Faculty Profile

Karen Toussaint

Title
Associate Professor
Department
Behavior Analysis
College
College of Health and Public Service

    

    

      


                          

            
Curriculum Vitae

            

              Click Here to View Faculty CV
            

          

        
                          

            
Education

            



  

  


  
PhD, Louisiana State University, 2011. 
Major: School Psychology
MA, Louisiana State University, 2009. 
Major: School Psychology
BS, Louisiana State University, 2003. 
Major: Chemistry
BS, Louisiana State University, 2003. 
Major: Psychology





          

        
                

          
Current Scheduled Teaching*


          
BEHV 6910.704, Developing Behavior Analytic Expertise II, Fall 2023 
HLSC 6950.048, Doctoral Dissertation, Fall 2023 
BEHV 5820.704, Internship, Fall 2023 
BEHV 5950.704, Master's Thesis, Fall 2023 
BEHV 5900.704, Special Problems, Fall 2023 
BEHV 6900.704, Special Problems, Fall 2023 


          
*
  Texas Education Code 51.974 (HB 2504) requires each institution of
  higher education to make available to the public, a syllabus for
  undergraduate lecture courses offered for credit by the institution.
  

        

      

    

  


    

    

      


        


          


            
Previous Scheduled Teaching*


            
                    

                    HLSC 6950.048, Doctoral Dissertation, Summer 10W 2023 
                    

                    BEHV 5950.704, Master's Thesis, Summer 10W 2023 
                    

                    BEHV 6810.704, Developing Behavior Analytic Expertise I, Spring 2023 
                    

                    HLSC 6950.048, Doctoral Dissertation, Spring 2023 
                    

                    BEHV 5950.704, Master's Thesis, Spring 2023 
                    

                    BEHV 6900.704, Special Problems, Spring 2023 
                    

                    BEHV 6910.704, Developing Behavior Analytic Expertise II, Fall 2022 
                    

                    HLSC 6950.048, Doctoral Dissertation, Fall 2022 
                    

                    BEHV 5950.704, Master's Thesis, Fall 2022 
                    

                    BEHV 3660.001, Survey of Applied Behavior Analysis Literature, Fall 2022 Syllabus SPOT
                    

                    BEHV 5950.704, Master's Thesis, Summer 10W 2022 
                    

                    HLSC 6950.048, Doctoral Dissertation, Spring 2022 
                    

                    BEHV 5820.704, Internship, Spring 2022 
                    

                    BEHV 5950.704, Master's Thesis, Spring 2022 
                    

                    BEHV 5815.704, Practicum, Spring 2022 
                    

                    BEHV 3660.001, Survey of Applied Behavior Analysis Literature, Spring 2022 Syllabus SPOT
                    

                    HLSC 6950.048, Doctoral Dissertation, Fall 2021 
                    

                    BEHV 5820.704, Internship, Fall 2021 
                    

                    BEHV 5950.704, Master's Thesis, Fall 2021 
                    

                    BEHV 5815.704, Practicum, Fall 2021  SPOT
                    

                    BEHV 3660.001, Survey of Applied Behavior Analysis Literature, Fall 2021 Syllabus SPOT
                    

                    BEHV 5950.704, Master's Thesis, Summer 5W1 2021 
                    

                    BEHV 3000.001, Applied Behavior Analysis and Autism I, Spring 2021 Syllabus SPOT
                    

                    BEHV 6810.704, Developing Behavior Analytic Expertise I, Spring 2021 
                    

                    HLSR 6950.048, Doctoral Dissertation, Spring 2021 
                    

                    BEHV 5820.704, Internship, Spring 2021 
                    

                    BEHV 5950.704, Master's Thesis, Spring 2021 
                    

                    BEHV 5815.704, Practicum, Spring 2021 
                    

                    BEHV 5900.704, Special Problems, Spring 2021 
                    

                    BEHV 6900.704, Special Problems, Spring 2021 
                    

                    BEHV 3660.001, Survey of Applied Behavior Analysis Literature, Spring 2021 Syllabus SPOT
                    

