7 Essential ABA Therapy Strategies to Improve Communication and Behavior

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In Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy, the goal isn’t to control behavior—it’s to empower individuals. Done right, ABA helps children communicate more clearly, connect more deeply, and thrive more independently.

It’s not about forcing compliance. It’s about building trust, fostering autonomy, and teaching meaningful, socially significant behaviors. Whether you’re a practitioner guiding sessions or a parent supporting growth at home, these seven essential ABA therapy strategies can help you stay focused on what matters most: meaningful progress.

One Purpose: Empowerment Through Behavior

ABA therapy exists to improve lives by teaching skills that lead to more independence and choice. At its core, ABA is about helping individuals access what’s important to them—whether that’s playing independently, expressing a need, or participating in everyday routines.

This might look like helping a child learn to request a favorite toy instead of crying or supporting a teen in developing routines that promote self-care. The work is always centered on the learner's goals—not on forcing someone to fit into a mold.

Two Cores of ABA: Communication and Behavior Replacement

Two foundational aspects of ABA therapy are increasing communication and replacing problem behavior with functional alternatives.

Communication may involve spoken words, sign language, picture cards, or communication devices. The key is increasing how often and how easily a child can express their needs. The more chances we give them to request things they want—and the faster we reinforce those requests—the faster communication grows (McGreevy, 2012).

When problem behaviors occur, we don’t just say “stop.” We teach a new, appropriate behavior that serves the same purpose. This is known as functional communication training, a core behavior replacement technique. For example, if a child throws items to escape a demand, we might teach them to hand over a break card instead.

Three Ways that ABA is Delivered: Reinforce, Kind Extinction, Model

All ABA strategies are built on three simple but powerful tools:

• Reinforce desirable behavior. When we immediately reward a child for using kind words or following directions, we make it more likely they’ll do it again (Latham, 1993).
• Ignore undesirable behavior using Kind Extinction. If a child screams to get attention and we don’t respond to the screaming—but instead reinforce calm requests—we help them learn more effective communication (Latham, 1993).
• Model the behavior we want to see. Children learn by watching us. Parents and practitioners can model patience, clear communication, and emotional regulation (Bandura, 1967).

These tools are simple in theory, but incredibly powerful when used consistently and with care.

The Four Essential Functions: Why Behavior Happens

Human behavior is more complex than merely four functions of behavior, but to change behavior, we first need to understand why it happens. Most behaviors serve one (or more) of these four functions (Iwata, 1985; Maslow, 1969):

• Access to tangibles or activities. A child may grab a toy because they want it.
• Automatic reinforcement. Some behaviors feel good or serve a sensory need.
• Access to attention. This could be seeking praise, help, or even a reaction.
• Escape or avoidance. This might look like whining, running away, or refusing a task.

Understanding the function of a behavior helps us teach a functional and appropriate alternative. This is how we replace—not suppress—behavior.

Five Guiding Principles of ABA: The Foundation

These five foundational principles of ABA therapy guide every intervention:

• Motivation. Learning doesn’t happen without it. Knowing what drives a child in the moment is key to shaping progress.
• Reinforcement. Behavior increases when it’s followed by something valuable.
• Extinction. Withholding reinforcement for unwanted behavior (like ignoring whining) can reduce that behavior over time.
• Punishment. Used ethically and cautiously, punishment is always paired with reinforcement of better alternatives.
• Stimulus control. A specific cue reliably signals a certain behavior—like a timer signaling the end of screen time.

These principles aren’t just for sessions—they’re tools families can use at home for everything from homework routines to transitions.

Six Antecedent Strategies: Prevention Matters

Rather than reacting to problem behavior, we can often prevent it altogether by adjusting what happens beforehand. These six antecedent control procedures are proactive strategies that help create success:

1. Provide clear cues for the desired behavior. For example: “First clean up, then snack.”
2. Remove cues for undesired behavior. Keep off-limits items out of sight.
3. Increase motivation for the desired behavior. Let the child earn a favorite toy by following directions.
4. Reduce motivation for problem behavior. Offer a snack before a known meltdown trigger (like hunger).
5. Make good behavior easy. Break tasks into smaller, manageable steps.
6. Make problem behavior harder. If a child escapes by throwing materials, offer only one item at a time.

These simple shifts help promote smoother sessions, easier transitions, and calmer home environments.

Seven Steps to Instructional Control: The Relationship

Instructional control is about creating a trusting, cooperative relationship—not domination. Schramm (2016) outlines seven ways to build this connection:

1. Be in control of the environment—manage reinforcers calmly and fairly.
2. Be fun and engaging. Pair yourself with activities the child enjoys.
3. Be consistent and trustworthy. Follow through on expectations and promises.
4. Show that listening brings rewards. Help instructions lead to positive outcomes.
5. Reinforce desirable behavior. Recognition builds trust and motivation.
6. Align your goals with theirs. Focus on what matters to the child and family.
7. Avoid reinforcing problem behavior. Stay calm, consistent, and neutral.

These steps work just as well during therapy sessions as they do during dinner or bedtime routines at home.

Bringing It All Together

ABA therapy is not about managing people—it’s about understanding them, supporting them, and celebrating their progress. The seven strategies outlined here—from purpose to prevention—aren’t just academic. They are everyday tools for making ABA compassionate, practical, and centered on the person.

For practitioners, these layers provide a framework for ethical, evidence-based interventions. For parents, they offer insight into your child’s behavior—and confidence in how to support growth at home. And for the child? They open doors to more independence, clearer communication, and a world that feels a little easier to navigate.

Because at the end of the day, ABA isn’t about control—it’s about connection.

It’s about remembering that not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted. While data drives our decisions, compassion drives our purpose. We’re not just measuring behavior—we’re nurturing potential, empowering families, and creating more meaningful moments of growth.

The world is not only made of matter—it is made of what matters. And in ABA therapy, what matters most is the person in front of us.

Curious how ABA therapy can support your child’s communication and development?
Contact us today for a free consultation—we’d love to help your family thrive.

• Written by Dr. Matthew Temple

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