Polish Association of Behavioral Therapy

By Pawel Bakalarz
POLSKIE STOWARZYSZENIE TERAPII BEHAWIORALNEJ (Polish Association of Behavioral Therapy, PABT) was officially registered in 2002 as a formalization of the work of Early Behavioral Intervention Group operating in Cracow since 2000. PABT is one of two Polish organizations of behavior specialists, both ABAI Affiliated Chapters.
Both organizations operate Polska Licencja Terapeuty Behawioralnego (Polish License of Behavior Therapist, PLBT) system (https://pltb.pl). PLBT is a country-wide system that provides theoretical and practical training and certification for prospective behavior specialists working with ASD. Currently, the system has 4787 candidates, 254 certified therapists, 34 certified supervisors, and 8 therapy centers. Theoretical training is provided as coursework developed by cooperating organizations and specialists or as academic courses available at SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Jagiellonian University, or other approved academic coursework. The system recognizes BCBA title as one of the means of acquiring a behavior therapist title. PABT also offers courses outside of the certification system and builds up CE for certified therapists. CE courses offered cover both typical professional topics and basics of Organizational Behavior Management and behavioral approach to resocialization. From 2021, PABT will run the project “Przełom – Skuteczne Rozwiązania Behawioralne” (Breakthrough – Effective Behavioral Solutions) as a vehicle for providing behavior-analytic technology to businesses, organizations and individuals with sub-clinical problems.

In 2014 PABT opened two schools for children and youth with special needs, particularly ASD and Intellectual Disabilities, in Cracow. Later, an elementary special school was opened in Raciborz.
We also offer psychological, educational, and behavioral diagnostic services, behavioral programming, and therapy. Additionally, we provide Behavioral Crisis Intervention Services for clients with severe behavior problems: severe aggression/SIB/destruction and/or extreme skill deficits.

In 2022 both PABT and the Polish Society for Behavioral Psychology celebrated their 20th anniversary, combined with the 10th anniversary of the PLBT system. A conference was held in Cracow, with speakers from all over Poland and internationally: Drs. Julie Vargas (BF Skinner Foundation), Andy Bondy (Pyramid Educational Consultants) and Neil Martin (Behavior Analyst Certification Board).

On our social media, we provide information on applied behavior analysis and its basic technologies. In the year 2023 we’re planning to introduce webinars devoted to more detailed clinical and non-clinical topics and continue our current operations. We plan on extending our non-clinical offer, providing behavior-analytic knowledge to IT specialists working with Reinforcement Learning and gamification. We will increase our OBM activity and dissemination efforts.

Candidates for PABT can file an application to the Board. Dues are annual and amount to 80 PLN. Members include behavior therapists and parents of children with special educational needs.