The Evolution of Certification Standards in Behavior Analysis

The Evolution of Certification Standards in Behavior Analysis James E. Carr, Ph. D, BCBA-D Chief Executive Officer © BACB. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce or distribute without written permission from the BACB. 11 January 2022

Today’s Presentation 1. The History of Behavior Analyst Credentials 2. The Evolution of BACB Standards 3. The BACB Today 44 6 20+ 22, 000

Professional Credentials Registration Certification Licensure

The History of Professional Credentials in Behavior Analysis

Early Discussion As the field continues to grow, we can no longer dismiss lightly mundane issues such as standardized training § 1972: Conference on Behavior Analysis programs and licensing. The days when it was possible toin KS) be on a first name. Education basis with(Lawrence, all of the behavior modifiers in • Panel on iscertification the country no longer exist. session No longer it possible & to list all licensure of the behavior modifiers by listing the past students of Skinner, Bijou, Baer, Michael, Azrin, and the rest. No longer is it possible to list all of the behavior modifiers by references to the university from which they were graduated. - Thomas (1972)

Early Discussion § 1974: Drake Conference on Professional Issues in Behavior Analysis (Des Moines, IA) • Majority of the program focused on regulation § 1975 -1976: Midwestern Association for Behavior Analysis Conventions (Chicago, IL) § 1977: MABA Education and Evaluation Committee recommendations • Executive Council added certification as committee function (1978)

1. The Minnesota Certification Program § 1975: Hierarchy of ABA positions in state disability system § Placement determined by: • Multiple-choice testing of survey-derived competencies (Sulzer-Azaroff et al. , 1975) • Job performance during probationary period

Thomas (1979) Behavior Analyst III Behavior Analyst I Specialist (Sr. ) Specialist Technician (Sr. ) Technician

2. Association for Behavior Analysis Certification Program § 1978: MABA Education and Evaluation Committee recommended two-stage certification model • 1 -Oral examination on behavioral principles • 2 -Oral examination and practice assessment § 1979: Executive Council approval § 1982 -1985: First-stage assessments administered § 1986: Executive Council review § 1987: Program suspension § 1988: Task Force study led to discontinuation § No certifications were granted

3. The Florida Certificate program § Florida Developmental Services Program Office § 1975: Workshop series offered around the state § 1979: 2 -day written exam added to assess workshop effectiveness • Open-ended questions for staff • 90% correct • No eligibility requirements § Direct observation added following exam § Several dozen certificates issued

4. The Florida Certification program § § § § § CBA: Certified Behavior Analyst Eligibility: workshops or ABA self-study Content: State behavior programming manual 1985 • 95 multiple-choice items + • 59 free-response items 1991 • Free-response items eliminated (subjectivity & resources) 1994: First Edition Task List 1994: Eligibility changes (BA/BS + 1 course) 1996: Florida Certified Associate Behavior Analyst (CABA) 1998: Second Edition Task List

4. The Florida Certification program § Over 15 years, Florida certified more than 2, 000 behavior analysts § 1993: Oklahoma used Florida exam § 1994 -1998: California, Texas, Pennsylvania, New York

5: Behavior Analyst Certification Board (1998)

6. US State Licensure: 2016 24

The Evolution of BACB Standards

Standard 13: Panel Composition The certification program must use panels of qualified subject-matter experts (SMEs) to provide insight and guidance and to participate in job analysis, standard setting, and other examination development activities.

Standards Development Temporal or Professional Trigger CEO Presentation to Board of Directors Authorization Research Compiled/Conducted SME Workgroup Report to Board Review & Approval

SME Workgroup Diversity

When will it end?

