ABA

Applied Behavior Analysis

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is the scientific study of behavior. ABA is based on a theory that behavior occurs when it is reinforced and does not occur in the absence of reinforcement. ABA carefully assesses how and why environmental events affect the behaviors of an individual. Assessments include contextual factors such as the setting and motivational variables. Antecedents (what happens before a behavior) and consequences (what happens immediately following the behavior) are carefully studied as well. Consequences that increase the likelihood of that behavior occurring again are termed “reinforcement” and consequences that decrease the likelihood of that behavior occurring again are termed “punishment”. Applied Verbal Behavior (AVB) uses the same science as Applied Behavior Analysis but focuses on language. Verbal Behavior is behavior and is learned the same way as any other behavior; through reinforcement and punishment. A set of new terms were coined to describe already existing behaviors. The 3 terms most associated with AVB are Mand (request) Tact (Label) and Echoic (Verbal Imitation).

Defining Features of ABA

Baer, Wolf, and Risley (1968, 1987) defined ABA as the use of the principles and methods of behavior analysis to bring about meaningful changes in socially important behaviors. They also specified the dimensions that distinguish ABA interventions from others. To be characterized accurately as ABA, an intervention must be

  • Applied – addresses behaviors that are important to the client and his/her significant others.

  • Behavioral – focuses on the client behavior(s) in need of improvement and direct measurement of those behaviors (as opposed to measuring the behavior of others who interact with the client, measuring client behavior indirectly by asking others about it, etc.).

  • Analytical – consistently produces change in a measured aspect of the target behavior(s) when the intervention is in place vs. when it is not (see Figure 1 for an illustration).

  • Technological – described with sufficient detail and clarity that a reader has a reasonable chance of replicating the intervention.

  • Conceptually systematic – grounded in the conceptualization that behavior is a function of environmental events and described in terms of behavior analytic principles.

  • Effective – improves target behaviors to a practical degree.

  • Generalized – produces changes in target behaviors that last over time, occur in situations other than those in which the interventions were implemented initially, and/or spread to behaviors that were not treated directly.

ABA Teaching Methods

Discrete Trial Training (DTT) is a highly structured and intense form of ABA and typically occurs at a table, although can be utilized in more generalized settings. Each teachable moment is planned, separate, and distinct. Each target is typically repeated in a trial of 10. DTT is beneficial for students that require more repetition. The sequenced form of instruction has 3 steps: 1.SD (instruction) 2. Response 3. Consequence. Generalization is more difficult in DTT and must be planned.

Natural Environment Training (NET) is a more natural form of utilizing ABA and is conducted in the child’s typical environment. Everyday household/classroom objects and toys are used as teaching materials and the rewards for correct responses are natural. The teacher has a curriculum (list of targets to teach) in mind and makes it portable. The targets are inserted in activities, games and play. The child’s motivation and interests are a main factor in NET; most children do not recognize they are “working”. Generalization is built into this teaching strategy.

Pivotal Response Training (PRT) is another form of naturalistic ABA and is used to teach language, decrease disruptive/self-stimulatory behaviors, and increase social, communication, and academic skills by focusing on critical or pivotal behaviors that affect a wide range of behaviors. The primary pivotal behaviors are motivation and child's initiations of communications with others. The goal of PRT is to produce positive changes in the pivotal behaviors, leading to improvement in communication skills, play skills, social behaviors and the child's ability to monitor his own behavior. Motivational strategies include the variation of tasks, revisiting mastered tasks to ensure the child retains acquired skills, rewarding attempts, and the use of direct and natural reinforcement.

Professional Practice of ABA

Definition of Practice:

For regulatory purposes like professional credentialing and laws, the practice of ABA is defined as: …the design, implementation, and evaluation of instructional and environmental modifications by a behavior analyst to produce socially significant improvements in human behavior. It includes the empirical identification of functional relations between behavior and environmental factors, known as functional assessment and analysis. Applied behavior analysis interventions are based on scientific research and the direct observation and measurement of behavior and environment. They utilize contextual factors, establishing operations, antecedent stimuli, positive reinforcement, and other consequences to help people develop new behaviors, increase or decrease existing behaviors, and emit behaviors under specific environmental conditions (Behavior Analyst Certification Board, 2012)

A complete description of the concepts, principles, and procedures involved in the professional practice of ABA can be found in the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) Task List at https://bacb.com/wp-content/ uploads/2017/01/170113-BCBA-BCaBA-task-list-5th-ed-english.pdf

Generally speaking, in everyday practice the design and delivery of ABA services to clients has these essential components:

  • Development of an individualized intervention plan by a professional behavior analyst. That entails reviewing records, interviewing the client and his/her caregivers, and conducting assessments to determine the client’s current (baseline) levels of adaptive and maladaptive behaviors, preferences, strengths, and needs; working with the client, caregivers, and other members of the intervention team to select behaviors to be improved (“target behaviors” or “intervention targets”); and developing written procedures (protocols) for directly observing, measuring, and improving all target behaviors. Intervention may be comprehensive (addressing many target behaviors) or focused on a small number of behaviors.

Implementation and management of the intervention plan by the professional behavior analyst. That includes:

  • Training interventionists (behavior technicians, caregivers, and others) to carry out selected aspects of protocols with the client in everyday settings. The behavior analyst may implement protocols as well.

  • Ongoing supervision and monitoring of interventionists.

  • Ongoing, frequent direct observation and measurement of target behaviors and review and analysis of graphed data.

  • Adjusting protocols and targets based on the data, and training interventionists to implement the revised protocols

  • Periodically reviewing progress with the client, caregivers, intervention team, and funders (where applicable). (Behavior Analyst Certification Board, 2014)