Hi, BII here and aspiring BCBA. I also believe in the science of ABA but I think too many people ignore other factors: ADHD, psychosis, depression. All these things affect the brain and it affects behavior. I don’t think we talk about that enough.
Thank you so much for sharing this. I have felt pretty isolated and feel like I am terrible at my job because I am struggling to find a work system where I can provide quality supervision, quality programming, quality assessments, quality research, quality parent trainings, quality staff meetings, and quality RBT training and management, as well as monitoring my own behavior. I have literally been beating myself up. Seeing this makes me feel like I am not alone and we can make improvements in the field.
Yes! In school, they talk so much about research and I realized that these research studies of perfectly designed “clinical” programs are not done under these extreme constraints of being a BCBA today. Yes we should be doing xyz, but literally can’t. I think there needs to be that’s great research but how does that fair in our typical conditions (aka daily tornado) 😂
Oh yes im a bcba too and I agree with this. There are a few other things too (you kinda addressed): -half the things you learn in cooper you won't be applying (but important to know so you can understand the theoretical underlying concepts) -you will never learn all you need to know in your coursework. It's only after a few Years of supervision that I really knew how to work with the children and how to program -they need to focus more on how to program for the children and touch more on developmental milestones. It will really help bcbas know the hierarchy of what to program and the funcfional perquisites of what need to be achieved First -another point related to the ones above. Too many bcbas use "cookie cutter" programs for the clients and don't focus on what the child really needs. A lot of the times , these programs are too advanced for them or the child is not there yet which then results in delay of progress, additional behaviors possibly and variable levels of slow improvements since the child is missing those fundamentals components they need to target goals. Assess the child where they are at 😊 -companies will give you clients if they see blocks of times that are free in your calender which is unfair because I may keep certain times of my day free to work on indirect work, programming and client reports -the bcba world is isolating. Too many bcbas are perhaps scared in collaborating because either they think they know everything (which is untrue because I'm still learning even ten years as a bcba) or they think their questions are stupid or they should already know everything. Very important to collaborate. I love getting ideas from other bcbas. -I was also taught escape extinction and keeping them at the table no matter what. Horrible. Of course we don't reinforce crying but it's always about 1. Pairing the table to make it reinforcing and that they will willingly come to table 2. Providing that functional communication to request for breaks and other needs 3. Building up incremental times of sitting at table and providing huge ratio of reinforcement to maintain motivation So many others lol.
Screaming at how much I love this!! I planned on making a part 2 because like you, I’ve got soooo many thoughts. I’ll add some of these in. Thank you for sharing!
So happy you appreciated this! Yes feel free to address any of what i have mentioned in your videos 😊I've been a bcba here for 10 years and in all different roles...from an interventionist to a parent training coordinator to a clinical supervisor to director, etc. I've seen a lot and now understand a lot of the little nuances and things people don't tell you as a bcba. Few other things I just thought of: -insurance companies provide a quick timeline of when they want to see progress for each child and a percentage of goals should be mastered for some of the insurance companies to renew another year for that client. In reality all clients have their own trajectory in reaching the mastery criteria of the goals (e.g. you cant force vocal imitation to occur and it emerges in different kids at different times). As well, some children need significantly longer time no matter if you are using the most effective interventions. -I don't agree for companies to hire soon-to-be bcbas to be a clincial supervisor in the same liking that they would hire a Bcba in that exact same position. They can be hired to assist a bcba and observe what the bcba does, but to provide actual supervision and programming to a client without assistance or oversight from a trained bcba can be quite ineffective and damaging to the potential growth progress of the client. I know this is pretty blunt, but trust me - I would say the same of myself and I would not have hired myself before I was a bcba. It takes many years of learning -some parents and interventionists expect bcbas to have all the answers. Don't be afraid to tell the parents/interventionists if there is something you are unsure of, but that you will do your due diligence in trying to find out the solution by doing some research. -be empathic to parents. It's important to not come into the home as "serious professionals". Relate to the parents, show understanding and care. I feel like in the past, bcbas wanted to be taken so seriously as a science (which, understandably so) that they would forget to show an ounce of empathy and relatability and just get right down to business. Remember, we need buy -in from the parents just as much as we need buy-in from the clients -bcbas used to think they can address it ALL. I'm here to tell those bcbas ...NO YOU CANNOT. If it's not in your scope, get outta the "playing field" and consult with the right professional whether it be OT, Slp, feeding specialist etc Girl I can go on but ill stop here haha. New subscriber!
