Associate Professor
Dr. Thomson is interested in supervising new graduate students in Fall 2026, pending departmental supervision allocations.
Kendra Thomson, PhD, RBA (Ont.), BCBA-D, is an Associate Professor at Brock University and part-time Scientist at the Azrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. She completed her PhD in Psychology at the University of Manitoba. Before joining Brock in 2014, she completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the Developmental Disabilities and Mental Health Lab at York University.
Drawing on over 20 years of clinical and applied research experience, Kendra’s community-engaged work focuses on strengthening supports for people with neurodevelopmental differences and those who support them, including families, caregivers, staff, and service systems. She has authored more than 50 peer-reviewed publications, 140 conference proceedings, and one book on applied behaviour analysis, evidence-based training, Acceptance and Commitment Training, and approaches that center lived experience.
Kendra’s leadership has been recognized through several honours, including the Association of Professional Behavior Analysts’ Jerry Shook Award for her contributions to professional regulation efforts in Ontario and the Ontario Association for Behaviour Analysis Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Award. She has served on the boards of the Manitoba and Ontario Associations for Behaviour Analysis, including as president of the latter, and currently serves as an invited advisor to the Cambridge Centre for Behavioral Studies. Across her clinical, research, teaching, and advocacy work, Kendra aims to promote inclusive, ethical, and evidence-informed systems of support. Outside of work, she enjoys time with her family, yoga, and gardening.
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.
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.
(Selected publications; underlined = trainees)
Selick, A., Mishra, S., Man, L., Steel, L., Lunsky, Y., Magnacca, C., Penner, M., Weiss, J., Bobbette, N., Thomson, K., Fung, K., & Lake, J. (in press). Community implementation of a clinician and caregiver co-led program to promote the wellbeing of family caregivers of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities
Burnham Riosa, P., Robertson, T., Malkin, A., Mullins, L. Thomson, K., Layle, P., Neil, N., Lee, G. T. (in press). Community insights on Autistic self-advocates’ perspectives and experiences regarding ABA. Behavior Analysis in Practice
Man, L., L. Y., Dahary, H., Mishra, S., Magnacca, C., Steel, C., Lunsky, Y., Porthukaran, A., Siu, J., Bobbette, N., Redquest, B., Thomson, K., Penner, M., Weiss, J., Lake, J. & Fung, K. P. L. (2026). “I am not alone”: Evaluating the effectiveness and acceptability of a virtual adaptation of Acceptance and Commitment Training for caregivers of people with disabilities. JMIR Formative Research, 10, e86205. https://doi.org/10.2196/86205
Fung, K., Lunsky, Y., Thomson, K., Steel, L., Mishra, S., Siu, J., Bobbette, N., Weiss, J., Penner, M., Niel, U., Chopamba, D., Phillips, S., Sellick, A., Redquest, B., & Lake, J. (2025). Acceptance and Commitment Training for family caregivers of people with neurodevelopmental disabilities: Protocol for a collaborative implementation study. JMIR Research Protocols, 14, e75049. https://doi.org/10.2196/75049
Axenova, K., Malkin, A., & Thomson K. (2026). The feasibility of online self-guided Acceptance and Commitment Therapy training for intellectual & developmental disability support staff: A pilot investigation. Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1080/01608061.2025.2609552
Thomson, K., Davis, S., Bernier, S., Magnacca, C., Noone, S., & Lunsky, Y. (2025). Virtual Acceptance and Commitment Training to promote well-being of staff supporting adults with intellectual disabilities: A feasibility study. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 38(3), e70058. https://doi.org/10.1111/jar.70058
Feldman, M., Cappon, A., Corbier, K., Caruana, V., Laronde, M., & Thomson, K. (2025). Effectiveness of the Step-by-Step Parenting Program for expectant parents with intellectual disabilities. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 38(2) e70034. https://doi.org/10.1111/jar.70034
Ibrahim, A., Lee, V., Vashi, N., Roudary, F., Tablon, P., Pouyandeh, A., Sellitto, T., Ameis, S. H., Elkader, A., Gray, K. M., Kerns, C. M., Lai, M.-C., Lake, J., Thomson, K., & Weiss, J. A. (2025). Parent outcomes following participation in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for autistic children in a community setting: Parent mental health, mindful parenting and parenting practices. Autism Research, 18(3), 570–582. http://doi.org/10.1002/aur.70001
