As the ABA field has matured from a relatively small research discipline into a large clinical workforce, a body of research has emerged examining not just client outcomes but the practitioner variables that produce them. Post-graduate supervision quality, career competency development, and early-career turnover are now recognized as legitimate scientific questions with practical implications for organizational design.
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Join Free →In recent years and with the growth of clinical practice, research has started to explore post-graduate supervision and training, career/competency development, and turnover/retention. For example, LeBlanc and colleagues (2019) investigated factors that impacted effective caseload management such as time management, funder constraints, and understanding of consequences. Brown and colleagues (2023) surveyed early career BCBAs on supervision and training practices. Of note, the authors found that most BCBAs indicated that their supervisor used indirect measures (e.g., evaluation of written permanent products; 70% of respondents) and low endorsement of behavior skills training (e.g., observation, modeling, and feedback; 29%). More recently, Blackman et al., (2024) found that 35% of respondents left their job because of supervision and mentorship (or lack thereof). In addition, 20% of respondents left their jobs for career advancement. With this knowledge, our goal was to architect a career advancement program for BCBAs based upon data-driven topics seen in clinical practice, coupled with rubrics, self-reflection, direct observation, and feedback (Sellers et al., 2016). The presenters will explain how to (a) create clinical and professional competencies, (b) how to use those competencies to objectively assess current repertoires and (c) identify target training topics, and finally; (d) how to provide training such that BCBAs are able to master competency goals and experience career advancement based upon their growing skillsets. During the presentation, the presenters will illustrate this work by sharing data on the implementation of a career-pathway program, BCBA satisfaction, trends in skill-competency for the organization, impacts on clinical retention, and skill development. Finally, time will also be devoted to strengths, limitations, and next steps for the career development program.
| Certification Body | Credits | Type |
|---|---|---|
| BACB® | 1 | Supervision |
| APA | 0 | — |
| COA | 1 | — |
Janelle Stawasz is a BCBA (Board Certified Behavior Analyst) with a Masters of Education with an emphasis in elementary aged students with Autism – COPPA Grant under Dr. David Gast at The University of Georgia. Before attending UGA, Janelle attended Penn State University for her undergraduate degree under the supervision of Dr. Rick Kubina. These studies focused on Direct Instruction and the use of Standard Celeration Charts in the classroom setting. While at UGA her primary focus was with children with Autism in the school systems, specifically looking at the benefits of small group instruction in the classroom; including the use of incidental teaching and observational learning. After her time at UGA, she taught in Gwinnett County at a Title 1 school for 5 years in a self- contained classroom of children with autism. Those 5 years not only gave her experience in small group instruction, but also focused heavily on training of paraprofessionals and staff, and behavior reduction of moderate to severe problem behavior. During her time teaching, she also volunteered as a mentor teacher to other new teachers. While teaching, Janelle also worked for an in-home ABA company, gaining experience in serving children both in their homes, community and daycares. Since leaving the school systems, Janelle has worked for Hopebridge in a variety of positions. She worked at two clinics in Georgia, served as a Regional BCBA for Georgia, and now serves as the Director of ABA Clinical Operations for the South Region. She is passionate about caregiver guidance, compassionate treatment for challenging behavior, and development of the clinicians she leads.
Dig into the research behind this topic — plain-English summaries written for BCBAs.
280 research articles with practitioner takeaways
258 research articles with practitioner takeaways
244 research articles with practitioner takeaways
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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.