🇵🇦 Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA): A Guide for Parents in Panama on Behavior Modification
Gabriel L. Medianero Araúz¹ and Mario Pimentel²
¹ Psychologist
² Educational Neuropsychologist
🧐 Why do we seek professional help for behavior?
In many cases, the desire to consult a psychologist or a behavioral professional (such as a duly certified analyst) arises from the urgent need to "change" or "improve" children's behavior .
The most common concerns we see in consultations include:
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Toilet training (giving up diapers).
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Stop scratching walls or destroying objects.
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Improve study habits.
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Express requests from the school regarding aggression towards classmates.
⚡️ Important: Any behavior that causes disturbances (discomfort, annoyance, frustration) at a social and personal level may be subject to an Applied Behavior Analysis and, subsequently, to modification.
According to Cooper et al. (2020) , ABA is dedicated to understanding and improving socially relevant behaviors. It uses scientific strategies to describe the environmental variables that influence the child and generate real improvements.
🧬 Understanding Behavior: Reflex or Learning?
To conduct an effective analysis, we must first determine what type of behavior we are dealing with:
1. Respondent (Reflex) Behavior
It is associated with genetics and involuntary responses to protect us.
2. Operant (Learned) Behavior
It is that which is not a physiological reflex and is influenced by its consequences.
Since it is an operant behavior, we need to analyze:
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Background: What happens before the behavior.
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Behavior: What exactly the child does.
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Consequences: What does the child gain from that behavior?
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Reinforcers: What things do they like to motivate change?
🔎 The Assessment: The first step towards change
The assessment stage is critical. Here we define the behavior by its topography (how the behavior physically appears). This allows the professional and the family to be on the same page.
We also assess reinforcer preference : What does the child choose in their natural environment? This helps us teach adaptive skills such as:
🗣️ The role of parents in the assessment
At ABA, we use indirect methods such as parent interviews . You help us answer: What is happening? and Why are we trying to modify this behavior? Interviewing teachers and caregivers is also vital to gain a complete understanding.
📚 Case Study: Carlos's challenge with homework
Let's imagine Carlos (fictitious name). His parents recount:
"He's in 5th grade and can't seem to sit down to study. If we make him sit down, he's playing Nintendo after half an hour. Sometimes he does his homework in the car or crams-crams the night before. He could do better if he paid attention to his responsibilities."
Parents often fear it may be Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) . Although a neuropsychological evaluation can confirm or rule this out, in this hypothetical case we will assume that neurodevelopment is typical.
Topographic Analysis by Carlos
Instead of saying "he misbehaves", we define the behavior in detail:
Why does he do it? (The function of behavior)
Getting up from the chair is likely to act as negative reinforcement .
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Behavior: Get up.
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Consequence: Escapes from studying (aversive stimulus).
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Result: He feels relieved, so he is more likely to repeat it in the future.
🛠️ The Intervention: Strategies and Reinforcement
We discovered that Carlos already knows how to read, write and use his planner (he has the prerequisites), but he is disorganized and prefers to do homework in bed instead of at his desk.
Plan of action:
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Distraction control: Toy/screen-free environment while studying.
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Organization: Prioritizing tasks.
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Generalization: Use the subjects they do like to motivate them to study the ones they don't like.
👍🏻 The Power of Positive Reinforcement
We use reinforcers (rewards or praise) instead of punishments. Ethically, punishment is relegated to a secondary role.
Tip for parents: Reinforce the behavior, not the person.
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❌ Avoid: "You're a good boy."
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✅ Prefer: "I'm very glad you did your homework on time and sitting at your desk, congratulations." (Specific social reinforcement).
🤝 Ethics and Child Participation
Although we work with the parents, the child's voice is fundamental . The professional must balance the parents' expectations with what the child can achieve.
Golden Rule: Behavior modification should primarily benefit the child (their learning, their well-being), not just the convenience of the parents or the school.
🇵🇦 The Context of ABA in Panama
Applied Behavior Analysis is rigorous and effective for cases of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), school problems, teaching functional skills, among others.
Internationally, there are agencies such as the BCBA® and QABA® that certify therapists. In countries like the USA, this certification is mandatory.
What's happening in Panama? Currently, mental health regulations and the Psychologist's Code of Ethics in Panama do not legally require international ABA certification to practice. However, our professional stance is clear:
💪 Excellence Matters: Although not mandatory, having international certifications from a professional or center enhances the prestige, safety, and quality of service for your family.
As parents, you have the right to request evidence of the professional's academic qualifications. This ensures that procedures based on scientific and ethical evidence are used.
✌️ Do you need professional support?
At Neuropsyedu , we are committed to science and the well-being of your family. If you are looking for counseling, neuropsychological evaluation, or behavioral intervention, we are here for you.
📲 Contact us: +507 6535 6362 🌐 Web: www.neuropsyedu.com
References:
✅ Cooper, JO, Heron, TE, & Heward, WL (2020). Applied Behavior Analysis, Third Spanish Edition (J. Virues Ortega, ed.). ABA Spain Publications.