Behavior Therapy:
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is the science to understanding and improvement of human behavior, which focuses on objectively defining observable behaviors of social significance (Cooper, Heron & Heward, 1987). The extensive use of applying behavioral techniques in teaching children with Autism (and related disabilities) to communicate has shown significant results. Teaching children to communicate is based upon Skinner’s Analysis of Verbal Behavior and over 20 years of empirical research in the journal, The Analysis of Verbal Behavior. A Verbal Behavior Therapy program will consist of the therapist first establishing themselves as a “conditioned reinforcer” before the structured teaching begins. This process builds a positive relationship between the child and therapist, as well as shapes social interaction and engagement. The child is taught communication skills across all verbal operants (i.e., requesting/manding, labeling/tacting, receptive skills, vocal imitation/echoics, and rudiments of conversation skills/intraverbals). Skills are broken down into its components, and then taught through a specific system of prompting and reinforcement, therefore setting the child up for success. As the child begins to master a skill, prompts are faded until the child can do the skill independently. We collect empirical data to direct us in analyzing treatment decisions. All programs are developed and monitored by a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA).
Language Assessment:
Before we implement a Behavior Therapy Program, a Language Assessment is conducted. We utilize The Assessment of Basic Language and Learning Skills-Revised (The ABLLS-R), developed by Partington (2006) which is an assessment tool used to design a language program. It is utilized to assess
the current language skills of the child, and determine all skill deficits across each verbal domain. After a Language Assessment is established, the language program is developed based on results from the assessment. Once therapy begins, data is implemented to monitor improvement across the different domains of learning (e.g., receptive language, requesting, etc).
Functional Behavior Assessment:
The first step in developing a valid behavioral treatment program is to determine why the problem behavior occurs. This assessment is vital in determining what treatment to implement in order to effectively decrease the problem behavior. This assessment has two components: a functional assessment interview, in which the Behavior Analyst will ask you specific questions about the problem behavior, and direct observations will be conducted. The Behavior Analyst will actually try to arrange situations in order to provoke the problem behavior to occur. Although this may seem unusual, it is necessary in order to accurately determine what the maintaining function of the behavior is.
Behavior Reduction Training:
Once a formal assessment has been conducted, and a treatment plan has been developed, the child’s caregivers are trained on how to collect data and implement the behavior protocols. Precise training is done so that the caregiver’s are able to effectively manipulate the environment in order to decrease inappropriate behaviors, and teach appropriate replacement behaviors.
Social Skills Group:
Our Social Skills Group consists of small groups that foster play, communicative interaction between children, and responding in group instruction. The following are just a few examples of social skills that are taught within the group: greeting peers, listening to other peers, accepting loss during competitive games, staying on topic during conversation, talking in group chats, etc. The principles of ABA are implemented across all skills to increase play, imagination, advanced language concepts (conversation), engagement, interaction and socialization.
IEP Development:
We provide consultation services that assist in the development of an IEP. Our goal is to implement behavior plans that allow children to achieve maximum potential in their academic environment. Attending IEP meetings, and collaborating with school staff is important when implementing programs in which everyone is involved.
Precision Teaching (Behavioral Tutoring):
Precision Teaching sets up the learning environment in which acquired skills are maintained while increasing the speed of performance, therefore retaining the accuracy of that skill with fluency. Teaching a skill to “fluency” means achieving accuracy with speed as a requirement of mastery. Precision teaching research proves that teaching a skill fluently will promote retention of that skill, endurance (the ability of the skill to be demonstrated at a particular level over time), and application (the ability to combine elements of a behavior to create more advanced concepts). Precision teaching is done in one-on-one instruction and data is collected on all fluency aims.
Educational Seminars:
As a part of Brilliant Minds ongoing mission to educate the professional community about the diagnosis, treatment and best practices in neurodevelopmental disabilities, our organization sponsors and co-sponsors conferences throughout the year. We collaborate with Sacred Heart Hospital, Nemours Children’s Clinic, FSU Center for Autism and Related Disabilities, and Child Neurology Center of Northwest Florida. These exciting projects assist us to better collaborate within a multidisciplinary format; cross training professionals and encouraging the growth of a partnership in treating these serious disorders.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Language Assessment
Language Assessment:
Before we implement a Behavior Therapy Program, a Language Assessment is conducted. We utilize The Assessment of Basic Language and Learning Skills-Revised (The ABLLS-R), developed by Partington (2006) which is an assessment tool used to design a language program. It is utilized to assess
the current language skills of the child, and determine all skill deficits across each verbal domain. After a Language Assessment is established, the language program is developed based on results from the assessment. Once therapy begins, data is implemented to monitor improvement across the different domains of learning (e.g., receptive language, requesting, etc).
