Autism & Beyond. A Conversation on Career Paths in ABA becomes clinically important the moment a team has to turn good intentions into reliable action inside clinic sessions and day-to-day service delivery.
Provider: BehaviorLive — via ABA Round Table
Take This Course →Including ethics, supervision, and topics like this one. New live CEU every Wednesday.
Join Free →Although it is frequently associated with Autism therapy, the field of ABA encompasses a wide variety of career opportunities beyond this common association. As of January 2024, 81% of BACB-certified individuals reported Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) as their focus, leaving under 20% pursuing the 16 other subspecialties including Clinical Behavior Analysis. Looking at the data specifically for BACB-certified RBTs, over 84% reported a focus on ASD, with under 16% exploring the other 16 subspecialties (BACB, 2024). This data makes it abundantly clear as to why most people automatically think of Autism therapy when they hear or see "ABA". It is also why I personally thought that the only path to reach my career goal as a certified BCBA and Training & Development Specialist was through starting as an RBT in Autism therapy. While I chose to specialize in Behavior Analysis due to learning that there are endless applications of the science, I was not aware of any entry points to the field besides Autism therapy. Since learning about other pathways that are accessible at the entry level under the ABA umbrella, I have made it my mission to share this knowledge. In the spirit of encouraging others to apply their skills to their passions, I have invited my longest friend, Ahmani, and newest friend, Kodi, to a panel discussion highlighting careers in the field of ABA outside of Autism therapy. We will be sharing our professional experiences, insights, and guidance to those interested in exploring diverse opportunities within the field. By having this conversation with others who have successful careers outside of Autism therapy, more people will see that there is truly an endless amount of ways to apply ABA.
| Certification Body | Credits | Type |
|---|---|---|
| BACB® | 0 | — |
| COA | 1 | — |
| IBAO | 1 | — |
Jade started in the field of ABA as a Research Intern at an Autism clinic in 2017. They went on to graduate from University of Florida with a B.S. of Psychology emphasized on Behavior Analysis in 2019. After moving to Maryland, they became a teacher at an alternative school where they taught students with special needs and various challenging behaviors in smaller class sizes. They also started a business in 2020. Their experience at the alternative school led them to pursue a career working with Autistic children 1:1 and in small groups becoming a certified RBT in 2022. They went on to obtain certification as an Organizational Behavior Management Specialist in 2023 which they have since applied to their business as well as their role in planning the ABA RoundTable Conference at Signature Behavioral Health. They have plans to pursue a Master's degree in 2025 and become a BCBA.
Side-by-side comparison with a clinical decision framework
Research-backed educational guide for behavior analysts
Research-backed answers to common clinical questions
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.