Christos Nikopoulos

Dr Christos Nikopoulos CSci, currently is a lecturer in Occupational Therapy at the School of Health Sciences and Social Care.

"I am an occupational therapist and a behaviour analyst. I have a DPhil in autism and video modelling as a behavioural analytic procedure. Obviously, research forms a major part of my job and therefore I am teaching at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels to reflect upon my research interests.

Specifically, my main research interests include:

• children
• autism
• observational learning
• theoretical approaches to understanding human behaviour
• behavioural psychology
• family-centred approaches
• applications of science and technology in education
• application of behaviour analysis procedures to other professional disciplines such as occupational therapy and neurorehabilitation
• assistive technology, clinical reasoning and single-case research methodologies.

I have international experience in working with children with autism which has resulted in numerous publications (including a recent book on autism) as well as the delivery of keynote speeches at national and international conferences. My current research on video modelling with individuals with autism is at the forefront of research and development in this area. My research activities resulted in gaining the award of Chartered Scientist from the Science Council.

Finally, I am pleased to announce a new postgraduate short course (or MSc Module) entitled Functional assessment of challenging behaviours in children and adolescents. It will be held in spring 2010 targeting applicants having a first degree in a relevant discipline such as education, psychology, speech and language therapy, physiotherapy, occupational therapy or the social sciences, and some experience of working with children and adolescents.

This 15-credit course/module was designed in response to requests from practitioners and current reports that highlight monitoring and management of challenging behaviours as one of the core concerns of healthcare professionals and educators/tutors for the effective implementation of their therapeutic programmes."

Selected Publications:

• Nikopoulos, C.K., Canavan, C., & Nikopoulou-Smyrni, P.G. (in press). Generalized effects of video modeling on establishing instructional stimulus control in children with autism. Results of a preliminary study. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions.
   
• Nikopoulou-Smyrni, P.G., & Nikopoulos, C.K. (in press). Evaluating the impact of video-based versus traditional lectures on student learning. Electronic Journal of e-Learning.
   
• Nikopoulos, C.K. (2008). [Review of the book Understanding applied behavior analysis: An introduction to ABA for parents, teachers and other professionals]. Child & Adolescent Mental Health, 13(3), 154.
   
• Nikopoulos, C.K., & Nikopoulou-Smyrni, P.G. (2008). Teaching complex social skills to children with autism; advances of video modeling. Journal of Early and Intensive Behavior Intervention, 5(2), 30-43.
   
• Nikopoulou-Smyrni, P.G., & Nikopoulos, C.K. (2007). A new integrated model of clinical reasoning: development, description and preliminary assessment in patients with stroke. Disability and Rehabilitation. An International Multidisciplinary Journal, 29(14), 1129-38.
   
• Nikopoulos, C.K., & Keenan, M. (2007). Using video modeling to teach complex social sequences to children with autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 37(4), 678-693.
   
• Nikopoulos, C.K. (2007). Use of video modeling to increase generalization of social play by children with autism. The Journal of Speech-Language Pathology and Applied Behavior Analysis, 2(2), 195-212 (invited paper).
   
• Nikopoulos, C.K., & Keenan, M. (2006). Video modelling and behaviour analysis: A guide for teaching social skills to children with autism. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
   
• Nikopoulos, C.K., & Keenan, M. (2004a). Effects of video modeling on social initiations by children with autism. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 37, 93-96.
   
• Nikopoulos, C.K., & Keenan, M. (2004b). Effects of video modelling on training and generalisation of social initiation and reciprocal play by children with autism. European Journal of Behaviour Analysis, 5, 1-13.
   
• Keenan, M., Gallagher, S., Dillenburger, K., & Nikopoulos, C.K. (2003). Learning to observe. [Educational Computer Software] Portrush, NI: Celtic Fringe Productions.
   
• Nikopoulos, C.K., & Keenan, M. (2003). Promoting social initiation in children with autism. Behavioral Interventions, 18(2), 87-108.

• Nikopoulos, C.K., Nikopoulou-Smyrni, P.G., & Konstantopoulos, K. (2008). Effects of video modelling on emerging speech in an adult with traumatic brain injury: Preliminary findings. Paper presented at the 4th Conference of the European Association for Behaviour Analysis, Madrid, Spain.
   
• Nikopoulos, C.K., & Keenan, M. (2008). Promoting social play skills in children with autism using video modeling. Paper presented at the International Meeting for Autism Research, London, UK.
   
• Nikopoulou-Smyrni, P., & Nikopoulos, C.K. (2008). Functional assessment of challenging behaviours towards evidence-based treatment for children with autism. Paper presented at the 32nd Annual Conference of the College of Occupational Therapists, Harrogate, UK.
   
