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ABA Principles: Mastering Challenging Behaviors

by | Apr 11, 2024 | English | 0 comments

Welcome to this guide on mastering challenging behaviors using Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) principles. I’m here to support you, I understand the unique challenges you face, and I want you to know that you’re not alone. As a parent of an autistic teenager and a special education teacher myself, I’ve been through similar experiences. This guide is a little bundle of all my years of experience in modifying behaviors. It will provide you with easy to follow steps to support you in changing your kiddo’s challenging behaviors.

What is Applied Behavior Analysis?

ABA is a scientific approach to understanding and modifying behavior. It is a widely recognized and evidence-based practice that has been proven effective in addressing challenging behaviors and promoting positive behavior change in individuals, particularly those on the autism spectrum disorders.

In simple terms, ABA focuses on the relationship between behavior and the environment. It seeks to identify the factors that influence behavior and uses this knowledge to develop strategies for behavior modification. ABA principles are based on the understanding that behavior is learned and can be shaped through systematic interventions.

Struggling with Challenging behaviors

Let’s start by acknowledging the daily struggles you face. Parenting a child who is exhibiting challenging behaviors can be overwhelming at times, but I want you to know that you are doing an incredible job. I’ve been there, and I understand the rollercoaster of emotions that come with it. It’s okay to feel frustrated, exhausted, or even unsure of what to do next. But remember, you are resilient, and together, we can navigate through these challenges.
For Autistic children, challenging behaviors may include:
    • Physically challenging behaviors: Such as hitting, biting, spitting, or pulling hair.
    • Emotionally challenging behaviors: Aggressive shouting or using derogatory language.
    • Self-injurious behavior: Behaviors that harm the individual, like pinching, hair pulling, head-banging, or biting hands or arms.
    • Pica: Eating things other than food, which can become self-injurious when an autistic person eats potentially toxic or sharp objects.

Children with Sensory Processing Disorder may respond to over-stimulation or under-stimulation in their environment with challenging behaviors.

    • Over-responsiveness to sensory input: Leading to distractibility, avoidance behaviors, or seeming to be in their “own world.”
    • Under-responsiveness to sensory input: Seeking high levels of sensory input, which may be displayed as crashing into walls or banging toys.
    • Difficulty with sensory integration: Resulting in behaviors such as difficulty navigating around obstacles or appearing clumsy.
    • Sensory-seeking behaviors: Such as seeking constant and intense sensory input such as non-stop spinning or swinging.

Prioritizing Your Child’s Well-being: Addressing Physical Factors

Before we dive into the details of behavior modification, let’s take a moment to acknowledge the importance of your child’s well-being. As parents, we always want to ensure our children are healthy and comfortable. So, before addressing challenging behaviors, let’s consider if there might be any physical pain or discomfort that could be contributing to them. Just like having a headache, it’s tough for anyone to concentrate and behave well when they’re in pain. By ruling out any physical issues as a first step, we can better understand and address challenging behaviors. Now, let’s talk about the practical strategies and techniques that can help you replace those challenging behaviors. I’ve been through it all – the meltdowns, the communication struggles, self injurious behaviors, aggressive behaviors, and the moments of triumph. And I want to share what I’ve learned with you.
Defining a Behavior
Defining challenging behaviors may seem daunting, but trust me, you’ve got this. First, let’s identify the function of the behavior by using the “A-B-Cs” approach. This is an acronym for antecedent, behavior, consequence. It’s like playing detective, trying to understand what triggers the behavior. By knowing what happens before, during, and after the behavior, we can start to piece together a clear definition of the behavior and why your kiddo is exhibiting it.
Identifying the Function of a Behaviors, “the why”
  1. Gather Information: Collect data on the behavior through various means, including interviews with family members and friends. Use appendix A to collect data. It will help you define the behavior and develop and educated guess as to why your child in engaging in the behavior.
  2. Analyze Data: Review the data collected over the past five to ten days to identify patterns and possible triggers for the behavior. This includes analyzing antecedents, behaviors, and consequences to understand the context in which the behavior occurs.
  3. Develop and educated guess about the function of the behavior based on the data analysis. Remember, the function of a behavior is simply “the why” the child is exhibiting the behavior in question. Common functions of behavior include obtaining attention, escaping, or avoiding a situation, gaining access to tangibles, or sensory stimulation.
Everything should start coming together, you have all the information you need to describe the behavior in a simple sentence or two. More importantly, you can now make an educated guess for the function of your child’s behavior, “the why.” It’s like capturing the essence of challenging behavior in a nutshell. And once we understand the behavior, we can work on finding alternative behaviors that are more socially appropriate and beneficial to your child’s growth.
Replacing Challenging behaviors
Implementing behavior modification strategies can feel like putting on a superhero cape. We’ll find a replacement behavior that serves the same purpose as the challenging one. It’s like finding a new path to the same destination. You will set up a positive behavior support system to encourage your child to exhibit the replacement behavior across different settings. Positive reinforcement is like a pat on the back or a high-five – it motivates and encourages them to keep it up! I know it can be challenging at first, but we’ll provide prompts or cues to help your child engage in the replacement behavior. It’s like teaching them to ride a bike with training wheels. Gradually, we’ll fade out the prompts, building their confidence and independence.

