Author Archives: Rebecca Turley

The Things You Should Care About Most When Selecting an Online ABA Degree or Graduate Certificate Program Applied behavior analysis has a vast number of applications, used in everything from designing corporate and government training programs to treating Autism Spectrum …

Registered behavior technicians (RBTs) are the front-line workers who get most of the actual work done in the business of applied behavior analysis (ABA). Working under the direction of board-certified ABAs, RBTs use basic training in behavioral analysis to provide …

To earn the Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) credential from the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB), you much meet the requirements. One of the final steps to becoming an RBT involves passing the Registered Behavior Technician Exam, a comprehensive test that validates your …

Chances are, if you are looking into becoming a registered behavior technician, it’s not for the money. Maybe you have a family member or other loved one who needs behavioral therapy services. Plenty of RBTs come to the field because …

Not just anyone is allowed to offer behavioral therapy services. No one wants some random retail-sales worker looking for a change of pace to just show up and suddenly dive into the intricacies of administering differential reinforcement therapy… at least, …

Registered behavior technicians are the unsung heroes of behavioral therapy. They are the ones that are out in the classrooms, in the hospital wards, and even in the homes of patients. They provide the essential one-on-one feedback and reinforcement that …

Registered behavior technicians are an important part of any behavioral therapy team. In fact, the RBT designation is one of only four certification levels offered by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB). RBTs are only eligible to become registered in …

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia Are you reading this at 3 a.m. because you couldn’t get to sleep? Did you wake up an hour ago and can’t quite drift off again? Is this the fourth night this week that’s happened …

How to Become a Child Behavioral Therapist: Pediatric Behavioral Therapy Explained Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnoses boomed in the United States in the late nineties. The prevalence of ASD in 2016 was 1 in every 54 children according to the …

Becoming a life coach is one of the more fulfilling careers in applied behavior analysis. Life coaches are professionals who work directly with individuals or small groups to help them achieve, or even to define, their goals in life. Life …

Behavior analysis careers can go in some interesting directions. One of the most famous, though, is that of criminal profiler. Criminal profilers are experts in psychology and criminal behavior who apply their knowledge and insights to understanding why and how …

Let’s get one thing straight right away: BCBA® (Board Certified Behavior Analyst) and ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) certifications are exactly the same thing. We realize you probably ended up here because you weren’t quite sure about that. We get it! …

Social support is a vital component of any successful alcohol and drug recovery program. While social support can and does come from a variety of sources, often times, those who have experienced both addiction and recovery serve as the most …

Community support specialists are the go-to professionals when it comes to locating and arranging support services for clients in need. Depending on their role, community support specialists work with clients struggling with physical and mental disabilities, mental illness, and substance …

Recidivism rates in the U.S. continue to be dismal. The Bureau of Justice hasn’t published fresh data in nearly 15 years, and it could be because it tells the story of a criminal justice system that for all the good …

Considered the nucleus of the think tank, the public policy analyst (also referred to simply as a policy analyst) is the face of a policy research institute where national trends, laws, and regulations are tracked and studied so recommendations can …

Student success—it’s what drives our nation’s school counselors. Achieving it, maintaining it, improving it… above anything else, school counselors are advocates for student success. These licensed/certified professionals work in the school system at every level (elementary, junior high, high school) …

Mounds of paperwork, growing caseloads, and shrinking numbers of special education teachers have created a dismal special education trifecta that threatens the quality of the education our nation’s children with special needs receive. In fact, according to the National Center …

As any seasoned educator will tell you, the school environment is chock full of landmines of the behavioral, social and academic kind. From peer pressure and social cliques to very real (and very scary) crisis situations to the unique needs …

The work of student affairs administrators is focused on one, fundamental concept: higher education extends far beyond classroom learning. These post-secondary professionals understand that a successful student experience depends on a rich learning environment, which can only be achieved when …

Mentor, role model, case manager, teacher—youth treatment specialists serve in all of these capacities as they work to provide individualized social, emotional, and behavioral support for troubled adolescents. The work of youth treatment specialists usually takes place in a secure …

Ask any doctor and they’ll tell you the same thing—exercise is vital to our physical, emotional, and mental health. From maintaining a healthy weight to reducing the likelihood of developing a vast array of illnesses and diseases, including high blood …

Antecedent-based interventions (ABIs) are strategies that involve modifying the environment to reduce undesirable behaviors among learners with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other developmental disorders. Antecedent-based interventions are built on the concept that because behaviors are often influenced by the …

Can learners with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) become active participants in their own behavior plans? Yes, they can! The concept of self-management in applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy involves doing just that—applying ABA principles to create a plan that’s designed …

More and more, students with autism and other cognitive and developmental challenges are welcomed into mainstream classrooms based on research that clearly shows how full inclusion in the least restrictive learning environment possible results in the best outcomes. Any special …

Learners—especially younger learners—with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other developmental disorders may have tremendous difficulty honing a new activity of daily living or adaptive skill. Because of this, practitioners of applied behavior analysis (ABA) often approach the process of learning …

In applied behavior analysis (ABA) or any other form of behavioral therapy, the term ‘prompting’ refers to providing assistance or cues to encourage the use of a specific skill. Prompting encourages the client to perform a task until they learn …

In applied behavior analysis (ABA), extinction refers to the fading away and eventual elimination of undesirable behaviors. If a problem behavior no longer occurs, it’s said to be extinct, and the therapeutic process of accomplishing this is referred to as …

Functional communication training (FCT) is the process of teaching meaningful and functional communication in a natural way to children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other developmental disorders. Functional communication training is largely used to help ABA practitioners teach children …

Visual supports in applied behavior analysis (ABA) are used to help individuals who have difficulty understanding or using language to communicate or interact socially. As the name implies, they can be virtually anything visual used to this end – drawings, …

According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, after a period of declining violent crime, the nation’s crime rate has jumped in recent years, along with the number of violent crime victims. Between 2015 and 2018, the number of victims of …

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, nearly one in five adults—46.6 million—in the United States is living with a mental illness. From living with mental disorders like anxiety or depression to coming to terms with traumatic incidents like …

Physical movement—from the largest of movements that allow us to jump, run, and balance, to the smallest of movements that allow us to pick up a pencil or hold a fork, our ability to adequately move without pain, limitation, or …

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), nearly 10 million adults in the U.S. are living with a serious mental illness. Issues like anxiety, schizophrenia, and depression are on the rise, along with suicide rates (U.S. suicide rates …

The field of psychology is massive, diverse, and steadily growing as the stigma associated with mental illness continues to decline. A 2017 report by the American Psychological Association (APA) revealed what many of us already know: It’s a popular field …

We humans are social beings, naturally gravitating toward one another. Whether it’s enjoying an intimate dinner with someone we love, gathering for a neighborhood block party, or settling in shoulder to shoulder with 50,000 fellow fans to cheer on our …

Florida woman Tiffany Smith overdosed on heroin along Interstate 4 in November of 2019… with her 12, 7, and 1-year-old in the minivan with her at the time. The heartbreaking dispatcher tape of the 12-year-old calling 911 made the news …

Social skills training—a component of applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy—is a set of techniques designed to strengthen an individual’s social skills. Social skills training addresses the lack of social intuition that’s often a hallmark among those with autism spectrum disorder …

What’s the most effective strategy for teaching children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) socially acceptable behaviors? According to many behavior analysts, it’s peer-mediated instruction and intervention (PMII) – social learning through peer interaction, modeling, and reinforcement. Or, in simpler terms, …

Appropriate social functioning is one of the biggest challenges facing people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Their ability to properly engage with their peers, acquire and use appropriate social skills, and maintain positive social relationships may also suffer due to …

Differential reinforcement is a strategy used in applied behavior analysis (ABA) to address challenging or undesirable behavior, usually in children. While there are a number of techniques used in differential reinforcement, the goal is always the same: to encourage appropriate …

Cognitive behavioral intervention (CBI) is a process by which patients learn to become experts of their own behavior. Through CBI, patients learn to examine their thoughts, recognize when negative thoughts are increasing, and then apply a number of strategies to …

A picture exchange communications system (PECS) is used to teach symbolic functional communication for primarily nonverbal individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and other developmental, cognitive, and physical disabilities. Or, in simpler terms, PECS is a system that allows nonverbal …

Work is a central concern for most Americans over the age of 18 and under 65. It’s the source of income needed for all of life’s necessities, and usually the sole provider of health insurance and the primary path to …

Speech and language play a major role in our ability effectively communicate with others and with the world around us. When either is negatively impacted, our quality of life is also negatively impacted, and our ability to nurture relationships, grow …

Coming back from a debilitating mental disorder is a long road for many patients. Just as with physical injuries, recovery from psychiatric condition can take both years of ongoing therapy and carefully supervised and structured rehabilitation to return to an …

Domestic violence remains a prevalent and persistent problem in America, affecting millions of citizens every year, whether directly or indirectly. According to the National Domestic Violence Hotline, every year, more than 12 million people in the U.S. are victims of …

Bathing, eating, using the bathroom, getting dressed…Many of us take for granted being able to perform these everyday activities that allow us to do what we need and want to do on any given day. It isn’t until we are …

Relationships within the family dynamic can often be the most difficult, the most challenging, and certainly the trickiest to navigate. Today’s family unit may be a nuclear family…a couple without children…a single parent raising one or more children…two adults living …

One of the biggest precepts of applied behavior analysis is the gradual, orderly progression of behavior modification, exemplified in techniques like graduated exposure or discrete trial training. There’s no better example of this in the world of rehabilitation than the …

We are in the midst of an opioid epidemic, and the statistics are bleak. Each and every day, more than 130 people in the U.S. die from an opioid overdose, according to the National Institute of Drug Abuse. In 2017, …

Grief—a deep sense of loss—is something most of us will experience in our lifetime. While grief usually presents itself as intense sorrow, for some it can also involve shock, anger, guilt, regret, and a host of other emotions. What was …

