The BACB® 6th Edition: Assessing All the Upcoming Changes
July 25, 2024
It’s been more than two years since the Behavior Analyst Certification Board, BACB®, announced their 6th Edition updates. Now, as January 2025 inches closer, students, universities, and Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) professionals must all prepare for the Big transition from the 5th to the 6th Edition, which officially kicks off on the first of the year. Curious as to why the BACB is compelled to revise the Task List again? And just what does it mean for candidates preparing for the BCBA® exam? PTB has the breakdown.
A Shifting Industry
The BACB® 6th Edition reflects broader changes within the industry. While the foundations of the science haven’t changed, Behavior Analysis has come a long way since B.F. Skinner taught those pigeons to play ping pong. In the years since, ABA has grown and evolved to fit a more compassionate world. As the field gains deeper insight into how one’s upbringing can shape behaviors, there is increased awareness about cultural understanding and the importance of cultural competency. The BACB® recognizes this industry shift, and has updated the 6th Edition in accordance. Gone are the days of using words like “deficits” and “problem behavior.” Now, the language is more inclusive and the Board has placed a renewed importance on diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Beyond the shift towards increased sensitivity and cultural awareness, the BACB® has also updated the 6th Edition in an effort to better support exam candidates. In its February 2022 announcement, the BACB® shared that the 6th Edition changes are intended to reaffirm the Task List’s original scope and purpose: to “primarily serve as outlines of examination content.” It is the Board’s hope that, with the 6th Edition update, students will have a clearer outline of what they will be tested on and what they need to study.
BCBA® Exam: Comparing the 5th vs 6th Edition
So, just what is the difference between the 5th and 6th Edition? The good news is, not all that much. Although, there is one change students will notice right off the bat: the Task List (TL) is now referred to as the Test Content Outline (TCO). This new terminology is part of the BACB®’s effort to improve clarity, reflecting the TCO’s purpose for exam preparation. Like the 5th Edition Task List, the 6th Edition Test Content Outline is organized by letter, A through I. However, under the 6th Edition, Task List Sections will now be referred to as Domains. So, instead of Section A, exam candidates will study Domain A, B, and so on).
Now for a bit of bad news: The 6th Edition Test Content Outline has 104 items across the 9 Domains, as opposed to 92 under the 5th Edition Task List. Luckily, this doesn’t mean there is a whole lot more to learn. The BACB® simply restructured the content already included in the 5th Edition. Some Domains, like B, have been expanded, separating certain concepts into new items. Others, like Domain G, have been condensed for the 6th Edition Test Content Outline, with fewer items this time around. While the addition of 12 new items may sound daunting, the BACB® has assured students that the intention behind the 6th Edition update is to “reduce redundancies” and improve the flow of the Test Content Outline. Think of it as more of a refining, rather than a complete overhaul.
6th Edition BACB® Requirements
More good news, there are no new requirements under the 6th Edition. Students everywhere can breathe a little easier. This won’t be like last time the BACB updated the Task List. If you heard the horror stories, you know the 4th to 5th Edition transition was a crush of new requirements that left students stressed and scrambling. Thankfully, under the 6th Edition, there are no changes to the necessary supervision, coursework, and fieldwork hours. Candidates will still be evaluated using the same guidelines, which vary depending on the four different pathways to certification.
BCBA® Exam: 6th Edition Questions
Now that you’ve come to terms with the Test Content Outline and the new terminology (pun intended), you may be wondering about the BCBA® exam itself. If you guessed that this too has been updated, congratulations, you’d be right. In what may be the best news yet, the 6th Edition BCBA® exam, luckily, has the same number of questions– 185, with 10 of those being unscored “pilot questions.” What has changed, however, is the distribution of questions, i.e. the number of questions on the exam per each Domain. For a more complete look at the new distribution, refer to the BACB® newsletter which outlines how the 6th Edition exam questions will be structured under the new guidelines.
A Focus on New Language & Terms
Overall, students won’t notice any major changes between the 5th Edition Task List and the 6th Edition Test Content Outline. However, don’t discount those minor differences. The updated language and new terminology in the 6th Edition TCO doesn’t completely rewrite the White Book (or the other “White Book”), but it does clue you into the Big-picture changes within the field. Namely, an increased emphasis on inclusion and equity, and the TCO’s clarity of purpose.