Developing an Intervention Plan

This is like I mentioned above, it is like working on a recipe. We first begin by gathering all the ingredients. Only, we are not working on a recipe, we are developing a plan to modify challenging behaviors. We have data collected. By reviewing the “ABCs,” we can now begin to see the big picture.
Implementing a Positive Behavior Support System
Consistency is the key, my friend. We want to reinforce that replacement behavior across different settings and by different people. It’s like speaking the same language wherever you go – it helps the child generalize their new behavior and apply it in various situations. It is a good idea to recruit your child’s teacher, day-care provider, or family members in implementing a positive behavior support system. Consistency is very important in modifying behaviors. It can also help prevent them. Now, let’s explore the process of administering a functional analysis. This assessment is a crucial step in understanding challenging behaviors and developing an effective intervention plan. Here are the steps involved:
Evidence-Based Strategies

I have attached a list of evidence-based strategies that you can easily implemented at home:

    1. Emphasize Positive Reinforcement: Focus on rewarding desired behaviors to increase the likelihood of their recurrence. Find meaningful rewards that motivate your child and provide them immediately after the desired behavior is exhibited.

    2. Utilize Negative Reinforcement: Use the technique of removing aversive stimuli following a desired behavior, which can increase the likelihood of that behavior being repeated.

    3. Use Prompting and Fading: Provide prompts or cues to encourage the correct response, gradually reducing the level of prompting as your child becomes more independent. This approach builds their confidence and skills.

    4. Promote Generalization: Teach skills in a way that allows your child to apply them in different settings and situations. This helps them transfer their learned behaviors to various contexts.

    5. Establish Behavioral Contracts: Create agreements between you and your child, outlining specific expectations and consequences. This helps provide structure and clarity.

    6. Consider Extinction: Withhold reinforcement for previously reinforced behaviors to reduce their occurrence. This approach encourages your child to seek alternative, more appropriate behaviors.

    7. Implement Differential Reinforcement: Reinforce desired behaviors while withholding reinforcement for undesired ones. This helps shape and strengthen positive behaviors.

    8. Utilize Antecedent-Based Interventions (ABI): Modify the environment to prevent behaviors from occurring before they happen by removing triggers or providing alternative options.

    9. Incorporate Visual Supports: Use visual aids such as charts and schedules to help your child understand expectations and routines. Visual support can enhance their understanding and compliance.

Tailoring Interventions for Your Child’s Success

Remember, these strategies are not a one-size-fits-all solution. Each child is unique, and it’s important to tailor interventions to their specific needs and abilities. With patience, consistency, and a supportive approach, you can help your child thrive and make positive behavior changes. This is a journey, not a sprint. Continue collecting data, tracking progress, and adjusting as needed. It’s like fine-tuning a recipe until it’s just right. With time, patience, and a sprinkle of humor, you will be able to notice positive improvements. So, gear up, and get ready to master those challenging behaviors with ABA principles. Together, we’ve got this!

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Author Bio

Eddie Corletto

     Hey there! I’m Eddie Corletto, the passionate mind behind kidscalma.com. A proud father of an autistic teenager. A special education teacher with over ten years of experience in the classroom. I hold a master’s degree specializing in Autism and Sensory Processing Disorders. I am deeply committed to supporting autistic children and their families. Kidscalma is my platform to share both my professional and personal experiences. I specialize in creating helpful resources for parents and educators supporting children on the Autism spectrum, Sensory Processing Disorder, and other learning disabilities. When I’m not in my classroom or writing, you might catch me hiking with my family or cycling around the scenic roads of California’s Central Coast. I believe our children can achieve amazing things every day. Connect with me on Facebook or subscribe to my blog for more insights and resources!

ABA Principles: Mastering Challenging Behaviors

Eddie Corletto, M.Ed. Special Education
Published March 22, 2024

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