David P. Wacker
Professor

EDUCATION/TRAINING (Begin with baccalaureate or other initial professional education, such as nursing, and include postdoctoral training.)

INSTITUTION AND LOCATION DEGREE YEAR(s) FIELD OF STUDY
(If applicable)
University of Northern Colorado, Greeley
B.A.
1975
Psychology

Arizona State University, Tempe
M.A.Ed.
1978
Educational Psych

Arizona State University, Tempe
Ph.D.
1979
Educational Psych

A. Positions and Honors
Employment:
1979-1982 Coordinator of Research, Division of Developmental Disabilities, The University of Iowa, Iowa City
1982-1986 Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics and Director of Research (Division of Developmental Disabilities), The University of Iowa
1985-1986 Assistant Professor, Department of Special Education, The University of Iowa
1986-1992 Associate Professor, Departments of Pediatrics, Special Education, and Psychological and Quantitative Foundations, The University of Iowa
1986-present Director of Psychology Services, Biobehavioral Service, Department of Pediatrics, The University of Iowa
1992-present Professor, Departments of Pediatrics and Special Education, The University of Iowa
1998-present Associate Director, Iowa's University Center for Excellence on Disabilities, Iowa City

Honors and Other Professional Activities:
1987-1989 Associate Editor, Journal of the Association for Persons with Severe Handicaps
1988-1993 Associate Editor, Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis
1990-1999 Panel Reviewer, National Institutes of Health
1993 Fellow, American Psychological Association
1996-1998 Editor, Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis
2000 Applied Research Award for Outstanding Contributions to Applied Behavioral Research, Division 25, American Psychological Association
2001-2004 Member, NIH Study Section
2002 Distinguished Research Award, The Arc of the United States, 2002

B. Selected Peer-Reviewed Publications

Schieltz, K. M., Harding, J. W. Wacker, D. P., Berg, W. K., Padilla, Y. C., & Lee, J. F. (2010). An evaluation of manding across functions prior to functional communication training. Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities. 22, 131-147. doi:10.1007/s1082-009-9181-5

Winborn-Kemmerer, L., Wacker, D. P., Harding, J., Boelter, E., Berg, W., & Lee, J. (2010). Analysis of mand selection across different stimulus conditions. Education and Treatment of Children, 33(1), 49-64. NIHMSID #176299

Gardner, A. W., Wacker, D. P., & Boelter, E. W. (2009). An evaluation of the interaction between quality of attention and negative reinforcement with children who display escape-maintained problem behavior. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 42, 343-348.

Harding, J. W., Wacker, D. P., Berg, W. K., Kemmerer, L., & Lee, J. F. (2009). Evaluation of choice allocation between positive and negative reinforcement during functional communication training with young children. Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities 21, 443-456.

Harding, J. W., Wacker, D. P., Berg, W. K., Lee, J. F., & Dolezal, D. (2009). Conducting functional communication training in home settings: A case study and recommendations for practitioners. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 2(1), 21-33. NIHMSID #134096

Harding, J. W., Wacker, D. P., Berg, W. K., Winborn-Kemmerer, L., Lee, J. F., & Ibrahimovic, M. (2009). Analysis of multiple manding topographies during functional communication training.  Education and Treatment of Children, 32, 21-36. NIHMSID # 95534

Winborn-Kemmerer, L., Ringdahl, J. E., Wacker, D. P., & Kitsukawa, K. (2009). A demonstration of individual preference for novel mands during functional communication training. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 42, 185-189.

