What's the Day-to-Day Like as a Behavior Technician?

I'm curious about the role of a behavior technician. What does a typical day look like in this job, and what skills are important? Considering it as a possible career after high school. Any insights?

As a behavior technician, each day can be quite dynamic depending on your workload and the clients you work with. Generally, the role focuses on applying behavior analysis techniques to help children or adults, often with autism or similar conditions, improve their social skills, communication, reading, and academics.

A usual day starts with reviewing each client's individual treatment plan, which would have been designed by a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). You'd then spend your day implementing these plans in one-on-one treatment sessions with your clients, which typically last between 2-4 hours.

These sessions focus on specific skills such as language/communication, personal care routines, social interactions, or school readiness, and involve different activities designed to practice and reinforce beneficial behaviors.

Throughout the day, you'd track progress, making note of any problematic behaviors and successes to adjust the intervention strategies as necessary. You would also share session notes with the BCBA and discuss any potential modifications to the treatment plan.

Exceptional interpersonal, communication, and patience are crucial in this job. You need to be able to form a bond with your client to deliver therapy effectively. Being consistent and providing positive reinforcement are also key aspects of the role.

Another important skill is detailed observation and data collection. Being able to carefully monitor and record a client's behavior helps the BCBA make decisions on the effectiveness of therapy.

Finally, you should be comfortable with a certain level of physical activity. This job can be labor-intensive, given that it might involve lifting or moving clients, or engaging in physical play for long periods throughout the day.

Don't forget that as satisfying and rewarding as this job can be, it also comes with its own set of challenges, including dealing with disorderly conduct or working with clients who may initially resist treatment. But if you're passionate about helping people and interested in behavioral health, being a behavior technician can be an enriching career.