Cultural Humility
A new term that likely jumps out immediately is cultural humility. Added for the 6th Edition Test Content Outline, the inclusion and focus on “cultural humility” marks the BACB’s efforts to improve cultural awareness and education for future BCBAs. While it is a broad term, “cultural humility” refers to the practice of keeping an open mind and honoring another person’s background, beliefs, and values. Within the context of the TCO and as a BCBA, cultural humility plays an important role in following the Ethics Code and providing quality care.
Updated Verbs
Other changes students may notice: new verbs. Per the BACB, these updated verbs are more “powerful” and purposeful. For example, instead of “define and provide examples,” as it was phrased in the 5th Edition, the 6th Edition TCO asks that candidates “identify and distinguish.” It may be a small change, but not insignificant. The revised verbs are more specific and intentioned. They provide more clarity and direction for candidates, and what they will be tested on. Remember PTB founder Dana Meller’s test tip when it comes to verbs: use them as clues.
Details on the New Domains
If you’re preparing to test under the 6th Edition Test Content Outline, you’re probably looking for an easy way to compare and contrast the new TCO vs the previous Task List. Here’s a quick breakdown of the most notable changes:
Domain A
Previously called Philosophical Underpinnings, it will now be known as “Domain A. Behaviorism and Philosophical Foundations.”
Domain B
No change to the name. However, Concepts and Principles, Section B. saw the biggest increase in the number of tasks: 24 in the 6th Edition, up from 15 tasks in the 5th Edition.
Domain D
Not-so-great news: Experimental Design, already a challenging area for many students, sees an increase in the number of tasks– now 9, up from 6 in the 5th Edition.
Domain E
Full disclosure: this Domain sees the biggest changes, and for students, this might be the toughest part of the 6th Edition transition. Previously titled Ethics (Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts), it will now be known as “Domain E. Ethical and Professional Issues.” Additionally, it now includes 12 specific tasks rather than references to the entire Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts. While the broadened scope of the Ethics Domain is more significant, like the other updates, it’s intended to provide more clarity and direction.
For a complete overview of the 6th Edition Test Content Outline vs the 5th Edition Task List, download the free PTB Crosswalk to the 6th Edition Test Content Outline. The comparison chart details all of the differences in one easy-to-reference guide and makes quick work of learning what’s new for the 6th Edition.
The Big Takeaways
To sum it all up, students can expect a relatively smooth transition from the 5th to the 6th Edition. While there are changes, they’ve been made with careful consideration and positive intentions. The fundamentals of Behavior Analysis still remain, they’ve just been reframed to accommodate for a more inclusive worldview.
Students can also expect a more straightforward approach with the 6th Edition Test Content Outline. The Task List has long been considered a “check list” of what to study for the BCBA® exam and the new verbs under the 6th Edition Test Content Outline make it even more prescriptive. The updated language is more “applied,” making it more practical and grounded. It better matches what students experience in their supervision and fieldwork and better outlines what will be on the exam.
Preparing for the BCBA® 6th Edition
Universities and ABA programs have already switched their curriculum over to the 6th edition Test Content Outline. While this gives current and future students a clear path to the new 6th Edition TCO and the exam, the transition can get confusing for those closer to exam day than graduation day.
For those on the cusp, with a course sequence that was still under the 5th Edition, it can be beneficial to familiarize yourself with the 6th Edition changes. As with the previous transition to the 5th Edition, the PTB Crosswalk to the 6th Edition Test Content Outline is a free resource written for students caught in between the old Task List and the new Test Content Outline.
How Many Times Can You Attempt the BCBA® Exam?
If you’re testing well before January 1, 2025, you can continue preparing for the exam as you have been. If you’re not eligible for the exam until later in 2024, however, you should consider that you may have to retake the exam under the 6th Edition guidelines. As with the 5th Edition, exam candidates get 8 attempts in 2 years before they have to reapply. However, even if you have additional attempts left, you’ll be tested under the 6th Edition any time after January 1, 2025.
The 6th Edition Post-Certification
Already passed the BCBA® exam? Don’t think you’re entirely off the hook. Future and current BCBAs have a duty to stay current on the latest industry standards and this includes updates to the BACB’s guidelines. Education should continue beyond certification. Even if you won’t be testing under the 6th Edition, it’s still a good idea to familiarize yourself with the updated guidelines, especially if you plan to supervise future BCBA candidates. Make note of any textbook updates, too, in case those have been updated in recent years. While the foundation of Applied Behavior Analysis as a science doesn’t change, any field of science evolves with new discoveries and breakthroughs. The BACB updates the exam and testing content based on the science, so it’s important to have the most recent foundational texts on-hand. Stay up to date by subscribing to the BACB and PTB newsletters.