Busch, L, Thomson, K., Yakorennio Powless-Lynes, M., Ng, O., & Spiker, S. (2025). Towards ethical spaces of engagement in behavior analysis. Behavior and Social Issues. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42822-024-00194-1
Tarzi, G., Thakur, A., Bobbette, N., Pilatzke, M., Lefkowitz, G., Thomson, K., Thatcher, A., Hasan, S., Fogle. A., Blake, M., Hines, A., & Lunsky, Y. (2024). Evaluation of an interprofessional educational intervention in mental health and intellectual and developmental disability for health professional trainees. Academic Psychiatry, 48, 581–586.https://doi.org/10.1007/s40596-024-02063-w
Lee, V., Vashi, N., Roudbarani, F., Modica Tablon, P., Pouyandeh, A., Sellitto, T., Ibrahim, A., Ameis, S. H., Elkader, A., Gray, K. M., Kerns, C. M., Lai, M-C., Lake, J., Thomson K. & Weiss, J (2024). Utility of a virtual small group cognitive behaviour therapy program for autistic children during the pandemic: Evidence from a community-based implementation study. BMC Health Services Research, 24(1), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-024-11033-9
Thakur, A., Bobbette, N., Bond, V., Gonzales, A., Lake, J., Lefkowitz, G., Mia, N., Niel, U., Socklingam, S., Streisslberger, E., Thomson, K., Volpe, T., & Lunsky, Y. (2024). Bridging the gap: A national virtual education program for professionals caring for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities at the time of COVID-19. BJPsychOpen, 10, e130. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjo.2024.67
Lake, J., Fung, K., Steel, L., Magnacca, C., Cardiff, K., Thomson, K., Bobbette, N., Redquest, B., Bailey, S., & Lunsky, Y. (2024). The experiences of family caregiver and clinician facilitators implementing a co-delivered acceptance and commitment training (ACT) intervention. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, 33, 100780 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcbs.2024.100780
Lin, E., Malhas, M., Bratsalis, E., Thomson, K., Hargreaves, F., Donner, K., Baig, H., & Boateng, R., Swain, R., Benisha Benadict, M., & Busch, L. (2024). Behavioral skills training for teaching safety skills to mental health service providers compared to training-as-usual: A pragmatic randomized control trial. BMC Health Services Research, 24(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-024-10994-1
Mendoza, O., Thakur, A., Niel, U., Thomson, K., Lunsky, Y., & Bobbette, N. (2023). Project ECHO-AIDD: Recommendations for care of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Advances in Mental Health and Intellectual Disabilities, 17(4), 292–309. https://doi.org/10.1108/AMHID-06-2023-0019
Thomson, K., Condillac, C., Trudeau-Craig, K., Koudys, J., Busch, L., & Boutsis, E. (2023). The long and winding road to professional regulation in Ontario, Canada. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 18, 480–489. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-023-00880-3
Davis, S., Raby, R., Thomson, K., Connolly, M., & Vause, T. (2023). An autoethnographic analysis of power in a behavior analytic informed approach to dance education. PHEnex Journal, 13(3), 1–17. https://ojs.acadiau.ca/index.php/phenex/article/view/4394
Malkin, A., Gunnarsson, K., & Thomson, K., & Jacobs, E. (2023). Behavioural economic analysis of demand for regulation of behaviour analysis in Ontario to inform public policy. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 18, 490–498. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-023-00886-x
Robertson, J., Thomson, K., Hume, M., Magnacca, C., Marcinkiewicz, A, Cauchi, J. (2023). Evaluation of telehealth training for behavior technicians to implement common behavioral protocols, 34, 53–79. Journal of Behavioral Education. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10864-023-09521-9
Davis, S., Thomson, K. M., Zonneveld, K. L. M., Vause, T., Passalent, M., Bajcar, N. & Sureshkumar, B. (2023). An evaluation of virtual training for teaching dance instructors to implement a behavioral coaching package. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 16(4), 1100–1112. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-023-00779-z
Lin, E., Malhas, M., Bratsalis, E., Thomson, K., Boateng, R., Hargreaves, F., Baig, H., & Busch, L. (2022). Teaching self-protection and restraint skills to staff: A pragmatic randomized control trial protocol. JMIR Research Protocols, 11(12), e39672. https://www.researchprotocols.org/2022/12/e39672
