Antecedent Assessment and Intervention: Supporting Children and Adults with Developmental Disabilities in Community Settings

Challenging behavior is a significant barrier to communication, education, and positive social relationships. This practical book helps psychologists, educators, rehabilitation specialists, and other professionals recognize and address the causes of these problems in individuals with developmental disabilities — and resolve even the most difficult behavior challenges. Incorporating the latest research on this innovative antecedent intervention approach, this update of 1998's Antecedent Control gives readers

• detailed new guidelines on using the approach with children and adults
• fresh case studies that illustrate best practices
• contributions from more pioneering experts (80% of the contributors are new to this edition)

With this solid combination of theory, research, and practical application, readers will be ready to identify the triggers of challenging behavior and address them before they become a problem.

James K. Luiselli, Ed.D., ABPP, BCBA-D, Clinical Psychologist and Senior Vice President, Applied Research, Clinical Training, and Peer Review, May Institute, 41 Pacella Park Drive, Randolph, Massachusetts 02368

May Institute is a private human services and behavioral health care organization serving children, adolescents, and adults with developmental disabilities, traumatic brain injury, psychiatric disorders, and medically compromised conditions. Dr. Luiselli also maintains a private practice in educational, clinical, and behavioral consultation.

Dr. Luiselli is a licensed psychologist, certified health service provider, diplomate in behavioral psychology from The American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP), and Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). He has held academic appointments at Harvard Medical School, Northeastern University, and Indiana State University. Within the May Institute, he is Director of the Predoctoral Internship Program in Clinical Psychology and the Program of Professional Continuing Education.

He is active in clinical treatment, consultation, and research. In 1996 he was ranked by the Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy (AABT) as one of the top 50 most-published authors in the behavior analysis and therapy literature from 1974 to 1994. The journal Research in Developmental Disabilities (2000) listed him as the eighth most-published researcher in the developmental disabilities field from 1979 to 1999. He has authored more than 275 publications, including the books Behavioral Medicine and Developmental Disabilities (Springer-Verlag, 1989), Self- Injurious Behavior: Analysis, Assessment, and Treatment (Springer-Verlag, 1991), Antecedent Control: Innovative Approaches to Behavioral Support (Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co., 1998), Behavior Psychology in the Schools: Innovations in Evaluation, Support, and Consultation (The Haworth Press, 2002), Antecedent Assessment and Intervention: Supporting Children and Adults with Developmental Disabilities in Community Settings (Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co., 2006), Effective Practices for Children with Autism: Educational and Behavior Support Interventions that Work (Oxford University Press, 2011), and Behavioral Sport Psychology: Evidence-Based Approaches to Performance Enhancement (Springer, 2011).

Dr. Luiselli has been the senior editor of special-topic journal issues published in Behavior Modification, Mental Health Aspects of Developmental Disabilities, Child & Family Behavior Therapy, Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities, and International Journal of Behavioral Consultation & Therapy. He was a contributing editor to the Habilitative Mental Healthcare Newsletter and Associate Editor for Education and Treatment of Children. He also is a contributing writer for The New England Psychologist, reviews books for Metapsychology Online Reviews, and serves on the board of editors of six peer-reviewed journals, including Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, Mindulness, and Clinical Case Studies. He has been a national expert consensus panel member for the Treatment of Psychiatric and Behavioral Problems in Mental Retardation for the guideline series published by the American Journal on Mental Retardation.

Glen Dunlap, Ph.D., has been involved with individuals with disabilities for more than 45 years and has served as a teacher, administrator, researcher, and university faculty member. He has directed numerous research and training projects and has been awarded dozens of federal and state grants to pursue this work. He has authored more than 250 articles and book chapters, co­edited numerous books, and served on 15 editorial boards. He was one of the founders of the Association for Positive Behavior Support, and served terms as treasurer and president of that organization. He is also the lead author on each of the books in the PTR series. Dr. Dunlap was a founding editor of the Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions and served for 10 years as the editor of Topics in Early Childhood Special Education. Dr. Dunlap lives in Reno, NV and is affiliated with the University of Nevada, Reno.

Lee Kern, Ph.D., received her doctorate in special education from the University of South Florida. She is currently professor of special education at Lehigh University and Director of the Center for Promoting Research to Practice. Dr. Kern has worked in the field of special education for more than 35 years as a classroom teacher, behavior specialist, professor, and consultant. Her research interests are in the area of interventions to reduce challenging behavior. She has published numerous articles, book chapters, and two books on topics related to problem behavior. Dr. Kern has received more than $20 million in grant support from the U.S. Department of Education and National Institutes of Mental Health to pursue research in behavior problems. She is currently co-editor of Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions.

Jeff Sigafoos, Ph.D., is Professor in the School of Education at the University of Tasmania in Australia.