WHAT IS
APPLIED BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS?
(ABA)

WHAT IS A BEHAVIOR?

Behaviors can be just about anything that a living, breathing human can do – the good, the bad, and the totally boring. Behavior analysts focus on behaviors that can be observed with one or more of the 5 senses, and reliably measured.

• Is arriving at work on time a behavior. Yes!

• Is yelling at someone a behavior? Yep.

• Is breathing a behavior? You betcha.

WHAT ARE THE GOALS OF BEHAVIOR ANALYSTS?

• Behavior analysts focus on teaching or changing behaviors that are important to our clients. At Fern Leaf ABA, we use behavior analysis to provide great services for our clients, supportive guidance for the teams we work with, and a compassionate & motivating work environment for our team.

  
  

• Behavior analysts only use the principles of our field and evidence-based practice to develop our support strategies. We aim to write and train these strategies so that they can be understood and consistently implemented by everyone that needs to use them. Then we collect, analyze, and share data to demonstrate whether these interventions were effective or if they need to be reassessed and revised.

  
  

• Behavior analysts work towards effective strategies – we want our clients to experience noticeable improvements towards their goals. Moreover, we want to see those improvements across time, in other environments, and with other people. Afterall, if a person only succeeds when their behavior analyst is around, then they aren’t fully succeeding.

HOW ARE BEHAVIOR ANALYSTS TRAINED?

Behavior analysts are credentialed through the BACB as Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA®), Board Certified Behavior Analyst – Doctoral (BCBA-D®), Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst (BCaBA®), Registered Behavior Technician (RBT®). For each of these credentials, there is a substantial amount of information to learn and master. After certification, we must attend continuing education events every year. Read more about these credentials and our education/maintenance requirements here: https://www.bacb.com/

Behavior analysts may also be licensed by their state. Currently, Illinois does not offer licensure for behavior analysts. Learn more about states who have passed licensure measures here: https://www.bacb.com/u-s-licensure-of-behavior-analysts/

ETHICAL AND PROFESSIONAL EXPECTATIONS

Behavior analysts are required to abide by a specific set of ethical and professional rules. While our ethics code is an extensive document, there are 4 foundational principles that it supports and enforces:

• Behavior Analysts benefit others.

• Behavior Analysts treat others with compassion, dignity, and respect

• Behavior Analysts behave with integrity

• Behavior Analysts ensure their competence.

Access the entire Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts (2022) here: https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Ethics-Code-for-Behavior-Analysts-210106.pdf

WHAT IS ONE OF THE FIRST QUESTIONS THAT BEHAVIOR ANALYSTS WANT TO ANSWER?

Like we said earlier, behavior analysts can serve a WIDE variety of populations, so if we make different recommendations depending on what we know works for each person, setting, and population. Still, there are two questions that all behavior analysts are expected to explore:

WHAT IS / ISN’T WORKING ABOUT THIS BEHAVIOR?
&
WHY DOES / DOESN’T THIS PERSON ENGAGE IN THIS BEHAVIOR?

Behavior analysts are highly trained in how to assess a person’s needs and find the answer to this question in order to design effective strategies.

OK, WE KNOW WHY. HOW DO BEHAVIOR ANALYSTS USE THAT INFORMATION GO FROM THERE?

It all depends on the individual. Every person has a different story – how they’ve learned certain habits, what they want for their life, the people they’re around, the environment that they are in, and the list goes on. Behavior analysts are trained to look at all of these factors to create a strategy that is effective for the individual.

Explore how Fern Leaf ABA assesses a person’s needs and develops behavior support strategies here.