Frequently Asked
Questions

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is an evidence-based approach that uses learning theory to enhance socially important behaviors. Carefully analyzing how behavior works by considering the Discriminative Stimulus (Sd), the Response (R), and the Reinforcing Stimulus (Sr), therapists break skills into manageable steps, build motivation, and reinforce successes. Over time, desired behaviors increase while interfering behaviors decrease.

1. Assessment: A Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) evaluates your learner’s strengths, challenges, and environment.
2. Program Design: Skills are divided into component parts, from basic manding (requesting) to complex social exchanges.
3. Implementation: Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs), under BCBA supervision, deliver one-on-one instruction, carefully delivering prompts and reinforcement.
4. Prompt Fading: As learners master steps, prompts are gradually reduced so cues (Sd’s) and rewards (Sr’s) become more natural.
5. Data Collection: Every session is tracked (frequency, accuracy, independence) to help us identify learners' progress and needs.
6. Generalization: Skills are practiced across different individuals and settings to ensure they carry over into everyday life.

While ABA is most commonly associated with autism spectrum disorders, its principles apply to many developmental and behavioral challenges. Children as young as 18 months can begin to see gains, with the brain’s greatest plasticity occurring between ages 1 and 10. However, learners of any age can make meaningful progress when programs are tailored to their needs.

Research supports that 20–40 hours per week of intensive ABA therapy can significantly improve developmental trajectories and help bridge the gaps with typical peers. However, hours are based on individual clinical recommendations and tailored to each child’s unique needs.

A Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA)

• Holds a master’s degree in behavior analysis and has passed a national certification exam
• Conducts assessments, designs, oversees, and adjusts intervention plans
• Trains RBTs and parents to implement strategies ethically and effectively

By having a BCBA on your team, you ensure your ABA program is guided by the latest research and professional standards.

Great ABA therapists blend empathy with analytic thinking:

• Warmth & Playfulness: To build trusting connections
• Curiosity & Creativity: To find motivating activities
• Reliability & Consistency: To reinforce progress
• Patience & Persistence: To navigate setbacks and celebrate small wins

• Individualized Care Plans: Every learner has a unique profile, so goals are based on developmental levels and family priorities.
• Data-Driven Decisions: We track each objective—accuracy, independence, prompt level—and review weekly with families during Parent Consultation sessions.
• Regular Updates: Your BCBA meets with you to review programs and data, celebrate successes, and plan next steps.

Prompt fading is the step-by-step removal of adult assistance so that learners come to respond to natural cues on their own. Rather than jumping from full support to no support, we guide each child through a carefully timed sequence:

1. Full physical prompt
   (Hand-over-hand guidance)
2. Partial physical prompt
   (Light touch or guiding pressure)
3. Model prompt
   (Therapist demonstrates the correct response)
4. Gesture or visual prompt
   (Pointing, eye gaze, picture cue)
5. Verbal prompt
   (“What do you say?” or a vocal hint)
6. Natural cue only
   (No additional prompts—learner responds independently)

Why We Fade Prompts Gradually

• Promotes Independence: By easing off support only when a skill is reliably mastered, learners build confidence and self-reliance.
• Prevents Prompt Dependence: Moving too slowly can cause a child to wait for help; moving too quickly can lead to frustration or errors. A measured pace ensures true mastery.
• Ensures Generalization: When prompts match real-world cues, such as natural instructions or environmental signals, skills transfer more smoothly to school, home, and community settings.

How We Decide When to Fade

• Data-Driven Decisions: We track each learner’s accuracy and prompt level. Once performance hits a predefined criterion (e.g., 80% correct with the current prompt level over two consecutive weeks' sessions), the next less guided prompt is introduced.
• Individualized Pacing: Some children move through levels rapidly; others need extra practice at one step. Our therapists tailor the timeline to each learner’s unique learning profile.

By following these guidelines, the Arizona Institute for Autism helps ensure that every child grows toward meaningful independence… one prompt at a time.