Eligibility: Degree BCBA (masters) Any domain BA, natural science, education, human services, engineering, medicine BA, education, psychology 1999 2011 2016 Any domain BA, natural science, Any domain education, human services, engineering, medicine BCa. BA (bachelors) 2013

0 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 250 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 200 1999 Hours of Instruction Eligibility: Coursework (BCBA) 300 270 225 180 150 100 50

0 180 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 140 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 Hours of Instruction Eligibility: Coursework (BCa. BA) 200 180 160 135 120 90 80 60 40 20

Eligibility: Experience BCBA 12 mo. supervised experience 18 mo. mentored experience “behavioral” supervisor 1500 hrs supervised experience* BCBA supervisor Required supervisor training 1999 2006 2015 6 mo. supervised experience 12 mo. mentored experience “behavioral” supervisor 1000 hrs supervised experience* BCBA supervisor Required supervisor training BCa. BA

Supervision of BCa. BAs BCa. BA None (encouraged) 1 hr / month 1999 2009 2% of services, Supervisor liability 2017

0 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 Annual Requirement Annual CEU Requirements: BCBA 18 16 14 12 10 8 Ethics 6 General 4 2

0 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 Annual Requirement Annual CEU Requirements: BCa. BA 12 10 8 6 Ethics 4 General 2

Ethics Documents § 1999 Disciplinary Standards § 2001 Conduct Guidelines • 2004 revision • 2010 revision § 2010 Revised Disciplinary Standards • Conduct Guidelines & Standards linked § 2016

Job Analyses & Task Lists Versions § 1 st: 1994 (FL) § 2 nd: 1998 (FL) § 3 rd: 2002 § 4 th: 2010 5 th Edition Task List • May 2015: initial input surveys • November 2015: workgroup • February 2016: validation survey • June 2016: Board approval • Fall 2016: publication

The BACB Today

Overall # of BCBAs per Year 19, 795 20 000 17 500 15 000 12 500 10 000 7 500 5 000 2 500 15 20 14 20 13 20 12 20 11 20 10 20 09 20 08 20 07 20 06 20 05 20 04 20 03 20 02 20 01 20 00 20 19 99 0

Overall # of BCa. BAs per Year 2500 2, 327 22, 179 certificants! 2000 1500 1000 500 15 20 14 20 13 20 12 20 11 20 10 20 09 20 08 20 07 20 06 20 05 20 04 20 03 20 02 20 01 20 00 20 19 99 0

14 4 1 Ja 4 n 1 Fe 5 b 1 M 5 ar 1 A 5 pr 1 M 5 ay 1 Ju 5 n 15 Ju l 1 A 5 ug 1 Se 5 p 1 O 5 ct 1 N 5 ov 1 D 5 ec 1 Ja 5 n 16 ec D ov N 14 14 ct 1 O p Se ug A Cumulative # Registered Behavior Technicians 16 000 15, 324 14 000 12 000 10 000 8 000 6 000 4 000 2 000 0

Approved Course Sequences Pre-approved sequences of required coursework in behavior analysis

Approved Course Sequences at 293 Institutions

The BACB’s Mission & Vision Our Global Mission We protect consumers of behavior analysis services worldwide by systematically establishing, promoting, and disseminating professional standards. Our Global Vision Solve a wider variety of socially significant problems by increasing the availability of qualified behavior analysts around the world.

BACB Board of Directors § § § Jonathan Baker, Ph. D, BCBA-D Iser De. Leon, Ph. D, BCBA-D Eric Larsson, Ph. D, BCBA-D Suzanne Letso, MA, BCBA Mark Lister, BCa. BA Christos Nikopoulos, Ph. D, BCBA-D Stephanie Peterson, Ph. D, BCBA-D Pamela Skudlarek, RBT Bridget Taylor, Psy. D, BCBA-D Dianna Varady Javier Virues-Ortega, Ph. D, BCBA-D

2000 Yearly # of Certificants Outside of the United States 1800 1, 764 1600 1400 1200 1000 BCa. BA BCBA 800 600 400 200 001 002 003 004 005 006 007 008 009 010 011 012 013 014 015 0 2 2 2 2

1, 764 Certificants in 70 Countries 31+ 11 -30 1 -10

Course Sequences at 74 Institutions in 29 Countries

Exam Languages Language BCBA BCa. BA English Avail. Spanish Avail. Chinese 2017 Avail. Hebrew Avail. Italian Avail. Brazilian Portuguese 2016 Russian 2016 Korean 2017 Polish 2017 Japanese 2018 French 2018 Arabic 2019 Hindi 2019

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