This is a Stronger Together follow-up post authored by board member Thomas J. Waltz, PhD, PhD, LP
I am an experimental and clinical psychologist, and behavior analysis provides the foundation for my professional work. Behavior analysts have been active in clinical psychology since the 1950s, prior to the contemporary professional divisions ABAI members are familiar with today. Early pioneers in behavior analysis have left a lasting impact on organizations like the American Psychological Association, which affirms behavior analysis as a core skill in applied and health services (clinical) psychology (APA, 2017).
I value participating in many scientific and professional organizations. I have developed enduring relationships with friends in these organizations, and they serve as a wellspring of inspiration for ideas and ongoing professional development.
Effective professional, scientific, and social advocacy rely on the concept of Stronger Together. This statement is particularly relevant and timely, given the current abrupt changes in regulatory institutions and funding sources in the United States. My membership and roles in several organizations harness the power of community to advocate for many of the values I hold dear.
Let’s begin with the Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI), my professional home. ABAI identifies as a scientific organization with its core mission to “contribute to the well-being of society by supporting, developing, and enhancing the growth and vitality of the science of behavior analysis.” ABAI is a member of the Federation of Associations in Behavioral and Brain Sciences (FABBS). FABBS is a science advocacy collective of 29 member societies and over 50 universities – collectively representing hundreds of thousands of constituents. It engages with US Federal Agencies to bring good science to policy decisions. It serves as a clearinghouse for information related to science resources (policy and funding opportunities, tracking legislation). FABBS also represents its societies in several coalitions, several of which provide key input for US federal research institutes. It has a wide variety of resources and a journal, Policy Insights from the Behavioral and Brain Sciences (PIBBS), that several behavior analysts have published in.1 It most recently issued a letter to US congressional leaders detailing the negative impact of recent executive actions on research. Through FABBS, ABAI members (about 7,000 of us) have a larger impact on science advocacy in the US. FABBS releases an email newsletter twice a month, and I strongly encourage ABAI members to sign up.
I am also a member of the American Psychological Association (APA). Unlike ABAI, APA is a scientific and professional organization. It represents over 173,000 members and affiliates. While ABAI relies on many volunteers for its operations, APA’s size allows it to hire a substantial permanent professional staff. Historically, APA has had difficulties serving scientists and practitioners under one umbrella, as each group tends to worry about the other receiving more than its fair share of resources, given pressing issues for science/practice. Despite these tensions, or perhaps because of them, APA has developed outstanding advocacy resources.
The resource most relevant to present challenges is the APA/APASI Response Center. The American Psychological Association Services, Inc. (APASI) is a companion organization to APA, and this organization is treated as an APA member benefit. The Response Center provides regular updates on issues impacting science, practice, and human rights. It also provides guidance on nonpartisan advocacy for representatives and policy that align with and support the mission of APA. APASI funds support an Action Center that allows members to write advocacy letters to their elected officials on key issues. The organization provides a model advocacy letter that members can personalize/edit. The letter is then emailed to elected representatives based on members’ addresses. APASI also has a Political Action Committee (PAC) fund that is used to advocate for the discipline of psychology and the professions of psychologists in scientific, educational, public interest, health service practice, and applied practice settings. PAC contributions are an optional tool for members to impact relevant policy and legislation.
APA accomplishes the representation of diverse areas in psychology, including behavior analysis, through its organizational structure. APA has over 50 Divisions, topical groups that can influence the organization at large and for this reason are more organizationally structured than the special interest groups (SIGs) that are common in smaller organizations. Importantly, divisions have representatives that are voting members of the legislative/governing body for APA. While all divisions get a minimum of one representative, a division can get more representatives (and thus more influence) based on its membership numbers.
APA Division 25 Behavior Analysis has been in existence since 19642 and is thus ten years older than ABAI. The division promotes behavior analysis within and outside of APA. Behavior analysts can join Division 25 without becoming APA members, however, APA membership gives the Division more influence on APA policy and provides members access to the additional resources noted above.
I am also a member of several state and local-level organizations. These organizations help build and sustain local communities which can also leverage their collective power to advocate for education, research, and professional practice. Consequently, professional memberships are part and parcel with civic engagement.