                    BEHV 3000.001, Applied Behavior Analysis and Autism I, Fall 2020  SPOT
                    

                    BEHV 6950.704, Doctoral Dissertation, Fall 2020 
                    

                    BEHV 5950.704, Master's Thesis, Fall 2020 
                    

                    BEHV 5815.704, Practicum, Fall 2020  SPOT
                    

                    BEHV 5900.704, Special Problems, Fall 2020 
                    

                    BEHV 6900.704, Special Problems, Fall 2020 
                    

                    BEHV 3660.001, Survey of Applied Behavior Analysis Literature, Fall 2020  SPOT
                    

                    BEHV 3000.001, Applied Behavior Analysis and Autism I, Spring 2020 Syllabus
                    

                    BEHV 6910.704, Developing Behavior Analytic Expertise II, Spring 2020 
                    

                    BEHV 5820.704, Internship, Spring 2020 
                    

                    BEHV 5950.704, Master's Thesis, Spring 2020 
                    

                    BEHV 4900.704, Special Problems, Spring 2020 
                    

                    BEHV 3000.001, Applied Behavior Analysis and Autism I, Fall 2019 Syllabus SPOT
                    

                    BEHV 6810.704, Developing Behavior Analytic Expertise I, Fall 2019 
                    

                    BEHV 5950.704, Master's Thesis, Fall 2019 Syllabus
                    

                    BEHV 5815.704, Practicum, Fall 2019 
                    

                    BEHV 4900.704, Special Problems, Fall 2019 
                    

                    BEHV 5250.001, Topics in Behavior Analysis, Fall 2019  SPOT
                    

                    BEHV 3000.001, Applied Behavior Analysis and Autism I, Spring 2019 Syllabus SPOT
                    

                    BEHV 4010.001, Functional Analysis and Problem Behavior, Spring 2019 Syllabus SPOT
                    

                    BEHV 5820.704, Internship, Spring 2019 
                    

                    BEHV 5950.704, Master's Thesis, Spring 2019 
                    

                    BEHV 4900.704, Special Problems, Spring 2019 
                    

                    BEHV 5900.704, Special Problems, Spring 2019 
                    

                    BEHV 3000.001, Applied Behavior Analysis and Autism I, Fall 2018 Syllabus SPOT
                    

                    BEHV 5820.704, Internship, Fall 2018 
                    

                    BEHV 5950.704, Master's Thesis, Fall 2018 
                    

                    BEHV 5815.704, Practicum, Fall 2018 
                    

                    BEHV 5250.001, Topics in Behavior Analysis, Fall 2018  SPOT
                    

                    BEHV 5950.704, Master's Thesis, Summer 5W2 2018 
                    

                    BEHV 3000.001, Applied Behavior Analysis and Autism I, Spring 2018 Syllabus SPOT
                    

                    BEHV 4010.001, Functional Analysis and Problem Behavior, Spring 2018 Syllabus SPOT
                    

                    BEHV 5820.704, Internship, Spring 2018 
                    

                    BEHV 5950.704, Master's Thesis, Spring 2018 
                    

                    BEHV 5815.704, Practicum, Spring 2018 
                    

                    BEHV 3000.001, Applied Behavior Analysis and Autism I, Fall 2017 Syllabus SPOT
                    

                    BEHV 4010.001, Functional Analysis and Problem Behavior, Fall 2017 Syllabus SPOT
                    

                    BEHV 5820.704, Internship, Fall 2017 
                    

                    BEHV 5950.704, Master's Thesis, Fall 2017 
                    

                    BEHV 5810.704, Practicum, Fall 2017 
                    

                    BEHV 5815.704, Practicum, Fall 2017 
                    

                    BEHV 5820.704, Internship, Summer 5W2 2017 
                    

                    BEHV 5950.704, Master's Thesis, Summer 5W1 2017 
                    

                    BEHV 3000.001, Applied Behavior Analysis and Autism I, Spring 2017 Syllabus SPOT
                    

                    BEHV 4010.001, Functional Analysis and Problem Behavior, Spring 2017 Syllabus SPOT
                    

