Unrestricted Activities
Fieldwork activities that directly relate to behavior analysis practice and are not limited in the proportion of hours they can represent. These typically include client-facing services like assessments, skill acquisition programs, and behavior reduction procedures.
Definition
Unrestricted activities are the core of your fieldwork experience. They encompass the hands-on, client-facing work that defines behavior analysis practice. The BACB requires that a significant portion of your total fieldwork hours come from unrestricted activities because they represent the skills you will use most frequently as a certified professional.
These activities are considered "unrestricted" because there is no upper limit on how many of your fieldwork hours can fall into this category. In fact, the BACB sets a minimum percentage requirement: BCBA candidates must accumulate at least 60% of their total hours in unrestricted activities, while BCaBA candidates need at least 40%.
The distinction between unrestricted and restricted activities is one of the most important concepts in fieldwork tracking. Logging hours in the wrong category can lead to compliance failures that are difficult to correct later, especially as you approach your total hour requirement.
Why This Matters
Every time you log fieldwork hours, you need to categorize them as either unrestricted or restricted. Getting this right from the beginning is critical because the BACB audits these ratios cumulatively. If you fall behind on unrestricted hours early in your fieldwork, catching up later requires logging disproportionately more unrestricted time.
Examples
- Conducting functional behavior assessments (FBAs) with clients
- Implementing and monitoring skill acquisition programs
- Designing and overseeing behavior intervention plans (BIPs)
- Training caregivers or staff on behavior analytic procedures
- Collecting, graphing, and analyzing behavioral data
- Writing treatment plans and progress reports based on data
Source: BACB Fieldwork Requirements, Section on Unrestricted Activities
How ABA Fieldwork Tracker handles this
ABA Fieldwork Tracker automatically categorizes your hours and tracks your breakdown in real time. You will always know exactly where you stand across every hour type for your specific certification pathway.
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Note: BCBA requires 60% minimum unrestricted; BCaBA requires 40% minimum.
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