Behavior Contracts in ABA Therapy
ABA therapy at InBloom Autism Services is holistic and multi-faceted, ensuring each child receives personalized therapy that helps them meet their goals. One of the many effective teaching tools we use is behavior contracts.
What Is a Behavior Contract?
A behavior contract is an agreed-upon framework for what’s expected in therapy. It details what behaviors will be worked on and the reinforcements a child can expect when they make progress toward those behaviors.
How Behavior Contracts Work in ABA Therapy
Your child’s therapy team may use behavior contracts alongside other effective ABA therapy tools, such as functional behavior assessments and natural environment teaching.
Setting Clear Expectations and Goals
Laying out clear expectations is a crucial part of the behavior contract. It ensures the therapy team, child, parents, and other caregivers are all on the same page. The goals laid out in the behavior contract should be SMART goals:
- Specific. The goal for behavior should be very clear and specific.
- Measurable. The goal should be measurable so progress can be observed.
- Attainable. The goal must be realistic for the child.
- Relevant. The goal should be appropriate for the child’s needs and help advance their learning and growth.
- Time-Oriented. There should be a time component to the goal—when should a child meet the goal?
Reinforcement and Rewards for Positive Behavior
Positive feedback and rewards are an essential part of learning in general, and this includes ABA therapy. As a kiddo makes progress toward their goals and demonstrates mastery of behaviors, rewards and positive reinforcement help give them the drive to continue learning and build their confidence.
Collaboration Between Therapists, Parents, and Children
When it comes to ABA therapy, it takes a team! At InBloom, we believe parents should be a collaborative part of the therapy planning process, and this applies to behavior contracts. As the contract is created and adjusted along the way, it is vital to ensure your child’s Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), Registered Behavior Technician (RBT), you, and your child are all actively involved and on the same page.
Benefits of Using a Behavior Contract in ABA
Using a behavior contract as part of ABA therapy can be beneficial in several ways. Let’s look at a few of these.
Improving Communication and Understanding Expectations
Having concrete expectations and goals for ABA therapy in the form of a behavior contract can improve communication and help you and your child understand the goals and expectations of therapy.
Measuring Progress Accurately
Behavior contracts help ensure a child’s progress in therapy is observable and measurable over time. This enables the BCBA to assess the effectiveness of your child’s therapy plan and make changes as needed. The behavior contract also allows you as a parent or caregiver to see progress.
Steps to Creating an Effective Behavior Contract
- Identifying Target Behaviors and Desired Outcomes: Identifying a specific behavior to work on is key. A functional behavior assessment can help to identify these behaviors. For instance, a concrete behavior goal might be “In place of shouting, raise hand and ask permission to play with a favorite toy.”
- Defining Rewards and Consequences Clearly: Having clearly defined rewards (such as verbal praise) or consequences (like not being able to play with a toy if it wasn’t requested in an effective way) are key elements of a behavior contract that help encourage growth for a child.
- Reviewing and Adjusting the Contract as Needed: ABA therapy at InBloom is dynamic and fluid. Our BCBAs adjust behavior contracts and plans as needed throughout therapy to ensure great outcomes for each child.
Behavior Contracts at InBloom Autism Services
At InBloom Autism Services, we support positive growth in each child we work with. Creating individualized behavior contracts is part of fostering this growth and encouraging success. At InBloom, we meet each kiddo where they’re at, ensuring that ABA therapy is customized just for them.
