| antecedent-based intervention | The core principle is to make problem behavior unnecessary. Examining classroom environment, instructional content, strategies before repeatedly telling students on what not to do |
| differential reinforcement | (E.g., Differential reinforcement of Other behavior, Differential reinforcement of Incompatible behavior, Differential reinforcement of Alternative behavior)A reinforcement procedure in which reinforcement is provided for a desired behavior while reinforcement for an undesired behavior is withheld, with the goal of decreasing the occurrence of the undesired behavior. |
| discrete trial training | A one-to-one instructional method used to teach appropriate behaviors or skills, in which each trial consists of a teacher’s discriminative stimulus (instruction), the student’s response, and the delivery of a planned consequence. |
| extinction | A process in which a conditioned response decreases and eventually disappears as a result of the discontinuation of reinforcement, often used to modify or reduce undesirable behaviors. |
| modeling | A teaching procedure in which the target behavior is demonstrated by the instructor to enable the learner to acquire the behavior through imitation. |
| prompt | A variety of stimuli provided to increase the likelihood that a learner will perform the target behavior, including verbal prompts, gestural prompts, modeling prompts, and physical prompts. |
| reinforcement | The process of increasing the frequency of a response by presenting a pleasant (preferred) stimulus or by removing an unpleasant (non-preferred) stimulus following the response. |
| response interruption/redirection | A behavior reduction strategy in which prompts, explanations, or other distracting stimuli are provided when a problem behavior occurs, in order to shift the learner’s attention away from the problem behavior and thereby decrease its occurrence. |
| script intervention | Providing the learner with verbal and/or written descriptions that serve as examples of a specific skill or situation, followed by repeated practice prior to application in the actual context. |
| task analysis | The process or plan of breaking down a complex skill or task into smaller, more manageable component steps to facilitate teaching and learning. |
| video modeling | An instructional procedure in which a recorded model demonstrates the target behavior, and the learner acquires the desired behavior by observing and imitating the model’s actions in the video. |
| time delay | A prompting procedure in which a brief delay is introduced between the presentation of the natural cue for the target behavior and the delivery of an additional prompt, allowing the learner an opportunity to respond independently before receiving further assistance. |
| pivotal response training | A naturalistic behavioral approach effective in improving the overall social abilities of children with autism spectrum disorder, targeting and generalizing essential pivotal areas. Core target responses often include eye contact, initiation, joint attention, perspective taking, and requesting assistance. |
| self-management | A form of direct observational data collection in which the learner continuously monitors and records their own task-oriented behavior. This method is particularly useful when the target behavior occurs infrequently or only in the absence of others, making it difficult for an observer to record. |
| social skills training | An instructional approach, delivered in group or individual formats, designed to teach students with autism spectrum disorder appropriate ways to interact with peers, adults, and others. Most social skills training programs incorporate instruction on foundational concepts, role-play or practice opportunities, and the provision of feedback, with the goal of enabling students to acquire communication, play, and social skills that promote positive peer interactions. |
| visual support | Specific cues that are paired with, or used in place of, verbal prompts to provide the learner with information about daily activities, behavioral expectations, or skill demonstrations. Visual supports may include pictures, written words, objects, environmental arrangements, visual boundaries, schedules, maps, signs, and visual charts. |
| functional communication | A language intervention approach that emphasizes communication within natural environments, prioritizing skills essential for daily living rather than strictly following developmental sequences. Functional communication training involves replacing problem behaviors that serve a communicative function with more appropriate communication methods that serve the same function. |
| picture exchange communication system | A behaviorally based augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) system that teaches learners to communicate with others using visual graphic symbols. Across six instructional phases, learners are taught to hand a picture or graphic symbol of a desired item to a communication partner in order to obtain that item. |
| functional behaviour assessment | A systematic process of collecting information to identify problem behaviors and the events that may predict or maintain them. The goal of a functional behavior assessment is to determine the environmental factors that evoke or sustain the behavior in order to design and implement the most effective intervention. |