Functional Behavior Assessment:
The first step in developing a valid behavioral treatment program is to determine why the problem behavior occurs. This assessment is vital in determining what treatment to implement in order to effectively decrease the problem behavior. This assessment has two components: a functional assessment interview, in which the Behavior Analyst will ask you specific questions about the problem behavior, and direct observations will be conducted. The Behavior Analyst will actually try to arrange situations in order to provoke the problem behavior to occur. Although this may seem unusual, it is necessary in order to accurately determine what the maintaining function of the behavior is.
Behavior Reduction Training:
Once a formal assessment has been conducted, and a treatment plan has been developed, the child’s caregivers are trained on how to collect data and implement the behavior protocols. Precise training is done so that the caregiver’s are able to effectively manipulate the environment in order to decrease inappropriate behaviors, and teach appropriate replacement behaviors.
Social Skills Group:
Our Social Skills Group consists of small groups that foster play, communicative interaction between children, and responding in group instruction. The following are just a few examples of social skills that are taught within the group: greeting peers, listening to other peers, accepting loss during competitive games, staying on topic during conversation, talking in group chats, etc. The principles of ABA are implemented across all skills to increase play, imagination, advanced language concepts (conversation), engagement, interaction and socialization.
IEP Development:
We provide consultation services that assist in the development of an IEP. Our goal is to implement behavior plans that allow children to achieve maximum potential in their academic environment. Attending IEP meetings, and collaborating with school staff is important when implementing programs in which everyone is involved.
Precision Teaching (Behavioral Tutoring):
Precision Teaching sets up the learning environment in which acquired skills are maintained while increasing the speed of performance, therefore retaining the accuracy of that skill with fluency. Teaching a skill to “fluency” means achieving accuracy with speed as a requirement of mastery. Precision teaching research proves that teaching a skill fluently will promote retention of that skill, endurance (the ability of the skill to be demonstrated at a particular level over time), and application (the ability to combine elements of a behavior to create more advanced concepts). Precision teaching is done in one-on-one instruction and data is collected on all fluency aims.
Educational Seminars:
As a part of Brilliant Minds ongoing mission to educate the professional community about the diagnosis, treatment and best practices in neurodevelopmental disabilities, our organization sponsors and co-sponsors conferences throughout the year. We collaborate with Sacred Heart Hospital, Nemours Children’s Clinic, FSU Center for Autism and Related Disabilities, and Child Neurology Center of Northwest Florida. These exciting projects assist us to better collaborate within a multidisciplinary format; cross training professionals and encouraging the growth of a partnership in treating these serious disorders.
Before we implement a Behavior Therapy Program, a Language Assessment is conducted. We utilize The Assessment of Basic Language and Learning Skills-Revised (The ABLLS-R), developed by Partington (2006) which is an assessment tool used to design a language program. It is utilized to assess
the current language skills of the child, and determine all skill deficits across each verbal domain. After a Language Assessment is established, the language program is developed based on results from the assessment. Once therapy begins, data is implemented to monitor improvement across the different domains of learning (e.g., receptive language, requesting, etc).
Functional Behavior Assessment:
The first step in developing a valid behavioral treatment program is to determine why the problem behavior occurs. This assessment is vital in determining what treatment to implement in order to effectively decrease the problem behavior. This assessment has two components: a functional assessment interview, in which the Behavior Analyst will ask you specific questions about the problem behavior, and direct observations will be conducted. The Behavior Analyst will actually try to arrange situations in order to provoke the problem behavior to occur. Although this may seem unusual, it is necessary in order to accurately determine what the maintaining function of the behavior is.
Behavior Reduction Training:
Once a formal assessment has been conducted, and a treatment plan has been developed, the child’s caregivers are trained on how to collect data and implement the behavior protocols. Precise training is done so that the caregiver’s are able to effectively manipulate the environment in order to decrease inappropriate behaviors, and teach appropriate replacement behaviors.
Social Skills Group:
Our Social Skills Group consists of small groups that foster play, communicative interaction between children, and responding in group instruction. The following are just a few examples of social skills that are taught within the group: greeting peers, listening to other peers, accepting loss during competitive games, staying on topic during conversation, talking in group chats, etc. The principles of ABA are implemented across all skills to increase play, imagination, advanced language concepts (conversation), engagement, interaction and socialization.
