Consistency = Sucess When It Comes to ABA Services

Whether applied to the context of autism spectrum disorder, developmental disabilities, or general behavioral concerns – maintaining consistency is critical for progress. Trust us, we get it! Sometimes there’s no other option. But when it becomes a regular occurrence, it can hinder the opportunity for positive outcomes. Before canceling your child’s ABA session, take a moment to consider the impact of regularly missed sessions. Below are a few ways consistency supports greater progress from ABA therapy:

1.     Increased Opportunities for Learning – Regular ABA sessions allow for frequent practice opportunities to acquire new skills and decrease interfering behaviors.  

2.     Promoting Caregiver Involvement – Parent and caregiver participation is crucial for the generalization of skills beyond the therapy setting. With regular ABA sessions, parents are provided with flexible opportunities to observe and engage in sessions.  

3.     Establishing Predictability and Building Trust – Following a regular session schedule helps establish predictability which can reduce anxiety, promote more positive outcomes, and build trust between the learner and their ABA team.

4.     Opportunities to Build Upon Learned Skills – Consistent reinforcement of skill acquisition and targeting of behavior goals provides a foundation for building upon those skills over time. Upon mastery, the ABA team will gradually increase the complexity of tasks and challenges.

5.     Effective Data Collection – Data collection is essential for tracking progress and making informed decisions about intervention strategies. Regular and systematic data collection allows the ABA team to analyze trends, identify patterns, and modify interventions as necessary for progress.

6.     Stability for Providers and Reduced Turnover – When therapy sessions follow a consistent and well-organized structure, it contributes to a stable work environment for everyone. This stability ultimately leads to lower team turnover and disruption to services. With this, if the services are covered by another funding source (i.e., private insurance), frequent cancelations can lead to a reduction or denial of future hours.

So, what can you do when a cancellation is unavoidable? Offer your behavior technician a make-up session on a mutually agreed-upon date! Or, you can offer to add time to future scheduled sessions. If you’re struggling to maintain your current schedule for any reason, discuss other options with your BCBA or your agency administration – they’re there to support you in prioritizing ABA for your child!

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As a reminder, the suggestions outlined in this blog are not individual-specific. Always refer to your child’s health and behavior specialists before implementing any new programming.