When it comes to Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy, setting realistic goals isn’t just a best practice—it’s the foundation of successful treatment outcomes. Setting realistic and achievable goals is crucial for success in ABA therapy, providing direction, motivation, and a way to measure progress. For families navigating autism treatment, understanding how to establish meaningful, attainable goals can make the difference between frustration and transformative progress.
ABA therapy is a type of therapy that focuses on understanding how behavior works and how it is affected by the environment, involving breaking down skills into smaller, more manageable steps and using positive reinforcement to encourage desired behaviors. It has been proven effective for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but it can also be beneficial for those with other developmental or intellectual disabilities.
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Therapy has been recognized as an evidence-based best practice treatment by the US Surgeon General and the American Psychological Association. With such strong endorsement, it’s clear why proper goal-setting within this framework matters so profoundly.
The effectiveness of ABA therapy is well-documented in research literature. Research indicates that ABA therapy boasts an impressive success rate of over 89% in improving key developmental areas such as IQ scores, communication skills, and language abilities. These remarkable outcomes aren’t accidental—they’re the direct result of carefully planned, realistic goal-setting.
Research indicates that over 89% of studies report significant improvements in children undergoing ABA, including enhanced cognition, communication, social skills, and adaptive behaviors. Furthermore, in a landmark study conducted by O. Ivar Lovass Ph.D in 1987, it was reported that 90% of children showed substantial improvements following intensive ABA therapy, and 47% of the treated children progressed to the point of being indistinguishable from their peers.
However, it’s important to note that approximately 66% of children referred for Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) stay in services for 12 months, while less than 50% continue for 24 months, and only 28% of the children received a full dose of ABA. This highlights why realistic goal-setting is so critical—unrealistic expectations can lead to early discontinuation and missed opportunities for progress.
Setting clear and measurable goals is fundamental to the success of ABA therapy. These goals serve as a roadmap for therapists, individuals, and families, providing direction, focus, and a basis for tracking progress. By delineating specific objectives, ABA therapy goals help therapists and individuals identify the skills and behaviors that need improvement.
Having a baseline allows families to have a more realistic picture of their child, which in turn helps build achievable goals. When goals are appropriately calibrated to a child’s current skill level, they challenge without overwhelming, building confidence through successive achievements.
Goals should be realistic and attainable, considering the individual’s current abilities and developmental level. It’s important to set goals that challenge the individual but are within their reach to maintain motivation and confidence.
A hallmark of ABA is its emphasis on data-driven decision-making. Therapists collect data on target behaviors, allowing them to track progress objectively and implement necessary adjustments to the intervention plan. This systematic approach ensures that goals remain relevant and achievable while focusing on observable and measurable behaviors that need improvement.
If a child is completely non-speaking, is not skilled in using an AAC device, and not yet using the restroom independently and the parents tell us they would like him to be talking and in a typical kindergarten class next year–that might not be possible. This can be tough for some caregivers to hear, but it is so important keep in mind for their progress and overall development.
ABA therapists set goals using the SMART framework – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. SMART goals provide a clear and structured approach to tracking progress in ABA therapy.
Goals should be clearly defined and specific, identifying the exact skills or behaviors that the individual needs to acquire or improve upon.
Goals should be measurable, allowing therapists to track progress objectively. Measurable goals enable therapists to collect data and analyze the individual’s performance over time.
Goals should be attainable and realistic, considering the individual’s current abilities and potential for growth. They should stretch the individual’s capabilities without setting unrealistic expectations.
Goals should be relevant to the individual’s overall development and functional needs.
Establish a timeframe for achieving the goal. This provides a sense of urgency and helps to monitor progress.
The goal-setting process in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is highly collaborative. It involves behavior analysts, parents, and sometimes other professionals working together to understand the unique needs of the individual, particularly children with autism. This teamwork begins with a comprehensive assessment that evaluates the child’s strengths and weaknesses, leading to the formulation of individualized goals.
Involving ABA therapists, Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs), parents, and other professionals ensures that the goals are relevant and meaningful. This teamwork guarantees that the objectives are aligned with the child’s overall treatment plan. In this collaborative environment, everyone can contribute their insights, merging different perspectives to create a comprehensive goal plan.
This collaborative approach ensures that goals aren’t just clinically appropriate—they’re also meaningful to the family and aligned with their values and priorities.
While establishing long-term ABA therapy goals is a fundamental step, it is equally important to break these goals down into smaller, short-term goals. This makes the objectives more manageable and achievable, while also providing clear markers of progress along the way.
During treatment, many of these prerequisite skills may be targeted at a time to build a foundation for the more complex overall goals. Focusing on these basic skills throughout therapy brings about improvements in the child as a whole.
For example, if the long-term goal is independent self-care, you might break this down into:
Consistent data collection is essential to track progress towards ABA therapy goals. Regularly monitor the data to determine if goals are too easy, too difficult, or just right.
ABA goals may need to be modified based on the individual’s progress and changing needs. Don’t be afraid to adjust goals if they are not promoting consistent progress.
This flexibility is essential—realistic goals aren’t static. They evolve based on the child’s progress, ensuring continuous challenge without overwhelming difficulty.
Most ABA therapy services recommend at least 15 hours weekly for progress, with some children receiving up to 40 hours weekly. The speed of a child’s progress depends on a variety of factors including how many hours of ABA services per week, the child’s current abilities, severity of problem behaviors, level of parent involvement, and how much caregivers transition learned skills into everyday life.
Understanding these factors helps families set realistic timelines for goal achievement. Children engaged in early, intensive therapy—typically around 25 to 40 hours weekly—often experience meaningful developmental progress.
Celebrating milestones is an important part of the ABA therapy process. Each achievement, no matter how small, represents progress toward the overall goals of the therapy. Recognizing and celebrating these milestones can help motivate individuals and reinforce the positive changes they have made.
When goals are realistic and broken into achievable steps, there are more opportunities to celebrate success, maintaining motivation for both the child and family throughout the therapy journey.
When setting ABA therapy goals, avoid:
Research shows that children with the lowest baseline adaptive level made clinically and statistically significant adaptive behavior gains after receiving ABA therapy for 24 months. Despite low rates of full ABA dosing and high service discontinuation over time, these children experienced meaningful progress in their adaptive behavior.
Each additional 12 months of ABA therapy was associated with a modest but significant increase of 4.46 points in the ABC score. These incremental gains, achieved through realistic goal-setting, compound over time to create substantial improvements in quality of life.
Setting realistic goals in ABA therapy is not about lowering expectations—it’s about creating a sustainable path to meaningful progress. The most important thing to understand about ABA therapy goals is that they are tailored to your child’s unique needs. There is no standardized set of goals that ABA Therapy will push your child to achieve. Instead, ABA therapy begins with a BCBA assessing your child to determine where they need support the most, and proceeds based on a plan to address their specific challenges with techniques that suit them.
By embracing the SMART framework, collaborating with professionals, breaking down complex skills into manageable steps, and remaining flexible based on data, families can maximize the proven benefits of ABA therapy. With over 89% success rates in key developmental areas and decades of research supporting its effectiveness, ABA therapy—when paired with realistic, individualized goals—offers tremendous potential for transforming lives.
Remember: every child’s journey is unique, and realistic goals honor that individuality while paving the way for sustainable, celebrated success.