ABC of ABA

What are ABCs of ABA?

ABCs are the building blocks of ABA. Almost all teaching in ABA therapy is done in ABC format. This is regardless of
weather it’s BI-lead Intensive Teaching (IT) or play-based Natural Environment Teaching (NET).

Antecedent: Antecedents are events in the learner’s environment that trigger or control a target behaviour.
Behaviour never happens without an antecedent. During therapy, antecedents will include instructions and natural
cues for the child to perform the target responses. In ABA terminology antecedents are also called discriminative
stimulus or Sd.

Behaviour: Behaviour include specific target responses we are trying to teach the child for any given skill. The aim
of ABA is to increase socially significant desirable behaviours (skill deficits) and decrease undesirable behaviours
(problem behaviours). This handout is focused on use of ABC for teaching skill deficits. For reducing problem
behaviours during therapy, refer to Instructional Control handout.

Consequences: Consequences are the events in the learner’s environment immediately after the target behaviour.
Consequences make the behaviour either stronger (reinforcement) or weaker (punishment and extinction) in the future.
ABA programs use variety of reinforcements to teach skill deficits. During therapy, the child cannot learn target
responses without effective reinforcement. It is critical that you understand reinforcement well to be an effective BI.
Please read the Reinforcement handout.

How to Teach in ABC Format During BI Sessions

To teach in ABC format during BI sessions, you must be able to identify ABCs of every teaching target. That means that
you must:

1. Identify what’s the cue/trigger or instruction for the teaching target is – identifying Antecedent
2. Identify what an acceptable response from child looks like – identifying Behaviour
3. Identify what the effective reinforcement should be (right type, quantity and quality of reinforcers) –
identifying Consequence.

It is essential that when an antecedent for a target response is presented, the child responds as described by the goal
and reinforced appropriately for that response. We use different types of prompts to ensure that when an antecedent
is presented, the child will perform the target response. Prompts are only there to help and must be faded as quickly as
ABC of ABA
possible so that the child can independently perform the target responses. It is essential that you are familiar with all
the relevant prompting procedures for teaching. Please see the Prompting handout to learn about different types of
prompts and prompt-fading procedures.

Sample Teaching targets and their ABCs

Teaching Teachin Antecedent Behaviour Consequence
Target g Style
Vocabulary: IT BI gets child’s attention Child says ‘car’ BI enthusiastically says ‘good job, it is a
the child will and shows a picture of a car’ and gives an M&M to the child
label colour car saying ‘what is it’?
‘blue’ NET While child and BI are BI says ‘yo u got it, it’s blue’ and
playing cars, BI points to a continues to play cars with the child in a
blue car and asks ‘what more fun way.
colour is it?’
Imitation: IT BI get’s child’s attention Child watches BI says ‘nice work, you did stir and drink’
the child will and say ‘do what I do’. and then copies and gives child a token.
imitate 2 Then pretends to stir in a the same
actions with cup and then drink from it. movements with
an object. NET Child and BI are playing tea the cup and BI says ‘ooh isn’t it a yummy tea’ in a
party together. When the spoon. fun enthusiastic voice and continues to
child is watching, BI play tea party with the child.
pretends to stir and drink
from a cup. Then say ‘now
you try it’ or ‘its your turn
now’
Listener IT BI get’s child’s attention Child claps within BI says ‘nice job clapping your hands’
Skills: the and says ‘clap your hands’. 2-5 seconds. and blow some bubbles for the child.
child will NET BI and child are playing BI says ‘wow you’re so good at this
demonstrate Simon says. On BI’s turn game’ and continues the game with
clapping she says ‘Simon says clap child’s turn.
upon your hands’
request
Social Skills: NET During play with puppets, Adam looks at the BI makes the dog ‘say’, ‘woof woof, it’s
the child will BI takes a dog puppet and dog and says ‘hi good to see you Adam’ in a funny voice
respond to makes him say ‘hi Adam’ dog’. and continue to play puppets with
greeting with Adam.
‘hi + name’.

As you can probably tell from the chart above, while the target responses are the same during IT and NET, the
Antecedents and the Consequences used for teaching are different. Your BI sessions will be a combination of IT and
NET. Your Behaviour Consultant will determine the right teaching style for your child’s individual goals and learner
profile. Please read the IT vs. NET handout for teaching strategies for both styles.