rbt F.2 Competence

By RBThub February 23, 2026

Just because you watched a YouTube video on "Feeding Therapy" does NOT mean you are qualified to do it.

Competence is the ethical requirement to stay in your lane. In ABA, practicing without training isn't just "faking it till you make it"—it is a direct violation of the ethics code that can endanger the client.

Executive Summary

This lesson covers Ethical Standard F.2: Competence. It is not enough to be "willing" to help; you must be "able" to help. We discuss the difference between "Confidence" and "Competence," and how to politely decline tasks that are outside of your training or scope of practice.

⏱️ Lesson Highlights

00:00
Defining Competence
Competence means having the education, training, and supervised experience to perform a task correctly and safely.
05:00
Indicators of Competence
You can implement the plan accurately, take data correctly, and respond to behaviors without panicking.
10:00
When to Say "No"
If you have not been trained on a specific procedure (e.g., Physical Restraint, Seizure Protocol), you must decline the task until trained.

🔑 Key Insights

Scope of Practice: RBTs implement plans designed by BCBAs. RBTs do NOT design plans, conduct functional analyses alone, or diagnose clients.
Training First: Reading the plan is not enough. You usually need to see it modeled (demonstrated) by your Supervisor first.
Self-Monitoring: You must be honest with yourself. If you are unsure, ask. Guessing is unethical.
New Behaviors: If a client starts a new behavior (e.g., biting) that isn't in the plan, you are not competent to treat it yet. Contact your BCBA.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Q: A parent asks me what to do about their other child's behavior. Can I give advice?
A: No. That is outside your scope (only the client is your client) and outside your competence (you are not a BCBA).
Q: My supervisor told me to run a program I don't understand. What do I do?
A: Speak up immediately. Say, "I am not yet competent in this area. Can you model it for me first?" This is the ethical choice.

1. The Traffic Light of Competence

Use this mental checklist before every session to decide if you can proceed ethically.
STOP No Training / Unsafe WAIT Read Plan / Need Modeling GO Competent & Trained

2. Competence vs. Confidence

Exam Tip

Confidence is a feeling ("I think I can do this").
Competence is a fact ("I have been trained and passed a fidelity check on this").
Never rely on confidence alone.

📝 Knowledge Check

Are you competent?

Q1: You have read the Behavior Plan for a new client, but you have never seen the behaviors in person. Are you fully competent to run the session alone?

Answer: No.
Reading is step 1. You should request supervision/overlap for the first session to ensure you are implementing it correctly.

Q2: A teacher asks you to design a new token board for the student. What do you do?

Answer: Defer to the BCBA.
"Designing" interventions is outside the RBT scope of practice. You can make the materials, but the BCBA must design the system.
▶

Ethics Quiz

Mock Exam

Test your knowledge on Scope of Competence.

Start Practice Test

Comments