Around the turn of the century, public schools in the United States began to make attendance compulsory. With that legal impetus in place, the concept of truancy was created, and attendance officers were hired to bring truants back into the …

A brush with the vast American healthcare system is a spin of the roulette wheel for many people. It’s the largest healthcare system in the world, accounting for 18 percent of the country’s GDP in 2016 according to the Centers …

Juvenile courts exist because society and the legal system recognize that kids that commit crimes are generally better off in a system that favors rehabilitation over punishment. With most of their lives still ahead of them, the right kind of …

What is a crisis? For some, it may be a natural disaster or the death of a loved one. For others, it may result from a loss of control or structure. In the mental health field, it’s best described as …

In any venue where people regularly need help with meeting the challenges of living in modern society, you’ll find social workers. Checking in with at-risk kids and elderly clients; helping the homeless or families mired in poverty to tap into …

The best public health care, human or social services, or treatment or assistance options in the world aren’t worth anything at all if they don’t reach the intended targets. And because those target populations are often inherently hard to get …

There are literally thousands of different careers available to Americans today – from retail sales, which the US Department of Labor says is the largest single employment category … to prosthodontics, the smallest category, with fewer than 500 professionals employed …

Americans care about the elderly and disabled in our society and have funded, through both public and private services, many programs to help them adapt to and live independent, meaningful lives in modern society. But we don’t always make it …

Applied behavior analysis (ABA), long considered the gold standard of therapy for children and adolescents with autism, isn’t just relegated to the center anymore. Today’s behavior analysts are taking this traditionally facility-based therapy on the road and into the home, …

Wellness and prevention are at the heart of mental health counseling, and all services are provided with this in mind. According to the American Mental Health Counselors Association, mental health counselors are qualified to assess and diagnose mental and emotional …

The success of many organizations and businesses begins and ends with an efficient workforce. But achieving a competent, capable, and healthy workforce is often easier said than done. Often times, businesses turn to industrial organizational psychologists (often referred to as …

Can replacing behaviors that don’t work well with those that do allow us to gain more control over our lives? Can we replace old learning with new to change the way we act, feel and think, or the ways in …

Becoming a behavior support specialist puts you at the coal face of implementing behavior strategies in schools and other settings. While other behavior specialists prioritize observation and experimentation, your role as a behavior support specialist will give you the hands-on …

Although the major advances in behavioral analysis and behavioral therapy strategies in the past few decades have been a boon to teaching students with disabilities, one reality that hasn’t changed in special education is that it’s a manpower-intensive profession. Implementing …

Edupreneurship is the next big thing in private educational practice, and becoming an educational consultant is your ticket to ride the wave. Edupreneurs bring innovation into education and help drive the future of the entire industry. Working as an EC …

At a Florida youth camp for middle and high school students, at-risk kids are getting an unusual set of role models these days… wizards. At the Heartland Rural Health Network’s i Make a Difference program (iMAD), a group of human …

Behavior interventionists, sometimes called behavior intervention specialists (BIS) are the commandos of the applied behavior analysis world, parachuting into classrooms to apply their unique skillset to assist with the development and implementation of Behavioral Intervention Plans (BIP) or Individual Education …

Behavioral health prevention specialists take a big-picture view of environmental and individual factors that impact the health and mental well-being of students. They use their expertise in mental health and behavioral analysis to analyze at-risk kids and to assist teachers, …

Clinics that specialize in ABA and that are exclusively staffed by Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs), Board Certified ABA Assistants (BCaBAs) and Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs) can now be found in almost any neighborhood. But as the methods behind behavior …

We recognized Queens College of CUNY for offering one of the 35 Best ABA Graduate Programs (Master’s and Doctorate), adding them to our list of top recommendations for ABA grad students. We were excited to hear from Dr. Joshua Jessel, a faculty …

We recognized Rider University for offering one of the 23 Best Master’s in Psychology Degrees with an ABA Track, adding them to our list of top recommendations for psychology graduate students. We were excited to hear from Frances A. Perrin, Ph.D., BCBA-D, …

We recognized University of South Florida among the 57 Best Schools with ABA Bachelor’s and BCaBA Courses and for offering one of the 35 Best ABA Graduate Programs, adding them to our list of top recommendations for ABA undergrads and graduate students. …

We recognized George Mason University among The 62 Best Schools with Online ABA Master’s and Certificate Programs, adding them to our list of top recommendations for ABA graduate students. We were excited to hear from Theodore A. Hoch, Ed.D., B.C.B.A.-D., L.B.A., …

We recognized University of Nevada—Reno among the best schools for ABA undergrads and graduate students, giving them a spot on several lists of our most highly recommended programs: 20 Best Schools Offering ABA Master’s Programs Top 23 Best Master’s in Psychology Degrees …

We recognized Kent State University among the 62 Best Schools with Online ABA Master’s and Certificate Programs, adding them to our list of top recommendations for ABA grad students. We were excited to hear from Dr. Christine Balan, a faculty member at …

We recognized University of the Pacific for offering one of the 23 Best Master’s in Psychology Degrees with an ABA Track, adding them to our list of top recommendations for psychology grad students. We were excited to hear from Carolynn Kohn, PhD, …

We recognized Western Michigan University among the 57 Best Schools Offering ABA Bachelor’s and BCaBA Courses, and for offering one of the 35 Best ABA Graduate Programs (Master’s and Doctorate), adding them to our list of top recommendations for ABA undergraduates and …

We recognized Texas State University for offering one of the 32 Best Master’s in Education Programs with an ABA Emphasis, adding them to our list of top recommendations for special education teachers. We were excited to hear from Russell Lang BCBA-D, a …

We recognized University of Massachusetts Lowell among the 57 Best Schools Offering ABA Bachelor’s and BCaBA Courses and as one of the 62 Best Schools with Online ABA Master’s and Certificate Programs, adding them to our list of top recommendations for both undergraduate and graduate …

We recognized California University of Pennsylvania for offering one of the 32 Best Master’s in Education Programs with an ABA Emphasis, adding them to our list of top recommendations for special education teachers. We were excited to hear from Dr. Peter Heh, …

We recognized The University of Arizona among the 62 Best Schools with Online ABA Master’s and Certificate Programs, adding them to our list of top recommendations for ABA grad students. We were excited to hear from Rebecca Hartzell, PhD, BCBA-D, a faculty member …

We recognized Saint Louis University for offering one of the 35 Best ABA Graduate Programs (Master’s and Doctorate), adding them to our list of top recommendations for ABA grad students. We were excited to hear from Alyssa N. Wilson, a faculty member at …

We recognized Northern Illinois University for offering one of the 32 Best Master’s in Education Programs with an ABA Emphasis, adding them to our list of top recommendations for special education teachers. We were excited to hear from Jesse W. Johnson, Ed.D., …

We recognized University of Central Oklahoma for offering one of the 23 Best Master’s in Psychology Degrees with an ABA Track, adding them to our list of top recommendations for psychology grad students. We were excited to hear from Scott Singleton, BCBA-D, …

We recognized University of Southern Maine (USM) among the 62 Best Schools with Online ABA Master’s and Certificate Programs, adding them to our list of top recommendations for ABA grad students. We were excited to hear from Jamie L. Pratt, a faculty …

We recognized Oakland University among the Top 57 Best Schools Offering ABA Bachelor’s and BCaBA Courses, and for offering one of the 32 Best Master’s in Education Programs with an ABA Emphasis. We were excited to hear from : Jessica Korneder, PhD, …

We recognized The Sage Colleges among the 62 Best Schools with Online ABA Master’s and Certificate Programs, adding them to our list of top recommendations for ABA grad students. We were excited to hear from Cheryl Ostryn, Ph.D., LBA, BCBA-D – Sarah …

We recognized University of Texas—San Antonio among the 57 Best Schools Offering ABA Bachelor’s and BCaBA Courses,  and for offering one of the 32 Best Master’s in Education Programs with an ABA Emphasis. We were excited to hear from Dr. Leslie Neely …

We recognized Lipscomb University for offering one of the 35 Best ABA Graduate Programs (Master’s and Doctorate), adding them to our list of top recommendations for ABA grad students. We were excited to hear from M. Annette Little, a faculty member …

We recognized University of Oklahoma for offering one of the 62 Best Schools with Online ABA Master’s and Certificate Programs, adding them to our list of top recommendations for students in the area. We were excited to hear from Dr. R. Nicolle …

We recognized Eastern Michigan University among the 20 Best Schools Offering Applied Behavior Analyst Master’s Programs and for offering one of the 35 Best ABA Graduate Programs (Master’s and Doctorate), adding them to our list of top recommendations for ABA grad …

We recognized Arcadia University among the 62 Best Schools with Online ABA Master’s and Certificate Programs, adding them to our list of top recommendations for ABA grad students. We were excited to hear from Sarah Woldoff, Ph.D/BCBA, a faculty member at Arcadia …

We recognized University of Northern Colorado among the 62 Best Schools with Online ABA Master’s and Certificate Programs, and for offering one of the 32 Best Master’s in Education Programs with an ABA Emphasis. We were excited to hear from Michelle Athanasiou …

We recognized Northern Arizona University among the 62 Best Schools with Online ABA Master’s and Certificate Programs, adding them to our list of top recommendations for ABA grad students. We were excited to hear from L. Juane Heflin, PhD, BCBA-D, a faculty …

We recognized National University among the 62 Best Schools with Online ABA Master’s and Certificate Programs, adding them to our list of top recommendations for ABA grad students. We were excited to hear from Dr. Sharlyn Crump, BCBA (Co-Academic Program Director) and …

We recognized University of Washington among the 62 Best Schools with Online ABA Master’s and Certificate Programs, adding them to our list of top recommendations for ABA grad students. We were excited to hear from Nancy Rosenberg, a faculty member at University …

We recognized Nicholls State University among the 62 Best Schools with Online ABA Master’s and Certificate Programs, and for offering one of the 32 Best Master’s in Education Programs with an ABA Emphasis. We were excited to hear from Dr. Laura Darcy, …

