Adithyan Rajaraman

Assistant Professor of Psychology, UMBC

Dr. Adithyan (Dithu) Rajaraman has been applying the principles of behaviour analysis to improve socially important behaviours of children with and without disabilities for 13 years. After providing in-home care to young children with autism as an undergraduate, he worked and trained at the New England Center for Children (NECC) in Boston, MA, as well as in Abu Dhabi, UAE. While at NECC, Dithu earned a Master’s degree in severe-needs special education from Simmons College (2014) and obtained board certification in behaviour analysis through Western New England University (WNEU; 2016). Dithu completed his Doctorate in behaviour analysis at WNEU, under the advisement of Dr. Greg Hanley. Dithu’s research and practice interests include the analysis, treatment, and prevention of dangerous problem behaviour, with an emphasis on investigating trauma-informed approaches to behavioural assessment and intervention. This research aim is intimately connected to the goal of being able to provide safe, dignifying, yet highly effective behaviour-analytic services to underrepresented individuals in underserved communities. Dithu is currently an Assistant Professor of Psychology at UMBC, where he teaches and mentors undergraduate and graduate students in basic and applied behaviour analysis.

SESSION

Exploring a Trauma-informed Process for Assessing and Treating Dangerous Problem Behavior: The "Enhanced Choice Model"

October 22, 2021 - 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Skill-based treatments developed from practical functional assessments are capable of producing durable, socially meaningful outcomes with respect to dangerous problem behaviour. Although successful outcomes have been achieved across a variety of contexts and participant profiles, implementation of these procedures may be limited due to perceived risks associated with escalation in problem behaviour, which is likely to occur when treatments rely on extinction that sometimes requires physical management. This presentation will begin with a summary of the underlying assumptions and methods unique to the practical functional assessment and skill-based treatment process. Then, an evaluation of an “enhanced choice” model for minimizing risks during treatment will be reviewed. In the evaluation, socially validated outcomes were achieved with all participants; dangerous problem behaviour never occurred for three participants and rarely occurred for two participants. Findings will be connected to a recently administered survey regarding the nature, feasibility, and social acceptability of physical management procedures associated with behaviour analytic service delivery. Implications of enhanced choice procedures for safe and dignifying behaviour analytic practice will be reflected upon, with special consideration given to the commitments of trauma-informed care.

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