Dana Reinecke, PhD, BCBA-D
Capella University and Supervisor ABA

Bringing Out the Best in Aspiring Behavior AnalystsOne of the most rewarding and impactful jobs a behavior analyst can have is preparing aspiring new professionals. Behavior analysts learn through varied experiences as students, trainees, and mentees, under support and guidance from experienced faculty, supervisors, and mentors. Not only is it an honor and a privilege to become part of the educational tradition of imparting the science of behavior, but it is truly humbling to consider the expanded and enduring impact that comes from teaching others to be good and effective behavior analysts.

As teachers and supervisors, our focus is on the theories, assumptions, and applications of behavior analysis. We teach others how to measure and assess behavior, evaluate priorities and set goals, provide effective and efficient instruction, and evaluate the effectiveness of interventions. The Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB), other professional organizations, and state and local authorities set guidelines for the type of content and knowledge in which professional behavior analysts are expected to demonstrate proficiency. Such knowledge includes ethical standards and professional expectations (BACB, 2020). These guidelines provide a framework for knowledgeable, effective, ethical, and caring professionals. There has also been a great deal of recent discussion about the need to teach behavior analysts more intentionally and explicitly to be better, kinder, gentler, and more compassionate in their practices.

Fortunately, behavior analysts are nothing if not responsive and solution-oriented. The discussion of compassionate practice has resulted in numerous articles (e.g., Callahan et al., 2019; Taylor et al., 2018; LeBlanc et al., 2019), podcasts (e.g., Mary Barbera and Celia Heyman, Bridget Taylor and David Celiberti), TED talks (e.g., Dr. Pat Friman), social media posts, and even a new certification (Certified Progressive Behavior Analyst-Autism Professional). There are lists of behaviors associated with compassionate practice, soft skills, and professionalism in these articles, podcasts, posts, and certification guidelines. Operationally defining what is meant by compassion is a logical first step, and then systematically teaching compassion is a reasonable next step. Behavior analysts are discussing how to assess these skills in ourselves and each other, and how to determine if we are good at teaching them. In our own tradition of continuous growth and improvement, we are applying behavior analysis to our own field and practice.

As we work hard to bring out the best in our aspiring and new professionals, let’s also remember to highlight what behavior analysis already teaches us about compassion. The science of behavior analysis is based in a framework that is well-aligned with compassionate interactions with others. Explaining the science and practice in those terms to our aspiring and newer behavior analysts will help them not only to practice with sensitivity and kindness, but to understand the science that much better. Following are some thoughts for how to emphasize the compassion inherent in behavior analysis in our communication with others, especially our students and trainees.

Observation and Understanding

A key skill set emphasized in the academic and practical training of behavior analysts is the functional assessment of behavior. There are probably as many arguments about how best to identify the function of behavior as there are strategies to argue about. The important point is that we recognize that behavior has a purpose for the person who engages in it. Aspiring behavior analysts learn that the reason for a behavior allows us to adjust the environment so that the person does not need to engage in behavior that may be socially limiting or tiresome, although they certainly can if they want to. What we can do, however, is give them a way to get what they want that is safer and less problematic, stigmatizing, and effortful (e.g., Hanley et al., 2014). Function-based interventions are shown to be more effective and efficient than those not based on an analysis of functions (e.g., Ingram et al., 2005). In this way, behavior analysts can increase choice and autonomy for those who were previously only able to obtain their wants and needs in ways that were potentially problematic.

When we teach our students and trainees how to find the reason for behavior, or as behavior analysts call it, the function, we should frame this as compassionate action. First, aspiring behavior analysts learn to assume that behavior is happening for a reason and that the reason is identifiable and valid. This removes blame and allows them to see everyone as doing their best and using the skills and resources that they have to get what they need. Next, we can teach our new professionals to look at the context of the behavior. What are the circumstances that cause this person to need what they need or want what they want? What are the circumstances that have led them to behave in this way to get that thing? What causes them to continue to engage in harmful behavior patterns? When we train others to view problematic behavior in light of these questions, they can act with compassion and help to adjust the world to be a kinder place.

Perhaps the best gift we can give to aspiring professionals is to help their functional assessment mindset to generalize beyond their clients. As supervisors, teachers, and mentors, we can model and show that applying a functional approach to behavior with each other, our loved ones, and even ourselves, can help us to be kind and empathetic. When interacting with others, whether they are family members or acquaintances or people at work, it is helpful to remember to take their perspective to understand behavior that we might find difficult. And if we find that behavior difficult, we can think about how we can try to structure our interaction so that the difficult behavior becomes less necessary. Compassion is defined for everyone, not just behavior analysts, as empathetic understanding and attempts to help. As behavior analysts, we are quite literally trained to do this as a hallmark principle of our science and practice.

Individual Reinforcers

The functional approach to understanding behavior also requires us to accept that motivation is unique. When we teach our aspiring behavior analysts about preference assessment, we are helping them to understand all consequences that shape and increase behavior as reinforcers, whether or not we find them reinforcing for ourselves. Combined with the functional assessment paradigm, students and trainees may find that the reason for problem behavior is that the person isn’t getting a want or need met because others in their life do not agree that the want or need is real or important. Behavior analysts learn in their training that we don’t get to decide what other people want or need. Rather, we can seek to understand motivating operations, or environmental circumstances that people exist within, which impact the value of consequences for behavior and the occurrence of behavior that results in those consequences (Laraway et al., 2003). We can identify the motivating operations that lead behavior to occur or not occur, and provide alternative safe and reasonable ways to get those wants or needs met (e.g., Horner & Day, 1991) or acceptable ways to adjust motivating operations.

