Generalization in ABA
As a child learns new skills through ABA therapy, it’s important that they aren’t limited to the therapy setting. Ensuring these skills carry over into the other social settings in a child’s life is essential. This is why generalization is such an important part of your child’s therapy.
What is Generalization in ABA?
In the context of ABA therapy, generalization simply means being able to apply a skill across multiple settings and with a variety of social groups.
Importance of Generalization for Children with Autism
For children with autism, being able to transfer their new skills into other contexts is crucial. It’s all well and good to learn how to ask someone to share a toy in a mock classroom at therapy, but what about at the park on a play date? Or while playing with neighborhood friends? Being able to communicate effectively and use other skills throughout life’s many settings and situations is vital to a child’s success. Generalization helps bring the skills learned in ABA therapy outside the therapy session and into a child’s world.
Types of Generalization
Let’s look at three main aspects of generalization.
Stimulus Generalization
Stimulus generalization is simply the ability to use a skill in response to different—but similar—stimuli. For example, a child may learn how to stand in line with other peers during ABA therapy. But what about at the park, where kids are lining up to go down the slide? In our example, the line of kiddos is the stimuli. Having the ability to use this same important skill in response to a slightly different stimulus is the hallmark of stimulus generalization.
Response Generalization
Response generalization in ABA refers to using a similar language construction to ask a question or communicate a want. For example, a child may learn to say, “I want an apple.” To generalize this response, they would use the same format to ask for a toy car or a juice box.
Generalization Maintenance
This third component of generalization has to do with maintaining progress. Skills become ingrained, mastered, and applied to a variety of situations, even as a child learns new skills.
Strategies to Promote Generalization in ABA
Your child’s therapy team can use various strategies to help them generalize new skills.
- Naturalistic Approach: Teaching new skills in realistic, natural interactions can help a child apply them to many other settings. Our creatively designed centers help promote naturalistic learning.
- Multiple Instructors: When therapists, parents, and other caregivers reinforce the same skills with a child, generalization is more likely.
- Using Self-Management: Helping a child recognize an appropriate time to use a skill and how to initiate it helps promote generalization.
Implementing Generalization in ABA Programs
At InBloom Autism Services, our experienced Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) are instrumental in creating your child’s ABA therapy plan and choosing skills and goals (in collaboration with you) for your child to work toward as they learn generalization. Our excellent Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs) work one-on-one with your child and use a wide variety of techniques to help your child learn and grow. Many of these methods incorporate generalization as a key goal.
Role of Caregivers and Educators in Promoting Generalization
As a parent or caregiver, you can play a vital role in helping your child generalize their new skills. Through reinforcement at home and creating opportunities for your child to apply their skills, you can truly foster their growth and progress.
Challenges and Solutions in Generalization
Making generalization a reality in ABA can present some challenges. There may be inconsistent reinforcement—response to a child using a skill like a communication technique—from different people outside of therapy. This can create confusion and hinder generalization.
Having multiple caregivers and therapists on the same page and reinforcing the same skills in much the same way can help a child more quickly and effectively learn to apply their skills to many different real-life situations.
Start Your Autism Therapy Journey with InBloom Autism Services
ABA therapy at InBloom can help your child unlock their full potential as they learn new skills and prepare for life’s many adventures. We offer personalized ABA therapy with an experienced team at each of our dynamic therapy centers. Contact us today to learn more about starting your child’s therapy journey.
