The ABCs of ABA: What is Applied Behavioral Analysis and How It Works
Was your child recently diagnosed with autism? Are you searching for simple explanations of complex of this complex topic? You're in luck. This blog outlines the ABCs of ABA for practical applications.
Applying ABA with Positive Reinforcement
How many times have you seen a dog ‘sit’ when asked? Do you have a cat that uses their litter box? What about a dolphin that jumps through a hoop when requested. These specific behaviors exhibited by these animals were shaped by applied behavior analysis.
When teaching a dog to sit, you start by asking the dog to sit and helping them sit. Once the dog puts their bottom on the floor, you give them a treat and say, “Great job sitting, Buster”. After some repetition of this, your dog will sit without any help from you. You say, “Sit” and they sit down. They get their treat and praise. Eventually, you begin to give them a treat less and less but your dog still sits when asked even if they do not receive their treat. This same concept applies to the work we do with children. For example, if you have a young child who screams and cries when they want a banana. You may show them a banana and then say, “Banana”. If your child says anything that sounds similar to “banana”, they get the banana. Eventually, your child may ask for a banana when they are in their bedroom playing without your help.
The Background of ABA
Applied behavior analysis (ABA) is the science of understanding behavior. It is the science of observing behaviors, recognizing what happens before and after a behavior, and making adjustments to the environment to support more functional behaviors. Our focus is on the environment and how others respond to concerning behaviors while teaching an alternative behavior that is more meaningful for the child and those around them. It is important to note that ABA is not specific to reducing concerning behaviors (e.g., hitting, head banging, kicking, etc.). A deep understanding of behavior allows ABA practitioners to increase more functional and less concerning behaviors.
ABA consists of many strategies meant to develop skills necessary for participation in school, the community, and within a family unit. As a parent you should receive frequent updates on the progress your child is making in therapy. This means your therapists are expected to collect data on all behaviors regularly. If something is not working as planned, the program should be changed to encourage success.
Care is at Our Therapists’ Core
ABA Spectrum therapists focus on the development of language to increase skills and decrease more concerning behaviors. This is called the Verbal Behavior approach and it encourages our patients to learn language by connecting words with their purposes. Our patients learn that words can help them get what they want or need. They also learn how to interact with others in a social environment. Verbal Behavior therapy does not focus on words as labels only (cat, car, etc.). Rather, it teaches why we use words and how they are useful in making requests and communicating ideas.
If you want to learn more about ABA, please reach out to us. Our parent training is focused on providing information on ABA in a way that is meaningful to parents and applicable in the home environment. This means that we do not want YOU to become the therapist, but we can work on making some adjustments in your home that supports the development of more functional behaviors while reducing more challenging ones.
