Griffin Rooker, BCBA, Ph.D.

Coad Science Building
Room 119

Griffin Rooker, BCBA, Ph.D., has worked in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) for over 20 years. Dr. Rooker came to Mount St Mary’s University from the Kennedy Krieger Institute where he was a Research Scientist and Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science at John’s Hopkins University School of Medicine of almost 10 years. Dr. Rooker’s work has focused on the assessment and treatment of severe behavior disorders by individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. For example, assessing the reasons why individuals intentionally cause harm to themselves, and treating these devastating behaviors.

Dr. Rooker has substantial experience training ABA students, including lecturing for ABA programs at Pepperdine University and the University of Florida, and mentoring students at Simmons College and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Dr. Rooker is a recognized leader in the field of ABA. He has received federal funding to conduct behavioral research. Further, his work has been recognized by the American Psychological Association and the Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior. Finally, Dr. Rooker is Associate Editor at the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, and a member of three other editorial boards for behavior analytic journals.

• Fellowship, Department of Pediatrics, Drs. Iser DeLeon and Louis Hagopian, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (2010 - 2012).
• Ph.D., University of Florida, Department of Psychology (2005 – 2010).
• M.S., Northeastern University, Applied Behavior Analysis (2001 – 2004).
• B.A., Emory University, Major in Religion and Sociology (1998 - 2001).

Grants

NICHD R01:

• Title: A Clinical Trial for Treatment-Resistant Subtypes of Self Injury; Role: Co-Investigator
• Title: Delineating subtypes of self-injurious behavior maintained by automatic reinforcement; Role: Co-investigator

NICHD R03:

• Title: Assessing precursors to severe problem behavior; Role: Principal Investigator

Awards

• 2018 Contribution of the Year, Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior
• 2017 Contribution of the Year, Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior
• 2015 – 2020 NIH Loan Repayment Program (LRP) Award Recipient
• 2011 Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior Dissertation Award in Applied Behavior Analysis, American Psychological Association, Division 25
• 2010 E. F. Malagodi Memorial Scholarship, University of Florida
• 2007 Florida Association for Behavior Analysis Student Research Award, B.F. Skinner Foundation

Severe Behavior Disorders, Behavioral Phenotyping, Individual Learning Arrangements.

Original Research [OR]

1. Rooker, G. W., Roscoe, E. M (2005). Functional analysis of self-injurious behavior and its relation to self-restraint. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 38, 537-542.
2. Roscoe, E. M., Rooker, G. W., Pence, S. T., Longworth, L. J. (2009). Assessing the utility of a demand assessment for functional analysis. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 42, 819-825.
3. Rooker, G. W., Iwata, B. A., Harper, J. M., Fahmie, T. A., Camp, E. M (2011). False-positive tangible outcomes of functional analysis. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 44, 737-745
4. Rooker, G. W., Kurtz, P. K., Jessel, J., Hagopian, L. P., (2013) Functional communication training with and without alternative reinforcement and punishment: An analysis of 58 applications. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 46, 708-722.
5. Hagopian, L.P., Rooker, G. W., DeLeon, I. G., & Jessel, J. (2013). Initial functional analysis outcomes and modifications in pursuit of differentiation: A summary of 176 inpatient cases. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 46, 88-100.
6. Hammond, J. L., Iwata, B. A., Rooker, G. W., Fritz, J. N., Bloom, S. E. (2013). Effects of fixed versus random sequencing during multielement functional analyses. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 46, 22-30.
7. Leon-Enriquez, Y., Lazarchick, Y. N., Rooker, G. W., DeLeon, I. G. (2013). Assessment of problem behavior occasioned by disruption of ritualistic toy arrangements in a child with autism. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 46, 507-511.
8. Hagopian, L. P., Rooker, G. W., Zarcone, J. R. (2015). Delineating subtypes of self‐injurious behavior maintained by automatic reinforcement. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 48, 523-543.
9. Liddon, C. J., Zarcone, J. R., Pisman, M., Rooker, G. W. (2016). Examination of behavioral flexibility and function of severe challenging behavior in individuals with autism and intellectual disability. International Journal of Developmental Disabilities, 62, 167-173.
10. Schmidt, J. D., Rooker, G. W., Fodstad, J. C., Orchowitz, P., Goetzel, A., Kurtz, P. F., & Hagopian, L. P. (2016). On the relation between adaptive functioning and the reinforcement function of challenging behavior. International Journal of Developmental Disabilities, 62, 174-182.
11. Phillips C.L., Rooker G.W., Iannaccone J.A., Hagopian L.P. (2017). Noncontingent reinforcement for the treatment of severe problem behavior: An analysis of 28 Consecutive Applications. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis.
12. Rooker, G.W., Hausman, N. L., Fisher, A. B., Gregory, M.K., Lawell, J. L., Hagopian, L. P., (2018). Classification of injuries observed in functional classes of self-injurious behaviour. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 62, 1086-1096.
13. Hagopian, L.P., Rooker, GW, Yenokyan, G. (2018). Identifying Predictive Behavioral Markers: A Demonstration using Automatically Reinforced Self-Injurious Behavior. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 51, 443-465.
14. Jones, V., Ryan, L., Rooker, G. W., Shields, W., Mahoney, P., & Parnham, T. (in press). An exploration of emergency department visits for home unintentional injuries among children with Autism Spectrum Disorder for evidence to modify injury prevention guidelines. Pediatric Emergency Care.
15. Rooker, G. W., Haddock, J. N., Mezhoudi, N., Arevalo, A. R., & Hagopian, L. P. (2019). Sensitivity to changing environmental conditions across individuals with automatically (subtype 2) and socially reinforced self-injury. Behavioral Development Bulletin, 24, 89-99.
16. Nevill, R., Zarcone, J., & Rooker, G. W (2019). Clinical assessment and treatment of elopement in in children with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 63, 677-677.
17. Hagopian, L. P., Frank-Crawford, M. A., Javed, N., Fisher, A. B., Dillon, C. M., & Rooker, G. W. (in press). An augmented competing stimulus assessment. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis.
18. Rooker, G. W., Hagopian, L. P., Becraft, J. L., Javed, N., Fisher, A. B., & Finney, K. S. (2020). Injury characteristics across functional classes of self‐injurious behavior. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 53, 1042-1057.
19. Falligant, J.M., McNulty, M.K., Hausman, N.L., & Rooker, G.W. (in press). Using Dual-Criteria Methods to Supplement Visual Inspection: Replication and Extension. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis.
20. Rooker, G.W., Liddon, C.J., Lozy, E.D., & Phillips, C.L. (in press). Properties, Function, and Treatment of Inappropriate Sexual Behavior in Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. Behavior Analysis in Practice.
21. Falligant, J. M., McNulty, M. K., Kranak M. P., Hausman, N. L., & Rooker, G. W. (2020). Evaluating sources of baseline data using dual-criteria and conservative dual-criteria methods: A quantitative analysis. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 53(4), 2330–2338.
22. Haddock, J. N., Arevalo, A. R., Frank-Crawford, M., & Rooker, G. W. (accepted). Handling Costs Affect Preference for Accumulated and Distributed Response-Reinforcer Arrangements. Behavioral Development.
23. Falligant, J. M., Kranak, M. P., McNulty, M. K., Schmidt, J. D., Hausman, N. L., & Rooker, G. W. (in press). Prevalence of renewal of problem behavior: Replication and extension to an inpatient setting. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis.
24. Kranak, M. P., Falligant, J. M., Bradtke, P., Hausman, N. L., & Rooker, G. W. (2020). Authorship trends in the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis: An update. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 53(4), 2376–2384.
25. Schmidt, J. D., Kranak, M. P., Goetzel, A. L., Kaur, J., & Rooker, G. W. (in press). A clinical demonstration of correlational and experimental analyses of precursor behavior. Behavior Analysis in Practice

