ABAI Convention in Phoenix

Conference to Feature Autism Experts, Parent Workshops and CEUs

May 4, 2009 Melissa Hincha-Ownby

The Association for Behavior Analysis International Annual Convention will host thousands of attendees, hundreds of panels, 93 workshops, and many special events.

The Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI) will be hosting its annual convention from May 22-26, 2009 at the Phoenix Convention Center in Arizona. Applied Behavior Analysis is one of the most commonly used, and most successful, interventions for individuals on the autism spectrum. The annual convention, which is expected to draw about 4,000 attendees, will have workshops for professionals, parents, and caregivers.

Workshops for Parents

Although this is the annual convention for the ABAI, experts will be on hand to lead workshops that parents of children on the autism spectrum will find useful. One such workshop will deal with mealtime battles. Children on the autism spectrum often have a small list of acceptable foods; this can lead to stress on the part of the parents. The food battles workshop will be lead by Courtney A. Pooler of Binghamton University and Raymond G. Romanczyk of the Institute for Child Development.

After attending this workshop, parents will be able to determine their own personal behaviors that may be contributing to the problem as well as ways to prevent the mealtime battles from occurring.

Another topic of interest for parents deals with child safety beyond the baby and toddler years. Romanczyk will be joining Rachel N. Straub to help parents create a safe environment for their older children on the autism spectrum.

Marjorie Charlop-Christy will present on a topic that will be of interest to both parents and professionals. Charlop-Christy will be discussing the importance of evidence-based interventions. As desperate parents turn to treatments that lack a solid set of scientific backing, the importance of discussing the benefits of evidence-based interventions is becoming apparent.

Continuing Education

One of the most important professional benefits of attending the ABAI convention is the availability of continuing education credits. There are several different opportunities for licensed psychologists, Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) Certified Behavior Analysts and Board Certified Associate Behavior Analysts to obtain continuing education credits. For more information on the continuing education offerings at the convention, email mail@abainternational.org.

ABAI Conference Registration

Registration fees for the convention start at $79 for student members to $345 for nonmembers. Additionally, one-day registrations are available. A one-day registration is a good choice for parents who may want to attend specific workshops. For a complete listing of the workshops, visit the ABAI website.

Although the Association for Behavioral Analysis International Annual Convention is not just an autism conference, a wealth of information specifically pertaining to autism spectrum disorders will be presented. In addition to the workshops detailed above, the convention will also host discussions on transitioning from adolescence into adulthood, toilet training for individuals with autism, and presentations specific to Asperger’s Syndrome.

The copyright of the article ABAI Convention in Phoenix in Autism/Asperger's Syndrome is owned by Melissa Hincha-Ownby. Permission to republish ABAI Convention in Phoenix in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Marjorie Charlop-Christy