We all have to keep in mind that at the end of the day is about what is the best for our learners and how we can all (professionals, parents, careers, teachers, etc.) work together and collaborate to better support them to achieve their best potential.
What is the goal of ABA interventions?
1) To increase behaviours that are useful for the individuals and help them improve their quality of live (by teaching them how to communicate, develop their social skills in order to create friendships, developing hobbies and interests by teaching leisure skills and developing self-help skills to live a mode independent life).
2) To decrease behaviours that interfere with their learning, can be harmful for them and the people around them and affect relationships and isolate the individual.
All the goals and targets are individually tailored for each learner and they have to be social significant for them.
Who are the professional qualified to provide ABA services?
Until recently the Behaviour Analyst Certification Board (BACB) credentials were the only standard for the profession and highly recommended. The Society for Behaviour Analysts UK (UK-SBA) is the other standard for the profession and it has been accredited by the professional standard authority and all the professionals working in UK will need this credential. Look for credentials as BCBA and UK BA cert. To obtain this certifications is required a graduated coursework, extensive supervised experience, an international exam, in some cases mentorship and ongoing continuing education. All certificants must adhere to the BACB`s/UK-SBA`s standards as outlined in the Professional & Ethical Compliance Code for Behaviour Analysts (see www.bacb.com, www.uk-sba.org ), have a DBS, safeguarding certificate and be insured.
What are the hallmarks of high-quality ABA programs?
- Individualized: tailored to the learner`s abilities, interests and support needed
- Intensive: low instructor/student ratio. High number of instructional hours and learning opportunities. The higher the number of hours of ABA per week the faster increase of the pace of learning.
- Comprehensive: Various ABA instructional methods are incorporated to ensure a wide range of prioritized skills are taught across different settings, people, etc.
- Supervision: ABA program is designed and monitored on regular basis by a BCBA/UK BA cert
- Trainings: All participants (both tutors and family members) will have theoretical and practical training in the intervention techniques
- Data analysis: data is being recorded and analysed periodically to develop and adjust the treatment plan
Where to find accredited professionals, consultants?
- The UK Society for Behaviour Analysts Registry : www.uk-sba.org
- The BACB`s Certificant Registry: www.bacb.com
Where to find an ABA tutor?
- The UK Society for Behaviour Analysts Registry: www.uk-sba.org
- ABA Facebook groups from UK
- The BACB`s Certificant Registry: www.bacb.com
Some different ABA strategies and principles that are a key feature:
Motivation: we all have different motivations. ABA is using the motivation of each learner to increase teaching opportunities. Behaviour analysts include the learner`s interests and what is fun for them to develop effective plans.
Reinforcement: a positive reinforcer is a consequence which increases the likelihood the behaviour will happen again in the future. Reinforcers are unique for each person. Strong reinforcers are necessary for individuals with ASD because many have a limited range of interests.
Prompting: prompts are additional information and support to help individuals’ new skills or to teach them what to expect in certain situations. There are different levels of prompting from the most intrusive level of prompting until the last one. When we are using prompting cues, we always plan for systematically fading them until the target behaviour can be done independently.
Task Analysis: Task analysis breaks complex tasks into small and easy steps. For example, the example “wash hands” can involve 10 steps. Individuals with ASD may be need to have each step presented and taught individually.
Systematic and Thorough Instruction: An example is Discrete Trial Instruction that practices specific teaching targets and responses with reinforcement. Natural Environment Teaching promotes transferring these skills into daily environment, using natural reinforcements that are logical outcomes of the activity.
Functional Behaviour Assessment: In order to decrease/eliminate behaviours of concern, that represent a barrier for learning and engagement, ABA involves understanding the behaviour is happening. Systematic analysis can determine what the individual is trying to communicate when engaging in behaviours of concern.