Adam Briggs

A photo of Adam Briggs

Associate Professor

Psychology

301K Mark Jefferson Science Complex

7-2156

[email protected]

Education

Dr. Briggs received his early training in behavior analysis at Western Michigan University (B.S., 2007) and, more specifically, in applied behavior analysis and developmental disabilities at Auburn University (M.S., 2009) with Drs. Jim Carr and Linda LeBlanc. Dr. Briggs earned his Ph.D. in Behavioral Psychology from the Department of Applied Behavioral Science at the University of Kansas under the mentorship of Dr. Claudia Dozier (2016). His dissertation evaluated the effects of differential reinforcement of alternative behavior (DRA) without the use of extinction for treating dangerous instances of severe destructive behavior. This project received several accolades, including the 2017 APA Division 25 SEAB Applied Dissertation Award. In addition, during his tenure at the University of Kansas, Dr. Briggs received the Baer, Wolf, and Risley Outstanding Graduate Student Award for excellence in teaching, research, and service. Prior to joining the faculty at EMU, Dr. Briggs completed a two-year Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and Munroe-Meyer Institute’s Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders under the mentorship of Dr. Wayne Fisher (20162018). Specifically, Dr. Briggs functioned as a case manager in the severe behavior clinic and assisted with the oversight and implementation of several lines of NIH grant-funded research focused on the integration of stimulus control technology with the quantitative predictions of behavioral momentum theory to promote the practicality, generality, and durability of function-based interventions for severe destructive behavior.

Interests and Expertise

Dr. Briggs directs EMU’s Behavior Analysis Research Lab. The lab is generally interested in improving behavior of societal importance by applying behavioral principles and evaluating their influence through rigorous experimental methodology. Specifically, our lab is currently working on projects related to (a) improving the safety, efficiency, and validity of functional assessment methods, (b) determining the variables that prevent relapse of challenging behavior and promote maintenance and generalization of treatment effects, and (c) developing effective training strategies for efficiently teaching caregivers and professionals to implement behavioral interventions with high procedural integrity. Dr. Briggs received the 2022 Ronald W. Collins Distinguished Faculty: Research I Award, the highest honor EMU presents to an individual faculty member. Recently, Dr. Briggs received the 2024 B. F. Skinner Foundation New Researcher Award from Division 25 of the American Psychological Association (APA). Both awards recognize the important and innovative work being completed within the lab.

 Dr. Briggs is a board certified behavior analyst at the doctoral level (BCBA-D) and a licensed behavior analyst (LBA) in Michigan. He is a current associate editor for the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis (JABA), past associate editor for Behavior Analysis in Practice (BHAP) and Education and Treatment of Children, and has served on the editorial boards for JABA and BHAP. In addition, Dr. Briggs currently serves as Co-Chair for the Severe Behavior Consortium of Michigan, Chairs the Nominations and Elections Committee for APA Division 25, and is a Co-Coordinator for ABAI’s Developmental Disabilities (DDA) Program Area. 

Dr. Briggs is dedicated to supporting the Department of Psychology at EMU, contributing to the science of behavior analysis, and training effective scientist-practitioners to provide high-quality behavioral services for their clients.

https://www.behavioranalysislab.com/

Courses

  • PSY 365: Fundamentals of Applied Behavior Analysis
  • PSY 372: Ethical Conduct, Personnel Supervision, and Professionalism for Behavior Analysts
  • PSY 625: Clinical Behavior Analysis
  • PSY 670: Scientific & Professional Ethics
  • PSY 701: Supervision and Performance Management in Human Service Settings

Publications and Presentations

(* indicates EMU student collaborator)

Briggs, A. M., *Zohr, S. J., & *Harvey, O. B. (2024). Training individuals to implement discrete-trial teaching procedures: A systematic review of behavioral skills training components. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 57(1), 86103. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaba.1024

Randall, K. R., Walters, S. R., Arthur, S. A., & Briggs, A. M. (2024). Degrading reinforcement quality for target behavior during differential reinforcement without extinction. The Bulletin, 35. https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/XMVJN

*DeWitt, S., *Stephens, A. M., & Briggs, A. M. (2023). Applied behavior analysis: Conceptual foundations, defining characteristics, and behavior-change elements. In J. L. Matson (Ed.), Handbook of Clinical Child Psychology: Theory to Practice (pp. 375–388). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-24926-6_18

*Stephens, A. M., *Pachis, J., *Rinna, K., *Sunde, E., & Briggs, A. M. (2023). Tangible reinforcers: Conceptual overview and considerations for practice. In J. L. Matson (Ed.), Applied Behavior Analysis: A Comprehensive Handbook (pp. 61–77). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-19964-6_4

Briggs, A. M., Mitteer, D. R., Bergmann, S., & Greer, B. D. (2023). Reinforcer thinning: General approaches and considerations for maintaining skills and mitigating relapse. In J. L. Matson (Ed.), Applied Behavior Analysis: A Comprehensive Handbook (pp. 105–122). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-19964-6_6

*Stephens, A. M., Briggs, A. M., *Barr, J., *Loder, B. H., & *Miller, A. (2023). Delays to behavioral therapy in Michigan for children diagnosed with autism: A summary of needs assessment outcomes to inform public policy advocacy initiatives. Behavior Analysis in Practice. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-023-00896-9

