This comparison draws in part from “STOP TRAINING! START ANALYZING: Diagnosing RBT Performance Problems Using Performance Analysis” by Adam Ventura, PhD 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 stop training! start analyzing: diagnosing rbt performance problems using performance analysis, 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Problem Identification | Retraining Default: Identifies that a performance problem exists; does not identify why it exists; assumes the cause is skill deficit by default | Performance Analysis: Systematically identifies the environmental variables maintaining the performance problem before any intervention is selected; matches intervention to cause |
| Intervention Efficiency | Retraining Default: Efficient when the problem is actually a skill deficit; inefficient and ineffective when the problem is antecedent-based, consequence-based, or resource-based | Performance Analysis: Adds diagnostic time upfront; produces faster resolution because the intervention is matched to the cause rather than applied generically |
| Staff Experience | Retraining Default: May be experienced as disrespectful or punitive when staff know they have the skill and the retraining does not address the actual barrier | Performance Analysis: Involves the staff member in identifying barriers; communicates that the supervisor is analyzing the environment rather than attributing fault to the individual |
| Pattern Detection | Retraining Default: Responds to individual performance problems in isolation; systemic causes are rarely identified because each problem is treated as an individual deficit | Performance Analysis: Reveals systemic patterns when multiple staff experience the same problem; enables organizational interventions that individual retraining cannot produce |
| Durability of Behavior Change | Retraining Default: Produces temporary improvement when the problem is not a skill deficit; performance returns to previous levels when training-specific context is removed | Performance Analysis: Produces durable change because the intervention addresses the actual maintaining variable; behavior change persists because the environmental conditions have changed |
| Alignment with Ethics Code | Retraining Default: May violate the spirit of Code 1.07 by applying a minimally effective or ineffective intervention to a problem that could be addressed more efficiently | Performance Analysis: Aligns with Code 3.03 (ongoing monitoring), Code 1.07 (effective procedures), and the behavioral analytic principle that performance is a function of environment, not disposition |
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 stop training! start analyzing: diagnosing rbt performance problems using performance analysis 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.
STOP TRAINING! START ANALYZING: Diagnosing RBT Performance Problems Using Performance Analysis — Adam Ventura · 1 BACB Supervision 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.
280 research articles with practitioner takeaways
279 research articles with practitioner takeaways
258 research articles with practitioner takeaways
1 BACB Supervision 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.