Comparing the requirements for ongoing professional certification with registered bodies for Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs), Speech & Language Therapists (SaLTs) and Occupational Therapists (OTs)

Participant Information Sheet

Title of study: Comparing the requirements for ongoing professional certification with registered bodies for Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs), Speech & Language Therapists (SaLTs) and Occupational Therapists (OTs).

1. Invitation Paragraph
You are being invited to take part in a research study. Before you decide whether or not to take part it is important that you understand why the research is being done and what it will involve. Please take the time to read the following information carefully and discuss it with others if you wish. Please ask us if there is anything that is not clear or if you would like more information. Thank you for reading this.

2. What is the purpose of the study?
The aim of this study is to compare the accreditation requirements of BCBAs, SaLTs and OTs in England.  Research has been conducted comparing the training for these roles and initial accreditation requirements.  However, no known research exists in comparing the requirements for ongoing accreditation. Such research would be timely due to the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) based in North America ceasing international accreditation for the UK in 2025. Multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary teams are frequently including colleagues from across these three professions, particularly within special educational needs, health and social care. Through completing this study, I aim to answer the following questions:

How do the requirements for ongoing professional certification with registered bodies compare between BCBAs, speech and language therapists (SaLT) and occupational therapists (OT)?
c. How do BCBAs, SLTs and OTs use ongoing professional development to specialise within their field?
d. As the BACB moves to cease certification outside North America, what can behaviour analysts in the UK learn from colleagues in similar professional roles with regards to ongoing accreditation?

3. Why have I been chosen?
You have been invited to take part in this research as you will be either a BCBA, and Speech & Language Therapist or Occupational Therapist registered with the Health Care Professional Council (HCPC) and based in the United Kingdom.  The research will aim to reach a minimum of 30 professionals from each of these three professions.

4. Do I have to take part?
No. It is up to you to decide whether or not to take part. If you do decide to take part, you will be given this information sheet to keep and you will be asked to sign a consent form. If you choose to take part, your responses will be anonymous, and you can change your mind up to the point of submitting your survey answers. A decision to withdraw will not have any detrimental impact on you.

5. What will happen to me if I take part?
As a participant, your data will be used for the purpose of a master’s dissertation at Queen’s University Belfast. The anonymized data may be used in future publications within the parameters of the university and will always remain confidential. The online survey can be completed at a convenient time and place.  The questions consist of multiple-choice responses that should be answered to the participant’s complete knowledge and honesty.  The survey is self-guided and should take no longer than 10 minutes to complete. No personal identifying information will be requested by the survey and responses are anonymous.

6. What are the possible risks or disadvantages of taking part?
There are no anticipated disadvantages or risks associated with taking part in this study.

7. What are the possible benefits of taking part?
There are no known individual benefits of taking part in this study. However, your results will contribute to research needed in this particular area.

8. What if something goes wrong?
As the nature of the questionnaire there are no foreseeable risks.  If you have any concerns about any aspects of the study, you can contact the researcher, David Anthony (Email: danthony01@qub.ac.uk). Should you remain unhappy and wish to make a formal complaint, you can contact the Research Governance Team at Queen’s University Belfast (Telephone: 028 9097 2529; Email: researchgovernance@qub.ac.uk).

9. Will my taking part in this study be kept confidential?
All information which is collected about you during the course of the research will always be kept strictly confidential. Raw data will be kept up until the dissertation paper is submitted to the University, and for up to five years after this date. The questionnaire is submitted anonymously and no personal identifying information will be collected.  Your consent will be requested so permission is granted:
•For your engagement in the survey and the collection of data.
•For the publication of your anonymous data given through the completed dissertation research paper.
•For the secure storing of data for the duration of the research study and five years thereafter.  

10. What will happen to the results of the research?
The results will be shared via a dissertation paper and possible future publication. A summary of the results at the end of the study will be made available upon request. A copy of this summary will be available from the researcher (Email: Danthony01@qub.ac.uk).

11. Who is organising and funding the research?
The research is being organised by the principal researcher David Anthony and supervised by Louise Begley. The research will form part of the researcher’s completion of a master’s dissertation at Queen’s University Belfast.

12. Who has reviewed the study?
This study has been reviewed by the Faculty of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work Ethics Committee.  

13. Contact for Further Information
For further information relating to this study, please contact the principal researcher David Anthony (Email: danthony01@qub.ac.uk). The supervisor for this piece of research is Louise Begley (l.begley@qub.ac.uk).

This research will be conducted in compliance with data protection legislation.  For more information about how we look after your information, how to access your rights and who to contact if you have any queries or concerns about data protection please visit the Queen’s University Belfast website – www.qub.ac.uk/privacynotice/Research/ListofResearchPrivacyNotices/PrivacyNoticeforResearchParticipants

Thank you for your interest in this study and for taking the time to read through this information sheet.

Survey:

Comparing the requirements for ongoing professional certification with registered bodies for Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs), Speech & Language Therapists (SaLTs) and Occupational Therapists (OTs). (google.com)