The quality of behavior analysis is of interest to many individuals within the community. Other professionals are including behavior analysis in their credentials and excluding from practice those qualified behavior analysts who do not have their credentials. Existing credentialing programs do not seem to regulate behavior analysis adequately. This article examines reasons for a professional credential in behavior analysis, various components of credentialing programs, the forms of programs available, and alternative professional credentials for behavior analysts.
The job analysis focused on the applied sector of the field of behavior analysis and limited its inquiry into matters of professional competencies and training. The results represent a unique sample of demographic information and valuable collection of opinions regarding the competencies and training required of applied behavior analyst practitioners. Because these opinions have a direct effect on certification task standards and content of the BACB credentialing examinations, which in tum drive the curricula of undergraduate and graduate programs in applied behavior analysis, it is important to consider what these views might mean for the continuing evolution of the field of behavior analysis.
The Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) credentials behavior analysts at two levels. This article examines how well the BACB and the certifications it offers adhere to accepted professional credentialing standards. Future developments in the BACB certification process and implications for behavior analysis service delivery are also explored.
Proper professional certification and training of behavior analysts who work with individuals with autism is critical in ensuring that those individuals receive the highest quality behavior analytic services. This article discusses the current issues surrounding certification of behavior analysts and describes the important features of the Behavior Analyst Certification Board and its credentials. The article also reviews approaches to the training of professional behavior analyst practitioners and discusses appropriate training content for behavior analysts who work with persons with autism. The interrelationship between training and certification is explored.
Implementing quality control measures in the discipline and professional practice of behavior analysis is a challenging, but nevertheless important, step in the evolution of our field. The Association for Behavior Analysis currently seeks to ensure quality in behavior analysis by sponsoring an accreditation program for graduate academic programs and by promoting certification of individual practitioners. The accreditation reviews are conducted by ABA, whereas certification status is awarded by an independent, nonprofit credentialing entity: the Behavior Analyst Certification Board, Inc. Among the challenges that ABA faces as it pursues various quality control measures, particularly in its educational programs, are (a) how extensively should academic programs specify the verbal and nonverbal terminal repertoires in all three branches of behavior analysis (applied, experimental, and conceptual); (b) how extensively should programs that emphasize applied behavior analysis integrate science-based criteria for the evaluation of interventions; and (c) how extensively should programs that emphasize service delivery include training in formal research methodology.
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