International Behavior Therapist Handbook

1. Requirements to Earn the IBT Certification

The International Behavior Therapist (IBT) is the certification obtained by those who routinely provide the hands-on implementation of behavioral education, supports, and services designed by behavior analysts. The IBT requirements fall into five broad categories. These are registration, completion of education requirements, supervised practice, Candidate Skills Testing, and passing the IBT online exam.

• High School Diploma (or Regional Equivalent)
• Go to www.theibao.com and create your candidate account. Register and pay fees.
• Sign the Ethics Agreement Form
• Choose a Supervisor and Sign the Supervisor Agreement
• Complete Candidate Skills Testing
• Complete 4 Hours of Continuing Education
• Complete 300 Hours of Supervised Practice
• Receive 10 Hours of Supervision
• PASS IBT EXAM

2. IBT 40 Hour Training Content

The IBT Training Content is required to sit for the IBT exam. The content is at least 40 hours of ABA and related information necessary to begin to practice as a certified IBT. The training content includes information relevant to:

• Disabilities
• Behavioral Basics
• Data Collection
• Assistance in Assessment Procedures
• Teaching Skills
• Challenging Behaviors
• Professionalism

The skills and concepts required for study are presented in the IBT Training Content and the IBT Expanded Training Content documentation available for download on the IBAO website.

The 40 Hour Training can be acquired from multiple sources, although typically, one provider presents all of the information. Using multiple providers risks redundancy and additional documentation that each component in the content has been obtained.

Although the 40 Hour Training could be completed in as little as one week. The training will typically require 2 to 10 weeks to complete.

Once completed, the candidate is required to upload proof of completion of the 40 Hour Training into their online account.

3. Supervisor Requirements

Behavior Analysts serving as a supervisor have a very important role in the development of an IBT, the field of applied behavior analysis, and the growing perception of what it means to practice ABA around the world. It is through intense supervision, ethical guidance, and vast knowledge that a supervisor can help grow an IBT.

Because ABA is developing at various rates in different parts of the world, one standard for supervisor requirements cannot be appropriate for every candidate universally. As such, IBAO has created a range of options to ensure flexibility and competence for becoming a supervisor for an IBT candidate.

3.1 Specific Requirements

An audit of supervisor credentials will be required for 10% of all supervisors to ensure that supervisors meet the IBAO's specific requirements.

A supervisor must meet ONE of the following:

• IBA in good standing
• Credentialed behavior analyst from another credentialing board or body in good standing (examples: BCBA®, BCBA-D®, QABA®, state/regional/national licensure as a behavior analyst)
• Hold a masters or doctoral degree from an ABAI-accredited program
• Hold a masters or doctoral degree in a related discipline, successful completion of IBA Required Educational Objectives, or equivalent
• *Hold a masters or doctoral degree with 5 or more years of direct employment in the ABA field with supervisory experience (*with portfolio review and approval from IBAO)

4. IBT Supervision Agreement

Date: Date

This agreement describes the relationship, roles, and expectations for the supervised practice of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) between [IBT Candidate Name] the IBT Candidate, and [Supervisor Name] the Supervisor.

Supervision of an IBT candidate is one of the most important features of the IBT certification. The process is instructional and provides the candidate with clear implementation opportunities and practice of the skills aligned with the content of the IBT 40 Hour Training.

The total supervised practice consists of 300 hours, in which supervision occurs for 1 hour for every 30 hours of practice. The resulting total number of supervision hours is 10. The 300 hours can be completed in as little as 10 weeks or over a period of 24 months. Candidates requiring more than 24 months from the time registered need to contact info@theibao.com.

This contract period covers the dates Date to Date.

Supervision can only be accrued through hours when a supervised agreement is in place. It is imperative that any changes to the supervision relationship be immediately updated on the IBAO website so all practice hours can count towards the required total.

Supervisors must meet the qualifications set forth in the IBA Supervisor Qualifications list.

Supervisors and candidates must conduct all practices, services, and supervision in accordance with the IBAO’s Ethic Guidelines. Audits of Supervisor qualifications will occur for 10% of candidates. Supervisors agree to submit verification documents to prove qualifications have been met by agreeing to this supervision experience.

Scope of Experience:

The candidate will participate in ABA service provision by performing tasks and skills that align with the IBT 40 Hour Training content. Supervision can be conducted in person in individual or group sessions and remotely in individual or group sessions.