*Sunde, E., Briggs, A. M., & Mitteer, D. R. (2022). Employing modified visual-inspection criteria to interpret latency-based functional analysis outcomes. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 55(3), 871890. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaba.926

Dozier, C. L., Briggs, A. M., Holehan, K. M., Kanaman, N. A., & Juanico, J. F. (2022). Functional Analysis methodology: Best practices and considerations. In J. Leaf, J. Cihon, J. Ferguson, and M. J. Weiss (Eds.) Handbook of Applied Behavior Analysis Interventions for Autism (pp. 417442). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-96478-8_22

Briggs, A. M., & Mitteer, D. R. (2021). Updated strategies for making regular contact with the scholarly literature. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 15, 541552. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-021-00590-8

Harper Briggs, A. M., Dozier, C. L., Briggs, A. M., & Ackerlund Brandt, J. A. (2021). The effects of different types of attention on responding in young children. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 54(3), 882902.https://doi.org/10.1002/jaba.814

Briggs, A. M., & Greer, B. D. (2021). Intensive Behavioral Intervention Units. In A. Maragakis, C. Drossel, & T. J. Waltz (Eds.), Applications of Behavior Analysis to Healthcare and Beyond. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-57969-2_7

Greer, B. D., Mitteer, D. R., Briggs, A. M., Fisher, W. W., & Sodawasser, A. J. (2020). Comparisons of standardized and interview-informed synthesized reinforcement contingencies relative to functional analysis. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 53(1), 82101. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaba.601

Kimball, R. T., Greer, B. D., Randall, K. R., & Briggs, A. M. (2020). Investigations of operant ABA renewal during differential reinforcement. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 113(1), 187205. https://doi.org/10.1002/jeab.577

Mitteer, D. R., Greer, B. D., Randall, K. R., & Briggs, A. M. (2020). Further evaluation of teaching behavior technicians to input data and graph using GraphPad Prism. Behavior Analysis: Research and Practice, 20(2), 8193. https://doi.org/10.1037/bar0000172

Briggs, A. M., Dozier, C. L., Lessor, A. N., Kamana, B. U., & Jess, R. (2019). Further investigation of DRA without extinction for escape-maintained destructive behavior. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 52(4), 956973. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaba.648

Mitteer, D. R., Fisher, W. W., Briggs, A. M. Greer, B. D., & Hardee, A. M. (2019). Evaluation of an omnibus mand in the treatment of multiply controlled destructive behavior. Behavioral Development, 24(2), 7488. https://doi.org/10.1037/bdb0000088

Greer, B. D., Fisher, W. W., Briggs, A. M., Lichtblau, K. L., Phillips, L. A., & Mitteer, D. R., (2019). Using schedule-correlated stimuli during functional communication training to promote the rapid transfer of treatment effects. Behavioral Development, 24(2), 100119. https://doi.org/10.1037/bdb0000085

Mitteer, D. R., Greer, B. D., Fisher, W. W., Briggs, A. M., & Wacker, D. P. (2018). A laboratory model for evaluating relapse of undesirable caregiver behavior. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 110(2), 252266. https://doi.org/10.1002/jeab.462

Briggs, A. M., Fisher, W. W., Greer, B. D., & Kimball, R. T. (2018). Prevalence of resurgence of destructive behavior when thinning reinforcement schedules during functional communication training. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 51(3), 620633.https://doi.org/10.1002/jaba.472

Phillips, L. A., Briggs, A. M., Fisher, W. W., & Greer, B. D. (2018). Assessing and treating elopement in a school setting. Teaching Exceptional Children, 50(6), 333342. https://doi.org/10.1177/0040059918770663

Dracobly, J. D., Dozier, C. L., Briggs, A. M., & Juanico, J. F. (2018). Reliability and validity of indirect assessment outcomes: Experts versus caregivers. Learning and Motivation, 62, 7790.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lmot.2017.02.007

Briggs, A. M., Akers, J. S., Fisher, W. W., Greer, B. D., & Retzlaff, B. J. (2018). Systematic changes in preference for schedule-thinning arrangements as a function of relative reinforcement density. Behavior Modification, 42(4), 472497.https://doi.org/10.1177/0145445517742883

Dracobly, J. D., Dozier, C. L., Briggs, A. M., & Juanico, J. F. (2017). An evaluation of procedures that affect response variability. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 50(3), 600621. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaba.392

Payne, S. W., Dozier, C. L., Briggs, A. M., & Newquist, M. H. (2016). An analysis of group-oriented contingencies and associated side effects. Journal of Behavioral Education, 26(1), 2752.https://doi.org/10.1007/s10864-016-9255-2

Franks, S. B., Mata, F. C., Wofford, E., Briggs, A. M., LeBlanc, L. A., Carr, J. E., & Lazarte, A. A. (2013). The effects of behavioral parent training on placement outcomes of biological families in a state child welfare system. Research on Social Work Practice, 23(4), 377382. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049731513492006

Carr, J. E., & Briggs, A. M. (2011). A resource on behavioral terminology: An annotated bibliography of “On Terms” articles in the behavior analyst. The Behavior Analyst34(1), 93101. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03392237

Carr, J. E., & Briggs, A. M. (2010). Strategies for making regular contact with the scholarly literature. Behavior Analysis in Practice3(2), 1318. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03391760