ABA addresses all verbal operants (functional units of language) through structured programs that:

• Increase Vocabulary: Matching, naming, categorizing
• Build Receptive Skills: Following instructions, understanding questions
• Shape Expressive Skills: By weaving language targets such as requests (mands), descriptions (tacts), and answering (intraverbals) into play, academics, motor activities, and daily routines, learners generalize communication beyond the therapy room.

Many social routines, such as turn-taking or conversational back-and-forth, aren’t intuitive for learners on the spectrum. Applied Behavior Analysis:

1. Identifies specific social deficits (e.g., initiating play, sharing)
2. Breaks them into teachable steps (e.g., hold out toy, wait, release)
3. Uses reinforcement (social praise, preferred activities) to build skills
4. Practices across peers and settings until interactions become natural

While every learner is unique, many families notice early wins, such as increased eye contact or fewer tantrums, within 4-8 weeks of consistent programming. Significant shifts in communication or social engagement often emerge over 3-6 months, with continued gains as programs evolve.

You’re an essential member of the team!

• Observation & Feedback: Attending periodic parent sessions to learn strategies
• Home Practice: Reinforcing skills between clinic visits
• Goal Setting: Sharing priorities so programs reflect real-life needs

Strong parent involvement accelerates learning and helps skills generalize across environments.

No. While reducing harmful or disruptive behaviors is part of ABA, we also build replacement skills and focus on:

• Language development
• Social engagement
• Daily living skills (toileting, self-care)
• Academics and play

ABA therapy is structured but flexible. It may include play-based learning, communication practice, behavior support, and skill-building activities that are individualized to your child’s needs and interests.

Meltdowns are often not intentional behaviors. They are usually a child’s way of communicating overwhelm, expressing needs & wants, or frustration, especially when they do not yet have the language or skills to express what they need. Identifying triggers, teaching coping strategies, and supporting communication can significantly reduce the frequency and intensity of meltdowns.

Strategies that can help reduce meltdowns

1. Teach functional communication (words, gestures, pictures, AAC, or signs)

2. Use visual supports, as they make expectations predictable and clear.

   Visual Support Examples

   • Visual schedules
   • First/Then boards
   • Choice boards
   • Emotion charts
   • Break cards

3. Teach coping skills during calm moments.

   Coping Skill Examples

   • Deep breathing or counting
   • Squeezing a stress ball
   • Requesting a break
   • Going to a calm space
   • Using words or visuals to label feelings

4. Reduce demands when needed

   If your child is overwhelmed:

   • Break tasks into smaller steps
   • Offer choices instead of demands
   • Lower expectations temporarily to help them regulate

Meltdowns happen for different reasons. Observing your child and identifying antecedents that lead to the meltdown can help in determining the best way to respond and support your child. Meltdown occurs because of different reasons, including, but not limited to:

• Limited communication skills (your child knows something is wrong but can’t say what)
• Difficulty expressing wants or needs (help, break, attention, sensory input)
• Changes in routine or unexpected transitions
• Sensory overload (noise, lights, crowds, textures)
• Task demands that feel too hard or unclear
• Fatigue, hunger, or emotional overload

What helps in the moment

• Stay calm and use a neutral tone
• Reduce language and stimulation
• Ensure safety
• Allow space if needed
• Support calming, not compliance

Teaching happens after the child is calm, not during the meltdown.

Many children need support with predictability. Visual schedules, advance warnings, transition cues, and consistent routines can help children feel more secure and prepared for change.

Skills vary by child, but often include communication, play, independence, emotional regulation, and social interaction.

Emotional regulation develops over time. Teaching simple coping skills, modeling calm behavior, using visuals, and validating feelings can help your child learn to manage emotions more effectively.

Safety is always the priority. Understanding why the behavior is happening (function of a behavior) is the first step to determine the best strategy. Support may include teaching safer alternatives, improving communication, and modifying the environment to reduce triggers.

Refusal often means a task is too hard, unclear, or overwhelming. Breaking tasks into smaller steps, offering choices, visual schedule and using positive reinforcement can help increase cooperation.

Play skills are learned, not automatic. Children may need support learning how to share, take turns, and engage with peers through structured play opportunities and modeling.

