Icelandic ABA – 2025 Chapter Update – Inside Behavior Analysis

By Karl F. Gunnarsson, Hanna Steinunn Steingrímsdóttir, and Herdís Ingibjörg Auðar Svansdóttir

The Icelandic Association of Behavior Analysis (ICE-ABA) continues to promote the development of behavior analysis as a basic and applied science in Iceland and introduce the applications of behavior analysis to professionals and students alike.

We are a small and growing association of 152 members. A part of the association´s purpose is to introduce the different behavior analysis master’s and doctoral programs available to Icelandic students. Currently there are two MSc programs in applied behavior analysis, one at Reykjavik University and one at the University of Iceland. The first cohort graduated from Reykjavik University in 2021 and since then we have seen the profession and practice of behavior analysts grow fast in Iceland.

In May 2024, ICE-ABA held its annual meeting, where several key topics were addressed. The board presented its report on the previous year’s work, including ongoing efforts to establish standards for supervision, education, and continuing education requirements. The membership also discussed a shift toward more stringent educational requirements beginning January 2025, aiming to formalize who may register as a clinical behavior analyst. Drafts of the code of ethics were introduced, drawing on guidelines from other professional bodies in Iceland and adapted with permission from the BACB. The group reviewed and approved annual financial statements, voted on membership fees and name for the profession in Icelandic (which is “klínískur atferlisfræðingur”), and elected new president, Karl F. Gunnarsson, board members (re-elect, Hanna Steinunn Steingrímsdóttir, Herdís I. Auðar Svansdóttir) and committee chairs. In September the board invited all members to celebrate ICE-ABA’s 20-year anniversary.

In the fall of 2024, ICE-ABA opened the application process for registration as a klínískur atferlisfræðingur (clinical behavior analyst) encouraging individuals to submit required education and supervision documents by January 1, 2025. Those seeking professional membership—and particularly those working toward clinical designation—were asked to submit degree transcripts, proof of supervision, and any relevant continuing-education certifications. Updated registration requirements were posted online, providing clear guidelines for eligibility and detailing how different types of membership (e.g., professional, student, auxiliary) would be recognized under the new rules. Currently there are 110 members who have successfully registered and been certified by ICE-ABA as clinical behavior analysts.

In addition, in 2024 SATÍS began a partnership with the OBM Network to co-host a conference in Iceland in October 2025. This collaboration is designed to attract an international audience to the organization’s semi-annual conference, providing a valuable forum for sharing best practices and fostering global connections in the field of behavior analysis.

The members of ICE-ABA are excited for the future. We aim to continue working on promoting the science of behavior in Iceland and being a professional reference group for scientists and practitioners in the field of behavior analysis.