When your child begins ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) therapy, you’ll quickly start hearing new terms used by therapists and care providers. At first, this vocabulary can feel overwhelming or confusing — especially when you’re trying to understand how the therapy works and how it supports your child’s growth.

This guide is designed to make things easier. Below, you’ll find clear, parent-friendly explanations of the most important ABA terms you’ll hear throughout your child’s therapy journey. By understanding these concepts, you’ll feel more confident, involved, and informed when participating in discussions with your child’s therapy team.

In ABA, behavior doesn’t just mean “misbehavior.” It refers to anything a person does that can be seen or measured.
This includes actions like talking, playing, eating, following directions, crying, or even learning a new skill.

Understanding that behavior is simply any observable action helps parents see that ABA isn’t about “fixing” a child — it’s about teaching helpful skills and encouraging positive behaviors.

Reinforcement is a core part of ABA. It means rewarding a behavior so it’s more likely to happen again.

Reinforcement is used to motivate and encourage children as they learn new skills. A reinforcement can be:

• Praise (“Great job!”)
• A favorite toy
• Extra playtime
• A snack
• A high-five or hug

For example: A child says “help” instead of crying, and the therapist praises them and gives assistance. This makes the child more likely to use the word “help” again.

Reinforcement builds confidence, independence, and positive behavior.

In ABA, a consequence is simply what happens after a behavior.
It can increase or decrease the chances of the behavior happening again.

Consequences aren’t always negative. They can be:

• Positive consequences → increase behavior (e.g., praise or rewards)
• Neutral consequences → neither reward nor punish
• Corrective consequences → reduce behavior through calm strategies

A consequence is not about punishment — it’s about teaching. The goal is to help children learn which behaviors are helpful and which aren’t.

Extinction means removing the reinforcement that once encouraged a behavior, so that the behavior eventually decreases.

For example, if a child screams to get a toy and the parent stops giving the toy when the screaming happens, the screaming behavior may decrease over time.

Important note for parents:
When extinction is used, a behavior may temporarily increase before it fades. This is called an extinction burst. It’s normal and part of the process.

A BCBA is a highly trained specialist who:

• Assesses your child’s needs
• Designs the ABA therapy plan
• Supervises therapists
• Monitors your child’s progress

They hold a master’s or doctoral degree and are licensed and certified. A BCBA works closely with families to set goals and ensure therapy is ethical, effective, and tailored to the child’s needs.

You’ll meet with your child’s BCBA often to review progress and adjust the plan as skills improve.

Shaping is a teaching strategy that helps children learn a new skill step-by-step. Each step toward the final skill is rewarded until the full behavior is learned.

Example: Teaching a child to say “water.”

1. Child makes a sound → reinforced
2. Child says “wa” → reinforced
3. Child says “water” → reinforced

Shaping makes learning less stressful and more achievable for children by celebrating small successes along the way.

Some tasks are made of several steps (like brushing teeth, tying shoes, or getting dressed). Chaining is a method that teaches the steps one at a time until the entire task can be done independently.