Research and Publications

Research Interests

I am interested in evaluating interventions aimed at having a positive impact in three areas: 1) Increasing safe practices and reducing workplace injuries and illnesses and improve employee well-being, 2) Improving adherence to best practices and service delivery in healthcare settings, and, 3) Understanding and promoting communication in work environments. More recently, we have incorporated technology-based solutions into our work. My lab conducts translational lab research as well as small and large scale applied research.

Current Funded Projects

Project Title: Understanding the behavior therapist shortage in Florida and charting a path forward
Funding Agency: Florida Developmental Disabilities Council
MPIs: Dr. Kerri Peters, Dr. Yany Leon, Dr. Nicole Gravina
Grant staff: Dr. Janelle Bacotti, Kacie McGarry, and Angie VanArdsdale

Project Title: ROAMM-EHR: Pilot trial of a real-time symptom surveillance system for post-discharge surgical patients
Funding Agency: NIH/NIA R21
PIs: Dr. Manini and Dr. Rashid; My role: Co-I

Project Title: Wearable technology infrastructure to enhance capabilities for real-time, online assessment and mobility (ROAMM) of intervening health events in older adults
Funding Agency: NIH/NIA R21/R33
PIs: Dr. Manini and Dr. Ranka; My role: Co-I

Recent Publications

Lloveras, L. A., Tate, S. A., Vollmer, T. R., Gravina, E. N., & Dallery, J. (2025). The compound multiple-baseline design. Perspectives in Behavior Science. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40614-024-00428-y

Espericueta Luna, W. A., Wu, Y. J., Luo, Y., Hu, B., & Gravina, N. (2025). Using AI-powered video feedback to improve ergonomics: An analog experiment. Journal of Organizational Behavior Management.https://doi.org/10.1080/01608061.2025.2482157

Matey, N., Espericueta Luna, W. A., Gravina, N. (2025). The effects of performance improvement on feedback accuracy and omission. Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, 45(2), 254-166. https://doi.org/10.1080/01608061.2024.2345627

Nastasi, J. A., Greene, V., Te, P. J., & Gravina, N. (2024). “Everybody needs to take a break”: A qualitative analysis of registered behavior technicians’ experiences with taking breaks at work. Behavior Analysis in Practice. Advanced Online Publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-024-00973-7

Sun, H., Jalam, A. M., Kodali, H., Nerella, S., Zapata, R. D., Gravina, N., Ray, J., Schmidt, E. C., Manini, T. M., & Rashidi, P. (2024). Enhancing HER systems with data from wearables: An end -to-end solution for monitoring post-surgical symptoms in older adults. Refereed proceedings of the 30th Annual International Conference on Mobile Computing and Networking, 2282-2289. https://doi.org/10.1145/3636534.3698118

Nastasi, J. A., McGarry, K. M., Peters, K. P., Leon, Y., Bacotti, J. K., & Gravina, N. (2024). A qualitative analysis of variables contributing to Registered Behavior Technician burnout and turnover. Behavior Analysis in Practice. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-024-01033-w

Fernandez, N., Argueta, T., DeLeon, I. G., Talhelm, P., Leon, Y., Gravina, N., & Bacotti, J. K. (2024). Barriers to careers in behavior analysis among Hispanic and Latinx undergraduate students: A preliminary analysis. Behavior Analysis in Practice. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-24-00981-7

McCafferty, K. E., Wilder, D., Gravina, N., Bible, L., & Ferguson, R. (2024). Comparing teaching with tactile guidance to video modeling with self-evaluative video feedback to train medical skills. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 57(4), 1031-1041.

Rafacz, S., Gravina, N., DiGennaro Reed, F. D., Ludwig, L., Sleiman, A., Johnson, D., & Brand, D. (2024). Guidance and recommendations for developing an introductory graduate-level OBM course. Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, 44(4), 259-277. https://doi.org/10.1080/01608061.2023.2252800 (special section on teaching OBM)

Gravina, N., Nastasi, J., Espericueta Luna, W. E., & Simmons, D. (2024). Instructional activities to enhance teaching organizational behavior management. Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, 44(4), 295-311. https://doi.org/10.1080/01608061.2023.2248114 (special section on teaching OBM)

Simmons, D. E., Gravina, N., Sleiman, A., & Kronfli, F. R. (2024). Using web-based behavioral skills training to teach online interview skills to college students. Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, 44(2), 88-112. https://doi.org/10.1080/01608061.2023.2219466

Gravina, N., King, A., & Wine, B. (2024). Finding a meaningful career in organizational behavior management. Behavior Analysis in Practice. 17(1), 338-346. *Featured on the Behavior Analysis in Practice podcast

