‍A-B-Cs (Antecedent - Behavior - Consequences)/Three-Term Contingency

Also known as the Three-Term Contingency, the A-B-Cs (or ABCs) of behavior is a tool used in ABA treatment to determine the function of a behavior in order to develop an intervention. It consists of breaking an individual’s behavior down into three components: 1) the A is for antecedent (what happens right before the behavior occurs); 2) the B is the actual behavior; 3) and the C is the consequence (what happens right after the behavior has occurred). In ABA treatment, the framework of the A-B-Cs is used to help understand behavior and encourage positive changes as needed. The A-B-Cs illustrate how behavior is elicited by the environment and how the consequences of behavior can affect its future occurrence.

A-B-C Recording

A-B-C (or ABC) recording is a way of collecting information to help determine the function of an individual's behavior. It does this by breaking down observations into the A-B-Cs, or antecedent, behavior, and consequences. A-B-C recordings (or “A-B-C records”) allow therapists and caregivers to see patterns across multiple occasions of behavior. One popular method of tracking A-B-C records is through an Observational ABC Chart or Form like this one: Observational ABC Form (indiana.edu).

Ableism

Ableism is discrimination against people with disabilities or people who are perceived to have disabilities. This discrimination can be intentional or unintentional and is based on the (false) belief that there is a correct way for bodies and minds to function and that anyone who deviates from that is “inferior.” Ableism centers around the notion that people with disabilities are imperfect and in need of fixing. It is important to note that ableism does not refer only to individual discriminatory acts, but also to a system that privileges people without disabilities and disadvantages people with disabilities. Like other forms of oppression of marginalized groups, ableism can occur in interactions between individuals, in institutions, between individuals and organizations, within social systems, and as part of social norms, expectations, and policies. It can show up in ways ranging from personal to institutional, and it includes the many ways in which people with disabilities or people who are perceived to have disabilities are considered "less than" non-disabled (sometimes referred to as “able-bodied”) people.

Abolishing Operation (AO)

An abolishing operation (AO) is a motivating operation that temporarily or momentarily decreases the value of a reinforcer. For example, after having a cookie, the value of a cookie as a reinforcer could be potentially diminished. As another example, after going to the park and using the swings, the value of going to the park to use the swings as a reinforcer could potentially decrease.

Antecedent

An antecedent of behavior is a stimulus event, situation, or circumstance that precedes that behavior. In other words, an antecedent is what was happening or what/who was present right before a specific behavior occurred. An antecedent could be a loud noise, a change in routine, the denial of access to an item or activity, the presentation of a task, or any other event, situation, or circumstance that precedes some behavior.

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)

Applied Behavior Analysis (or ABA) is an evidence-based approach to understanding behavior. ABA refers to a set of principles that focus on how behaviors change, or are affected by the environment, as well as how learning takes place. ABA is the scientific practice of applying principles of Behavior Analysis (or BA) to solve socially meaningful problems. ABA helps people learn new skills and modify ineffective or problematic behaviors. ABA seeks to improve socially significant behavior.

Apraxia

Apraxia is a rare neurological disorder characterized by the inability to execute or carry out skilled movements and gestures despite the individual having the desire and physical ability to perform these tasks. Apraxia thus makes it challenging for an individual to participate in daily living functions, such as speaking and engaging in precise and targeted movements. Apraxia is most frequently the result of a lesion on the brain caused by other diseases or brain injury. Apraxia can be mistaken for ASD, as it shares some common features. It can also co-occur with ASD.

Acquisition Task

An acquisition task is a target task or skill that is in the process of being taught. Put another way, this is a behavior or skill that is not yet a known behavior or skill to the person seeking to acquire that particular behavior or skill.

Assessment of Basic Language and Learning Skills (ABLLS-R)

The revised Assessment of Basic Language and Learning Skills (ABLLS^TM-R), often pronounced "ables," is an assessment tool created by Dr. James Partington to help guide instruction, curriculum planning, and to target critical learning skills for individuals with ASD or other developmental delays or disabilities. ABBLS-R can be used on children from birth through 12 years to identify deficits in communication and functional skills, in academic achievement and motor skills, and is frequently used to guide applied behavior analysis (ABA) treatment.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), autism spectrum disorder (or ASD) is defined as a condition encompassing persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction across multiple domains. ASD is rated as Level 1, 2, or 3 based on the intensity of support that the individual needs to function in their daily environments and to meet daily demands and expectations. ASD is a complex and lifelong neurodevelopmental condition that typically appears during early childhood. It can impact a person’s social skills, communication, relationships, and self-regulation. Individuals diagnosed with ASD experience the condition differently (i.e., in a unique manner). ASD is defined by a certain set of behaviors, and is often referred to as a “spectrum condition” because it affects people differently and to varying degrees.

Avoidance

In ABA, avoidance is a functional behavior in which problematic or maladaptive behavior is used by an individual to avoid encountering a situation, task, or condition that is perceived as unpleasant. Avoidance is different from escape: avoidance refers to avoiding entering a specific situation (without actually being in that situation), while escape refers to exiting a situation (where being in that situation is a condition for the escape to occur).