One thing I’ve learned over the years while working in the field of applied behavior analysis is that I have been engaged in it my whole life. When you learn the basic principles, you quickly start recognizing them at work. Speeding tickets, red lights, my maps search to the closest Taco Bell after I hear the dinging bell on a commercial playing in the living room, all of these things and more directly relate to ABA.
Behavioral Skills Training (BST) is one of the most widely used instructional methods in ABA. As you learn more about it, you quickly realize it goes far beyond just teaching children with autism. It is a highly valued and utilized teaching method across many fields and professions. It does help clients, of course, but it also helps parents, teachers, and behavior technicians learn and apply new skills effectively.
BST works so well because people learn better when they are actively involved in the teaching process. I can think of many times in my life where I was only given written instructions and was expected to thrive, when in reality, it just made me feel unsure and left me with a lot of questions. BST focuses on hands-on practice, immediate guidance, and repeated success. It is a way to ensure that the learner leaves feeling more confident about their learned skills. BST can be used to train parents in behavior strategies, teach teachers how to manage classrooms, prepare technicians for success in therapy sessions, and pretty much any other type of training and development. Wherever a new skill needs to be taught clearly and effectively, BST can be used.
What Is Behavioral Skills Training?
BST can be explained very simply. It is a teaching approach that follows four steps: Explain, demonstrate, practice, and provide feedback. First, a teacher explains the skill and gives basic verbal instructions for executing it. Then, the teacher shows the skill themselves. After watching the teacher demonstrate the skill, the learner practices the skill themselves. Then, after carefully observing the learner practice the skill, the teacher provides feedback to refine or correct it. It’s a straightforward teaching method that is often very successful.
The reason that it is so effective is that it does not assume that listening alone creates learning. Of course, listening to someone explain how something works will give the learner a basic idea of how it is done, but most people don’t learn that way. Many people (me included!) have sat through lectures or meetings and have left still unsure about what to do. People still have questions, and may even have more after starting to do the thing they were trained on independently. BST helps to prevent that by implementing hands-on practice right then and there. They learn what to do, see it actively being done, try it for themselves under observation, and then receive immediate feedback.
BST is very popular in ABA, but it is also very popular outside of ABA. Other fields may call it something different, but the basic components are easily identifiable as BST. BCBAs use it to train new behavior technicians who will be working directly with children. BCBAs also use it to help parents carry out behavior plans at home. At the risk of sounding hyperbolic, BST can be used to teach anyone to perform any task within their physical and cognitive capabilities.
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The Four Components of Behavioral Skills Training
BST is broken down into four separate steps, each with a specific purpose. Those steps are as follows:
1. Instruction
Instruction is the first part of BST. You didn’t think you were getting out of lectures completely, did you? As boring as they can be, they are still crucial for learning. During this step, the BCBA or trainer provides a clear explanation of the skill to be learned. The explanation must be specific and easy for people to understand. While some trainers may choose to use complex theory and jargon during the instructional phase, others may break things down into much simpler components and focus on the most important parts. This all, of course, depends on the skill being taught. Surgeons or airplane pilots may get a lot more jargon and deeper instruction, while other professions may require less depth in instruction. As a BCBA, I find that using many examples and only some important behavioral terms is best.
Regardless of the type of skill being taught, good instruction breaks the skill into smaller parts. A complicated skill can feel overwhelming if someone tries to learn it all at once. Use of a task analysis, that is, breaking a complex skill into smaller, measurable parts, is important here. For example, instead of saying “teach hand washing,” the trainer would list each step: turn on the water, wet hands, add soap, rub hands together, rinse hands, turn off the water, and dry hands. These instructions are clearer, more discrete, and give a better idea of what a successful performance may look like.
2. Modeling
After instruction comes modeling. Modeling means the trainer shows the learner exactly how to perform the skill by demonstrating it themselves. Typically, the modeling is done in real-time, but it is also possible to use video modeling and role-playing.
These types have a time and place, but as a BCBA, I feel it is important that some of the modeling include an actual client. The ideal application of ABA principles and their use in real time can look and feel very different, so modeling with an actual client can make a huge difference for those learning the skills. For example, a trainer can explain how errorless teaching is conducted. But, as anybody who works with children knows, kids can be unpredictable. What if the client is closing their eyes? What if they pull away from the activity to lie on the floor? What if they look at the behavior technician, laugh, and say that they have paint on their nose? Clients love to throw curveballs, so modeling principles with clients can help learners see their application in real time, in a more realistic way.
Live modeling may not always be feasible, so video modeling or role-playing can be used. With video modeling, a real client can also be used, helping the learner see a real application of the skills they are learning. Role-playing is also an option, with the trainer first acting as the behavior technician and then as the client during the rehearsal stage.
