Maragakis, A., Vriesman, M., LaLonde, L., Richling, S. M., & Lancaster, B. (2019). Quality Improvement and applied behavior analysis: Another name for a rose that smells just as sweet. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, 12, 149-153.
While the field of applied behavior analysis (ABA) has demonstrated its effectiveness and applicability across multiple settings, there are still concerns within the field about its limited scope. To date, most of the recommendations for expanding the scope of ABA include integrating into other fields that require additional credentials and training. This could be both costly and time consuming. Given the changing landscape of healthcare systems globally, there has been a major emphasis on the use of quality improvement (QI) to enhance overall patient care. Behavior analysts have the skills and training to improve upon the current state of QI. We discuss the overlapping theoretical and methodological similarities between QI and ABA as an additional avenue for behavior analysts to expand their scope of practice. Suggestions and implications of ABA integrating into QI roles are discussed.
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