Personal Statement: My Vision To Become a Board Certified Behavior Technician

Introduction

I have always been interested in understanding how the human mind works and what controls our behaviors. This was a critical factor that made me pursue a career in psychology, which has successfully allowed me to achieve this goal. Since my childhood, I have always been fascinated with the main reasons why people take certain actions, and this has made me more curious as a grown-up and as a person who has gained more life experiences over the years. Over the years, I have been increasingly interested in psychology. Through my undergraduate studies, I could engage in a detailed evaluation of the internal operations that influence the human mind. This made me more interested in behavior analysis and pushed me towards working on making a difference in the lives of more people suffering from mental health problems. Over the years, I have been able to practice in different settings, especially in mental health, and I have been able to experience the negative impacts of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) on a patient’s life. Therefore, I am thrilled to work with other stakeholders in helping people suffering from this condition lead healthy life. As a result, I have a life goal of becoming a Board-Certified Behavior Technician with specific Applied Behavior Analysis skills to help people suffering from ASD.

Goals and Action Plan

To become a certified behavior technician, I need to have strategic goals and an action plan to facilitate the success of my target goals. Therefore, the following are my specific goals:

1. I aim to gain the necessary experience and skills for entry and mid-level positions by completing my master’s program as a certified behavior technician in autism spectrum disorder within the next four years.
2. To serve as a senior behavior analyst for children with autism at a national center anywhere in the country by providing them with support and interventions which can help boost the quality of their life.
3. To engage in research projects aimed at finding new and more effective ways of dealing with children with autism and making a difference in the lives and families of people living with ASD by improving the quality of their lives.

While so far, I need more skills and experience to practice as a certified behavior technician. I have great potential for achieving these goals. In the past, I have been able to volunteer in various opportunities, associate with other people, and deal with people suffering from mental health and physical conditions. This has been very important, especially in understanding the value of psychology in society and what my contribution can be toward helping other people. During my bachelor’s degree, I volunteered in activities related to counseling psychology. Through these engagements, I obtained resources and opportunities which helped help people in society. Also, through my classes in school, I dealt with many projects and research activities that will likely benefit my future counseling engagements.

I am excited to advance my understanding of these issues through my master’s program. Through access to more knowledge resources, I will have the opportunity to learn more about the psychology of the human brain. This will be a different way of equipping me with the essential skills and theoretical understanding of the areas needed to pursue my career as a certified behavior technician. I plan to make good use of my study opportunities towards reviewing and consolidating what has been taught to me in class and experiences I have had in real life. Also, I aim to boost my communication skills and be an excellent verbal communicator. It will help me become a very effective professional when dealing with patients. I am highly motivated, passionate, and dedicated to achieving success. Therefore I am determined that I will be able to achieve these goals.

Application and Research Vision

I plan to become a well-known and respected leader in certified behavior analysis, revitalizing ways people lead healthy lives and have a better quality of life. To achieve this, I will conduct cutting-edge research, which will be critical for improving the lives of people with ASD throughout the country. I plan to achieve this goal by working my way up the ladder through determination and expertise and partnering with different groups to gain respect throughout the industry. I hope to provide patients and children the best support and health support, helping them improve their lives and strive to lead quality lives. I will work hard to solve problems with a positive attitude that spreads to my co-workers and others in the industry. I hope to work in the best centers in the countries that deal with people living with an autism spectrum disorder. This will be very important, especially regarding the resources needed to help me deal with people suffering from different mental health conditions.

Different researchers and scholars have developed different theories and ideas related to behavior analysis (Cooper et al., 2020). These ideas are critical, especially in providing evidence-based ideas and information, which is critical when making decisions about patient care. The resources help inform patient care, construct clinical solutions, provide the best research evidence, and apply expertise when engaging in patient care (Pierce & Cheney, 2017). Through the literature review, I gained information that improves and promotes the use of informatics in patient care. Also, as a future behavior analyst, I believe that engaging in current studies and research is critical for achieving my functions in patient care, ensuring proper management of patients, respecting the values of human life, and promoting healthy living (Normand & Bober, 2020). Engaging in detailed reading and evaluation of the research allowed me to change my views and ideas on the ways of dealing with people living with ASD as well as developing some of the strategic approaches for solving most of the problems that affect them. Research ideas from different literature materials are very helpful for a person, especially in influencing their knowledge and understanding of the issue of behavior analysis for ASD patients.

Reliability, Credibility, and Value of Literature

The code of ethics for behavior analysts requires regular competence in reading the most relevant literature. Accessing and reading scholarly literature is very important for a profession in my field, especially considering that provision of services is subject to constant evolution in relation to the availability of new scientific information (Mathur & Rodriguez, 2022). Therefore, it is important for a practitioner to identify opportunities for advancing their knowledge by accessing literature material and reading them regularly. It is important to note that while the available research is meaningful, its reliability and quality can be improved. This is mainly due to the unavailability of resources and the need to know where to find the best materials. Making sure that research is available to practitioners by providing various open-access movements is important for a behavior analyst (Holland et al., 2021). However, the information gained from literature materials is credible and useful, especially in providing an important foundation on how to conduct behavior analysis. Literature is a critical part of behavior analysis, especially in providing an understanding of the principles that govern how treatment and analysis of behavior can be done. Evidence literature is useful in providing analysts with information to understand different behaviors and their consequences, as well as the techniques that are more effective in changing individual behavior and improving the well-being of different patients (Heinicke et al., 2022). Literature is applicable in behavior analysis by allowing practitioners to translate evidence into practice. Through knowledge translation, different stakeholders in behavior analysis can use research evidence to inform their healthcare decision-making. Also, literature is useful for implementing new interventions and therapies and helpful in ensuring improved outcomes and quality of life for different patients.

