Bio

Tonya N. Davis, Ph.D., is a Professor of Educational Psychology, specializing in Special Education and Applied Behavior Analysis. Dr. Davis received her Ph.D. in Special Education with a Specialization in Autism and Developmental Disabilities from the University of Texas at Austin and her B.S. in Special Education and M.S.Ed. in Educational Psychology from Baylor University. Dr. Davis is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst-Doctoral Level (BCBA-D). She currently serves as the Coordinator of the Special Education Undergraduate Program, the Master's in Educational Psychology with Concentration in ABA programs, and the Ph.D. in Educational Psychology program. She also serves as Graduate Program Director for Educational Psychology. Prior to joining the faculty, she was a special education teacher and in-home applied behavior analysis therapist.

Dr. Davis’s research interests involve applied behavior analysis and developmental disabilities, such as autism. The primary focus of her research involves the treatment of severe challenging behavior among individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Within this line of work, she conducts research on communication interventions and teaching strategies for children with autism and related disorders.  Additionally, her research includes identification of best practices in teaching other professionals, such as teachers and behavior analysts to implement evidence-based practices.   Her applied research is predominantly conducted at Baylor CARE and in public schools.

Her work, which she routinely presents at national meetings, has appear in such prestigious journals as Developmental Neurorehabilitiation, Behavioral Interventions, Behavior Analysis in Practice, Education and Training in Autism and Developmental Disabilities, and Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. Dr. Davis currently serves on the Editorial Board of Behavior Modification and as an Associate Editor for Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities as well as the Journal of Behavioral Education.

She currently teaches courses in the special education undergraduate teacher education program as well as courses in the master’s and doctoral applied behavior analysis specialization. In 2014, Dr. Davis was selected as a Baylor Fellow and in 2022 she was awarded with the Baylor University Outstanding Faculty in Scholarship, Tenured.

Degrees (3)

M.S.Ed.
2004
Baylor University
Waco, Texas

B.S. in Special Education
2002
Baylor University
Waco, Texas

Ph.D. in Special Education
2008
Univertisty of Texas, Austin
Austin, Texas

Certifications (3)

Board Certified Behavior Analyst-Doctoral (BCBA-D)
2006

Teacher Certification: Generic Special Education
2002

Elementary Self-Contained Grades 1 - 8
2002

Research Interests (2)

Improving Communication Among Individuals with Developmental Disabilities

Treatment of Challenging Behavior Among Individuals with Developmental Disabilities

Expertise (5)

Special Education

Developmental Disabilities

Behavior Management

Autism Spectrum Disorders

Applied Behavior Analysis

Select Publications (5)

Chelation Treatment for Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Systematic Review

Dr. Tonya N. Davis, associate professor, published Chelation Treatment for Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Systematic Review in Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, Vol. 7, p. 49-55, 2013, with co-author(s) Dr. Mark O'Reilly, University of Texas at Austin, Soyeon Kang, University of Texas at Austin, Russ Lang, Texas State University, Mandy Rispoli, Purdue University, Jeff Sigafoos, Victoria University at Wellington, Daelynn Copeland, Shanna Attai, and Austin Mulloy, Penn State University.

Reduction of Automatically Maintained Self-injurious Behavior Utilizing Noncontingent Matched Stimuli

Dr. Tonya N. Davis, associate professor, published Reduction of Automatically Maintained Self-injurious Behavior Utilizing Noncontingent Matched Stimuli in Developmental Neurorehabilitation, Vol. 16, p. 166-171, 2014, with co-author(s) Sharon Dacus, Erica Strickland, Wendy Machalicek, University of Oregon, and Laura Coviello.

Examination of Systematic Durations of Presession Reinforcer Access on Functional Communication Training

Dr. Tonya N. Davis, associate professor, published Examination of Systematic Durations of Presession Reinforcer Access on Functional Communication Training in Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities, Vol. 26, p. 263-270, 2013, with co-author(s) Lisa Fuentes, and Shannon Durand.

Effects of a School-based Functional Analysis on Subsequent Classroom Behaviors

Tonya N. Davis, associate professor, published Effects of a School-based Functional Analysis on Subsequent Classroom Behaviors in Education and Treatment of Children, Vol. 37, p. 95-110, 2014, with co-author(s) Shannon Durand, Lisa Fuentes, Sharon Dacus, and Kara Huss.

A Review and Treatment Selection Model for Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Who Engage in Inappropriate Sexual Behavior

Dr. Tonya N. Davis, associate professor, published A Review and Treatment Selection Model for Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Who Engage in Inappropriate Sexual Behavior in Behavior Analysis in Practice, Vol. 9, p. 389-402, 2016, with co-author(s) Dr. Wendy Machalicek, University of Oregon, Dr. Rachel Scalzo, Alicia Kobylecky, doctoral student, Vincent Campbell, University of Oregon, Dr. Sarah Pinkelman, Utah State University, Dr. Jeff Chan, Northern Illinois University, and Dr. Jeff Sigafoos, Victoria University of Wellington.

Affiliations (3)

Texas Association for Behavior Analysis

Council for Exceptional Children

Association of Behavior Analysis International