View source for Biography:Beth Sulzer-Azaroff

{{Short description|American psychologist (1929–2022)}}
{{Infobox academic
| name = Beth Sulzer-Azaroff
| alma_mater = City College of New York; 
University of Minnesota
| occupation = Psychologist; Behavior Analyst
| notable_works = 
| spouse = Edward Sulzer
| awards = * OBM Network Life Achievement Award (1991)
* ABAI Fred S. Keller Award (1997)
| workplaces = University of Massachusetts Amherst
| death_date = {{death date and age|2022|2|26|1929|9|6}}
}}

'''Beth Sulzer-Azaroff''' (September 6, 1929 – February 26, 2022)<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Obituaries in Naples, FL|url=https://naplesnews.com/obituaries/ndn024808 |access-date=2022-11-21 |website=Naples Daily News |language=en}}</ref> was a [[Social:Psychologist|psychologist]] and pioneering figure in the field of behavior analysis.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Alavosius |first=Mark P. |date=2022-07-03 |title=Remembering Beth Sulzer-Azaroff |journal=Journal of Organizational Behavior Management |volume=42 |issue=3 |pages=274–280 |doi=10.1080/01608061.2022.2070574 |s2cid=250925748 |issn=0160-8061}}</ref><ref name=":3" /> She conducted [[Research|research]] on [[Organization:Organizational behavior management|organizational behavior management]]<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Beth Sulzer-Azaroff, PhD – FABBS |date=30 August 2016 |url=https://fabbs.org/our_scientists/beth-sulzer-azaroff-phd/ |access-date=2022-10-20 |language=en}}</ref> and promoted the use of [[Philosophy:Applied behavior analysis|applied behavior analysis]] for teaching children with [[Medicine:Autism spectrum|autism]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Sulzer-Azaroff |first=Beth |date=2015-09-10 |title=Joy and Fulfillment as a Female Behavior Analyst |journal=The Behavior Analyst |volume=38 |issue=2 |pages=275–282 |doi=10.1007/s40614-015-0038-1 |issn=0738-6729 |pmc=4883484 |pmid=27606179}}</ref> The Federation of Associations in Behavioral & Brain Sciences noted her contributions as "instrumental in translating findings from the basic behavior analytic laboratory to the applied setting, from the classroom to the [[History:Factory|factory]]."<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=BethSulzerAzaroff|url=https://www.abainternational.org/constituents/bios/bethsulzerazaroff.aspx |access-date=2022-10-20 |website=Association for Behavior Analysis International}}</ref>

Sulzer-Azaroff was recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from the OBM Network in 1991,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Lifetime Achievement Award OBM Network |url=https://www.obmnetwork.com/page/distinguishedmembers#:~:text=Lifetime%20Achievement%20Award,advanced%20the%20field%20of%20OBM.}}</ref> and received the [[Organization:Association for Behavior Analysis International|Association for Behavior Analysis International]] (ABAI) Fred S. Keller Behavioral Education Award for distinguished contributions in 1997.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Fred S. Keller Behavioral Education Award |url=https://www.apadivisions.org/division-25/awards/keller |access-date=2022-11-21 |website=www.apadivisions.org |language=en}}</ref> In 2004, Sulzer-Azaroff received the Distinguished Service to Behavior Analysis Award from the [[Organization:Society|Society]] for the Advancement of Behavior Analysis.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2004: BETH SULZER-AZAROFF |url=http://saba.abainternational.org/awards/distinguished-service-to-behavior-analysis/beth-sulzer-azaroff/ |access-date=2022-11-21 |website=saba.abainternational.org}}</ref>

== Biography ==
Sulzer-Azaroff grew up in Washington Heights, New York City.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=The Journey of a Pioneer Woman Applied Behavior Analyst: Beth Sulzer-Azaroff |url=https://behavior.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Beth-Sulzer-Azaroff_UpdatedChapter_040115.pdf}}</ref> From the time she was a child, she knew she wanted to be a [[Social:Teacher|teacher]]. Though her family could not afford to pay for college, the [[Organization:City University of New York|City University of New York]] funded free colleges at the time. Sulzer-Azaroff completed her B.S. degree in elementary education and teaching (1946–1950), and her M.A. degree in elementary education and teaching (1950–1953) at City College of New York.<ref name=":1" /> She subsequently attended graduate school at the [[Organization:University of Minnesota|University of Minnesota]] (1961–1966), where she obtained her masters/[[Ph.D.]] in psychology.<ref name=":0" />

