Education is Power

There are too many articles and statistics to count that tout the importance of education. Education brings many advantages to a society, it’s people, its economics and development. Education can come in many forms. There are life lessons, which is an education in itself, as well as formal education which helps to expand our general knowledge and awareness.

When it comes to the education of applied behavior analysis, the science and research conducted has provided amazing assets for anyone with special needs. The science behind the research has provided the field of ABA validity and has proven time and time again, that ABA programs and interventions are effective. But how can we use that education and information to help the a family directly?

The fact of the matter is, Education is Power! When it comes to success of a child’s program, it is my belief that parent education is hands down the most important aspect. The science and research is not just being applied to educating special needs individuals with new tasks and goals or teaching providers how to collect data. To truly help a child throughout his entire life with Autism, the answer to how to use the education is easy…educating parents!

You see, parents are the secret ingredient to success. Of all the systems and programs provided through education, nothing is more powerful than parents who are educated in ABA. According to Crone & Mehta (2016), results of one study found that only 4 session of parent training lead to: decrease problem behaviors, increased learning moments, increased success in generalized tasks in the natural environment and most importantly, it gave parents learning tools to manipulate their environments.
Parents are the child’s greatest investment, greatest motivator and most stable tool to engage the learning.

When parents can drive programs and interventions they are able to make the best decisions everyday all day. The bottom line is that parents spend the most time in their child’s lives and the repetition of programs and early intervention is what leads to success. It is certainly a challenge and a very long road, however, at the end of the day parents are their child’s biggest advocates and biggest cheerleaders.

My goal for families, the MOST important of all, is the opportunity to gain an education about ABA. That seems to be truly invaluable.

-Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”
-Nelson Mandela, 2013

Thanks! 

Cori E Law, M.Ed, BCBA, LBA

Crone, R., & Mehta, S. (2016). Parent Training on Generalized Use of Behavior Analytic Strategies for Decreasing the Problem Behavior of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Data-Based Case Study. Education And Treatment Of Children, 39(1), 64-94.