Best ABA Parent Training Resources for BCBAs
- Ashleigh
- Aug 2, 2024
- 4 min read
Updated: Sep 24
One area of focus that tends to be severely lacking in BCBA supervised fieldwork is guidance on ABA parent training. This leaves many newly minted behavior analysts without the knowledge and experience to support parents and caregivers. Parent training is a vital component of quality ABA services. To ensure alignment and drive the best possible outcomes, BCBAs must engage parents in meaningful learning that empowers them to best support their child. This guide will explore some of the best ABA parent training resources available.
Note: Ready to take your parent training skills to the next level? Enroll in the ABA Parent Training Certificate Course, a comprehensive, self-paced program packed with practical strategies and 30 CEUs!
What are the Benefits of Parent Training in ABA?
Research has consistently demonstrated a multitude of benefits to parent education and support within ABA programs. Some of the benefits of quality parent training include:
Improved parent-child interactions
Reduced stress for the parents and caregivers
Increased progress in communication, social, behavior, and adaptive goals
Enhanced generalization of skills
Potential for reduced duration of therapy (and thus, reduced costs)
Empowering caregivers with the knowledge and skills to support their child's needs
Shortened timeline for access to care (when caregiver training is delivered while on a waitlist for direct services)
One-Year ABA Parent Training Curriculum
The One-Year curriculum is a leading ABA parent training platform designed to support clinicians in guiding families with practical, evidence-based strategies.
Volume 1 covers foundational behavior change concepts, self-care for parents, and more.
Volume 2 focuses on teaching essential daily living skills.
Volume 3 highlights social skill development, with an emphasis on supporting neurodiverse individuals.
CR Care Coordinator
CentralReach Care Coordinator is another platform that streamlines ABA parent training. CR Care Coordinator and the recently launched CR Care Companion app enable BCBAs and other clinicians to provide on-the-go training and support to current clients and those on the waitlist for services.
With CR Care Coordinator, BCBAs can:
Gain access to a comprehensive library of research-based videos and training content.
Assign lessons to parents that align with their values and goals.
Customize content that meets the family's unique needs.
Engage caregivers in training and provide support while they're on the waitlist so they have some ABA knowledge before beginning services.
Communicate with parents and monitor progress.
Track caregiver progress.
With the CR CareCompanion app, parents and caregivers can:
Share updates, pictures, and videos with their BCBA.
Journal in the app with pre-made prompts.
Consume high-quality knowledge via training lessons.
Feel more connected to their child's team and care plan.
Parent Training Books
While all-in-one platforms offer many unique benefits to parent training, there are many alternatives for those who don't have access. There are several books and curricula that BCBAs may incorporate into their caregiver training. Some of the best ABA parent training books include the following.
A Work in Progress
A Work in Progress is beneficial for both clinicians and parents of newly diagnosed children who are looking for a concrete curriculum. It contains 54 clear, step-by-step exercises on setting up an ABA-based social skill program and managing challenging behaviors
ABA Visualized Guidebook, 2nd Edition
ABA Visualized contains 27 evidence-based strategies with step-by-step visual guides that help parents understand how to approach various scenarios. This text covers ABA concepts like shaping, functions of behavior, and more.
The Behavior Analyst's Guide to Working with Parents: Acceptance and Commitment Training for Effective Parental Collaboration in Treatment
This ACT-focused guide for behavior analysts provides a framework for incorporating Acceptance and Commitment Training into ABA caregiver training. It covers the evidence for ACT, ethical considerations, and a guide for implementing ACT within parent training.
ACHIEVE Parent Training Curriculum
The ACHIEVE curriculum covers 31 lessons, 2 of which are BCBA-focused. You can also purchase an optional ACHIEVE Curriculum Workbook with the assignments and quizzes from the curriculum.
Parent Training CEUs
Consider boosting your parent training expertise with the following CEUs.
Improve Outcomes with ABA Caregiver Training
Caregiver training in ABA is vital for driving the best possible outcomes. There is an old adage that we, as BCBAs, are always trying to work ourselves out of a job. Regardless of the platform or materials you use, engaging parents and caregivers in high-quality education, training, and support, can vastly elevate outcomes, preparing caregivers for the day when they are ready to transition out of ABA.
Disclaimer: This article contains affiliate links. This means if you make a purchase via my link, I'll earn a small commission. This does not impact the cost to you of the product or service.
References
Dogan, R. K., King, M. L., Fischetti, A. T., Lake, C. M., Mathews, T. L., & Warzak, W. J. (2017). Parent-implemented behavioral skills training of social skills. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 50(4), 805–818. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaba.411
Factor, R. S., Ollendick, T. H., Cooper, L. D., Dunsmore, J. C., Rea, H. M., & Scarpa, A. (2019). All in the Family: A Systematic Review of the Effect of Caregiver-Administered Autism Spectrum Disorder Interventions on Family Functioning and Relationships. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 22(4), 433–457. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10567-019-00297-x
Hock, R., Kinsman, A., & Ortaglia, A. (2015). Examining treatment adherence among parents of children with autism spectrum disorder. Disability and Health Journal, 8(3), 407-413. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dhjo.2014.10.005
Ingersoll, B., & Berger, N. I. (2015). Parent Engagement With a Telehealth-Based
Parent-Mediated Intervention Program for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders: Predictors of Program Use and Parent Outcomes. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 17(10), e227. https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.4913
Lindgren, S., Wacker, D., Suess, A., Schieltz, K., Pelzel, K., Kopelman, T., Lee, J., Romani, P., & Waldron, D. (2016). Telehealth and Autism: Treating Challenging Behavior at Lower Cost. Pediatrics, 137 Suppl 2(Suppl 2), S167–S175. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2015-2851O
Lerman, D. C., O’Brien, M. J., Neely, L., Call, N. A., Tsami, L., Schieltz, K. M., Berg, W. K., Graber, J., Huang, P., Kopelman, T., & Cooper-Brown, L. J. (2020). Remote Coaching of Caregivers via Telehealth: Challenges and Potential Solutions. Journal of Behavioral Education, 29(2), 195–221. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10864-020-09378-2
