Biography
Dr. Matt Tincani focuses on the application of behavioral principles to improve language, academic, social, and play skills of learners with autism spectrum disorders and other disabilities, with particular interest in Skinner’s analysis of verbal behavior. His additional scholarly interests include positive behavior support in school and community settings, scaling-up of behavioral interventions, quality of life of people with disabilities, and single-case designs. His most recent work has explored issues of publication bias in single-case research, where he has advocated for publishing studies that do not yield experimental effect. He has been appointed to the editorial boards of several prominent journals in the field of special education, in addition to serving as associate editor of Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions. A Board Certified Behavior Analyst since 2000, he was previously coordinator of Temple's graduate program in applied behavior analysis, in addition to his longstanding affiliation with the special education program. He is currently co-principal investigator of an NSF-funded research project to explore support for people with neurodevelopmental disorders in attaining employment in information technology fields.
Research Interests
- autism spectrum disorder
- intellectual disability
- special education
- behavior science
- applied behavior analysis
- positive behavior support
- augmentative and alternative communication
- single-case design
- meta-analysis
- special education
Courses Taught
Number | Name | Level |
|---|---|---|
SPED 4103 | Classroom Management and Positive Behavior Support | Undergraduate |
ABA 5302 | Effective Teaching Strategies and Academic Interventions | Graduate |
EDUC 8502 | Social Contexts of Learning | Graduate |
SPED 5109 | Classroom Management and Positive Behavior Support | Graduate |
SPED 5302 | Effective Teaching Strategies and Academic Interventions | Graduate |
Selected Publications
Featured
Nepo, K., Tincani, M., & Axelrod, S. (2021). Teaching Mobile Device-Based Leisure to Adults With Autism Spectrum Disorder and Intellectual Disability. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 36(2), 83-94. doi: 10.1177/1088357620943500.
Dowdy, A., Tincani, M., & Fisher, A. (2021). Interrater Reliability and Convergent Validity of the Trial-Based Functional Analysis. Advances in Neurodevelopmental Disorders, 5(1), 61-70. doi: 10.1007/s41252-020-00174-7.
Dowdy, A., Tincani, M., & Schneider, W. (2020). Evaluation of publication bias in response interruption and redirection: A meta-analysis. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 53(4), 2151-2171. doi: 10.1002/jaba.724.
Tincani, M., Miller, J., Lorah, E., & Nepo, K. (2020). Systematic Review of Verbal Operants in Speech Generating Device Research from Skinner’s Analysis of Verbal Behavior. Perspectives on Behavior Science, 43(2), 387-413. doi: 10.1007/s40614-020-00243-1.
Dowdy, A. & Tincani, M. (2020). Assessment and treatment of high-risk challenging behavior of adolescents with autism in an aquatic setting. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 53(1), 305-314. doi: 10.1002/jaba.590.
Recent
Dowdy, A., Peltier, C., Tincani, M., Schneider, W., Hantula, D., & Travers, J. (2021). Meta-analyses and effect sizes in applied behavior analysis: A review and discussion. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 54(4), 1317-1340. doi: 10.1002/jaba.862.
Dowdy, A., Obidimalor, K.C., Tincani, M., & Travers, J.C. (2021). Delivering Culturally Sound and High-Quality Behavior Analytic Services When Working With an Interpreter. Behavior Analysis Research and Practice, 21(1), 51-64. doi: 10.1037/bar0000206.
Dowdy, A., Hantula, D., Travers, J., & Tincani, M. (2021). Meta-Analytic Methods to Detect Publication Bias in Behavior Science Research. Perspectives on Behavior Science. doi: 10.1007/s40614-021-00303-0.
Tincani, M. (2021). Preventing challenging behavior in your classroom: Positive behavior support and effective classroom management. doi: 10.4324/9781003237235.
Dowdy, A., Tincani, M., & Jessel, J. (2020). Reducing an Adolescent’s Destructive Behavior during Bathroom Visits in a Residential Setting: Brief Report. Developmental Neurorehabilitation, 23(7), 478-481. doi: 10.1080/17518423.2020.1770352.
Tincani, M., Travers, J., & Dowdy, A. (2020). Do we need to go beyond a purely behavioral approach? A response to Woodcock and Blackwell. Current Opinion in Psychiatry, 33(5), 509-511. doi: 10.1097/YCO.0000000000000633.
Tincani, M. & Travers, J. (2019). Replication Research, Publication Bias, and Applied Behavior Analysis. Perspectives on Behavior Science, 42(1), 59-75. doi: 10.1007/s40614-019-00191-5.
Lorah, E.R., Tincani, M., & Parnell, A. (2022). Current trends in the use of handheld technology as a speech-generating device for children with autism. Behavior Analysis: Research and Practice, 18(3), 317-327. American Psychological Association (APA). doi: 10.1037/bar0000125.
Centone, K., Dilks, A., & Tincani, M. (2019). Increasing peer-directed vocal manding of young children with autism spectrum disorder. Education and Training in Autism and Developmental Disabilities, 54(4), 377-390.
Dowdy, A., Tincani, M., Nipe, T., & Weiss, M. (2018). Effects of reinforcement without extinction on increasing compliance with nail cutting: A systematic replication. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 51(4), 924-930. doi: 10.1002/jaba.484.
Tincani, M. & Fisher, A. (2018). Review of Behavioral Principles in Communicative Disorders by Maul, Findley, and Adams. Perspectives on Behavior Science, 41(1), 303-308. doi: 10.1007/s40614-018-0144-y.
Bondy, A. & Tincani, M. (2018). Effects of response cards on students with autism spectrum disorder or intellectual disability. Education and Training in Autism and Developmental Disabilities, 53(1), 59-72.
Tincani, M. & Travers, J. (2018). Publishing Single-Case Research Design Studies That Do Not Demonstrate Experimental Control. Remedial and Special Education, 39(2), 118-128. doi: 10.1177/0741932517697447.
Nepo, K., Tincani, M., Axelrod, S., & Meszaros, L. (2017). IPod Touch® to Increase Functional Communication of Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Significant Intellectual Disability. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 32(3), 209-217. doi: 10.1177/1088357615612752.