Thank you!! I am a Educator for students with behavioral and emotional disorders and I have found my people. I found my niche .So now i'm looking to further my career to help this population. Thanks for your insight. Where did you attend school.
I have been a BCBA for a year now, and yes the transition from RBT to BCBA has been very overwhelmed. The amount of work, responsibilities and agencies expectations of documentation is insane, on top of everything else you mentioned
I hope you're someone who focuses on the wellbeing of the child, communicates plans and reasoning with the child, allows and recommends all reasonable accomodations, and works with the child moreso than with the parents against the child. As an autistic adult who turned out well with much calmer support than ABA, I'm not the quickest to trust the field of ABA, but I do recognize that some children might need a bit more assistance than me in order to, for example, use their voice as their primary medium for language. If anyone knows where to find a positive opinion of Autism Speaks I'd also be interested. Negative opinions, especially from autistic people, seem to be a dime a dozen, and I think part of that is their support of a particular style of ABA?
Autism Speaks support “cures” for autism. They have funded and promoted the idea that autistic children are sick and have symptoms. They are also a big puzzle piece promoter, which many autistics do not align with.
Hey, I really appreciate this video and its honesty. I’m a new bcba and I was really unaware of the huge transition (more money, more problems) it would be from an rbt to a bcba. I was wondering if you knew of any resources regarding bcba supervision for rbt topic. I’m trying to figure out my new role as an analyst and now on top of that I gotta supervise these rbts so I’m a little overwhelmed
Haha always something I swear! The biggest thing you’ll need is practice as a supervisor. You can read up on BST behavioral skills training. It’s the “gold standard” for supervision. My best tip is to respect your RBTs and remember everyday that without them and their buy-in from you, you are so limited. They are the back bone of the field!
Hi, I was wondering if you could help weigh in on a little personal dilemma? I'm wondering in your opinion if getting the "little a" is worth it? I have a B.S. in Sociology already, so I would only need to take the course sequence to get the BCaBA title. But the more I look into it, the more it seems like it would be only a couple extra classes worth to go through with the masters program and become fully credentialed as a BCBA. Money is a big concern for me and I've already got 25k in student debt from undergrad.
It depends on what job offerings are in your area. If you want to get a raise faster, could be a good path. I’ve heard BCaBAs get a lot of responsibilities and demand with less pay. Like you still have a full caseload and work the same job, but get paid far less. If you have a busy life and BCaBA is the best you can do right now, nothing wrong with that!
I am a BCaBA and this is so true! Go straight for your BCBA if you can in this season of your life. I have a full caseload and BCBA responsibilities, but half the salary of a BCBA. @@YourABAhelp
I am Special Education teacher and was wondering which route I should take to pursue BCBA . ? I need a masters but have been trying to figure out if that’s what I want to do.
You’d need to also find someone to provide you with supervision hours. You’d need a BCBA to supervise you. Typically it is hard to come by in schools, but worth ask for. Some people pay out of pocket for a supervisor others work at an ABA company.
I did Ball State, I know others who've done FIT, Capella, & ASU. I think it really comes down to how much you invest in your education and the material over the program. They all have different styles, so research what you think would work best for you, or do what you can afford. Both are valid approaches.
ABA has definitely carved its own really interesting path. The new uncharted territory of the therapy has certainly created issues. All fields borrow from each other, so I wouldn’t say it does nothing but steal.
What it is is that there are really rich people that have alot of ASD in their family and they are angry that society is not kinder to ASD children so they try to make everyone ASD and thats why they try to influence the field with money and through the companies. The owners of the companies want you to act and be ASD to make them feel better..There is an actual agenda there.
Hi, BII here and aspiring BCBA. I also believe in the science of ABA but I think too many people ignore other factors: ADHD, psychosis, depression. All these things affect the brain and it affects behavior. I don’t think we talk about that enough.
I agree 100000%. We need far more collaboration across disciplines both mental health, medical, and other therapies.
Thank you so much for sharing this. I have felt pretty isolated and feel like I am terrible at my job because I am struggling to find a work system where I can provide quality supervision, quality programming, quality assessments, quality research, quality parent trainings, quality staff meetings, and quality RBT training and management, as well as monitoring my own behavior. I have literally been beating myself up. Seeing this makes me feel like I am not alone and we can make improvements in the field.
