ABA Terminology

A scientific discipline that applies principles of learning and behavior to produce meaningful, positive changes in socially significant behaviors. ABA is the most extensively researched intervention for autism spectrum disorder.

What happens immediately before a behavior occurs. Understanding antecedents helps clinicians identify what triggers a behavior and how to modify the environment to support more helpful responses.

A written plan developed by a BCBA that outlines strategies for addressing a specific challenging behavior. It identifies the function of the behavior and describes proactive strategies, teaching strategies, and response strategies.

A graduate-level clinician who has completed specialized coursework in behavior analysis, accumulated supervised clinical hours, and passed a national certification examination administered by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB). BCBAs design and oversee all ABA therapy programs at ACP.

An undergraduate-level behavior analyst who practices under the supervision of a BCBA. BCaBAs can design and implement behavior programs but must have their work overseen by a BCBA.

A teaching technique used to build complex, multi-step skills by breaking them into smaller component steps and teaching each step in sequence. Chaining is commonly used to teach self-care skills such as hand-washing, dressing, and tooth-brushing.

What happens immediately after a behavior occurs. Consequences influence whether a behavior is more or less likely to happen again in the future. In ABA, consequences are carefully planned to reinforce desired behaviors and reduce problematic ones.

A structured teaching method that breaks skills into small, distinct components and teaches each component through repeated practice trials. Each trial has a clear instruction, a response opportunity, and a consequence. DTT is particularly effective for building foundational skills.

The process of withholding reinforcement for a previously reinforced behavior, resulting in a decrease in that behavior over time. Extinction is used carefully and always in combination with reinforcement of alternative behaviors.

A systematic process used to identify the function (purpose) of a challenging behavior — that is, what the person is getting or avoiding by engaging in the behavior. An FBA informs the development of an effective Behavior Intervention Plan.

The transfer of a learned skill to new settings, people, materials, or situations beyond those in which it was originally taught. Promoting generalization is a core goal of ABA therapy, ensuring that skills are useful in real life.

A naturalistic teaching strategy in which learning opportunities arise from the child's own interests and initiations within the natural environment, rather than being structured by the therapist. Incidental teaching promotes generalization and motivation.

A written document developed by the BCBA that outlines a child's current skill levels, treatment goals, and the specific strategies that will be used to achieve those goals. The ITP is reviewed and updated regularly based on data.

The continued performance of a skill over time after direct instruction has ended. ABA programs include strategies to promote maintenance so that skills are retained long-term.

A type of verbal behavior in which a person requests something they want or need. Teaching manding (requesting) is often one of the first communication goals in ABA therapy because it is highly motivating and immediately functional.

ABA instruction delivered within the child's natural environment — at home, in the community, or at school — using everyday activities and routines as teaching opportunities. NET promotes generalization and makes learning meaningful and relevant.

The addition of something valued or pleasurable following a behavior, which increases the likelihood that the behavior will occur again. Positive reinforcement is the primary tool used in ABA to build new skills and increase helpful behaviors.

Any assistance provided to help a person perform a desired behavior. Prompts can be physical (hand-over-hand guidance), gestural (pointing), verbal (telling the person what to do), or visual (showing a picture). Prompts are systematically faded over time to promote independence.

The gradual reduction of prompts over time as a child becomes more proficient at a skill, with the goal of the child eventually performing the skill independently without any assistance.

A paraprofessional who delivers direct ABA therapy under the close supervision of a BCBA. RBTs complete a 40-hour training curriculum and pass a national competency assessment. At ACP, RBTs are carefully matched to each child and implement the programs designed by the supervising BCBA.

A consequence that increases the future likelihood of a behavior. Reinforcement can be positive (adding something desirable) or negative (removing something aversive). In ABA therapy, positive reinforcement is the primary strategy used to build skills.

A teaching technique that reinforces successive approximations of a target behavior, gradually building toward the final desired behavior. Shaping is used when a child cannot yet perform a skill in its complete form.

A written plan that describes a specific skill to be taught, the teaching procedures to be used, the criteria for mastery, and the data collection method. Each child's treatment plan contains multiple skill acquisition programs targeting different goal areas.

A type of verbal behavior in which a person labels or describes something in their environment. Teaching tacting (labeling) helps children develop vocabulary and communicate about the world around them.

The process of breaking a complex skill down into its component steps so that each step can be taught individually. Task analyses are used in chaining procedures to teach multi-step skills such as self-care routines.

A reinforcement system in which a child earns tokens (stickers, points, chips) for engaging in target behaviors and later exchanges them for a preferred reward. Token economies are commonly used to build motivation and bridge the gap between a behavior and its reward.

An approach to language instruction within ABA that analyzes language by its function rather than its form. Verbal behavior programs focus on teaching different types of communication, including requesting (manding), labeling (tacting), and responding to others (intraverbal).