An Interview with Dr. Francesca degli Espinosa

Conducted by Maithri Sivaraman, MSc, BCBA Association for Science in Autism Treatment I had the good fortune to speak with Dr. Francesca degli Espinosa who runs a behavioral clinic in the UK offering ABA family consultation and professional training services. She also teaches in the ABA Master’s program at the University of Salerno in Italy,…

How can I teach telephone skills at home?

My child can no longer attend school or therapies due to COVID-19, and we are staying home to avoid transmission of the virus. I’d like my child to remain connected to her grandparents and other family members during this uncertain time, but she isn’t great at talking on the phone. Her grandparents would be so…

What is Functional Communication Training?

My student Molly is nonvocal. Whenever I assign independent worksheets, Molly will often refuse to work by ripping up the assignment, throwing her pencil, or putting her head down. There are also times when the students are working and I must take a phone call or am helping another student, and she screams. I am…

How do self-injurious behaviors develop?

I am a new teacher who will have a student with some self-injurious behavior entering my classroom next year. Although his behavioral intervention will be overseen by a board certified behavior analyst, I would like a general understanding of how certain behaviors develop into self-injury. Answered by Ennio Cipani, PhD Like yourself, many teachers will…