Essential components of written behavior treatment plans.
Run the 20-item expert checklist against every behavior plan you write to catch missing parts before implementation.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Austin et al. (2015) asked 29 behavior-analysis experts what must go into a written behavior plan. They started with 28 possible items and used a survey to cut the list down.
The final checklist has 20 parts. The goal was to give every BCBA a quick way to spot missing pieces before a plan goes live.
What they found
Every expert agreed on the same 20 items. These cover goals, data sheets, roles, safety steps, and how to fade the plan.
No numbers or scores were reported. The paper simply gives the 20-item checklist you can copy into your template today.
How this fits with other research
Quigley et al. (2018) built on this work. Their scoping review added fresh BCBA survey data and showed the field still lacks one shared template. Together the two papers give both expert and front-line voices.
Einfeld et al. (1995) did an earlier survey that listed 108 training tasks for new BCBAs. Austin et al. (2015) narrows the focus from broad training to the exact words that must appear on the page.
Castañe et al. (1993) warned that most studies lacked clear plan details. The 2015 checklist answers that warning by telling you which details to include.
Why it matters
Open your last behavior plan and run it against the 20-item list. If any piece is missing, add it before the next team meeting. A complete plan protects treatment integrity, speeds up parent consent, and keeps funders happy. Use the checklist as a quick QA step every time you write or review a plan.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
For the last 25 years, the only empirically determined system to evaluate the content of written behavior analysis plans was developed by Vollmer et al. (1992). For the current study, the content of that earlier system was revised by the first author and submitted to 48 members of the editorial board of the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis and seven (7) other acknowledged experts on the editorial boards of Behavioral Interventions and Research in Developmental Disabilities. Of 55 recipients, 36 responded. The thirty-six (36) respondents rated each of 28 items from essential to non-essential using a five-point Likert scale. After reviewing the expert panel members' evaluations, we reduced the 28 items to 20 essential components of written behavior treatment plans. The implications of the results were discussed.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2015 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2014.10.003