Educational Pandemic Impacts in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Classrooms: Qualitative Outcomes from Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and Registered Behavior Technicians (RBT) Perspectives

Abstract

The current COVID-19 pandemic has led to unprecedented changes in how Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) services are provided to students/clients with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), and scant literature is available from which to determine the best course of action for providing safe services during a pandemic. The research question for this study is: What is the essence of experiences of parents, teachers, and Board-Certified Behavior Analysts of students with ASD who are now receiving ABA services remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic school closures? Generic qualitative design was used to analyze the responses of nine participants who are either Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) or Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs). Findings indicate that service providers are concerned about the effectiveness of telehealth services, do not believe that safety is always a priority for in person services, and that students/clients are struggling to find success amid the near-constant changes in service delivery brought about by the pandemic. Findings indicate that BCBAs and RBTs working with students with ASD are concerned about the negative outcomes for students in relation to changes in service delivery, are not comfortable with the level of risk to their own health and safety in order to provide services, and that telehealth options for ABA services have pros and cons that are difficult to weigh when determining how best to provide services during a pandemic.