The Need for Greater Training in Consultation for Behavior Analysts
Most BCBA programs skip consultation class, so new grads enter jobs unprepared for teaming and systems work.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Mann et al. (2024) counted how many BCBA training programs teach consultation.
They looked at course lists from every verified course sequence in the U.S.
Only one in nine programs offers a stand-alone consultation class.
What they found
Most behavior-analyst programs skip formal consultation training.
New BCBAs enter the field with little practice in teaming, coaching, or systems work.
The paper calls for a required consultation course in every program.
How this fits with other research
Copeland et al. (2025) asked school-based BCBAs how ready they felt. Most said “not very.” The new data help explain why: they never took a consultation class.
Brown et al. (2025) found that even after certification early-career BCBAs get uneven supervision. Mann’s finding shows the gap starts earlier, during school.
Vladescu et al. (2022) showed BCBAs feel under-trained in special-education law. Together the three papers map a wider training hole—law, consultation, and ongoing supervision all get short shrift.
Why it matters
If you hire or mentor new BCBAs, expect them to struggle in meetings, IEP teams, and parent conferences. Build a consultation crash-course into your onboarding. Pair rookies with seasoned consultants and use live coaching until coursework catches up.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Behavior analysts can be found in a variety of settings including homes, schools, hospitals, workplaces, residential group homes, nursing homes, and universities (Association for Professional Behavior Analysts [APBA], 2019). As the field expands, behavior analysts find themselves performing a variety of tasks outside of traditional service delivery. A role of significant importance is that of the consultant. This article examines the status of training for behavior analysts. Our work finds that relatively few (11% of board certified behavior analyst programs and 3% of board certified associate behavior analyst programs) verified course sequences (VCSs) in behavior analysis include courses devoted specifically to consultation. Compared to other allied professions, there appears to be a disconnect between training and practice, especially when considering that behavior analysts are increasingly engaged in indirect service delivery through consultees. Finally, we discuss the benefits of consultation and why further devotion to and consistent requirements for training in consultation are needed. Several models of consultation appropriate for training behavior analysts are suggested, as well as information regarding how we might examine the effectiveness of consultation training.
Behavior Analysis in Practice, 2024 · doi:10.1007/s40617-023-00872-3