Certification in Behavior Analysis

There have been many inquiries on this blog regarding certification in behavior analysis. While the Certification Board has a comprehensive web site (http://www.bacb.com/) that addresses questions and concerns, I wanted to briefly review my own experience.

I pursued certification in behavior analysis (BCBA) four years ago through Penn State. This was an on-line program and I felt it was the most feasible while completing my doctoral coursework. The program was one year long, consisted of three on-line courses with the fourth course provided in an abbreviated time frame for one week at Penn State. The on-line program was sufficient for my needs to become certified, however required discipline to keep on top of readings and assignments as there is no classroom to guide you.

Certification in behavior analysis is in my opinion necessary, but not sufficient for a behavior analyst. Hundreds of programs have cropped up that provide the coursework necessary for certification. However, many of these programs, while providing training and didactic instruction in behavior analysis, do not focus on working with children with autism. Rather the programs, as they should, focus on the principles and application of behavior analysis. A problem presents itself however, when professionals with their certification in behavior analysis are assumed to have the necessary experience and knowledge to work with and teach children with autism. The coursework, which depends on the program, does not target the specific instruction of children with autism, rather behavior change.

This is important for parents in particular who are looking to employ a BCBA. The credential is not enough. There needs to be a thorough review of the experiences of that professional and how their experiences relate to working with children with autism.

The certification does provide a safe-guard though. There is a minimum amount of knowledge and experience that a professional must have in order to complete the BCBA. Having a BCBA communicates to professionals and related service providers that a number of courses have been completed, a mentorship process has been complete, and an exam has been passed. It gives us information that at LEAST this set of requirements has been completed (within the limits of the institution that provided them).

Over the years, the requirements to obtain certification have become more and more comprehensive, which is necessary. I would argue that additional requirements are necessary. Licensure is necessary for a psychologist, and I don't see the difference between a behavior analyst and a psychologist. Depending on the orientation of the psychologist, the behavior analyst can be even more effective at effecting positive (and negative) behavior change. There is the potential to "do harm" in behavior analysis. The principles are effective, and used incorrectly or inappropriately (positive and negative punishment for example) can "do harm", and a board needs to be responsible. I see the certification in the next ten years growing into a licensure within a doctoral program. To separate behavior analysts from the work of a behaviorally oriented psychologist doesn't make a lot of sense. Behavior analysis is specific, but is no different than any other orientation in psychology that necessitates a license to practice it, except that it is more effective and evidence based. Some have argued that increasing the requirements will limit the number of BCBAs available for consultation to work with children on the spectrum, but the argument is intrinsically flawed.