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Parent participation in ABA
Parent participation in ABA can also be a great way to help the child generalize their skills to new settings. Generalization is essential to learning new skills. When parents learn about strategies and methods that are effective for their child, they can then support their child’s skill development in other settings, such as at home or in the community as well as with other people such as neighbors or relatives.
Additionally, parents can help their child maintain skill gains. If a child learns a new skill, such as tying their shoes whether it is directly through a service provider or the parent taught them how to do it, the parent can help the child to keep that skill. Sometimes, when children with ASD or other neurological or developmental disorders learn skills, they may lose those skills without repeat practice or continued opportunities to display that skill. Parents can help their child maintain skills by participating in ABA services to learn strategies to encourage maintenance of skills that are individualized to their child.
By participating in ABA, parents can also potentially reduce the level of intensity of services that their child may need. If parents learn effective strategies to help their child improve skill acquisition and reduce maladaptive behaviors, it’s possible that their child will not need intensive services for as long or at least may not need as many hours of treatment at a time once progress gains are made and reasonable outcomes are achieved (Matson, Mahan, & Matson, 2009).
By learning about evidence-based practices and effective strategies based on behavioral principles, parents may also reduce the need for their child to be on prescribed medications (Postorino, et. al., 2017).
Another excellent outcome that research supports through parent training that emphasizes incorporating behavioral strategies in the natural environment is that the parent and the child may experience improvements in their relationship. The parent may experience less stress themselves as well as experience a general overall improvement in family well-being (Koegel, Bimbela, & Schreibman, 1996).
In summary, research strongly supports parent education and training on the topic of autism spectrum disorder and applied behavior analysis, especially how they relate to an individual child. By participating in ABA services through parent training, parents can increase the likelihood that they will encounter numerous benefits for themselves, their child, and their family.
