Dr. Partington has dedicated his life to helping children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) or other developmental delays. His expertise is in language-based intervention, helping children develop the basic language and learning skills they need for everyday interactions with others. He is the developer of the ABLLS-R, pioneering the inclusion of verbal behavior into applied behavioral analysis.

Dr. Partington is a licensed psychologist and Doctoral-level Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA-D). He has more than 45 years experience working with children with developmental disabilities, and operates the Strategic Teaching and Reinforcement System (STARS) Clinic.

Prior to founding Behavior Analysts, Dr. Partington taught undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral level courses in psychology and behavioral disciplines at educational facilities across America and Canada, including:

• Valdosta State College, Valdosta, Georgia
• West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia
• Mount Saint Vincent University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
• Chabot College, Hayward, California
• College of Alameda, Alameda, California
• St. Mary’s College, Moraga, California
• The University of San Francisco, San Francisco, California

Associations

• American Association on Mental Retardation
• American Psychological Association
• Association for Behavior Analysis
• Association for Science in Autism Treatment – Past Board Member
• Behavior Analyst Certification Board – Past Board Member
• California Speech Language Hearing Association
• Former President, Northern California Association for Behavior Analysis
• Public Service Award for the Advancement of Behavior Analysis in Florida, from the Florida Association for Behavior Analysis

Publications

• Capturing the Motivation of Children with Autism or Other Developmental Delays
• Assessment of Basic Language and Learning Skills – Revised (ABLLS-R):An assessment, curriculum guide and skills tracking system for children with autism or other developmental disabilities
• Co-Author: Overcoming an Autistic Child’s Failure to Acquire a Tact Repetoire, Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis
• Co-Author: Teaching Intraverbal Behavior to Preschool Children, The Analysis of Verbal Behavior
• DVD – Introduction to Teaching Language to Children with Autism or Other Developmental Disabilities
• DVD – The Assessment of Basic Language and Learning Skills-Revised(ABLLS-R)
• Co-Author  Success on the Spectrum: How to Teach Skills to Individuals with Autism.
• Co-Author  A pilot study examining the test-retest and internal consistency reliability of the ABLLS-R.  Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment.
• Getting Started: Developing Critical Learning Skills for Children on the Autism Spectrum.
• Co-Author  The Assessment of Functional Living Skills – Guide and Six Protocols.
• Co-Author Imitation: A Critical Component of Educational Interventions for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders.  Autism Spectrum Digest.

Editorial Activities

• Analysis of Verbal Behavior, Editorial Review Board, 1984 – 2000
• Behavior Analysis in Practice, Editorial Review Board, 2007
• Behavioral Interventions, Editorial Review Board, 1999 – 2004
• Education and Treatment of Children, 1984- 1989 and 1993 – 1995
• Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis – Guest Reviewer
• Verbal Behavior News, Assistant Editor, 1982 – 1983

Education

• Ph.D. Psychology, School and Community Program, Florida State University
• M.A. Psychology, Western Michigan University, with Honors
• B.A. Psychology, Western Michigan University, Magna Cum Laude