Gravina, N., Lloveras, L., Peters, K., & Simmons, D. (2024). Assessment and measurement of safety indicators in clinical settings. J. K. Luiselli, F. L. Bird, H. Maguire, and R. M. Gardner (Eds.). (Book chapter)

Barrios, E. L., Polcz, V. E., Hensley, S. E., Sarosi Jr., G. A., Mohr, A. M., Loftus, T. J., Upchurch, G. R., Sumfest, J. M., Efron, P. A., Dunleavy, K., Bible, L. E., Terracina, K. P., A-Mansour, M. R., & Gravina, N. (2023). A narrative review of ergonomic problems, principles, and potential solutions in surgical operations. Surgery, 174(2), 214-221. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.surg.2023.04.003
*Featured in Stitches Newsletter – an international newsletter that highlights important research relevant for surgeons

Luke, M., Gravina, N., & Urlich, R. (2023). Ten environmental-sustainability initiatives for human-service organizations to implement. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 16. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-022-00770-0

Nastasi, J. A., Tassistro, I. B., & Gravina, N. E. (2023). Breaks and productivity: An exploratory analysis. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 56(3), 539-548https://doi.org/10.1002/jaba.995
*Featured in Wiley’s Research Headlines Newsletter and translated into other languages and on Inside JABA on the Behavior Observation Podcast

Sleiman, A. A., Portillo, D., & Gravina, N. (2023). An evaluation of teach-back method for training new skills. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 56(1), 117-130. http://doi.org/10.1002/jaba.966

Gravina, N., Sleiman, A., & Alvero, A. (2023). Organizational behavior management in higher education. A. DeSouza & D. Crone-Todd (Eds.). Behavior analysis in higher education: Teaching and supervision. Vernon Press. (Book chapter)

Radhakrishnan, N. S., Lukose, K., Cartwright, R., Sleiman, A., Matey, N., Lim, D., LeGault, T., Pollard, S., Gravina, N., & Southwick. F. (2022). The prospective application of the interdisciplinary bedside rounding checklist “TEMP” is associated with reduced infections and length of hospital stay. BMJ Open Quality, 11, e002045. http://doi.org/10.1136/bmjoq-2022-002045

Nastasi, J. A., Crowe, A., & Gravina, N. E. (2022). Reporting demographic variables in JOBM and JAP: A comparison and call to action. Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, 43(1), 50-63. https://doi.org/10.1080/01608061.2022.2082624

DePaulo, J., Gravina, N. E., Harvey, C., & Crosland, K. (2022). “Get on the line”: Improving pass naming in collegiate women’s lacrosse using negative reinforcement and prompting. Behavior Analysis: Research and Practice, 22(3), 318-324. https://doi/org/10.1037/bar0000252

Acui, J., Vladescu, J., Reeves, K., & Gravina, N. (2021). Teaching hands-only CPR using behavioral skills training. Behavioral Interventions, 36(4), 832-846. https://doi.org/10.1002/bin.1820

Gravina, N., Sleiman, A., Southwick, F., Matey, N., Harlan, E., Lukose, K., Hack, G., & Radakrishnan, N. (2021). Increasing adherence to a standardized rounding procedure in two hospital in-patient units. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 54(4), 1514-1525. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaba.865

Lipschultz, J., Wilder, D., Curry, S. M, Cruz, N. J., Luong, N., & Gravina, N. (2021).The effects of feedback accuracy and trainer rules on performance during an analogue task. Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, 41(3), 215-235. https://doi.org/10.1080/01608061.2021.1903646

Matey, N., Sleiman, A., Nastasi, J., Richard, E., & Gravina, N. (2021).Varying reactions to feedback and their effects on observer accuracy and attrition. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 54(3), 1188-1198. https://doi.org/ 10.1002/jaba.840

Matey, N., Gravina, N.,Davis, B., George, R., & Rosbrook, T. (2021). Increasing productivity in a manufacturing setting using daily process walks. Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, 41(2), 182-193. https://doi.org/ 10.1080/01608061.2021.1897058

Gravina, N., Nastasi, J., & Austin, J. (2021). Assessment of employee performance.Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, 41(2), 124-149. https://doi.org/10.1080/01608061.2020.1869136

Felde, A., Haggerty, K., Sleiman, A. A., & Gravina, N. (2021). Reducing response effort to improve employee preparedness in a human service organization. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 14, 198-202. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-020-00512-0

Alligood, C. A., & Gravina, N. (2021). Branching out: Finding success in new areas of practice. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 14, 283-289. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-020-00483-2

Wilder, D., Cymbal, D., & Gravina, N. (2021). Performance management in organizations. R. Houmanfar, M. Fryling, and M. Alavosius (Eds.), Applied behavior science in organizations: Consilience of historical and emerging trends in organizational behavior management. Association for Behavior Analysis International. (book chapter)

