Future Directions of Training and Fieldwork in Diversity Issues in Applied Behavior Analysis

Conners et al. (2019) asked 575 certified ABA practitioners how well their training prepared them to work with diverse clients. They used an online survey and a follow-up focus group.

The authors then wrote a position paper. They listed gaps and gave a roadmap for weaving multicultural lessons into coursework, fieldwork, and supervision.

Most respondents said they got little to no formal diversity training. They wanted clear competencies, practice cases, and guided reflection.

The paper ends with a call to action: embed multicultural coursework now and use the new edited book Multiculturalism and Diversity in Applied Behavior Analysis as a ready-made resource.

Leaf (2025) is a direct successor. Six years later it widens the critique, saying the whole training system still lacks quality and fidelity. It keeps the same fix-it spirit.

Rosales et al. (2023) and Cirincione-Ulezi (2020) extend the idea beyond the classroom. They show small agencies and leadership teams how to recruit diverse staff and remove race-gender barriers.

Beaulieu et al. (2022) give you an immediate tool: a cultural self-assessment checklist you can use in supervision tomorrow.

If you supervise students, pick one course lesson this month and add a diversity objective. Use the Conners roadmap to choose the competency, the case example, and the reflection prompt. Your supervisees will enter the field ready to serve clients who don’t look or speak like them.