The Top 10 Applied Behavior Analyst Interview Questions and How to Ace Them

Landing your dream job as an applied behavior analyst (ABA) takes rigorous preparation. You must demonstrate full competence across a wide spectrum of skills – from conducting behavioral assessments to developing personalized interventions and training others in implementing techniques.

The interview questions will test the depth and breadth of your ABA expertise. Employers want to ensure you possess the analytical skills passion for helping others patience, and ability to collaborate that this complex role demands.

To help you nail your ABA interview here are the 10 most common questions you can expect along with tips for crafting winning answers

1. What experience do you have that is most relevant for this ABA role?

This opening question allows you to succinctly summarize your credentials and paint a picture of your background. Focus on highlighting ABA-specific experience such as:

• Conducting functional behavior assessments and analyzing data to identify triggers/functions of behaviors
• Designing personalized behavior intervention plans based on assessment findings
• Implementing strategies like reinforcement, prompting, task analysis, and discrete trial training
• Monitoring client progress and modifying plans as needed
• Training caregivers on continuing behavior techniques at home

Quantify your experience in terms of years or hours worked. Provide specific examples that showcase your hands-on ABA expertise. This will demonstrate you have the requisite knowledge and skills to excel in the role.

2. What is your educational background related to ABA?

Interviewers want to verify you have received formal education and training in ABA principles and applications. Mention any degrees, certifications, coursework or workshops related to ABA such as:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Psychology, Special Education, Social Work, etc.
• RBT (Registered Behavior Technician) certification
• BCaBA (Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst) certification
• BCBA (Board Certified Behavior Analyst) certification
• Training in VB-MAPP, ABLLS-R, or other ABA assessments

Emphasize that you are committed to continuously expanding your ABA knowledge through professional development opportunities This showcases your dedication to providing the highest quality of care based on current best practices

3. Why are you interested in a career in ABA therapy?

With this question, interviewers want to gauge your passion. Share what drives you to pursue this meaningful yet challenging career path. You can mention:

• Desire to make a positive difference in the lives of individuals with developmental disabilities
• Finding reward in watching clients achieve their full potential
• Belief that ABA improves social, communication, academic, and adaptive skills
• Personal or professional experiences that sparked your interest in ABA therapy

Convey sincerity and enthusiasm. Discuss the aspects of the job that motivate you most, like collaborating with families or training teachers and caregivers. This will show you have the heart and motivation to thrive.

4. How do you conduct a functional behavior assessment?

Assessing the function and patterns of behaviors is a core ABA task. Demonstrate your process by explaining steps such as:

• Interviewing caregivers/teachers to understand background of behaviors
• Observing in multiple settings to identify triggers and consequences
• Collecting data – frequency, duration, intensity, ABC analysis
• Analyzing data to determine the function – escape, attention-seeking, etc.
• Writing a clear summary of assessment findings

Emphasize the use of objective data collection. Share examples of effective methods you’ve applied based on past assessments. This will instill confidence in your clinical evaluation skills.

5. How do you design an individualized treatment plan?

With this question, discuss how you take assessment results and translate them into a tailored plan, including:

• Collaborating with family and team to establish goals
• Addressing behavioral functions through replacement behaviors/reinforcement strategies
• Teaching through modeling, shaping, chaining, discrete trials, etc.
• Using direct training and role playing to involve family/caregivers
• Crafting a detailed plan with objectives, techniques, evaluation metrics, etc.

Demonstrate how you incorporate creativity based on the individual’s preferences and needs to boost engagement and progress. Share examples of successful plans you designed in the past.

6. What ABA techniques do you use most often? Why?

Employers want to understand the strategies in your toolkit and your rationale for using them. Discuss frequently used techniques like:

• Positive reinforcement to encourage desired behaviors
• Discrete trial training to teach skills in a structured manner
• Functional communication training to replace inappropriate behaviors
• Token economies and behavioral contracts to motivate participation
• Incidental teaching to promote generalization of skills

Explain why these are your go-to techniques based on their proven efficacy for certain behavioral goals. Cite real examples of when you applied them effectively. This will convey your ability to select and implement the most appropriate strategies tailored to each client’s needs.

7. How do you track progress and modify treatment plans?

Data-based decision making is vital in ABA. Demonstrate your process:

• Setting objective, measurable goals for target behaviors
• Continuous data collection – frequency, duration, latency recordings
• Regularly graphing and analyzing data to quantify progress
• Reviewing progress with family/team and making data-driven adjustments
• Changing instructions, prompts, reinforcement strategies if needed
• Re-evaluating goals and adding new target behaviors as mastery is achieved

Being able to prove the efficacy of your techniques through data will instill confidence in your clinical skills. Share examples of when data guided your plan modifications, leading to improved outcomes.

8. How do you involve families/caregivers in ABA therapy?

APPLIED BEHAVIOR ANALYST

Family involvement enhances consistency and generalization of skills. Share strategies like:

• Educating family members on the treatment plan and goals
• Training them directly on implementing techniques with modeling and role play
• Encouraging them to collect data on behaviors and progress
• Maintaining open communication channels for feedback and troubleshooting
• Gradually shifting responsibilities to family as skills are mastered

Demonstrate that you value their insights and empower them as partners in care. Provide examples of how you’ve successfully collaborated with families in the past.

9. How would you handle challenging behaviors during therapy?

It’s inevitable that you’ll encounter challenging behaviors in this role. Discuss strategies like:

• Remaining calm and using a neutral, professional tone
• Ensuring safety of the client and not inflicting harm
• Redirecting to more positive alternative behaviors
• Withholding reinforcement of problem behavior
• Recording data to identify antecedents and re-evaluate plans
• Reaching out to family and team to adjust strategies collaboratively

Convey your ability to manage crisis situations in a controlled, empathetic manner. Share examples of when you successfully handled severe problem behaviors without disruption to therapy.

10. Where do you see your ABA career in 5 years?

This question gauges your professional goals and growth mindset. Respond with your vision for advancing your expertise and expanding your impact such as:

• Attaining BCBA certification to provide comprehensive ABA services
• Developing specializations, like early intervention or school consultation
• Pursuing leadership roles to guide ABA teams and mentor junior therapists
• Conducting research to advance the field of behavior analysis
• Opening your own ABA clinic to serve more individuals with developmental needs

Your goals should demonstrate lifelong learning and commitment to professional advancement in ABA. This question also allows you to express what appeals to you most about this career path.

Preparing thorough and thoughtful responses to common ABA interview questions requires time and practice. But it’s a worthwhile investment that can help launch your career and allow you to make a meaningful difference in many lives through the power of ABA therapy. Use these strategies and sample answers to master your responses. With rigorous preparation, you’ll ace your ABA interview and land your dream job.