The ABCs of Playing Learning and Growing Together

The ABC’s of Playing, Learning, and Growing Together The Basics & The Bond Allyson Bell, BCBA

Agenda Welcome - Introductions Goals of Parent Information and Training What is Applied Behavior Analysis? ABC’S of Behavior Positive Reinforcement & Reinforcers Rapport & Setting up a Healthy Environment Questions!

Who am I? Why does this matter? Allyson Bell Professional: Master’s Degree in Psychology with an emphasis in Applied Behavior Analysis (Kaplan University) Bachelors Degree in ABA (University of Kansas – Rock Chalk!) Board Certified Behavior Analyst – 1 year Autism Specialist – 1 year Board Certified assistant Behavior Analyst – 2 years Working with children with autism in the ABA setting since I was 18! Heartspring – 2 years Before ABA – Swim lessons instructor for children with special needs! Personal: Married for 4 years Mother of a very active 1 year old

What’s your story? Getting to know each other Who are you? Who is your family? Interesting Facts What are your hopes & dreams? Questions?

Goals for today Gaining Approaches Improving Relationships Gain Skills Enhance Quality of Family Life Learning the ABC’s of a great relationship

ABA in a Nutshell Collaborate with team Emphasis on research based procedures Seeks answers through direct observation & data analysis Systems level approach Understanding behaviorenvironment contingencies Socially significant/lastin g behavior change to improve quality of life for children & others involved Design, implement, & evaluate interventions to ensure effectiveness

Our kiddos come first! Person centered planning & supports Positive Interventions Behavior is affected by environmental variables Behavior is learned & can be taught. Data collected for active decision making on interventions’ effectiveness.

ABC’S of Behavior • Antecedent-Something that comes before a behavior • Behavior-Anything a person does or says in observable and measurable terms • Consequence-Something that occurs after a behavior Antecedent Behavior Consequence Behavior Change

ABA Approach Identify Goals Implement Change Evaluate • Target behaviors to change • Develop a plan • Follow through with plan as developed • Take Data • Analyze effects and make changes as necessary

Group Approach Collaborative • Constructive feedback and advice welcomed • Listen respectfully Open and Honest • Stories, ideas, & opinions shared • There are no errors, only learning opportunities Understanding • Considerate of others and their place in this journey • Offer support for others hardships

Family Goals What do you • What do you like? want to stay the • What are your and your child’s strengths? same? What do you want to change? • Specify: how often, when, & why What do you • What supports do you need? From us, from the group, need to accomplish goals? from spouse, from others

Recap ABA ABC’s Working Together Science of behavior in natural environment Antecedent Collaborative Direct observation & measurement Behavior Open and Honest Lasting and meaningful outcomes Consequence Understanding

Positive Reinforcement Definition: A consequence delivered after a behavior and the future likelihood of that behavior increases. Can be thought of as adding something to increase a response. You tickle your child and they laugh with you, you tickle them more often in the future.

Reinforcement ABC’s Antecedent Behavior Consequence: Reinforcement Behavior Change: Increase

More on Reinforcement Reinforcer • Something that occurs after a behavior & increases the future likelihood of that behavior. • Different for everyone • Need to be changed frequently to maintain their effectiveness

Reinforcers How do we identify what might be reinforcing to someone? Observe them across a variety of settings Ask others Reinforcer survey Momentary effectiveness

Woah. . . It works! # of Instructions followed Following instructions 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 Baseline 1 2 3 4 5 Intervention 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Days

What is Rapport? “We say that two people have established rapport when their relationship is characterized by closeness, empathy, and mutual liking” (Carr, Levin, Mc. Connachie, Carson, Kemp, & Smith, 1994, p. 111).

Why is Rapport Building Important for Kids with Autism? Autism Deficits in Social Skills Target Rapport Building Our focus is on the parts of rapport building that have to do specifically with your child’s autism to enhance the bond you have with your child.

Why Build Rapport? Decreases likelihood of problem behavior Increases likelihood of participation in family activities Positive experience for both people involved High levels of “happiness”/ Low levels of “unhappiness” (Mc. Laughlin and Carr, 2005)

Steps in Rapport Building Step 1: Make yourself into a source from which to obtain reinforcement Step 2: Make yourself into a signal for approach and simple communication. Level A: Require that your child approach you to gain access to the reinforcers (Carr et al. , 1994) Level B: Require that your child request to gain access to reinforcers

Rapport Data (Mc. Laughlin and Carr, 2005)

Step 1: You=FUN! Gather Preferred Items Play • Items/activities the child has reliably approached or asked for in the past • Provide items/activities noncontingently • Engage in exciting, interactive play your child enjoys • No Demands

Step 2: Let’s Play Together • Do not deliver items to child unless they approach you Withhold Items Play • Engage in highly interesting ways for your child • When child approaches, provide access to all fun things!! Throw a Party

Creating a Healthy Environment Arrange the environment to be interesting and fun for the child Watch the child carefully to determine what he/she approaches Get the child to interact with interesting objects or persons Intervene (prompt, model, and reinforce) to teach more complex behaviors and responses Focus on development of complex social behavior

Arranging the Environment Choose Play & Learning Areas Individual direct instruction Withhold or delay provision of expected/desired objects or events Interactive play and social area Engagement Independent leisure skill Provide Incomplete set of materials High levels, Active Variety Offer choices

Delivering Reinforcement Contingent Immediate Rotate materials Variety Make it fun Social

Expanding Reinforcers Pair yourself with new items Pair new reinforcers with existing ones Engage in exciting, creative play with new items Gradually shorten time with old reinforcers and increase time with new items Expanding Activities Video

Signs of Success Gaining Approaches Engaging with the same activity Child smiles and laughs (positive affect) Eye contact Both you and child maintain the interaction

Recap The Basics Don’t forget your ABC’s Look for meaningful change The Bond Identify potential reinforcers Arrange the environment Reinforce approaches Expand, vary, and rotate current reinforcers

Questions • If you have any questions, comments, concerns or suggestions for this training or ABA in general, please feel free to contact me! • My contact info is in your folders!