Not accepting new MS or PhD students.
Postdoctoral Fellowship at Kennedy Krieger Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
PhD in Applied Behavior Analysis at University of South Florida
MS in Behavioral Psychology at Pepperdine University
MA in Education at University of California, Riverside
BA in Psychology at University of California, San Diego
Training and supporting change agents (e.g., behavior analysts, teachers, caregivers) to implement behavior analytic assessments/treatments and adopt emerging frameworks for service delivery (e.g., culturally responsive practices).
Refining assessment and treatment of interfering behaviors with a focus on improving a wide range of outcomes (e.g., choice, autonomy, social validity, quality of life, affect) that impact the individuals we serve.
Improving treatment generalization of intervention effects—ensuring that improvements in behavioral outcomes are not restricted to specified environments but are generalized across complex but relevant environments.
Ayres, R., Blair, K. C. & Kwak, D. (2026). Coaching school-based professionals to facilitate implementation of Prevent-Teach-Reinforce with teachers for students with externalizing behavior. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 28(2), 112–124.
Kwak, D., Bell, M. C., Blair, K. C. & Bloom, S. E. (2025). Cultural responsiveness in assessment, implementer training, and intervention in school, home, and community settings: A systematic review. Journal of Behavioral Education, 34(3), 526–573.
Livingston, C. P., Loder-Lafferty, B. H., Tran, J. P., Melanson, I. J., Cengher, M. & Kwak, D. (2025). Evaluation of a sequential extinction procedure on preference for communication modalities during functional communication training. Behavioral Interventions, 40(4), 1–9.
Livingston, C. P., DeBrine, J. E., Melanson, I. J., Kwak, D. & Tomasi, B. (2025). Comparison of caregivers’ and children’s preference for mand topography during functional communication training. Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities, 37(3), 429–447.
Kwak, D., Blair, K. C. & Russo, D. (2024). Development of the Values-Centered Assessment Tool (VCAT) to inform culturally responsive behavioral services. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 17(4), 977–995.
Beaulieu, L., Kwak, D., Jimenez-Gomez, C. & Morgan, G. (2024). Implementing culturally responsive and trauma-informed practices with checklists and goal setting. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 57(4), 821–839.
Ford, S., Blair, K. C., Iovannone, R. & Kwak, D. (2024). Implementation of the Prevent-Teach-Reinforce model for elementary school students needing intensive behavior intervention. Behavioral Sciences, 14(2), 1–20.