We recognized Lehigh University as one of the 62 Best Schools with Online ABA Master’s and Certificate Programs, adding them to our list of top recommendations for ABA graduate students. We were excited to hear from Dr. Noor Syed, a faculty …

We recognized Caldwell University as one of the Top 20 Best Schools Offering Applied Behavior Analyst Master’s Programs, and seperately for offering one of the 35 Best ABA Graduate Programs (Master’s and Doctorate). We were excited to hear from Sharon A. Reeve, Ph.D., …

We recognized Eastern Connecticut University as one of the Top 57 Best Schools Offering ABA Bachelor’s and BCaBA Courses, adding them to our list of top recommendations for ABA undergrads. We were excited to hear from James Diller, PhD, BCBA-D, LBA; Professor …

We recognized University of Florida as one of the Top 57 Best Schools Offering ABA Bachelor’s and BCaBA Courses, adding them to our list of top recommendations for ABA undergrads. We were excited to hear from Jesse Dallery, PhD, a faculty member …

We recognized Temple University for offering one of the 32 Best Master’s in Education Programs with an ABA Emphasis, adding them to our list of top recommendations for teachers. We were excited to hear from Amanda Fisher, Ph.D., BCBA-D, a faculty member …

We recognized Ohio State University on three different lists featuring top recommended programs for ABA grad students: 35 Best ABA Graduate Programs (Master’s and Doctorate) Top 20 Best Schools Offering Applied Behavior Analyst Master’s Programs 32 Best Master’s in Education Programs …

We recognized Endicott College on no less than four lists featuring top recommended programs for ABA grad students: 62 Best Schools with Online ABA Master’s and Certificate Programs Top 20 Schools Offering Applied Behavior Analyst Master’s Programs  32 Best Master’s in …

We recognized Central Michigan University as one of the Top 57 Best Schools Offering ABA Bachelor’s and BCaBA Courses, adding them to our list of top recommendations for ABA undergrads. We were excited to hear from Dr. Seth Whiting, a faculty member …

We recognized Teachers College, Columbia University as one of the Top 20 Best Schools Offering Applied Behavior Analyst Master’s Programs, and on our list of 35 Best ABA Graduate Programs. We were excited to hear from Jessica Singer-Dudek, PhD, LBA, BCBA-D, SBA, …

We recognized Berry College as one of the Top 57 Best Schools Offering ABA Bachelor’s and BCaBA Courses, adding them to our list of top recommendations for ABA undergrads. We were excited to hear from Michelle Haney, Ph.D, a faculty member at …

We recognized California State University: Sacramento as one of the Top 57 Best Schools Offering ABA Bachelor’s and BCaBA Courses, and for offering one of the Top 23 Best Master’s in Psychology Degrees with an ABA Track. We were excited to hear …

We recognized Rowan University as one of the Top 57 Best Schools Offering ABA Bachelor’s and BCaBA Courses, adding them to our list of top recommendations for ABA undergrads. We were excited to hear from Bethany Raiff, a faculty member at Rowan …

We recognized Wayne State University as one of the Top 57 Best Schools Offering ABA Bachelor’s and BCaBA Courses, adding them to our list of top recommendations for ABA undergraduates. We were excited to hear from Krista Clancy, a faculty member at …

We recognized Clemson University as one of the Top 57 Best Schools Offering ABA Bachelor’s and BCaBA Courses, adding them to our list of top recommendations for ABA undergrads. We were excited to hear from William H. Edwards, a faculty member at …

We recognized University of North Alabama as one of the Top 57 Best Schools Offering ABA Bachelor’s and BCaBA Courses, adding them to our list of top recommendations for students in the area. We were excited to hear from Dr. Ryan Zayac, …

We recognized Montana State University – Billings as one of the 62 Best Schools with Online ABA Master’s and Certificate Programs, adding them to our list of top recommendations for ABA graduate students. We were excited to hear from Cheryl …

We recognized West Virginia University for offering one of the 35 Best Behavior Analysis Graduate Programs, adding them to our list of top recommendations for students in the area. We were excited to hear from Claire St. Peter, PhD, BCBA-D, a faculty …

We recognized OsloMet – Oslo Metropolitan University as one of the Top 20 Best Schools Offering Applied Behavior Analyst Master’s Programs, adding them to our list of top recommendations for students in the area. We were excited to hear from Gunnar Ree, …

We recognized University of Colorado – Denver as one of the Top 57 Best Schools Offering ABA Bachelor’s and BCaBA Courses, adding them to our list of top recommendations for students in the area. We were excited to hear from Patrick Romani, …

We recognized Jacksonville State University for offering one of the 35 Best ABA Graduate Programs (Master’s and Doctorate), adding them to our list of top recommendations for students in the area. We were excited to hear from Paige McKerchar, a faculty member at Jacksonville …

We recognized East Stroudsburg University as one of the 62 Best Schools with Online ABA Master’s and Certificate Programs, adding them to our list of top recommendations for students in the area. We were excited to hear from Dr. Caroline DiPipi-Hoy, a faculty …

We recognized University of North Dakota as one of the 62 Best Schools with Online ABA Master’s and Certificate Programs, adding them to our list of top recommendations for students in the area. We were excited to hear from Cristine Deaver, a …

We recognized University of West Florida as one of the Top 57 Best Schools Offering ABA Bachelor’s and BCaBA Courses, adding them to our list of top recommendations for students in the area. We were excited to hear from Sal Ruiz PhD., …

We recognized Midland University as one of the Top 57 Best Schools Offering ABA Bachelor’s and BCaBA Courses, adding them to our list of top recommendations for students in the area. We were excited to hear from Connie Taylor, Ph.D., BCBA-D, a …

We recognized University of Central Missouri as one of the Top 57 Schools Offering Programs that Include the BACB VCS for BCaBA Certification, adding them to our list of top recommendations for students in the area. UCM also offers an ABAI-accredited …

We recognized the University of Nebraska for offering one of the 35 Best ABA Graduate Programs (Master’s and Doctorate), adding them to our list of top recommendations for students in the area. We were excited to hear from Nicole M. Rodriguez, Ph.D., BCBA-D, …

We recognized California State University: Fresno for offering one of the Top 23 Best Master’s in Psychology Degrees with an ABA Track, adding them to our list of top recommendations for students in the area. We were excited to hear from Marianne …

We recognized St. Cloud State University as one of the Top 20 Best Schools Offering Applied Behavior Analyst Master’s Programs, adding them to our list of top recommendations for students in the area. We were excited to hear from Benjamin N. Witts, …

We recognized University of Houston Clear Lake as one of the Top 20 Best Schools Offering Applied Behavior Analyst Master’s Programs, adding them to our list of top recommendations for students in the area. We were excited to hear from Dorothea C. …

We recognized the Florida Institute of Technology as one of the Top 20 Best Schools Offering Applied Behavior Analyst Master’s Programs, adding them to our list of top recommendations for students in the area. We were excited to hear from Dr. …

We recognized University of North Florida for offering one of the 32 Best Master’s in Education Programs with an ABA Emphasis, adding them to our list of top recommendations for students in the area. We were excited to hear from Cynthia Livingston, …

We recognized the Michigan School of Psychology for offering one of the 23 Best Master’s in Psychology Programs with ABA Emphasis, adding them to our list of top recommendations for students in the area. We were excited to hear from Ruth Anan, …

We recognized Mary Baldwin University for offering one of the 32 Best Master’s in Education Programs with an ABA Emphasis, adding them to our list of top recommendations for students in the area. We were excited to hear from Dr. Rachel Potter, …

Thanks for your interest in participating in our interview series. We think highly of all the programs featured here and feel good about recommending them to our readers. We’d love to offer our readers even more information about your program …

ABA Professor Interview Series You’re probably drawn to the field of applied behavior analysis for the simple fact that you find the application of behavioral psychology to be a lot more interesting than theory alone. You’re fascinated by what you’ll …

Applied Behavior Analysis EDU Excellence in Practice Scholarship is Now Closed With a master’s degree being the standard requirement for board certification, becoming an ABA doesn’t come cheap. But if you’re dedicated enough to get into this field, you’re not …

What happens when the demand for practitioners in a field suddenly explodes? Can this actually breed danger for the consumer? Here we talk to Dr. Michael Dorsey, one of the early pioneers of ABA licensing laws who penned the first …

The thought of going on to pursue a doctorate in behavior analysis may seem like an impossible luxury: lingering student loans and the pressure to establish yourself early on may hold you back from pursuing this dream. And, for some …

Autonomy. Freedom. Setting your own hours and fees. Office space above that swanky coffee shop and down the street from the gym. Who wouldn’t want to open their own practice right from the start? If you’re a new therapist ready …

You chose the field because the efficacy and reliability of the underlying science behind ABA therapy speaks for itself… you’ve seen first hand how it can change lives… and your patience and deep sense of compassion mean you’re cut out …

Dr. Dorsey started in the field of behavior analysis in the early 1970’s, working in research labs, schools and psychiatric hospitals. In the years since, he has made important contributions to the field as a practitioner and researcher, and even penned …

If you’ve ever woken up on a cold morning under the weight of heavy winter blankets and felt incredibly calm and peaceful you’ve had a little taste of what deep pressure stimulation can do for the nervous system. What if …

“If he could just sit still for five minutes, maybe we could all relax a bit!” It’s the weary sigh of so many parents of children with autism and sensory processing disorders. While there is no magic pill or technique …

F-G-S… Think a simple explanation of exactly what the “F” and the “G” stand for will give you some insights into the disorder? You’re out of luck; it’s actually just the surname initials of the first family formally diagnosed with …

When we talk about autism, we tend to focus on the negative: what needs to be addressed, fixed, or modified. Rarely do we talk about the good that comes from it. When we stop and look at people who have …

Helping people with autism and other cognitive and developmental disorders enjoy normal lives doesn’t necessarily need to start with ABA therapy. It starts with inclusion – including them in the classroom, in the workplace and in the conversations teachers, psychologists …

