supervision-practice

name	supervision-practice
description	Use when providing BACB-compliant supervision to trainees and RBTs, structuring supervision activities, delivering performance feedback, and documenting supervision hours.

Supervision Practice

Effective supervision develops competent, ethical behavior analysts and ensures clients receive quality services. Supervision is a professional responsibility that requires deliberate planning, structured activities, and ongoing evaluation.

BACB Supervision Requirements

For Trainees Accruing Fieldwork Hours

• Supervisor must be a BCBA or BCBA-D in good standing.
• Minimum supervision: 5% of total fieldwork hours (varies by fieldwork type).
• At least 50% of supervision must include direct observation of the trainee with clients.
• Supervision contacts must occur at least twice per month (some months require weekly).
• Individual and group supervision both count, with specific ratio requirements.
• No more than 50% of supervision hours can be group supervision.
• Group supervision: maximum of 10 supervisees per group.

For RBTs

• Ongoing supervision: minimum 5% of hours worked per month.
• At least 1 individual supervision contact per month.
• Direct observation required.
• RBT Competency Assessment completed initially and annually.

Supervision Contract

Before supervision begins, establish a written contract that includes:

• Roles and responsibilities of supervisor and supervisee.
• Supervision schedule: frequency, duration, format (in-person, remote, group).
• Expectations for the supervisee: preparation, documentation, ethical conduct.
• Confidentiality expectations.
• Evaluation criteria and schedule.
• Procedure for addressing concerns or conflicts.
• Termination conditions and transition plan.
• Signatures from both parties with date.

Structured Supervision Activities

Direct Observation

• Observe the supervisee delivering services to a client.
• Take notes on specific behaviors: what the supervisee did well, errors, and missed opportunities.
• Observe across different programs, clients, and contexts to get a comprehensive picture.
• Use a structured observation checklist aligned with the task list or competency areas.

Modeling

• Demonstrate a skill while the supervisee observes.
• Narrate your decision-making process.
• Use modeling when a supervisee is learning a new skill or struggling with an existing one.
• Follow modeling with supervised practice and feedback.

Role Play

• Practice challenging scenarios without client involvement.
• Examples: conducting a preference assessment, running a functional analysis condition, delivering corrective feedback to a caregiver.
• Debrief after role play: what went well, what to adjust, and how to handle variations.

Data Review

• Review the supervisee's client data together.
• Discuss trends, decision rules, and program modifications.
• Ask the supervisee to interpret the data before providing your analysis—build their clinical reasoning.
• Review graphs for accuracy: correct labels, phase lines, data paths.

Case Discussion

• Discuss clinical cases including assessment findings, treatment planning decisions, and ethical considerations.
• Use Socratic questioning: "What do you think the function is? What data support that? What would you do next?"
• Present case studies from the literature for discussion.

Feedback (see detailed section below)

Performance Feedback

Principles

• Immediate: Deliver feedback as close to the observed behavior as possible.
• Specific: Name the exact behavior, not vague generalities. "You delivered the token within 2 seconds of the correct response" vs. "Good job."
• Positive-to-corrective ratio: Maintain at least 3:1 (some recommend 4:1). Supervisees who receive primarily corrective feedback become avoidant.
• Behavioral: Focus on what the supervisee did, not who they are.
• Actionable: Corrective feedback must include what to do instead.

Delivering Corrective Feedback

1. Start with a specific positive observation.
2. Describe the error specifically: what happened and what should have happened.
3. Explain the rationale: why the correct procedure matters.
4. Model the correct procedure if needed.
5. Have the supervisee practice (rehearsal).
6. Observe the next opportunity and provide immediate feedback.

Written Feedback

• Supplement verbal feedback with written notes.
• Useful for complex feedback that the supervisee needs to review.
• Document feedback provided in the supervision log.

Mapping Activities to the BACB Task List

• Use the 5th Edition Task List to structure supervision activities.
• Track which task list items have been addressed in each supervision session.
• Ensure all task list areas are covered across the supervision period.
• Identify weak areas early and create targeted learning experiences.

Addressing Supervisee Concerns

Skill Deficits

• Assess whether the deficit is knowledge-based or performance-based.
• Knowledge: Assign readings, discuss concepts, provide instruction.
• Performance: Use BST—model, rehearse, feedback.
• Set measurable improvement goals with timelines.

Ethical Violations

• Address immediately and directly.
• Review the relevant Ethics Code sections with the supervisee.
• Document the violation and the corrective action.
• If the violation is serious or repeated, consider whether continued supervision is appropriate.
• Report to the BACB if required.

Professional Behavior

• Address issues with timeliness, preparation, communication, and appearance directly.
• Frame expectations clearly and in writing.
• Professional behavior is a supervised skill, not an assumed trait.

Remote/Telehealth Supervision

BACB Requirements

• Remote supervision is permissible under BACB guidelines with specific conditions.
• Some portion of supervision must include real-time observation of the supervisee with a client.
• Video-based observation (synchronous) is acceptable.
• Asynchronous video review may supplement but not replace synchronous supervision.

Technology Considerations

• Secure, HIPAA-compliant video platform.
• Adequate internet bandwidth for clear video.
• Camera positioning that allows the supervisor to observe the supervisee and client.
• Backup plan for technology failures (phone call, rescheduled session).

Documentation

Supervision Logs

For each supervision contact, document:

• Date, start time, end time, duration.
• Format: individual or group, in-person or remote.
• Activities conducted (observation, modeling, data review, etc.).
• Task list items addressed.
• Feedback provided (positive and corrective).
• Goals for the next supervision session.
• Signatures of supervisor and supervisee.

Evaluation Forms

• Formal evaluation at regular intervals (quarterly minimum for trainees).
• Based on observable competencies aligned with the task list.
• Include both strengths and areas for growth.
• Discuss the evaluation with the supervisee and create a development plan.
• Maintain evaluations in the supervisee's file.

Evaluating Supervisee Progress

• Track competency development across task list areas over time.
• Use a competency rubric: novice → developing → competent → advanced.
• Compare observed performance to expected milestones for the supervisee's stage.
• Adjust supervision intensity and focus based on progress data.

Key References

• Behavior Analyst Certification Board. (2022). Supervision Standards.
• Sellers, T. P., Valentino, A. L., & LeBlanc, L. A. (2016). Recommended practices for individual supervision of aspiring behavior analysts. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 9, 274–286.
• Turner, L. B., Fischer, A. J., & Luiselli, J. K. (2016). Towards a competency-based, ethical, and socially valid approach to the supervision of applied behavior analytic trainees. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 9, 287–298.
• Sellers, T. P., LeBlanc, L. A., & Valentino, A. L. (2016). Recommendations for detecting and addressing barriers to successful supervision. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 9, 309–319.