Purpose:
The Behavioral and Psycho-Educational Support Task Force, hosted by ABAL, is dedicated to alleviating human suffering through the integration of psychology, education, and behavioral science. As a unified team of 35+ members, our mission is to provide trauma-informed, culturally responsive, person-centered, and evidence-based practices. We aim to address the unique needs of children, adolescents, and adults during times of crisis and violent conflict, guided by our expertise in behavior analysis and mental health science. This is in noway a political group, but rather a coming together of minds and scientific disciplines.
Strategy Plan:
1) Task Force Sub-Groups:
- Group 1 - Supporting all Children and Adolescents: a) Create and disseminate resources. b) Train-the-Trainers to provide trauma-informed intervention focusing on supporting all children and adolescents during times of crisis and violent conflict. c) Provide training on relevant topics, including 1) effective communication for parents (how to talk to your children/teens about the crisis/conflict), 2) playful interactions for families, and 3) coping strategies for children/teens.
- Group 2 - Supporting People with Special Needs and their Families: a) Create and disseminate resources. b) Train-the-Trainers to provide trauma-informed, person-centered support for people with SEN, including persons with Autism. c)Address relevant topics and offering strategies for 1) coping with dysregulation, change in routine and possible displacement, 2) implementing “functional communication training”, and 3) ensuring safety measures (e.g., protecting against elopement, applying crisis management, recognizing and responding to danger, etc.).
- Group 3 - Supporting Adults: a) Provide resources to support the trainers, first responders, and displaced individuals. b) Provide the resources to community members that guide them in the plan of action to create local peer-to-peer self-help support groups to cope with the crisis and violent conflict. c) Raising awareness through virtual discussions led by recognized researchers and clinical experts to explore the intersection of behavior analysis with social and mental health sciences to address socially significant issues relating to crisis and violent conflict, such as trauma response, intergenerational trauma, social justice and diversity, etc.
2) Guiding Principles for this Task Force:
- Evidence-based practices: Utilize well-established approaches in behavior sciences as they intersect with mental health research and practice, social change issues and so on.
- Trauma-informed: All support and resources provided through the task force should recognize the effects of traumatic experiences resulting directly and indirectly from the crisis and violent conflict.
- Culturally Responsive: Tailor resources and support strategies to align with cultural contexts of those affected by the crisis and violent conflict.
- Language understood by all to ensure adoption of resources and support strategies.
3) Dissemination Channels:
- Virtual distribution to Train-the-Trainers via Zoom and Teams (live or recorded)
- Social media platforms (ABAL and Task Force members' accounts on LinkedIn, Facebook, IG, etc.).
- ABAL website.
- WhatsApp groups (e.g., Arab ABA, etc.).
4) Progress Monitoring and Evaluation (with maximum 2-weeks’ time elapsed between checks):
- Establish baseline and post-intervention measures to inform on the effectiveness of the supports using surveys (Google Form / Spreadsheets)
- Supervision via video observations and performance feedback
- Social validity checks to measure acceptability as it affects adoption and sustainability via surveys (Google Form / Spreadsheets)
Group Guidelines:
1. Mission Focus: All members are encouraged to use this Task Force as a platform to address and alleviate human suffering through the lenses of psychology, education, and behavioral science.
2. Respectful Discourse: All members to maintain a high standard of respect by being free from discriminatory language and implicit biases.
3. Information Sharing: In situations where access to credible information varies, we kindly request that discussions primarily revolve around psychosocial services, training, and similar forms of assistance.
4. Emotional Responses: We encourage all members to approach conversations with a reflective mindset, minimizing responses driven by anger or frustration.
5. Reporting Discrimination: Your vigilance in reporting any form of discriminatory or unsafe speech directly to an ABAL Board member is greatly appreciated.
6. Ensure compassion and Inclusivity when discussing emotionally challenging topics.
7. Privacy Consideration: Given our diverse global presence, please exercise caution when sharing comments. We do not want anyone’s legal status or safety be at risk.
8. Professional Ethical Boundaries must be maintained.
9. Empathetic Approach: One must recognize the diversity of backgrounds and experiences among task force members.