The Supervision Breakthrough: Bringing Empathy to BCBA Supervision Through Behavior Science

BCBA supervisors play a vital role in developing competent future behavior analysts, yet many behavior analysts receive limited formal training in empathy and relationship-building skills, which matters because supervisor compassion and support are associated with staff well-being and burnout (LeBlanc et al., 2020; Austin & Fiske, 2023). Although traditional supervision practices effectively teach technical competencies, they may not explicitly teach the compassionate interpersonal skills needed for effective professional relationships (Rohrer et al., 2021). This presentation bridges that gap by applying the 12 Behavior Breakthrough skills to BCBA supervision, providing practical ways to integrate empathy and compassion while maintaining clear expectations and accountability. Attendees will learn to identify observable supervisory behaviors that demonstrate empathy and compassion and distinguish skill deficits, performance barriers, and competing contingencies before responding to supervisee performance. Attendees will also practice using behavior-analytic strategies to provide feedback that combines clarity, collaboration, reinforcement, and a teachable next step.

1. 11. Identify at least three observable supervisor behaviors that demonstrate empathy and compassion. 2. Differentiate between skill deficits, performance barriers, and competing contingencies when evaluating supervisee performance. 3. Apply Behavior Breakthrough strategies to provide compassionate feedback while maintaining clear expectations and accountability.