Pinnacle Guru · Published archive
Collab Topic - Behavioural Therapy
Published
REPLACEMENT OF BEHAVIOURS
The goal of teaching replacement behaviors is to increase a more appropriate behavior to meet the same function as the target behavior, and to decrease or eliminate a target behavior that is not appropriate for the context.
Identifying Desirable Behaviors
The first step in implementing a replacement behavior in ABA is identifying desirable behaviors for your child to engage in instead of undesirable ones. For example, if your child likes to scream when frustrated or upset, you could teach them an alternate behavior, like taking deep breaths or asking for help from an adult.
It’s important to remember that these replacements should be positive and developmentally appropriate; choose activities your child enjoys and within their skill level. Once you’ve identified these desired behaviors, you can start teaching them alternative ways of dealing with more problematic tendencies.
Teaching Autism Replacement Behaviors
Once you have identified a few desired behaviors, it’s time to begin teaching replacement behaviors. This process typically involves breaking each behavior into small steps and then teaching each step separately until the whole behavior is learned. Depending on your child’s needs and abilities, this could involve verbal prompts or visual cues such as pictures or symbols. It may also include using reinforcement or rewards, such as praise or treats, when the desired behavior is exhibited. The key to replacement behaviors in ABA is repetition – the more often the desired behavior is practiced, the more likely it is to become a habit!
Implementing Replacement Behaviors
Once your child has mastered the new behavior, it’s time to put it into practice! This means coming up with ways to remind your child of the new behavior when they’re faced with a situation where they would typically exhibit an undesirable one.
For instance, if your child tends to hit when frustrated or angry, you could set up a “safe space” where they can go when they feel overwhelmed and take deep breaths instead of hitting. With consistent implementation over time and plenty of positive reinforcement when desirable behaviors are exhibited, those replacement behaviors will soon become second nature!
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