer (Western New England University). We thank the judges: Drs. Judah Axe, Mirela Cengher, Mary Halbur, and David Ruiz.

The VB SIG published three full issues of the VB News, our newsletter. These issues highlighted our members’ achievements and highlights, including VB-related conferences and publications, a practitioner interview, details about a special issue of the Experimental Analysis of Human Behavior Bulletin, verbal behavior research, information about our online series, and valuable verbal behavior resources. Our Newsletter Editor has ensured that the newsletter is designed to enhance the experience of our members. VB News is an exclusive member benefit, accessible via our website and distributed by email. We are proud of the quality of our newsletter, our ability to share it online with members, and the positive feedback from our readers.

The VB SIG maintained a strong online and social media presence this year to further the dissemination of verbal behavior. Over the past year, we transitioned to a new website that provides members-only access to archived newsletters and exclusive VB content as part of their membership benefits. The new website also streamlines group membership renewals and online donations, making the SIG’s membership application and renewal processes more efficient. Our Facebook page continues to grow, now with 3.9K likes and 4.4K followers. We actively share important updates, including student and professional awards, ABAI presentations, and other key events. Additionally, we use our social media platforms to promote the SIG’s online CEU events and collaborate with the Newsletter Editor to share significant updates related to The Analysis of Verbal Behavior. In the past year, we expanded our digital presence by launching an Instagram account, which has already built a healthy following with 190 followers and 50 posts. We also created a LinkedIn page, which has grown to 135 followers. Looking ahead, we plan to maintain and further expand engagement across these platforms to strengthen our connection with the VB SIG community.

The VB SIG membership showed a large increase in 2024, with 158 members compared to 122 members in both 2023 and 2022. There was a considerable increase in student membership, with 46 student members in 2024 compared to 29 in 2023 and 39 in 2022. The increase reflects a strong dedication to the study of verbal behavior and continued support for the VB SIG by students and professionals. Our members enjoy eight benefits: (1) receiving VB News and having exclusive access (members only) to past issues on the website; (2) receiving emails about SIG-related events and opportunities; (3) joining the VB listserv to engage in discussions about verbal behavior; (4) becoming eligible to submit to the VB SIG awards; (5) becoming eligible to be elected to positions on the VB SIG Board; (6) becoming involved in the VB SIG student group; (7) gaining professional development and accessing our mini-conferences and webinars at a discounted rate; and (8) joining an active community of people passionate about verbal behavior.

To maintain and grow our membership, we plan to continue offering research and practice awards, publishing high-quality newsletters, providing a forum for graduate students to discuss verbal behavior, and promoting VB-related opportunities and events online. In 2023, the SIG’s Board Members launched the Mentorship Program, a new benefit for student members in collaboration with The Analysis of Verbal Behavior (TAVB). Drs. Mirela Cengher (past Membership Coordinator) and Tiffany Kodak (TAVB past Editor) worked together to develop this resource, which pairs students and junior researchers with doctoral-level senior researchers to enhance their peer-reviewing skills. Two mentor-mentee pairs successfully piloted the program in 2023, and in 2024, two new pairs met the criteria to graduate from the program. The SIG, in collaboration with the new TAVB Editor Dr. Alice Shillingsburg, is currently selecting the next cohort of mentor-mentee pairs. In 2024, we launched the John Mabry Fund, which will provide two annual funding opportunities for our members: the Student Travel Grant and the Research Grant for early career researchers. We are proud to offer this valuable new benefit and deeply grateful to our 158 members for their support of the VB SIG.

The VB SIG reinstituted the Student Group this past year. The group was composed of 15 graduate students located both nationally and internationally. They held monthly video conference meetings to discuss their research and to interview expert researchers in verbal behavior (i.e., Dr. Andresa De Souza, Dr. Haven Niland, Dr. Caio Miguel, and Dr. Barbara Esch). They also collaborated with the SIG’s Newsletter Coordinator to feature an interview with Dr. Caio Miguel in the January 2025 issue. Tianjiao Li, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, served as the leader of the Student Group this year. Tianjiao also serves as the Student Group Liaison to the VB SIG Board and attends monthly VB SIG Board meetings. Additionally, board members attend the monthly Student Group meetings throughout the year. The VB SIG 2024 Student Group members include Amalix Flores, University of South Florida; Rebecca (Becky) Jane Barall, University of Nebraska Medical Center; Ky Jackson, University of Nebraska Medical Center; Eilís O’Connell-Sussman, Endicott College; Carolyn Crysdale, Endicott College; Kat Flores, Marquette University; Skye Nelson, Florida Institute of Technology; Ryan Ortega, University of Georgia; Isabelle (Izzy) Williams, University of Georgia; Taylor Lucas, Hunter College; Giulia Ferrazzi, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Italy; Masaya Yamaguchi, University of Tsukuba, Japan; Ava Minolli, California State University, Sacramento; Sydney Stern, California State University, Sacramento.

