How to Know If You are Getting Good ABA?

Posted by EpicWatson on January 27th, 2021

Experienced ABA Therapists Discuss What to Look for

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy has significantly evolved over the years and continues to be one of the most powerful evidence-based therapies to treat individuals with Autism. Today, ABA represents a combination of several techniques that use positive reinforcements and rewards for skill development and behavior modification in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). While ABA tends to be the preferred therapeutic strategy for families dealing with an Autism diagnosis, the treatment itself has become more widespread. This has led to the emergence of varied approaches within ABA, some highly-structured and disciplined, while others more relaxed and play-based.

Whether the child receives ABA therapy at home, in a clinic-based setting, or at school, it is only natural for parents to wonder whether they are getting the best ABA therapy for their child. The experts at AB Spectrum offer some tips that may help parents recognize whether their chosen ABA program and Autism treatment center are effective.

Factors to Evaluate the Quality of the ABA Program

ABA therapy has the potential to completely alter the future of a child with Autism. Every ABA program aims to bring about positive, sustainable changes in the lives of families and children dealing with ASD. The focus of the therapy is helping the child assimilate better in society and become independent in all areas of life. This may include:

• Developing verbal skills, motor skills, and cognitive abilities
• Teaching essential life skills and self-care tasks that promote independence
• Enhancing language and communication skills for improved social interactions
• Improving memory and attention for achieving on-task behaviors (academic and job related)
• Teaching self-monitoring and self-control techniques to reduce negative or destructive behaviors
• Creating a positive learning environment to increase the consistency of desirable behaviors.

Since every ABA curriculum is tailor-made for each child’s unique needs and goals, no two plans may be identical. However, regularly monitoring the program, the therapist, and the child’s development will help parents understand whether they are getting good ABA.

The ABA program: Watch for some of these red flags:

• There is no collection of data to track and monitor the child’s progress on the specific treatment goals.
• The ABA service provider uses a cookie-cutter approach based on the children’s age group, instead of preparing a customized curriculum.
• There is use of punishment or lack of sufficient rewards and positive reinforcements.
• There is no mechanism to supervise young or inexperienced clinicians.
• The program focuses on getting rid of problematic behaviors without doing a deep dive into the skill deficits that are driving these undesirable behaviors.

The ABA Therapist: The highest qualification of an ABA therapist is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). This credential involves intensive training, including:

• A master’s degree in the field of special education, child psychology, speech therapy or other such related fields
• Several ABA courses and exams
• 1500 hours of fieldwork under the supervision of a qualified practitioner

Due to the high demand for BCBAs, many do not offer direct therapy, and instead choose to provide advisory services and oversight. This includes consulting with families, assessing the child’s needs and goals, designing an individualized ABA curriculum and supervising a Registered Behavior Therapist (RBT), who delivers the one-to-one therapy. The RBTs usually come with a high school diploma and a minimum of 40 hours of training.

Here are some of the traits of good ABA therapists:

• They are passionate about creating meaningful, sustainable changes in the lives of the children with Autism, as well as the families. They enjoy talking about ABA strategies and therapy is not just a ‘job’ for them.
• They encourage the parents and siblings to participate in the sessions and learn ABA-based techniques to help extend the child’s therapy beyond the formal sessions.
• They keep the child engaged, ensure that the child is enjoying the learning sessions, and modify their approach to suit the child’s needs and interests.
• They are invested in the child’s progress and are as excited as the parents and siblings are when the child achieves a therapy goal or milestone.
• They ask for feedback and supervision from senior clinicians in their team and continue to monitor the child’s progress at regular intervals.
• They are open to communication with the child’s caregivers, teachers and other professionals who play a role in the child’s development.
• They take their role seriously, work the full sessions, show up on time (for at home sessions) and are professional in their approach.
• They produce results in the form of visible improvements in the child’s skills, behaviors, and abilities.

The Child’s Development:Therapy is a process and one needs to allow sufficient time to start seeing changes, as they do not occur instantly. However, a good therapist has the potential to bring about huge, positive differences in the child’s learning and the family’s overall quality of life. Parents should actively track and monitor the child’s progress in everyday situations and keep an eye out for new problem behaviors or skill deficits. They should discuss these changes with the BCBA and RBT and evaluate whether they need to add them to the child’s therapy goals.

About Autism and Behavior Spectrum (AB Spectrum)

Specializing in individualized Autism treatment, AB Spectrum uses the Reggio Emilia ABA therapy philosophy. Their team of qualified and experienced BCBAs and RBTs create detailed, tailor-made programs to address the child’s needs and the family’s treatment goals. This includes using a combination of various ABA-based techniques and employing only positive reinforcement techniques to develop relevant skills, reduce problem behaviors, and promote the child’s function and independence. Their well-structured programs take into account every child’s specific triggers and learning abilities to ensure that they incorporate the right critical interventions and make the therapy as effective as possible. They offer in-home ABA services, clinic-based ABA therapy, or a combination of both for families dealing with ASD. Their ABA programs and services are available throughout St. Louis, Chesterfield, and St. Charles, Missouri.

Call 314.648.2687 or schedule a consultation to learn more about AB Spectrum’s ABA therapy approach or plans. Their experience, credentials, and track record make them one of the most trusted Autism treatment centers in and around St. Louis, Missouri.