These answers draw in part from “PM Workshop 1: Success As a New Supervisor” by Linda LeBlanc, PhD, BCBA-D, Lic Psy (BehaviorLive), and extend it with peer-reviewed research from our library of 27,900+ ABA research articles. Clinical framing, BACB ethics code references, and cross-links below are synthesized by Behaviorist Book Club.
View the original presentation →Scope of competence in supervision refers to the areas in which a BCBA has sufficient knowledge, skill, and experience to provide effective guidance to trainees. It encompasses both clinical competence (the BCBA should not supervise trainees in areas where the BCBA lacks clinical skill) and supervisory competence (the BCBA should be equipped to design and deliver effective supervision, not just technically competent to perform clinical tasks). A BCBA who is highly skilled clinically but has never provided supervision before has limited scope of supervisory competence and should seek their own guidance — through coursework, consultation, or a mentoring relationship — as they develop their supervisory practice.
A practical self-assessment involves rating your current knowledge and skill across the core components of supervision: knowledge of supervision research and best practices, ability to design competency-based curricula, skill in conducting direct observation and performance feedback, familiarity with BACB supervisory requirements and documentation standards, and awareness of your own values and how they affect your supervisory approach. Tools like the Self-Assessment of Supervisory Knowledge and Skills (SASKS) provide structured frameworks for this process. The goal is not to achieve high ratings but to identify where targeted development is most needed before you begin supervising.
An effective supervision agenda typically includes a brief review of the trainee's current data from the preceding period, targeted competency-based activities (observation, role-play, case discussion, didactic instruction) focused on the trainee's current developmental priorities, feedback on recent performance, and planning for the next supervision period including any between-session activities. The agenda should be developed collaboratively with the trainee and shared in advance so both parties can prepare. Documenting the agenda and what was accomplished creates the supervision records required under Code 4.05.
This tension is one of the most common challenges for new supervisors. The key is to identify supervision activities that serve both purposes simultaneously — for example, using a challenging case currently on the trainee's caseload as the basis for teaching functional assessment methodology. When immediate clinical demands genuinely crowd out developmental activities, document the pattern and address it systematically rather than allowing supervision to collapse into purely reactive case management. If the clinical setting's demands are consistently incompatible with providing adequate supervision, that is an ethical and professional concern that warrants advocacy with organizational leadership.
Values clarification helps supervisors identify the principles that guide their supervisory decisions — things like the importance they place on trainee autonomy, the balance they want to strike between structure and flexibility, their approach to mistakes and corrective feedback, and the qualities they most want to cultivate in the practitioners they train. These values operate whether or not they are examined, but examining them makes their influence visible and allows supervisors to evaluate whether their behavior is consistent with their stated values. Sharing values with trainees at the outset also creates transparency about the supervisory relationship and provides a shared framework for resolving disagreements.
First, revisit your baseline assessment to determine whether the lack of progress reflects a skill deficit, a motivational issue, a mismatch between the supervision curriculum and the trainee's needs, or an environmental factor (such as insufficient practice opportunities in the trainee's placement). Address the identified variable directly — adjust the curriculum, provide additional modeling and rehearsal for deficit areas, or address environmental barriers. Document your analysis and the interventions you implemented. If progress does not improve after targeted intervention, consult with a more experienced supervisor about next steps, which may include a formal performance improvement plan.
A 12-month supervision plan describes the competency objectives for each quarter of the supervisory year, the activities that will be used to build each competency, the criteria for demonstrating competency, and the assessment points at which progress will be formally evaluated. Early months typically focus on foundational clinical skills, professional conduct, and establishing the supervisory relationship. Middle months focus on more complex skills, increased independence in clinical decision-making, and integration of professional knowledge. Later months focus on consolidation of skills, preparation for independent practice, and development of the trainee's professional identity. The plan is a living document that is revised based on data.
Supervising an experienced trainee — perhaps someone who has been working in the field for years before pursuing credentialing — requires acknowledging their existing competencies explicitly rather than treating them as a novice. Conduct a thorough baseline assessment to identify what they genuinely need from supervision, rather than following a generic curriculum. Focus your supervision on the areas where their experience has gaps (often conceptual or ethical dimensions of practice rather than procedural skill), provide feedback that respects their existing knowledge, and be honest about areas where their experience may exceed yours. Consulting your own supervisor about how to structure this relationship is entirely appropriate.
A consulting supervisor is a more experienced BCBA who provides guidance to a newer BCBA in their supervisory practice. While the BACB does not currently require all new supervisors to have a consulting supervisor, LeBlanc's framework strongly recommends it for BCBAs in their first year of providing supervision. The consulting supervisor provides the same kind of individualized feedback, modeling, and guided problem-solving that the new supervisor is providing to their own trainee — creating a parallel structure that accelerates supervisory skill development and reduces the isolation that many new supervisors experience.
The BACB requires that supervisors maintain records of supervision activities, including the date and duration of supervision, the activities completed, and the supervisor's feedback on trainee performance. Supervisors must also verify trainee experience hours on standardized BACB forms. For RBT supervisors, documentation includes the monthly competency assessment and any performance issues identified. Requirements are updated periodically, so supervisors should verify current requirements on the BACB website rather than relying on guidance that may be outdated. Maintaining thorough documentation protects both the supervisor and the trainee in the event of any credentialing disputes.
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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.