Strategies for Incorporating Compassionate Care in a Behavior Analysis Graduate Program

Recent conversations in behavior analysis have increasingly centered around improving compassionate care and cultural responsiveness practices in the field. Behavior analytic graduate programs are uniquely positioned to bring these conversations to the forefront for future generations of behavior analysts. If graduate students are offered education and training in cultural responsiveness and compassionate soft skills, they may be better positioned to serve their future clients. Faculty can prepare to teach and mentor students in this way by first engaging in self-assessment and reflection on these issues, and then by incorporating them into the graduate curriculum through knowledge and skill-building (e.g., readings, role plays, case scenarios). Faculty can also model compassion through thoughtful course design and interactions with students. Areas for future research are also discussed.