Requirements:

• Candidate agrees to maintain a log of supervision activities.
• Supervisor agrees to sign off on hours that were provided in appropriate activities and will not withhold signature on supervision activities if the hours were performed appropriately.
• Supervisor and candidate agree to upload the Supervision Documentation Form for each supervision meeting.
• Supervisor will choose two skill sets and evaluate those with Candidate Skills Testing. Supervisor will upload the Candidate Skills Testing Approval Form for the CSTs.
• The contract can be terminated at any time by either party. However, all steps should be taken to resolve any differences so that practice hours are not unduly interrupted.
• The candidate is responsible for gaining client consent to share information, data, and confidential information with the Supervisor.
• Candidate and supervisor agree that the supervisor is responsible for clinical decision making, case guidance, and liability. Both agree that the IBAO is not liable for any negative situations that may arise from service provision and the supervisory process.

Both parties agree to the stipulations of this document and will practice in accordance with the IBAO’s Ethical Guidelines.

Candidate's Signature	Supervisor’s Signature
Candidate's Printed Name	Supervisor’s Printed Name
Candidate's Email	Supervisor’s Email

5. Supervision Requirements

To begin accruing the 300 hours of supervised practice, the Supervision agreement must be signed by the candidate and the supervisor. Once signed, the candidate can begin accruing supervised practice hours.

5.1 Supervised Practice

At least 300 supervised practice hours are required to sit for the IBT exam.

One (1) hour of supervision is required for every 30 hours of practice.

There are no restrictions on the number of hours that can be completed as direct practice hours. That is, 100% of the supervised hours can be of the IBT candidate providing services.

One hour of supervision is required for every 30 hours of practice. The supervision can occur at any time within the 30 hours. One hour of supervision is required for the first 30 hours of practice (1-30); one hour is required for the candidate’s next 30 hours of practice (31-60); And each subsequent 30 hours of practice (61-90, 91-120, etc.) requires one hour of supervision.

The 30 hours of practice can occur in a 1-week period, 2-week period, or longer. Regardless of how long it takes to complete 30 practice hours, one of those 30 hours needs to be supervised.

A candidate can obtain more than one hour of supervision per 30 hours, but only one hour per 30 will count towards the 10 supervision hours required to sit for the IBT exam.

All supervision hours may be completed via distance methods. Supervised practice hours can begin immediately upon registration and signing the Supervisor Agreement. These hours can may accrue while the candidate is obtaining the 40 hours of training. The 40 hours of training do not have to be completed prior to the start of the supervised practice hours.

Group supervision will be acceptable for no more than 5 of the 10 (50%) of the required hours of supervision.

Group supervision will be limited to groups with a minimum of 5 candidates.

The candidate can use multiple supervisors throughout their certification/training process.

• Each supervisor must be registered with IBAO and must meet the supervisor requirements.
• A signed Supervisor Agreement must be signed for each supervisor prior to the start of supervised practice.
• Supervisors retain the right to end their supervisory relationship with a candidate in the case of a major breach of the IBAO Ethical Guidelines.

6. Documentation

For every supervision meeting, whether group, distance, or face-to-face, the supervisor and the candidate must complete the Supervision Documentation Form to report information about the meeting. These forms are to be completed online by logging into their respective IBAO account. A Supervision Documentation Form is required for every hour of supervision for that hour of supervision to count towards the 10 required hours.

The candidate completes the Supervision Documentation Form and submits it via their IBAO account. The IBAO platform will then send an email to the supervisor, who will log into their account and complete their portion.

Both the candidate and the supervisor will have access to the form once it is completed and signed.

Documentation required will include:

• Date of supervision meeting
• Treatment setting
• Supervisory period start date
• Supervisory period end date
• Total experience hours accrued during the supervisory period
• Total supervision hours accrued during the supervisory period
• Total hours accumulated
• Method of supervision
• Type of supervision (group/individual/etc.)
• Supervision Notes
• Feedback

6.1 IBT Supervision Documentation Form

Date:			Treatment Setting
Candidate:			Supervisor
Supervisory Period Start Date:			Supervisory Period End Date:
Experience Hours This Period:			Supervision Hours This Period:

Type of Supervision (circle one):

• Group
• Individual

Method of Supervision (circle one):

• Observation
• Video Review
• Meeting

Notes:

7. Feedback:

Signature:

8. Candidate Skills Testing

During the supervised practice hours, the candidate's supervisor will conduct Candidate Skills Testing (CST) on the implementation of two different skill sets expected of the candidate based on the roles and skills being demonstrated during supervision. CST can be different for every candidate. There is no preselected set of skills to be tested. Skills tested are those being supervised. CSTs can be conducted, for example, on data collection, discrete trials implementation, language acquisition programs, functional skills programs, assessments, reinforcement programs, graphing, etc. Any skill set from the IBT 40 Hour Training that the IBT is being supervised on is an acceptable skill set for CST.

