The pathway to BCBA certification requires more than seat time. The Behavior Analyst Certification Board mandates that at least 60% of a trainee's supervised fieldwork hours consist of unrestricted activities — those tasks most closely aligned with the day-to-day scope of a practicing BCBA.
Provider: BehaviorLive — via Women in Behavior Analysis
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Join Free →Individuals seeking certification as a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA®™) by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB®™) must meet certain eligibility requirements. In addition to passing the BCBA examination, such requirements include completion of a master's degree, behavior-analytic coursework, and supervised practical fieldwork. In accruing fieldwork hours, trainees must be provided with the opportunity to complete unrestricted activities. The BACB defines unrestricted activities as "...those that are most likely to be performed by a BCBA," and requires that 60% of fieldwork hours are comprised of these activities (BACB, 2022a). Fieldwork hours may be accrued across a number of different host sites (e.g., hospital units, schools, community locations, etc.), with each host site having different day-to-day responsibilities affecting how these opportunities are provided. Therefore, exploration of the provision of these opportunities and the barriers to providing these opportunities is warranted. The current study sought to determine the current practices involved in provision of opportunities to gain fieldwork experience hours towards BCBA certification; specifically, practices related to unrestricted fieldwork activities. Results indicate that, while unrestricted learning opportunities are often provided to trainees, contingencies present within the day-to-day operations of a clinical environment can be hampering. A discussion of the implications of these barriers and potential solutions are included.
| Certification Body | Credits | Type |
|---|---|---|
| BACB® | 1 | Supervision |
Dr. Liddon is a faculty member, clinician and researcher in Applied Behavior Analysis. She received her master’s and doctorate degrees in behavior analysis from Florida Institute of Technology and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Kennedy Krieger Institute and Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Dr. Liddon has expertise in assessment and treatment of severe behavior problems, early intensive behavioral intervention (EIBI) programs for children with ASD, and community consultation.
Dig into the research behind this topic — plain-English summaries written for BCBAs.
279 research articles with practitioner takeaways
252 research articles with practitioner takeaways
239 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.