                    BEHV 5950.704, Master's Thesis, Spring 2017 
                    

                    BEHV 5815.704, Practicum, Spring 2017 
                    

                    BEHV 5950.704, Master's Thesis, Fall 2016 
                    

                    BEHV 5810.704, Practicum, Fall 2016 
                    

                    BEHV 5820.704, Internship, Summer 5W1 2016 
                    

                    BEHV 5950.704, Master's Thesis, Summer 5W1 2016 
                    

                    BEHV 5950.704, Master's Thesis, Summer 5W2 2016 
                    

                    BEHV 5810.704, Practicum, Summer 5W1 2016 
                    

                    BEHV 4900.704, Special Problems, Summer 5W1 2016 
                    

                    BEHV 3000.001, Applied Behavior Analysis and Autism I, Spring 2016 Syllabus SPOT
                    

                    BEHV 5029.001, Autism 2: ABA Research & Practice. 3 hours, Spring 2016  SPOT
                    

                    BEHV 4010.001, Functional Analysis and Problem Behavior, Spring 2016 Syllabus SPOT
                    

                    BEHV 5820.704, Internship, Spring 2016 
                    

                    BEHV 5950.704, Master's Thesis, Spring 2016 
                    

                    BEHV 5810.704, Practicum, Spring 2016 
                    

                    BEHV 5900.704, Special Problems, Spring 2016 
                    

                    BEHV 3000.001, Applied Behavior Analysis and Autism I, Fall 2015 Syllabus SPOT
                    

                    BEHV 5028.001, Autism 1: Conceptual/Methodological Issues in ABA, Fall 2015  SPOT
                    

