The faculty members in Applied Behavior Analysis(ABA) program value students’ opinions greatly. Let’s take a look at what it’s like to be an ABA graduate student of the on-campus cohort at Saint Cloud State University (SCSU) and what they think about the program after the two-semester worth of experience.
When asked to indicate one aspect of the program that they enjoyed, many students enjoyed the course work and different classes. For example, Behavioral Application, and Experimental Analysis of Behavior.
“I liked having Experimental Analysis of Behavior (EAB) the first semester to increase my understanding of the principles of behavior.”
“The course Behavioral Applications has been the most influential, helpful class to me personally with helpful articles and insightful case study presentations.”
What are students’ experiences with our faculty members? Here are some of the experiences from the students:
“I push myself harder when I’m held to a high standard by my professors. Throughout this program, I’ve really appreciated the high standards set by a couple of my professors in particular. It’s clear that the professors here care about students’ success and want to encourage students to always do better and think outside the box.”
“They have supported me by being available for questions and by encouraging me with my career goals. They also help me to grow in knowledge and application. I am not as scared to be wrong about something, because I know that I will learn from it and be better for it.”
What would the current student tell someone who is interested in applying for the ABA program at SCSU?
“It is a lot of hard work, but I think we will be better providers in the future because of it. If you want the easy way, this is not it, but if you want the RIGHT way, this is definitely it.”
“This ABA program is perfect for anyone that genuinely cares about increasing their skills as a practitioner. This is not an easy program, but it is beyond worth it.”
“This program will go above and beyond to ensure that you completely know the material on a greater level than regurgitation.”
An insight into the program will not be comprehensive without constructive criticism. Right? Do students have any suggestions or aspects of the program that they would like to change?
“One possible aspect of the program that I would change or improve on would be contact or relations with the online program. I think it would be beneficial to have an online chat or possibly Zoom to meet others from both programs to discuss our similar journeys.”
“I would also like to learn more about how to solve complex problems in the clinic and in other settings. I think most of us have experience in a clinic or home, but I would like to learn about how a BCBA implements interventions in a school setting or in a group home.”
Here you have it. Hopefully, by reading students’ experiences, now you have a better insight into what the ABA program at SCSU has to offer. Feel free to visit the program page and contact the faculty members if you have any questions regarding the program.
As the spring semester is ending, let’s take a look at what we have discussed. First, we delved into the question of how autism spectrum disorder is diagnosed and what are some of the early signs of autism. A monitoring and screening tool was provided as a resource for parents as well.
It might be a tough question when deciding whether treatment is necessary for your child once they are diagnosed. Here are a couple of helpful suggestions to guide your decision-making process. There are many treatment options out there. It could be overwhelming sometimes, we presented applied behavior analysis and other treatment options that are listed by the CDC.
Then, we discussed one of the strategies called planned ignoring. even though it could be an effective intervention, it has to be combined with a reinforcement-based intervention. We also discussed situations in which planned ignoring should not be used. Not only we talked about consequence-based intervention but also, we suggested many antecedent-based strategies to help caregivers be more proactive. For example, using specific instructions, offering choices, and using visual schedules.
Behavior issues are not the only things that parents encounter. Many children have sleep issues. We introduced the bedtime pass and bedtime routines to facilitate better sleep habits for both children and adults.
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We discussed how we could present a bedtime pass to your child if they tend to get out of bed and leave their room at night. However, what if it is extremely difficult to put them to bed in the first place? Here are some of the helpful strategies that would help to make that transition easier for bedtime routines The key to a sleep routine is finding a bedtime for the family and your child and stick to it. Thus, the bedtime needs to be realistic, so it is easier to keep it consistent.
There are many ways to set up a bedtime. One of the methods is to count how long would take your child to get ready in the morning and the hours of sleep your child needs then take the block of time to determine when your child needs to go to bed at night. Children need more hours of sleep than adults as they develop. The common bedtime for children is 8 pm to 9:30 pm. However, as we mentioned if your children need extra time to get ready in the morning, their bedtime might need to be earlier.
Routines for bedtime also pertain to other activities before bedtime. It is useful to establish time blocks for all the activities before bedtime. The order can be adjusted base on personal preferences and needs. For example, the dinner time block can be 5 pm-6 pm, the bath time block can be 8-8:30 pm, and the free time block is 6:30-7 pm. It will be helpful to ensure that calming activities are placed closer to bedtime to facilitate better sleep. The goal is to make the schedule more flexible and customizable. With designated time blocks for activities, sticking to bedtime routines will be easier.
When planning the routine, you can use a 15 minutes time block before bed for you and your child to use the bathroom and say goodnight, and do anything they need (e.g., use the bedroom). If your child has trouble with staying in their bed throughout the night, a strategy called bedtime pass could be helpful. Here is a nice sleep diary for your use. Sleep well!
Sleep issues are common with pre-school and school-age kids. For parents, those issues could sometimes seem extremely difficult in terms of coming up with solutions. One strategy called bedtime pass could be a simple and effective way to address children having a hard time staying in their bedroom at night. Also, it has been shown to be effective for children who are diagnosed with autism.
The bedtime pass is just like how it sounds. A 5×7 card is given to the child and the child can use the pass to get out of bed for any reason. It can be used to get a hug from the parents, grab something to drink, a bedroom visit. If the child is again out of the room once they have used the pass, the parent will neutrally guide the child back to their room. For most children, they will save the bedtime pass for later and then falling asleep. However, if your child is having a cold or discomfort that requires frequent visits throughout the night, the strategy should be postponed.
Let’s take a look at this strategy step by step:
- Provide a bedtime pass (a special card) and the card can be used by the child for many reasons (e.g., get a drink, a visit from parents, a hug from parents).
- Send your child to bed and make sure the bedtime pass is near the child (e.g., next to the pillow, in their hands).
- The card will be taken once the child used the bedtime pass that night.
- If children get out of the room after using the pass, parents will neutrally guide their children back to the bedroom.
Many times, during the first couple of nights, children will try to visit a couple more times to see if you are serious about the rules. After a few nights, they will hold on to the pass and make sure to use it when necessary.
We can also address sleeping problems on the front end, there are many bedtime routines shown to be effective in helping children stay in bed and sleep through the night. We will discuss those strategies next week. You can find other strategies on our Facebook page.
