Using ABA to Teach Children with Autism CARD Austin January 16, 2005

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Using ABA to Teach Children with AutismCARD
Austin January 16, 2005
Rachel S. F. Tarbox, PhD Center for Autism
Related Disorders, Inc.
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Overall Objectives

• Review of What is Autism?
• Introduction to ABA
• Some basic applications
• How to teach skills to children with autism
• 3-step training
• Task Analyses

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What is Autism?
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What is Autism?
Diagnostic Criteria for Autistic Disorder DSM-IV,
1994

• 1. Social Interaction
• Failure to develop peer relationships
• Impairment in use of non-verbal behaviors (e.g.,
  gestures, eye contact)
• Lack of seeking to share enjoyment
• 2. Communication
• Delay or lack of spoken language
• If have language, deficient conversational skills
• Repetitive use of language
• Impaired make-believe play
• 3. Restricted repetitive stereotypic behavior
  patterns
• Routines / rituals
• Repetitive motor mannerisms

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What is Autism?
From a behavioral perspective, what can we
observe?

• Deficits
• Language
• Play Skills
• Social Skills
• Perspective Taking / Theory of Mind
• Executive Function
• Motor Skills Self Help
• School Skills

• Excesses
• Stereotypy / Self-Stimulatory Behavior
• Non-compliance
• Tantrums
• Aggression
• Self-Injury

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• What
• is
• ABA?

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Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)

• Definition
• The application of the principles of behavior to
  issues that are socially important to produce
  practical change
• Some applications
• Special Education
• Regular Education
• Pediatric Medicine
• Treatment of troubled teens

• Sports Psychology
• Business service organizations
• Early intensive treatment for children with autism

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Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)

• Core Principle
• The consequences that follow a behavior influence
  whether that behavior will increase or decrease
• Why do we go to work?
• Why do we stop at red lights?
• Why do we use oven mits?
• Why do our children do what we ask them to do?

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Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)

• Core Principle Continued
• The Law of Effect Behavior that is rewarded will
  be strengthened
• Behavior is Lawful, Observable, Measurable
• We can change behavior by manipulating its
  antecedents and consequences
• ABC Model (Antecedent-Behavior-Consequence)

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Using the Principles of Behavior Analysis
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Applications of ABA

• Over the past 30 years, several thousand
  published research studies have documented the
  effectiveness of ABA across a wide range of
• populations (children and adults with mental
  illness, developmental disabilities and learning
  disorders)
• interventionists (parents, teachers and staff)
• settings (schools, homes, institutions, group
  homes, hospitals and business offices), and
• behaviors (language social, academic, leisure
  and functional life skills, self-injury, and
  stereotyped behaviors)
• Application to individuals with autism is only
  one aspect with its own set of techniques based
  on the same principles used with other
  individuals in other settings

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3-Step Compliance (TELL-SHOW-DO)
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3-Step Compliance

• Three step-guided compliance is a prompting
  strategy that teaches your child what you want
  him/her to do by providing a model and physical
  guidance if he/she does not do what you asked
  them to do.
• This procedure does not allow your child to avoid
  requests
• If you use this procedure consistently, you
  should find that your child becomes more
  compliant and requires less assistance to
  complete tasks over time

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3-Step Compliance

• TELL-SHOW-DO
• Demands first prompt given for a particular task
  
• Prompts all additional statements, gestures, or
  physical guidance displayed by the caregiver
  during demands

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3-Step Compliance

• State your childs name.
• Tell your child what to do. Never ask.
• State the request clearly so that your child
  knows exactly what he/she is supposed to do keep
  requests as brief and as specific as possible.
• Wait 5 to 10 seconds for your child to carry out
  the request. Do not repeat the request.
• If your child complies provide them with praise.
  State exactly what they did that you liked.
• If your child does not comply, repeat the request
  with a demonstration.
• Wait 5 to 10 seconds for your child to carry out
  the request. Do not repeat the request.
• If your child complies, provide a small amount of
  praise.
• If your child does not comply, physically guide
  them but do not provide praise. Always use the
  minimum amount of physical contact necessary for
  the request to be completed.
• Never give in or complete the request yourself.
  Once you give your child a request, they must
  follow through.

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3-Step Compliance

• Back to our A-B-Cs
• How does 3-step fit the A B C model?
• What is the A?
• What is the B?
• What is the C?
• Why will it work?
• What are some potential problems with it?

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Task Analysis

• Back to our Core Principle
• Behavior is Lawful, Observable, Measurable
• We can change behavior by controlling its
  antecedents and consequences
• Easier said than done, what about complex
  behaviors that require a number of steps (and as
  such a number of antecedents and consequences)?

