Dr. Claire Egan is a Post-Doctoral Fellow with the Institute for Education in the Key Research Area of Learning and Assessment. Claire has an MA in Behaviour Disorders from Columbia University, and a PhD in Psychology from the National University of Ireland in Maynooth. Her doctoral research evaluated the variables controlling the emergence of early verbal language in both typically-developing and autistic populations. She has 15 years experience working with special needs children in early, intensive behavioural intervention and Applied Behaviour Analysis.

Applied Interests:
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD)
Teaching language and communication
Behavioral and early intervention
Intervention evaluation
Data collection, measurement, and single-case research design
Behavior Management, challenging behaviour and functional analysis
Teacher Evaluation

Research Interests:
Verbal Behaviour
Contextual control of language
Educational interventions for students with ASD
Educational assessment for students with ASD

Research Publications:

Egan, C., & Barnes-Holmes, D. Examining functional independence between mands and tacts with adjective sets in young children with autism. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis. Accepted for Publication. April 2008.

Egan, C., & Barnes Holmes, D. Examining antecedent control over emergent mands and tacts in young children. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis. Accepted for Publication. April 2008

Egan, C., & Barnes-Holmes, D. Comparing the differential effects of training type on mand emergence. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis. Under Review.

Other Publications:

Egan, C. (2009). Why neuroscience matters to educators. Key Research Area in Learning and Assessment Newsletter, 2, 2-3.

Guest Editor:

Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis

Research Grants:

Faculty Research Support Scheme 07/08 ($6000)
EPCL Small Scale Research Fund 08/09 ($13,967)

Conference Presentations:

Chaired Events

Egan, C. (Chair), Applications of Behavior Analysis to Education. Symposium conducted at the 29th Annual convention of the Association for Behavior Analysis, Atlanta, GA.

Egan, C . (Chair), Relational Frame Theory and Education. Symposium conducted at the 29th Annual convention of the Association for Behavior Analysis, Atlanta, GA.

Egan, C. (Chair), Contextual Effects on Verbal Communication. Symposium conducted at the 29th Annual convention of the Association for Behavior Analysis, Boston, MA.

Paper Presentations

Healy, O., Milne, R., Egan, C., & Baxter, S. (2006, May). A comparison of two instructional sessions to teach verbal operants to children with autism diagnoses. In Egan, C. (Chair), Applications of Behavior Analysis to Education. Symposium conducted at the 31st Annual convention for the Association for Behavior Analysis, Chicago, IL.

Egan, C. , Healy, O., Baxter, S., Kirsten, A. (2006, May). The effects of treatment package to decrease inappropriate vocalizations. In Egan, C. (Chair), Applications of Behavior Analysis to Education. Symposium conducted at the 31st Annual convention for the Association for Behavior Analysis, Chicago, IL.

Baxter, S., Karren, M/, Healy, O., & Egan, C. (2006, May). Applying the three-term contingency to reducing ‘fears’. In Egan, C. (Chair), Applications of Behavior Analysis to Education. Symposium conducted at the 31st Annual convention for the Association for Behavior Analysis, Chicago, IL.

Egan, C., & Barnes-Holmes, D. (2005, May). Comparing the acquisition of mands and tacts with generalized reinforcement, and tacts with differential reinforcement. In Murphy-Ball, C. (Chair), Relational Frame Theory and Education for Children with Autism. Symposium conducted at the 30th Annual convention of the Association for Behavior Analysis, Chicago, IL.

Egan, C. , & Healy, O., & Leader, G. (2005, May). Assessing the effects of a DRO and self-management. In Leader, G. (Chair), Teaching Strategies for Children with Autism. Symposium conducted at the 30th Annual convention of the Association for Behavior Analysis, Chicago, IL.

Healy, O., Egan, C., Sheehy-Perera, E., Leader, G. & Baxter, S. (2005, May). Pairing mand and tact operants to increase pure tacts and autoclitics. In Leader, G. (Chair), Teaching Strategies for Children with Autism. Symposium conducted at the 30th Annual convention of the Association for Behavior Analysis, Chicago, IL.

Dawling, S., Leader, G., Healy, O., Mackay, H., & Egan, C., (2005, May). Teaching money skills using the matching-to-sample training procedure. In Leader, G. (Chair), Teaching Strategies for Children with Autism. Symposium conducted at the 30th Annual convention of the Association for Behavior Analysis, Chicago, IL.

Baxter, S., Egan, C., & Healy, O. (2005, May). Assessing the effects of a relaxation procedure on assaults. In Leader, G. (Chair), Teaching Strategies for Children with Autism. Symposium conducted at the 30th Annual convention of the Association for Behavior Analysis, Chicago, IL.

Egan, C. , & Barnes-Holmes, D. (2004, May). Assessing the independence of function between mand and tact operants. In Egan, C. (Chair), Contextual Effects on Verbal Communication. Symposium conducted at the 29th Annual convention of the Association for Behavior Analysis, Boston, MA.

Egan, C. , & Healy, O. (2003, May). Observational learning and relational frames. In O’Connor, J. (Chair), Relational Responding, Observational Learning and Generalization. Symposium conducted at the 28th Annual convention of the Association for Behavior Analysis, San Francisco, CA.

Healy, O., Egan, C., & Sheehy-Perera, E. (2003, May). Decreasing stereotypy using a contextual cue and a response cost. Symposium conducted at the 28th Annual convention of the Association for Behavior Analysis, San Francisco, CA.

Poster Presentations

Egan, C. (2003, January). Verbal mediation in teacher decision-making. Poster presented at the CABAS Conference, New York, NY.

Egan, C. (2003, January). Peer tutoring: Effects on the tutor and the tutee. Poster presented at the CABAS Conference, New York, NY.

Egan, C . & Greer, R.D. (2002, May). Self-monitoring to decrease stereotypy across settings. Poster presented at the 27th Annual convention of the Association for Behavior Analysis, Toronto, ON.

OTHER PRESENTATIONS:

Egan, C. (2008, October). Psychological approaches to challenging behaviour. Hong Kong Institute of Education, Hong Kong.

Egan, C. (2008, September). Social competence in students with ASD. Marden Seminar Series, Hong Kong Institute of Education, Hong Kong.