Revised Guidelines for Consumers of Applied
Behavior Analysis Services
to Individuals with Autism and Related DisordersAutism
Special Interest Group (SIG)
Association for Behavior Analysis
Revision Adopted September 15, 2004
Original Version Adopted May 23, 1998
The Autism Special Interest Group (SIG) of the Association for
Behavior Analysis asserts that all children and adults with autism
and related disorders have the right to effective education and
treatment based on the best available scientific evidence.
Research has clearly documented the effectiveness of applied
behavior analysis (ABA) methods in the education and treatment of
people with autism (e.g., Matson et al., 1996; Smith, 1996; New
York Department of Health, 1999; U.S. Surgeon General, 1999).
Planning, directing, and monitoring effective ABA programs for
individuals with autism requires specific competencies.
Individuals with autism, their families, and other consumers have
the right to know whether persons who claim to be qualified to
direct ABA programs actually have the necessary competencies. All
consumers also have the right to hold those individuals
accountable for providing quality services (e.g., to ask them to
show how they use objective data to plan, implement, and evaluate
the effectiveness of the interventions they use). Because of the
diversity of needs of individuals in the autism spectrum and the
array of specific competencies amongst the pool of potential
service providers, consumers also need to focus on the match
between their needs and the specific competencies of a particular
provider.
Formal credentialing of professional behavior analysts through
the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) can provide some
safeguards for consumers, including a means of screening potential
providers, and some recourse if incompetent or unethical practices
are encountered. Unfortunately, there continues to exist a
tremendous gap between the supply of qualified behavior analysts
and the demand for ABA services. Nonetheless, as with any other
credentialed professionals, consumers should exercise caution when
working with individuals who have, or claim to have, credentials
in behavior analysis. Although a formal credential in behavior
analysis is evidence that a professional has met minimum
competency standards, it does not guarantee that the individual
has specific expertise in autism, nor that s/he can produce
optimal treatment outcomes. Furthermore, the credentialing of
professional behavior analysts has only been in place on an
international level since 2000 and there may be some competent
service providers who are still in the process of applying for
BACB certification.
The Autism SIG recommends that consumers seek to determine if
those who claim to be qualified to direct ABA programs for people
with autism meet the following minimum standards:
I. Certification by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board as
a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), or documented evidence
of equivalent education, professional training, and supervised
experience in applied behavior analysis. Standards for
certification as a BCBA, which can be found at www.BACB.com
(Consumer Information Section), include: at least a master’s
degree in behavior analysis or a related area; 225 hours of
graduate level coursework in specific behavior analytic content
areas (as of the deadline for Spring 2005 applications); 18 months
of mentored experience or 9 months of supervised experience in
designing and implementing applied behavior analysis
interventions; and a passing score on a standardized examination.
Consumers are urged to check the BACB website as these
requirements may change from time to time. An individual’s BACB
certification status may be verified by going to www.BACB.com,
clicking on “Consumer Information,” and then clicking “Registry.”
Note that there is also a lower level of BACB certification,
Board Certified Associate Behavior Analyst (BCABA), for
individuals who have a bachelor’s degree, 135 hours of classroom
instruction in behavior analysis (effective for Spring 2005
applications), 12 months of mentored experience or 6 months of
supervised experience in implementing applied behavior analysis
interventions, and a passing score on a standardized examination.
A complete list of skills and knowledge covered on the Behavior
Analyst Certification Board examinations is available at
www.BACB.com. Both BCBAs and BCABAs must renew their BACB
certification annually, participate in continuing education
activities that must meet BACB standards, and adhere to the BACB’s
Guidelines for Responsible Conduct (also available at
www.BACB.com).
With respect to BCABAs, the Behavior Analyst Certification
Board explicitly states that
The BCABA designs and
oversees interventions in familiar cases (e.g., similar to those
encountered during their training) that are consistent with the
dimensions of applied behavior analysis. The BCABA obtains
technical direction from a BCBA for unfamiliar situations. The
BCABA is able to teach others to carry out interventions once
the BCABA has demonstrated competency with the procedures
involved under the direct supervision of a BCBA. The BCABA may
assist a BCBA with the design and delivery of introductory level
instruction in behavior analysis. It is strongly recommended
that the BCABA practice under the supervision of a BCBA, and
that those governmental entities regulating BCABAs require this
supervision.
