ABA and Reinforcement

Reinforcement is the foundation of ABA. However, there is a lot of misunderstanding about how reinforcement strategies should be utilized in ABA sessions. Our goal with the new set of Practical ABA modules for maintaining RBT skills is to focus in on basic skills related to pairing and reinforcement.

The work of our Behavior Technicians is incredibly challenging. We are asking them to implement interventions, teach new skills, address challenging behaviors, and collect data. The emphasis on all of these tasks frequently takes over sessions, reducing appropriate and individualized implementation of reinforcement. This module includes details about the initial pairing process, pre-session pairing, increasing the reinforcer repertoire, conducting preference assessments, utilizing differential reinforcement strategies, and using schedules of reinforcement. 

We hope this resource makes it easier for supervisors to teach and maintain skills related to reinforcement. 

Sam Blanco, PhD, LBA, BCBA is an ABA provider for students ages 3-15 in NYC. Working in education for sixteen years with students with Autism Spectrum Disorders and other developmental delays, Sam utilizes strategies for achieving a multitude of academic, behavior, and social goals. She is also an assistant professor in the ABA program at The Sage Colleges, and she is the Senior Clinical Strategist at Chorus Software Solutions.