                    BEHV 5950.704, Master's Thesis, Fall 2015 
                    

                    BEHV 5815.704, Practicum, Fall 2015 
                    

                    BEHV 5900.704, Special Problems, Fall 2015 
                    

                    BEHV 5820.704, Internship, Summer 5W1 2015  SPOT
                    

                    BEHV 5950.704, Master's Thesis, Summer 5W2 2015 
                    

                    BEHV 5950.704, Master's Thesis, Summer 5W1 2015 
                    

                    BEHV 5815.704, Practicum, Summer 5W1 2015 
                    

                    BEHV 5900.704, Special Problems, Summer 5W2 2015 
                    

                    BEHV 5900.704, Special Problems, Summer 5W1 2015 
                    

                    BEHV 3000.001, Applied Behavior Analysis and Autism I, Spring 2015 Syllabus
                    

                    BEHV 5029.001, Autism 2: ABA Research & Practice. 3 hours, Spring 2015 
                    

                    BEHV 4010.001, Functional Analysis and Problem Behavior, Spring 2015 Syllabus
                    

                    BEHV 5950.704, Master's Thesis, Spring 2015 
                    

                    BEHV 5810.704, Practicum, Spring 2015 
                    

                    BEHV 5815.704, Practicum, Spring 2015 
                    

                    BEHV 4900.704, Special Problems, Spring 2015 
                    

                    BEHV 3000.001, Applied Behavior Analysis and Autism I, Fall 2014 Syllabus
                    

                    BEHV 5028.001, Autism 1: Conceptual/Methodological Issues in ABA, Fall 2014 
                    

                    BEHV 5820.704, Internship, Fall 2014 
                    

                    BEHV 5950.704, Master's Thesis, Fall 2014 
                    

                    BEHV 5815.704, Practicum, Fall 2014 
                    

                    BEHV 5900.704, Special Problems, Fall 2014 
                    

                    BEHV 5820.704, Internship, Summer 5W1 2014 
                    

                    BEHV 5950.704, Master's Thesis, Summer 5W1 2014 
                    

                    BEHV 5810.704, Practicum, Summer 5W1 2014 
                    

                    BEHV 5900.704, Special Problems, Summer 5W2 2014 
                    

                    BEHV 3000.001, Applied Behavior Analysis and Autism I, Spring 2014 Syllabus
                    

                    BEHV 4000.001, Applied Behavior Analysis and Autism II, Spring 2014 Syllabus
                    

                    BEHV 5029.001, Autism 2: ABA Research & Practice. 3 hours, Spring 2014 
                    

                    BEHV 4010.001, Functional Analysis and Problem Behavior, Spring 2014 Syllabus
                    

                    BEHV 5950.704, Master's Thesis, Spring 2014 
                    

                    BEHV 5810.704, Practicum, Spring 2014 
                    

                    BEHV 5815.704, Practicum, Spring 2014 
                    

                    BEHV 4900.704, Special Problems, Spring 2014 
                    

                    BEHV 5900.704, Special Problems, Spring 2014 
                    

                    BEHV 3000.001, Applied Behavior Analysis and Autism I, Fall 2013 Syllabus
                    

                    BEHV 5028.001, Autism 1: Conceptual/Methodological Issues in ABA, Fall 2013 
                    

                    BEHV 5950.704, Master's Thesis, Fall 2013 
                    

                    BEHV 5815.704, Practicum, Fall 2013 
                    

                    BEHV 5900.704, Special Problems, Fall 2013 
                    

                    BEHV 5820.704, Internship, Summer 5W2 2013 
                    

                    BEHV 5950.704, Master's Thesis, Summer 5W1 2013 
                    

                    BEHV 5810.704, Practicum, Summer 5W1 2013 
                    

                    BEHV 5810.704, Practicum, Summer 5W2 2013 
                    

                    BEHV 5815.704, Practicum, Summer 5W2 2013 
                    

                    BEHV 5815.704, Practicum, Summer 5W1 2013 
                    

                    BEHV 5900.704, Special Problems, Summer 5W1 2013 
                    

                    BEHV 3000.001, Applied Behavior Analysis and Autism I, Spring 2013 Syllabus
                    

                    BEHV 4000.001, Applied Behavior Analysis and Autism II, Spring 2013 Syllabus
                    

                    BEHV 5029.001, Autism 2: ABA Research & Practice. 3 hours, Spring 2013 
                    

                    BEHV 5950.704, Master's Thesis, Spring 2013 
                    

                    BEHV 5815.704, Practicum, Spring 2013 
                    

                    BEHV 4900.704, Special Problems, Spring 2013 
                    

                    BEHV 5900.704, Special Problems, Spring 2013 
                    

                    BEHV 3000.001, Applied Behavior Analysis and Autism I, Fall 2012 Syllabus
                    

                    BEHV 5815.704, Practicum, Fall 2012 

          


          
*
  Texas Education Code 51.974 (HB 2504) requires each institution of
  higher education to make available to the public, a syllabus for
  undergraduate lecture courses offered for credit by the institution.
  

        

      

    

  

  
  	

	

	  

		

		   
Published Publications



  

  
Published Intellectual Contributions


  
Book Chapter
Ala'i-Rosales, S. S., Toussaint, K. A., McGee, G. G. (2017). Incidental teaching: Happy progress. Handbook of Social Skills and Autism Spectrum Disorder. 171--185. Springer. 
Tiger, J. H., Toussaint, K. A., Kliebert, M. L. (2009). Rituals and stereotypies. Applied behavior analysis for children with autism spectrum disorders. 145--155. Springer. 
Journal Article
Laddaga Gavidia, V., Bergmann, S., Toussaint, K. A. (2022). The Use of Instructive Feedback to Promote Emergent Verbal Responses: A Replication. The Analysis of Verbal Behavior. 38, 95-120. 
Bergmann, S., Toussaint, K. A., Niland, H., Sansing, E. M., Armshaw, G., Baltazar, M.  (2021). Adapting Direct Services for Telehealth: A Practical Tutorial. Behavior Analysis in Practice. 14, 1010-1046. Springer. 
Northgrave, J., Vladescu, J. C., DeBar, R. M., Toussaint, K. A., Schnell, L. K. (2019). Reinforcer Choice on Skill Acquisition for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: a Systematic Replication. Behavior Analysis in Practice. 12, 401–406. Springer International Publishing. 
Toussaint, K. A., Scheithauer, M. C., Tiger, J. H., Saunders, K. J. (2017). Teaching identity matching of braille characters to beginning braille readers. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis. 50(2), 278--289. Wiley Online Library. 
Doan, D., Toussaint, K. A. (2017). A Parent-Oriented Approach to Rapid Toilet Training.. Other. 9(2), 473--486. ERIC. 
Toussaint, K. A., Kodak, T., Vladescu, J. C. (2016). An evaluation of choice on instructional efficacy and individual preferences among children with autism. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis. 49(1), 170--175. Wiley Online Library. 
Callahan, K. J., Hughes, H. L., Mehta, S., Toussaint, K. A., Nichols, S. M., Ma, P. S., Kutlu, M., Wang, H.  (2016). Social Validity of Evidence-Based Practices and Emerging Interventions in Autism. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities. 1088357616632446. SAGE Publications Sage CA: Los Angeles, CA. 
Kodak, T., Clements, A., Paden, A. R., LeBlanc, B., Mintz, J., Toussaint, K. A. (2015). Examination of the relation between an assessment of skills and performance on auditory--visual conditional discriminations for children with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis. 48(1), 52--70. Wiley Online Library. 
Fisher, W. W., Pawich, T. L., Dickes, N., Paden, A. R., Toussaint, K. A. (2014). Increasing the saliency of behavior--consequence relations for children with autism who exhibit persistent errors. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis. 47(4), 738--748. Wiley Online Library. 
Toussaint, K. A., Tiger, J. H. (2012). Reducing covert self-injurious behavior maintained by automatic reinforcement through a variable momentary DRO procedure. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis. 45(1), 179--184. Wiley Online Library. 
Kliebert, M. L., Tiger, J. H., Toussaint, K. A. (2011). An approach to identifying the conditions under which response interruption will reduce automatically reinforced problem behavior. Behavior Analysis in Practice. 4(1), 17--26. Springer. 
Toussaint, K. A., Tiger, J. H. (2010). Teaching early braille literacy skills within a stimulus equivalence paradigm to children with degenerative visual impairments. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis. 43(2), 181--194. Wiley Online Library. 
Tiger, J. H., Fisher, W. W., Toussaint, K. A., Kodak, T.  (2009). Progressing from initially ambiguous functional analyses: Three case examples. Research in Developmental Disabilities. 30(5), 910--926. Elsevier. 
Toussaint, K. A. (2009). Teaching Level-1 Braille Reading Skills within a Stimulus Equivalence Paradigm to Children with Progressive Visual Impairments. 