The VB SIG has continued to host online events in 2024. Last year, the VB SIG collaborated with the EABH SIG to offer the Experimental Analysis of Verbal Behavior series. Speakers for this series included Dr. Caio Miguel, who presented An Experimental Analysis of Bidirectional Naming (July); and Dr. Anna Petursdottir, who presented What’s in a Name? On the Measurement of Bidirectional Naming (September); Dr. Charles Catania, who presented To Change Human Behavior, Shape What People Say, Not What They Do (October); and Dr. Daisy de Souza, who presented A Behavior Analysis of Learning to Read and Write: From Textual Behavior to Reading Comprehension (January 2025). The format of these talks is unique, with each presenter speaking for approximately 60 minutes, followed by a 30-minute interview conducted by a board member, and concluding with a 30-minute open discussion and Q&A session. We received positive feedback following each event, and the SIG is currently in the process of identifying speakers for a new series to be hosted in 2025.

In 2021, we launched a new website design; in 2022, we unveiled a new VB SIG logo, making our brand more visually recognizable and expanding our reach. In 2023, the SIG began distributing swag featuring this logo during the business meeting at the annual ABAI conference, further supporting these efforts. Notably, the VB SIG has seen increased engagement from both potential new members and long-standing members of the verbal behavior community over the past year, reflected in higher donations, greater interaction with our Dissemination Coordinator, and more offers and requests to speak at our online events. We look forward to sustaining this momentum in the coming year.

The SIG has established collaborative initiatives with the Experimental Analysis of Human Behavior Special Interest Group (EAHB SIG) and the Speech Pathology Applied Behavior Analysis Special Interest Group (SPABA SIG) to support our dissemination efforts. Additionally, the SIG’s board members have developed a plan to actively engage clinicians and researchers interested in verbal behavior by inviting them to join our community and access our resources. This initiative includes more targeted email campaigns directed at authors publishing in this area, as well as outreach and collaboration with academic programs, faculty, internship sites, and clinicians to help spread awareness of the SIG and its offerings.

Finally, the VB SIG’s Treasurer, Dr. Samantha Bergmann, worked closely with both an accountant and the SIG’s lawyer, guiding the board members through the process of obtaining non-profit status. In February 2024, all the required documentation for non-profit status was filed and submitted. We are extremely excited to announce that as of March 2024, the VB SIG has officially achieved non-profit status. This milestone, which provides additional benefits to both members and potential donors, was announced during the 2024 Business Meeting at ABAI.

The work of disseminating and promoting verbal behavior would not be possible without the diligent efforts of the VB SIG Board Members. Four new VB SIG board members were elected this past year: Dr. Janet Sanchez Enriquez, Ph.D., BCBA-D, who took over as the SIG’s Newsletter Editor; Dr. Chrissy Barosky, Ph.D., BCBA-D, who took over as the SIG’s Professional Awards Coordinator; Dr. Haven Niland, Ph.D., BCBA-D, who took over as the SIG’s Website Coordinator; and Dr. Videsha Marya, Ph.D., BCBA-D, who took over as the SIG’s Secretary. The SIG was also pleased to welcome Tianjiao Li as the Student Group Liaison. We will continue refining existing processes to ensure the effective and efficient transfer of responsibilities following elections. The SIG maintained a close working relationship with Dr. Tiffany Kodak, past Editor of The Analysis of Verbal Behavior, and is now collaborating with the new Editor, Dr. Alice Shillingsburg, to continue our joint initiatives. We warmly welcome our new VB SIG board members and look forward to hosting elections for one board position in 2024, as the current Grant Competition Coordinator reaches the end of their term.

Current VB SIG board members include: Andresa De Souza, Ph.D., BCBA-D (President); Samantha Bergmann, Ph.D., BCBA-D (Treasurer); Videsha Marya, Ph.D., BCBA-D (Secretary); Ji Young Kim, Ph.D., BCBA-D (Membership Coordinator); Adrienne Jennings, Ph.D., BCBA-D (Research Competition Coordinator); Ciobha McKeown (Grant Competition Coordinator); Chrissy Barosky, Ph.D., BCBA-D (Professional Awards Coordinator); Janet Sanchez Enriquez, Ph.D., BCBA-D (Newsletter Editor); Meral Koldas, Ph.D., BCBA-D (Dissemination Coordinator); Haven Niland, Ph.D., BCBA-D (Website Coordinator); and Tianjiao Li (Student Group Liaison).