WEEK4

• ABA Therapy


  Applied Behavior Analysis
• ABA


  • Therapy based on the science of learning and behavior
  • Can help increase language, communication, attention, focus, social skills, memory, academics, and decrease problem behaviors
• How does ABA therapy work

  1. Positive reinforcement

  2. When a behavior is followed by something valued (a reward), person is more likely to repeat that behavior

  3. Encourages positive behavior change over time
• Antecedent


  What occurs right before the target behavior
• Behavior


  Person's response or lack of response to the antecedent
• Consequence


  What comes directly after the behavior
• Reinforcement


  Anything that increases the likelihood a learner will repeat a behavior
• Types of Reinforcement

  • Primary (occurs naturally, innate)
  • Secondary (stimuli paired with another reinforcing stimulus, needs to be learned)
• Positive Reinforcement


  Adding something to increase the response, giving rewards and praises
• Rules of Reinforcement


  • Reinforcer should be reinforcing
  • Reinforcer should be contingent
  • Variety of reinforcers should be used
  • Primary reinforcers should be paired with secondary reinforcers
  • Continuously develop new reinforcers
  • Use age appropriate reinforcers
  • Unpredictability and novelty enhance reinforcement
  • In early teaching, reinforce immediately
  • Follow reinforcement schedule
  • Fade reinforcement over time
  • Evaluate timing of reinforcement
  • Label behavior being reinforced
  • Move to less extravagant, more practical reinforcement
  • Do not use as a bribe
• How we address behavior

  • Extinction
  • Redirection
  • Shaping
  • Blocking
  • Overcorrection
  • Joining
• Extinction


  Reactive behavior reduction Determining the function/cause of a behavior and terminating access to that function to extinguish the behavior
• Levels of behavior


  If behavior is at the peak, use extinction
• Redirection


  ABA behavior reduction Distracting the child from a problem behavior or leading them to a more appropriate behavior
• Shaping


  Gradually teaching new behavior through reinforcement until target behavior is achieved
• Response Blocking


  Preventing child from emitting problem behavior
• Overcorrection


  Individual must correct environmental impact of inappropriate behavior and practice appropriate behavior
• Joining


  Therapist engages with child's eliciting behavior to capture attention and diminish undesirable behaviors
• Functions of Behavior


  • Attention-seeking
  • Escape
  • Access to tangibles
  • Sensory stimulation
• Reinforcer

  a consequence that increases the future probability of the behavior that immediately precede it
• Attention - seeking behavior occurs when someone desires feedback or response from another person

  ex crying tantrums
• Escape - occur when a learner wants to avoid doing something
• Access to tangibles - childrens engage to certain behavior bc they are looking to gain access to something
• Sensory stimulation - aka sensory needs. the final function of behavior, occurs when children want to experience a pleasant sensation