IEP Development:
We provide consultation services that assist in the development of an IEP. Our goal is to implement behavior plans that allow children to achieve maximum potential in their academic environment. Attending IEP meetings, and collaborating with school staff is important when implementing programs in which everyone is involved.
Precision Teaching (Behavioral Tutoring):
Precision Teaching sets up the learning environment in which acquired skills are maintained while increasing the speed of performance, therefore retaining the accuracy of that skill with fluency. Teaching a skill to “fluency” means achieving accuracy with speed as a requirement of mastery. Precision teaching research proves that teaching a skill fluently will promote retention of that skill, endurance (the ability of the skill to be demonstrated at a particular level over time), and application (the ability to combine elements of a behavior to create more advanced concepts). Precision teaching is done in one-on-one instruction and data is collected on all fluency aims.
Educational Seminars:
As a part of Brilliant Minds ongoing mission to educate the professional community about the diagnosis, treatment and best practices in neurodevelopmental disabilities, our organization sponsors and co-sponsors conferences throughout the year. We collaborate with Sacred Heart Hospital, Nemours Children’s Clinic, FSU Center for Autism and Related Disabilities, and Child Neurology Center of Northwest Florida. These exciting projects assist us to better collaborate within a multidisciplinary format; cross training professionals and encouraging the growth of a partnership in treating these serious disorders.
ESPECIAL TRAINING IN OUR TERAPHY CENTER.
Here is a child's interaction with a teacher or other adult who is being as helpful as possible without appropriate training:
Teacher: Hi, Nicole are you excited about Christmas?
A: [no response]
Teacher: What are you going to do on Christmas?
A: I don't know.
Teacher: Are you going to get presents?
A: Yes.
Teacher: What else are you going to do?
A: [no response]
Teacher: Do you have a tree?
A: Yes.
Teacher: Who's going to bring presents on Christmas?
A: I don't know.
Teacher: Is it Santa Claus?
A: Yes.
Teacher: [smile] Thanks, Nicole!
This is the child's half of the conversation:
"I don't know, Yes, Yes, I don't know, Yes."
Any learning going on? (By the way, I've watched people have conversations like this, then comment "He's talking so much more!")
Here's how a trained person might make this an opportunity for practicing conversation skills:
Teacher: Hi, Nicole, are you excited about Christmas?
A: [no response]
Teacher: Are you excited about Christmas? Say, Yeah, I want to open my...
A: Yeah, I want to open my presents!
Teacher: [Smile] Me too! What presents did you ask for?
A: I asked for presents.
Teacher: What presents did you ask for? Say, For Christmas, I asked for...
A: I asked for a bike. For Christmas.
Teacher: Cool! [Small tickle] Are you excited about Christmas?
A: Yeah, I want a bike.
Teacher: [Bigger tickle] A bike! That's great! I've got my tree all decorated with ornaments. I put lots of ornaments on MY tree. [Point to A's tree.]
A: I put heart ornaments on my tree.
Teacher: Nicole, that's so great! [Great big tickle]
A: Ahhhhh! Cut it out!
by fundacion Mario Leurinda.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Teacher: Hi, Nicole are you excited about Christmas?
A: [no response]
Teacher: What are you going to do on Christmas?
A: I don't know.
Teacher: Are you going to get presents?
A: Yes.
Teacher: What else are you going to do?
A: [no response]
Teacher: Do you have a tree?
A: Yes.
Teacher: Who's going to bring presents on Christmas?
A: I don't know.
Teacher: Is it Santa Claus?
A: Yes.
Teacher: [smile] Thanks, Nicole!
This is the child's half of the conversation:
"I don't know, Yes, Yes, I don't know, Yes."
Any learning going on? (By the way, I've watched people have conversations like this, then comment "He's talking so much more!")
Here's how a trained person might make this an opportunity for practicing conversation skills:
Teacher: Hi, Nicole, are you excited about Christmas?
A: [no response]
Teacher: Are you excited about Christmas? Say, Yeah, I want to open my...
A: Yeah, I want to open my presents!
Teacher: [Smile] Me too! What presents did you ask for?
A: I asked for presents.
Teacher: What presents did you ask for? Say, For Christmas, I asked for...
A: I asked for a bike. For Christmas.
Teacher: Cool! [Small tickle] Are you excited about Christmas?
A: Yeah, I want a bike.
Teacher: [Bigger tickle] A bike! That's great! I've got my tree all decorated with ornaments. I put lots of ornaments on MY tree. [Point to A's tree.]