The table below highlights the many memberships and roles I have in several organizations. I first joined the national and international organizations as a student and have appreciated the many roles these organizations have played in my professional development. As an established professional, I am happy to serve new roles that give back to these communities and help us be stronger together.
| Organiation & Committe | Role | MY Interaction |
|---|---|---|
| Association for Behavior Analysis International | Member | I joined as a student and consider ABAI to be my primary professional home. |
| Practice Board | Board Member | Represent clinical health services psychology at the master’s and doctoral levels. |
| Program Board | Area Coordinator | Co-Coordinator of the Clinical, Family, and Behavioral Medicine (CBM) program track 2009-2013 Discussant for CBM poster sessions at the annual convention |
| Publications Board | Editorial work | Perspectives on Behavioral Science: Editorial Board 2016-2018The Psychological Record: Editorial Board 2018 -; Associate Editor 2025-Behavior Analysis in Practice: Ad hoc reviewer |
| Clinical SIG | Co-Chair | Maintain listserv and social media presence for the Special Interest Group (SIG) |
| Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies | Member | I joined as a student member and the annual conference is a good source for continuing education events focused on evidence-based behavior therapy. |
| Publications | Editorial work | Behavior Therapy: Ad hoc reviewer |
| Behavior Analysis SIG | Chair | Reviewer for SIG Expo submissions Occasional reviewer for annual convention (main program) submissions |
| Association for Contextual Behavioral Science | Member | I am a charter member and this organization. Prior to ACBS, early members were involved in the ABAI Clinical and ABCT Behavior Analysis SIGs. As someone trained in both the experimental and clinical sides of behavior analysis, I aim to help the organization keep contact with its roots. |
| Michigan Chapter | Member | Support relevant state-level training, research, and practice. |
| Editorial Team | Editorial Work | Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science: Editorial Board 2020- |
| American Psychological Association | Member | I rely on APA to keep up to date on a wide variety of issues related to education, research, and practice. |
| Division 12 Clinical Psychology | Member | This division’s membership promotes APA’s efforts to develop evidence-based treatment guidelines and this division coordinates working groups that evaluate the evidence base for these treatments. |
| Division 12, Section III Society for a Science of Clinical Psychology | Member | This division section’s membership promotes the scientist-practitioner model of training, research, and application. Its values closely align with behavior analysis and my membership here helps advocate for these values within Division 12. The division listserve shares lots of resources including those related to training, research, and practice advocacy. |
| Division 25: Behavior Analysis | Member | Track potential awards, potential research funding, and new publications. |
| Committee on Accreditation | Consultant | Serve as a program review consultant for APA’s new efforts to accredit master’s programs in clinical health services psychology. |
| Michigan Psychological Association | Member | I keep up to date on state-level policies and use the organization’s legislative advocacy tools. |
| Behavior Analysis Association of Michigan | Member | Support behavior analytic research and facilitate community building in Michigan |
| Washtenaw Psychological Society | Member | Maintain professional connections with clinical psychologists in my local county. This organization is affiliated with the Michigan Psychological Association. |
| Society for the Quantitative Analysis of Behavior | Member | I keep current on basic research developments and quantitative methods. |
| American Federation of Teachers/American Association of University Professors | Member | Professional advocacy in higher education |
- While there are many articles involving behavior analysis, several are behind the journal’s paywall. Examples of some free access articles include:
Doyle, W. S., & Huskinson, S. L. (2023). Environmental uncertainty and substance use disorders: A behavior analytic perspective. Policy Insights from the Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 10, 96-103. https://doi.org/10.1177/23727322231152451
Greer, B. D. (2023). Barriers to accessing effective treatments for destructive behavior. Policy Insights from the Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 10, 68-74. https://doi.org/10.1177/23727322221144653
Koffarnus, M. N. (2023). Recommendations for the use of behavioral economic demand as an abuse liability assessment for drug scheduling. Policy Insights from the Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 10, 113-120. https://doi.org/10.1177/23727322221150197
Lane, J. D., & Brown, J. A. (2023). Child communication research and practice: Collaborative roles for behavior analysts and speech-language pathologists. Policy Insights from the Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 10, 104-112. https://doi.org/10.1177/23727322221144652 ↩︎ - Originally named Division 25 Experimental Analysis of Behavior
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