Association for Behavior Analysis International
The Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting behavior analysis. The organization has over 7,000 members. The group organizes conferences and publishes journals on the topic of applied behavior analysis (ABA). ABAI has issued detailed, specific position papers intended to guide practitioners of ABA. The ABAI publishes four scholarly journals including "The Psychological Record" and their primary organ, "Perspectives on Behavior Science", formerly "The Behavior Analyst". They also publish an informational journal, "Education and Treatment of Children", describing practical treatment of children with behavioral problems. ABAI is closely connected  to the Judge Rotenberg Center (JRC), a school that has been condemned by the United Nations for torture. ABAI has repeatedly endorsed the methods of the JRC, including its use of the Graduated Electronic Decelerator, a device that delivers painful electric skin shocks as punishment for the purpose of behavior modification. The JRC's board of directors includes Richard Malott who served as president of ABAI, Josh Pritchard who was on the ABAI executive council, and through 2018 it included Margaret Vaughan who edited the ABAI "flagship" journal "The Behavior Analyst". ABAI has honored the JRC's private attorney, Robert  A. Sherman, for his legal defense of the JRC's use of punishment on its students. History. The Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI) was founded in 1974 as the MidWestern Association for Behavior Analysis (MABA) to serve as an interdisciplinary group of professionals, paraprofessionals, and students. The first annual conference was a response by a group of behavior analysts who were having problems presenting their work at psychology conferences and other related events. Some of the members included Sidney Bijou, James Dinsmoor, Bill Hopkins, and Roger Ulrich. The first headquarters were located on the campus of Western Michigan University  (WMU) in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The association changed its name to the Association for Behavior Analysis in 1979. In 2002, the headquarters were moved off WMU's campus. In 2008, the association relocated to nearby Portage, Michigan (where it is today), and added "International" to its name. As of 2019, ABAI had more than 7,000 members. Activities and positions. ABAI organizes various conferences related to the practice and promotion of behavior analysis. Every two years, ABAI hosts an international conference. The association also holds an annual autism conference, and an annual conference dedicated to the advancements of behavior analysis. Additionally, ABAI  has hosted many single-track conferences on topics of special interest to behavior analysts, such as theory and philosophy, climate change, behavioral economics, and education. Several times, the ABAI has invited the Judge Rotenberg Center to speak at their conferences to promote the Graduated Electronic Decelerator, a device that has been condemned by the United Nations as torture. ABAI has published position papers to influence the practice of ABA. Published papers include "The Right to Effective Behavioral Treatment" (1989), "Student's Right to Effective Education" (1990), and "Facilitated Communication" (1995). The papers are distinguished by their specificity in telling practitioners  what they must and must not do. ABAI provides support to the Society for the Advancement of Behavior Analysis (SABA). Aversives. The Association of Applied Behavior Analysis International is supportive of aversion therapy. In 1987, it gave the lawyer, Robert Sherman, the Humanitarian Award for the Right to Effective Treatment for winning a case that guaranteed the Judge Rotenberg Center the right to continue using aversives on its students. ABAI has repeatedly endorsed the Judge Rotenberg Center's use of the Graduated Electronic Decelerator, an aversive device that administers painful electric shocks and has been condemned by the United Nations  as torture. The Therapist Neurodiversity Collective made a statement about ABAI's connection to the JRC: "We are appalled and horrified that the Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI) chooses to condone painful electric shock aversion therapy at the Judge Rotenberg Center, which the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture has condemned. We are horrified that the JRC will continue the fight to be allowed to continue torturing human beings." Disability rights activist Ari Ne'eman criticized ABAI for continuing to host JRC topics even after the JRC came under fire from the Food and Drug Administration, the United States Department  of Justice, and the United Nations special rapporteur on torture. Awards. Through the sister organization of SABA, several categories of awards are given to individuals, organizations, and ABA research during the ABAI annual convention. In 1987, ABAI gave the Humanitarian Award for the Right to Effective Treatment to a lawyer who successfully defended the Judge Rotenberg Center's right to use aversives on its students. In 2004, it gave the "Effective Presentation of Behavior Analysis in the Mass Media" award to Ivar Lovaas. Journals. The Association of Applied Behavior Analysis International publishes four journals about behavior analysis various subjects of  behavior analysis: