Johannes Rojahn

Johannes Rojahn

Johannes Rojahn

Emeritus Faculty

Applied Developmental Psychology: Intellectual and developmental disabilities, especially [1] challenging behaviors and other forms of psychopathology (assessment, applied behavior analysis, epidemiology) and [2] socio-emotional development and social adaptation. For free access to the Behavior Problems Inventory (BPI-01 and BPI-S) see below.

Dr. Rojahn is now retired from George Mason University; he holds the position of Emeritus University Professor of Psychology

Dr. Rojahn has published more than 140 scientific articles and book chapters and four books. He is the former Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Mental Health Research in Intellectual Disabilities and Associate Editor for Research in Developmental Disabilities and the American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. In addition, he served on the editorial board of several other peer reviewed journals.

Before teaching at George Mason University (2001 until his retirement in 2015) he held academic positions at the University of Marburg (Germany, Department of Psychology), the University of Pittsburgh (Department of Psychiatry, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic), and The Ohio State University (Nisonger Center for Developmental Disabilities and Department of Psychology).

Selected Publications

An, X., Rojahn, J., Curby, T. W., & Ding, Y. (2015). Psychometric Properties of the Chinese Behavior Problems Inventory-01 in Children and Adolescents with or at Risk for Intellectual Disabilities. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 36, 256–263

Barnard-Brak, L., Rojahn, J., Richman, D.M., Chesnut, S.R., Wei, T. (2015).  Stereotyped behaviors predicting self-injurious behavior in individuals with intellectual disabilities. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 36, 419–427.

Dumont, E., Kroes, D., Korzilius, H., Didden, R., & Rojahn, J. (2014). Psychometric properties of a Dutch version of the Behavior Problems Inventory-01 (BPI-01). Research in Developmental Disabilities, 35, 603-610. doi: 10.1016/j.ridd.2014.01.003

Morse, R. S., Rojahn, J., & Smith, A. C. M. (2014). Effects of behavior problems, family functioning, and family coping on parent stress in families with a child with Smith-Magenis syndrome. Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities, 26, pagination specified. doi: 10.1007/s10882-014-9367-3.

Schroeder, S. R., Rojahn, J., An, X., Mayo-Ortega, L., Oyama-Ganiko, R., & LeBlanc, J. (2014). The Parental Concerns Questionnaire: A brief screening instrument for potentially severe behavior problems in infants and toddlers at-risk for developmental delays. Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities, 26, 237-247.

Medeiros, K., Rojahn, J., Moore, L., & van Ingen, D. (2014). Functional properties of challenging behaviors depending on level of intellectual disability. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 58, 151-161.

Medeiros, K., Curby, T.W., Bernstein, A., Rojahn, J., & Schroeder, S.R. (2013). The progression of severe behavior disorder in young children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 34, 3639-3647. DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2013.08.002

VanDerhei, S., Rojahn, J., Stuewig, J., & McKnight, P. E. (2013). The effect of shame-proneness, guilt-proneness, and internalizing tendencies on non-suicidal self-injury. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior. DOI: 10.11 22/sltb.12069.

Barnard-Brak, L., Rojahn, J., & Wei, T. (2013). Psychometric analysis of the Behavior Problems Inventory using an item-response theory framework: a sample of individuals with intellectual disabilities. Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment, 35, 564-577. DOI: 10.1007/s10862-013-9356-3

Garcia-Villamisar, D., Rojahn, J. (2013). Comorbid psychopathology and stress mediate the relationship between autistic traits and repetitive behaviours in adults with autism. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research. doi: 10.1111/jir.12083.

Rojahn, J., Barnard-Brak, L., Richman, D., Dotson, W., Medeiros, K., Wei, T., & Abby, L. (2013). Behavior Problems in Individuals with Cornelia de Lange Syndrome: Population-Specific Validation of the Behavior Problem Inventory-01. Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities. DOI: 10.1007/s10882-012-9329-6.

Baraldi, G., Rojahn, J., Saebra, A., Carreiro, L., & Triquero Veloz Teixeira, M. C. (2013). Tradução, adaptação e validação preliminar da versão brasileira do Behavior Problems Inventory (BPI-01) (Translation, adaptation, and validation of the preliminary version of the Behavior Problems Inventory [BPI-01]). Trends in Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, 35 (3), 198-211.

Rojahn, J., Schroeder, S. R., Mayo-Ortega, L., Oyama-Ganiko, R., LeBlanc, J., Marquis, J, & and Berke, E. (2013). Validity and Reliability of the Behavior Problems Inventory, the Aberrant Behavior Checklist, and the Repetitive Behavior Scale-Revised among Infants and Toddlers at Risk for Developmental Disabilities: A Multi-Method Assessment Approach. Research in Developmental Disabilities. 34, 1804-1814.  DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2013.02.024.

Expanded Publication List

Mascitelli, A., N., Rojahn, J., Nicolaides, V. C., Moore, L., Hastings, R. P., Christian-Jones, C. (in press). The Behavior Problems Inventory - Short Form (BPI-S): reliability and factorial validity in adults with intellectual disabilities. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities.

