The concept of culturally responsive mentorship in behavior analysis addresses a critical gap between the field's growing emphasis on cultural competence in clinical service delivery and the relatively limited attention given to cultural dynamics within the training and supervisory relationships that shape future practitioners. As the field of applied behavior analysis has expanded to serve increasingly diverse populations, there has been an appropriate and necessary focus on ensuring that clinical services are culturally responsive.
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Join Free →Recent publications have called on behavior analysts to adopt cultural competence and cultural humility in their clinical practice. Although it is important to focus on cultural competence and cultural humility when providing therapeutic services to clients, it is just as important to apply the same philosophy when we train and mentor future behavior analysts. Culturally responsive mentorship refers to recognizing culturally shaped beliefs, perceptions, and judgments in a mentorship relationship and being cognizant of cultural differences and similarities between the mentor and mentees. Practicing culturally responsive mentorship when training and mentoring future behavior analysts aligns directly with being culturally competent and practicing cultural humility. This paper surveys the status of culturally responsive mentorship practices in training and mentoring future behavior analysts. We surveyed 502 faculty teaching in a verified course sequence and/or an ABAI accredited program. The survey was completed by a total of 44 respondents. Results showed faculty are dedicated to adopting culturally responsive mentorship practices but need training and resources to do so. We outline the specific results of the survey and the implications for training and mentoring future behavior analysts.
| Certification Body | Credits | Type |
|---|---|---|
| BACB® | 1 | Ethics |
Denice Rios, Ph.D., BCBA-D is an assistant professor at California State University, Los Angeles. Dr. Rios earned her bachelor’s and master’s degree from California State University, Northridge and her doctoral degree in Behavior Analysis from Western Michigan University. Her research interests include examining effective staff training strategies (e.g., feedback), assessment and treatment of problem behavior, use of behavior analytic strategies via telehealth, assessment and treatment of elopement occasioned by transitions, and addressing microaggressions in the workplace. Dr. Rios is also passionate about issues related to equity and inclusion within the field of behavior analysis. Dr. Rios has published research in a number of peer-reviewed journals including: Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, Behavior Analysis: Research and Practice, and the Journal of Behavioral Education. She has presented her research in regional, national, and international conferences.
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239 research articles with practitioner takeaways
231 research articles with practitioner takeaways
212 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.