Munno, R, Thomson, K. & Zonneveld, K. (2022). The effects of a self-management treatment package on physical activity in university students with depressive symptoms. Behavioral Interventions, 38(1), 118–139. https://doi.org/10.1002/bin.1918
Lunsky, N., Bobbette, N., Durbin J., Gozales, A., Grier, E., Iruthayanathan, R., Mia N., Pereira, C., Steel, L., Thakur, A., Thomson, K., & Sockalingam, S. (2022). The development and pilot evaluation of ECHO mental health for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Journal of Mental Health Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 16(1), 23–36. https://doi.org/10.1080/19315864.2022.2148789
Guertin, E. L., Vause, T., Thomson, K. M., Frijters, J. C., & Feldman, M. A. (2022). Obsessive–compulsive behaviors in autism spectrum disorder: Behavior analytic conceptual frameworks. Behavior Analysis: Research and Practice, 22(1), 81–99. https://doi.org/10.1037/bar0000236
Magnacca, C., Thomson, K. Marcinkiewicz, A., Davis, S., Steel, L., Lunsky, Y. Fung, K., Vause, T., & Redquest, B. (2022). A telecommunication model to train mediators to facilitate Acceptance and Commitment Training. Behaviour Analysis in Practice, 15, 730–751. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-021-00628-x (first published in 2021 and republished in 2022 due to publisher error)
Lunsky, L., Bobbette, 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, 34(6), 1655-1660. 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. https://doi-org.proxy.library.brocku.ca/10.1002/jaba.550
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
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 behavior therapy for emotion regulation in children with autism. Journal of Child Psychology & Psychiatry, 59(11), 1180–1191. https://doi-org. /10.1111/jcpp.12915
Hassan, M., Simpson, A., Danaher, K., Haesen, J., Makela, T., & Thomson, K. (2018). An evaluation of behavioral 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), 1957–1970. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-017-3455-z
Hassan, M., Thomson, K. M., Khan, M., Burnham Riosa, P., & Weiss, J. A. (2017). Behavioral skills training for graduate students providing cognitive behavior therapy to children with autism spectrum disorder. Behavior Analysis: Research and Practice, 17(2), 155–165. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/bar0000078
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, 6(4), 301–325. https://doi.org/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, 45(11), 3487–3495. https://doi.org/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. Journal on Developmental Disabilities, 21, 22–33. https://oadd.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/41020_JoDD_21-1_v9f_22-33_Zaragoza_et_al.pdf
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. https://doi.org/10.1002/aur.1426
Walters, K. & Thomson, K. (2013). The history of behavior analysis in Manitoba: A Canadian province with many contributions. The Behavior Analyst, 36(1), 57–72. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03392292
Contributions to Edited Books (invited):
Magnacca, C., & Thomson, K. (2023). The importance of intrapersonal skills for behaviour analysts. In Maich, K., Hall, C., & Anderson, B. (Eds.), People skills for behaviour analysts (pp. 4–15). Routledge.
Thomson K. & Munno, R., Busch, L., & Feldman, M. (2023). Don’t blame the mediator: Keeping applied behaviour analysis doable for best possible outcomes. In Hall, C., Maich, K., & Anderson, B. (Eds.), People skills for behaviour analysts (pp. 182–191). Routledge.
Munno, R., Thomson, K., & Pear, J. (2022). History of applied behaviour analysis. In J. L. Matson, & P. Sturmey (Eds.). International handbook of autism and pervasive developmental disorders (pp. 761–778). Springer Nature.
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., pp. 447–463). Delphi Graphic Communications.
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., pp. 545–571). Delphi Graphic Communications.
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 evidence‐based approach to theory, assessment, and treatment (1st ed., pp. 239–260). 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). Springer.
Martin, G. L., & Thomson, K. (2011). Overview of behavioral sport psychology. In K. Luiselli & D. D. Reed (Eds.), Behavioral sport psychology: Evidence-based approaches to performance enhancement (pp. 3–21). Springer.
- Current PhD Students
- Taylor Manuge (ADS)
- Sarah Davis (CHYS)
- Current MA Students
- Jolene Menezes
- Past MA Students
- Kristin Grant
- Samantha Wallbank
- Taylor Manuge
- Sarah Bernier
- Kirsten Young
- Reghann Munno
- Carly Magnacca
- Amanda Marcinkiewicz
- Joey Robertson
- Sarah Davis
- Mafuz Hassan