Gravina, N., & Matey, N. (2021). Safety and injury prevention in human service organizations. J. Luiselli, R. M. Gardner, F. L. Bird, & H. Miguire (Eds.). Organizational behavior management (OBM) approaches for intellectual and developmental disabilities. Taylor & Francis. (book chapter)

Wilder, D. A., & Gravina, N. (2021). Organizational behavior management. W. Fisher, C. Piazza, and H. Roane (Eds.). Handbook of applied behavior analysis, 2nd Edition. Guilford Press. (book chapter)

Nastasi, J., Simmons, D., & Gravina, N. (2020). Has OBM found its heart? An assessment of procedural acceptability trends in the Journal of Organizational Behavior Management. Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, 41(1), 64-82. https://doi.org/10.1080/01608061.2020.1853000

Sleiman, A., Sigurjonsdottir, S., Kieland, A., Gage, N., & Gravina, N. (2020). A quantitative review of performance feedback in organizational settings (1998-2018). Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, 40(3-4), 303-332. https://doi.org/10.1080/01608061.2020.1823300

Gravina, N., Nastasi, J., Sleiman, A., Matey, N., & Simmons, D. (2020). Behavioral strategies for reducing disease transmission in the workplace. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 54(4), 1935-1954. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaba.779

Sleiman, A., Gravina, N., Robinson, T., & Podlesnik, C. (2020). The role of effort in shifting preference for feedback stimuli. Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, 40(1-2), 30-45. https://doi.org/10.1080/01608061.2020.1746471

Sleiman, A., Matey, N., & Gravina, N. (2020). Ranking of the most prolific authors, universities, and organizations in the Journal of Organizational Behavior Management. Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, 40(1-2), 82-92. https://doi.org/10.1080/01608061.2020.1746726

 Vergason, C., & Gravina, N. (2020). Using a guest-delivered token economy to increase employee-guest interactions at a zoo. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 53(1), 422-430. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaba.599

Gravina, N., Sleiman, A.*, & Matey, N.*  (2019). Participation of women in the Journal of Organizational Behavior Management.  Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, 39, 227-236.

*Cruz, N., Wilder, D., *Phillabaum, C., *Thomas, R, *Cusick, M., & Gravina, N. (2019). Further evaluation of the performance diagnostic checklist-safety (PDC-Safety). Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, 39, 266-279.

*Matey, N., Gravina, N.,*Rajagopal, S., & Betz, A.  (2019). The effects of a feedback delivery requirement on accuracy of observations.  Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, 39, 247-256.

*Curry, S., Gravina, N., *Sleiman, A., & Richard, E. (2019).  Evaluating the effects of rapport building behaviors on performance and discretionary effort.  Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, 39, 213-226.

Griffin, M., Gravina, N., *Matey, N., Wine, B., & Pritchard, J.  (2019). Using weekly scorecards to improve performance of behavior technicians across two locations.  Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, 39, 280-292.

Li, A., Gravina, N., Pritchard, J., & Poling, A.  (2019). Examining the gender pay gap for academics in behavior analysis. Behavior Analysis in Practice. Advanced online publication.

Gravina, N., *King, A., & Austin, J.  (2019). Coaching leaders to use behavioral science to improve safety.  Safety Science, 112, 66-70.

Gravina, N., & *King, A. (2019).  Key lessons from the teaching-family model for organizational behavior management: A commentary on Fixen and Blasé. Perspectives on Behavioral Science, 42, 213-221.

*King, A., & Gravina, N., & *Sleiman, A. (2018).  An evaluation of the role of reactivity in the observer effect.  Journal of Organizational Behavior Management. Advanced online publication.

*DePaulo, J., Gravina, N., & Harvey, C. A. (2018). Using a behavioral intervention to improve performance of a women’s college lacrosse team.  Behavior Analysis in Practice. Advanced Online Publication.

Gravina, N., *Villacorta, J., *Albert, K., *Clark, R. J., *Curry, S., & Wilder, D.  (2018).  A quantitative review of organizational behavior management research in human service settings.  Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, 38,  191-224.

Gravina, N., & Austin, J. (2018).  The consultant workshop model in a human service setting. Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, 38, 244-257.

*Kelley, D., & Gravina, N.  (2018). Every minute counts: Using the science of behavior to reduce wait times in an emergency department.  Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, 38, 234-243.

*Kelley, D., & Gravina, N.  (2018). A new paradigm in healthcare: An open door for OBM.  Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, 38(1), 73-89.   DOI: 10.1080/01608061.2017.1325824

Recent Honors and Awards

2021 OBM Network Outstanding Contribution Award
2019 APA Division 13 Early Career Innovation Award in Consulting Psychology