A Critical Evaluation of Practitioner Training in Applied Behavior Analysis: It is Time for a Change

Leaf (2025) looked at how we train new ABA practitioners. The paper says the current system is broken. It lists exact fixes for classes, supervision, and skill checks.

The author argues that most courses still teach old ideas. Supervisors often lack time and tools. Ongoing skill checks are rare. Without big changes, quality will keep slipping.

Conners et al. (2019) warned first. Their survey of 575 certificants showed diversity training was weak. Leaf (2025) widens the lens and says the whole curriculum needs an update.

Tereshino et al. (2023) flagged one missing piece: teaching staff how to record and read descriptive data. Leaf folds that gap into a full-system repair list.

Xenitidis et al. (2010) proved short PowerPoint workshops can raise staff knowledge. Leaf agrees training works, but says one-off classes are not enough. We need built-in, lifelong checks.

You can act now. Ask your employer for a yearly skills audit. Add mini-assessments to every supervision meeting. Share the paper with program directors to push for updated syllabi. Better training means better outcomes for clients and less burnout for you.