• Zgouris, O., & Nikopoulos, C.K. (2008). Parent - child play interactions: Perceptions and experiences of parents of children with autism. Paper presented at the Council of Occupational Therapists for the European Countries, Hamburg, Germany.
   
• Nikopoulou-Smyrni, P., & Nikopoulos, C.K. (2007a). Modelling clinical reasoning for health informatics: Improving occupational therapy practice. Paper presented at the 31st Annual Conference of the College of Occupational Therapists, Manchester, UK.
   
• Nikopoulou-Smyrni, P.G., & Nikopoulos, C.K. (2007b). Functional assessment of problem behaviours: design of effective treatments through the application of an evidence-based approach. Invited workshop presented at the College of Occupational Therapists, Specialist Section 'Children, Young People and Families (ChYP&F), London, UK.
   
• Nikopoulos, C.K., & Nikopoulou-Smyrni, P.G. (2007). Promoting data-based decision making through the use of systematic direct observation methods. Implications for practice and research. Invited workshop presented at the College of Occupational Therapists, Specialist Section 'Children, Young People and Families (ChYP&F), London, UK.
   
• Nikopoulos, C.K. (2006). Video modelling and behaviour analysis; children with autism in context. Invited paper presented at the Annual Conference of the Parents for the Early Intervention of Autism in Children parent-led Group (PEACH), London, UK.
   
• Nikopoulos, C.K., & Nikopoulou-Smyrni, P.G. (2006a). Advances in interventions based on modelling for children with autism: Findings from a systematic review. Paper presented at the Third International Conference of the European Association for Behaviour Analysis, Milan, Italy.
   
• Nikopoulos, C.K., & Nikopoulou-Smyrni, P.G. (2006b). Validating occupational therapy intervention programmes in paediatrics: direct and systematic measurement techniques. Workshop presented at the 30th Annual Conference of the College of Occupational Therapists, Cardiff, UK.
   
• Nikopoulou-Smyrni, P., & Nikopoulos, C.K. (2006). A new model of clinical reasoning in health informatics; Occupational therapy in context. Paper presented at the 14th Congress of the World Federation of Occupational Therapists, Sydney, Australia.
   
• Nikopoulos, C.K. (2005). Video modelling as a treatment procedure for children with autism. Invited workshop presented at the International Conference 'Facing Autism: ABA Ireland 2005', School of Psychology, University of Ulster, Coleraine, UK.
   
• · Nikopoulos, C.K., & Nikopoulou-Smyrni, P.G. (2005). Observational learning from a behavioural analytic perspective; video modelling and children with autism in context. Workshop presented at the Second International Conference of the European Association for Behaviour Analysis, Gdansk, Poland.
   
• Jeffers, K., Porter-Armstrong, A., Baxter, D., Nikopoulos, C., & Rutherford, J. (2004). An investigation into smoking, lifestyle and smoking cessation in Mental Health. Paper presented at the Seventh European Congress of Occupational Therapy, Athens, Greece.
   
• Nikopoulos, C.K. (2004). Applied behaviour analysis (ABA) in autism. Invited workshop presented at the National Association for Paediatric Occupational Therapists, Antrim, N. Ireland, UK.
   
• Nikopoulos, C.K., & Keenan, M. (2004). Using video modelling to teach complex social sequences to children with autism. Paper presented at the Annual Conference of the British Psychological Society, Northern Ireland Branch, Portrush, N. Ireland, UK.
   
• Nikopoulos, C.K., Keenan, M., & Nikopoulou-Smyrni, P.G. (2003a). Establishing generalisation of social initiation and play by children with autism using video modelling. Paper presented at the Annual Conference of the Behaviour Analysis in Ireland, Maynooth, Ireland.
   
• Nikopoulos, C.K., Keenan, M., & Nikopoulou-Smyrni, P.G. (2003b). Training and generalization of social initiation and play in children with autism using video modeling. Paper presented at the Applied Behavior Analysis Annual Convention, San Francisco, USA.
   
• Nikopoulos, C.K., & Keenan, M. (2002). Construction of an activity schedule for children with autism: The effectiveness of video modelling. Paper presented at the Annual Conference of the Experimental of Analysis Behaviour Group, London, UK.
   
• Nikopoulos, C.K., & Keenan, M. (2001). Promoting social initiation in children with autism. Paper presented at the Applied Behavior Analysis International Convention, Venice, Italy.
   
• Smyrni, P.G., & Nikopoulos, C.K. (1999). Assistive Technology Contribution and Implementation in Children with Learning Disabilities. Proceedings of the 3rd Hellenic Occupational Therapy Conference in "Learning Disabilities", Hellenic Occupational Therapy Association , 4-5 December, Athens.