Behavioural Skills Training (BST)

Keep it simple.

We’ve heard this expression over and over again and it is often at the core of different methods for teaching new skills. ABA practitioners use Behavioural Skills Training (BST) because it is an evidence-based training method that has been shown to be effective in teaching people all sorts of skills, from things like tying shoes, to working complex machinery. BST has 4 basic steps, they are:

Instruction (Explain the skill): The instructor is clear and concise and lays out expectations and consequences for appropriate behaviours as well as instructions on how the task is to be completed. They may also provide a rationale for the skill or describe why it is important. 

• For example:  Someone using BST to teach appropriate movie-going behaviour would initially explain, “When you are in the theatre you must walk slowly, stay within arms reach of me, and use a quiet voice, so that everyone can hear and get to their movie on time.”

Modelling (Show the skill): The instructor creates an opportunity wherein they can model the skill they are teaching their learners. This creates a reference point for the learner to come back as they learn the skill.

• For example: Someone using BST to teach movie-going behaviour would show the learner what walking slowly, staying close, and  speaking quietly look like by physically performing these actions or showing a video clip of someone performing these actions.

Rehearsal (Practice the skill): The instructor creates an opportunity for the learners to practice performing the desired skill.

• For Example: Someone using BST to teach movie-going behaviour might take a field trip to the theatre or set up a “mini” movie theatre in their house so the learners can practice the skill.

Feedback (Report on how the skill was performed): The instructor provides calm, factual, and helpful feedback to the learner on how the skill was performed and then provides rewards (ABA people would say positive reinforcement) for successful performance and more training on whatever the learner may still need help learning.

• For example: Someone using BST to teach movie-going behaviour might congratulate a learner on how well they are walking quietly and remind them to keep their voice low. The instructor would then model keeping their voice low for the learner again. It is important to note that modelling, rehearsal, and feedback are repeated as many times as needed while teaching a skill, and are repeated until the learner has shown that they possess the skill (what those in ABA call “mastery”). 

Different people learn differently and, using the movie theatre example above, some may quickly learn to walk quietly, but may struggle staying close and keeping their voice low. With others it may be the opposite. BST provides learners with many opportunities to perform all parts of a skill along with modelling from those that already know how to perform the skill.

While anyone can use the steps of BST to teach someone, it is important that the person using BST have a good relationship (in ABA terms we call that being “paired”) with the individual they are teaching. It is also important to be able to adapt to the learner’s needs. For example, a teacher using BST with someone that has a sensitivity to sound may use visual instructions or the least amount of words while speaking/describing a skill. 

Sometimes, when we don’t feel understood, or when we think others haven’t understood us, we may want to think of other ways to explain things. While we may say things that are very true and full of good information, it can actually make it less likely that you will successfully teach the skill. 

Remember that it’s better to keep it simple and show your learner what you mean than tell them; then give them the chance to practice it, giving feedback and rewards for doing the skill correctly. 

Interested in learning more? Check out these resources on Behavioural Skills Training (BST):

https://bsci21.org/behavior-skills-training-in-4-steps/

https://prezi.com/qdv493njkua7/behavioral-skills-training-procedures/

How do I know if my child is making progress?

First it is probably important to define what an ABA practitioner means by progress. In ABA we take data on observable and measurable behaviour, like the number of times someone raises their hand to ask a question, or how long a child takes to respond when their name is called. These data allow ABA practitioners to plan specific interventions to teach, shape, increase, and decrease behaviours. Progress is then defined by those in ABA as a significant change in the data, meaning a change in the behaviour. Let’s look at an example 

The above graph shows an overall reduction in the number of minutes that the child spent screaming. Before ABA intervention, the child screamed for about 6 minutes each day. After day 3 of ABA treatment, (day 8 of measuring screaming), the child was screaming for 4 minutes or less and by day 15 the child wasn’t screaming at all. Looks like progress to me, but one graph doesn’t tell the whole story. If this child wasn’t also taught other behaviours that they can use in the situation that used to cause screaming, the program is not likely to be effective in the long term. So how can you tell an effective ABA program from an ineffective one? 

The Signs of an Effective ABA Program

• A Focus on Teaching, Not Correction

One of the signs of an effective ABA program is the focus on addressing the factors that lead to problem behaviour, rather than a focus purely on the reduction of undesired behaviours. While the reduction of ineffective, inappropriate, or dangerous behaviours is often a goal of treatment plans in ABA, it should only be a component if necessary, with the primary focus of ABA intervention being teaching the client the skills they need to be as successful and independent as possible. If your child is learning and using skills that allow them to be independent and successful, they are likely making progress. 

• The Professionals are Licensed by the BACB (Behaviour Analysis Certification Board)

The process for becoming certified involves classroom instruction, testing, and supervised training in the application of ABA, with several different methods for verifying an individual’s competence. While a certification does not guarantee an effective ABA practitioner, you are far more likely to experience quality ABA services from an individual or team of professionals that are certified. Common certifications in the field include Registered Behaviour Technicians (RBT) and Board Certified Behaviour Analyst (BCBA), but there are also Board Certified Assistant Behaviour Analysts (BCaBA) and those with doctorate level experience and training (BCBA-D).

• A Focus on the Client’s Needs

An effective ABA program is one that focuses on the needs of its clients. This means that everything taught to a client should be meaningful for that client’s life or be necessary for that client to lead a meaningful life. Examples of this include teaching one client to speak by using their iPad and teaching another client to use sign language due to ability or preference. The point of the treatment is to increase the client’s independence and satisfaction by teaching communication. The exact method isn’t what is important; what is important is making meaningful improvements to the client’s daily life.

• The Client Receives Regular Supervision From a BCBA

Have you ever played the “telephone game”? One person whispers something into a person’s ear and then they whisper what they heard. Invariably some things are missed and sometimes the message can be changed altogether, especially when not everyone is motivated to understand the message. When applying the science of behaviour to addressing real concerns, supervision helps prevent treatment from becoming a game of “telephone”. 

Supervision in ABA doesn’t mean that a BCBA shows up and tells an RBT what to do; rather, supervision in ABA allows providers to communicate and collaborate about what they are seeing and how effective different approaches are for an individual client. This process allows for ABA providers to ensure that they are responding to their clients in ways that support progress and improvement in day to day living. 

What is My Role in My Child’s Progress?

One of the reasons that ABA is so effective is because it is so consistent. Taking data allows us to be very precise with how we respond to various behaviours. The more consistently everyone responds to a specific behaviour, the more likely it is for that behaviour to change in response. An effective ABA provider communicates with caregivers regarding how they are responding to your child’s behaviours. Feel free to ask for specific descriptions if needed, or any other questions or clarification. It can often be difficult as humans to tell how well we understand each other and ABA providers should be committed to effective and calm communication that addresses your concerns and answers your questions.

Trusting Your Eyes and Your Gut

If an ABA program is being effective, you will see it and you will feel it in day to day life. It might be small, maybe your child lets you know when they need to use the bathroom without whining, or maybe they ask another kid to play on the playground. It might be big, maybe your child is starting to recognize words and letters or do better at math. If your child seems happy about going to, and coming home, from ABA and you see them succeeding more often in little and big ways, it is likely that the ABA program is effective.