Sometimes for parents, and even therapists, it’s difficult to know when our expectations for a certain child are unreasonable. Complicating this is the reality that every child develops according to their own unique time table. So how do we know …

Working with an applied behavior analyst is often a significant commitment of time and resources, so you want to make certain the therapist you choose is a good fit for you and your child. We spoke with Jamie Waldvogel, BCBA …

It can be a challenge dealing with sibling issues in the best of circumstances, but when one of your children has autism and the others are neurotypical, the challenges multiply. So how do you deal with it? Here are five …

When Austin learned that his brother, Joey, had autism he didn’t really understand what that meant. He was five at the time and his brother was three. He basically just thought his brother acted weird. As time went on, an …

We don’t often enough ascribe positive attributes like accomplished, protege, or genius to people on the autism spectrum, yet, there are plenty of people with ASD that have displayed amazing talents and abilities in many areas of life including the …

It’s a situation that most parents face at some point in time: Mom and Dad busy cooking dinner while two year old daughter Grace stands at the safety gate, crying. Grace isn’t hungry, wet, or hurt. Like clockwork, if Grace …

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) isn’t always easy to understand for anyone who hasn’t been immediately exposed to it. Like other phenomena, many people become familiar with ASD through the way the disorder is depicted in television and movies. Of course, …

Time outs can be a key component to implementing the ABCs of ABA at home – Antecedent, Behavior, Consequence. What better consequence could there be than a time out to offer a child an opportunity to calm themselves and reflect? …

As the number of autism spectrum disorder diagnoses climb worldwide, it’s inevitable that the experience of folks living with autism—both patients and their families—will become more and more well-documented. Of course there is no single best film about ASD—as a …

Jamie Waldvogel (BCBA) founded Behave Your Best to bring the powerful principles of Applied Behavior Analysis to the general population. She and her team of consultants meet with families in their homes to help assess unwanted behaviors and find long-term …

Way back in the 80’s when Dustin Hoffman gave his Oscar acceptance speech for the movie Rain Man he publicly thanked and acknowledged savant Kim Peek – it was the least he could do for the man who was the …

Everybody in the ABA community has heard that Jerry Seinfeld sometimes says he thinks he might have Aspergers … E! and TMZ won’t let you forget that American Idol finalist James Durbin is on the spectrum… and there’s even no …

Imagine a short skit, on a bare stage with only three props and two actors: Sally, with a basket, and Anne, with a box. There’s also a marble; Sally picks up the marble and puts it in her basket. Then …

Self-stimulatory behavior, known  as stimming in the ASD treatment community, usually shows up as hand flapping, rocking, or some other repetitive behavior. The most mild stims might be something as subtle as repetitive speech (echolalia) or fidgeting, but the range of …

The wide range of symptoms and behaviors associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are complicated enough to deal with on their own, but add in the vast array of other issues that often accompany it and it becomes a minefield …

Mainstreaming is exactly what you think it is… The term is used as an informal way of describing the practice of including special needs students in regular classrooms and giving them the exact same opportunities as any other kid to …

The Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) is one of the most widely used diagnostic algorithms in determining whether or not children have autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Together with the ADOS (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule), it is the diagnostic tool of choice …

When actress Jenny McCarthy discovered her son Evan had autism, as she tells it, she immediately envisioned scenes from Rain Man (1988). In it, Dustin Hoffman portrayed an emotionally detached man having meltdowns over innocuous things like pancakes and missing …

It’s easy to identify the challenges that come with being on the autism spectrum. There is a clear and obvious struggle with many things that seem to come easily to others. Everyday things most of us do naturally can be …

The world’s preeminent scientists – both and past and present – are often known for their quirks and eccentricities. It’s widely held that having a singular focus on a field of science effectively drowns out the desire to fit in, …

Since the mid-1990s, researchers had puzzled over a series of case reports made on individuals who had been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) also showing classic traits of gender dysphoria… the condition of having a psychological identity with a …

ADOS stands for Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule. ADOS is a standardized diagnostic test for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), published by Western Psychological Services (WPS) in 2000 and now available in 15 different languages. Since that time, it has become one …

No one has ever argued that Isaac Newton was normal. While still an undergraduate student at Cambridge, Newton carefully slid a blunt needle into his eye socket and leveraged it against the back of the sclera, distorting the shape of …

In 2008 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that worldwide, one in every six children born has some type of developmental disability, ranging from things as mild as speech impairments, to more serious disorders like cerebral palsy or …

Fifteen years ago, the Hannas suspected that something wasn’t quite right with their newborn daughter Sara. Very early on she started having severe acid reflux. The doctors diagnosed her as lactose intolerant. At six-months, Sara wasn’t meeting the typical motor …

Until Elon Musk borrowed the name for his electric car and power cell company, Nikola Tesla was largely unknown to most of the American public. Even today, cruising around in the sleek Model S, many Tesla owners don’t realize that …

Victoria was in the third grade when her teacher noticed a problem when it was time for the children to gather into reading groups. While the other kids would calmly go to their assigned places, Victoria would become agitated and …

B.F. Skinner was a Harvard-trained psychologist and writer whose works revolutionized the field of psychology and led to an understanding of human motivations and behaviors that has changed how society views everything from prisons to child-rearing. Skinner considered free will …

If you’ve ever traveled to another country and tried to navigate your days without a translator, stumbling over the local language and customs, you might just have a little glimpse into the daily life of a child on the spectrum. …

Have you ever felt perplexed by your child’s overly intense reactions to things that your other son or daughter hardly notices? Or maybe you find your child has virtually no reaction to things that would stir excitement and curiosity in …

What Scholarships are Available for ABA Students? TABLE OF CONTENTS Criteria and Other Considerations When Applying for a Scholarship Finding Scholarships for Applied Behavior Analysis Master’s Degree Programs Finding Scholarships for Graduate Degrees in Psychology and Education National Scholarships and …

She can’t play softball. She won’t be able to fit into the team environment … He can’t be part of the golf team. He will be a disruption to the other golfers … He can’t swim competitively. He doesn’t have …

In a classroom somewhere in America today, a student with autism will become frustrated at not being able to get their teacher’s attention and shove the entire contents of their desk off onto the floor, disrupting the class. With the …

The 1970s saw the dawn of many medical advances. In just a few short decades the human genome would be mapped, Internet research would be a click away, and wearable fitness monitors, mobile health apps, and stem cell treatments would …

Once again your child did that thing that drives you nuts. Maybe she stood in her room banging the door over and over. Maybe he came in and wiped all of his cousin’s Legos off the table, ruining a work …

Music is life encapsulated in lyrics, melody and rhythm. We turn to it for a reflection of who we are, and use it to express everything we want to be. It can just as easily stir our emotions and move …

We can’t help but have crazy respect for teachers. That’s particularly true for those with the ABA skills it takes to manage a classroom and create the best possible learning environment for students with special needs. There are a number …

It’s obvious to anyone paying attention that technology has the power to change human behavior. It has become almost commonplace now for us to change the way we do things the instant technology adapts to serve particular needs. And once …

Childhood disintegrative disorder is a condition that no longer officially exists, having been eliminated and absorbed into the larger category of autism spectrum disorder with the release of the 5th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, …

Reinforcement is the backbone of the entire field of applied behavior analysis (ABA). ABA is built on B.F. Skinner’s theory of operant conditioning: the idea that behavior can be taught by controlling the consequences to actions. The primary way that …

Individual Education Plans came about as a result of the IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) passed by Congress in 2004. The act calls for every public school district to provide a free and appropriate public education to all students, …

Tony was ten years old when his Aunt Karen came to visit and sneezed in front of him. Tony had been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) at a young age and had the usual array of communication, social, and …

Verbal communication is perhaps one of humankind’s greatest gifts. With it we share everything from dramatic dialogs in Oscar-winning dramas, to the sweet whispers of a child’s goodnight as you tuck them into bed. As new parents, you can’t wait …

Don’t underestimate the power of play. Even goofing off and horsing around can have serious therapeutic benefits for kids on the autism spectrum. Add some structure and rules in a more formal game and you have a powerful tool for …

As a parent of a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder, one of the biggest challenges you could face relates to one of the most fundamental aspects of being a doting parent: understanding your child’s wants and needs. You want nothing …

Discrete Trial Training, or DTT, is one of the most common types of therapy used to treat autism spectrum disorder. Widely adopted in both school systems and by many private practices, as a parent, teacher or clinician working with kids …

It is entirely possible for children to have both ASD and ADHD. In fact, it is actually quite common for the two disorders to co-occur. A National Institutes of Health study published in 2014 showed that 18 percent of children …

Somewhere in America, two children in separate homes wake up in the morning and began their day with a ritual. Proceeding immediately to their closets, they check to see that their collection of toys are there, aligned precisely as they …

The term Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) was once used to refer to a category of developmental delays that included autism and four similar disorders, and was defined as the umbrella that these five disorders fell under: Autism Asperger syndrome Rett …

It began as a typical day for single-mom, Vanessa Fontaine, the day her son disappeared without a trace. She planned to run errands and catch up on work while her children were in school.  She made sure her autistic son …

Applied behavior analysis is not the only treatment for autism, and for many years it was not even the preferred treatment. Autism became more and more recognized during the same period that a whole host of new psychiatric drugs were …

Naturalistic teaching methods have arrived in the last few decades as a popular set of strategies for individuals experiencing some form of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). These methods have proven particularly effective when it comes to issues of socialization and …

The DSM-5, the current edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, defines oppositional defiant disorder as… “…a pattern of angry/irritable mood, argumentative/defiant behavior, or vindictiveness lasting at least six months.” For many parents of kids with on …

Fully qualified and licensed behavior analysts require a master’s degree to practice in the field. But there is far more to do in behavior analysis, and a far greater need for trained professionals, than the master’s degree pipeline can sustain. …

