Frequently Asked
Questions

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is an evidence-based approach that uses learning theory to enhance socially important behaviors. By carefully analyzing how behavior works—considering the Discriminative Stimulus (Sd), the Response (R), and the Reinforcing Stimulus (Sr)—therapists break skills into manageable steps, build motivation, and reinforce successes. Over time, desired behaviors increase while less useful behaviors decrease.

1. Assessment: A Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) evaluates your learner’s strengths, challenges, and environment.
2. Program Design: Skills are divided into component parts, from basic manding (requesting) to complex social exchanges.
3. Implementation: Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs), under BCBA supervision, deliver one-on-one instruction, carefully delivering prompts and reinforcement.
4. Prompt Fading: As learners master steps, prompts are gradually reduced so cues (Sd’s) and rewards (Sr’s) become more natural.
5. Data Collection: Every session is tracked (frequency, accuracy, independence) so we know what’s working.
6. Generalization: Skills are practiced across people and settings until they stick in everyday life.

While ABA is most commonly associated with autism spectrum disorders, its principles apply to many developmental and behavioral challenges. Children as young as 18 months can begin to see gains, with the brain’s greatest plasticity occurring between ages 1 and 10. However, learners of any age can make meaningful progress when programs are tailored to their needs.

Research shows that 20–40 hours per week of intensive ABA can shift developmental trajectories toward typical peers.

• Early stages: 6–7 hours/day, 5–6 days/week
• Progression: Hours decrease as independence grows and skills generalize
• At the Arizona Institute for Autism, we require a minimum of 20 hours/week (unless otherwise authorized by our Clinical Director) and customize recommendations based on your child’s attention span and goals.

A Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA)

• Holds a master’s degree in behavior analysis and has passed a national certification exam
• Conducts thorough assessments (including functional analyses)
• Designs, oversees, and adjusts intervention plans
• Trains RBTs and parents to implement strategies ethically and effectively

By having a BCBA on your team, you ensure your ABA program is guided by the latest research and professional standards.

Great ABA therapists blend empathy with analytic thinking:

• Warmth & Playfulness: To build trusting connections
• Curiosity & Creativity: To find motivating activities
• Reliability & Consistency: To reinforce progress
• Patience & Persistence: To navigate setbacks and celebrate small wins

• Individualized Care Plans: Every learner has a unique profile, so goals are based on developmental levels and family priorities.
• Data-Driven Decisions: We track each objective—accuracy, independence, prompt level—and review weekly with families.
• Regular Updates: Your BCBA meets with you to adjust programs, celebrate successes, and plan next steps.

Prompt fading is the step-by-step removal of adult assistance so that learners come to respond to natural cues on their own. Rather than jumping from full support to no support, we guide each child through a carefully timed sequence:

1. Full physical prompt
   (Hand-over-hand guidance)
2. Partial physical prompt
   (Light touch or guiding pressure)
3. Model prompt
   (Therapist demonstrates the correct response)
4. Gesture or visual prompt
   (Pointing, eye gaze, picture cue)
5. Verbal prompt
   (“What do you say?” or a vocal hint)
6. Natural cue only
   (No additional prompts—learner responds independently)

Why We Fade Prompts Gradually

• Promotes Independence: By easing off support only when a skill is reliably mastered, learners build confidence and self-reliance.
• Prevents Prompt Dependence: Moving too slowly can cause a child to wait for help; moving too quickly can lead to frustration or errors. A measured pace ensures true mastery.
• Ensures Generalization: When prompts match real-world cues, such as natural instructions or environmental signals, skills transfer more smoothly to school, home, and community settings.

How We Decide When to Fade

• Data-Driven Decisions: We track each learner’s accuracy and prompt level. Once performance hits a predefined criterion (e.g., 80% correct with the current prompt level over three consecutive sessions), the next gentler prompt is introduced.
• Individualized Pacing: Some children move through levels rapidly; others need extra practice at one step. Our therapists tailor the timeline to each learner’s unique learning profile.

By following these guidelines, the Arizona Institute for Autism helps ensure that every child grows toward meaningful independence… one prompt at a time.

ABA addresses all verbal operants—the functional units of language—through structured programs that:

• Increase Vocabulary: Matching, naming, categorizing
• Build Receptive Skills: Following instructions, understanding questions
• Shape Expressive Skills: Requests (mands), descriptions (tacts), answering (intraverbals) By weaving language targets into play, academics, motor activities, and daily routines, learners generalize communication beyond the therapy room.

Many social routines, such as turn-taking or conversational back-and-forth, aren’t intuitive for learners on the spectrum. Applied Behavior Analysis:

1. Identifies specific social deficits (e.g., initiating play, sharing)
2. Breaks them into teachable steps (e.g., hold out toy, wait, release)
3. Uses reinforcement (social praise, preferred activities) to build skills
4. Practices across peers and settings until interactions become natural

While every learner is unique, many families notice early wins—like increased eye contact or fewer tantrums—within 4–8 weeks of consistent programming. Significant shifts in communication or social engagement often emerge over 3–6 months, with continued gains as programs evolve.

You’re an essential member of the team!

• Observation & Feedback: Attending periodic parent sessions to learn strategies
• Home Practice: Reinforcing skills between clinic visits
• Goal Setting: Sharing priorities so programs reflect real-life needs

Strong parent involvement accelerates learning and helps skills generalize across environments.

No—while reducing harmful or disruptive behaviors is part of ABA, we also build replacement skills and focus on:

• Language development
• Social engagement
• Daily living skills (toileting, self-care)
• Academics and play