Kendra Thomson

Associate Professor

Ph.D., BCBA-D

kthomson@brocku.ca

Thomson Lab Website

Dr. Kendra Thomson will be accepting students for 2022.

Dr. Kendra Thomson is an Associate Professor in the Department of Applied Disability Studies at Brock University and a Doctoral-level Board Certified Behaviour Analyst (BCBA-D). Kendra earned her Ph.D. in Psychology with specialization in Applied Behaviour Analysis from the University of Manitoba in 2011. She completed a post-doctoral fellowship in the Developmental Disabilities and Mental Health lab at York University in 2013 before being hired at Brock in 2014. Kendra began conducting applied clinical research in 2002 with adults with developmental disabilities. She has experience working in various clinical and research settings with people across the lifespan.

If you are interested in volunteering in the Thomson lab, please email Dr. Thomson, (kthomson@brocku.ca).

Sex Offending Behavior of Persons with an Intellectual Disability

Dorothy Griffiths, Kendra Thomson, Stephanie Ioannou, Jordan Hoath and Robin Wilson

The treatment of sexual offending behavior in persons with an intellectual disability is fraught with challenges.  Behavior analysts are typically the first professionals called on to consult to these cases.  However, effective and ethical treatment is an intersection of three divergent fields – all of which are necessary in order o support successful intervention; the field of intellectual disability, the field of forensics and treatment of persons who have sexually offended, and the field o applied behavioral analysis.  In this book, the authors have developed an integrated functional approach in which these components coalesce to form a dynamic model for assessment and treatment.

Order online – ALL proceeds to benefit Brock University – The Susan Tough Award!

Research Interests

Dr. Thomson conducts community-based research that focuses broadly on translating evidence based behavioural strategies to empower care providers, professionals, and people with developmental disabilities and their families to increase independence and improve quality of life. Kendra joined the Azrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre as a Clinician Scientist in 2019 and is building further collaborations between CAMH and Brock.

Publications and Collections

  • Magnacca, C., Thomson, K. Marcinkiewicz, A., Davis, S., Steel, L., Lunsky, Y.  Fung, K., Vause, T., & Redquest, B. (accepted). A telecommunication model to train mediators to facilitate Acceptance and Commitment Training. Behaviour Analysis in Practice, https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-021-00628-x
  • Lunsky, L., Bobette, N., Abou Chacra, M., Wang, W., Zhao, H., Thomson, K., Hamdani, Y. (2021). Predictors of worker mental health in intellectual disability services during COVID-19. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities. Early View: https://doi.org/10.1111/jar.12892
  • Magnacca, C., Thomson, K., & Marcinkiewicz, A. (2021). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for caregivers of children with neurodevelopmental disabilities: A systematic review. Current Developmental Disorders Reports, 8, 152-160. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40474-021-00228-y
  • Davis, S., Thomson, K., & Magnacca, C., (2020). Evaluation of a caregiver training program to teach help-seeking behavior to children with autism spectrum disorder. International Journal of Developmental Disabilities, 66(5), 348-357 https://doi.org/10.1080/20473869.2020.1812144
  • Zonneveld, K., Ennett, T., & Thomson, K., Vause, T., & Ditor, D. (2020). Assessment of the effectiveness of teaching with acoustical guidance (TAG) for teaching yoga poses to beginner and intermediate yoga practitioners. Journal of Applied Behaviour Analysis, 53(1), 222-236.
  • Davis, S., Thomson, K., & Connolly, M. (2019). Evaluation of behavioural skills training with volunteers teaching motor skills to individuals with developmental disabilities. Behavioral Interventions, 9(34), 431–450. https://doi.org/10.1002/bin.1688
  • Zonneveld, K., Ennett, T., & Thomson, K., Vause, T., & Ditor, D. (2019).Assessment of the effectiveness of teaching with acoustical guidance (TAG) for teaching yoga poses to beginner and intermediate yoga practitioners. Journal of Applied Behaviour Analysis. Online early view: https://doi.org/10.1002/jaba.550   
  • Weiss, J. A. Thomson, K., Burnham-Riosa, P., Albaum, C., Chan, V., Maughan, A., Tablon, P., Black, K. (2018). A randomized controlled trial of cognitive behaviour therapy for emotion regulation in children with autism. Journal of Child Psychology & Psychiatry. Available online: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/jcpp.12915
  • Hassan, M., Simpson, A., Danaher, K., Haesen, J., Makela, T., & Thomson, K. (2018) An evaluation of behavioural skills training for teaching caregivers how to support social skill development in their child with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 48(6), pp 1957–1970.
  • Hassan, M., Thomson, K. M., Khan, M., Burnham Riosa, P., & Weiss, J. A. (2017). Behavioural skills training for graduate students providing cognitive behaviour therapy to children with autism spectrum disorder. Behaviour Analysis: Research and Practice, 17(2), 155-165.
  • Tint A., Thomson K., & Weiss J.A. (2016). A systematic literature review of the physical and psychosocial correlates of Special Olympics participation among individuals with intellectual disability. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research doi:10.1111/jir.12295.
  • Thomson, K., Burnham Riosa, P., & Weiss, J. (2015). Brief report of preliminary outcomes of an emotion regulation intervention for children with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. DOI 10.1007/s10803-015-2446-1
  • Zaragoza Scherman, A., Thomson, K., Boris, A., Dodson, L., Pear, J., & Martin, G. (2015).  Online Training of Discrete-Trials Teaching (DTT) for Educating Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Preliminary Study. Journal on Developmental Disabilities, 21, 22-33.
  • Weiss, J., Thomson, K., & Chan, L. (2014). A systematic literature review of emotion regulation in individuals with autism spectrum disorders. Autism Research, 7(6), 629-648.
  • Walters, K. & Thomson, K. (2013). The history of behaviour analysis in Manitoba: A Canadian Province with many contributions. The Behaviour Analyst, 36(1), 57-72.
  • Wightman, J., Boris, A., Thomson, K., Martin, G. L., Fazzio, D., & Yu, C. T. (2012). Evaluation of a self-instructional package for teaching tutors to conduct discrete-trials teaching with children with autism. Journal on Developmental Disabilities, 18(3), 33-43.
  • Thomson, K., Martin, G. L., Fazzio, D., Salem, S., Young, K., & Yu, C. T. (2012). Evaluation of a self-instructional package for teaching tutors to conduct discrete-trials teaching. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 6, 1073 – 1082.
  • Young, K. L., Boris, A. L., Thomson, K. M., Martin, G. L., & Yu, C. T. (2012). Evaluation of a self-instructional package on discrete-trials teaching to parents of children with autism. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 6, 1321-1330.
  • MacPherson, L. F., Sousa, C. G. P., Thomson, K., M., Martin, T. L., Salem, S., Martin, G. L., & Yu, C. T. (2011). Does the Assessment of Basic Learning Abilities predict four-choice discrimination learning for persons with developmental disabilities? Journal on Developmental Disabilities, 17, 38-46.
  • Jeanson, B., Thiessen, C., Thomson, K., Vermeulen, R., Martin, G. L., & Yu, C. T. (2010). Field testing of the Discrete Trials Teaching Evaluation Form. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 4, 718-723.
  • Salem. S., Fazzio, D., Arnal, L., Fregeau, P., Thomson, K., Martin, G. L., & Yu, C. T. (2009). A self-instructional package for teaching university students to conduct discrete-trials teaching with children with autism. Journal on Developmental Disabilities, 15, 21-29.
  • Thomson, K., Martin, G. L., Arnal, L., Fazzio, D., & Yu, C. T. (2009). Instructing individuals to deliver discrete-trials teaching to children with autism spectrum disorders: A review. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 3(3), 590-606.
  • Babel, D., Martin, G. L., Fazzio, D., Arnal, L., & Thomson, K. (2008). Assessment of reliability and validity of the discrete-trials teaching evaluation form. Developmental Disabilities Bulletin, 36, 67-80.

