The course will be conducted by Dott.ssa Chiara Maguadda, responsible for the Walden Centre, Cognitive Behaviour Therapist, ABA-VB supervisor and head supervisor of the WE ACT (The Walden Equal Partners Foundation Autism Challenge Team) Malta project. Dottoressa Maguadda is also one of the co-authors, with Prof Carlo Ricci, of Il manuale ABA-VB - Applied Behavior Analysis and Verbal Behavior Fondamenti, tecniche e programmi di intervento which is in it’s second edition.
Limited places are available.
Dates and times: A zoom link will be sent to those who are fully registered and paid by the 1 September at 12:00 noon.
1 September, 2021 from 14:00 to 18:00
3 September, 2021 from 14:00 to 18:00
6 September, 2021 from 14:00 to 18:00
7 September, 2021 from 14:00 to 18:00
13 September from 09:00 to 13:00 and 14:00 to 18:00
15 September from 14:00 to 18:00
Fees: EUR 480 per person - includes soft copies of the slides (text only) and a reading list. .
REGISTRATION DEADLINE EXTENDED - PLACES STILL AVAILABLE.
Cancellation policy: 75% refund until 10 August 2021. 50% refund until 20 August 2021. No refund after this date. Cancellations are to be sent to
Mr Andrew Bezzina.
Dottoressa Chiara Maguadda will deliver the sessions in English (her English is excellent). Numerous video clips, taken from actual intervention sessions, support the material presented. Feedback from previous local attendees (paediatrician, educational and clinical psychologists, social workers, speech and language pathologists, teachers, early interventionists and LSEs) was excellent and highlighted the delivery and engagement of participants, the video clips demonstrating techniques and the hands on activities.
Who is eligible to apply?
Graduates in psychology, social work, education, speech and language pathologists, occupational therapists, youth studies, nursing, medicine and any other related degree. Final year students in the above subjects may also be considered.
Module 1 in ABA-VB learning objectives
Participants will:
a) Become familiar with the international classification systems describing the autism spectrum condition (DSM and ICD) and the World Health Organizations’ classification of Individual’s level of functioning (ICF)
b) Understand the theoretical basis of Behavioural Analysis (Applied Behavior Analysis and Verbal Behavior)
c) Acquire knowledge about direct and indirect systems of behaviour observations
d) Become knowledgeable about functional analysis of behaviour
e) Know the principle techniques of behaviour modification
f) Know the principle evaluation systems evaluating the efficacy of the intervention
g) Know how to define difficulties in behavioural terms (operational)
h) Know how to conduct sessions of direct observation of behaviour
i) Know how to conduct functional analysis of behaviour
j) Know how to implement, under supervision, the main techniques of behaviour modification
k) Understand the necessity of implementing ABA-VB principles in natural environments like homes, inclusive schools and playgrounds.
Who is the lecturer?
Dottoressa Chiara Maguadda is a psychologist and Psychotherapist (Cognitive Behavior Therapist), an ABA_VB (Applied Behavior Analysis- Verbal Behaviour) specialist and supervisor. She is responsible for the early intervention operational unit for children on the autism spectrum at the Walden Institute, Rome. In 2000 she obtained the certificate of 'Therapist Internship Behavioral Home Programming for Children with Autism according to Applied Behavior Analysis', at the Center 'Reaching Potentials Inc.' (Florida). From 2003 to 2008 she worked at the Associazione Pianeta Autismo Onlus.
Dott.ssa Maguadda is a certified 'second level, supervisor in Early Intervention' by the Norwegian Research Institute for Children with Developmental Disabilities (Dr Svein Eikeseth, Ph.D.). She is responsible for the evaluation and intervention programmes of children within the autism spectrum implementing Applied behavior programmes. She also acts as head supervisor i.e. she is responsible for the supervision of all the supervisors at the Walden Institute, as well as, the WE ACT (Walden Equal Partners Foundation Autism Challenge Team) project in Malta. She also works as a consultant for teachers.
Dottoressa Chiara Maguadda has lectured at the University of Rome Tre SSIS where she conducted seminars on autism spectrum disorder. She has extensive national and international experience in the training and supervision of professionals (from education and health sciences) who work in the field of disability. She teaches developmental psychology and psychopathology at the Walden Institute in behaviour and cognitive psychotherapy courses. Specifically: developmental psychotherapy (behavioral, cognitive and cognitive-behavioral techniques); intervention in inclusive education and support of students within the autism spectrum in ordinary schools; psychotherapy with children and adolescents on the spectrum as well as parent training. She is a member of the Technical Scientific Committee of the Italian Technical Association ABA (AssoTABA). She is co-author of the 'ABA-VB Manual. Applied behavior analysis and verbal behavior. Fundamentals, techniques and intervention programs' (Erickson 2014 Editions) now in its 2nd edition.
