Ask A BCBA is a new series where we take your questions to our favorite ABA professionals. Do you have a question for a BCBA? Email us at info@difflearn.com and you could be featured in a future post!

Congratulations on passing your BACB exam!  Not only did you pass this notoriously difficult test, but you completed hundreds of hours of graduate coursework and supervised experience to get to this point.  You had to have been dedicated and hard-working.  You have demonstrated your knowledge to your supervisor(s) and on a written exam.  You should feel proud!

You are now entrusted with the tools to change behavior, shape new skills, and make lives better.  Make no mistake, this is a big responsibility.  As a BCBA, you are expected to be proficient in all of the skills of a behavior analyst (as per the BACB task list) and to abide by the BACB Code of Ethics.  Part of the ethical code is that there is no excuse for not knowing the ethical code.

Some new BCBAs feel overwhelmed by their new responsibilities.  This is completely normal, and not a bad thing if it leads you to approach your new position with respect and caution.  Here are some suggestions for easing this transition and building your confidence.

• Maintain contact with your supervisor or another mentor.  Most supervisors are happy to continue to have some continued less-structured contact to provide guidance.  Other seasoned BCBAs in your community might also be open to providing some informal mentoring.

• Join a community of other BCBAs.  There are so many options for how to do this.  Joining your state ABA association is an excellent idea if you haven’t done so already.  If you are a social media person, there are many Facebook groups for BCBAs.  Other BCBAs at your job may want to connect, too.

• Keep your resources handy.  Yes, I realize that you probably never want to see “The White Book” again – at least for a while – but don’t be afraid to look something up if you’re not sure.  Although you passed the exam, you may still need a refresher on less-familiar concepts when they come up in your work.

• Start collecting CEUs!  Yes, now!  You need to document at least 32 CEUs every 2 years, so don’t fall behind.

• Subscribe to journals.  JABA is not expensive, even when you are no longer a student, and you may not have access to your university library anymore.

Some new BCBAs feel overwhelmed by their new responsibilities.  This is completely normal, and not a bad thing if it leads you to approach your new position with respect and caution.  Here are some suggestions for easing this transition and building your confidence.

Remember that learning is a lifelong journey.  Even though you have made an amazing accomplishment, you aren’t expected to know everything.  Take the energy and enthusiasm that got you to this point, and use them to continue to develop your skills and your network.  As B.F. Skinner wrote in Walden Two, “It is not a question of starting.  The start has been made.  It’s a question of what’s to be done from now on.”  The hard part is over, so go ahead and make the most of your accomplishment!

About The Author

Dana Reinecke, Ph.D., BCBA-D is a doctoral level Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA-D) and a New York State Licensed Behavior Analyst (LBA).   Dana is a Core Faculty member in the Applied Behavior Analysis department at Capella University.  She is also co-owner of SupervisorABA, an online platform for BACB supervision curriculum, forms, and hours tracking.  Dana provides training and consultation to school districts, private schools, agencies, and families for individuals with disabilities.  She has presented original research and workshops on the treatment of autism and applications of ABA at regional, national, and international conferences.  She has published her research in peer-reviewed journals, written chapters in published books, and co-edited books on ABA and autism.  Current areas of research include use of technology to support students with and without disabilities, self-management training of college students with disabilities, and online teaching strategies for effective college and graduate education.  Dana is actively involved in the New York State Association for Behavior Analysis (NYSABA).

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