About the presentation:
The war on science has invaded many areas of our lives. Conspiracy theorists and main stream Americans attack scientific results on many battle fronts (e.g., the shape of the earth, vaccines causing autism, climate change, safe health practices). Although during behavior analysis training we must learn the scientific foundations and applications of science, research supports that the war on science has invaded Applied Behavior Analysis. This presentation will protest the war on science by providing (a) continuing evidence on how the war on science has invaded our discipline, (b) strategies for identifying the battles and the variables contributing to their continuation, (c) examples of the ethical implications for avoiding disaster and protecting the vulnerable through science, and (d) battle strategies as you stand on the clinical front lines.
Learning Objectives:
- Participants will be able to identify how behavior analysis has been invaded by the war on science particularly in choices and use of evidence-based practice
- Participants will be able to identify the important battles and variables influencing behavior analysts’ support of non-scientifically based practices and use of treatment practices
- Participants will be able to identify the ethical implications of using non-scientifically based practices in behavior analysis practices
- Participants will be able provide strategies for evaluating evidence for practices and ethically persuading others to use them
About the presenter:
Kimberly Anne Schreck, Ph.D., BCBA-D® is a Professor at Penn State Harrisburg, where she assisted in creating the Master’s in Applied Behavior Analysis program. She directed the ABA Master’s for the majority of the program’s existence. Dr. Schreck has worked in the field of Psychology and ABA for over 30 years, with 25 years as a faculty member (teaching psychology, ABA, and special education courses). She received her Ph.D. in Psychology (specializing in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities) from the Ohio State University. Dr. Schreck completed a post-doctoral fellowship in Pediatric Psychology at Columbus Children’s Hospital (now Nationwide Children’s Hospital) with co-appointments with the Heinzerling Memorial Foundation, the Heinzerling Developmental Center, and the Ohio State University. She continues her clinical experience working with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, autism, and neurodegenerative diseases from early intervention to adulthood, with families, and with educational organizations. Dr. Schreck’s clinical and research interests include ethical practices and evidence-based practices, autism and related issues (e.g., sleep), intellectual and developmental disabilities (e.g., MPS-IIIA), interventions for skill acquisition, and behavior issues. She has published numerous publications classics related to sleep and feeding issues. Dr. Schreck also publishes and presents nationally and internationally on ethical practice. She is a regular reviewer of scientific manuscripts, a member of journal editorial boards, reviewer for national and international dissertations, and a grant reviewer. She has served in a variety of professional service positions including Associate Editor of Behavioral Interventions, member of the Penn ABA Executive Council, grant consultant, member of human research review and human rights committees for various organizations, and a senior research mentor for multiple professionals across disciplines.