The services and skills being supervised are those that will be evaluated. The supervisor is responsible for creating the form used for evaluation purposes.

• The CST must cover at least 10 components of a skill set that last at least 10 minutes.
• At least 80% accuracy is needed.
• Two different CSTs are required.
• A different skill is required for each CST.
• The CST is a live evaluation of the candidate of service provision very much like a treatment integrity assessment.

As with the supervision requirements, CSTs can be completed with the supervisor physically present, remotely such as through Hi Rasmus, Zoom, Facetime, etc., or through a video recording.

8.1 For the Supervisor Creating the CST

To create the CST Data Collection Sheet, follow these steps:

• Decide which service or skill set to evaluate.
• Create a task analysis or step-by-step list for the chosen skill.
• Create at least 10 points to evaluate within the skill to be tested.
• Create a scoring system (yes/no; +/-, etc.).
• Score the candidate’s performance while demonstrating the chosen skill. 10 The candidate's supervisor is required to submit Candidate Skills Testing Approval Forms to the supervisor's account.

8.2 Example CST Data Collection Sheet Example

Date:		Candidate:		Supervisor:
Start time:		End Time:		Duration:

	Trial 1	Trial 2	Trial 3	Trial 4	​​Trial 5
Materials organized	Y/N	Y/N	Y/N	Y/N	Y/N
Gains learner attention	Y/N	Y/N	Y/N	Y/N	Y/N
Delivers Sd	Y/N	Y/N	Y/N	Y/N	Y/N
Waits 5 s for learner response	Y/N	Y/N	Y/N	Y/N	Y/N
Reinforces correct response	Y/N	Y/N	Y/N	Y/N	Y/N
Delivers Sd and next prompt if incorrect	Y/N	Y/N	Y/N	Y/N	Y/N
Clears materials	Y/N	Y/N	Y/N	Y/N	Y/N
Records data	Y/N	Y/N	Y/N	Y/N	Y/N
Organizes for next trial	Y/N	Y/N	Y/N	Y/N	Y/N
Manages intertrial behavior	Y/N	Y/N	Y/N	Y/N	Y/N
	/ 10	/ 10	/ 10	/ 10	/ 10

8.3 Candidate Skills Testing Approval Form

Date:Date

Candidate:		Supervisor:

Description of CST:

Candidate Signature:		Supervisor Signature:

Complete one form per CST. Two CSTs are required. Both CSTs need to be conducted on different skill sets. The candidate's supervisor is required to design, conduct, and approve (pass/fail) the candidate's skill set. The supervisor is required to upload the completed form to the supervisor's account. A form is required for each CST conducted. No form is required if the supervisor evaluated the project to be unsatisfactory. There is no limit on the number of CSTs that can be attempted until two are passed.

9. Continuing Education

One of the most important aspects of being certified as an IBT is to continue to learn and develop professionally. Four (4) hours of continuing education are required prior to certification.

Every candidate will need to document the CEUs obtained. Documentation requires a physical document that clearly shows the content and duration of the training event, when the training occurred, and which organization or individual provided the training. The following types of CEUs are acceptable:

• Participation in online or in-person seminars, workshops, or trainings on ABA or BA-related information
• Presentation of a seminar, workshop, or training on ABA or Behavior Analysis (BA) related information

9.1 Pre-certification CEUs

4 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are Required:

• 1 Hour of Ethics
• 1 Hour in Cultural Diversity and Awareness
• 2 Hours in Other ABA Topics

10. The IBT Online Exam

When all requirements have been met, IBT candidates register for and sit for the IBT Online Exam. The requirements for the IBT Exam were created to allow the broadest number of people around the world to demonstrate their competency.

• No test centers required.
• No travel to different countries.
• No overnight stay or additional expenses.
• All you need to take the exam is a quiet, austere work space and an internet connection.
• Proctoring and exam security are completed online.

10.1 IBT Exam Details

• Online Exam, No Test Centers
• Online and Virtual Proctoring
• 75 Multiple Choice or True or False Questions
• 2 Hours to Complete Exam Content: ABA basics, disabilities, teaching variations, evidence-based strategies, and more

11. After You are Certified as an IBT

• 8 Continuing Education Units (4 per year)
• 2 Hours of Ethics (1 per year)
• 2 Hours in Cultural Diversity and Awareness (1 per year)
• 4 in ABA Topics (2 per year)
• Ongoing supervision of ABA practice

11.1 Continuing Education

Every IBT will need to document the CEUs they obtained. Documentation requires the content of the activity, such as an attendance certification or other physical document that clearly shows the content and duration of the training event.