Barretto, J. Wacker, D. P., Harding J., Lee, J., & Berg, W. K. (2006). The use of telemedicine to conduct brief functional analysis and behavioral consultation. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 39, 333-340.
Casey, S. D., Cooper-Brown, L. J. Wacker, D. P., & Rankin, B. A. (2006). The use of descriptive analyses to identify and manipulate schedules of reinforcement in the treatment of food refusal Journal of Behavioral Education, 15(1), 39-50.
Wacker, D. P., Berg, W. K., & Harding, J. W. (2006). Evolution of antecedent-based interventions. In J. K. Luiselli (Ed.), Antecedent assessment and intervention: Supporting children and adults with developmental disabilities in community settings. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes Publishing.
Harding, J. W., Wacker, D. P., Berg, W. K., Barretto, A., & Lee, J. F. (2005). An evaluation of choice responding during assessment and treatment of problem behavior. European Journal of Behavior Analysis, 6, 145-164.
Harding, J., Wacker, D. P., Berg, W. K., Barretto, A., & Ringdahl, J. (2005). Evaluation of relations between specific antecedent stimuli and self-injury during functional analysis conditions. American Journal on Mental Retardation, 110, 205-215.
Reed, G. K., Dolezal, D. N., Cooper-Brown, L. J., & Wacker, D. P. (2005). The effects of sleep disruption on the treatment of a feeding disorder. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 38, 243-245.
Reed, G. K., Ringdahl, J. E., Wacker, D. P., Barretto, A., & Andelman, M. S. (2005). The effects of fixed-time and contingent schedules of negative reinforcement on compliance and aberrant behavior. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 26, 281-295.
Wacker, D. P., Berg, W. K., Harding, J. W., Barretto, A., Rankin, B., & Ganzer, J. (2005). Treatment effectiveness, stimulus generalization, and acceptability to parents of functional communication training. Educational Psychology, 25(2-3), 233-256.
Wacker. D. P., Berg, W. K., & Harding, J. W. (2005). Functional analysis. In M. Hersen, G. Sugai, & R. Horner (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Behavior Modification and Cognitive Behavior Therapy: Vol 3. Educational applications (pp. 1317-1322). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Wacker. D. P., Berg, W. K., & Harding, J. W. (2005). Functional relation. In M. Hersen, G. Sugai, & R. Horner (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Behavior Modification and Cognitive Behavior Therapy: Vol 3. Educational applications (pp. 1332-1333). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Wacker, D. P., Ringdahl, J., Dolezal, D., & Boelter, E. (2005). Behavioral concepts and applications. In S. W. Lee (Ed.), Encyclopedia of School Psychology, pp. 59-67. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Asmus, J. M., Ringdahl, J. E., Sellers, J. A., Call, N. A., Andelman, M. S., & Wacker, D. P. (2004). Use of a short-term inpatient model to evaluate aberrant behavior: Outcomes data summaries from 1996 to 2001. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 37, 283-304.
Call, N. A., Wacker, D. P., Ringdahl, J. E., Cooper-Brown, L. J., & Boelter, E. W. (2004). A brief assessment of antecedent events influencing noncompliance. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 37, 145-157.
Harding, J. W., Wacker, D. P., Berg, W. K., Rick, G., & Lee, J. F. (2004). Promoting response variability and stimulus generalization in martial arts training. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 37, 185-195.
Wacker, D. P., Berg, W., Harding, J., & Cooper-Brown, L. (2004). Use of brief experimental analyses in outpatient clinic and home settings. Journal of Behavioral Education, 13(4), 213-226.
Friman, P.C., Lerman, D. C., & Wacker, D. P. (Eds.) (2003). Special issue on translational research. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 36.
Stephens, T. J., Wacker, D. P., Cooper, L., Richman, D., & Kayser. K. (2003). Brief experimental analysis of antecedent variables related to noncompliance in young children in an outpatient clinic. Journal of Child and Family Behavior Therapy, 25(4), 1-18.
Wacker, D. P., Harding, J., Berg, W., Cooper-Brown, L. J., & Barretto, A. (2003). Punishment. In W. O'Donohue, J. E. Fisher, & S. C. Hayes (Eds.), Empirically supported techniques of cognitive behavior therapy: A step-by-step guide for clinicians (pp. 308-313). New York: Wiley & Sons.
Harding, J. W., Wacker, D. P., Berg, W. K., Barretto, A., & Rankin, B. (2002). Assessment and treatment of severe behavior problems using choice-making procedures. Education and Treatment of Children, 25(1), 26-46
Ringdahl, J. E., Andelman, M. S., Kitsukawa, K., Winborn, L. C., Barretto, A., & Wacker, D. P. (2002). Evaluation and treatment of covert hand flapping. Behavioral Interventions, 17, 43-49.
Wacker, D. P. (2002). Bridge studies in behavior analysis: Evolution and challenges in JABA. Behavior Analyst Today, 3(4), 405-411.
Wacker, D. P., Berg, W. K., & Harding, J. W. (2002). Replacing socially unacceptable behavior with socially acceptable communication responses. In J. Reichle, D. Beukelman, & J. Light (Eds.)., Implementing an augmentative communication system: Exemplary strategies for beginning communicators (pp. 97-121). Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co.
Wacker, D. P., Harding, J., Berg, W. K., & Barretto, A. (2002). The University of Iowa outpatient clinic and outreach services. In C. Lakin, R. Hanson, & N. Wieseler (Eds.), Alternative community behavioral support and crisis response programs (129-147). Washington, DC: AAMR.
Winborn, L., Wacker, D. P., Richman, D. M., Asmus, J., & Geier, D. (2002). Assessment of mand selection for functional communication training packages. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 35, 295-298.

C. Research Support
ONGOING
Maintenance effects of functional communication training
Principal Investigator: David P. Wacker, Ph.D.
Agency: NICHD Type: 2R01(HD29402-12) Period: 2004-2009
The major goal of this project, as a continuation of our previous project, is to evaluate maintenance effects of functional communication training with young children with severe disabilities who display severe behavior problems. The major goals of the previous projects were to evaluate choice making procedures during assessment and functional communication training programs.

Competing stimuli and automatic reinforcement
Principal Investigator: Wendy K. Berg
Agency: NICHD Type: 1R03 (HD39207-01) Period: 2003-2007
The purpose of this project is to evaluate and treat stereotypy maintained by automatic reinforcement. Children and adults with severe developmental disabilities admitted as inpatients will receive concurrent operants assessments to determine whether social or sensory stimuli compete with stereotype.