Try to imagine a life where touching a wool sweater feels like running your hand across a cheese grater, or the sound of people chewing their food at the dinner table is so overwhelmingly loud and repulsive that it makes …

We’ve searched, studied, and scrutinized graduate schools from coast to coast to compile a complete list of the best master’s programs in psychology with an emphasis in applied behavior analysis (ABA). Maybe you’re preparing for BCBA® certification and looking to …

Navigating the teenage years is a minefield for any parent, but for those with children on the autism spectrum, the challenge is even greater. Just when the parent of an autistic child thinks they’ve figured out how to manage their …

There is no cure for autism. But that hasn’t stopped many people from claiming to have found one. Scientists and medical professionals continue to investigate the causes and mechanisms of the disorder, but the only strong consensus is that the …

It’s one of those moments you dread. It’s the holidays, and your house is filled with relatives eating and chatting. Suddenly something small and hard hits you in the cheek. And then your head. Your ten-year-old child is throwing crayons …

For most parents, childproofing the home is about little more than restricting access to potential hazards. It’s a problem that can be solved in an afternoon with a trip to Target to buy some cabinet locks and a baby gate …

Obsession and an ability to hyper-focus on a particular object or theme is a well-known facet of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Most parents and teachers working with kids with ASD have had the experience of dealing with lightning-fast changes in …

On a mild fall day in 2009, an Englishman named Stephen Wiltshire climbed into a helicopter in New York City and was quickly whisked from the ground. For a brief 20 minutes as the chopper arced through the crisp blue …

One of the core aspects of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is social dysfunction. This can manifest in a range of behaviors, from completely avoiding any sort of personal interaction at all… to completely monopolizing conversations on a single topic that …

Izzy was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder at the age of 3. Like many parents whose first child is autistic, Izzy’s parents missed many of the early signs—delayed speaking skills, lack of eye contact and interaction. When their pediatrician suggested …

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is largely defined by deficits in social communication and interaction skills, so it’s no surprise that many individuals with the disorder have trouble communicating– verbally and otherwise. This difficulty can come about in various ways and …

One of the primary diagnostic criteria for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) as outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) is that the individual shows restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities. And one of the …

Countless fields have benefitted from the abundance of top-quality online programs that produce qualified graduates eager to make an impact in their field – and applied behavior analysis is no exception. You probably already know you will need BCBA® certification …

Does my child have autism? If you’re asking this question, chances are you already have some serious concerns… and that alone is enough to make most parents feel scared, bewildered, and alone. But the fact is, many parents find themselves …

Behavioral outbursts are some of the symptoms that applied behavior analysts (ABAs) are most frequently called upon to deal with when working with ASD patients. Temper tantrums, shouting, breaking things, and outright violence are among some of the least pleasant …

Sheri didn’t know what was wrong with her, she just knew that the other kids were calling her stupid. She was only two but suddenly she was acting different in daycare; she didn’t want to talk to the other children …

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is a scientifically-validated approach to autism treatment, and one that is becoming more and more commonly accepted in the global medical community serving ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) patients. According to a 2015 report from Burning Glass, …

There has been something unusual and inexplicable about autism from the very beginning. When psychiatrist Leo Kanner was conducting some of the first studies that led to a formal diagnosis for the syndrome, he noticed something strange about his test …

Psychologists have known for years that there is a significant degree of overlap between ASD and mood disorders. In fact, around two-thirds of autism patients are also diagnosed with one or more other psychiatric disorders. Although they have been studying …

“Why are we not acting to save the world?” – B. F. Skinner, behaviorist and father of operant conditioning In a field where 89% of graduates go on to work with adults and children with cognitive and developmental disorders – …

Do you watch American Idol as your favorite guilty pleasure and cheer along with the crowd when nobody’s in the room? … Ever pop in the timeless 80’s classics Ghostbusters or The Blues Brothers and start ranting about how ‘they …

Since one of the classic symptoms of autism is a marked deficit in verbal communication abilities, a common problem for applied behavior analysts and others who work with children and even adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder is simply being able …

No list of top schools offering quality ABA graduate degrees is quite complete without including universities that offer doctorate programs. Sure, a master’s is the generally accepted standard to practice as an applied behavior analyst (not to mention the standard …

Autism has long been recognized as a disorder with wide-ranging ramifications and is associated with an equally wide range of problem behaviors. Applied behavior analysts working with autistic patients have come to learn that the best approach is to treat …

The difficulties in conclusively diagnosing a person with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) show up right in the name of the affliction: as a spectrum, it can represent a wide range of different degrees of severity and types of symptom, usually …

Kate was born eleven days late after a normal pregnancy and had some of the typical infant issues: a little colic, some problems sleeping through the night. She had an older sister, so her parents were familiar with the pattern. …

The reaction from parents when they first hear of their child’s diagnosis with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is nearly universal: their first question is whether or not there is a cure for the disease. Everyone needs hope and no one …

Packs of groms and teenagers across the world ripping through the suburbs and city streets on skateboards get to enjoy the freedom that comes with wheels years before they are allowed to drive. And as everybody knows, the most fundamental …

A master’s degree and the BACB’s Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA®) designation are the standard credentials for working as a full-authority independent ABA. A qualifying master’s and certification in ABA is … An absolute requirement for licensure in many states …

Even as better methods of diagnosis and increased awareness helped push autism spectrum disorder into the mainstream, it’s still a disorder that is somewhat shrouded in mystery and misinformation. Public schools welcome students with autism into the classroom to learn alongside neurotypical students… High …

Gone are the days of bulky augmentative alternative communication (AAC) devices. Enter iPhone and Android apps designed specifically to help autistic children. These apps help with a range of communication needs and can be conveniently accessed from a smartphone. We’ve …

The day their daughter came home crying was the day Robert and Sara Soncini learned there was a problem in her second grade classroom in Las Vegas. Every parent of a 7-year-old learns to roll with the crying jags and …

One of the things that has proven most shocking about the epidemic of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnoses in the United States has been the suddenness with which it swept the country. In the span of a single generation, from …

“Rain Man” was one of the first movies to show an autistic character in a main role, with Dustin Hoffman’s portrayal of autistic savant Raymond Babbitt winning him an Oscar. It did not, however, win a lot of fans in …

Our knowledge of neurological disorders, including autism, has grown exponentially in recent years, which is great news for treatment options for these individuals. We now understand that autism is a spectrum disorder, meaning that the severity of the condition can …

“GUMP! What’s your sole purpose in this army?” “To do whatever you tell me, drill sergeant!” “Goddamn it, Gump! You’re a goddamn genius! This is the most outstanding answer I have ever heard. You must have a goddamn I.Q. of …

The boy was an odd one, that was something his family could agree about. When he was born, the back of his head was enormous. His grandmother thought he was just fat, but his parents were worried it was a …

As autism diagnoses around the world started to climb sharply in the mid-1990s, parents and medical professionals alike started a desperate search for an answer to the question on everyone’s mind: what was behind the sudden surge in the syndrome? …

When you get an incurable disorder that affects 1 out of every 166 children born in the United States, a number that has skyrocketed by nearly 700 percent in the course of a single decade, one thing you want to …

There have been theories about underlying connections between autism and intelligence for years. The stereotypes of the autistic genius were cemented in our collective psyche with the 80’s classic movie Rain Main, a story inspired by the real-life autistic genius …

Aspies, as many Asperger’s Syndrome patients call themselves, have long been a group apart from the general population of ASD sufferers. Asperger’s is named after Doctor Hans Asperger, an Austrian physician and pediatrician. Asperger was studying developmental disorders in children …

The links between autism spectrum disorder and intelligence are fascinating and complex but the methods used to establish those connections in the first place are a point of contention for applied behavior analysts (ABAs) and many other involved in autism …

Occupational therapy was used as a method of training people with autism and mental disabilities to independently perform normal activities of daily living (ADLs) long before applied behavior analysis ever came onto the scene. It was also used to promote …

Over the past decade applied behavior analysis (ABA) has become widely-recognized as the most effective therapy for addressing the behavioral issues associated with autism. Thanks to the tireless efforts of applied behavior analysts and other therapists, along with the advocacy …

Applied behavior analysis therapies are used to treat a variety of disabilities stemming from neurological injuries. Applied behavior analysts apply basic behavioral practices that improve language and social interactions and support rehabilitation and independent living among children and adults with …

Applied behavior analysis has had such a strong track record of success in encouraging appropriate behaviors and extinguishing inappropriate behaviors exhibited by children with autism and other disorders, that it is now frequently used to address feeding issues among these …

Behavioral neuroscience combines the independent sciences of behavior analysis and neurobiology to achieve a greater understanding of the relationship between behavioral treatments and neural dysfunction. While the fields of neuroscience and behavior analysis have established vast bodies of knowledge independent …

Applied behavior analysts work with patients who have anger management issues by using operant conditioning methods to slowly retrain the patient into focusing their energy into more socially acceptable outlets. In many cases, a hybrid technique called Cognitive Behavior Therapy …

As America’s population grows older, so does the threat of age-related dementia. In 2010, almost 40 million people, representing 13 percent of the overall population, were over 65 years of age. Ten percent of those had been diagnosed with dementia. …

Applied behavior analysis is used to provide specific behavioral interventions to address symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) through operant conditioning techniques, most commonly incorporated into a hybrid therapy called Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT). Borderline Personality Disorder is a frightening …

Eating disorders are recognized as extreme attitudes, emotions, and behaviors regarding food and weight issues, and in the U.S., 20 million women and 10 million men suffer from an eating disorder at some point in their lives. The National Eating …

Applied behavior analysis, and in particular the hybrid approach of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), are both used extensively in the treatment of various behavioral addictions including internet, sex, and gambling addiction. By applying techniques of operant conditioning, applied behavior analysts …

Applied behavior analysis in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been shown to increase patients’ ability to manage trauma-related emotions, thereby allowing them to achieve more confidence in their ability to cope, control emotions and avoid lashing out …