Yes! In school, they talk so much about research and I realized that these research studies of perfectly designed “clinical” programs are not done under these extreme constraints of being a BCBA today. Yes we should be doing xyz, but literally can’t. I think there needs to be that’s great research but how does that fair in our typical conditions (aka daily tornado) 😂
You should make your own agency.
I found this pretty informative. I'm an RBT considering the bcba/bcaba route and getting more insight is great before I make a decision.
Oh yes im a bcba too and I agree with this. There are a few other things too (you kinda addressed):
-half the things you learn in cooper you won't be applying (but important to know so you can understand the theoretical underlying concepts)
-you will never learn all you need to know in your coursework. It's only after a few Years of supervision that I really knew how to work with the children and how to program
-they need to focus more on how to program for the children and touch more on developmental milestones. It will really help bcbas know the hierarchy of what to program and the funcfional perquisites of what need to be achieved First
-another point related to the ones above. Too many bcbas use "cookie cutter" programs for the clients and don't focus on what the child really needs. A lot of the times , these programs are too advanced for them or the child is not there yet which then results in delay of progress, additional behaviors possibly and variable levels of slow improvements since the child is missing those fundamentals components they need to target goals. Assess the child where they are at 😊
-companies will give you clients if they see blocks of times that are free in your calender which is unfair because I may keep certain times of my day free to work on indirect work, programming and client reports
-the bcba world is isolating. Too many bcbas are perhaps scared in collaborating because either they think they know everything (which is untrue because I'm still learning even ten years as a bcba) or they think their questions are stupid or they should already know everything. Very important to collaborate. I love getting ideas from other bcbas.
-I was also taught escape extinction and keeping them at the table no matter what. Horrible. Of course we don't reinforce crying but it's always about 1. Pairing the table to make it reinforcing and that they will willingly come to table 2. Providing that functional communication to request for breaks and other needs 3. Building up incremental times of sitting at table and providing huge ratio of reinforcement to maintain motivation
So many others lol.
Screaming at how much I love this!! I planned on making a part 2 because like you, I’ve got soooo many thoughts. I’ll add some of these in. Thank you for sharing!
So happy you appreciated this! Yes feel free to address any of what i have mentioned in your videos 😊I've been a bcba here for 10 years and in all different roles...from an interventionist to a parent training coordinator to a clinical supervisor to director, etc. I've seen a lot and now understand a lot of the little nuances and things people don't tell you as a bcba.
Few other things I just thought of:
-insurance companies provide a quick timeline of when they want to see progress for each child and a percentage of goals should be mastered for some of the insurance companies to renew another year for that client. In reality all clients have their own trajectory in reaching the mastery criteria of the goals (e.g. you cant force vocal imitation to occur and it emerges in different kids at different times). As well, some children need significantly longer time no matter if you are using the most effective interventions.
-I don't agree for companies to hire soon-to-be bcbas to be a clincial supervisor in the same liking that they would hire a Bcba in that exact same position. They can be hired to assist a bcba and observe what the bcba does, but to provide actual supervision and programming to a client without assistance or oversight from a trained bcba can be quite ineffective and damaging to the potential growth progress of the client. I know this is pretty blunt, but trust me - I would say the same of myself and I would not have hired myself before I was a bcba. It takes many years of learning
-some parents and interventionists expect bcbas to have all the answers. Don't be afraid to tell the parents/interventionists if there is something you are unsure of, but that you will do your due diligence in trying to find out the solution by doing some research.
-be empathic to parents. It's important to not come into the home as "serious professionals". Relate to the parents, show understanding and care. I feel like in the past, bcbas wanted to be taken so seriously as a science (which, understandably so) that they would forget to show an ounce of empathy and relatability and just get right down to business. Remember, we need buy -in from the parents just as much as we need buy-in from the clients
-bcbas used to think they can address it ALL. I'm here to tell those bcbas ...NO YOU CANNOT. If it's not in your scope, get outta the "playing field" and consult with the right professional whether it be OT, Slp, feeding specialist etc
Girl I can go on but ill stop here haha. New subscriber!
Thank you!! I am a Educator for students with behavioral and emotional disorders and I have found my people. I found my niche .So now i'm looking to further my career to help this population. Thanks for your insight. Where did you attend school.
