What the heck is ABA Part 2: Why are so many different things called ABA?
Applied behavior analysis, or ABA, therapy can be confusing because it can look very different for different learners. In fact, it should look different for different learners. ABA is an underlying set of principles that rely on breaking down the ABC’s of behavior (see our previous blog post on this topic). So, while every ABA therapist should use the same principles, they apply these principles in different ways depending on the learner. I think about it like dancing; although a tango duo moves in a way that is very different from a break dancer, we describe both of these things as dancing because they rely on the same principles of combining movement with music. Below I’ll describe different types of ABA therapies that, although they may look as different as the ChaCha versus the worm, are all considered ABA.
Discrete Trial Training (DTT). DTT is a popular form of ABA therapy, and is often what people are thinking of when they talk about ABA therapy. DTT is a one-on-one teaching approach that generally occurs at a table. It breaks learning down into small and simple units, or “trials” and then provides a lot of practice in a row (often 10 or more trials). For example, if a therapist wants to teach your child the concept of animals, they might use picture cards and ask you child to “point to the dog.” Once your child recognizes the word dog consistently, they might move on to “cat.” They’ll continue on with various animals until your child can identify many different animals in the pictures that they present. Another important part of DTT is the use of “reinforcers,” or positive consequences (remember the C of the ABC’s?) of a correct behavior. Reinforcers might be a favorite snack, blowing bubbles, a preferred toy, or a break from working at the table. Often times you’ll see a token board used within DTT. This is simply a way of showing the learner how many correct answers he/she has to get before getting the reinforcers. For example, the therapist might expect your child to identify the dog three times before they get to have a break on the trampoline.
Naturalistic or Play-Based ABA. These types of ABA therapy use play and everyday routines as the base of teaching rather than the more structured table-top setting that DTT uses. Although the goals may be similar to the goals of DTT, the teaching looks quite different because it occurs during play. Take the same example of learning animals, discussed above. A therapist would teach this concept by incorporating animals throughout play. For example, they might ask your child to “point to the dog” while playing with a barnyard set, and again when completing an animal puzzle, and again when reading a book about different animals. They also might ask this while taking a walk outside, or during a snack time that includes animal crackers. Another thing that looks different is the reinforcer. Generally, naturalistic interventions rely on naturally-occurring consequences, like accessing the next step of a play routine, or social reinforcement like praise, high-fives, and tickles. There are several different names for these types of therapy, such as Pivotal Response Training (PRT), Hanen More Than Words, or the Early Start Denver Model. At Ascend, we like the Early Start Denver Model because we believe it is most closely related to the natural way young children learn!
School-based ABA Therapy. If you have a school-aged child, he/she might be receiving behavioral therapy or behavioral support in their classrooms. If so, your child likely has an IEP that specifies what this means for them. Likely, a behavior specialist (or a BCBA) made a plan to support your child in their daily learning environment. This might mean that they have a “Behavior Plan.” A behavior plan also uses the principles of ABA to reduce behaviors that are challenging in the classroom and increase behaviors that help your child learn. For example, your child might have a token board in which he/she receives a token for every five-minutes of on-task behavior; and when they receive all of the tokens, they get a break.
Parent Coaching. Sometimes, instead of working directly with your child, your ABA therapist will teach the parents or caregivers strategies to use. This is especially relevant right now, when a lot of therapists are using telehealth instead of in-person services. They should teach you skills that are relevant specifically to you and your child, depending on your needs, such as how to implement a visual schedule, different strategies for potty training or bedtime routines, or ways to increase your child’s communication. This is still ABA therapy, but now you’re the therapist! Most ABA therapists should include you in some way, whether it’s in deciding what goals to work on, collecting data in your home, or implementing certain strategies.
Things that are the same
All ABA therapy should use the ABC’s of behavior
All ABA therapist should take data during every session
All ABA therapy should be individualized to your child’s needs
·All ABA therapy should include a parent in some capacity
Things that are different
The setting: a clinic, a school, or in your home
The context: table-top, play or daily routines
The partner: a therapist, teacher, or caregiver
The reinforcer: what is the reward for participating
The skills being targeted
Hopefully this helps you understand the many “dances” of ABA. Our next blog post is going to go a bit further, moving from HOW we teach to WHAT we teach.
