This comparison draws in part from “We Are All Remarkable: Women leading in small businesses and empowering others” by Bethany Patterson, MS Ed, BCBA, LBA-VA, IBA (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 we are all remarkable: women leading in small businesses and empowering others, 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Locus of Intervention | Individual Strategies: Builds personal skills — boundary-setting, self-monitoring, self-care practices — within existing conditions | Organizational System Design: Modifies the structural conditions that produce burnout — caseload limits, supervision infrastructure, role clarity |
| Speed of Impact | Individual Strategies: Can be implemented immediately; effects visible within days to weeks for practices like sleep hygiene and exercise | Organizational System Design: Longer implementation timeline; structural changes require planning, communication, and often financial investment |
| Sustainability | Individual Strategies: Limited if organizational conditions remain unchanged; personal strategies deplete against persistent structural stressors | Organizational System Design: More sustainable long-term; structural protections operate even when individuals temporarily lack capacity to apply personal strategies |
| Staff-Level Impact | Individual Strategies: Leader behavior models norms but doesn't structurally change staff experience; staff may apply personal strategies independently | Organizational System Design: Structural protections apply to all staff equally; does not depend on individual motivation or skill for basic protective effect |
| Equity Implications | Individual Strategies: Risk of burden-shifting — framing burnout as a personal failure of self-management rather than a structural problem | Organizational System Design: Addresses systemic factors that affect practitioners differentially based on caregiving responsibilities, role demands, and resource access |
| Ethical Alignment | Individual Strategies: Directly addresses Ethics Code 2.06 obligation to manage personal factors affecting professional performance | Organizational System Design: Addresses Ethics Code 4.09 obligation to identify and modify organizational conditions interfering with service quality |
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 we are all remarkable: women leading in small businesses and empowering others 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.
We Are All Remarkable: Women leading in small businesses and empowering others — Bethany Patterson · 1 BACB Supervision CEUs · $19.99
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
239 research articles with practitioner takeaways
233 research articles with practitioner takeaways
1 BACB Supervision CEUs · $19.99 · 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.