Behavioral specialists: what they do and how they help children with autism    

Behavioral specialists are the champions of the neurodivergent community. They play a large role in supporting people with behavior differences and challenges, including autism, ADHD, and sensory processing disorders.  

There are many kinds of behavioral specialists, like behavior analysts (or BCBAs), ABA therapists, psychologists, and clinical social workers. Each kind of behavioral specialist specializes in a different zone of behavior and their job descriptions vary, but they all have one thing in common. All behavior specialists support individuals through proven, science-based, and behavior-centered interventions.  

What does a behavioral specialist do?     

Behavioral specialists work with individuals to help them build skills and shape healthy habits. They use the science of behavior and an understanding of how our minds work — often through applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy — to provide intervention and support for people with behavioral challenges.  

Their day-to-day job can include creating behavior plans, working directly with clients, and collaborating with caregivers and therapists to implement beneficial interventions. They might conduct assessments to determine clients’ needs so that they and other support professionals can create a targeted plan of action. Behavioral specialists also gather and analyze data to ensure that the individuals they work with make steady progress towards their goals.  

First and foremost, behavioral specialists work with people. Whether they are guiding children, parents or caregivers, school staff, or other therapists, a behavior specialist utilizes their understanding of behavioral science to make people’s lives better.  

What qualifications do behavioral specialists have?    

There are many kinds of behavioral specialists and several certifications that would apply to the title. Psychologists, social workers, BCBAs, and psychotherapists would all fall under the title of behavioral specialist — and each have different education, training, and career paths. Behavioral specialists typically have background or experience in providing behavior-based care, such as in ABA therapy.  

Behavioral specialists may have a master’s degree in applied behavior analysis, psychology, social work, or a similar area. Many of them opt to take the RBT, BCaBA, or BCBA (board certified behavior analyst) certification exams provided by the BACB (the international Behavior Analyst Certification Board).   

Training in behavioral science is a must for a good behavioral specialist. Strong people skills are also important, as is time management, empathy, communication, and a knack for problem solving.  

How behavioral specialists help children with autism    

Autism comes with developmental delays that can often lead to challenging behaviors or a lack of skills that are necessary for daily life. Behavioral specialists who work with children on the spectrum create individualized behavior plans to help each child reach goals and make progress in areas that are challenging for them.  

Behavioral specialists work with the child to implement their personal plan of action. They teach them through whatever method works best for that child and help them integrate new skills across different settings. They also provide guidance for parents and caregivers so they can best support their child’s developmental, emotional, and behavioral needs.  

For many children with autism, this kind of intervention is what enables them to function, attend school, interact with others, and reach developmental goals. Behavioral support is life changing in the best way for them and their families.  

Behavioral specialist vs ABA therapist: what’s the difference?  

Both of these roles support children through behavior-based interventions. One is a term that is specific to ABA therapy while the other is an umbrella term that encompasses several different positions.  

ABA therapist is a very specific role related to autism and ABA (applied behavior analysis) therapy. This term usually refers to RBTs (registered behavior technicians) and BTs (behavior technicians), but it can apply to BCBAs (board certified behavior analysts) as well.  

Behavioral specialist is a broader, more general description of professionals who provide behavior-centered interventions. It often refers to school support professionals, mental health, counseling, corrections, and other behavior support contexts — including ABA therapists.  

Growth opportunities for behavioral specialists 

Behavioral specialists have a wide range of options when they are looking to grow in their career. Since there are several professions that can fall under the behavioral specialist umbrella, there are more paths open for growth and development.  

In ABA therapy, BTs can receive certifications to become RBTs and then proceed up to the BCBA level. In the school system, a social worker can become a supervisor. A clinical psychologist can become a clinical supervisor and eventually director, or after years of experience they can branch out to open their own practice.  

Many of the behavioral fields overlap, and some professionals choose to specialize in more than 1 area. A BCBA might choose to go for a certification in mental health counseling so she can better guide her clients and/or their caregivers. A school social worker might choose to go for a BCBA so he can support children in additional ways.  

Growth in behavioral fields can be either vertical or horizontal. Specialists can gain higher certifications in the same area of expertise or expand their professional mastery to other behavioral domains.  

What sets behavioral specialists apart is that they work in positive, growth-oriented positions that are conducive to both personal and professional growth. They often have flexible jobs that make it easy for them to manage a healthy and doable work-life balance. But to many in the field, what makes it all worth it is that they know they make a difference in every child’s life they meet.