Acceptability and Feasibility of Virtual Behavior Analysis Supervision

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a rapid transition to virtual service delivery and supervision. This preliminary study examined acceptability and feasibility of virtual supervision for 94 BCBA/BCaBA trainees during COVID-19, including variables that affected perceived satisfaction, effectiveness, and supervision preference for this sample. Results indicate a decrease in accrual of direct client hours during the pandemic, with a third of participants reporting a decrease in individual supervision. In general, participants were satisfied with virtual individual and group supervision as indicated by high satisfaction domain scores and individual item means, with minimal overall change in satisfaction. Participants indicated preference for in-person or hybrid supervision and considered in-person most effective. In general, participants reported that virtual supervision was feasible and supervisors used best-practice strategies. We discuss variables that affected satisfaction (e.g., length of supervisory relationship), preference (e.g., age, services provided), and perceived effectiveness (e.g., time supervisor was a BCBA). We provide practical implications and recommendations for virtual supervision. Utility for Clinicians and Researchers of Behavior Analysis • The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a rapid transition to virtual behavior analysis service delivery and virtual supervision without practical guidance for clinicians on how to best deliver virtual supervision. As such, this study provides a timely preliminary look into virtual supervision practices and how supervision was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. • Understanding how trainees' accrual of direct client hours and individual supervision hours changed during the COVID-19 pandemic is important for the field to consider in terms of implications on training and certification. • This study describes the acceptability and feasibility of virtual supervision of behavior analysis service delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic , including potential variables that contributed to perceived satisfaction, effectiveness, and supervision preferences. Understanding trainees' perceptions of virtual supervision is important for clinicians to consider because virtual supervision, for many, is continuing for the foreseeable future. • Despite most participants' satisfaction with all aspects of virtual individual and virtual group supervision, trainees indicated an overall preference for in-person or hybrid supervision and considered in-person supervision to be most effective. These findings are important for the field as we consider the continuation of virtual supervision during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. • We provide practical implications of virtual supervision and recommendations for virtual supervisory practices to maintain quality supervision in the field of applied behavior analysis that are relevant to clinicians providing behavior analysis supervision. • This study provides a preliminary investigation into one aspect of virtual supervision of behavior analysis services that offers multiple areas for researchers to further investigate.