3. Rehearsal
This stage is where the learner actually practices what they just observed. Instead of watching someone else do the work, the learner becomes the person performing the skill. Practice makes perfect, and what better way to practice than in an observed and controlled manner? It sounds stress-inducing, and can sometimes make learners nervous, but it really does make a big difference in learning. It can be very nerve-wracking to try something new in front of a professional, but BST accepts this and turns practice into a normal and supportive learning strategy.
Rehearsal can be done pretty much anywhere. In a therapy center, in-home, in school, in the community, pretty much anywhere, the target skill will be carried out. For example, a parent might be practicing prompting their child to request a snack in their own kitchen. Or, a technician may be running a teaching trial for sorting with a client at a clinic. The learner will repeat the skill until it feels more natural.
4. Feedback
Feedback is written and considered the final stage of BST, but it ideally occurs alongside the rehearsal stage. While the learner rehearses the skill, the trainer will provide feedback.
A good trainer will provide feedback on both what was done well and what could be improved. I have never been a big fan of overusing the “feedback sandwich” method, but some trainers swear by it. The feedback sandwich includes praise for what was done well, critiques for what needs improvement, and then returns to praising what was done well (making a sandwich with the critique in the middle).
I have found that being more direct about what went well and what could be improved is much easier for both parties. For example, I might point out that a learner did a great job of offering new reinforcement choices throughout a pairing session, but then let them know they asked the client 7 questions when there are supposed to be no demands placed. The feedback sandwich can be helpful when working with learners who need a bit of encouragement, but I don’t always feel it is necessary.
In addition, I like to ask learners why they might’ve done something in a certain way. I firmly believe that feedback should go both ways, and that there is always a chance I can learn a better way to master a skill. Part of what makes a good BCBA is humility and the understanding that, oftentimes, behavior technicians know more about the clients than the BCBA does. A good ABA trainer will keep this in mind when using BST with a learner who already has experience with the client.
Why Behavioral Skills Training Works
BST works because it is based on behavioral principles that work. Reinforcement, repetition, and active participation have been proven to work in ABA sessions with a client, so it makes sense that they would also work with those who carry out the ABA sessions. It uses reinforcement during the learning process with praise and encouragement, and allows the learner to practice the skill as much as necessary to learn how to do things. This combination of encouragement and repetition allows learners to build confidence and independence, and helps them to better generalize the learned skills in other environments.
Common Challenges and How to Overcome Them
BST is a highly effective training method, but common challenges may arise during implementation.
One of the biggest challenges that people may face is generalization. A learner may be able to perform a skill perfectly during the training phase, but struggle to use it outside of the learning setting. As I mentioned earlier, kids love throwing curveballs.
Outside the BST learning environment, it may be harder to determine how to proceed when a client does something unexpected. To prevent this, the BCBA should ensure that BST is a continuous experience. When a skill is mastered, it is still important to come back to monitor and further train if necessary.
As supervisors, BCBAs have the unique opportunity to jump back into BST throughout the supervision session. In addition, making sure the learning environment isn’t too controlled. If role-playing during the rehearsal stage, for example, the trainer should contrive both ideal and non-ideal situations. For teaching the prompting hierarchy, for example, be sure the learner can execute it when everything goes right (e.g., the learner is participating, allowing prompts, etc.). When they demonstrate mastery in those conditions, make sure the next role-play includes unexpected behaviors or other typical obstacles so they are prepared for real-life applications.
Another challenge is inconsistent follow-through. Sometimes learners start strong but then move away from the correct implementation of the strategy after a few days or weeks. The BCBA can support this by checking in regularly, reviewing data, and ensuring that whatever skill they taught is as simple as it can be. Some behavioral interventions can be incredibly hard to implement. If a BCBA finds that it takes too much effort for parents to implement consistently, it might make more sense to make modifications to make it easier for parents.
Other learners experience performance anxiety. I remember how awkward it felt when I was a behavior technician learning to conduct pairing with my supervisor, who acted like a 4-year-old. It is intimidating, awkward, and feels like a lot of pressure. Keeping this in mind as a BCBA is important. It is also important to remain positive and supportive. Reassurance is also helpful, since most BCBAs have experienced firsthand the awkwardness of rehearsal during BST. The more a learner is exposed to BST, the more relaxed they become during the rehearsal and feedback phases.
Conclusión
In short, BST helps to strengthen the bridge between knowing what to do and actually doing it. It is seemingly simple yet effective for learning to execute various skills, both in and outside of ABA. It gives people the confidence to try new strategies without feeling overwhelmed and makes learning a more active activity rather than something that sits untouched on a page. It helps to make the entire ABA experience clearer, smoother, more fun, more active, and more successful.
