ABA therapy starts with the assessment phase in which the therapist describes the client's challenging behaviors and looks for the reasons the behaviors are occurring.

Then the therapist develops a Behavior Intervention Plan that includes specific interventions for each target behavior.  Interventions can be preventative strategies and include changes to the environment.  They can also modify behaviors by teaching replacement behaviors that serve the same function of a disruptive behavior.

During ABA therapy, skills are broken down into small, easy-to-learn steps. Positive reinforcement is used to motivate the client, and data is continuously collected to measure the client's progress and modify their personalized treatment plan.

Parent/caregiver training on how to implement the Behavior Intervention Plan at home is essential to success.