Review Articles [RA]

1. Hagopian, L. P., Rooker, G. W., & Rolider, N. U. (2011). Identifying empirically supported treatments for pica in individuals with intellectual disabilities. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 32, 2114-2120.
2. Schlichenmeyer, K. J., Roscoe, E. M., Rooker, G. W., Wheeler, E. E., Dube, W. V. (2013). Idiosyncratic variables affecting functional analysis outcomes: A review (2001-2010). Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 46, 339-348.
3. Rooker, G. W., Borrero, C. S., Frank-Crawford, M. A., Roscoe, E. M., & DeLeon, I. G. (2015). Reducing ambiguity in functional assessment of problem behavior. Behavioral Interventions, 30, 1-35.
4. Hagopian, L. P., Rooker, G. W., Bonner, A. C., Arevalo, A. R., & Zarcone, J. R. (2017). Further analysis of subtypes of automatically reinforced SIB: A replication and quantitative analysis of published datasets. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis.
5. Rooker, G. W., Bonner, A. C., Dillon, C. M., & Zarcone, J. R. (2018). Behavioral Treatment of Automatically Reinforced Self-Injurious Behavior: 1982 – 2015. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 51, 974-997.

Book Chapters, Monographs [BC]

1. Hagopian, L. P., Rolider, N. U., & Rooker, G. W. (2011). Behavioral assessment and treatment of pica. In J. K. Luiselli (Ed.), The Handbook of High-Risk Challenging Behaviors: Assessment and Intervention. Baltimore, MD: Brookes Publishing.
2. Rojahn, J., DeLeon, I., Rooker, G. W., Frank-Crawford, M. A., & Carreau, A. B. (2011). Behavioral (function-based) intervention for self-injury. In J. K. Luiselli (Ed.), The Handbook of High-Risk Challenging Behaviors: Assessment and Intervention. Baltimore, MD: Brookes Publishing.
3. Hagopian, L. P., Dozier, C. L., Rooker, G. W., Jones, B. A. (2013) Assessment and treatment of severe problem behavior. In G. J. Madden (Ed.), APA Handbook of Behavior Analysis. Washington DC: American Psychological Association.
4. Neidert, P. L., Rooker, G. W., Bayles, M. W., & Miller, J. R. (2013). Functional analysis of problem behavior. In D. D. Reed, F. D. Reed, & J. K. Luiselli (Eds.), Handbook of Crisis Intervention for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities, New York, NY: Springer.
5. DeLeon, I. G., Graff, R. B., Frank-Crawford, M. A., Rooker, G. W., & Bullock, C. E. (2014). Reinforcement Arrangements for Learners with Autism Spectrum Disorder. In J. Tarbox, D. R. Reed, P. Sturmey, & J. L. Matson. Handbook of Early Intervention for Autism Spectrum Disorders. New York: Springer.

Dr. Rooker is the Director of the Masters of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis program. His goals in directing this program are to provide rigorous and superior education, in an environment where students are nurtured to lead lives of significance. To do so, Dr. Rooker tailors his instruction and mentoring to match his students’ goals, whether that be care in a classrooms, centers, and clinics or preparation for a doctoral degree. Dr. Rooker has been a mentor to a large number of individuals (from undergraduates to post-doctoral fellows) in the field of ABA over past 15 years.