Margaret Gifford

Biography

Dr. Margaret Gifford received her bachelor’s degree from Drake University, master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee, and doctoral degree from Marquette University. She is a board-certified and licensed behavior analyst in the state of Louisiana. Dr. Gifford specializes in the assessment and treatment of severe problem behavior, primarily working with children diagnosed with intellectual and developmental disabilities. She is also passionate about education and training in behavior analysis. Dr. Gifford’s research interests lie primarily in improving the assessment and treatment of severe problem behavior, visual analysis of single-subject data, choice making, behavior analytic training models, and staff and caregiver training.

Degrees

Selected Publications

Kastner, K.M., Tiger, J.T., Lillie, M.A. & Gifford, M.R. (2022, accepted for publication). A Comparison of Fixed and Incrementing Reinforcement Durations during Schedule Thinning for Individuals with Escape Maintained Problem Behavior. Education and Treatment of Children.

Gifford, M.R., Drifke M.A, Tiger, J.T., & Caldwell, R.K. (2022) Shifting preferences for choice-making opportunities through histories of differential reinforcer immediacy. Psychological Record 72, 25–31. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40732-020-00452-9

Sumter, M. E., Gifford, M. R., Tiger, J. H., Effertz, H. E., & Fulton, C. J. (2020) Providing noncontingent, alternative, functional reinforcers during delays following Functional Communication Training. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis. 53, 2319-2329. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaba.708

Tiger, J. H., Caldwell, R. K., & Gifford, M. R. (2020). Self-injurious Behavior. In S. Hupp and J. Jewell (Eds.) Encyclopedia of child and adolescent development. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley and sons. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119171492.wecad092

Drifke, M. A., Tiger, J. H., & Gifford, M. R. (2019). Shifting preferences for choice-making opportunities through histories of differential reinforcer quality. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 52, 227-239. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaba.515