Applied Behavior Analysis Advanced Guidebook

A Manual for Professional Practice

James K. Luiselli

• Publisher: Academic Press
• Year: 2017
• eBook ISBN: 9780128111284
• Topic: Psychology
• Subtopic: Clinical Psychology
• Index: Psychology

The Applied Behavior Analysis Practice Guidebook: A Manual for Professional Practice gives behavioral practitioners pragmatic advice, direction and recommendations for being an effective clinician, consultant, supervisor and performance manager. The book adopts a how to do it perspective featuring contributions from expert scientist-practitioners. Each chapter introduces the relevance of the topic for practicing professionals, describes and synthesizes the empirical basis of the topic, and then presents practitioner recommendations. With this format, readers can navigate the chapters with familiarity and confidence to facilitate the understanding of content and integration of the many practice areas addressed. - Focuses on the professional practice areas of board certified behavior analysts - Includes forms, tables, flowcharts and other visual aids to assist in BCBA work - Concludes each chapter with a practice guidelines checklist - Features contributions from notable experts in distinct specialty areas - Helps readers build skills and competencies as an applied behavior analyst

Section I

Supervision, Training, and Service Delivery

Outline

1 Behavior Analytic Supervision

2 Competency-Based Staff Training

3 Functional Behavioral Assessments

4 Social Validity Assessment

5 Behavioral Risk Assessment

6 Incentive-Based Performance Improvement

7 Technology and Telehealth Applications

1

Behavior Analytic Supervision

Laura B. Turner, University of Saint Joseph, West Hartford, CT, United States

Abstract

Many practicing professionals deliver supervision to less experienced colleagues, students, and supervisees. This chapter presents methods and considerations for supervising those training to become Board Certified Behavior Analysts according to a competency-based and problem solving model that aligns with guidelines established by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board. Relevant issues throughout include comprehensively assessing supervisee baseline performance, selecting targets for improvement, clearly defining, and measuring those targets and integrating a problem solving and decision-making approach within the context of reaching competency on specific skill areas. A case example is provided to highlight the use of behavioral skills training and performance feedback to teach complex decision-making.

Keywords

Behavioral skills training; competency-based; decision-making; performance feedback; problem-solving; supervision; supervisees

Introduction to the topic and relevance for behavioral practitioners

Supervision is a needed, complex, and rewarding activity that many behavior analysts will engage in throughout their careers. Behavior analytic supervision is defined as the active process of systematically shaping the myriad skills required of individuals seeking to formally practice applied behavior analysis (ABA). In this chapter, focus is placed on the development of Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBA), with the eventual authority to practice independently, as well as Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analysts, who will be expected to problem solve and make decisions under the ongoing supervision of a BCBA. The term “supervisee” will be used throughout to refer to this group of individuals. Despite the focus on developing future behavior analysts, the methods, and considerations discussed in this chapter are based on empirical findings and can be applied to those being supervised across disciplines.

Shaping the skills of the next generation of behavior analysts is of crucial importance to the growth and wellbeing of the field as well as those receiving behavior analytic services [Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB), 2012b]. The expanding demand for ABA services worldwide has prompted a rapid growth in the number of degree and certificate programs, leading to a large increase in the number of certified practitioners. There are currently approximately 21,000 BCBAs and BCBA-Ds (Doctoral) worldwide (BACB, 2016a). Given this exciting and encouraging growth period, it is essential that supervision simultaneously function as a gatekeeper of high quality behavior analytic practice to ensure a balance of quantity and quality to prevent harm to clients, unethical behavior and a plethora of poorly trained behavior analysts (BACB, 2012b).

Despite the field’s growth, behavior analysts lag far behind the number of professionals in other fields often serving similar populations. Longstanding fields such as speech and language pathology, occupational therapy, and psychology each have well over 100,000 practicing professionals, and there are approximately 450,000 special education teachers in the United States alone (Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, 2015). As ABA practitioners integrate into the already established large-scale educational, organizational, and health care systems throughout the world, quality supervision may lead to effective collaboration and ensure the field grows a positive reputation among our clients and other professionals. As such, supervision is a necessary activity of BCBAs and BCBA-Ds.

Past and current status of practitioner training in the topic

We are providing services in an era in which practitioner accountability and protection of the public are of prime importance. This emphasis has led to the development of evidence- and competency-based approaches to the training of future practitioners across multiple disciplines. A competency-based approach requires supervisees to meet predetermined standards prior to independent practice. Multiple disciplines are also placing emphasis on competency-based approaches for supervisors (e.g., American Psychological Association, 2015; BACB, 2012b; Falender et al., 2004; Kraemer-Tebes et al., 2011), in recognition that supervision is an independent area of practice requiring the development and ongoing maintenance of specific skills and the use of specific components associated with positive outcomes among supervisees. In other words, although strong behavior analytic skills are required of effective supervisors, strong behavior analytic skills do not necessarily equate to being an effective supervisor. Competency-based approaches also tend to focus on creating an individualized, collaborative environment that values frequent, bidirectional performance feedback based on observable behavior, and self-evaluation of the supervisor’s behavior.

