Behavioral Analysis Therapy

My goals to complete the Graduate Certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis are both, personal and professional. On a professional level, I want to advance my graduate studies by becoming a certified Behavior Analyst. For this I must complete the courses required by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board. On a personal level, this certificate means several things: providing an example of improvement for my family, and providing my family with the adequate financial resources in the furure. I have been the first in my family to obtain a university degree. Being certified as a behavioral analyst would make me a specialist in this field. It is my hope that the completion of my professional career stimulates other family members to aspire higher educational goals and become productive professional citizens in society.

The pro’s for becoming a behavior analyst are: potential for a high salary, variety of work settings (schools, governments, hospitals, etc), making a living helping people, and opportunities to work with a bachelors degree. The cons are: takes time to get certified if you get a masters and expensive, jobs usually require a lot of experience, employers typically require board certification, and may need to be on call 24 hours per day. A behavior analyst does not require a graduate degree but if I purse this career I will likely continue to school, mainly so I have more options, look better on paper, and can have advantage in my career.

The purpose of this assignment was to observe a non-certified staff member implement a program designed by a behavior analyst. Ethical issues that were observed, or potential ethical issues that could arise will be discussed and how they relate to the Behavior Analyst Certification Board’s (BACB) ethical guidelines. Following the discussion of ethical situations will be possible solutions to prevent ethical dilemmas from occurring while practicing as a behavior analyst. Finally, this paper will conclude with the observer’s personal reaction.

This paper is a brief exploration of the Behavioral Management Aide career in the Social and Human Service Assistant field. It is a sometimes difficult yet rewarding job in which the professional works with clients to assess them and help them solve any issues they are having which hinders them from living a fulfilling, happy life. It is a career that is expected to grow over the next few years and it only requires a high school education, but a college degree and previous experience is preferred. It is a career that has a fast turn-around of professionals because the stress levels can be so high in specific portions of the field or due to a lower pay rate than some other areas of Human Services. If the professional is absolutely dedicated and can stick it out, it is a rewarding field which is beneficial to many people in the community.

The Psychology Major’s Handbook by Tara L. Kuther gives a list of positions that Psychology majors can obtain with a bachelor’s degree. This list is helpful because only one-fourth of psychology majors go to graduate school immediately following graduation (Kuther, 2015, p. 170). Within this list, the occupation that caught my eye was that of an Occupational Therapist. Though one cannot be an Occupational Therapist with only a bachelor’s degree, one can be an Occupational Therapist Assistant (OTA) with a bachelor’s degree. With other training and licensure, an individual with a bachelor’s in psychology can work in the field of Occupational Therapy because psychology teaches one human service skills. Employers may not understand why a psychology major would be eligible for a job like Occupational Therapy; thus it is the responsibility of the applicant to explain their eligibility for the desired position (Kuther, 2015, p. 171).

A career action plan in applied behavior analysis will be important in speculating the kind of career to undertake once through with the studies. It can be an excellent tool for a student to develop to ensure swift absorption in the job market or to those wishing to start their own organizations (Cooper, 2007).

I have been working in the Applied Behavior Analysis field since 2007. I have received my certification as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) in 2015. Prior to that, I held my BCaBA certification since September 2013. I obtained my Master 's degree in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Applied Behavior Analysis in 2015. I specialize in program development and implementation for in-home ABA services with children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder from ages 18 months to 12 years of age. In addition, I specialize in parent training and staff training in Applied Behavior Analysis principles.

The basic definition of psychology is the study of human minds and there function, with respect to the affects the human mind has on behavior. The field of psychology is one of the most diverse fields that continue to expand and branch out into a plethora of distinguishing subfields; some subfields include retail marketing, legal work, social work and education (Sternberg, 2007). When deciding what career path to select one has to consider the level of education and scholarship they are willing to pursue. Pursuing and completing an undergraduate degree will earn an individual the title of a reflective scholar. A reflective scholar is a graduate that has completed a Bachelors or Bachelorette degree. Next, is the practitioner-scholar, which, is an individual that has graduated with a Masters degree. Following the practitioner-scholar is the scholar-practitioner, who is a graduate that has complete a program at a Doctoral level (McClintock, 2003). Each level of scholarship entails a pristine level of knowledge about the practices, strategies and techniques needed to establish quality and efficient

The top option for psychology graduates is to become a Homeland Security agent. This is perhaps the most versatile job within this sprawling federal agency, with agents working across all kinds of agency departments and sub-agencies, from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to smaller task forces on the psychology of terrorism, the mind of terrorists and criminals, and the likely effects of a major attack on the collective American state of mind. The Department of Homeland Security, recognizing just how important it

Prior to any services being put into place, there will need to a functional behavioral assessment needs to be completed. A functional behavioral assessment (FBA), as stated by Cooper, Heron and Heward (2007), is used to acquire information about what the function of a certain behavior serves for a person. Through the use of a direct functional assessment mehtods and an indirect functional assessment methods, information can be gathered on Chester’s behaviors and what the function of those behvaiors are.

I am currently majoring in psychology at Kennesaw State University and will receive my degree this spring. I intend on furthering my education and attending graduate school for Occupational Therapy (OT). I recently have been exposed to hands-on experience with behavior analysis and would love to potentially expand my interests and explore that particular field in depth. Because of the population

My enthusiasm for Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) in kids and pre-adults began in the midst of my journey for a graduate degree in teaching. When I graduated with my Bachelors in Psychology, I noticed there were many available instructing positions in teaching. I chose to seek after a graduate

During my undergraduate education at Florida International University, I committed myself to studying Psychology alongside with the pre-requisites needed for the Occupational Therapy Professional MS Program. Psychology has taught me to understand the behavior of individuals and groups, adapt to change and manage difficult situations in high stress environments, and the ability to start and carry out projects or goals with little information or experience. Having a background in Psychology can help improve the interpersonal skills needed while working as an Occupational Therapist.

Changing careers into a field that concerns of behavior and mental stability, I would have taken up courses that teach education in adult learning and psychology courses on behaviors as this varies. Taking psychology courses teaches not only others mental stability but what you can overcome within yourself as being in a field that considers you an asset in an organization. As there are two sides in industrial/organizational psychology involving what is the best match for individuals to a specific job title (Youssef & Noon, 2012, sec. 1.2). I would enjoy the role of personnel psychology as workers

The key concepts of behavior therapy are that it “is grounded on a scientific view of human behavior that accommodates a systematic and structured approach to counseling” (Corey, 2013, p. 250). The attention is focused on the behavior of the person. Behavior therapy is about giving control to the client to expand their freedom. “People have the capacity to choose how they will respond to external events in their environment” (Corey, 2013, p. 250).