The field of applied behavior analysis (ABA) has grown substantially in the past decade. Behavior analysts seeking out new employment may have to weigh benefits such as pay, health care, and conditions of employment during negotiations. One condition of employment used in employment contracts is noncompete clauses (NCCs). NCCs are agreements between employers and employees that restrict the employee's ability to work in a specific field after employment ends. Although they can provide businesses with security, NCCs have the potential to impact how, when, and whom practitioners can serve after employment ends. Although NCCs and their effects have been studied in other fields, to our knowledge no analysis has occurred in the field of ABA. We surveyed 610 practicing behavior analysts to determine the prevalence of NCCs in the field of ABA and how respondents viewed the impact of NCCs on the field; one third (33.1%) of respondents indicated that their contract contained an NCC, and opinions on their potential impact were largely unfavorable. Results are discussed with regard to how NCCs can impact the growth of ABA, possible behavioral functions, possible alternatives to their use, and directions for future research.

中文翻译：

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应用行为分析中的竞业禁止条款：流行和实践影响调查

应用行为分析 (ABA) 领域在过去十年中取得了长足的发展。寻求新工作的行为分析师可能不得不在谈判期间权衡诸如薪酬、医疗保健和就业条件等福利。雇佣合同中使用的一种雇佣条件是竞业禁止条款 (NCC)。NCC 是雇主和雇员之间的协议，用于限制雇员在雇佣结束后在特定领域工作的能力。尽管它们可以为企业提供安全保障，但 NCC 有可能影响从业人员在就业结束后可以服务的方式、时间和对象。尽管在其他领域已经研究了 NCC 及其影响，但据我们所知，在 ABA 领域还没有进行过分析。我们调查了 610 名执业行为分析师，以确定 NCC 在 ABA 领域的普遍性以及受访者如何看待 NCC 在该领域的影响；三分之一 (33.1%) 的受访者表示，他们的合同包含 NCC，对其潜在影响的看法在很大程度上是不利的。结果讨论了 NCC 如何影响 ABA 的生长、可能的行为功能、可能的替代用途以及未来研究的方向。