Cognitive and behavioral therapies, including applied behavior analysis (ABA), have been shown to be an effective course of treatment for individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). A number of psychological disorders frequently co-occur with autism, including obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Applied behavior …

Applied behavior analysis is used in the treatment of fears and phobias to systematically train the sufferer to extinguish learned defensive behaviors associated with the fear through techniques such as exposure therapy and cognitive behavior therapy. As behaviors that have …

Aggressive and impulsive behavior can be controlled through the use of applied behavior analysis techniques designed to limit the reinforcement offered through the use of such behaviors and to alternatively reinforce more socially acceptable methods for communicating and attracting attention. …

The explosions began to rock New York City in 1951. Famous locations around the city, including Grand Central Terminal, the New York Public Library, and Radio City Music Hall, echoed with the sharp cracks of apparently randomly placed pipe bombs. …

According to the Institute of Mental Health, anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness affecting Americans. It is estimated that anxiety disorders affect 40 million adults in the US, representing a full 18 percent of the population. Although anxiety …

Applied behavior analysis is used in the treatment of attention deficit disorder and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder by instituting behavioral changes to help make the socially disruptive symptoms less prominent and to allow patients to function more easily and with greater …

Applied behavior analysis (ABA) has long been part of an overall psychotherapeutic approach for the treatment of clinical depression and the anxiety that is so often associated with it. However, it has more recently enjoyed a solid reputation as a …

Applied behavior therapists work with stroke patients in rehabilitation to help them deal with emotional and related behavioral issues resulting from debilitation in brain function. Behavioral learning is used to retrain many types of common activities from speech to self-care …

Many states that license assistant applied behavior analysts now require the BCaBA® (Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst) certification for licensure or accept it as a pathway to licensure. Even in states that do not license assistant applied behavior analysts, the …

Practitioners of applied behavior analysis (ABA) use techniques based on learning theory to establish and shape behaviors in individuals with specific behavioral excesses or deficits. ABA graduate programs provide these experts with the competencies necessary to engage in various types …

Applied behavior analysis is used in pain management protocols in hospitals and outpatient treatment to assist patients in coping with chronic pain by minimizing long-term adaptations in pain response. Additionally, behavior modification is used to help chronic pain patients cope …

The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in applied behavior analysis is a research-based program designed to produce researchers, scientists-practitioners, and university faculty in applied behavior analysis (ABA). Doctorate-prepared applied behavior analysts work in business and industry, education, and public policy, while …

Applied behavior analysis (ABA) is a natural science that seeks to understand the behavior of individuals. It is an extension of psychology, as it uses the principles of behavioral psychology to understand the relationship between behavior and the environment. A psychology …

Degrees in education with a focus on applied behavior analysis (ABA) provide students with a foundation of knowledge in education and applied behavior analysis that prepares them to serve children, including those with disabilities, in schools and other educational settings. …

Bachelor’s degrees in applied behavior analysis (ABA) provide students with a foundation in the validated science of applied behavior analysis, preparing them to understand behavior and social problems in individuals, groups, and communities and apply successful behavioral interventions. Bachelor’s degrees …

One of the qualities of BCBA®-holders that makes them so appealing to potential clients and employers is the fact that they have demonstrated their ability to practice applied behavior analysis in the real world as a fundamental component of the …

Applied Behavior Analysis is used in sports and athletic training to teach and reinforce skills used in training and competition. Behavioral coaching has been used in sports from football to gymnastics to swimming both to improve athlete training regimes, such …

Applied behavior analysis is used in the field of penology and criminal rehabilitation both in and outside of prisons, using operant conditioning techniques to reduce or eliminate criminal behaviors or other antecedent issues common to crime (such as drug addiction …

For those with the selfless drive to make a positive impact on the lives of others, a career in behavioral health may be the perfect calling. One way to get started down that path is to become a registered behavior …

In-home applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy for children with autism and other developmental disorders consists of highly flexible and versatile programs that supplement or replace facility-based care. ABA home care allows applied behavior analysts to accommodate children and families with …

Many master’s degree programs in applied behavior analysis require completion and successful defense of a thesis project in order for the degree to be conferred. The master’s research project is intended as a capstone to the degree program, providing the …

Between 2008 and 2012 Louisiana’s legislature has passed several laws that ensure a stable and continued income for board certified behavior analysts (BCBA®s). In 2008 it passed House Bill Number 508, which resulted in: Defining the treatment of autism spectrum …

In 2002 the first support program in the nation for college students on the autism spectrum was opened in Huntington. In 2011 West Virginia became the 25th state in the nation to adopt autism insurance coverage reform into law. This …

Oregon is the 34th state in the nation to pass insurance reform legislation that makes applied behavior analysis (ABA) treatments for autism mandatory in insurance policies. The reform was signed into law on August 14, 2013 however it did not …

As recently as a few months ago Oklahomans had to move to other states to be eligible for insurance plans that covered basic evidence-based treatment for autism. On November 1, 2016 the state became the 44th in the nation to …

In a 2012 December solstice announcement the governor declared a new insurance coverage policy for the diagnosis and treatment of autism. It specifically references coverage for applied behavior analysis (ABA) treatments, effectively guaranteeing steady funding for these when provided by …

June 17, 2013 marked the day when New York’s State Senate passed legislation that enshrines into law insurance reimbursement for applied behavior analysis as a therapeutic intervention for autism. The governor signed this at the beginning of 2014, and it …

It’s an exciting time to be living in North Dakota for those who provide ABA services to manage autism. The state is in the midst of a vibrant campaign to expand insurance coverage to include ABA services provided by Board Certified …

Legislation passed in 2015 has bolstered the salary prospects for Board Certified Behavior Analysis providing autism treatment in North Carolina. This event marked, “a historic day for North Carolina and the 65,000 plus families affected by autism in our state,” …

Experimental behavior analysis represents a school of thought in psychology based upon radical behaviorism that calls for inductive, data-driven approaches to establishing functional relations between antecedents and behaviors. The empirical observations gained in experimental behavior analysis allow practitioners to predict …

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is used in the field of mental health to treat patients with psychological disorders using the theories and techniques associated with operant conditioning, focusing on observable behavioral cues and symptoms. The evolution of mental health treatment …

Applied behavior analysis in psychotherapy applies the concepts of operant conditioning to the treatment of mental health issues in the traditional context of discussion-based psychological treatment. Today, behavior analysis is most commonly encountered in combination with cognitive therapy approaches in …

Experienced board-certified behavior analysts (BCBA®s) in Nevada can earn salaries as high as $99,740 a year, according to 2021 statistics from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).  Nevada Mandates Insurance Coverage for Autistic Children As of January 2011, Nevada …

Experienced board-certified behavior analysts (BCBA®s) in New Mexico can earn salaries as high as $101,980 a year, according to 2021 statistics from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).  New Mexico’s autism community applauded Governor Bill Richardson when he signed …

Experienced board-certified behavior analysts (BCBA®s) in New Jersey can earn salaries as high as $98,680 a year, according to 2021 statistics from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).  New Jersey Provides Ground-Breaking Benefits for Those With Autism On August …

After ten years in the field, Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBA®s) in New Hampshire can earn up to $91,000 a year, and typically see an average annual salary increase of more than $1,200. Salaries for Experienced Board Certified Behavior Analysts …

After ten years in the field, the median salary among Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBA®s) in Nebraska was $55,915 as of December 2016. Top earning ABAs whose salaries fall within the 90th percentile can earn up to $84,000 a year. …

The median salary among Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBA®s) in Montana with ten years of experience was $54,254 as of December 2016, with top earners enjoying salaries as high $84,000. In New Mexico, ABAs enjoy an average annual salary increase …

Traumatic brain injury occurs as the result of an outside force impacting the head with enough force to cause direct or indirect damage to the brain, often resulting in serious medical and psychological issues for which there may be no …

Assistant applied behavior analysts provide applied behavior analysis (ABA) services under the supervision of an applied behavior analyst. The job duties of assistant applied behavior analysts are generally supportive in nature, as they assist applied behavior analysts in the data …

Applied behavior analysis (ABA) is used in drug and alcohol substance abuse programs to treat destructive addictions by applying the tenets of operant conditioning to reduce behaviors associated with drug-seeking and use. Frequently combined with cognitive therapies, ABA in addiction …

Behavioral gerontology is the application of the principles of applied behavior analysis, including careful examination of the antecedents and consequences of behavior, in elderly patients and to address problems of aging. The demand for applied behavior analysts (ABAs) in healthcare …

Community health and social assistance behavioral health services are vital to maintaining health, safety, and overall quality of life—whether on a local or global scale. The growing recognition of ABA as an effective therapy, along with a growing number of …

Applied behavior analysis (ABA) certification ensures that providers of behavior analysis services are qualified to provide ABA services to clients with a variety of skill deficits, needs, and problem behaviors. Certification from the Behavior Analysis Certification Board (BACB) is indicative …

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is the practice of applying the psychological principles of learning theory in a systematic way to modify behavior. The practice is used most extensively in special education and the treatment of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but …

Applied behavior analysis in educational services is most commonly used in special education classes to treat behavioral problems among special needs students. Many of the theories and precepts common in education in general today have also grown out of the …

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) in animal training works identically to the way it works with people: behavior analysts use observation and experimentation to create a series of functionally effective reinforcements to modify behavior for the benefit of both animals and …

It’s understood that a master’s or doctoral degree in behavior analysis, education or psychology that includes qualifying coursework in behavior analysis is the education requirement for the Behavior Analyst Certification Board’s (BACB) Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA®) credential. Where things …

The field of behavior analysis has a long history with the study of language development. B.F. Skinner, one of the pioneers of modern behaviorism, wrote an entire book around the topic, Verbal Behavior, which sparked significant debate in the field …

Organizational behavior management is when the scientific principles of behavior analysis are applied to performance evaluation and improvement in any organizational context. OBM is used widely in healthcare, sports, and manufacturing, and is increasingly being taken into consideration in all …

