Wednesday, june 21st 

12-1 PM (CST)

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Zoom Passcode: 075285

 

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Title

BCBAs or Board Certified Burned Outs? A survey and discussion of supervision for early career BCBAs. 

 

Presenter

Dr. Kayla Randall, Assistant Professor at Georgia State University ​

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Dr. Randall is a board certified behavior analyst at the doctoral level. She earned a Master’s of Education degree in Special Education from Vanderbilt University. She earned a doctoral degree in Applied Behavior Analysis from the University of Nebraska Medical Center under the supervision of Dr. Brian Greer. During her training, she completed a doctoral internship in the Severe Behavior Program at the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s Munroe-Meyer Institute. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the Behavior Management Program at the Center for Pediatric Behavioral Health. Her research interests include the assessment and treatment of severe destructive behavior with an emphasis on treatment relapse and translational investigations. Dr. Randall has published research in a number of peer-reviewed journals including: Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, Journal of Experimental Analysis of Behavior, Augmentative & Alternative Communication, Behavior Analysis: Research and Practice, Behavior Modification, and Behavioral Disorders. She has presented her research in regional, national, and international conferences.

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Abstract 

Individuals seeking their board certified behavior analyst (BCBA) credential, or are either a registered behavior technician (RBT) or board certified assistant behavior analyst (BCaBA) are required to undergo ongoing supervision from a BCBA or doctoral level BCBA-D as they engage in behavior analytic activities. However, there are no formal post-certification requirements to receive ongoing supervision for BCBA/Ds. Although it is not recommended by the Behavior Analysis Certification Board, BCBA/Ds may become supervisors within their first year post certification. Given there are no formal requirements for BCBA/Ds to receive ongoing supervision, the extent to which these junior BCBA/Ds are receiving supervision and mentorship is unknown. This may be concerning given that some BCBA/Ds begin their career in highly specialized areas which may require additional oversight for safety and ethical considerations. This study presents data on a survey given to junior BCBA/Ds that obtained their credential within the last five years. We examined questions related to the current practices, perceptions of supervision, and barriers to supervision. Implications for recommendations for the supervision and mentorship of junior BCBAs is discussed. 

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Objectives

1.) Participants will name at least two barriers to ongoing supervision for early career BCBAs.

2.) Participants will state why lack of supervision for early career BCBAs may be a problem.

3.) Participants will name at least two strategies for supporting ongoing supervision of early career BCBAs.