FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is Applied Behavior Analysis?

WHAT IS ABA?

ABA (applied behavior analysis) uses strategies that are evidence-based to teach an individual new skills and to reduce behaviors that are interfering with their quality of life. Our focus is teaching the individual skills that will help them continue to learn from their environment when we are not present. A critical piece of ABA involves using objective data to drive decision making in an individual’s programming with the family’s help and participation.

WHAT DOES A THERAPY SESSION LOOK LIKE?

Our trained behavioral technicians will work with your child doing many of the things that your child would be doing if they were in school or the community, or possibly activities that you are unable to do because of your child’s skill deficits or behavioral excesses. During the course of these everyday activities, the technician will be employing carefully planned strategies in order to help your child develop the skills to participate more fully in these activities. Sometimes pre-teaching may be necessary, and the technician may work with your child 1:1 in a non-distracting area to help the child focus on very specific skills. Other times your child may be working on skills in the natural environment or with peers. Our top priorities for your child will be to work with their already existing skills and abilities while also shaping more skills that will enhance their ability to learn independently, communicate, socialize and play. We will also target skills that will lead to age appropriate independence such as daily living skills like dressing, feeding, toileting or eating.

WHAT IS MY ROLE AS A PARENT/CAREGIVER?

As a parent/caregiver, your role is very important both during session and outside of session. During a session, your role initially is to continue engaging in the activities you normally would while allowing the therapist to be responsible for providing the support that your child might need to engage in those activities. If your child has behavioral excesses that are interfering with his or her daily living, we will develop a behavior intervention plan that will be used both in and out of therapy. Your job will be to implement this plan to the best of your ability in order to ensure its success. With this in mind, any behavior intervention plan will be designed in collaboration with parents and will be specifically designed around what you are comfortable with and able to implement. We will talk more about your roles as parents as therapy begins and provide lots of parent training, so don’t worry!