Becoming a Board Certified BehaviorBehavior refers to any activity or action that living organ... Analyst (BCBA) is an exciting and challenging journey. One key component of the process is completing supervised experience hours, which includes both restricted and unrestricted activities. While restricted hours focus on direct client work, the unrestricted activities are what truly set the stage for becoming a well-rounded behavior analyst. But what exactly are these unrestricted activities, and why are they so important?
In this post, we’ll dive into the world of unrestricted activities, why they matter in your BCBA supervision, and how to make the most of these experiences.
What Are Unrestricted Activities?
Unrestricted activities are tasks that go beyond direct one-on-one client interaction. While restricted hours primarily involve implementing behavior plans under supervision, unrestricted activities focus on the broader responsibilities of a BCBA. These activities are vital because they provide you with experience in areas like assessment, program design, and staff training—skills that you’ll need to thrive as an independent BCBA.
Some examples of unrestricted activities include:
- Conducting assessments (e.g., functional behavior assessments or preference assessments)
- Developing behavior plans based on assessment data
- Training caregivers or staff on behavior-analytic principles
- Analyzing and interpreting data to make data-driven decisions
- Designing interventions and evaluating their effectiveness
- Participating in IEP meetings or other interdisciplinary team meetings
- Writing behavior analyticAnalytic means that the experimenter has shown a clear caus... reports and communicating findings to stakeholders
The Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) requires that at least 60% of your supervised experience involve these unrestricted activities to ensure you gain a well-rounded experience.
Why Are Unrestricted Activities Crucial?
As a future BCBA, your job will require much more than just working directly with clients. Unrestricted activities give you hands-on experience with the bigger picture of behavior analysis. Here’s why they are crucial:
- Well-Rounded Skill Development: Unrestricted activities force you to apply theoretical knowledge in practical, real-world contexts. Whether it’s conducting a functional analysis or designing a behavior intervention plan, these tasks prepare you for the complex challenges you’ll face as a BCBA.
- Critical Thinking and Problem Solving: One of the most important roles of a BCBA is to identify problems and design solutions. Engaging in assessment, data analysis, and intervention design helps sharpen your critical thinking and problem-solving skills, which are essential for creating effectiveEffective refers to one of the seven dimensions of Applied..., evidence-based behavior plans.
- Collaboration and Communication: As a BCBA, you’ll often work as part of a larger team, including caregivers, teachers, and other professionals. Unrestricted activities provide opportunities to practice collaboration, especially when you participate in IEP meetings or train staff. Learning how to communicate effectively with non-behavior-analytic professionals is a vital part of ensuring your interventions are successful.
- Leadership and Supervision: Part of your role as a BCBA will be to supervise others—whether it’s Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs) or other staff. Unrestricted activities like staff training and feedback sessions help you develop leadership skills and learn how to mentor others in applying behavior-analytic principles.
Making the Most of Your Unrestricted Activities
To maximize your BCBA supervision experience, it’s essential to actively seek out and engage in a variety of unrestricted activities. Here are some tips for making the most of these opportunities:
- Be Proactive: Don’t wait for your supervisor to assign you unrestricted activities. Take the initiative to ask for opportunities to conduct assessments, write behavior plans, or participate in team meetings. The more experience you get in these areas, the better prepared you’ll be for the BCBA exam and your future career.
- Keep Detailed Records: It’s important to document your unrestricted activities and reflect on what you’ve learned. Use a log or journal to track your experiences and identify areas where you might need more practice or guidance from your supervisor.
- Seek Feedback: Regular feedback from your supervisor is essential for growth. Ask for specific feedback on your unrestricted activities, and be open to constructive criticism. This will help you refine your skills and become a more effective behavior analyst.
- Diverse Experience: Try to engage in a variety of unrestricted activities. For example, don’t just focus on conducting assessments—get experience with data analysis, staff training, and report writing as well. A diverse experience will not only make you more prepared for the BCBA exam but will also make you more versatile in your future career.
Final Thoughts: Unrestricted Activities are Key to BCBA Success
While it’s easy to focus on direct client interaction during your BCBA supervision, unrestricted activities are where you’ll develop the skills that make you a well-rounded, effective behavior analyst. These tasks prepare you for the broader responsibilities of a BCBA, from conducting assessments to training staff and collaborating with teams.
By proactively engaging in unrestricted activities, seeking feedback, and diversifying your experience, you’ll set yourself up for success—not only in passing the BCBA exam but also in your long-term career. So, don’t just scroll past those opportunities; dive into them and start shapingShaping is defined as a systematic process in which success... your future as a BCBA today!