What is ABA?

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is an evidence-based approach to changing behavior. Our approach combines years of research and the core principles of our field to change behavior in the following ways: 1. increase functional skills to promote independence, and 2. decrease any behaviors that are a safety risk or may intrude on learning and/or social opportunities. The use of ABA for individuals with a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder has been supported by many national and governmental agencies, including the U.S. Surgeon General
 

What does ABA do?

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) focuses on increasing socially important and functional skills while decreasing behaviors that interfere with learning, social interactions, or those that pose a safety risk. Behavior change is accomplished by making changes to a client’s environment, taking data, and analyzing the results. How does this work?

First, we look at the ABC’s of behavior

• Antecedent: anything that happens right before the behavior

• Behavior: anything a person does

• Consequence: anything that happens directly after the behavior

• Then, we use this ABC information to change behavior. We do this by applying different principles along the A-B-C chain. Let’s look at the most common one: positive reinforcement. This occurs at the ‘C’ component of A-B-C.

• Positive reinforcement is something that is added to the environment after a behavior that motivates a person to behave the same way in the future. This seems pretty abstract, right? Let’s look at an example…

Example: A young child is learning to get dressed. Usually, she screams and cries when it comes to pulling her shirt over her head to indicate that she needs help with this difficult task. An ABA clinician may work to teach her what she could do instead of screaming and crying (ex: ask for help). One day, the girl asks for help instead of screaming and crying. After asking for help, she is given lots of praise and access to help. This increases the chances she will ask for help instead of screaming and crying in the future. In this case, positive reinforcement is social praise and access to help.  

• The other crucial components to our practice are taking data and analyzing the results. As with the example mentioned above, praise and access to help are only considered positive reinforcement if it results in an increase of the child asking for help instead of screaming and crying during future instances of getting dressed.

We understand that this may seem pretty straightforward, and that’s because it’s meant to be (for example purposes). Behavior comes in many shapes and forms, and there are a wide variety of principles our ABA clinicians will use to address each individual behavior along the way

How can ABA be used?

1. Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) can be applied to a wide range of skills, environments, and individuals. Since ABA is individualized based on each person’s needs, it looks very different from one situation to the next.

2. ABA is typically applied to the following skill areas:

   Communication: ability to effectively communicate wants and needs

   Examples: request help, express feelings

   • Social: interaction with others

     Examples: eye contact, greetings, conversation

   • Play: functional and age-appropriate

     Examples: pretend, imaginary

   • Behavior: reduction of unsafe behavior, and/or behavior that interferes with learning and/or social interaction

     Examples: aggression, self-injury, tantrums,

   • Self-Help: independent care of oneself

     Examples: dressing, eating, washing hands

   • Group Instruction: learning in a group setting

     Examples: sit in group, attend to lead teacher

   • Safety

     Examples: street crossing, community helper identification

   • Receptive: listener behavior

     Examples: following instructions, identifying named item, respond to own name

   • Expressive: speaker behavior

     Examples: naming items, naming internal states (hunger)

   • Imitation: copying other’s actions

     Examples: vocal (saying “apple” after someone models the word), motor (clapping after seeing someone clap)

3. ABA is typically used in the following locations

   • School or center

   • Home

   • Community

At Branch Out, we primarily cover ABA services in the home and community. School-based services are available on a case-by-case basis.

What is my role as a parent?

Involvement as a parent is extremely important to success. Not only is it often required by funding agencies, we require it as part of the treatment process here at Branch Out. Our ultimate goal is for our patients and their families to no longer require ABA services and to have the necessary tools to live an independent life.

The degree of involvement will depend on your child’s needs, but typically ranges from 2-4 support meetings each month. These parent support meetings will cover any goals we have set at the onset of treatment and typically focuses on training you on the principles of ABA that are relevant to your child and training on how to apply various principles to change behavior. Some common topics addressed include (but are not limited to):

• Functions of behavior (why behavior occurs), which typically focuses on unwanted behaviors

• Function-based applications to change unwanted behavior (how to change behavior based on why it occurs)

• Feeding (expanding repertoire, increasing independence/compliance during mealtime)

• Communication

• How to carry over any teaching methods used during ABA sessions that would also benefit your child outside of session
   

What is a BCBA?

It’s an acronym for Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). This is a supervisory-level ABA clinician who has been certified through the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB), which is the national certifying agency for ABA. All BCBAs have the following:

• Master’s level education

• 1500 hours of individual, applied experience in the field of ABA

•   Passing score on the national certification exam

 In addition, all of our BCBAs are also licensed to practice in the state of New York. This means they have:

• Passed a state-level exam in ABA

•   Completed a graduate program specifically in ABA, Psychology, or Education

• A good moral character as determined by the state

 When you start services, one of our BCBA’s will join your team and his or her primary function will be the management and supervision of your child’s treatment. The BCBA will conduct the initial assessment, use the assessment results to develop a treatment plan, create programming to target goals outlined in the treatment plan, train all clinicians on the programs, provide ongoing supervision to direct care clinicians, provide parent support, update programming as needed, and much more. Typically, a BCBA will visit your home 1-2 times per week to supervise the direct care clinician and/or meet with you for a parent support meeting.

 Note: you may also hear of a BCBA being referred to as a behavior analyst or licensed behavior analyst.

How do I know if my child is eligible for Applied Behavior Analysis services?

 In New York, a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is necessary to be eligible for Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) services.

 If your child already has a diagnosis of ASD, there are many options for how to approach treatment. First, you may want to consider if ABA is a good fit for your child and your family. We are happy to answer any questions you may have. Second, there are numerous payment options you may want to consider. We accept private payments and are in-network with the following insurance providers:

• Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield

• Tricare East

• Optum

• Aetna

 If your child does not yet have a diagnosis of ASD but you have concerns, please consult with your child’s primary care provider. More information on how to address any concerns you might have can be found under our ‘Resources’ tab.