Using Behavioral Economics to Inform Behavior Analyst Regulation Fees in Ontario

Abstract

This study applied behavioral economic methods to assess the effects of regulatory cost on demand for the opportunity to practice behavior analysis in Ontario using a hypothetical purchase task. The provincial government of Ontario recently passed legislation to expand the psychology regulatory body to include behavior analysts. Professional regulation has been a key longstanding priority for many professionals in the province and the Ontario Association for Behaviour Analysis (ONTABA, 2021) alike. This is an important step in public protection policy, the professionalization of the practice of applied behavior analysis (ABA), and standards of practice in the province. This study aimed to inform part of the process using an operant demand framework because fees are required to operate regulatory bodies, which implies that professionals interested in becoming regulated health professionals must pay initial and ongoing fees. Demand was analyzed using the exponentiated model of demand. Participants included 60 practitioners, who indicated they were board certified behavior analysts and Ontario residents. The findings indicated that participants’ mean Pmax value (the price at which consumption becomes elastic) was $624.65 at the aggregate level. These results may indicate Ontario behavior analysts’ perceptions of the acceptability of varying costs associated with regulation. Further, the study demonstrates the applied utility of behavioral economic methods to assess demand for commodities within behavior analysis.