APPLIED BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS CHEAT SHEET

ABA Terms

Implementation in
Technique Definition Meaning Essential Notes
Therapy (Example)

A therapist praises a
Providing a Reinforcing
client for completing a Consistent
reward after a behavior by
Positive task, providing tokens reinforcement is
desired behavior adding
Reinforcement or praise immediately key to maintaining
to increase its something
after the behavior to desired behavior.
likelihood. favorable.
strengthen it.
Removing an Careful tracking of
Reinforcing by Removing loud
aversive stimulus behaviors is needed
Negative removing noise once a
after a desired to ensure effective
Reinforcement something client completes
behavior to increase removal of aversive
unpleasant. a specific task.
its occurrence. stimuli.
Asking the client, "What
A structured Teaching complex Ideal for
Discrete color is this?" and
technique tasks by dividing teaching new
Trial reinforcing after a
breaking learning them into skills in a
Training correct answer or
into small, manageable controlled
(DTT) prompting the correct
repeated steps. components. setting.
one.
Using the child’s Teaching language
Teaching Highly effective for
Natural interests to skills while a child
skills in generalizing skills
Environment facilitate plays with toys,
natural, real- beyond clinical
Training (NET) learning in a reinforcing correct
world settings. settings.
natural context. responses naturally.
Using verbal or
Providing cues or Effective
Supporting the client physical prompts to
hints to help prompting
to encourage correct guide the client,
Prompting perform a reduces
behavior, then fading followed by gradual
behavior dependency over
prompts gradually. reduction of these
correctly. time.
prompts.
Breaking down tooth Use a visual task
Breaking complex Simplifying complex
Task brushing into individual chart to track
tasks into smaller, tasks to make learning
Analysis steps and teaching them progress through
sequential steps. more manageable.
one by one. steps.
 Teaching the first step of
Linking together Teaching a Ensure mastery at
dressing, then moving to
behaviors in a sequence of each step before
Chaining the next step after
sequence where each behaviors step- progressing to the
mastery (forward
step cues the next. by-step. next.
chaining).
Reinforcing initial Patience and
Reinforcing Gradually teaching
attempts at a new persistence are
successive new behaviors by
Shaping behavior and then necessary as each
approximations of reinforcing closer
gradually raising approximation is
the target behavior. approximations.
the standard. learned.
Showing a client how to
Especially useful
Demonstrating the Teaching through correctly perform a
when verbal
Modeling desired behavior demonstration and behavior, such as greeting
instructions are
for imitation. observation. someone, and encouraging
not effective.
them to imitate it.
A system where Providing tokens for Helps create
Encouraging
tokens are given for completing tasks that motivation for
Token positive behaviors
desired behaviors can later be behaviors that don't
Economy using tokens as
and exchanged for exchanged for a have immediate
motivators.
rewards. preferred activity. intrinsic rewards.
Teaching a
Using client to use
Teaching
communication sign language Essential for
Functional alternative
instead of to request a clients with
Communication communication
problematic break instead of communication
Training (FCT) strategies to reduce
behaviors to meet engaging in difficulties.
problem behaviors.
needs. negative
behavior.
Ignoring Be prepared for the
Withholding Gradually reducing
attention-seeking "extinction burst"
reinforcement for a problematic behavior
Extinction behaviors to where the behavior
previously reinforced by removing
reduce their escalates before
behavior to reduce it. reinforcement.
occurrence. reducing.
Ensuring
Must consistently
Encouraging behaviors are Practicing learned
reinforce behaviors
learned skills applied in behaviors in school,
Generalization in multiple
across different various at home, and in other
environments to
settings or people. contexts, not environments.
generalize them.
just in therapy.
Essential to clearly
Reinforcing a desired Increasing Reinforcing
define the target
behavior while desired sitting quietly in
Differential behavior and
withholding behaviors while class while
Reinforcement undesired
reinforcement for reducing ignoring
behaviors to track
other behaviors. undesired ones. fidgeting.
progress.