• Participation in online or in-person seminars, workshops, or trainings on ABA or Behavior Analysis-related information are acceptable.
• Presentation of a seminar, workshop, or training on ABA or Behavior Analysis-related information is acceptable.

11.2 Ongoing Supervision

• The practice of all IBTs is to be supervised by a qualified supervisor
• Supervision can be in-person or distance, individual or group, and can be 100% direct
• The IBT's supervisor must be registered with IBAO and meet the supervisor requirements.
• Multiple supervisors are acceptable
• The Supervision Documentation Form is required for each supervision meeting in the exact way the forms were required during pre-certification supervision

IBAO requires that IBT service provision be supervised at a rate of AT LEAST 1 hour of supervision for every 40 hours of practice.

Best practice suggests supervision should be conducted at a much higher rate than 1 hour for 40 hours of practice. An IBT might need an hour of supervision for every 4-5 hours of practice when learning new skills, taking a new case, or when newly certified. The supervision requirement of one hour of supervision for 40 hours of practice is an absolute minimum, and actual rates should be higher as determined by the IBT supervisor based on clinical and local contexts.

12. IBT Training Content

The following pages outline the training topics required to obtain the International Behavior Therapist (IBT) certification from the International Behavior Analysis Organization (IBAO).

The IBT Training Content can be obtained in numerous ways, through one or multiple providers. Documentation necessary to prove the content was obtained must include a certificate of completion, transcripts, or other forms that show the topic, length of training, and date of completion. Upload all documentation to your IBAO account.

A list of IBT Training Content providers that provide all of the required topics will be made available on www.theibao.com. An IBT candidate can obtain the training content from as many sources as necessary to ensure all have been learned.

Additional details and subtopics can be found in the IBT EXPANDED Training Content document available on the IBAO website.

13. International Behavior Analysis Organization's International Behavior Therapist Professional Advisory Board Committee

Chandni Kumar, MS, BCBA, IBA – Thailand

Daria Brazhenkova, MA, BCBA, IBA – Russia

Dianna Yip, MS, BCBA, IBA-China

Doan Nguyen, MS, BCBA, IBA – Vietnam

Henriette Brandtberg, MSc Psych, IBA – Denmark

Jessica Kelly, M.S., BCBA, IBA – Switzerland

Megan Miller, Ph.D., BCBA-D, IBA – United States

Ohud A. Alhaqbani, M.Ed., BCBA, IBA – Saudi Arabia

Orsolya Ujhelyi-Illes, MS, BCBA, IBA – Hungary

Rachel Arnold, M.Ed – South Korea

Ross Leighner, MA, IBA – Australia

Tangchen Li, M.A., BCBA, IBA – United States/China

Vera Bernard-Opitz, Ph.D., Clinical Psych, Psych. Psychoth., BCBA-D, IBA – Germany

Michael M. Mueller, Ph.D., BCBA-D, IBA - United States

13.1 Section 1 Disabilities

• Characteristics of Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Common Presentation of Characteristics
• Intellectual Disabilities
• Down Syndrome
• Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

13.2 Section 2 Behavioral Basics

• Increasing Behavior
• Decreasing Behavior
• Extinction (Theoretical)
• Establishing Operations
• Discriminative Stimulus
• Schedules of Reinforcement
• Conditioned Reinforcers/Tokens

13.3 Section 3 Data Collection

• Preparatory activities
• Frequency
• Duration
• Latency
• Partial interval
• Whole Interval
• Permanent Products
• Graphing

13.4 Section 4 Assistance in Assessment Procedures

• Preference Assessments
• Functional Behavioral Assessment
• Language and Functional Skills Assessments

13.5 Section 5 Teaching Skills

• Teaching Protocols, Plans, Scripts
• Discrete Trials Therapy
• Natural Environment Teaching
• Verbal Behavior
• Task Analyses
• Choice and Discrimination Learning
• Prompting Strategies
• Maintenance
• Generalization

13.6 Section 6 Challenging Behaviors

• Functions of Behavior
• Antecedent Modifications
• Differential Reinforcement
• Functional Communication Training (FCT)
• Extinction (In practice)

13.7 Section 7 Professionalism

• Ethical Guidelines
• Role of the IBT
• Confidentiality/Privacy
• How IBTs are Viewed by Others
• Supervisor Relations
• Reporting About Clients
• Family/Client Relations