Applied Behavior Analysts (ABAs) working in the healthcare industry apply the scientific principles of behavior analysis to treat problematic behaviors in patients who may be suffering from developmental difficulties, head trauma, neurological diseases, or other mental health issues. Working as …

Autism, a neurodevelopmental disorder that is characterized by social difficulties and inappropriate behaviors, was first identified in 1938, although symptoms describing the disorder stretch back hundreds of years. Investigation in the late 1960s revealed that autism spectrum disorders (ASD), a …

North Carolina is one of a small number of states that specifically includes the practice of applied behavior analysis within the scope of practice of psychology, requiring ABA practitioners to (North Carolina General Statutes Chapter 90, Section 270.2): Obtain a …

Louisiana began licensing Behavior Analysts in 2014 after Act 351 of the 2013 Louisiana State Legislature was passed. The act created the Louisiana Behavior Analyst Board (LBAB) within the state Department of Health and Hospitals to administer licensure, registration, certification, …

In July of 2014 the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a change in the way it would interpret legal language for what constitutes medically-necessary treatments. This change included defining autism as medically necessary under Medicaid insurance …

Since 2009 Wisconsin has made two important modifications to laws pertaining to the reimbursement of Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBA®s) for autism treatments: The legislature added behavior analysts who have a BCBA® credential and state license as professionals who are …

Washington was the 38th state to enact autism insurance reform laws requiring private insurers to cover autism treatment when deemed medically necessary, but the state established a new precedent that same year by being the first to do so through …

In 2012, Vermont enacted an autism insurance law that required all insurance plans—state employee health plans, individual plans, and full insured group plans for both large and small groups—to cover ABA therapy for autistic patients under the age of 21 …

Applied behavior analysts serve Virginia’s large population of autistic children with individual education plans in the state’s public school system, a population that has increased from 2,228 autistic students in 1999 to 16,933 as of 2014 (US Department of Education, …

In 2014, Utah enacted an autism insurance law that requires individual insurance plans and fully insured large group plans to cover applied behavior analysis for autistic children between the ages of 2-10. The insurance reform, which allows for up to …

Enacted in 2013, Texas’ latest autism insurance law ensures that applied behavior analysis is covered by most insurance plans, including most state employee health plans, all fully insured large group plans, and fully insured small group plans. With the passage …

Back in 1999 when the US Department of Education began tracking the number of students with autism in the nation’s public school systems in earnest, there were just over 1,000 students in Tennessee that had been diagnosed with the disorder. …

South Dakota has seen a significant increase in the rate of autism diagnoses among children, with the number of students in the state’s public school system on IEPs (Individual Education Plans) specifically for autism spectrum disorder nearly quadrupling in the …

In 2008, South Carolina passed the Autism Insurance Reform Law (also known as Ryan’s Law) to improve access to essential services such as applied behavior analysis for children with autism. Under the updated law, insurance plans in the state are …

Applied behavior analysis (ABA) is recognized as a successful way of treating children with cognitive and developmental disabilities, and nowhere is it more widely used than in Rhode Island, a state that has seen a significant increase in the number …

Organizations like the non-profit ABA in PA Initiative, among other groups, have been working tirelessly to influence policy and improve access to applied behavior analysis therapy. Their efforts have been focused on seeing to it that all major insurance providers …

Thanks to the passage of House Bill 0110 in 2022, Wyoming is now one of a growing number of states (38 as of 2025) that regulates the practice of applied behavior analysis (ABA) through the licensure of applied behavior analysts. …

The PA Autism Insurance Act (Act 62) was signed into law on July 9, 2008, in an effort to protect individuals with autism and allow them to access affordable ABA therapy. Prior to the passage of Act 62, nearly all children in …

Washington State passed legislation to enact licensing requirements for three classifications of ABA professional: Applied Behavior Analysts (ABAs), Licensed Assistant Behavior Analysts (LABAs), and Certified Behavior Technicians (CBTs) when the governor signed Senate Bill 5488 into law in 2015. The …

Mississippi became the 40th state in the nation to enact insurance reform that guarantees coverage for the treatment and diagnosis of autism. House Bill 885 was signed into law in 2015 and recognizes applied behavior analysis as a treatment provided …

On May 23, 2013 Minnesota became the 33rd state in the nation to expand insurance to address autism. This expanded coverage for treatments that include applied behavior analysis to 750,000 state residents. As a result of this bill BCBA® services …

Recent legislative updates have made insurance reimbursement for applied behavior analysts easier and more accessible. Effective April of 2012, Michigan’s Act Number 100 recognized Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBA®s) as being eligible for reimbursement when providing behavioral health treatment for clients …

Massachusetts is unique in the nation, being one of only a handful of states that does not cap reimbursement for autism services based on age, cost or the number of treatment hours. That means Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBA®s) have …

West Virginia is one of just a dozen states that does not require applied behavior analysts to hold a state license. But that doesn’t mean the state doesn’t recognized the practice of applied behavior analysis (ABA) and the professionals who …

Becoming an applied behavior analyst (ABA), an assistant applied behavior analyst (AABA), or a registered behavior technician (RBT®) in the state of Oregon involves obtaining a license from the Oregon state Health Licensing Office (HLO). The Oregon state legislature passed …

Thanks to trailblazing states like New Mexico, autism insurance reform has swept the nation in the last decade. In 2009, New Mexico became the ninth state to pass comprehensive autism insurance laws requiring applied behavior analysis, among other therapies, to be …

These days, a licensed behavior analyst is the only acceptable type of ABA provider for people in need of these services. But behavioral analysts generally worked without certification or licensing up until 1993, when Florida became the first state to …

Experienced board-certified behavior analysts (BCBA®s) in Missouri can earn salaries as high as $104,940 a year, according to 2021 statistics from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).  Missouri Mandates Insurance Coverage for Autism Treatment ABA intervention has been used …

The state of Indiana strictly enforces the certification of ABAs. Since 2009, it has been a Class B misdemeanor to claim to be a certified behavior analyst without holding certification from the Behavior Analyst Certification Board. Experienced board-certified behavior analysts …

After ten years in the field, Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBA®s) in Illinois can earn up to $92,000 a year. The median salary among these experienced ABAs was $62,764 as of December 2016. These professionals enjoyed an annual incremental salary …

Experienced board-certified behavior analysts (BCBA®s) in Idaho can earn salaries as high as $95,200 a year, according to 2021 statistics from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).  Salaries for Experienced BCBA®s in the Largest Metropolitan areas of Idaho  The …

Applied behavior analysis is widely recognized as the most effective treatment for autism. This treatment is most effective when started at a young age. However, it can be prohibitively expensive to pay for if it is not covered by insurance. …

After ten years in the field, Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBA®s) in Georgia can earn up to $86,000 a year. ABAs in Georgia earned a median salary of $59,079, enjoying an annual incremental salary increase of nearly $850 each year. …

Experienced Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBA®s) in Washington, DC earned up to $159,800, while the overall median figure was $110,590, according to 2021 statistics from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). DC.gov amended its regulations for the treatment of …

Experienced board-certified behavior analysts (BCBA®s) in Connecticut can earn salaries as high as $113,570 a year, according to 2021 statistics from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).  Applied behavior analysts (ABAs) are exceptionally well paid in New Haven which …

Missouri’s Behavior Analyst Advisory Board, part of the Missouri Division of Professional Registration, issues behavior analyst licenses in the state. To qualify for a license, you need to earn and maintain the Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA®) credential issued by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB), …

The state of Idaho does not currently require licensing for the practice of applied behavior analysis, and there are no proposals or political efforts within the state to begin ABA licensing. In many states, the push to license applied behavior …

Washington, D.C. represents a unique case in American health care and professional services in at least two different respects: First, all professional licensing and regulation are handled at the level of the city government, since the District is not governed …

Vermont began to edge toward licensing for behavior analysts in 2012 when the state legislature passed Act 158, a bill mandating insurance coverage for a range of early childhood developmental disorders. Notably, the bill required coverage for the treatment of …

If Senate Bill 135 passes, South Carolina will be among a growing number of states to strengthen their original laws mandating state-regulated health plans to cover therapies and behavioral health treatment, including applied behavior analysis (ABA), for children with autism …

Maine law enshrines the right of applied behavior analysis to diagnose and treat autism spectrum disorders. Specifically, it requires the following types of health insurance plans to provide reimbursement for such activities performed by board certified behavior analysts (BCBA®s) as …

As the diagnosis and treatment of autism has grown in Maryland, so has the demand for board certified behavior analysts (BCBA®s). That is one of the reasons why applied behavior analysts in Maryland earn some of the nation’s highest average …

May 2014 was a victory for Maine’s children with autism, their families, and the professionals who treat them. The Maine Legislature voted overwhelmingly to expand benefits for children with autism age 5 through 10 under the state’s 2010 insurance law. …

The state of Utah began licensing applied behavior analysts (ABAs), assistant applied behavior analysts (AABAs) in 2015. Licensing is handled by the state Department of Occupations and Licensing (DOPL) under authority granted by Title 58 of the Utah Code. Amendments …

Rhode Island is an old hand at licensing behavior analysts, having begun issuing licenses in 2012, earlier than many other states. The path to a formal licensing process came on the heels of a 2010 law (H 5275 Sub A) …

On July 11, 2020, the New Jersey State Board of Applied Behavior Analyst Examiners was established to regulate the practice of applied behavior analysis (ABA) in the Garden State and ensure that all applied behavior analysts and assistant applied behavior …

Thanks to the passage of House Bill 569 (better known as Connor’s Law) in 2010, New Hampshire’s children and young adults have access to applied behavior analysis (ABA) services. Under Connor’s Law, state-regulated health insurance plans must cover ABA therapy …

In North Dakota, the licensing of Applied Behavior Analysts (ABAs) falls within the domain of the North Dakota State Board of Psychologist Examiners (NDSBPE). The state legislature passed Senate Bill 2155 in 2011 to amend Chapter 43-32 of the North …