The Autism SIG does not consider BCABAs, or individuals with
equivalent or less training and experience, to be qualified to
independently design, direct, and guide behavior analytic
programming for individuals with autism. They may deliver behavior
analytic intervention, and may assist with program design, but
should be adequately supervised by BCBAs or the equivalent. The
Autism Special Interest Group encourages consumers to request the
name and contact information of the BCABA’s supervisor and check
to see that the supervisor is a BCBA or equivalent, as well as the
information about the amount and type of supervision he/she
provides.
The Autism SIG asserts that certification as a BCBA or
documented equivalent training and experience is a necessary but
not sufficient qualification to direct programming for individuals
with autism. Consumers should be aware that the discipline of
applied behavior analysis is broad and varied, and that many
individuals who hold certification as a BCBA have little to no
experience directing or delivering ABA programming to individuals
with autism. Therefore, the Autism SIG considers the following
training and experience, in addition to certification as a BCBA or
the equivalent, to be necessary to competently direct ABA
programming for individuals with autism:
IIa. At least one full calendar year (full-time equivalent of
1000 clock hours [25 hrs/wk for 40 weeks]) of hands-on training in
providing ABA services directly to children and/or adults with
autism under the supervision of a Board Certified Behavior Analyst
or the equivalent with at least 5 years of experience in ABA
programming for individuals with autism. The training and
supervision should assure competency in the following areas:
- Experience in assuming the lead role in designing and
implementing comprehensive ABA programming for individuals with
autism. The experience should involve designing and implementing
individualized programs to build skills and promote independent
functioning in each of the following areas: "learning to learn"
(e.g., observing, listening, following instructions, imitating);
communication (vocal and nonvocal); social interaction;
self-care; school readiness; academics; self-preservation;
motor; play and leisure; community living; self-monitoring; and
pre-vocational and vocational skills.
- Providing ABA programming to at least 8 individuals with
autism spectrum disorders who represent a range of repertoires
and ages.
- Employing an array of scientifically validated behavior
analytic teaching procedures, including (but not limited to)
discrete trial instruction, modeling, incidental teaching and
other "naturalistic" teaching methods, small group instruction,
activity-embedded instruction, task analysis, and chaining.
- Incorporating the following techniques into skill-building
programs: prompting; error correction; reinforcement and
manipulation of motivational variables; stimulus control
(including discrimination training); preference assessments; and
choice procedures.
- Employing a wide array of strategies to program for and
assess both skill acquisition and skill generalization.
- Modifying instructional programs based on frequent,
systematic evaluation of direct observational data.
- Conducting functional assessments (including functional
analyses) of challenging behavior and becoming familiar with the
array of considerations that would indicate certain assessment
methods over others.
- Designing and implementing programs to reduce stereotypic,
disruptive, and destructive behavior based on systematic
analysis of the variables that cause and maintain the behavior
and matching treatment to the determined function(s) of the
behavior.
- Incorporating differential reinforcement of appropriate
alternative responses into behavior reduction programs and
efforts to teach replacement skills, based on the best available
research evidence.
- Modifying behavior reduction programs based on frequent,
systematic evaluation of direct data.
- Providing training in ABA methods and other support services
to the families of at least 8 individuals with autism.
- Providing training and supervision to at least 5
professionals, paraprofessionals, or college students providing
ABA services to individuals with autism.
- Collaborating effectively with professionals from other
disciplines and with family members to promote consistent
intervention and to maximize outcomes.
IIb. Additional training in directing and supervising ABA
programs for individuals with autism that involves:
- Formal training and/or self-study to develop knowledge of
the best available scientific evidence about the characteristics
of autism and related disorders, and implications of those
characteristics for designing and implementing educational and
treatment programs, including their impact on family and
community life.
- Formal training and/or self-study to develop knowledge of at
least one curriculum for learners with autism consisting of: (a)
a scope and sequence of skills based on normal developmental
milestones, broken down into component skills based on research
on teaching individuals with autism and related disorders; (b)
prototype programs for teaching each skill in the curriculum,
using behavior analytic methods; (c) data recording and tracking
systems; and (d) accompanying materials.
