What is Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)?
Does your child throw tantrums very often? Do they have a tough time adapting to situations? Does your child exhibit problem behavior? In this article, we will talk about Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and why is it important for children with determination or autism.
What is ABA?
ABA is a science based on learning and behavior and the methodology derived is used to form socially significant behavior.
Using behavior analysis, it helps us understand why your child is behaving a certain way – whether or not it is ideal behavior. Behavior can be affected by external factors like the environment or internal factors like feelings or thoughts.
ABA allows us to understand how behavior works in reality. The aim is to help your child increase behaviors that are helpful and decrease behaviors that are harmful or obstruct learning. If you notice that your child needs help, consider enrolling them in ABA programs. Here are some benefits of ABA programs:
Improve language and communication skills
Improve attentions span, social skills, memory, and academics
Decrease problem behaviors
How does ABA programs work?
ABA consists of several methods of understanding and forming appropriate behaviors – it is a flexible methodology that can be adapted to the needs of each unique child. Learning can also take place in different locations such as home, school or in the community. A session could be one-to-one or in a group where your child will be learning daily skills which will prepare them to be independent.
The road map
A personalised plan for your child starts when a qualified and trained Behavior Analyst (BCBA) designs and supervises the program. They customize the ABA program to each learner’s skills, needs, interests, preferences and family circumstance or goals.
Treatment goals are set based on the age and ability of the child. Goals can include many different skill areas:
Communication and language
Social Skills
Self-care and personal hygiene
Motor skills
Learning and academic skills
A personalised plan consists of small and concrete steps to attain these skills. The therapist will then guide and teach each step from simple actions to complex ones.
The BCBA and therapist will measure progress by collecting data and analysing them. This will help them monitor the child’s progress and adapt the learning the plan accordingly. The BCBA will also meet with you – parents, family members or caregivers – regularly to review progress and receive training so they can support learning and skill practice beyond sessions.
Common strategies of ABA
Positive reinforcement is one of the main strategies that is used in ABA and a topic that we have covered extensively (see our resources page).
Here’s a simple example of positive reinforcement – if your child completes his Math homework, he gets a snack. When a behavior is followed by a reward, your child is more likely to continue that behavior which will encourage positive behavior change over time.
So what happens when your child is in therapy? First, the therapist and Behavior Analyst will complete an assessment to identify behavior goals.
After the assessment, the program starts. Here’s an example of when we implement a program – when the behavior is successfully performed, your child will be rewarded. Some rewards can include a toy, book, praise, going to the playground and more. Parents and stakeholders will be trained to support the progress of the child.
Understanding antecedents (what occurs before a behavior) and consequences (what occurs after the behavior) is another critical aspect of any ABA program. Here are three steps (A-B-C) that will help you understand behavior better.
Antecedent: This is what happens right before the target behavior. It can be verbal (a command or request), or physical (a toy or object) or something in the environment. It could also come internally like a thought or a feeling
The resulting behavior: This is your child’s response or lack of response to the antecedent. It can be an action, a verbal response, a tantrum or something else.
A consequence: This is what comes directly after the behavior. It can be a positive reinforcement of the ideal behavior or no reaction for the incorrect or inappropriate responses.
Looking at the A-B-C will help us understand why a behavior is occurring and how different consequences could affect whether the behavior is likely to happen again.
Here is an example:
Antecedent: The teacher says “It’s time to clean up the art supplies on your desk” at the end of the day.
Behavior: The student yells “no!”
Consequence: The teacher removes the art supplies and says “Okay, arts and crafts are over.”
In these types of situations, ABA can help children be more receptive and learn more appropriate behaviors. Here is another example:
Antecedent: The teacher says “time to clean up your art supplies” at the end of the day.
Behavior: The student is reminded to ask, “Can I have 5 more minutes?”
Consequence: The teacher says, “Of course you can have 5 more minutes.”
With consistent practice, the student will be able to replace inappropriate behavior with the one that is more helpful.
Why is an ABA program effective?
Effective ABA programs for autism or children with determination is never a one size fits all. ABA programs are designed to be adaptable to meet the needs of the child – it is not a routine of drills.
The goal of the ABA program is to help a child learn skills that will help them be more independent and successful.
Should I enrol my child in an ABA program?
If you notice that your child has challenging behaviors and is having a hard time adapting to changing situations like going to school or completing routines, you may want to speak with a professional like a Behavior Analyst to determine if your child needs help. The key is to always start early when your child is young.
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