A: I put heart ornaments on my tree.
Teacher: Nicole, that's so great! [Great big tickle]
A: Ahhhhh! Cut it out!
by fundacion Mario Leurinda.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WHAT IS APPLIED BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS
What is ABA? There are probably a hundred people who have written answers, but please bear with me.
"Applied" means practice, rather than research or philosophy. "Behavior analysis" may be read as "learning theory," that is, understanding what leads to (or doesn't lead to) new skills. (This is a simplification: ABA is just as much about maintaining and using skills as about learning.) It may seem odd to use the word "behavior" when talking about learning to talk, play, and live as a complex social animal, but to a behaviorist all these can be taught, so long as there are intact brain functions to learn and practice the skills. (That is the essence of the recovery hypothesis--that for many children, the excesses and deficits of autism result largely from a learning 'blockage,' which can be overcome by intensive teaching.)
Typically developing children learn without our intervention--that is, the 'typical' environment they are born into provides the right conditions to learn language, play, and social skills. (After a few years, however, this breaks down, and we no longer learn everything 'naturally'--it takes a very structured environment, for example, for most of us to learn to read, write, and do arithmetic.)
Children with autism learn much, much less from the environment. They are often capable of learning, but it takes a very structured environment, one where conditions are optimized for acquiring the same skills that typical children learn 'naturally.' ABA is all about the rules for setting up the environment to enable our kids to learn.
Behavior analysis dates back at least to Skinner, who performed animal experiments showing that food rewards (immediate positive consequences to a target behavior) lead to behavior changes. This is accepted by everyone who wants to train their dog to 'go' outside, but we are not so inclined to want to believe the same of ourselves. Part of the problem is that people do respond to a broad range of reinforcements (rewards), but it is really true that an edible treat is among the most reliable, especially at first. (The skills that we more often think lead to learning--motivation, self-discipline, curiosity--are marvelous, and really do set us apart from other animals--but those are truly sophisticated 'behaviors' that fully develop only after more basic language and social skills are in place.)
Conversely, any new behavior that an animal (or you or I) may try, but is never rewarded, is likely to die out after a while (how often will you dial that busy number?). And, as common sense would have it, a behavior that results in something unpleasant (an aversive) is even less likely to be repeated. These are the basics of behavioral learning theory. ABA uses these principles to set up an environment in which our kids learn as much as they can as quickly as possible. It is a science, not a 'philosophy.' (Even the "as quickly as possible" part is based on science, since there is some--not conclusive--evidence that the developmentally disordered brain "learns how to learn" best if the basic skills are taught in early childhood.)
Behavioral learning is not the only type of learning. Most learning in schools is from an explanation or from a model, what people call 'natural' learning. Typically developing children learn from their environment (other people) at an astounding rate, completely unassisted. The whole point of ABA is to teach the prerequisites to make it possible for a child to learn 'naturally.' If our kids could learn without assistance in the first place they wouldn't have autism!
The most common and distinguishing type of intervention based on applied behavior analysis is discrete trial teaching. It is what people most often think of when you say "ABA" or "Lovaas method." This is partly because there are so many hundreds of hours of DT teaching, and partly because it looks so odd. But it is what it is because that's what works--every aspect has been refined (and is still being refined) to result in maximum learning efficiency.
(Briefly: the student is given a stimulus--a question, a set of blocks and a pattern, a request to go ask Mom for a glass of water--along with the correct response, or a strong 'hint' at what the response should be. He is rewarded (an M&M, a piggy-back ride, a happy "good job!") for repeating the right answer; anything else is ignored or corrected very neutrally. As his response becomes more reliable, the 'clues' are withdrawn until he can respond independently. This is usually done one-on-one at a table (thus the term table-top work), with detailed planning of the requests, timing, wording, and the therapist's reaction to the student's responses.)
It is a mistake, however, to think of an ABA program as just DT teaching. Lovaas (among others) notes very clearly that a behavioral program is a comprehensive intervention, carried out in every setting, every available moment. The skills that are taught so efficiently in discrete trial drills must be practiced and generalized in 'natural' settings. A child who does not know the difference between 'ask' and 'tell' may slowly get a higher and higher percentage of right answers during table-top drills until he is considered to have 'mastered' that skill; but he will not go on to use 'ask' and 'tell' appropriately without additional support in natural situations; it takes time to go from 'mastery' to 'ownership.' It takes trained and supportive people--parents, teachers, relatives, even peers--to help reinforce a wide range of appropriate behaviors in a variety of settings, until the level of reinforcement fades to a typical level (such as the smile you get when you greet someone).
