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Does That Make Sense? How to Communicate Effectively as a Behavior Analyst with Non-Behavior Analysts

  • Writer: Kendall Ryndak Samuel, BCBA, LBA
    Kendall Ryndak Samuel, BCBA, LBA
  • 2 days ago
  • 3 min read
BCBA Communication

Guest Blog Feature | Written By: Kendall Ryndak Samuel, BCBA, LBA


Have you ever watched a parent nod along in a parent training meeting, only to later

realize they didn’t really understand what you said? How about your new date giving you the

blank stare when you explain what applied behavior analysis is? We’ve all been there, and it’s not a good feeling. ABA is a complex science, but our explanations about it don’t have to be.


Not only is it ineffective to speak in jargon to non-behavior analysts (Foxx, 1996;

Jarmolowicz et al., 2008; Marshall, 2021), but it’s unethical. The Behavior Analyst Certification

Board (BACB) ethics code 2.08 states, “Behavior analysts are required to use understandable language, and ensure comprehension of, all communications with clients, stakeholders, supervisees, trainees, and research participants,” (BACB, 2020). Non-behavior analysts may neither prefer nor feel informed by behavior analysis jargon (Critchfield et al., 2017). If we are not pairing our words with reinforcement or educating our audiences, what are we actually doing here?


When you think about it, BCBAs rarely just work with other BCBAs. We collaborate

with: technicians, other professionals, families, our clients, and many others. This is especially

true when you start to step into other sub-specialties of ABA (e.g., sports, wellness, forensics,

organizational behavior management). Additionally, we aren’t just collaborating with these

different groups; we are teaching them how to implement our behavior plans. Our ability to

translate the science into plain language should be one of the most fluent skills we have in our repertoire, but that’s not always the case.


One of the most annoying parts about attending a workshop or presentation is the speaker or trainer reviewing the importance of a topic, skimming over some data, but they don’t actually teach you how to apply it to your practice. We don’t roll like that here, so here are four ways to effectively communicate and collaborate with non-behavior analysts about ABA:


  1. Get to know your audience


Find out what they do for work, what shows they watch, what books they like to

read, and more. Find out as much as you can about their preferences and

reinforcers. This will help you plan for describing examples of ABA, which are

relatable to them, later on in your meetings or trainings.


  1. Assess their language preferences and document


Find out how they understand and explain behavior change strategies. They may

already have great synonyms for some of them. For example, you might think the

perfect translation for reinforcer is, “incentive,” but your audience may think

differently. Instead of saying, “reinforcer,” or, “incentive,” they may use words

like, “reward,” or, “motivator.” Keep in mind, if you are working in a different

sub-specialty of ABA (e.g., organizational management, sports, etc.), these

synonyms will vary greatly, so make sure to interview your audience before you

start to touch on the details of ABA.


  1. Translate your ABA explanations into their preferred plain language


After you gather good baseline data on what your audience prefers and

understands when talking about ABA, put your plan into action! Take the

information your audience provided you, and translate your next meeting or

training into their language.


  1. Test out your delivery and ask for feedback


After your meeting, ask for your audience’s feedback. Ask them if your

explanations were understandable and if there are any ways you can break down

the information further.



When families, the community, and professionals work in harmony, behavior change

lasts, relationships grow stronger, and the science of behavior reaches its full potential.


When your organization is ready to train your team to communicate and collaborate with confidence, help is on the way, dear (in Mrs. Doubtfire’s voice). Behavior Influencer offers workshops, consulting services, and resources designed to make ABA accessible to everyone, professionals and consumers alike.



Website & Social Links:

BX Influencer



References:


Behavior Analyst Certification Board. (2020). Ethics code for behavior analysts.

Critchfield, T. S., Doepke, K. J., Epting, L. K., Becirevic, A., Reed, D. D., Fienup, D. M.,

Kremsreiter, J. L., & Ecott, C. L. (2017). Normative emotional responses to behavior

analysis Jargon or how not to use words to win friends and influence people. Behavior

Analysis in Practice, 10(2), 97–106. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-016-0161-9

Foxx, R. M. (1996). Translating the covenant: The behavior analyst as ambassador and

translator. The Behavior Analyst, 19(2), 147–161. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03393162


Jarmolowicz, D. P., Kahng, S., Ingvarsson, E. T., Goysovich, R., Heggemeyer, R., & Gregory,

M. K. (2008). Effects of conversational versus technical language on treatment

preference and integrity. Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 46(3), 190–199.

Marshall, K. B., Weiss, M. J., Critchfield, T. S., & Leaf, J. B. (2023). Effects of jargon on parent

implementation of discrete trial teaching. Journal of Behavioral Education, 34(1), 213-

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