This section features information on Applied Behavior Analysis as it applies to autism treatment. The ABA
method for autism intervention, which often uses a discrete trials training procedure, is the best example
of intensive early behavioral intervention for autism, pervasive developmental disorders, and autism spectrum disorders.
Some of the most effective behavioral treatment programs make use of B.F. Skinner's analysis of Verbal Behavior,
as it has been applied to teaching language to autistic and developmentally delayed individuals.
A Behavior Analysis of Gambling
Welcome to the Gambling section of the Cambridge Center's web site.
This section of the site is designed to serve a resource to
researchers, clinicians, and consumers of behavior analytic services.
For researchers, this site will allow you quickly access various
information regarding conducting gambling research from a behavior
analytic perspective, provide you with a regularly updated bibliography
of published behavior analytic research on gambling, and potential
funding opportunities. For clinicians, this site will provide you with
information regarding behavioral treatment strategies that are in place
for treating problem gambling and pathological gamblers. Existing assessment
instruments are listed, along with references to clinical interventions
that have had some degree of success.
As behavior analysts continue to seek means by which the world can
become a better place through proven scientific application of
behavioral principles, it is time to turn more of our attention to
pathological gambling. Currently between 3-5% of the United States
population suffer from problem/pathological gambling, which is an
increase from about 1% only 20 years ago. Similar increases in
population percentages have been reported in other countries as well.
Reasons for the rising number of persons suffering from pathological
gambling range from changing personality characteristics, genetic
predispositions, and a growth in legalized gambling. As behavior
analysts, we tend to focus heavily on environmental conditions which
result in changes to behavior, and thus must wonder if the increased
access to gambling has in part resulted in increased prevalence of
pathological gambling. Specifically, 25 years ago only 2 states in the
US allowed legalized gambling; today 48 states allow some form of
gambling.
Behavior analysts have much to accomplish with respect to understanding
gambling behavior. Only recently have our field's researchers begun to
take notice and create gambling laboratories to study this behavior.
Animal models are in development as well as simulated casinos for
problem gamblers. Only a solid empirical foundation of behavior
analytic principles can guide effective clinical treatment, so it is
crucial that more behavior analysts begin to explore this behavior.
As you will see throughout this website, a trend in the data is
occurring. More and more research is being published and presented.
Growing numbers of ABA members are becoming members of the "Behaviorists
Interested in Gambling Special Interest Group". Behaviorally-based
treatment for problem gamblers can be found in a few locations
throughout the country. Hopefully this trend will continue, and this
website will accelerate it.
I urge you to explore this website and all it has to offer. For those
of you interested in possibility starting a line of research related to
gambling, you will find links to downloadable gambling software,
locations to purchase gaming devices such as slot machines, and
potential funding sources. Upcoming behavior analytic gambling
presentations are listed so you might be able to network with others
interested in gambling. If you currently are conducting research
related to gambling or a behaviorally based treatment provider, contact
us so we can add your information to this site.
In summary, we are very pleased to offer the Gambling Section addition to the
Cambridge Center's website. All of us hope that this site will serve as a
clearing house for information dissemination and as a stimulus for
increasing the role that behavior analysts have in understanding the
growing social concern of problem gambling.
Mark R. Dixon, Ph.D., BCBA
Action Editor, CCBS Gambling Section
Southern Illinois University
We are fortunate to have several researchers involved in guiding the content
of this section. Please click here for a list of our Advisory Panel.
We maintain a list of gambling-related events here. There are several
symposia at ABA 2005 in Chicago, demonstrating the current level of interest in this topic.
A collection of articles about gambling from other sources.
We have a list of places to acquire gambling equipment for research, and we
have also assembled a list of journals which publish gambling studies.
Mark Dixon is Associate Professor and Program Coordinator at the Rehabilitation Institute
of Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. He can be contacted by email at mdixon@siu.edu. Check out
their web site at http://www.siu.edu/~rehabbat/
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