Incorporating ABA therapy at home can be daunting, but there are things you can do to make it easier.
ABA therapy is based on behavioral science principles of how people learn, change, and behave. Because of this foundation of Applied Behavior Analysis, you can learn and apply ABA concepts at home with your children. Incorporating ABA therapy at home can be daunting, but there are things you can do to make it easier. The more you apply ABA therapy at home and in other environments, the easier it will get. Here are some ABA strategies you can employ at home.
Positive Reinforcement
Positive reinforcement is a common concept found in ABA therapy. It’s the core of how we learn behaviors, how they change and grow over time, and how we learn new skills.
Positive reinforcement refers to the idea that something that happens after a behavior impacts that behavior occurring again in the future. More specifically, when a positive reinforcer follows a behavior, the behavior is more likely to happen again and more often.
When getting kids to learn new things and build their independence and life skills, it’s important to individualize your approach. Rewarding desired behaviors with verbal praise, physical affection, or objects can help children recognize and repeat positive behaviors in the future.
Modeling
Modeling is demonstrating a task to a child to teach them how to do it. This type of prompting works best when the child understands the task but needs help learning the details. It involves showing them step-by-step what to do and providing guidance or feedback when needed.
Be sure to model tasks at a speed appropriate for your child. Increase the rate as the child demonstrates improved mastery of the task. Some examples of modeling activities include showing appropriate communication under stress, brushing teeth, and transitioning from one activity to the next.
Prompting
Prompting is a useful ABA therapy tool to help children develop and practice skills. Prompts can be physical, instructional, or verbal. All prompt types should be used to gradually decrease their intensity over time so your child can eventually complete the task on their own.
Some ways to incorporate prompting include putting toothpaste on a toothbrush to indicate it’s time to brush teeth, providing instructions on how to tie a shoe, and asking if your child needs to use the bathroom as a reminder to do so.
Talk With Your Child’s ABA Therapist
Your child’s ABA therapist can provide you with valuable insight into the skills where your child may need additional support. Work with them to figure out how to incorporate specific ABA strategies at home that can help them grow.
The Connections Therapy Center
The Connections Therapy Center serves families of children and adolescents with disabilities and special needs. We are a team of experts in behavioral sciences. As a team, we offer intensive hands-on therapy for children and adolescents, as well as informative and useful resources for families. If you are interested in learning more about what we can do to help your family, visit us online or give us a call at (301) 577-4333. Want to get more information on how to help your child thrive? Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.