Sulzer-Azaroff taught [[Social:Educational psychology|educational psychology]] for 5 years (1966–1972) as an associate professor at [[Organization:Southern Illinois University|Southern Illinois University]]. She then moved to the [[Organization:University of Massachusetts Amherst|University of Massachusetts Amherst]] (1973–1992), where she held the position of professor of psychology, and she taught [[Philosophy:Applied behavior analysis|applied behavior analysis]], [[Organization:Organizational behavior management|organizational behavior management]], educational psychology, and other courses. Sulzer-Azaroff served as the president of the ABAI (1981–1982)<ref name=":2" /> and was the first woman to hold that position. Sulzer-Azaroff also served as president of the [[Organization:American Psychological Association|American Psychological Association]] (APA) Division 25, and the Berkshire Association for Behavioral Analysis.<ref name=":0" />

Sulzer-Azaroff was married to psychologist Edward Sulzer from 1955 until his death in 1970. They had three children together. She was married to Leonid Azaroff from 1972 until his death in 2014. Sulzer-Azaroff died on February 26, 2022, in Naples, Florida.<ref name=":1" />

== Research ==
Sulzer-Azaroff and her colleague G. Roy Mayer wrote a series of texts on behavior analysis, which covered fundamental techniques and strategies for promoting behavior change.<ref name=":4">{{Cite journal |last=Myers |first=Carmel A. |date=1978 |title=Book Reviews: B. Sulzer-Azaroff and G. R. Mayer ''Applying Behavior Analysis Procedures with Children and Youth.'' New York: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, Inc., 1977. 525 + xiii pp. $13.50 |journal=Educational Researcher |volume=7 |issue=11 |pages=17–18 |doi=10.3102/0013189x007011017 |s2cid=144504935 |issn=0013-189X}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Bostow |first=Darrel E. |date=1997 |title=''A Tool for Transmitting Our Culture: Review of'' Behaviore Analysis for Lasting Change ''By Beth Sulzer-Azaroff and G. Roy Mayer'' |journal=Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis |volume=30 |issue=4 |pages=725–727 |doi=10.1901/jaba.1997.30-725 |issn=0021-8855|doi-access=free |pmc=1284093 }}</ref> Behavior analysis can be implemented with varying degrees of skill and responsibility. Responsible behavior analysts must know how to select goals, objectives, measures, and procedures [[Philosophy:Ethics|ethically]] and legally and how to use them appropriately.<ref name=":4" />

Sulzer-Azaroff and her colleagues conducted research to evaluate the effectiveness of peer [[Medicine:Incidental medical findings|incidental]] teaching as a strategy for increasing peer interactions among children with autism.<ref name=":5">{{Cite journal |last1=McGee |first1=Gail G. |last2=Almeida |first2=M. Connie |last3=Sulzer-Azaroff |first3=Beth |last4=Feldman |first4=Robert S. |date=1992 |title=Promoting Reciprocal Interactions Via Peer Incidental Teaching |journal=Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis |language=en |volume=25 |issue=1 |pages=117–126 |doi=10.1901/jaba.1992.25-117 |pmc=1279660 |pmid=1582961}}</ref> There were three targeted students that showed positive effects of this intervention.<ref name=":5" /> Another study focused on whether preschool-age children with autistic like-behaviors would learn to engage in pretend play activities targeted at developmentally appropriate and [[Social:Age appropriateness|age appropriate]] levels, and reported limited success in teaching the children the more difficult [[Social:Age appropriateness|age-appropriate]] skills.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Lifter |first1=Karin |last2=Sulzer-Azaroff |first2=Beth |last3=Anderson |first3=Stephen R. |last4=Cowdery |first4=Glynnis Edwards |date=1993 |title=Teaching Play Activities to Preschool Children with Disabilities: The Importance of Developmental Considerations |url=http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/105381519301700206 |journal=Journal of Early Intervention |language=en |volume=17 |issue=2 |pages=139–159 |doi=10.1177/105381519301700206 |s2cid=145264650 |issn=1053-8151}}</ref>