Ball state! I needed something affordable and online.
@@YourABAhelpI did as well. Great school
thank you for this! I'm heading into an aba masters this fall!
Good luck!! You can do it! Watch out for those contracts that companies will have you sign.
I have been a BCBA for a year now, and yes the transition from RBT to BCBA has been very overwhelmed. The amount of work, responsibilities and agencies expectations of documentation is insane, on top of everything else you mentioned
It’s wild. Hope you aren’t drowning!
There are alot of BCBAs that try to get me to do things that were really bad. I refused to do alot of it. Some of the BCBAs were downright sadistic
Ugh I HATE the BCBAs who have no compassion. So sorry you deal with it too.
I hope you're someone who focuses on the wellbeing of the child, communicates plans and reasoning with the child, allows and recommends all reasonable accomodations, and works with the child moreso than with the parents against the child.
As an autistic adult who turned out well with much calmer support than ABA, I'm not the quickest to trust the field of ABA, but I do recognize that some children might need a bit more assistance than me in order to, for example, use their voice as their primary medium for language.
If anyone knows where to find a positive opinion of Autism Speaks I'd also be interested. Negative opinions, especially from autistic people, seem to be a dime a dozen, and I think part of that is their support of a particular style of ABA?
Autism Speaks support “cures” for autism. They have funded and promoted the idea that autistic children are sick and have symptoms. They are also a big puzzle piece promoter, which many autistics do not align with.
Hey, I really appreciate this video and its honesty. I’m a new bcba and I was really unaware of the huge transition (more money, more problems) it would be from an rbt to a bcba. I was wondering if you knew of any resources regarding bcba supervision for rbt topic. I’m trying to figure out my new role as an analyst and now on top of that I gotta supervise these rbts so I’m a little overwhelmed
Haha always something I swear! The biggest thing you’ll need is practice as a supervisor. You can read up on BST behavioral skills training. It’s the “gold standard” for supervision. My best tip is to respect your RBTs and remember everyday that without them and their buy-in from you, you are so limited. They are the back bone of the field!
@@YourABAhelp thank you for your sound advice and I really enjoy watching your content. I will look back into
BST
Hi, I was wondering if you could help weigh in on a little personal dilemma? I'm wondering in your opinion if getting the "little a" is worth it? I have a B.S. in Sociology already, so I would only need to take the course sequence to get the BCaBA title. But the more I look into it, the more it seems like it would be only a couple extra classes worth to go through with the masters program and become fully credentialed as a BCBA. Money is a big concern for me and I've already got 25k in student debt from undergrad.
It depends on what job offerings are in your area. If you want to get a raise faster, could be a good path. I’ve heard BCaBAs get a lot of responsibilities and demand with less pay. Like you still have a full caseload and work the same job, but get paid far less. If you have a busy life and BCaBA is the best you can do right now, nothing wrong with that!
I am a BCaBA and this is so true! Go straight for your BCBA if you can in this season of your life. I have a full caseload and BCBA responsibilities, but half the salary of a BCBA. @@YourABAhelp
I’m right in the middle of applying as well. I have my sociology degree and am applying for bcba right now. How did this turn out for you?
I am Special Education teacher and was wondering which route I should take to pursue BCBA . ? I need a masters but have been trying to figure out if that’s what I want to do.
You’d need to also find someone to provide you with supervision hours. You’d need a BCBA to supervise you. Typically it is hard to come by in schools, but worth ask for. Some people pay out of pocket for a supervisor others work at an ABA company.
Is there an online Master in ABA that you recommend?
I did Ball State, I know others who've done FIT, Capella, & ASU. I think it really comes down to how much you invest in your education and the material over the program. They all have different styles, so research what you think would work best for you, or do what you can afford. Both are valid approaches.
When you realize that your profession does nothing but steal from other professions to stay relevant, that must be tough.
ABA has definitely carved its own really interesting path. The new uncharted territory of the therapy has certainly created issues. All fields borrow from each other, so I wouldn’t say it does nothing but steal.
What it is is that there are really rich people that have alot of ASD in their family and they are angry that society is not kinder to ASD children so they try to make everyone ASD and thats why they try to influence the field with money and through the companies. The owners of the companies want you to act and be ASD to make them feel better..There is an actual agenda there.
Huh? I’m confused by what you are saying. Can you elaborate?
Citation needed****