By: Lauren DeClaire, M.A., BCBA

Parent training can be one of the most important part of ABA therapy. Most insurance providers require this to be completed on a monthly basis at a minimum, but what exactly should these parent trainings look like. Such meetings need to be more than just instructing the parent to do something and updating them on the progress of therapy. One of the most effective skills that we have within our field is Behavior Skills Training. This can be used to help train and teach technicians as well as parents throughout ABA therapy to get the effective results from our programs and interventions.

Behavior Skills Training (BST) involves providing a description, both verbal and written, of the target skill to be taught, demonstrating the target skill, having the trainee practice that skill, then providing feedback. These steps are completed until the trainee acquires the skill to mastery. The main component of BST is listed below

Instruction– This is just the first step of BST that requires telling the parent what to do and when to do it. For example, you may be telling a parent to contrive a manding opportunity by putting the desired item out of reach, then when the child reaches for the item have them provide the verbal prompt for the mand. But effective training will require more than just written and verbal instruction. Therefore, once instruction is completed we move on to the next couple steps

Modeling– This requires the BCBA to demonstrate the target skill to be taught. Going back to the manding example, once you have debriefed the parent on the skill, you will model what mand training should look like with their child. This should also involve demonstrating the skill in the actual environment in which the intervention or program needs to take place.

Rehearsal– Once the parent has observed the BCBA engage in the target skill, this step requires the parent to practice that skill. After modeling mand training, the parent should then conduct the same procedure with their child and with the BCBA present. This will give them the opportunity to get some hands-on experience with the programs and interventions we are using within therapy. That way they can help generalize such skills within the home or other environments outside of therapy.

Feedback– This may be one of the most important parts to BST. The BCBA should be providing positive reinforcement (descriptive praise) for correct responses observed and corrective feedback for incorrect responses observed.

BST can provide long lasting changes in the parent’s behavior and lead to more effective treatment outcomes. That is why it is so important that BCBAs utilize this training model throughout parent training sessions.