This comparison draws in part from “A Decade of Digital: Leveraging social media in behavior analysis for continuous innovation” by Jennifer Farris, BCBA (BehaviorLive), and extends it with peer-reviewed research from our library of 27,900+ ABA research articles. The decision framework, BACB ethics code references, and cross-links below are synthesized by Behaviorist Book Club.
View the original presentation →One of the most consequential decisions a behavior analyst makes is not just what intervention to use, but how to approach the clinical question in the first place. For a decade of digital: leveraging social media in behavior analysis for continuous innovation, the difference between an evidence-based, individualized approach and a traditional, protocol-driven one can significantly impact outcomes.
This guide lays out the key factors side by side to support your clinical decision-making.
| Factor | Evidence-Based Approach | Traditional Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Information quality control | Traditional: Peer review, editorial oversight, and CE approval processes filter content quality before it reaches practitioners | Social Media: No systematic quality control; content quality ranges from excellent to misleading; practitioner must evaluate quality independently |
| Accessibility | Traditional: Often requires financial investment, travel, and time commitments that create barriers for some practitioners | Social Media: Free, immediate, and accessible from any location; removes geographic and financial barriers to professional learning |
| Diversity of perspectives | Traditional: Shaped by publication and conference selection processes that may underrepresent certain voices and viewpoints | Social Media: Amplifies diverse voices including practitioners, self-advocates, and families; broader range of perspectives available |
| Depth of content | Traditional: Allows for detailed, nuanced presentation of research and clinical content with appropriate caveats and context | Social Media: Platform constraints encourage brevity; nuance and context often sacrificed for engagement and accessibility |
| Speed of dissemination | Traditional: Publication and conference cycles create significant delays between discovery and dissemination | Social Media: Immediate dissemination; new findings and clinical innovations reach practitioners within hours |
| Ethical risk profile | Traditional: Lower risk of confidentiality violations and public missteps; communication is typically more deliberate and reviewed | Social Media: Higher risk of inadvertent confidentiality breaches, unprofessional communication, and boundary violations; permanence of content increases consequences |
The ABA Clubhouse has 60+ on-demand CEUs including ethics, supervision, and clinical topics like this one. Plus a new live CEU every Wednesday.
Use this framework when approaching a decade of digital: leveraging social media in behavior analysis for continuous innovation in your practice:
Does the data support a need for intervention? Is there a meaningful impact on the individual's quality of life, safety, or access to reinforcement?
YES → Proceed to assessment NO → Document reasoning, monitor
A functional assessment should guide intervention selection. Avoid defaulting to standard protocols without individual analysis. Consider environmental variables, setting events, and private events.
YES → Select evidence-based approach matched to function NO → Complete assessment first
Goals should be co-developed. Assent and informed consent are ethical requirements. The individual's preferences and values matter in selecting both goals and methods.
YES → Proceed with collaborative plan NO → Engage in shared decision-making
This course covers the clinical and ethical dimensions in detail with structured learning objectives and CEU credit.
A Decade of Digital: Leveraging social media in behavior analysis for continuous innovation — Jennifer Farris · 1 BACB Ethics CEUs · $20
Take This Course →We extended this decision guide with research from our library — dig into the peer-reviewed studies behind each approach, in plain-English summaries written for BCBAs.
258 research articles with practitioner takeaways
239 research articles with practitioner takeaways
239 research articles with practitioner takeaways
1 BACB Ethics CEUs · $20 · BehaviorLive
Research-backed educational guide
Research-backed answers for behavior analysts
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All behavior-analytic intervention is individualized. The information on this page is for educational purposes and does not constitute clinical advice. Treatment decisions should be informed by the best available published research, individualized assessment, and obtained with the informed consent of the client or their legal guardian. Behavior analysts are responsible for practicing within the boundaries of their competence and adhering to the BACB Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts.