It’s undeniable that ABA therapy Parent Training can have a positive impact as part of the overall treatment plan for a child. In fact, most health insurers require regular parent training as a condition for approving ABA therapy hours for children with autism. As such, parent training is covered by insurance. Parents at The Behavior Exchange average one hour of training a week.
Parent training is parent empowerment
Since we’re on the topic, we thought it would be helpful, especially for parents new to ABA therapy, to take a look at what parent training is, what you learn, and why it’s so important.
In general, there are two varieties of ABA therapy Parent Training. Individual parent training is when you work one-on-one with your child’s BCBA. Group Parent Training, whether online or in-person, brings a group of parents together to learn through discussions on shared challenges and solutions using proven techniques of ABA therapy.
The overall objective of any ABA therapy Parent Training class is to empower parents and caregivers of children with autism with basic, but key, practices and tools of ABA therapy that they can use with their child at home and about town. Parent training ensures there’s consistency and continuity for children in the application of ABA therapy techniques to bring about the best possible outcomes. As your child’s first teacher, you’re an important part of your child’s therapy team!
With parent training, you’ll learn not only how ABA therapy works and how to use it, but you can also gain confidence in how you react to your child’s behavior and insights on creating a more nurturing environment for your child at home that can aid their well-being as well as their ability to learn and communicate.
Group parent training has added benefits
Understandably, a medical diagnosis like autism for a child can leave parents feeling alone and even fearful. With group parent training, you get a sense of community that offers emotional support and insights that can bring hope to your autism journey. There’s comfort in knowing other people are dealing with the same things are you are.
Group Parent Training also gives parents the opportunity to share what has and hasn’t worked with their child to help other parents manage similar situations with their child. It’s a support network that can grow beyond the training sessions, one in which you can reach out to anytime for help from someone who understands what you’re going through.
Your child making progress is the best benefit of all
We don’t need research to know that parent training is beneficial for parents and their children. But fortunately, there are studies that have tried to measure the effectiveness of ABA therapy parent training.
One study, for example, found that parent training “…was effective in increasing positive parenting behavior, decreasing negative parenting behavior, and increasing child compliance to parental commands.” Children had also improved their social and behavioral functioning, while parents reported greater confidence in their parenting abilities and an improvement in the relationship with their child.
Meaningful changes like these can make all difference in the daily life of families.
Tips for making the most of ABA therapy parent training
If you’re new to parent training or a seasoned participant, here are some helpful tips to keep in mind.1
- Be curious. Don’t be afraid to ask questions that seem elementary. Understanding the “why” behind ABA techniques will help you to utilize them at home.
- Be observant. Watch your child’s behavior in order to identify triggers and motivations behind behaviors. Remember the “aha” moments. They’re clues for knowing your child better and will help to create a personalized approach. Ultimately, understanding your child more is going to play a crucial role in aiding their development.
- Role-play. Parent training isn’t about play-acting. It’s about practicing real-life situations in a safe space. The more you practice implementing techniques, the more comfortable you’ll feel using them effectively at home.
- Be a team player. Parent training fosters collaboration between you, the BCBA, and other professionals involved in your child’s care. Share your observations, ask for support, and celebrate your child’s successes – together.
For more information about Parent Training at The Behavior Exchange, contact us today! We’d love to share our experience with autism and ABA therapy that spans the last 20+ years. As a Behavioral Health Center of Excellence® with the highest accreditation possible, we’ve helped countless families in North Texas and the greater Boulder, Colorado, area. We welcome the opportunity to help yours, too.
1The tips mentioned above were sourced here. We liked them so much, we wanted to share them with you.
