Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be an ABA behavior technician? While the daily routine may vary depending on the setting and clients, here’s a general overview of what a typical day might look like. 

Morning: Most behavior technicians start their day early, typically arriving at the clinic or client’s home around 8:00 am. The first order of business is to review the client’s program and goals for the day. This may involve reading through notes from previous sessions, reviewing the client’s progress, and discussing any changes or updates with the supervisor or team. 

Once the technician is up to date on the client’s program, it’s time to prepare for the first session. This may involve setting up the therapy room, gathering materials and reinforcers, and reviewing the specific goals and procedures for the session.   

Midday: The morning is typically filled with back-to-back therapy sessions. Each session typically lasts 2-3 hours, with short breaks in between. During the session, the technician may work on a variety of skills, depending on the client’s needs and goals. This may involve teaching language and communication, social skills, self-help skills, or academic skills. 

Throughout the session, the technician is constantly taking data and making adjustments to the program based on the client’s progress. This may involve adjusting the difficulty level of tasks, breaking down skills into smaller steps, or introducing new materials or procedures. Most importantly, sessions are fun and playful! As a behavior technician, you will be spending your day playing with kids, running outside, and making sure everyone is having fun!

Afternoon: After a busy morning of therapy sessions, the afternoon may involve additional tasks such as writing session notes, preparing materials for upcoming sessions, or attending team meetings or training sessions. It’s important for behavior technicians to stay up to date on the latest research and techniques in the field, and many clinics offer ongoing training and development opportunities for their staff.

Evening: While the exact schedule may vary depending on the technician’s caseload and availability, most wrap up their day by early evening. After a full day of working with clients, it’s important to take time to decompress and recharge. This may involve attending to personal hobbies or interests, spending time with family and friends, or engaging in self-care activities such as exercise or meditation.

Overall, being a behavior therapist is a challenging and rewarding profession. While the day may be busy and full of hard work, the satisfaction of seeing a client make progress and achieve their goals is immeasurable. At ABA Connect, we are constantly hiring dedicated individuals to work in our centers. We offer paid training and a fantastic work culture! To learn more, please contact us at jobs@abaconnect.com.

References: 

• Ahearn, W. H., & Clark, K. M. (2010). Current trends in the use of technology to support academic interventions for youth with autism spectrum disorder: A review of empirical research. Developmental neurorehabilitation, 13(3), 177-190. 

• Carr, J. E., & Nosik, M. R. (2019). Staff training in autism: Social validity of online training for applied behavior analysis technicians. Journal of applied behavior analysis, 52(1), 1-15.