Some behaviors may be related to sensory sensitivities or sensory-seeking needs. When a child’s sensory system is overwhelmed or under-stimulated, it can impact their ability to stay regulated, communicate needs, and engage appropriately. Identifying sensory patterns and offering targeted supports can significantly improve comfort, regulation, and participation.

Common Sensory-Related Behaviors

Your child may be communicating a sensory need if you notice behaviors such as:

• Covering ears in loud or busy environments
• Avoiding certain textures (clothing, foods, materials)
• Becoming distressed during grooming tasks (hair brushing, nail cutting)
• Seeking movement (spinning, jumping, crashing)
• Chewing on clothing, toys, or non-food items
• Becoming dysregulated in bright lights or crowded spaces

How to Support Sensory Needs

Supporting sensory needs does not mean avoiding challenges, but rather providing the right input at the right time to help your child regulate.

Examples of Sensory Supports

• For auditory sensitivity: noise-canceling headphones, quieter spaces, advance warnings before loud sounds
• For tactile sensitivity: soft clothing, removing tags, gradual exposure to new textures
• For movement seekers: trampoline time, obstacle courses, heavy-work activities (pushing, pulling, carrying)
• For oral sensory needs: chewy tubes, crunchy snacks, safe oral sensory tools
• For visual sensitivity: dimmer lighting, sunglasses indoors when appropriate, reduced visual clutter

Coping skills are most effective when they are taught proactively, not during moments of crisis. Children need repeated practice using calming strategies, communication skills, and emotional identification during calm, regulated moments so they are more likely to access those skills when they feel overwhelmed.

What Coping Skills Can Look Like

Coping skills help children manage big emotions before they escalate into tantrums. Examples include:

• Taking deep breaths
• Asking for help or a break
• Using words, pictures, or gestures to express feelings
• Squeezing a stress ball or holding a comfort item
• Going to a calm-down space
• Listening to calming music

1. Practice During Calm Moments

   Teach and practice coping strategies when your child is relaxed.

   • Example: Practice “smell the flower, blow the candle” breathing before bedtime or during play.
   • Example: Role-play asking for a break during a fun activity.

2. Teach Emotional Labeling

   Help your child name their emotions so they can recognize them early.

   • Example: Use emotion cards or a feelings chart daily.

3. Model Coping Skills

   Children learn by watching adults regulate themselves.

   • Example: “I’m feeling overwhelmed, so I’m going to take a deep breath.”
   • Example: Show calming strategies when something doesn’t go as planned.

4. Use Visual Support

   Visuals make coping skills easier to remember and use.

   • Example: A calm-down choice board with pictures of breathing, squeezing, or asking for help.
   • Example: First/Then cards that show calming before returning to an activity.

5. Reinforce Skill Use

   Praise and reinforce your child for using coping strategies, even with support.

   • Example: “You asked for help instead of yelling. Great job using your words!”
   • Example: Provide immediate positive feedback or small rewards.

During moments of escalation, make sure:

• Keep language minimal and calm
• Support safety and regulation
• Avoid teaching new skills in the moment

After your child has calmed, briefly review:

• What feeling came up
• Which coping skill helped or could help next time

Building Long-Term Success

With consistent practice, children learn that coping skills are effective and empowering. Over time, this reduces tantrum frequency and helps children respond to challenges in more adaptive ways.

Many children need gradual exposure to group expectations. Short, supported activities with movement breaks and positive reinforcement can build tolerance and success.

ABA can help children develop foundational skills such as following directions, attending to tasks, transitioning, communication, and social interaction; all of which support learning readiness.

Progress may look like improved communication, fewer meltdowns, increased independence, or better coping; even if changes feel small. Reviewing programs data, communication, and observation help track growth.

Skills generalize best when practiced across settings and people. Consistency, collaboration, and using the same strategies at home can help skills transfer more naturally.

Reinforcement means giving your child something motivating after a behavior to help the targeted behavior happen more often. It helps children understand, "When I do this, good things happen."

Reinforcement and bribing are not the same. Bribing is usually offered in the moment to stop a maladaptive behavior that is already happening (for example, "If you stop crying, you'll get a toy"). Reinforcement is planned and happens after a behavior and your child uses a skill or shows a positive behavior, such as following directions, communicating appropriately, or trying their best.

