Scope of Practice

As an instructor in a master’s program in ABA, one of the most common questions that I am asked is, “What else can I do with a master’s in ABA?” This post is for those individuals who are looking to apply behavior analytic principles within the area of health, sport, fitness, or wellness in general. It will discuss what you need, what can be helpful, and provide some actionable steps to help you move forward. 

What do you need? If you are a BCBA, technically you don’t NEED anything else to practice behavior analysis with anyone as long as the services fall within your scope of competence and you are following all laws related to your service (funding). There is always a lot of talk about “scope”, but I am going to provide my definition of what that means. Something in my scope would be an area that I have experience implementing, supervising others doing, and can confidently teach about. 

For example, it is within my scope to work with individuals with severe aggressive behaviors, but not with individuals with severe food selectivity issues. I have experience and have been trained on interventions for aggression, but have never independently worked with a case of severe food selectivity. 

Another example: I could work with a person who is trying to increase their physical activity by starting to run, but I would not feel competent working with a person who was training for a marathon with the goal of qualifying for the Boston Marathon. I understand how to work to change the environment, provide reinforcers, etc., to increase activity, but do not have the experience or knowledge to know how to build a time-qualifying runner. I could work with a competition dancer, as that is an area that I have much more experience with. 

What happens when something is out of my scope? You can read about similar cases, review the research, and observe other cases, BUT the most important thing is mentoring and learning in that area. This may take the form of an extra certificate, individual mentorship, or extra classes.  For example, I could get an intuitive eating certificate, a health & wellness coaching certificate, a personal training certificate, yoga certification, dance degree, etc. These would add to my knowledge around those specific topics and start the process toward competence. The next step is to find a person who can supervise you through a few cases. This can be in your supervision hours or done as additional supervision after you have completed the required time or passed the exam. 

This is where your supervision really kicks into gear if you are not yet a BCBA, and mentorship becomes important if you are. Finding a supervisor/mentor who is comfortable, competent, and practicing in the field you want to work in should be the number one priority. The hard truth to this is…supervision/mentoring outside of autism is not easy to find, and it’s not free. Good supervision and mentoring can be expensive, but remember that when you are paying for those services, you can ask for what you want and need.  If they can’t or won’t provide the service you need, you shouldn’t be paying for it. You also want to consider that this person holds the certificate you want to hold doing the thing you want to do. What would you expect to charge if you were in their position after all the work you put in to become competent in this area? It is a good way to see your worth in that area of practice. 

Here are some actionable steps for someone who is interested in moving into health, sport, fitness, or wellness using ABA. 

1. Find someone who is doing what you want to be doing and contact them! Follow them on Instagram and LinkedIn. Short informal conversations are often free, but mentorship/supervision is not 🙂
   1. They may also be able to send you down the right path
   2. Learn from the missteps of others

2. Read research in the area of health and wellness and note the common authors, then try to follow or add them on LinkedIn.
   1. Like/Comment on these posts!
   2. Researchers LOVE to talk about their research. Engage with them! 

3. Consider joining and potentially volunteering time with a group like the Health, Sport, and Fitness SIG. We are a small group and are always looking for more voices!

4. Don’t discount getting supervision/mentorship in a new area because of the cost. Sometimes you need to invest in yourself in order to succeed in a new area.

5. DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE HOW HARD THIS WILL BE!
   1. On the day of this posting, ABA is not common in the realm of health and wellness. 
   2. You are going to need to put in the work to disseminate in this area, but it’s 100% worth it. 

6. Be brave! If you see a post you like, reach out and ask that person where they got their supervision. If you see a company offering supervision/mentorship in this area, reach out and talk to them, but use your judgment to determine if you are a good fit. Just because you aren’t a good fit with one person doesn’t mean there isn't someone else. 

The absolute most important thing to remember as a BCBA is that our learning NEVER stops. You can always reach out to someone to gain additional supervision or mentorship on a topic to expand your scope of competence.  Use your CE’s as an opportunity to “taste test” a new area, and if you love it, dig all the way in. I can’t wait to hear your thoughts! 

Charissa Knihtila

Member Outreach