ABA Lebanon

By Rola El-Annan

ABAL continues to show allegiance towards Lebanon
and towards the science of Applied Behavior Analysis.
We refer to the objectives dictated in the bylaws to report on our activities.

In its bylaws, ABAL aims to:

(A) Serve as a scientific and professional reference and networking group for its members.

a. ABAL continues to expand its social network and membership body to promote this objective in 2021.

i. Facebook followers increased from 300 to 1397

ii. Instagram followers increased from 200 to 464

iii. ABAL members increased to 77 members.

(B) Disseminate information
to promote its mission to a wider audience.

a. Organized online webinars last April 2021 (Autism Month) covering the following topics.

a. Members meet monthly or more to check on members’ states in crisis, organize the April webinar, and discuss fundraising opportunities for the chapter.

(D) Protect ABA consumers and practitioners by promoting and maintaining high ethical and professional standards among behavior analysts in the fields of education, business, therapeutic, and environmental services in Lebanon. BCBAs in Lebanon have maintained a strong stand demonstrated by continuing to show commitment to ABAL, striving to keep ABAL alive with all the challenges, and continuing to be with the people in the field or online. Following up with the ministries for registration is ongoing.

(E) Raise awareness about the importance of implementing evidence-based practices, and scientific interventions while avoiding pseudoscientific practices

a. Organized online webinars last April
(Autism Month).

b. The total number of attendees on the webinars ranged between 60 and 90 per webinar, totaling
600 from Lebanon, GCC, Middle East and the
United States.

(F) Set standardized criteria for the practice of ABA.

a. As the crisis has affected our legal registration due to ministries changing boards and consequent freezing of related operations in the ministries, we await having a firm legal existence to set and announce criteria for standardization. The last, follow-up in February 2021 indicated that we got the approval from the Ministry of Health and are now waiting for the last one: the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

(G) Bring together a community of ABA therapists, educators, professionals, and all those interested in the field of behavioral analysis.

a. ABAL now has 77 members from
different nationalities.