- Formal training and/or self-study to develop skills in using
scientifically validated methods to assess and build
vocal-verbal and nonverbal communication repertoires in people
with autism, consistent with the principles and practices of
behavior analysis. This includes augmentative and alternative
communication systems for individuals with limited vocal
repertoires that are matched to the individual needs of the
learner.
- Accrual of continuing education in the best available
research from behavior analysis and other scientific disciplines
as it informs autism treatment. The Autism SIG encourages
consumers to ask prospective directors of ABA services for
evidence that they have participated recently in continuing
education activities relevant to the treatment of individuals
with autism like those they will be serving (e.g., preschoolers,
adults, individuals with limited vocal-verbal repertoires,
etc.).
The Autism SIG urges consumers to ask prospective directors of
ABA services (including those who use titles such as “consultant”)
to provide evidence of their qualifications in the form of:
- Certification as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA),
or documented equivalent qualifications;
- Information about the amount and type of supervision they
provide to all those who deliver intervention directly to
individuals with autism and monitoring of the level of
involvement/responsibilities and certification status of their
supervisees (i.e., BCABAs are not qualified to independently
design, direct, and oversee programming);
- Membership in the Association for Behavior Analysis (ABA);
- Membership in an affiliated chapter of ABA (e.g., CalABA,
NYSABA, TxABA, FABA, NJABA);
- Undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate training in
behavior analysis specifically, as differentiated from
non-behavior analytic study in psychology, special education,
education, or other disciplines;
- Letters of reference from employment supervisors and/or
families for whom they have directed ABA programming for similar
individuals with autism (with appropriate safeguards taken to
ensure privacy and confidentiality); and
- Publications of behavior analytic research in peer-reviewed
professional journals.
Consumers should be aware of the following:
- Attending or giving some workshops, taking some courses, or
getting brief hands-on experiences does NOT qualify an
individual to practice applied behavior analysis effectively and
ethically. Unfortunately, there may be some individuals who
misrepresent themselves when describing their skills and
experiences to consumers.
- Evidence of attendance and active participation in
professional meetings and conferences in behavior analysis
(e.g., the annual meeting of the Association for Behavior
Analysis) is certainly desirable. Such activities by themselves,
however, do not constitute training in behavior analysis, and
conference presentations are not equivalent to publications in
peer-reviewed professional journals because conference
presentations typically are not reviewed carefully by a number
of other behavior analysts, and do not have to meet scientific
standards. Therefore, it is important for consumers to
differentiate presentations at conferences and workshops from
publications in peer-reviewed journals.
- Consumers who have concerns about the ethical behavior
of individuals providing ABAservices are strongly encouraged to
contact the Behavior Analyst Certification Board in the case of
a BCBA or BCABA, and discipline-specific licensing boards in the
case of those holding professional licensure (such as
psychologists, speech-language pathologists, physicians, social
workers).
DISCLAIMER: This document suggests guidelines for consumers to
use in determining who may be qualified to direct applied behavior
analysis programs for individuals with autism, as recommended by
the Autism Special Interest Group of the Association for Behavior
Analysis International. It does not represent the official policy,
position, or opinions of the Association for Behavior Analysis,
its members, or its Executive Council.
Selected Resources
Behavior Analyst Certification Board –
www.BACB.com
Matson, J. L., Benavidez, D.A., Compton, L.S.,
Paclawskyj, T., & Baglio, C. (1996).
Behavioral treatment of autistic persons: A review of research
from 1980 to the
present. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 17, 433-465.
New York State Department of Health Early
Intervention Program (1999). Clinical
Practice Guideline Quick Reference Guide: Autism/Pervasive
Developmental
Disorders-- Assessment and Intervention for Young Children (Age
0-3 Years). Health
Education Services, P.O. Box 7126, Albany, NY 12224 (1999
Publication No. 4216).
Smith, T. (1996). Are other treatments
effective? In C. Maurice, G. Green, & S. Luce
(Eds.), Behavioral intervention for young children with autism: A
manual for parents
and professionals (pp 45-59). Austin, TX: PRO-ED.
U.S. Surgeon General’s Report on Mental Health –
Autism Section (1999) |
