This comparison draws in part from “Leading Through Conflict: Skills You can Use” by Erica Kinnebrew, 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 →Every ABA supervisor develops a default style for managing conflict. Some default toward engagement — addressing disagreements and performance concerns directly and early. Others default toward avoidance — hoping that conflicts will resolve without requiring the discomfort of direct conversation. Both styles have situational justifications and both have patterns of failure.
Conflict avoidance is not always wrong. Some conflicts are genuinely self-resolving, some timing contexts are genuinely bad for productive conversation, and some relationships need time to reset before a difficult conversation can be productive. The problem is avoidance as a default rather than as a deliberate situational choice — when the default is always to wait, and the situational assessment is rarely done.
Direct engagement is also not always right. Engagement in the wrong way — with inadequate preparation, poor timing, or a battle frame rather than a truth-seeking frame — can damage relationships and produce worse outcomes than a thoughtfully timed later conversation. The comparison below examines specific dimensions where the choice between styles has the clearest consequences for ABA supervisory and team leadership.
| Factor | Evidence-Based Approach | Traditional Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Problem resolution speed | Conflict avoidance: immediate discomfort reduction; problem typically persists or worsens without direct intervention | Direct engagement: immediate discomfort; problem more likely to reach genuine resolution within a predictable time frame |
| Team communication culture | Conflict avoidance: produces culture where problems are known but not acknowledged; communication becomes indirect and politically navigated | Direct engagement: produces culture where problems are surfaced and addressed; communication becomes direct and honest over time |
| Treatment integrity effects | Conflict avoidance: clinical disagreements left unresolved produce inconsistent procedure implementation; different team members implement different versions of the same program | Direct engagement: clinical disagreements resolved through explicit conversation; team reaches shared understanding of procedures and rationale |
| Supervisee development | Conflict avoidance: supervisees receive incomplete feedback; performance problems not addressed do not improve; supervisee's awareness of their own performance gaps is limited | Direct engagement: supervisees receive honest, specific feedback; performance problems addressed have opportunity to resolve; supervisees develop accurate self-assessment |
| Family relationship quality | Conflict avoidance: unaddressed family concerns accumulate; family disengages gradually or terminates abruptly without the BCBA understanding why | Direct engagement: family concerns addressed through genuine inquiry; therapeutic relationship capable of surviving disagreement and recovering from difficulty |
| Leader stress and burnout | Conflict avoidance: short-term stress reduction; long-term stress accumulation from unresolved problems and the ongoing effort of managing avoided issues | Direct engagement: short-term stress increase; long-term stress reduction as resolved problems no longer require management |
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Use this framework when approaching leading through conflict: skills you can use 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.
Leading Through Conflict: Skills You can Use — Erica Kinnebrew · 1.5 BACB Supervision CEUs · $25
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.
279 research articles with practitioner takeaways
258 research articles with practitioner takeaways
239 research articles with practitioner takeaways
1.5 BACB Supervision CEUs · $25 · BehaviorLive
Research-backed educational guide
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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.