Book Chapters

  • Munno, R., Thomson, K., & Pear, J. (in press). History of Applied Behaviour Analysis. In J. L. Matson, & P. Sturmey (Eds). International Handbook of Autism And Pervasive Developmental Disorders. Springer Nature: Switzerland.
  • Condillac, R., & Thomson K. (2020). Teaching Adaptive Behaviour to People with Developmental Disabilities. In I. Brown, & M. Percy (Eds), Developmental disabilities in Ontario (4th ed.). Toronto, ON: Delphi Graphic Communications. 447-463
  • Brown, R., Thomson K., & Davis, S. (2020). Roles and training of disability personnel. In I. Brown, & M. Percy (Eds), Developmental disabilities in Ontario (4th ed.). Toronto, ON: Delphi Graphic Communications. 545-571
  • Wilson, R. Ioannou, S. & Thomson, K. (2019). Using a multicomponent model in the assessment of persons with intellectual disabilities and problems in sexual behaviour. In W. R. Lindsay, L. A. Craig, & D. M. Griffiths (Eds.), The Wiley Handbook on What Works for Offenders with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: An Evidenced‐Based Approach to Theory, Assessment, and Treatment, First Edition (pp. 239-260). New Jersey, USA: John Wiley & Sons
  • Thomson, K., Walters, K., Martin, G. L., & Yu, C. T. (2011). Treatments for adaptive and social skills. In J. L. Matson & P. Sturmey (Eds.) International Handbook of Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disabilities (pp. 339-354). New York: Springer Publishing Company.
  • Martin, G. L., & Thomson, K. (2011).  Overview of behavioral sport psychology. In J. K. Luiselli & D. D. Reed (Eds.). Behavioral Sport Psychology: Evidence-Based Approaches to Performance Enhancement (pp. 3-21). New York: Springer.

Graduate Students

  • Current Graduate Students
    • Kirsten Young
    • Sarah Bernier
    • Amanda McDonald
  • Past Graduate Students
    • Carly Magnacca
    • Amanda Marcinkiewicz