Morning Keynote Abstract presented by Patrick C. Friman, Ph.D., ABPP

Dealing with Difficult People: A Behavioral Approach

Some people can be, well, so darn difficult.  This talk is focused on dealing with them.  A group that is likely to come immediately to mind involves our clients.  They are either posing difficulties for others or others are posing difficulties for them.  And indeed the talk is going to be pertinent to them.  But it is also going to be pertinent to persons in general and to no single group of persons in particular.  They could be on the spectrum or off, delayed or typically developing, young or old, black or white, rich or poor, male or female, or somewhere in between those and a broad range of other discrete and dimensional categories. Although it is true that some of my (our?) clients can be very difficult, truth to tell, so can I.  And if I may be so bold, I suspect you can be difficult too.  Our formal training prepares us pretty well for the difficulties presented by our clients, although there is always a need for more.  But our training does little to prepare us for the difficulties posed by persons who are not on our client list but who are very much on the beaten path we follow as we live our professional and personal lives.  Even those of us with an extraordinary capacity for resolving the difficulties posed by clients can be significantly waylaid by the difficulties posed by these other persons.  Quite simply, optimal success in our professional and personal worlds depends heavily on our ability to deal successfully with other people, especially when they are being difficult.  The promise of this talk is an increase in our empowerment to do just that.

Learning Objectives:

Afternoon Keynote Abstract presented by Mary Jane Weiss, Ph.D., BCBA-D, LABA

The Evolution and Refinement of Behavior Analytic Repertoires: Building Essential Skills in Practitioners

Applied Behavior Analysis is a science committed to evolving over time; best practice is a moving target. The scientist practitioner model has emphasized the bidirectional nature of this evolution; issues of clinical importance ignite research, and the adoption of practices follow empirical demonstration of
effectiveness. Over time, members of the field have been shaped by scientific discoveries, by changes in standards of care, and by cultural movements. Recently, the field has been called to action to ensure that practitioners have essential interpersonal skillsets to collaborate effectively, to consistently provide humane care, and to compassionately serve our clientele. These goals have been met with research to define, measure, teach, and train these skills. Future goals include attention to outcomes such as social validity, generalization, and authenticity. The field’s focus on evolution is itself a foundational and orienting value that can be observed in both historical emphases and current trends.

Learning Objectives: