With a strong foundation in behavioral science, Board Certified Behavior Analyst analysts (BCBAs) are trained to support individuals with challenges such as autism spectrum disorders (ASD), developmental disabilities, and behavioral health conditions. The Chicago School’s M.S. Applied Behavior Analysis program is designed to prepare students to pursue becoming a BCBA. Learn the analytical tools necessary for effective interventions and a long-term impact.
What Is a BCBA?
A Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) is a professional in the applied behavior analysis (ABA) field who can work with children, adults, or seniors in a variety of settings such as schools, hospitals, clinics, and nonprofits. They are mainly focused on individuals who have been diagnosed with autism, behavior difficulties, developmental disabilities, mental illness, and potential geriatric conditions.
A BCBA’s primary responsibilities include assessing areas of need, identifying potential stressors or indicators for behavioral issues, and designing and executing treatment plans. A BCBA is often involved in helping to reduce negative behaviors often seen in children with autism, such as tantrums, self-harm, aggression, or vocal outbursts. A treatment plan is put into place that is unique to each individual’s needs. Once a treatment plan is created, BCBAs work with parents, caregivers, and other behavior analysis professionals involved in the client’s treatment to work toward the client’s individualized goals.
Another part of a BCBA’s job responsibilities includes supervising the work of Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst(BCaBAs) and registered behavior technicians. The graduate-level certification in behavior analysis certifies a BCBA to be able to train BCaBAs and technicians in the field.
How to Become a BCaBA
A Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst (BCaBA) is a position that supervises the work of Registered Behavior Technicians and others involved in behavior-analytic interventions. BCaBAs are under the supervision of BCBAs, and some BCaBAs use this career path as a stepping stone on the path to becoming a BCBA. Candidates must complete the following prerequisites:
- Earn a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field, such as applied behavior analysis or psychology.
- For those who earned a degree from an Association for Behavioral Analysis International (ABAI)-accredited program, they would meet eligibility requirements to move to the next step.
- For those who did not earn a degree from an ABAI-accredited program, a certification program, such as The Chicago School’s Post-Bachelor’s Certificate in ABA, is necessary.
- Complete supervised fieldwork in applied behavior analysis, ranging from 1,000 to 1,300 hours, depending on the fieldwork path taken. While not required for graduation from the Post-Bachelor’s Certificate program, there are fieldwork opportunities available for each student at an approved site.
- Apply and pass the Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst certification exam.
How to Become a BCBA
To become a Board Certified Behavior Analyst, the appropriate schooling and fieldwork must be completed first. Candidates must complete the following prerequisites:
- Earn a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field such as applied behavior analysis or psychology.
- Earn a master’s degree or higher from an ABAI-accredited or recognized behavior analysis degree program. All of The Chicago School’s M.S. Applied Behavior Analysis programs are approved annually by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board.
- Complete practical fieldwork in applied behavior analysis. Students in our M.S. program complete an Advanced Research Project/Advanced Applied Project that meets the experiential learning requirements and completes a portion of the supervision hours required by the Board Analyst Certification Board (BACB). to fulfill this requirement.
- Apply and pass the Behavior Analyst Certification Board exam.
Behavior Analysis Methods that Can Make a Positive Impact
There are many ways to make a positive impact as a BCBA. As of 2023, more than 82% of professionals in the applied behavior analysis field focus on autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Using ABA tactics, BCBAs can make a difference in the lives of those with autism. Standard scientific practices used in ABA include conditioning and a process called three-term contingency. Conditioning involves positive and negative reinforcement to affect behavioral outcomes while the three-term contingency consists of the ABCs: antecedent, behavior, and consequence. The antecedent is a condition/stimulus that occurs before a behavior, behavior is the action, and the consequence is a stimulus/event that occurs after the behavior. These methods are commonly used by BCBAs and can create rewarding behavioral improvements for clients with ASD.
Promoting Functional Communication: BCBAs promote functional communication through Functional Communication Training (FCT). FCT is a type of therapy used by behavior analysts to teach children with autism alternative ways to communicate what they need in an appropriate manner. This training method is commonly used on clients with autism to help reduce the frustration caused by communication difficulties. While each child has unique needs, an example of frustration and inappropriate behavior typically treated with FCT are acts of aggression, motor or vocal outbursts, inappropriate sexual behavior, or self-harm. A successful FCT plan can have a long-lasting positive impact on how a client can effectively communicate their thoughts and feelings while reducing the need for challenging behavior. According to Total Care Therapy, “studies have shown that FCT produces reliable long-term effects, with treatment lengths ranging from five to ten months and an average decrease of 90% in destructive behavior”.
Social Skills Development: In addition to being able to help people with autism express themselves through effective communication, another positive impact BCBAs work with clients on is developing social skills. Crucial social skills could include how to start a conversation, knowing when to listen and when it’s time to speak, and interpreting social cues and non-verbal signals.
ABA therapies address expressive communication and receptive communication struggles that children on the spectrum deal with. Expressive communication (verbal and non-verbal) is being able to communicate with someone, while receptive communication is the process of receiving and understanding communication from someone else. Expressive and receptive communication skills are essential to being able to participate in meaningful social interaction. By expanding social skills to include initiating conversations, responding to questions appropriately, asking questions, and listening and providing feedback in a conversation, BCBAs can make a significant impact on daily life for people with ASD.
Enhancing Quality of Life: Using ABA evidence-driven methods, BCBAs help clients reduce behavioral issues and improve their quality of life. Working with the family on how best to implement methods to improve effective communication will have the greatest impact in the long term. The definition of quality of life varies greatly from person to person. For some, a goal of ABA therapy is improving communication with others, whether verbal or non-verbal. For others, it might mean achieving greater independence, such as grocery shopping without supervision, forming friendships, or pursuing employment. These quality-of-life goals are developed in collaboration with the BCBA to suit each individual’s needs.
Make a Difference and Pursue a Degree in Applied Behavior Analysis
Working with individuals with autism spectrum disorders and helping them through applied behavior analysis practices can be an extremely rewarding career. The demand for BCBAs has been steadily increasing since 2010. Take the next step and pursue a Masters in Applied Behavior Analysis from The Chicago School. Our program is offered at our five campuses and in an online modality. Learn more about how to start your education journey toward certification as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst.