Jennifer McComas

My research interests include functional analysis of problem behavior in academic and residential settings; basic behavioral processes maintaining desirable and undesirable behavior, such as schedules of reinforcement, stimulus control, and establishing operations; behavioral treatment of problem behavior based on concurrent schedules of reinforcement as well as antecedent stimuli; and analysis of academic performance of students with behavior problems. 

See "When the 'best way' doesn't work."

Selected research grants and awards funded (last 5 years)

“Evidence-Based Interventions for Severe Behavior Problems” funded by U.S. Department of Education ($1,000,000) 10/04-10/08 MN PI at Minnesota site (Multi-site grant with Vanderbilt and Virginia Commonwealth University). Collaborators: Symons (MN), Wehby (Vanderbilt), and Sutherland (VCU)

“The Influence of Social Context on Early Aggression” funded by the National Institute of Mental Health ($50,000) Principal Investigator 10/03-10/05

Publications

1. Lee, R., McComas, J., & Jawar, J. (2002). The effects of differential reinforcement on varied verbal responding by individuals with autism to social questions. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 35, 391-402.

2. McComas, J. J., Goddard, C., & Hoch, H. (2002). The effects of leisure activities during academic work breaks on task engagement and negatively reinforced destructive behavior. Education and Treatment of Children, 25, 103-112.

3. Hoch, H., McComas, J. J., Thompson, A. L., & Paone, D. (2002). Concurrent reinforcement schedules: Behavior change and maintenance without extinction. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 35, 155-169.

4. Hoch, H., McComas, J. J., Johnson, L. A., Faranda, N., & Guenther, S. L. (2002). The effects of magnitude and quality of reinforcement on choice responding during play activities. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 35, 171- 181.

5. Symons, F. J., Hoch, J., Dahl, N., & McComas, J. J. (2003). Sequential and matching analyses of adaptive and aberrant behavior. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 36, 267-270.

6. McComas, J. J., Thompson, A., & Johnson, L.A. (2003). The effects of presession attention on problem behavior maintained by different reinforcers. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 36, 297-307.

7. Murphy, E. S., McSweeney, F. K., Smith, R. G., & McComas, J. J. (2003). Dynamic changes in reinforcer effectiveness: Theoretical, methodological, and practical implications for applied research. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 36, 421-438.

8. Johnson, L., McComas, J. J., Thompson, A., & Symons, F. J. (2004). Obtained versus programmed reinforcement: Practical considerations in the treatment of escape-reinforced aggression. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 37, 239-242.

9. McComas, J. J., Johnson, L., & Symons, F. J. (2005) Teacher and peer responsivity to pro-social behavior of high aggressors in preschool. Educational Psychology, 25, 223 - 232.