You often hear that a child "doesn't cooperate": avoids sessions, walks away, protests or throws things. But in many cases the difficulty isn't the child, it's that the environment is confusing and unpredictable for them.
What a child may not understand
A child may not understand:
- what task is coming next;
- how long it will last;
- what will happen afterwards;
- where they made a mistake;
- when the session will end;
- how to get a break or what they want.
Structure and predictability
That's why ABA pays close attention to structure and predictability. When a child understands the order of events, knows what to expect, sees their successes and understands how to earn reinforcement, anxiety and protests can drop noticeably. Predictability helps them feel calm, safe and ready to learn.
Functional analysis: why the child does this
Functional analysis isn't about "bad" or "good" behavior, it's about causes. Why does the child scream, run away, cry or hit? The answer to this question helps choose a strategy that will actually work.
The specialist's job isn't just to stop the behavior but to teach the child more suitable ways of interacting.
Teaching to ask instead of scream
One of the goals of ABA is to build skills that replace unwanted behavior. For example, teaching the child to ask for something they want in a way that works for them: with a word, a gesture or a card. When a child knows how to ask, they no longer need to scream or protest to get what they want.
Hanley's approach: gentle and respectful
The center uses a modern approach to addressing problem behavior developed by Greg Hanley. It is based on respect for the child, a trusting relationship and understanding the reasons behind behavior. Instead of harsh methods, the specialist helps the child learn more effective ways to communicate and express their needs.
The approach is flexible and gentle with the child's emotional state. Its goal is not only to reduce unwanted behavior but also to help the child feel successful, understood and confident.
The main goal of skill-based treatment (SBT) is for the child to learn to cope with frustration in everyday life: with disappointment, uncertainty and the fact that life doesn't always go the way we'd like. This is a sign of psychological flexibility, which children so often lack.
The center's experience
An ABA therapist at the center completed Hanley's course "Practical Functional Assessment and Skill-Based Treatment," and center specialist Tatyana Korobko presented a real case of working with challenging behavior using the PFA/SBT approach at an international conference. If meltdowns and protests get in the way of your child's learning and life, this can be worked on.