Education in effective supervision practices is becoming more common across disciplines; however, a general lack of training continues to present as a primary barrier to the widespread implementation of recommended practices. In an effort to begin the training process, the BACB recently developed a set of guidelines that outlined the core set of competencies expected of those who are providing supervision to anyone pursuing a BACB certificate or holding a certificate that requires ongoing supervision (Supervisor Training Curriculum, BACB, 2012b). Supervisors must receive 8 hours of competency-based instruction consistent with the curriculum prior to supervising any supervisees (BACB, 2012b). These 8 hours can be incorporated into current BACB Approved Course Sequences (e.g., in a professional development or ethics course) or supervisees can attend a postcertificate training (BACB, 2015b). Supervisors and supervisees must also complete a competency based online Experience Training Module prior to the start of the supervision experience to ensure both parties understand the supervision requirements and responsibilities (BACB, 2015a). Given the importance of supervision to the advancement of the field, supervisors are also required to obtain 3 hours of continuing education specifically regarding supervision practices every 2 years (BACB, 2013).

Research base and implications for practice

The organized practice of behavior analysis is a relatively new field (i.e., the BACB was established in 1998) and formal focus on supervisor behavior is a brand new initiative (i.e., supervisor training began in 2015). Empirical investigations of effective supervision practices specifically for future behavior analysts are thus nonexistant. However, as the ultimate responsibility of the supervisor is to teach a variety of skills, from simple to complex, we can use the field’s foundational knowledge for effective approaches to learning to inform our supervision practices. More specifically, we can use the principles and procedures of learning and behavior (e.g., reinforcement, shaping, and generalization) as well as elements of instruction that have led to positive outcomes, such as clearly defined behavioral targets and objectives, accurate models, frequent opportunities for active responding, frequently and directly observing and measuring behavior tied to objectives, delivery of performance feedback regarding objectives, and teaching to mastery with a focus on generalized and fluent behavior (e.g., Cooper, Heron, & Heward, 2007; Moran & Mallott, 2004; Vargas, 2013).

Researchers and clinicians in the field have developed “learning packages,” such as Behavioral skills training (BST), which includes several components of evidence-based instruction as described above. In BST, a competent trainer provides a rationale for the specific skill to be taught, verbally instructs the learner how to engage in the skill, models how to engage in the skill (i.e., either in vivo or video-model), allows the supervisee to practice the skill (e.g., via role play), provides performance feedback to the supervisee regarding their ability to perform the skill, and requires the supervisee practice the skill until competency has been met (see Parsons, Rollyson, & Reid, 2012 and Chapter 2: Functional Behavioral Assessments of this text). Research strongly supports BST for training nonbehavior analysts, such as parents, teachers, and paraprofessionals, how to implement behavior analytic assessment (e.g., preference assessments and functional analysis conditions) and intervention procedures (e.g., Lavie & Sturmey, 2002; Sarokoff & Sturmey, 2004; Seiverling, Williams, Sturmey, & Hart, 2012; Shayne & Miltenberger, 2013). As such, the BACB requires the use of BST to train new skills to supervisees (BACB, 2012b); however, there are no behavioral studies that have evaluated BST to teach skills (i.e., especially relatively complex skills) in the context of behavior analytic supervision.

Research also supports the effect of contingent and specific positive and corrective feedback on behavior (e.g., see Daniels & Bailey, 2014). The BACB requires supervisors to deliver timely performance feedback in various format (e.g., verbal, written, and graphic) that will improve supervisee behavior (BACB, 2012b, 2014). Performance feedback has been shown to be most effective when combined with review of data, goal setting, and modifications to antecedents and consequences (Alvero, Bucklin, & Austin, 2001; Balacazar, Hopkins, & Suarez, 1985; DiGennaro, Martens, & Kleinmann, 2007; Sanetti, Luiselli, & Handler, 2007). Similar to the research conducted on BST, research specifically evaluating the effect of performance feedback on complex behaviors relevant to supervision is lacking.

While the BST and performance feedback literature has been an invaluable and ever-increasing resource for best practices in training and providing ongoing supervision to behavioral implementers, the majority of target behaviors and skills in these studies have focused on simple, discrete, and/or step-by-step procedures requiring minimal to no variation in responding under different stimulus conditions and environmental contingencies. Teaching inflexibly, whether through rule-governance or contingency-shaping, may lead to rigid adherence to trained behavior (Hayes et al., 1986), including clinical decision-making (Follette & Callaghan, 1995). While rigid responding is often appropriate for those implementing specific procedures, practicing behavior analysts are tasked daily with the complex and dynamic responsibility of solving problems, making clinical decisions, designing programs, and mediating conflicts. In most of these situations, it is impossible to systematically teach every possible response to every possible set of stimuli. The goal is to have behavior analysts respond appropriately in situations that were never specifically trained.

Notably, the BACB lists one of the purposes of supervision as the development of problem solving and decision-making repertoires in supervisees (BACB, 2012b). There are several different areas of thought regarding problem solving and a clear and agreed upon definition is lacking, making progress in the systematic investigation of problem solving slow (e.g., see Foxx & Few, 2000). Skinner (1953) defined problem solving as “any behav...

Table of contents

• Cover image
• Title page
• Table of Contents
• Copyright
• List of Contributors
• Preface
• Section I: Supervision, Training, and Service Delivery
• Section II: Consultation Practices
• Section III: Professional Development
• Index