Functions, Responsibilities, and Ethical Considerations

Different skills, attitudes, and knowledge are needed for behavior analysts to be successful in their career path. A behavior analyst should be able to have skills in cooperation, good character, and friendliness which affect how they interact with other people. Behavior analysts must be equipped with communication skills such as different body language patterns, eye contact, and providing a clear and accurate report (Holland & Slowiak, 2021). Also, behavior analysts must have listening abilities to engage with their patients actively. Compassion is also an important trait for behavior analysts, which will help them remain objective by identifying different challenges that people face. They need to effectively interact with different people in their environment, which allows them to make their clients feel comfortable revealing themselves at deeper levels.

There are several ethical competencies for behavior analysts. These are based on the principles of maximum benefits to other people, where they protect the welfare and rights of their clients by focusing on the client short- and long-term well-being. Also, behavior analysts must treat others with dignity and compassion. They should ensure equity for all, regardless of age, ethnicity, or gender respecting their privacy and confidentiality (Wright, 2019). Also, analysts are supposed to behave with integrity to fulfill their responsibilities professionally. Further, it is critical for analysts to ensure competence and work within the scope of their practice and profession. This is achieved by ensuring that they remain knowledgeable and current with different practice interventions.

Critical Thinking and Effective Decision Making

Behavior analysts need critical skills that facilitate their success in their engagements. First, they need to have skills in critical thinking which allow them to understand the principles of behavior analysis and work on improving the quality of life of their patients. Also, effective decision-making skills allow behavior analysts to make informed decisions and rely on literature when making clinical decisions (Slim & Reuter-Yuill, 2021). Problem-solving is another important skill for behavior analysts, considering they often face different problems. This allows them to identify the problems, their causes, and the most effective solutions. Behavior analysts should adopt evidence-based practices that help them meet the client’s needs and improve the quality of their lives. On the other hand, cultural competence is critical as it allows them to relate effectively with different individuals by understanding their backgrounds and form of thinking (Lloveras et al., 2022). Also, analysts should be effective in conflict resolution considering that they relate with people on a day-to-day basis, they are likely to engage in conflicts, and therefore they need the skills for conflict resolution.

Conclusion

Becoming a practitioner-scholar in behavior analysis is very important as it not only allows me to advance my skills in behavior analysis but also helps me assist people with different problems to improve the quality of their lives. Also, engaging in research is important in developing evidence-based solutions to different problems faced by people within society. At the same time, it helps in developing individualized interventions that specifically allow individuals to lead quality lives. Also, practitioners with a background in scholarly research successfully apply their ethical standards and principles, which is very important, especially when providing humane services to patients. It also helps the individuals to provide positive feedback on the provision of different services and helps them improve their quality of life. As a person with a clear vision and goal of becoming a behavior analyst, this is critical in providing a clear direction on where I am headed and the strategies I will choose to achieve these goals. At the same time, it helps me to remain active and motivated toward achieving this specific goal.

References

Cooper, J. O., Heron, T. E., & Heward, W. L. (2020). Applied behavior analysis. Pearson UK.

Heinicke, M. R., Juanico, J. F., Valentino, A. L., & Sellers, T. P. (2022). Improving behavior analysts’ public speaking: Recommendations from expert interviews. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 15(1), 203-218.

Holland, M. A., & Slowiak, J. M. (2021). Practice and ethical considerations for health, sport, and fitness behavior analysts. Behavior Analysis: Research and Practice, 21(3), 314.

Lloveras, L. A., Tate, S. A., Vollmer, T. R., King, M., Jones, H., & Peters, K. P. (2022). Training behavior analysts to conduct functional analyses using a remote group behavioral skills training package. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 55(1), 290-304.

Mathur, S. K., & Rodriguez, K. A. (2022). Cultural responsiveness curriculum for behavior analysts: A meaningful step toward social justice. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 15(4), 1023-1031.

Normand, M. P., & Bober, J. (2020). Health coaching by behavior analysts in practice: How and why. Behavior Analysis: Research and Practice, 20(2), 108.

Pierce, W. D., & Cheney, C. D. (2017). Behavior analysis and learning: A biobehavioral approach. Routledge.

Slim, L., & Reuter-Yuill, L. M. (2021). A behavior-analytic perspective on interprofessional collaboration. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 14(4), 1238-1248.

Wright, P. I. (2019). Cultural humility in the practice of applied behavior analysis. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 12(4), 805-809.