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Task Analysis

• What is a Task Analysis
• Task Analysis Break down a complex behavior into
  a sequence of identifiable single components
• We need to use chaining

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Task Analysis ExampleTeaching Self-Help Skills

• Chaining must be used to teach self-help skills
• Why do we use chaining?
• To combine simple behaviors or responses into a
  more complex sequence
• For example
• Getting dressed
• Washing hands
• Brushing teeth
• Taking a bath

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Question?

• What is the most important pre-requisite skill
  for teaching self-help skills?
• Answer COMPLIANCE
• What have we learned about increasing compliance?
• Answer 3-STEP! So we are ready to learn about
  TAs

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Chaining Step 1Perform a Task Analysis
Example Hannah needs a shirt

• B
• Pick up shirt
• Scrunch shirt
• Put head through collar
• Put arms in sleeves
• Pull shirt down

• A
• Shirt flat on bed
• Shirt in hands
• Scrunched shirt in hands
• Shirt on over head
• Head arms in shirt

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Chaining Step 1Perform a Task Analysis
Example Thomas washes his hands

• B
• Turns on faucet
• Wets hands
• Gets soap
• Rubs hands together
• Rinse hands
• Turn off water
• Dry hands on towel

• A
• Dirty hands
• Faucet on
• Wet hands
• Soap on hands
• Foamy hands
• Clean wet hands
• Water off

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Chaining Step 2Build the chain

• Once a task analysis is performed and the
  required steps of the sequence are identified,
  the chain can be taught
• The chain can be constructed of behaviors already
  in the childs repertoire
• New behaviors can also be taught within the
  process of the chain

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Task Analyses Methods of Chaining

• Forward Chaining
• In a sequence of As and Bs the 1st B is taught,
  then the 2nd , then the two are performed
  independently in order
• Then the 3rd B is taught performed in sequence
  with the previous 2 Bs
• The behaviors in the chain continue to be taught
  sequentially until they are performed
  independently

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Chaining Step 1Perform a Task Analysis
Example Thomas washes his hands

• B
• Turns on faucet
• Wets hands
• Gets soap
• Rubs hands together
• Rinse hands
• Turn off water
• Dry hands on towel

• A
• Dirty hands
• Faucet on
• Wet hands
• Soap on hands
• Foamy hands
• Clean wet hands
• Water off

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Forward Chaining
Forward Chaining Example
Thomas washes his hands.

• Use 3-STEP to teach Thomas to
• 1.) Turn on the faucet
• 2.) Wet his hands
• Guide all the succeeding Bs in the chain
• When Thomas can perform the first 2 Bs
  independently in order, begin to teach 3rd B so
  on

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Forward Chaining
Example Thomas washes his hands

• B
• Turns on faucet

• A
• Dirty hands

C REINFORCE
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Forward Chaining
Example Thomas washes his hands

• B
• Turns on faucet
• Wets hands

• A
• Dirty hands
• Faucet on

C REINFORCE
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Forward Chaining
Example Thomas washes his hands

• B
• Turns on faucet
• Wets hands
• Gets soap

• A
• Dirty hands
• Faucet on
• Wet hands

C REINFORCE
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Forward Chaining
Example Thomas washes his hands

• B
• Turns on faucet
• Wets hands
• Gets soap
• Rubs hands together

• A
• Dirty hands
• Faucet on
• Wet hands
• Soap on hands

C REINFORCE
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Forward Chaining
Example Thomas washes his hands

• B
• Turns on faucet
• Wets hands
• Gets soap
• Rubs hands together
• Rinse hands

• A
• Dirty hands
• Faucet on
• Wet hands
• Soap on hands
• Foamy hands

C REINFORCE
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Forward Chaining
Example Thomas washes his hands

• B
• Turns on faucet
• Wets hands
• Gets soap
• Rubs hands together
• Rinse hands
• Turn off water

• A
• Dirty hands
• Faucet on
• Wet hands
• Soap on hands
• Foamy hands
• Clean wet hands

C REINFORCE
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Forward Chaining
Example Thomas washes his hands

• B
• Turns on faucet
• Wets hands
• Gets soap
• Rubs hands together
• Rinse hands
• Turn off water
• Dry hands on towel

• A
• Dirty hands
• Faucet on
• Wet hands
• Soap on hands
• Foamy hands
• Clean wet hands
• Water off

C REINFORCE
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Conclusion

• Remember the CORE PRINCIPLE
• Think about the A B Cs
• Reinforce the good stuff and do not reinforce the
  bad stuff
• Use 3-STEP as a tool
• Break down complex activities into steps (do a
  Task Analysis!)
• BE CONSISTENT
• HAVE FUN!!!!!!!!!
• Questions???