Recognizing the possibility that others may have different reinforcers helps behavior analysts to thoughtfully accept that others may make different choices based on those different motivators. Understanding that motivation and reinforcement is individualized helps anyone to take a compassionate perspective even if they don’t understand or agree with someone’s particular choices or preferences. When we teach our future behavior analysts about preference assessment, we can highlight these points and deepen their understanding as compassionate professionals and perhaps even as citizens of the world.

Consent and Collaboration

Respect for individuals and social validity are the heart of behavior analysis. We should emphasize to our students and trainees that our goal is not to tell people what is wrong with them, but to help resolve problems that have been identified as such by the people experiencing them. Behavior analysts are taught assessment as a critical skill. Most of the time, assessment is conducted in a way that highlights the positive; we strive to measure what clients can do, rather than what they can’t do. Future behavior analysts are taught that when we know what clients can do, we can build on that. An important part of assessment is finding out what the individual client wants to change so that they can contact more reinforcers and have more opportunities in their lives. This may be difficult for a behavior analyst if their clients do not have sufficient verbal abilities, or reasonable understanding of safety and long-term consequences for behavior, to make these decisions for themselves. In these cases, we teach our new professionals to rely on the people who love and take responsibility for the client to speak for them. For this part of the discussion, “client” refers to both the individual directly receiving services, and others who are impacted by or making decisions about those services.

This process of obtaining information to identify meaningful goals and select strategies is at the core of cultural competence, which is receiving new emphasis in ethical guidance for behavior analysts (BACB, 2020). There has been much recent discussion of learning about clients’ cultural contexts to better identify meaningful goals and acceptable strategies for intervention (e.g., Wright, 2019; Gatzunis, 2020). We can take this opportunity to ensure that students, trainees, and mentees are well aware of the many ways in which culture is expressed, beyond religion and culture of origin. For example, families have unique cultures, and individuals may have sub-cultural affiliations. This value is clearly reflected in the expectation that behavior analysts obtain consent for both assessment and treatment. We teach aspiring behavior analysts that it will be their responsibility to ask questions to understand clients’ values and preferences, and then to present goals and strategies to support those values and preferences. We also stress that during the consent process, the behavior analyst must ensure that the client understands before agreeing with recommendations (BACB, 2020).

When we teach new professionals to be careful about consent – approaching it in a meaningful way and not just a paper to be signed – they are better situated to ensure that they are truly helping people. In behavior analysis and in life, compassionate action means helping others with what is meaningful for those others, in a respectful and kind way. We don’t make decisions about what other people want and need – we ask them, and then we respect their answers.

Final Thoughts

The supervision and training of aspiring new behavior analysts is a privilege and a great responsibility. Not only is it important to teach our new professionals all theories, principles, and applications of the science, but it is also important to ensure an ethical and compassionate approach in their delivery and dissemination of behavior analysis. We owe this not only to our field and those we serve, but also to our students, trainees, mentees, and supervisees. Fortunately, it is likely that aspiring behavior analysts are entering the field because they are compassionate and want to help people. We should build from these values and ensure that they are supported in their ethical, compassionate practice, and not focus solely on technical proficiency. Guiding their study so that they may see and relate to the compassion inherent in behavior analytic practice and research will support the development of values-oriented, caring, and effective professionals.

References

Behavior Analyst Certification Board. (2020). Ethics code for behavior analysts. Author.

Callahan, K., Foxx, R. M., Swierczynski, A., Aerts, X., Mehta, S., McComb, M. E., Nichols, S. M., Segal, G., Donald, A., & Sharma, R. (2019). Behavioral artistry: Examining the relationship between the interpersonal skills and effective practice repertoires of applied behavior analysis practitioners. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 49(9), 3557-3570. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6435-8_102446-1

Gatzunis, K. S. (2020). Teaching assessment and interviewing skills from a cultural perspective to students of behavior analysis (Doctoral dissertation, Endicott College).

Hanley, G. P., Jin, C. S., Vanselow, N. R., & Hanratty, L. A. (2014). Producing meaningful improvements in problem behavior of children with autism via synthesized analyses and treatments. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 47(1), 16-36. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jaba.106

Horner, R. H. & Day, H. M. (1991). The effects of response efficiency on functionally equivalent competing behaviors. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 24(4), 719-732. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.1991.24-719

Ingram, K., Lewis-Palmer, T., & Sugai, G. (2005). Function-based intervention planning: Comparing the effectiveness of FBA function-based and non-function-based intervention plans. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 7(4), 224-236. https://doi.org/10.1177/10983007050070040401

Laraway, S., Snycerski, S., Michael, J., & Poling, A. (2003). Motivating operations and terms to describe them: Some further refinements. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 36(3), 407–414. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.2003.36-407

LeBlanc, L. A., Taylor, B. A., & Marchese, N. V. (2019). The training experiences of behavior analysts: Compassionate care and therapeutic relationships with caregivers. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 13(2), 1-7. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-019-00368-z

Taylor, B. A., LeBlanc, L. A., & Nosik, M. R. (2018). Compassionate care in behavior analytic treatment: Can outcomes be enhanced by attending to relationships with caregivers? Behavior Analysis in Practice, 12(3), 654–666. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-018-00289-3

Wright, P. I. (2019). Cultural humility in the practice of applied behavior analysis. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 12(4), 805–809. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-019-00343-8

Citation for this article:

Reinecke, D. (2022). Bringing out the best in aspiring behavior analysts. Science in Autism Treatment, 19(1).

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