An Introduction to Sexual Behavior Analysis (SBA) belongs in serious BCBA study because it shapes whether behavior-analytic decisions stay useful once they leave a clean training example and enter clinical documentation, payer communication, supervision records, and leadership review. In Sexual Behavior Analysis (SBA), for this course, the practical stakes show up in service continuity, accurate reporting, and defensible clinical decisions, not in abstract discussion alone.
Provider: BehaviorLive — via Illinois Association of Behavior Analysis
Take This Course →Including ethics, supervision, and topics like this one. New live CEU every Wednesday.
Join Free →What is this new thing people are calling Sexual Behavior Analysis (SBA)? Is it legit? Well, it's actually not new at all, but it definitely has shaped-up over the decades! The applications of behavior analysis into sexuality/sexology have been disseminated in journals since way before there was even an ethics code or a board to govern our practices, and the results of that "wild west" history have been, well...varied. These days, behavior analysts practicing within the sexological realms of puberty, sex, gender expression, relationships, and abuse prevention have taken some pretty strong stands that competency is a must, and that practice must be both in-scope and HUMAN. Not just humane. Human. Luckily, the BACB's 2022 Ethics Code notes the importance of informed consent (to include assent), self-determination, and beneficence, which means behavior analysts operating outside of best practices would be in violation of the Code. But what are those best practices? And why, if this has been around for a long while, is it not something many people have heard of? Get an introduction to SBA from the owner of the world's first SBA agency, which is in its 9th year of operation and has served clients across several states and Internationally. This won't make attendees into instant sexologists, but it will definitely leave people with knowledge of the subfield and the potential future applications of their own credentials or how to expand upon them, how to access resources for when sexual or sociosexual behaviors show up on their caseload, and with an understanding of the unique historic overlaps between ABA & conversion therapy that have many Autistic people very [rightly] upset, and which many behavior analysts don't seem to know.
| Certification Body | Credits | Type |
|---|---|---|
| BACB® | 3 | General |
| COA | 0 | — |
Nicholas is a Certified Professional Member of the American Association for Sex Educators, Counselors, and Therapists (AASECT) and serves as the Bylaws Committee Chair, as well as a member of the Mentoring Committee. He is an AASECT Certified Sexuality Counselor (CSC) who completed a 300-hour sex therapy practicum under Linda Weiner, LMSW, CSTS, and a 500-hour MFT practicum under Angela Skurtu, LMFT, CST.Nicholas Maio-Aether, MSPSY, BCBA, CSC, co-founded Empowered: A Center for Sexuality, LLC, nearly nine years ago with Jessica Naslund, LCSW, CSE, and Nicholas Maio-Aether, MSPSY, BCBA, CSC, and the organization has continued to thrive through multiple evolutions in service delivery. Their mission remains steadfast: to provide high-quality, inclusive sexuality services to populations who are often underserved and without access to such vital care.Empowered is a BACB Type 2 Learning CEU Provider and offers training to professionals committed to this mission. Recently, Empowered became a 50/50 partner with CEUs by StudyNotesABA to launch two formal certification programs in Sexual Behavior Analysis:Certified Behavioral Sexologist (CBS)Certified Behavioral Sexologist – Common and Couple’s Concerns (CBS-C)As a Sexual Behavior Analyst (SBA/BCBA), Nicholas acts both as a direct therapist and a subject matter expert (SME). In the SME role, he supports ABA teams, conducts comprehensive parent and staff trainings, and provides telehealth-based direct services when needed. He develops and coaches the implementation of behavioral interventions that honor individuality, neurodiversity, and queer identities, while building practical and sociosexual skills.Nicholas’s areas of expertise include human sexuality, autism, couples communication, anxiety management, flirting and dating skills, and pleasure-focused skill-building—whether solo or in consensual partnerships. With over 13,000 hours of experience in these areas, he is Board Certified and State Licensed in Applied Behavior Analysis.In addition to clinical work, Nicholas is passionate about training others in ethical ABA practices, with a commitment to addressing past harms within the field and fostering compassionate, person-centered care.Specialties: Sexual Behavior Analysis, Sex Consultation for Couples, Human-Centered ABA, Autistic Adults and Dating/Sexual Support, HIV, Human Sexuality, Special EducationPsychology Today Profile: Nicholas Maio-Aether – Psychology Today
Dig into the research behind this topic — plain-English summaries written for BCBAs.
279 research articles with practitioner takeaways
256 research articles with practitioner takeaways
239 research articles with practitioner takeaways
You earn CEUs from a dozen different places. Upload any certificate — from here, your employer, conferences, wherever — and always know exactly where you stand. Learning, Ethics, Supervision, all handled.
No credit card required. Cancel anytime.
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.