Applied Behavior Analysis, or ABA, is most widely known as a form of treatment for children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. However, ABA can also be used as a parenting technique for all. My husband and I just recently welcomed our first child into the world. He is now 8 months old, and I find myself doing a little ABA with him on a daily basis. ABA is the science of behavior. Simply put, it helps us figure out why we do what we do. To really understand how ABA works you need to understand three things, we call them the ABC’s of ABA:

Antecedents-the things that happen right before a specific behavior occurs

Behavior- how we react

Consequences- the things that happen immediately following a specific behavior

Here’s an example:

A child sees a pack of Reese’s Cups while waiting in line to checkout at the grocery store and begins to scream, cry, kick his or her feet, and hit the buggy. Mom is tired and overwhelmed, so she buys the Reese’s Cups and lets the child eat them in order to calm her child down. Let’s look at the ABC’s of this example:

A=the child sees Reese’s Cups and wants to eat them

B= the child screams, cries, kicks his or her feet, and hits the buggy

C=the child gets to eat the Reese’s Cups

Basically, the child just learned that by screaming, crying, kicking, and hitting he or she can get candy. That’s not to say Mom is being a bad parent (we’ve all been there and done that!), it’s just a way to show how the things that happen right before and right after certain behaviors can have a direct influence on how often they happen. The more the behaviors in this example lead to the child getting candy, the more likely they are to happen again and again.

So, the next time your child is in a behavior and you feel like you don’t know what to do, try to think of it like the ABC’s. What caused them to act this way (A)? What are they doing (B)? How is my reaction going to affect their behavior (C)?

However, if your child is engaging in any behaviors that can cause harm to themselves or others, be sure to contact your pediatrician for help as soon as possible. They can help guide you and refer you to a professional who can help.

I hope you’ve enjoyed learning about the ABC’s of ABA and how they can help you in your parenting journey! Next time we’ll talk more about the diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder and the process of finding a Board Certified Behavior Analyst to provide ABA therapy for your child.