Dr. Amin “Duff” Lotfizadeh, Ph.D., BCBA-D, is Vice President of Research for Autism Services for Easterseals Southern California (ESSC). His clinical and research training is in the experimental analysis of behavior and applied behavior analysis and he conducted his dissertation in behavioral pharmacology.
Lotfizadeh serves as an editorial reviewer for various journals, including JEAB, JADD and Behavior Analysis: Research and Practice; and as guest associate editor for the Psychological Record. He is an adjunct professor at Illinois State University.
Lotfizadeh’s main research interest is in understanding how variables that have historically been classified as motivating operations (MO) impact behavior and how current empirical findings can better shape the MO concept. In pursuing this line of research, his recent research has examined MOs in basic assays, in organizational behavior management and, most recently, in clinical applications towards autism treatment. In addition, he is interested in experimentally analyzing variables that impact the behavior of interventionists, psychometrics and organizational practices that impact treatment outcomes for autism (ABA, speech and occupational therapy).
Lotfizadeh obtained his bachelor’s degree in psychology from UCLA; his master’s degree in psychology with an emphasis in ABA from California State University, Los Angeles; and his Ph.D. in psychology with focus in behavior analysis from Western Michigan University.