Reinforcement is used to teach and strengthen skills, not to control behavior. Over time, reinforcement is reduced as your child becomes more confident and independent, while bribing does not build long-term learning.

Every child learns best when learning feels clear and motivating. Reinforcement helps by clearly showing your child which behaviors lead to success. It makes expectations predictable, reduces frustration, and builds confidence. Over time, as skills become easier and more familiar, reinforcement is gradually faded and replaced with more natural rewards, such as independence, pride, and social connection.

Challenging behaviors often happen when a child is trying to communicate a need, escape a difficult situation, or manage big emotions, but doesn't yet have the right skills to do so. Reinforcement helps by teaching and strengthening appropriate skills such as asking for help, using words or visuals, taking a break, or using calming strategies.

When these appropriate behaviors are consistently reinforced, your child learns that they are an effective way to get their needs met. Over time, as positive and functional  behaviors work better, challenging behaviors naturally decrease.

When a skill is new or difficult, reinforcement helps your child understand expectations and stay motivated. As the skill becomes easier and more consistent, reinforcement is gradually reduced and replaced with more natural rewards such as social connection & praise. Reinforcement is gradually faded as skills grow.

The long-term goal is always for your child to use skills independently and feel motivated by everyday experiences & natural motivation, not by rewards.

The best way to identify what motivates your child is to observe what they naturally choose during free time. Notice what they return to repeatedly, what holds their attention the longest, and what makes them smile, calm, or engaged. Motivation can look different for every child and may include toys, activities, movement, music, sensory input, attention, or short breaks.

It's also important to remember that motivation can change from day to day. Offering choices, rotating items, and keeping access brief can help maintain interest. Your ABA team may also use preference assessments to help identify and update reinforcers as your child grows and their interests change.

This is very common, especially for young children or children who are still learning how to stay engaged. Motivation naturally changes, and a reward that works today may not work tomorrow. To keep reinforcement effective, try rotating different rewards, offering your child choices, and limiting how long they have access to the reward so it stays special.

It is important to remember that losing interest does not mean reinforcement isn't working, it simply means it's time to switch things up.

Yes, everyday items and activities often make the best reinforcement. Simple things like extra playtime, music, movement breaks, attention, praise, tickles, snacks, or a favorite activity can be highly motivating for children. These natural reinforcers are easy to use at home, feel fun and familiar, and help skills carry over into daily life.

Food rewards can be appropriate when used thoughtfully, in small portions, and as part of a broader reinforcement plan. For some children, food can be highly motivating, especially when learning new or difficult skills. When food is used, it is typically paired with praise and other positive feedback so that motivation doesn't rely on food alone.

Over time, food rewards are gradually reduced and replaced with more natural reinforcement, such as social praise, access to activities, etc. and then faded.

This happens sometimes and is completely normal. Motivation can change as your child grows. When reinforcement seems less effective, it usually means the reinforcer is no longer as motivating. Try offering choices, rotating to new reinforcers, limiting access so rewards stay special, or breaking the task into smaller steps. Your ABA team can help reassess preferences and adjust reinforcement to better match your child's effort and skill level. Reinforcement "not working" is not a failure, it's a sign that the plan needs a small adjustment.

Yes, if your child finds praise motivating.

Reinforcement should be given for calm, appropriate behaviors, not during the tantrum itself. During a tantrum, your child is often overwhelmed and not in a place to learn. Providing reinforcement at that moment can unintentionally teach that the tantrum is a way to get needs met.

Instead, focus on keeping your child safe and calm. Once the tantrum has passed, reinforce positive behaviors such as calming down, using communication, asking for help, or following directions. Over time, reinforcing these skills helps your child learn more effective ways to cope and communicate, which reduces future tantrums.

Yes. Reinforcement is very effective for building emotional regulation skills. When your child uses coping strategies such as taking calm breaths, asking for a break, using words or visuals to express feelings, or choosing a calming activity, reinforcing those moments helps strengthen those skills.

By consistently reinforcing calm and regulated behaviors, your child learns that using coping tools works better than becoming overwhelmed. Over time, these strategies become more natural and are used independently, even without reinforcement.