Overlapping Training and Roles: An Exploration of the State of Interprofessional Practice between Behavior Analysts and School Psychologists

Board certified behavior analysts (BCBAs) working in the schools often are charged with supporting students with and without disabilities who engage in challenging behavior. Meeting the unique needs of these students often requires a collaborative approach with other school-based professionals. We specifically sought to understand how behavior analysts engage in interprofessional collaboration with school psychologists (SPs), professionals who also have training to support students who engage in challenging behavior. We disseminated a survey across the United States targeting school-based BCBAs and SPs to further understand how their training and job responsibilities overlap. We also asked respondents about the extent to which they collaborate with the other professionals, modes of their collaboration, and barriers and facilitators in effective collaboration. Our findings in this exploratory study indicate BCBAs' and SPs' training and responsibilities do indeed overlap in relevant areas. Roles diverge in the frequency each professional participates in common educational and behavioral practices. Both groups report similar barriers when engaging in interprofessional collaboration, although BCBAs are more likely to report differing philosophies as a barrier. For both groups, findings suggest that BCBAs and SPs can find common ground if their professional colleagues indicate that they also value collaboration. Recommendations for future research and study limitations are also discussed.