Episode 2 - ABA In Decline

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Episode Summary:

The episode explores the rapid growth of the field, with BACB reporting a 58% increase in BCBA demand in one year. More providers doesn’t always mean better care—new clinics expand quickly, often promoting first-year BCBAs into leadership roles without proper support.

Research is clear: supervision and caseloads predict outcomes (Dixon et al., 2016; Kranak et al., 2023). Yet overloaded analysts can’t provide quality oversight. If you’re forgetting clients’ names, you don’t have a caseload—you have a zip code.

Treatment fidelity is another challenge. Without checks, three therapists may run the same program three different ways. That’s not ABA—that’s interpretive dance. Consistency is essential, but fidelity reporting remains inconsistent (Falakfarsa et al., 2021; Morris et al., 2024).

At the system level, contingencies often reward profit over practice (Silbaugh et al., 2021). Billing pressures, staffing shortages, and productivity goals undermine care. Add burnout (Slowiak et al., 2021, 2023), and turnover becomes the norm—hurting kids and families most.

Jay closes with key takeaways and practical fixes: advocate for reasonable caseloads, invest in supervision training, standardize fidelity checks, and prioritize staff retention and wellness. Because, as Dr. Seuss wrote: “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.

References

Supervision & Caseloads

• Dixon, M. R., Bergstrom, R., Smith, M. N., & Tarbox, J. (2016). Supervision intensity and credential type influence skill acquisition for children with autism. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 9(4), 338–348. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-016-0130-x

• Kranak, M. P., Falligant, J. M., Zlomke, K. R., Briggs, A. M., Gregory, M. K., Fales, J. L., & Carnett, A. (2023). A systematic review of supervision in behavior analysis. Behavior Analysis in Practice. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-023-00898-9

Treatment Fidelity

• Falakfarsa, T., Carroll, R. A., Kodak, T., & LeBlanc, L. A. (2021). A review of treatment integrity in applied behavior analysis. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 14(4), 1016–1031. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-021-00595-2

• Morris, E. K., Vollmer, T. R., Slowiak, J. M., & Mace, F. C. (2024). How to measure and maintain fidelity in applied behavior analysis services. Behavior Analysis in Practice. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-024-00992-5

System-Level Quality Concerns

• Silbaugh, B. C., Penrod, B., & Shillingsburg, M. A. (2021). The behavior of the ABA service industry: A conceptual analysis of quality. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 14(4), 1129–1143. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-021-00565-8

Workforce Supply & Demand

• Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB). (2025). US Employment Demand for Behavior Analysts: 2010–2024. Littleton, CO: Author. Retrieved from https://www.bacb.com

Burnout & Practitioner Wellbeing

• Slowiak, J. M., Huitema, B. E., & Dickinson, A. M. (2021). Burnout in applied behavior analysis: The role of job demands and resources. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 14(2), 338–352. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-020-00520-1

• Slowiak, J. M., Feiock, C. W., & Rawe, B. M. (2023). Predictors of burnout among BCBAs: A longitudinal analysis. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 56(2), 413–431. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaba.995