What to look for in a Quality Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Program

Cherie Fishbaugh, M.A., BCBA, Senior Consultant SPARC

ABA is the science used in the only rigorously researched, empirically-validated intervention for children on the autism spectrum. Finding a quality program can be difficult.

The following are 10things to look for in a quality ABA program.

  1. What is the consultant’s level of training/how well do they understand the science of ABA.
  2. There are many different levels of consultants and it is important to understand the difference in the quality of training.
  3. BCBA- Board Certified Behavior Analyst
  4. This is the top of training. There are two ways in which a person becomes eligible to sit for the exam. They either get a Master’s/Doctoral (BCBA-D)degree in behavior analysis; or they get a Master’s/Doctoral in a related field and take a 5-course series and complete 750-1500 hours of supervisionto sit for exam.
  5. A licensed Behavior Specialist
  6. A Master’s degree in related field and has completed relevant educational and training programs, including but not limited to professional ethics, autism specific trainings, assessments training, crisis intervention, and family collaboration; at least one year of experience involving functional behavior assessments; And has completed at least 1000 hours in direct clinical experience with individuals with behavior challenges or at least 1000 hours experience in a related field with individuals with autism spectrum disorders.
  7. BSC- Behavior Specialist Coordinator
  8. Master’s degree in related field and 2 years of experience working with children with disabilities. Additional training provided by agencies.
  1. What is the training and supervision of therapist(s) providing 1:1?
  2. A master’s level professional will not be providing the intervention. They will be supervising therapists to implement strategies and plans; thus supervision and training of 1:1 therapist(s) are important.
  3. As for education level of therapist, this varies, but most are either have or are pursuing an undergraduate degree.
  4. Inquire about the level of training the therapist has: duration, ages of children, behavioral challenges, and how often have they worked with consultant.
  5. As for supervision, in a quality program the team should meet (Consultant, parents, and therapist(s)) at a maximum once a week to minimum of one time a month; depending on number of hours per week. In a quality program the whole team should meet for consistency purposes.
  1. There is clear evidence of Progress monitoring and Data collection:
  2. Data are reviewed and decisions of future steps are data driven. If there is no progress across 3 data points, then a change to teaching strategy should be considered. Collecting data is only half the process, analyzing, and making decisions is the other step.
  1. The program is individualized for your child.
  2. ABA is not a curriculum, nor a cookie cutter program. It is important that the program meets the needs of family and child.
  3. Individualization includes: reinforcement, targets, skills, behavior plans, teaching strategies, materials, instructional setting, instructional time, etc.
  1. Parent involvement/training is essential in effective programming.
  2. Parents should be trained on strategies for teaching skills and implementation of behavior plans, thus importance of team meetings. This also helps the process of generalization of skills so that the child learns to demonstrate behavior/skill across people and environments.
  1. The consultant collaborates with others and related services.
  2. It takes a village, thus the program requires collaboration between school, home, and related services such as: speech and language pathologists, occupational therapist, physical therapist, and psychologist.
  1. In a quality program there is a clear assessment of skills.
  2. The 2 most popular assessments for an ABA program include VB-MAPP and ABLLS- R. Due to splinter skills of children on the spectrum, it is important to assess for the appropriate starting point of a program so that pre-requisite skills are not missed.
  1. The Program should be comprehensive including areas of:
  2. Language- Receptive and Expressive
  3. Imitation
  4. Toy Play
  5. Gross Motor
  6. Fine Motor
  7. Self Help
  8. Tolerance/Behavioral Challenges
  9. Engagement/Social Interactions
  10. Cognitive and Academic Skills
  1. There is a clear understanding of functions of behavior and reinforcement/ punishment.
  2. Whether something is reinforcing or punishing depends on its effects on the behavior. If the behavior increases with the use of praise afterwards, then it was reinforcing. If a behavior decreasing with the use of praise afterwards, then it was punishing. No more, no less. A quality ABA program encompasses the use of positive behavior supports to address behaviors (positive behaviors and negative). Effective behavior plans cannot be developed without determining the function of the behavior. Beware of punitive systems. Also beware if replacement behaviors are not being taught. You can’t expect a behavior to just decrease without teaching and reinforcing a replacement behavior that serves the same function.
  1. There should be noise, lots of noise!
  2. A misconception of ABA programs is that it is all drill: Constant teaching, no time to be a kid, and not fun. This is not true. There should be laughing, excitement, and play. The therapist should be engaging with the child throughout the session. It is not just all “work” at a table.