What to Do If Your Child Resists ABA Therapy

When a child shows resistance to ABA therapy treatment by crying, not wanting to do tasks, or even isolating themselves, it can be worrisome for a parent. What does the norm look like, and how can you help the child?

Here’s some good news: we understand that ‘professional resistance’ is not an uncommon occurrence, and there are ways to mitigate such resistance and make the therapeutic session as pleasant and constructive as possible..

Why Might Your Child Be Resisting ABA Therapy?

Before diving into solutions, it’s useful to understand the reason behind the possible

resistance. Common reasons include:

• The therapy environment feels overwhelming: Too much structure or unfamiliar settings can create stress.

• Tasks feel too hard or unclear: If your child isn’t sure what’s expected, frustration can build.

• The activities aren’t engaging: Therapy should be fun and meaningful, not just repetitive.

• Transition challenges: Shifting from one activity to another can be tough for kids.

What Can You Do to Help ABA Therapy Resistance?

As a parent, you are very important in the success of ABA therapy programs. When you stay actively involved, learn behavioral modification techniques and cooperate with your child’s team, you help foster the generalization of acquired skills into daily life activities. Below are some actions you can take when your child is resisting:

1️⃣ Communicate With Your ABA Team

Start by discussing your concerns with your child’s therapist or BCBA. Share what you’ve observed and ask for their input. They may need to:

• Adjust the therapy environment to make it more inviting.

• Modify tasks to align with your child’s abilities and interests.

• Incorporate more breaks or fun activities into the session.

  
  

2️⃣ Prioritize Pairing

Pairing describes the therapist’s approach to cultivate a trusting relationship with your child within the context of enjoyable and rewarding activities. This is an essential activity towards overcoming resistance and learning how to learn. Remember to speak to your ABA team about how they approach pairing and what role you can play from home.

3️⃣ Advocate for Your Child’s Preferences

Children are more likely to stay involved in therapy when activities are enjoyable and engaging. Make sure to provide your child’s therapist with some of their favorite games, toys, and hobbies so that these can be used during the therapy sessions.

4️⃣ Reinforce Effort, Not Just Success

Sometimes, children resist because they feel they can’t “win.” Reinforce their effort rather than focusing only on completing a task. For example:

• If your child attempts a challenging activity, praise their effort: “Wow, you worked so hard on that!”

• Use small reinforcements, like high fives or a favorite song, to encourage participation.

5️⃣ Be Patient With Progress

There could be some hesitance from your child, but that is totally normal. It shows a little resistance to some elements, or it could show a lack of certain things in the therapy treatment plan. There is nothing wrong, inappropriate, or difficult here. The only thing that matters is to monitor you child’s environment and behavior with careful consideration in order to make sure that they are safe.

6️⃣ Incorporate ABA Strategies at Home

In some cases balancing between home and therapy can reduce the struggle. Work together with your ABA team to create strategies that can be used at home to foster growth and normalize therapy.

Takeaways for Parents

Not wanting to undergo applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy is normal and quite common in children. It is important to note that consistent communication with your ABA team is essential, as they can help uncover the deeper reasons for the defiance. Make the therapeutic experience as positive as possible by concentrating on central parts of pairing and meaningful engagement along with proper reinforcement. Remember, in ABA therapy, progress is incremental; therefore, you must be patient and celebrate the small wins. Keeping all these points in mind, a supportive and effective therapeutic setting could be created.

• Resistance to ABA therapy is normal and often temporary.

• Communication with your ABA team is essential to understand and address the root cause.

• Prioritize pairing, meaningful activities, and reinforcement to create a positive therapy experience.

• Progress takes time, so be patient and celebrate small wins along the way.

Let’s Hear From You!

Have you had a hard time trying to convince your child to participate in therapy sessions? How did you and your child manage to overcome it? Please let us know and contact us directly. We are looking forward to hearing your story!

When it comes to therapy, children respond to it best through a team effort, when there is a lot of kindness and when it is focused on the child. We will work together to provide the environment that allows your child to prosper.