With Julie B. Schweitzer, Sulzer-Azaroff conducted research on self control in boys with [[Medicine:Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder|attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Schweitzer |first1=Julie B. |last2=Sulzer-Azaroff |first2=Beth |date=1995 |title=Self-Control in Boys with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Effects of Added Stimulation and Time |journal=Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry |volume=36 |issue=4 |pages=671–686 |doi=10.1111/j.1469-7610.1995.tb02321.x |pmid=7650090 |issn=0021-9630}}</ref> They observed that boys with [[Medicine:Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder|ADHD]] were more likely to choose rewards that they could get immediately, rather than wait for larger rewards. This preference was exacerbated when the boys were more active. In another study, the authors reported that children could learn to prefer the larger reward following training, which consisted of gradually increasing the durations of the delay interval over many sessions.<ref name=":6" /> This procedure, which led to an increase in the selection of larger, more advantageous reinforcers, over smaller immediate reinforcers, demonstrated the malleability of a key aspect of [[Philosophy:Self-control|self-control in children]].<ref name=":6">{{Cite journal |last1=Schweitzer |first1=Julie B. |last2=Sulzer-Azaroff |first2=Beth |date=1988 |title=Self-Control: Teaching Tolerance for Delay in Impulsive Children |journal=Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior |language=en |volume=50 |issue=2 |pages=173–186 |doi=10.1901/jeab.1988.50-173 |pmc=1338866 |pmid=3193054}}</ref> With G. Roy Mayer, Tom Butterworth, and Mary Nafpaktitis, Sulzer-Azaroff designed a training and consultation program to address the problem of vandalism in school settings through staff development, aimed at creating a more [[Positive feedback|positive]] school [[Environment variable|environment]].<ref name=":7" /> The team had school personnel attend workshops on behavioral strategies to reduce vandalism and disruptive student behavior. The results showed a decrease in vandalism and rates of disruptive students across a three-year period in 18 elementary and junior high schools.<ref name=":7">{{Cite journal |last1=Mayer |first1=G R |last2=Butterworth |first2=T |last3=Nafpaktitis |first3=M |last4=Sulzer-Azaroff |first4=B |date=1983 |title=Preventing school vandalism and improving discipline: a three-year study. |journal=Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis |volume=16 |issue=4 |pages=355–369 |doi=10.1901/jaba.1983.16-355 |pmc=1307897 |pmid=6654768}}</ref>

== Books ==

* Bony, A., & Sulzer-Azaroff, B. (2002). ''The pyramid approach to education in autism.'' Pyramid Educational Products.
* Sulzer-Azaroff, B. (1999). ''Who killed my daddy? A behavioral safety fable.'' Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies. 
* Sulzer-Azaroff, B., Dyer, K., Dupont, S., & Soucy, D. (2012). ''Applying behavior analysis across the autism spectrum: A field guide for practitioners''. Sloan Publishing, LLC.
* Sulzer-Azaroff, B., & Mayer, G. R. (1977). ''Applying behavior analysis procedures with children and youth.'' Holt, Rinehart, and Winston.
* Sulzer-Azaroff, B., & Mayer, G. R. (1986). ''Achieving educational excellence: Using behavioral strategies''. Holt Rinehart & Winston.
* Sulzer-Azaroff, B., & Mayer, G. R. (1991). ''Behavior analysis for lasting change.'' Holt, Rinehart & Winston.

== Representative publications ==

* Alavosius, M. P., & Sulzer‐Azaroff, B. (1986). The effects of performance feedback on the safety of client lifting and transfer. ''Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis'', ''19''(3), 261-267.
* Alavosius, M. P., & Sulzer‐Azaroff, B. (1990). Acquisition and maintenance of health‐care routines as a function of feedback density. ''Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis'', ''23''(2), 151-162.
* Babcock, R. A., Sulzer‐Azaroff, B., Sanderson, M., & Scibak, J. (1992). Increasing nurses' use of feedback to promote infection-controol practices in a head-injury treatment center. ''Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis'', ''25''(3), 621-627.
* Lifter, K., Sulzer-Azaroff, B., Anderson, S. R., & Cowdery, G. E. (1993). Teaching play activities to preschool children with disabilities: The importance of developmental considerations. ''Journal of Early Intervention'', ''17''(2), 139-159.
* Sulzer-Azaroff, B., & Austin, J. (2000). Does BBS work? Behavior-based safety & injury reduction: A survey of the evidence. ''Professional Safety'', ''45''(7), 19-24.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxgfXZgf0dw&t=133s An interview with Beth Sulzer-Azaroff] uploaded by Behavior Analysis History
* [https://fabbs.org/our_scientists/beth-sulzer-azaroff-phd/ Beth Sulzer-Azaroff] honored by the Federation of Associations in Behavioral & Brain Sciences{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sulzer-Azaroff, Beth}}
[[Category:Organizational behavior]]

{{Sourceattribution|Beth Sulzer-Azaroff}}