You'll hear a lot of acronyms once therapy starts. This glossary translates the jargon into plain language so you always know what's being discussed about your child.
ABA Terms, Explained Simply
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Applied Behavior Analysis is the scientific study of behavior and learning. It applies research-backed principles to understand why behaviors occur and how to use positive strategies to teach new skills and reduce challenges.
“It’s the evidence-based approach to understanding why your child does what they do — and using that understanding to help them learn and grow.”
A framework for understanding behavior: the Antecedent (what happens before), the Behavior (what your child does), and the Consequence (what happens after). BCBAs use this to identify why a behavior is occurring.
“Think of it as detective work: what triggered the behavior, what exactly happened, and what came after that might be keeping it going.”
The official clinical diagnosis that qualifies a child for ABA therapy and insurance coverage. ASD is diagnosed by a licensed clinician based on developmental evaluation and observation.
“The formal report from your child’s psychologist or developmental pediatrician. Insurance requires this before ABA coverage begins.”
Modern ABA prioritizes assent — meaning your child should be a willing participant in therapy. Clinicians read cues, adjust when a child is distressed, and build therapy around activities the child enjoys.
“Therapy should feel good to your child. If they’re not comfortable, that’s a signal to the therapist to change something — not push through.”
A BCBA holds a master’s or doctoral degree, completed supervised fieldwork hours, and passed a national certification exam. They assess your child, design the treatment plan, supervise RBTs, and run your weekly parent training sessions.
“The most qualified person on your child’s therapy team. Think of them like a doctor who specializes in learning and behavior. They call the shots on what your child works on.”
A BCaBA has a bachelor’s degree and certification but works under the supervision of a BCBA. They may assist with program implementation or data collection.
“Similar to a BCBA but with less advanced training — always supervised by a BCBA.”
DTT breaks skills into small, clear steps and practices them in short, structured repetitions. Each trial has a clear instruction, the child’s response, and a consequence (reinforcement or correction). DTT is especially effective for teaching new skills from the ground up.
“Imagine flashcard practice, but for any skill — colors, words, following directions. Short bursts of focused repetition with lots of celebration when your child gets it right.”
A verbal operant in which a child repeats back a word or phrase that was just said to them. Building echoic ability is often an early foundation for developing expressive language.
“Teaching your child to repeat words they hear — a foundational step toward using language on their own.”
A structured process BCBAs use to determine the function (purpose) of a challenging behavior. All behavior happens for a reason — attention, escape, access to something, or sensory stimulation. The FBA identifies which one, so the team can address the root cause.
“Your BCBA figures out why your child is doing the challenging thing. Once you know why, you can actually fix it.”
A legally binding document outlining the special education services, accommodations, and goals your child will receive at school. ABA therapy can support and complement IEP goals.
“The formal written agreement with your school district spelling out exactly what support your child will get.”
A mand is verbal behavior used to request something. Teaching manding is often the first priority in language programs because it gives children a functional way to get their needs met — reducing frustration and challenging behaviors.
“Teaching your child to ask for what they want — whether that’s saying ‘juice,’ signing ‘more,’ or using a picture card. Many problem behaviors shrink once a child can ask.”
NET teaches skills in the natural context where they’ll actually be used — during play, mealtimes, bath time, or a trip to the store. It’s child-led and follows the child’s interests to build motivation and generalization.
“Instead of flashcards at a table, your child learns to say ‘ball’ while actually playing with a ball. Skills stick better when learned in real life.”
A prompt is any cue or assistance that helps a child complete a skill they’re learning. Prompts can be physical, verbal, gestural, or visual. The goal is always to fade prompts so the child can perform independently.
“Think of it like training wheels — a helpful nudge to help your child succeed, with the goal of removing that support over time as they get the hang of it.”
Most insurance plans require prior authorization — formal approval — before ABA therapy can begin. The BCBA submits a treatment plan and the insurer reviews and approves the number of hours covered per week.
“Insurance paperwork that has to be approved before we can start billing. We handle this entire process — you don’t have to call your insurer yourself.”
Positive reinforcement means following a desired behavior with something the child finds rewarding — making that behavior more likely to happen again. Reinforcement is individualized: what motivates one child may not motivate another.
“When your child does something great and gets something they love right after, they’re more likely to do it again. That’s reinforcement.”
An RBT is a trained and certified paraprofessional who implements the ABA program designed by the BCBA. They are the person in your home most often — running sessions, collecting data, and building a relationship with your child. They work under the direct supervision of the BCBA.
“Your child’s day-to-day therapist. They show up, play with your child, run the therapy exercises, and keep track of how things are going — all guided by the BCBA.”
SIBs include head-banging, biting, hitting, or scratching oneself. They are typically a way of communicating an unmet need. ABA addresses the underlying function while teaching safer alternatives.
“When a child hurts themselves, it’s usually because they’re trying to communicate something. ABA helps identify what that is and teaches a safer way to get the same need met.”
Shaping reinforces successive approximations of a target behavior — rewarding small steps in the right direction, then gradually raising the bar. It’s how complex skills are built when a child can’t do the full skill yet.
“You celebrate and reward every small step toward the goal, not just when the full skill is perfect. Like clapping for a child’s first wobbly steps, not waiting until they can run.”
A written plan developed by the BCBA after the initial assessment. It outlines your child’s current skill levels, target goals, the methods to be used, and how progress will be measured. It’s submitted to insurance for authorization and updated regularly.
“Think of it like a school curriculum customized entirely for your child — what they’ll learn, how they’ll learn it, and how you’ll all know it’s working.”
