Telehealth Supervision in Applied Behavior Analysis: A Conceptual Narrative Review of Emerging Evidence, Clinical Considerations, and Conceptual Gaps

As telehealth has become increasingly utilized as a supervision modality within Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), research examining its outcomes remains limited. In this conceptual narrative review, literature relevant to telehealth-delivered supervision in ABA was examined, consisting primarily of small-scale experimental studies. Across these studies, telehealth-delivered supervisory practices were found to be generally associated with improvements in treatment fidelity and trainee performance, often through mechanisms such as behavioral skills training, performance feedback, and live coaching. A small body of evidence also suggested positive effects on client outcomes. However, findings related to trainee satisfaction and broader supervisory experiences remain sparse. Overall, results from the reviewed studies indicate that telehealth supervision may support effective implementation of ABA procedures under certain conditions. This evidence base is confined in scope, methodology, and generalizability, however. Further research directly comparing in-person and virtual supervision is needed, as well as research on telehealth supervision outcomes across diverse populations and contextual factors, long-term research designs, and complex supervisory processes.