J. Chris McGinnis, PhD, BCBA-D

About Coach Chris

Dr. McGinnis (kids call him “Coach Chris”) is a clinical behavior analyst and psychologist who has helped thousands of families find success through direct consultation and indirectly through training of other helping professionals over his more than 25-year career across school, hospital, university, outpatient clinic, and primary care pediatric settings. Besides maintaining a full caseload, he is the Director of the Institute for Behavioral Pediatrics which offers training and online continuing education for behavior analysts and other helping professionals with a focus on high-quality, science-based behavioral healthcare for children and families.

Dr. McGinnis is an author and applied researcher in the areas of behavioral pediatrics and pediatric sleep health. His book, Introduction to Primary Care Behavioral Pediatrics, published by Routledge in 2024, is the first textbook for behavior analysts on the subspecialty. His most recently published study, in collaboration with colleagues from the University of Nebraska and Boys Town, appeared in the peer-reviewed journal Children’s Health Care. This study, based on the sequential treatment model developed by Dr. McGinnis and employed in his daily practice, involved two years’ worth of data collection across multiple clinicians and demonstrates how first addressing children’s problem sleep in outpatient behavioral healthcare can powerfully impact their overall functioning and render behavioral treatment of ADHD, anxiety, and other clinical concerns either more effective and efficient or unnecessary.

He also serves as an ethicist for the profession of behavior analysis and has served as an early subject matter expert for the Behavior Analysis Certification Board. He has had the honor of serving as the founding clinic director of the Boys Town Behavioral Health Clinic headquartered in West Palm Beach, Florida, which besides the outpatient clinic itself involved integrating services within collaborating pediatric practices around Palm Beach County. Dr. McGinnis has also served as a school-based school psychologist, hospital-based early intervention evaluator, and adjunct faculty member of the College of Education of Florida Gulf Coast University. He is proud to be a founding member of the Society of Behavioral Sleep Medicine and is a career-long member of the Florida Association for Behavior Analysis. He is also a member of the Association for Behavior Analysis International, Palm Beach Association for Behavior Analysis, and the Society for Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics.

In 2024, Dr. McGinnis received PSYPACT authorization to offer telehealth services to families residing in the vast majority of US states. To see if your state participates in PSYPACT, click here.

For more information on public speaking engagements, click here.

Selected Published Content *

Books

McGinnis, J. C. (2024). Introduction to primary care behavioral pediatrics: A guide for behavior analysts. Routledge.

Peer-Reviewed JOURNAL ARTICLES

Kidwell, K. M., McGinnis, J. C., Nguyen, A. V., Arcidiacono, S. J., & Nelson, T. D. (2019). A pilot study examining the effectiveness of brief sleep treatment to improve children's emotional and behavioral functioning. Children's Health Care, 48, 314-331.

Nelson, T. D., Van Dyk, T. R., McGinnis, J. C., Nguyen, A. V., & Long, S. K. (2016). Brief sleep intervention to enhance behavioral parent training for noncompliance: Preliminary findings from a practice-based study. Clinical Practice in Pediatric Psychology, 4, 176-187.

McGinnis, J. C., Friman, P. C., & Carlyon, W. D. (1999). The effect of token rewards on “intrinsic” motivation for doing math. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 32, 375-379.

Bowers, F. E., McGinnis, J. C., Ervin, R. A., & Friman, P. C. (1999). Merging research and practice: The example of positive peer reporting applied to social rejection. Education and Treatment of Children, 22, 218-226.

Friman, P. C., Handwerk, M. L., Swearer, S. M., McGinnis, J. C., & Warzak, W. J. (1998). Do children with primary nocturnal enuresis have clinically significant behavior problems? Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, 152, 537-539.

Invited General Interest

Children’s Services Council of Palm Beach County (2017). Use positive approach to break your preschooler’s bad habits. EveryParentPBC.org and the EveryParent app on iTunes.

Children’s Services Council of Palm Beach County (2017). Teach your independent highschooler responsibility. EveryParentPBC.org and the EveryParent app on iTunes.

McGinnis, J. C. (2016). Do you have a family media policy? Palm Beach Parenting Magazine, January, 26-29.

McGinnis, J. C. (2015). Our kids need more sleep! Broward County Family Resource Guide 2015-2016, p. 52.

McGinnis, J. C. (2014). Helping picky eaters. Palm Beach Parenting Magazine, January, 18-20.

* Comprehensive CV available upon request.

Cara L. Shapiro, MS, BCBA

About Coach Cara

McGinnis Behavioral welcomes clinical behavior analyst Cara Shapiro to the team!

Coach Cara is credentialed as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and International Behavior Analyst with an advanced degree from the acclaimed University of South Florida behavior analysis program. With a background as a gymnastics coach, she has applied behavioral science to improving training and performance with amazing results, and these efforts will soon appear in a peer-reviewed scientific journal. She has served two internships under Dr. McGinnis’s supervision and is focused on the efficient implementation of effective behavioral interventions for children and families. She holds particular interest in helping new moms with their babies’ sleep and is eager to make a difference in the lives of families. Cara is a valued contributor with the Institute for Behavioral Pediatrics as well, and a member of the Association for Behavior Analysis International and Florida Association for Behavior Analysis.

* Comprehensive CV available upon request.

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McGinnis Behavioral welcomes new clients!