The year 2017 was a monumental one for the practice of applied behavior analysis (ABA) in Montana. In was then that the Montana Legislature enacted Senate Bill 193, which created the licensure and regulation of behavior analysts and assistant behavior …

Nationally, there is a movement toward embracing state licensing for behavior analysts much the same way that psychologists and other therapists are licensed. While many states have already implemented licensing laws for applied behavioral analysts or are in the process …

The state of Maryland began licensing applied behavior analysts (ABAs) in 2015 after the state legislature passed a law in 2014 adding the profession to the purview of the existing Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists. As part of the …

The state of New York began licensing Applied Behavior Analysts (ABAs) and Assistant Applied Behavior Analysts (AABAs) with the passage of the New York Chapter Laws of 2014, Chapter 8. The new legislation amended the existing state code by adding …

The Virginia Board of Medicine is responsible for issuing licenses to applied behavior analysts practicing in the state. The Board of Medicine recognizes the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) as the sponsor of the national credential you must earn to qualify for state licensure: …

The Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services is responsible for issuing licenses to qualified applied behavior analysts in the state. To qualify for state licensure, you must earn the Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA®) credential through the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB), a national non-profit that …

The Applied Behavior Analyst Licensing Committee (ABALC), under the Tennessee Department of Health, is responsible for issuing licenses to applied behavior analysts in the state. To earn the Licensed Behavior Analyst or Licensed Assistant Behavior Analyst designation in Tennessee, you must first …

In 2009, Oklahoma became one of the first states in the nation to establish licensing laws for behavior analysts with the creation of the Oklahoma Licensed Behavior Analyst Board (OLBAB). The OLBAB, the dedicated licensing authority for behavior analysts, operates as …

Nevada has been licensing applied behavior analysts since 2009; however, in 2021, the responsibility for regulating and licensing these professionals moved from the Aging and Disability Services Division to the new Nevada Applied Behavior Analysis Board. To practice applied behavior …

Established by an act of the state legislature in 2015, the Mississippi Autism Board is responsible for issuing your behavior analyst license. This body has recognized the Behavior Analyst Certification Board’s (BACB) Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA®) certification as the standard credential for state licensure. …

Kentucky was the 17th state in the nation to implement autism insurance reform with the passage of a revised statute in 2010. That legislative reform specifically defines the diagnoses and treatment of autism spectrum disorders as including applied behavior analysis. …

A new Kansas law that came into effect on July 1, 2016 restricted insurance reimbursement for autism service providers to two types of professionals: Anyone licensed under Kansas’ Applied Behavior Analysis Licensure Act Anyone granted an autism services waiver by …

April 29, 2010 marked the day when Iowa’s governor signed a bill (HF2531) into law that required all state employee health care plans to provide diagnosis and treatment of autism-spectrum disorder to individuals under 21 years of age. With the …

Experienced board-certified behavior analysts (BCBA®s) in Florida can earn salaries as high as $107,950 a year, according to 2021 statistics from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).  Florida Statutes Now Require Insurance to Cover Therapy for Individuals with ASD …

After ten years in the field, Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBA®s) in Delaware can earn up to $85,000 a year, while the median salary as of 2016 was $60,148. Their average annual incremental increase in earnings was found to more than …

Experienced board-certified behavior analysts (BCBA®s) in Colorado can earn salaries as high as $84,000. Demand for BCBA®s is highest for those with experience in treating autism. In fact, experience with autism was the top skill listed in job postings for …

Experienced board-certified behavior analysts (BCBA®s) in California can earn salaries as high as $112,210 a year, according to 2021 statistics from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Burning Glass Technologies reported that California was one of the top three …

Kentucky’s law (KRS 319C) governing applied behavior analysts identifies the Kentucky Applied Behavior Analysis Licensing Board (part of the Kentucky Public Protection Cabinet, Office of Occupations and Professions) as being responsible for issuing state licenses for ABAs. This law further identifies the Behavior …

It takes a special kind of therapy to garner the attention of state government, and that’s exactly what applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy did in Iowa in 2013. Today, Iowa’s children with autism enjoy access to what has been described …

Experienced BCBA®s in Arizona can earn as much as $102,765 a year, according to 2021 statistics from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The state of Arizona required that applied behavior analysts (ABA) be board certified in 2009. Since …

Experienced board-certified behavior analysts (BCBA®s) in Arkansas can earn salaries as high as $94,950, according to 2021 statistics from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). While BCBA®s serve a variety of functions, many practice applied behavior analysis (ABA) which …

Alaska started requiring that all practicing behavior analysts obtain a license effective September 16, 2016. Before this, the state did not require a license for behavior analysts who had at least five years of experience. The implementation of licensing laws …

In 2017, Michigan joined the growing number of states that regulate the practice and behavior analysts through state licensure, with Senate Bills 1015 and 1016 paving the way for Michigan’s regulation of applied behavior analysts. In 2019, the Department of …

The state of Ohio requires applied behavioral analysts (ABAs) in the state to hold a state-issued certificate called the Certified Ohio Behavioral Analyst (COBA). The COBA was instituted in 2013 as part of Ohio Revised Code Title 47, Chapter 4783 and is administered by …

In 2023, Nebraska joined a growing list of states to legislate and license behavior analysts through its Applied Behavior Analysis Act. The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services began licensing behavior analysts and assistant behavior analysts in September 2024. …

Indiana has been a trailblazer for autism rights since 2001, when it became the first state in the nation to require health insurers to cover autism therapy. It’s no surprise, then, that the Hoosier State is also home to one …

Kansas began licensing Applied Behavior Analysts (ABAs) on July 1, 2016, implementing rules established in House Bill 2744. HB 2744 was passed in 2014, designed to mandate insurance coverage for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)—one of the most important …

July 1, 2015 proved to be an historic date for Georgia’s children with autism, their families, and providers of applied behavior analysis (ABA). On this date, the Georgia Constitution House Bill 429—best known as Ava’s Law—took effect, requiring private insurance companies …

Florida remains just one of 12 states in the U.S. with no state licensing requirements for behavior analysts. Instead, the state defers credentialing for applied behavior analysis (ABA) professionals to the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB), which offers the nationally …

Texas is among the most recent batch of states to implement licensing rules governing the practice of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). In 2015, the legislature passed House Bill 2703, which officially established the Texas board of Behavior Analyst Examiners and …

In early 2016, the South Dakota state legislature passed a new law, HB 1141, which requires that applied behavior analysts in the state become licensed in order to retain the right to legally practice. The governor recently signed HB 1141 into …

Massachusetts’ Board of Registration of Allied Mental Health and Human Services Professions (BRAMHHSP) is responsible for licensing applied behavior analysts and assistant applied behavior analysts as described in this guide. The BRAMHHSP has adopted the Behavior Analyst Certification Board’s (BACB) BCBA® (Board Certified …

Illinois is among the most recent states to introduce a formal licensing requirement for Applied Behavior Analysts. Taking effect in 2025, both behavior analysis and assistant behavior analysts working in the Land of Lincoln will need to be licensed by …

Hawaii began legally defining the practice of applied behavior analysis in July of 2015 and by 2016 had enacted Hawaii Revised Statute (HRS) Chapter 465D requiring behavior analysts to be licensed through the Professional and Vocational Licensing Division of Hawaii’s Department of Commerce and …

Though Delaware’s applied behavior analysts aren’t state licensed, the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services enacted legislation (Senate Bill 22) in 2012 that set clear standards for autism providers. The legislation outlines the two types of professionals qualified to …

Behavior analysts in Connecticut are licensed by the State Department of Public Health. The legislation passed to create the license in 2014 was based closely on the model legislation proposed by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB), a national non-profit …

Applied behavior analysis is the study of behavior and how learning takes place. But it’s also about action – using the information gleaned to apply techniques designed to bring about meaningful and positive changes in behavior. Therefore, the work of …

California is one of just 12 states that does not have state licensure for applied behavior analysts. Despite efforts in recent years to regulate the profession in the state, California’s applied behavior analysts are not recognized through a formal state …

The state of Arizona has recognized applied behavior analysis (ABA) as a licensed profession since 2011 in accordance with Arizona Revised Statutes (ARS Title 32 Chapter 19.1, Article 4) pertaining to the regulation of psychologists. The Arizona Board of Psychologist …

The state of Arkansas does not offer any special licensing for Applied Behavior Analysts (ABA). Instead employers and clients rely solely on national credentials from the Behavior Analysis Certification Board to (BACB) to validate the expertise and capability of ABAs …

Alaska has only regulated the practice of applied behavior analysis (ABA) since 2014, when the state legislature passed House Bill Number 361 (HB 361), amending Title 8 of the Alaska Statutes regulating businesses and professions. Incorporated as Title 8, Chapter …

It’s been more than ten years (2014) since Alabama incorporated laws specifically defining the practice of behavior analysis. The Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) serves as the official national certifying agency for Alabama professionals in this field. Professionals who have been certified …

Experienced board certified behavior analysts (BCBA®s) in Alabama can earn up to $104,710 a year, according to 2021 statistics from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). While Alabama’s Medicaid program recognized BCBA®s as qualified providers as far back as …

Applied behavior analysts (ABAs) examine the effects of the environment and outside stimuli on human behavior and the factors and motivations that contribute to problem behaviors. It’s important work, for which ABAs can expect a respectable salary. As of July …

Behavior analysis is the scientific study of behavior and learning. Behavior analysts study socially significant behavior and its relationship to the environment to answer the question: Why do people do what they do? Because applied behavior analysts double as both …

To get in contact with us for updates or anything else, please email here: [email protected]. Why a Dedicated Site on ABA Education? Applied behavior analysts are the modern heroes of positive behavioral change. Their work with children and adults with autism …

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Applied behavior analysis (ABA) is one of the most effective therapies for the treatment of autism and other disorders that influence behavior. Start your journey towards this fulfilling career by learning the ABA degree, training, and certification requirements to become …