Interventions

Arrangement of events or circumstances that precede an activity or demand in order to increase the occurrence of a behavior or lead to the reduction of the challenging/interfering behaviors

Applied behavior analysis (ABA) has its roots in the philosophy of modern behaviorism pioneered by Skinner, who laid the foundation in the early 1900s. As such, it is the practical application of behavioral laws—laws of reinforcement—formulated by Skinner to solve behavior problems. ABA is defined as the process of systematically applying interventions based upon the principles of behavior theory to improve socially significant behaviors, including reading, academics, social skills, communication, and adaptive living skills, to a meaningful degree, and to demonstrate that the interventions employed are responsible for the improvement in behavior (Baer, Wolf, & Risley, 1968; Sulzer-Azaroff & Mayer, 1991).

*Comprehensive Model: Not included in Outcomes Matrix

Assistive technology (AT) refers to equipment that is used by an individual with a disability to increase his or her functional capabilities. Many students with autism require strategies, equipment, and/or support to reach their potential (Schlosser, Blischak, Belfiore, Bartley, & Barnett, 1998). Research has shown that one such means of support, assistive technology, is effective for students with autism spectrum disorder.

Interventions using and/or teaching the use of a system of communication that is not verbal/vocal which can be aided (e.g., device, communication book) or unaided (e.g., sign language)

The organization of behavior expectations in a sequence in which low probability, or more difficult, responses are embedded in a series of high probability, or less effortful, responses to increase persistence and the occurrence of the low probability responses.

Instruction on management or control of cognitive processes that lead to changes in behavioral, social, or academic behavior.

A systematic process that increases desirable behavior or the absence of an undesirable behavior by providing positive consequences for demonstration/non-demonstration of such behavior. These consequences may be provided when the learner is: a) engaging in a specific desired behavior other than the undesirable behavior (Differential Reinforcement of Alternative Behavior or DRA), b) engaging in a behavior that is physically impossible to do while exhibiting the undesirable behavior (Differential Reinforcement of Incompatible Behavior or DRI), or c) not engaging in the undesirable behavior (Differential Reinforcement of Other Behavior or DRO).

A systematic approach to teaching using a sequenced instructional package with scripted protocols or lessons. It emphasizes teacher and student dialogue through choral and independent student responses and employs systematic and explicit error corrections to promote mastery and generalization.

Instructional approach with massed or repeated trials with each trial consisting of the teacher’s instruction/presentation, the child’s response, a carefully planned consequence, and a pause prior to presenting the next instruction

Interventions that use physical exertion, specific motor skills/ techniques, or mindful movement to target a variety of skills and behaviors.

The removal of reinforcing consequences of a challenging behavior in order to reduce the future occurrence of that behavior.

A systematic way of determining the underlying function or purpose of a behavior so that an effective intervention plan can be developed.

A set of practices that replace a challenging behavior that has a communication function with more appropriate and effective communication behaviors or skills.

Demonstration of a desired target behavior that results in use of the behavior by the learner and that leads to the acquisition of the target behavior.

Intervention that incorporates songs, melodic intonation, and/or rhythm to support learning or performance of skills/behaviors. It includes music therapy, as well as other interventions that incorporate music to address target skills.

A collection of techniques and strategies that are embedded in typical activities and/or routines in which the learner participates to naturally promote, support, and encourage target skills/behaviors

Parent delivery of an intervention to their child that promotes their social communication or other skills or decreases their challenging behavior.

Intervention in which peers directly promote autistic children’s social interactions and/or other individual learning goals, or the teacher/ other adult organizes the social context (e.g. play groups, social network groups, recess) and when necessary provides support (e.g., prompts, reinforcement) to the autistic children and their peer to engage in social interactions

*PBII is a reconceptualized category that now includes adult-mediated interventions with peers in addition to peer-mediated interventions.

Pivotal Response Training (PRT) is a contemporary naturalistic-behavioral intervention that applies principles of applied behavior analysis (ABA) to build on learner initiative and interests, enhancing the pivotal learning variables: motivation, responding to multiple cues, self-management, and self-initiations of social interactions.

*Now categorized as a Naturalistic Intervention

Verbal, gestural, or physical assistance given to learners to support them in acquiring or engaging in a targeted behavior or skill.

The application of a consequence following a learner’s use of a response or skills that increases the likelihood that the learner will use the response/skills in the future.

The introduction of a prompt, comment, or other distractors when an interfering behavior is occurring that is designed to divert the learner’s attention away from the interfering behavior and results in its reduction.

Instruction focusing on learners discriminating between appropriate and inappropriate behaviors, accurately monitoring and recording their own behaviors, and rewarding themselves for behaving appropriately.

Interventions that target a person’s ability to integrate sensory information (visual, auditory, tactile, proprioceptive, and vestibular) from their body and environment in order to respond using organized and adaptive behavior

Interventions that describe social situations in order to highlight relevant features of a target behavior or skill and offer examples of appropriate responding.

Group or individual instruction designed to teach learners ways to appropriately and successfully participate in their interactions with others.

A process in which an activity or behavior is divided into small, manageable steps in order to assess and teach the skill. Other practices, such as reinforcement, video modeling, or time delay, are often used to facilitate acquisition of the smaller steps.

Instruction or intervention in which technology is the central feature the technology is specifically designed or employed to support the learning or performance of a behavior or skill for the learner.

A practice used to systematically fade the use of prompts during instructional activities by using a brief delay between the initial instruction and any additional instructions or prompts.

A video-recorded demonstration of the targeted behavior or skill shown to the learner to assist learning in or engaging in a desired behavior or skill

A visual display that supports the learner engaging in a desired behavior or skills independent of additional prompts.