Henry Roane, PhD, is the Liptak Professor of Child Development in the Department of Pediatrics at SUNY Upstate Medical University.
Dr. Roane received his PhD in psychology from Louisiana State University and completed additional training in behavioral psychology at the Kennedy Krieger Institute.
Tell us a bit about your background: What is your area of research? What is your most recent journal-editing experience?
Broadly speaking, my research is related to developing novel treatments for challenging behavior displayed by individuals with developmental disabilities. This research involves the application of principles of applied behavior analysis (ABA).
I have been an associate editor for three journals in my field (Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, Behavior Analysis in Practice, and Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities).
I have also edited one reprint series and two texts, with a third text in preparation.
Briefly, what are your main priorities? For example, how will you grow readership, what type of scholarship would you like to see in the journal, and what kind of content are you hoping to attract?
I see a good opportunity to capitalize on some very strong research that, for a number of reasons, might not make it into other journals in my field. We need to have additional outlets for strong behavior analytic research both to disseminate that research but also to make other subspecialties aware of that research.
Toward that end, I have recruited board members and selected article types that I think can increase the journal as a viable outlet.
For example, I plan on having a Perspectives piece in each issue that will involve a behavior analytic researcher co-authoring a paper with a researcher from another area. This will inform behavior analysts about technologies they might be unfamiliar with while also informing other researchers that there is an outlet that is interested in the application of their technologies.
In terms of the type of scholarship, the main focus will be on research studies that employ single-case research designs and visual inspection of data. Of course, the journal will be open to other analytic methods provided the content of the submission is suitable to the aims of the journal.
I will also seek to publish brief reports, as I see this type of article as a great outlet for strong clinically focused research.
Why is this journal important for the field? What is its relevance to society/public health? What are the hot issues in your area right now?
I think that there is a market for a journal that produces high quality ABA research, good editorial feedback, and a quick turnaround for authors. Given the societal concern of many problems addressed by ABA (e.g., treating symptoms of autism spectrum disorders), this journal can have some significance for disseminating research on important clinical issues.
Although I view this clinical focus as being the main thrust of the journal, an important underpinning of ABA research is its link to underlying conceptual systems, many of which derive from laboratory research. For this reason, the journal will welcome articles that describe translational research approaches to areas of interest for the readership.
What challenges, if any, lie ahead for the field?
The field runs a risk of being a bit insular. Also, there tends to be a tight focus on a handful of health conditions. I think it is important to focus on involving other research methods, other fields, and other targets of our work.
Also, our field — like many others — runs a risk of only publishing studies that present "positive" outcomes. There is an inherent risk of bias in publishing such research.
Do you have plans for a special issue or changes to the editorial process? Are you making any changes?
I have made some changes to broaden the types of articles that will be published. I've also named roughly 30 individuals to the editorial board.
My goal is to get the review process to 4 weeks: 3 weeks for the reviewers to comment and one week for the associate editor to submit a decision. Ideally, we can drive up submissions toward a goal of increasing the number of issues published yearly.
Editor Spotlight features interviews with the newly-appointed editors of APA Journals.
APA Journals produces an array of scholarly journals that cover the spectrum of modern psychology and feature the latest research in the field.
Behavioral Development informs the field of life-span developmental psychology by taking a behavioral analytic approach, including research in cognitive and emotional development, developmental theory, socialization, education, and speech-language pathology.