Schroeder, S. R., Rojahn, J., An, X., Mayo-Ortega, L., Oyama-Ganiko, R., & LeBlanc, J. (in press). The Parental Concerns Questionnaire: A brief screening instrument for potentially severe behavior problems in infants and toddlers at-risk for developmental delays. Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities, 34, 3639-3647.

Rojahn, J., Zaja, R. H., Turygin, N., Moore, L., & van Ingen, D. J. (2012). Functions of Maladaptive Behavior in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: Behavior Categories and Topographies. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 33 (6), 2020–2027.

Way, E. L. & Rojahn, J. (2012). Psycho-Social Characteristics of Children with Prenatal Alcohol Exposure, Compared to Children with Down Syndrome and Typical Children. Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities. 24(3), 247-268. DOI: 10.1007/s10882-012-9269-1.

Medeiros, K., Kozlowski, A. M., Beighley, J. S., Rojahn, J, & Matson, J. L. (2012). The Effects of Developmental Quotient and Diagnostic Criteria on Challenging Behaviors in Toddlers with Developmental Disabilities. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 33, 1110-1116. DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2012.02.005

Fodstad, J., C., Rojahn, J., Matson, J. L. (2012). The emergence of challenging behaviors in at-risk toddlers with and without autism spectrum disorder: a cross-sectional study. Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities. 24, 217–234.

Rojahn, J., Rowe, E. W., Sharber, A. C., Hastings, R. P., Matson, J. L., Didden, R., Kroes, D. B. H., & Dumont, E. L. M. (2012). The Behavior Problems Inventory-Short Form (BPI-S) for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities I: Development and Provisional Clinical Reference Data. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 56, 527–545.

Rojahn, J., Rowe, E. W., Sharber, A. C., Hastings, R. P., Matson, J. L., Didden, R., Kroes, D. B. H., & Dumont, E. L. M. (2012). The Behavior Problems Inventory-Short Form (BPI-S) for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities II: Reliability and Validity. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 56, 546–565.

Rojahn, J., Rowe, E. W., Kasdan, S., Moore, L. & van Ingen, D. J. (2011).  Psychometric properties of the Aberrant Behavior Checklist, the Anxiety, Depression and Mood Scale, the Assessment of Dual Diagnosis and the Social Performance Survey Schedule in adults with intellectual disabilities.  Research in Developmental Disabilities, 32, 2309–2320.

Sipes, M., Matson, J. L., Turygin, N., Rojahn, J., & Tureck, K. (2011). Comparison of problem behaviors in atypically developing infants and toddlers as assessed with the Baby and Infant Screen for Children with aUtIsm Traits (BISCUIT). Developmental Neurorehabilitation. Vol 14(5), Oct 2011, 261-266. doi: 10.3109/17518423.2011.577050.

Zaja, R.H., Moore, L., van Ingen, D.J., & Rojahn, J. (2011). Psychometric Comparison of the Functional Assessment Instruments QABF, FACT, and FAST for self-injurious, stereotypic and aggressive/destructive behavior. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 24, 18–28. DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-3148.2010.00569.x

Courses Taught

Applied Behavior Analysis

Behavior Modification

Developmental Disabilities

Learning and Behavior

Assessment

Single-Subject Experimental Design

Education

Dr. Phil., University of Vienna, 1976

Fulbright-Hays Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, 1976-79

Privat Dozent (Habilitation), University of Marburg (Germany), 1985.

Recent Presentations

Rojahn, J. (2014). Mental Illness and Behavior Problems in Persons with Intellectual Disabilities. Panel Discussion. 4th International Association on the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, Europe Congress. Vienna, Austria, 16. July, 2014.

Rojahn, J. (2011). Behavioral Problems and Comorbid Proto-Psychiatric Tendencies in Toddlers with Autism. Invited presentation and first guest in a speaker series “Alumni of the Psychological Department of the University of Vienna. Vienna, October 10, 2011.

Rojahn, J. (2008). Emotion and Non-Emotion Facial Processing and Social Adjustment in Adults with Intellectual Disabilities with and without Autism Spectrum Disorder. Distinguished Scientist Presentation, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, November 20, 2008.

Dissertations Supervised

Beth D. Warsof, Repetitive and Restricted Behaviors and Interests in Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders (2013)

Kristen Medeiros, The Progression of Challenging Behavior in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: Frequency and Severity of Self-Injury, Stereotypy, and Aggression (2013)

Erica Marie Buchholz, Gender and Comorbid Psychopathologies in Toddlers with Autism Spectrum Disorders (2012)

Rebecca Hartman Zaja, The Behavioral Function of Four Operationally Defined Behavior Problems with Varying Topographies (Self-Hitting, Hitting Others, Self- Biting, Verbal Abuse) in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (2011)

Rebecca S. Morse, Smith-Magenis Syndrome: Maladaptive Behaviors and Effects on Parent Stress, Coping, and Family Adjustment (2011)