Rehabilitation Institute

Specializations: Behavior analysis in autism and other developmental disabilities, functional analysis and treatment of challenging behavior.
 
Dr. April Worsdell is an Assistant Professor in the Behavior Analysis and Therapy Program in the Rehabilitation Institute. She received her Ph. D. in Psychology from the University of Florida in 2002. Dr. Worsdell is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) who has served individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities in a variety of settings, including hospitals, residential programs, public schools, and vocational workshops. She teaches courses in basic behavior analysis, life span issues in autism, individual service planning, survey of developmental disabilities, and functional analysis and interventions in autism. Dr. Worsdell is actively involved in regional and international behavior analysis organizations and serves on the Editorial Boards of the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis and Behavioral Interventions. Her current research interests include functional assessment methodologies, the extension and refinement of function-based behavioral interventions, and the evaluation of treatment integrity failures.

Worsdell, A. S., Iwata, B. A., Dozier, C. L., Johnson, A. D., Neidert, P. L., & Thomason, J. L. (in press). Analysis of response repetition as an error-correction strategy during sight-word reading. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis.

Iwata, B.A., & Worsdell, A.S. (2005). Implications of functional analysis methodology for the design of intervention programs. Exceptionality, 13, 25-34.

Lindberg, J. S., Iwata, B. A., Roscoe, E. M., Worsdell, A. S., & Hanley, G. P. (2003). Treatment efficacy of noncontingent reinforcement during brief and extended application. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 36, 1-19.

Worsdell, A. S., Iwata, B. A., & Wallace, M. D. (2002). Duration-based measures of preference for vocational tasks. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 35, 287-290.

Iwata, B. A., Wallace, M. D., Kahng, S., Lindberg, J. S., Roscoe, E. M., Conners, J., Hanley, G. P., Thompson, R. H., & Worsdell, A. S. (2000). Skill acquisition in the implementation of functional analysis methodology. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 33, 181-194.

Worsdell, A. S., Iwata, B. A., Hanley, G. P., Thompson, R. H., & Kahng, S. (2000). Effects of continuous and intermittent reinforcement for problem behavior during functional communication training. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 33, 167-179.