Process of Routine-Based Intervention
APPLIED BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS daily activities to accommodate professional schedules . For these reasons , ABA therapy can increase stress rather than make family lives better .
It is important that parents understand that ABA strategies can be embedded in typical family routines . This approach can improve day-to-day interactions and activities , thereby improving family quality of life . Current early intervention and family support programs emphasize aligning goals with family values and needs , empowering parents and other typical caregivers , and focusing on strategies that can be easily maintained in natural settings ( Division for Early Childhood , 2017 ). Recent research in routine-based ABA , also known as “ positive behavior support ” ( Bailey & Blair , 2015 ; Fettig & Barton , 2013 ; Lucyshyn et al ., 2015 ; Sears , Blair , Lovannone , & Crosland , 2013 ), suggests it offers a great alternative or supplement to direct intensive treatment .
Process of Routine-Based Intervention
The following sections of this article will describe how ABA can be used within family routines , providing an example during sibling play . The process includes identifying goals , assessing patterns , designing strategies , using the plan , and monitoring outcomes .
Identifying Goals
The ABA process begins with identifying child and family goals , considering ways in which the child ’ s quality of life needs to be enhanced , and focusing on the routines the family most wants to improve . A family might choose getting ready for the day , hygiene , meals , playing with siblings or peers , or participating in extracurricular activities , for example . The specific goals of intervention , including skills to develop and behaviors to decrease , are selected based on the routines and goals desired .
Example : More than anything , Savannah would like Tristan and Emily to be able to play together nicely so she could have a little time to herself and the children could learn to enjoy one another ’ s company . Unfortunately , play times are often shortened by Tristan ’ s tantrums . Savannah ’ s goals are for her children to be able to share their toys and take turns playing games for at least 45 minutes , without Tristan screaming , throwing items , or striking his sister .
Assessing Patterns
Once the goals are clear , an assessment is conducted to determine patterns that may be affecting the child ’ s behavior within the routine . Specifically , we would want to know what happens before the child ’ s behavior ( e . g ., who is present , when and where it occurs , what is expected , what is happening ), both when he / she is successful and when his / her behavior during the routine is particularly challenging . We would also want to know what the child gets or avoids through his / her behavior such as attention , items , activities , or breaks from the situation . This information is collected with the family through interviews and observations and is summarized to guide intervention .
Example : Paying close attention to play time , Tristan ’ s behavior specialist helped Savannah sort out what circumstances were contributing to his behavior . They found that Tristan played cooperatively when the rules of games were clear , and when he had more personal space . He had the most difficulty with new toys and games — and when he was tired or hungry . Savannah would typically stay away when the children were getting along . When Tristan screamed or got physical , she would counsel him about his behavior and often asked Emily to let Tristan have the toys to make peace .
Designing Strategies
Using the patterns from the assessment , we can develop strategies that ( a ) work given the patterns affecting the child ’ s behavior and ( b ) fit with the family lifestyle . Strategies fall into three categories and the specific strategies chosen are tied to the patterns . Proactive strategies involve preventing problem behavior and prompting positive behavior by rearranging environments or establishing expectations . Teaching strategies focus on building skills a child can use to replace his / her challenging behavior and participate more successfully in the routine . And management strategies focus on consequences , specifically providing reinforcement for positive behavior and withholding it for problem behavior .
Example : Based on the patterns , the following strategies were developed for Tristan and the family .
Autism Parenting Magazine | Issue 72 | 23