Curriculum Vitae
Jessica L. Thomason
Education
A.A. University of Central Florida, 1997
B.S . University of Florida, 1998
M.S. University of Florida, 2006
Research and Teaching Appointments
Graduate Research Assistant, UF-ARC Prader-Willi Syndrome program, May 2005 – present
Duties: Design and conduct research on characteristics of PWS (skill acquisition and problem behavior)
Graduate Instructor, EAB 3764, January 2005 –April 2005
Graduate Teaching Assistant, EAB 3764, August 2004 – December 2004
Graduate Teaching Assistant, EAB 4714C, August 2002 – July 2003
Graduate Research Assistant, ARC, Sidney Lanier School, and University of Florida Autism Program sites of the Florida Center for Self-Injury, August 2001 – April 2005
Duties: Design and conduct research on the assessment and treatment of problem behaviors, identification of reinforcers, and methods to enhance skill acquisition and maintenance; manage research data; present research at professional forums/conferences
Clinical Experience
Behavior Analyst, UF-ARC PWS program, May 2005 – present
Duties: Develop behavior intervention programs for residents of the Alachua ARC residential program, train new and current staff in behavior program implementation, manage and review data, write progress reports and attend progress meetings.
Sidney Lanier Site Coordinator for the Florida Center for Self Injury, August 2004 – May 2005
Duties: Organize and manage ongoing research and clinical projects, act as liaison between therapists and school administration, supervise junior graduate students and undergraduate volunteers.
University of Florida Autism Program Clinical Coordinator, August 2003 – July 2004
Duties: Meet with psychiatrists to review caseloads, screen incoming clients, schedule clinical appointments, organize and manage ongoing clinical projects, supervise junior graduate students and undergraduate volunteers.
Primary Therapist, University of Florida Autism Program, August 2002 – July 2003
Duties: Conduct assessment and treatment of problem behavior, train caregivers in treatment implementation, write service summary and recommendations for ongoing treatment, periodically follow up with families following discharge
Primary Therapist, ARC and Sidney Lanier School sites of the Florida Center for Self-Injury, August 2001 – July 2002
Duties: Conduct assessment and treatment of problem behavior (including generalization to classroom), conduct skill acquisition and maintenance sessions, train teachers in treatment implementation, write monthly progress notes and final recommendations for treatment, provide teachers with general recommendations regarding classroom behavior management.
Editorial Experience
Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, Guest reviewer, 2002 - present
Publications
Toole, L.M., Bowman, L.G., Thomason, J.L., Hagopian, L.P., & Rush, K.S. (2003). Observed increases in positive affect during behavioral treatment. Behavioral Interventions,18, 35-42.
Worsdell, A.S., Iwata, B.A., Dozier, C.L., Johnson, A.D., Neidert, P.N., & Thomason, J.L. (2005). Analysis of response repetition as an error-correction strategy during sight-word reading. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 38, 511-527.
Thomason, J.L., Iwata, B.A., Neidert, P.L., & Roscoe, E.M. (accepted for publication). Evaluation of response latency as the index of problem behavior during functional analyses. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis.
Studies in Progress & Manuscripts in preparation
Thomason, J.L. & Iwata, B.A. Food preferences in individuals with and without Prader-Willi
syndrome. Study in progress.
Thomason, J.L., & Iwata, B.A. Determinants of food selection in individuals with Prader-Willi
syndrome. Study in progress.
Thomason, J.L., Iwata, B.A., & Fritz, J.N. A comparison of functional analyses across therapists and settings. Manuscript in preparation.
Presentations
Thomason, J.L., Iwata, B.A., Dozier, C.L., & Neidert, P.L. (2006, May). Determinants of food preference in individuals with Prader-Willi syndrome. Association for Behavior Analysis, Atlanta, GA. Also presented at the Prader-Willi Syndrome Association Conference, Grand Island, NY (2006, July).
Dozier, C.L., Iwata, B.A., Thomason, J.L., & Neidert, P.L. (2006, May). Descriptive and Experimental Research on Exercise in the Prader-Willi Syndrome. Association for Behavior Analysis, Atlanta, GA. Also presented at the Prader-Willi Syndrome Association Conference, Grand Island, NY (2006, July).
Neidert, P.L., Iwata, B.A., Dozier, C.L., & Thomason, J.L. (2006, May). Prevalence and Functions of Self-Injurious Behavior in the Prader-Willi Syndrome. I Association for Behavior Analysis, Atlanta, GA. Also presented at the Prader-Willi Syndrome Association Conference, Grand Island, NY (2006, July).
Thomason, J.L., Iwata, B.A., & Fritz, J.N. (2005, May). Correspondence of functional analyses across settings and therapists. Association for Behavior Analysis, Chicago, IL (2005, May). Also presented at the Florida Association for Behavior Analysis, Sarasota, FL (2005, September).
Thomason, J.L., Iwata, B.A., & Neidert, P.L. (2004, February). An evaluation of latency as the index of problem behavior during functional analyses. California Association for Behavior Analysis, San Francisco, CA. Also presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Behavior Analysis, Boston, MA (2004, May). Also presented at the Florida Association for Behavior Analysis, Orlando, FL (2004, September).
Neidert, P.L., Iwata, B.A., Dempsey, C., & Thomason, J. (2004, February). A further analysis of the conditions of elopement. California Association for Behavior Analysis, San Francisco, CA. Paper also presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Behavior Analysis, Chicago, IL (2005, May). Also presented at the Florida Association for Behavior Analysis, Sarasota, FL (2005, September).
Worsdell, A.S., Iwata, B.A., Dozier, C.D., Johnson, A.D., Neidert, P.L., & Thomason, J.T. (2003, May). Analysis of response repetition as an error-correction procedure. Association for Behavior Analysis, San Francisco, CA.
Dozier, C. L., Iwata, B. A., Thomason, J. L., & Wilson, D. M. (2002, May). Analysis of methods to condition social praise as a reinforcer. Association for Behavior Analysis, Toronto, Canada.
Thomason, J., Kahng, S., Kogan, J., & Keevican, A. (2001, May). The use of functional communication training to reduce destructive behaviors during transitions. Association for Behavior Analysis, New Orleans, LA.
Sveinsdottir, I., DeLeon, I., Howard, S., Toole, L.M., Kahng, S., Thomason, J., Rodriguez-Catter, V. (2001, May). Selection-based versus topography-based verbal behavior in the treatment of aberrant behavior. Association for Behavior Analysis, New Orleans, LA.
Toole, L. M., Bowman, L. G., & Thomason, J. (2000, May). Observed increases in positive affect during a levels treatment. Association for Behavior Analysis, Washington, D.C. Also presented at the Maryland Association for Behavior Analysis, Baltimore, MD (2000, October).
Thomason, J., Bowman, L. G., & Toole, L. M. (2000, May). Decreasing destructive behavior during a bath routine. Association for Behavior Analysis, Washington, D.C. Also presented at the American Psychological Association, Washington, D.C. (2000, August). Also presented at the Maryland Association for Behavior Analysis, Baltimore, MD (2000, October).