Jonathan Tarbox, PhD, BCBA-D, is the Director of Research at FirstSteps, the Program Director of the Master of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis program at the University of Southern California, and an Associate Editor of the peer-reviewed journal Behavior Analysis in Practice. Dr. Tarbox’s early career included positions at the New England Center for Children and the Kennedy Krieger Institute. Dr. Tarbox received his PhD from Dr. Linda Hayes at the University of Nevada, Reno. Dr. Tarbox was a Clinical Lead Manager and the Director of Research and Development at the Center for Autism and Related Disorders, where he established and directed multiple programs of research on the assessment and treatment of autism. Dr. Tarbox’s clinical experience in his previous positions included working with children and adults with and without autism and related disorder, in home, community, school, hospital, and clinic-based settings. Dr. Tarbox is also a current member of the Association for Behavior Analysis, International, Practice Board, a past president of the Nevada Association for Behavior Analysis and a past Director of Research Development for the Southern California Consortium for Behavior Analysts.
Dr. Tarbox is an active participant in the autism and behavior analytic research communities and has published three books on autism treatment, as well as over 70 peer-reviewed articles and chapters in scientific texts. Dr. Tarbox is a past member of the editorial boards of the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, The Analysis of Verbal Behavior, and Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders and a current member of the editorial boards of Behavior Modification and Behavioral Development Bulletin. Dr. Tarbox’s research focuses on treatments that make a real life difference in individuals living with autism. His specific research interests include teaching complex language, social, and cognitive skills, as well as the assessment and treatment of feeding disorder and severe challenging behaviors.