Training Program Quality: Experiences and Perspectives of Current Behavior Analysts

Individuals desiring to engage in applied behavior analytic service delivery require certification through the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB). The BACB is responsible for analyst credentialing at four levels (high school diploma, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral). Regardless of the certification level, persons wishing to apply for certification must: complete applicable coursework, earn the degree, complete supervised experience hours, and pass the board examination (BACB, 2019).

Prospective analysts must complete their coursework at a training location (typically an institute of higher education) approved by the Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI). Such approved locations are termed as a Verified Course Sequence (VCS). “A [VCS] is a set of courses that has been verified by the Association for Behavior Analysis International as meeting specific coursework requirements, content hours, and faculty standards. An institution may offer a VCS embedded within a degree program, as a stand-alone sequence (certificate program), or both. A VCS may offer coursework at the undergraduate or graduate level. Some programs may elect to further separate VCS programs by masters- and doctoral-level coursework” (ABAI, 2021).

Outside of the ABAI verification process, individual training programs are free to determine/shape their program in multiple ways. For example:

· Program design: department affiliation, thesis requirements, flexibility and pacing, instructors

· Student supports: class size, advising, exam preparation

· Supervision: providing supervisors/placement, offering group supervision courses

· Mode of instruction: on-campus, online, hybrid

· Professional opportunities: program clinic/lab, research opportunities, job placement, conference attendance

· Course instruction: class activities, professor knowledge/experience, reading

Each of the decisions administrators make regarding the structure and offerings of their training program plays a role in the experience of their students.

Given training program’s responsibility to prepare future analyst, ‘program quality’ has become a hot topic within the field. Below is a figure I created to show the commonly reference metrics of program quality recommended by ABA professionals. Research to-date has overwhelmingly focused on faculty productivity and publishing and student exam pass rates at the main outcomes of interest regarding program quality.

While I agree these are important, I passionately believe MUCH more goes into truly understanding the quality of a training program. Additionally, student voice in this domain has been large unassessed and unreported. Gaining insight from students can improve program quality and guide program development and expansion. Program graduates can also identify potential quantitative and qualitative metrics of program quality to use in future analyses.

To that end, our survey of PA behavior analysts asked them to identify the perceived strengths and needs of their behavior-analytic training program. You can find more information on the methods/analysis in a previous blog post (HERE).

Responding analysts highlighted a variety of program strengths within their open-ended responses. The figure above shows a breakdown of the main response themes and a word cloud of resulting themes and subthemes. Responses indicate analysts appreciate smaller class sizes and a rigorous yet flexible sequence of courses. While instructor experience and knowledge were important, responding analysts highlighted the instructors’ passion and expertise as important more frequently. Analysts commonly mentioned group discussions, real-life applications, and hands-on practice as strengths of their programs.

Many responding analysts (21%) indicate no program needs, describing good experiences and thorough programs. Commonly mentioned needs of training programs included:

· increased real-life application and guided skill practice,

· increased emphasis on ABA’s other areas of professional emphasis,

· increased emphasis on assessments and verbal behavior, and

· better organized programs and supervision.

While by no means an exhaustive list, the results from this survey highlight important strengths and needs of training programs responsible for educating future behavior analyst. I hope the results from this survey provide some interesting discussion points to support the continuous quality improvement efforts of ABA training programs.

It is important to remember that each student has a variety of training programs to chose from. Therefore, their decision to choose a specific program likely results from a unique set of personal and professional assumptions and experiences. Trainings programs should work hard to engage in meaningful and ongoing conversations with their students and graduates on ways to better student experience.

Justin is engaging in exciting work to develop tools designed to help ABA training programs assess the effectiveness and quality of their training program. To hear more about this work, or ask for more information, please use the Contact form!