	
		
		
	  

	

	

  
    
	

	

	  

		

		   
Awarded Grants



  
  
  	  
          
Contracts, Grants and Sponsored Research  

 	 
	 	 
  
Contract   
Bergmann, S. (Co-Principal), Toussaint, K. A. (Co-Principal), "Department of Behavior Analysis Training and Research: Autism Intervention Laboratory Classroom," Sponsored by UNT Kristin Farmer Autism Center, University of North Texas, $103200 Funded. (September 11, 2019 – Present).
Grant - Research   
Bergmann, S., Schafer, E. C. (Co-Principal), Vaidya, M. (Co-Principal), Toussaint, K. A. (Co-Principal), Mathews, L. (Co-Principal), "Evaluating Hearing Screening Procedures for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Comparing Conventional Methods to an iPad® Device and Exploring the Utility of Behavioral Supports," Sponsored by UNT Research Seed Grant (RSG), University of North Texas, $9000 Funded. (2021 – Present).
Grant - Service   
Callahan, K. (Principal), Nichols, S. (Co-Principal), Toussaint, K. A. (Co-Principal), "Focused ABA Services for 28 Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder," Sponsored by Texas Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services (DARS), State, $167400 Funded. (August 2015 – August 2019).



	
		
		
	  

	

	

	
	

  
  
  

  	

		

		,  
			
				

					
					Overall
Summative Rating		
					Challenge and
Engagement Index		
					Response Rate
					
				

			
			
				

					
					
out of 5		
					
out of 7		
					%
 of 
students responded		
					
					
				

			
		


		
    
			
  • Overall Summative Rating (median):
    
			This rating represents the combined responses of students to the four global summative items and is presented to provide an overall index of the class’s quality. Overall summative statements include the following (response options include a Likert scale ranging from 5 = Excellent, 3 = Good, and 1= Very poor):
				
      
					
    • The course as a whole was
      • 
					
    • The course content was
      • 
					
    • The instructor’s contribution to the course was
      • 
					
    • The instructor’s effectiveness in teaching the subject matter was
      • 
				
    
			
    • 
			
  • Challenge and Engagement Index:
    
			This rating combines student responses to several SPOT items relating to how academically challenging students found the course to be and how engaged they were. Challenge and Engagement Index items include the following (response options include a Likert scale ranging from 7 = Much higher, 4 = Average, and 1 = Much lower):
				
      
					
    • Do you expect your grade in this course to be
      • 
					
    • The intellectual challenge presented was
      • 
					
    • The amount of effort you put into this course was
      • 
					
    • The amount of effort to succeed in this course was
      • 
					
    • Your involvement in course (doing assignments, attending classes, etc.) was
      • 
				
    
			
    • 
		

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