BY FUNDACION MARIO LEURINDA.
"Applied" means practice, rather than research or philosophy. "Behavior analysis" may be read as "learning theory," that is, understanding what leads to (or doesn't lead to) new skills. (This is a simplification: ABA is just as much about maintaining and using skills as about learning.) It may seem odd to use the word "behavior" when talking about learning to talk, play, and live as a complex social animal, but to a behaviorist all these can be taught, so long as there are intact brain functions to learn and practice the skills. (That is the essence of the recovery hypothesis--that for many children, the excesses and deficits of autism result largely from a learning 'blockage,' which can be overcome by intensive teaching.)
Typically developing children learn without our intervention--that is, the 'typical' environment they are born into provides the right conditions to learn language, play, and social skills. (After a few years, however, this breaks down, and we no longer learn everything 'naturally'--it takes a very structured environment, for example, for most of us to learn to read, write, and do arithmetic.)
Children with autism learn much, much less from the environment. They are often capable of learning, but it takes a very structured environment, one where conditions are optimized for acquiring the same skills that typical children learn 'naturally.' ABA is all about the rules for setting up the environment to enable our kids to learn.
Behavior analysis dates back at least to Skinner, who performed animal experiments showing that food rewards (immediate positive consequences to a target behavior) lead to behavior changes. This is accepted by everyone who wants to train their dog to 'go' outside, but we are not so inclined to want to believe the same of ourselves. Part of the problem is that people do respond to a broad range of reinforcements (rewards), but it is really true that an edible treat is among the most reliable, especially at first. (The skills that we more often think lead to learning--motivation, self-discipline, curiosity--are marvelous, and really do set us apart from other animals--but those are truly sophisticated 'behaviors' that fully develop only after more basic language and social skills are in place.)
Conversely, any new behavior that an animal (or you or I) may try, but is never rewarded, is likely to die out after a while (how often will you dial that busy number?). And, as common sense would have it, a behavior that results in something unpleasant (an aversive) is even less likely to be repeated. These are the basics of behavioral learning theory. ABA uses these principles to set up an environment in which our kids learn as much as they can as quickly as possible. It is a science, not a 'philosophy.' (Even the "as quickly as possible" part is based on science, since there is some--not conclusive--evidence that the developmentally disordered brain "learns how to learn" best if the basic skills are taught in early childhood.)
Behavioral learning is not the only type of learning. Most learning in schools is from an explanation or from a model, what people call 'natural' learning. Typically developing children learn from their environment (other people) at an astounding rate, completely unassisted. The whole point of ABA is to teach the prerequisites to make it possible for a child to learn 'naturally.' If our kids could learn without assistance in the first place they wouldn't have autism!
The most common and distinguishing type of intervention based on applied behavior analysis is discrete trial teaching. It is what people most often think of when you say "ABA" or "Lovaas method." This is partly because there are so many hundreds of hours of DT teaching, and partly because it looks so odd. But it is what it is because that's what works--every aspect has been refined (and is still being refined) to result in maximum learning efficiency.
(Briefly: the student is given a stimulus--a question, a set of blocks and a pattern, a request to go ask Mom for a glass of water--along with the correct response, or a strong 'hint' at what the response should be. He is rewarded (an M&M, a piggy-back ride, a happy "good job!") for repeating the right answer; anything else is ignored or corrected very neutrally. As his response becomes more reliable, the 'clues' are withdrawn until he can respond independently. This is usually done one-on-one at a table (thus the term table-top work), with detailed planning of the requests, timing, wording, and the therapist's reaction to the student's responses.)
It is a mistake, however, to think of an ABA program as just DT teaching. Lovaas (among others) notes very clearly that a behavioral program is a comprehensive intervention, carried out in every setting, every available moment. The skills that are taught so efficiently in discrete trial drills must be practiced and generalized in 'natural' settings. A child who does not know the difference between 'ask' and 'tell' may slowly get a higher and higher percentage of right answers during table-top drills until he is considered to have 'mastered' that skill; but he will not go on to use 'ask' and 'tell' appropriately without additional support in natural situations; it takes time to go from 'mastery' to 'ownership.' It takes trained and supportive people--parents, teachers, relatives, even peers--to help reinforce a wide range of appropriate behaviors in a variety of settings, until the level of reinforcement fades to a typical level (such as the smile you get when you greet someone).
BY FUNDACION MARIO LEURINDA.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)