Traditional Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) generally involves sending your child to in-person sessions with a clinician for up to 40 hours per week. Often, only 10 percent of your child’s time in those sessions will be spent with a Master’s-level clinician like a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). In addition, parents are often left unable to continue positively reinforcing what their child learns in those sessions because they’re left largely out of the loop.
Parent-led ABA puts the parents at the center of their own child’s development, reducing the amount of time children need to spend with clinicians and increasing the parent’s ability to teach and guide their own kids at home.
At Just Parent, our unique telehealth ABA sessions are firmly centered around the concept of parent-led ABA, transforming care for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Here's a closer look at what a typical parent-led telehealth ABA session entails and the remarkable advantages it brings to families.
Recent research has shown that parent-led ABA is equally as effective, or more effective than clinician-led ABA in skill acquisition, improvements in communication, and reductions in challenging behaviors. A separate study found that parent-led ABA resulted in a 93% decrease in challenging behaviors, and a remarkable 67% increase in skill acquisition.
Just Parent's telehealth ABA sessions revolve around a robust parent-led model. We recognize that parents are not only integral to their child's development but are also essential to driving progress in a telehealth setting. Our program encourages parents to take an active role in their child's therapy journey, ensuring a successful therapeutic approach in a comfortable environment.
Each session starts with a warm welcome from the family's dedicated BCBA. Their role is to provide guidance and forge a meaningful relationship with the family, fostering a comfortable atmosphere and a sense of partnership. This trust and collaboration are fundamental to the success of the parent-led ABA model.
Parent-led telehealth ABA emphasizes a collaborative approach. Together, the BCBA and the family set specific goals for the session and the overall intervention. These goals span a wide range, from improving social skills to reducing challenging behaviors, and are tailored to the unique needs and preferences of the child. This process ensures that the therapy remains highly personalized.
Throughout the session, the BCBA may involve the family in collecting data related to targeted behaviors. This data-driven approach is critical for monitoring progress remotely and modifying the approach if needed.
Just Parent's parent-led telehealth ABA sessions are designed to be engaging and participatory. The BCBA employs various interactive strategies to impart instructions and support to the family, including demonstrating effective techniques and guiding parents and caregivers through practical exercises. These activities encompass teaching new skills, reinforcing existing ones, and addressing challenging behaviors.
Visual supports, such as visual schedules or social stories, are readily shared through screen-sharing capabilities, enhancing comprehension and engagement. The BCBA may also demonstrate techniques using household items, ensuring that parents are well-equipped to implement these strategies confidently in their home.
The cornerstone of Just Parent's parent-led telehealth ABA sessions is parent empowerment. Recognizing parents as the primary caregivers, we equip them with the knowledge and skills required to confidently and effectively implement ABA strategies within their child's daily routines.
Our BCBA provides real-time coaching during parent-child interactions, offering immediate feedback and practical suggestions. By observing the family in their home, the BCBA can address specific challenges and customize interventions accordingly. This approach fosters the generalization of skills beyond the therapy session, maximizing the impact of ABA in the child's everyday life.
As the session concludes, the BCBA provides a comprehensive summary of the progress made during the session, addressing any questions or concerns from the family. Future sessions are scheduled, and the family receives resources, including Just Parent's unique Care Plans and recommended activities tailored to the child's preferences, to support continuous skill development offline.
Just Parent's parent-led telehealth ABA sessions offer an accessible and highly effective alternative to in-person therapy, achieving equal outcomes in skill acquisition, increased communication, and reductions in challenging behaviors.
By placing parents at the helm of the therapy process, we break down geographic barriers, extending the benefits of ABA therapy to families everywhere. Through engaging activities, skill development, and close collaboration with parents, these sessions consistently deliver significant improvements in the child's overall development. As technology continues to evolve, parent-led telehealth ABA plays an increasingly crucial role in supporting families and children with ASD as they journey toward greater independence and well-being.
If you’re looking for a parent-led approach to ABA therapy for your family, get started with Just Parent today.